Recreating 1990s Nigeria for My Father’s Shadow demanded far more than period costumes and vintage locations. Every face on screen had to feel authentic to the era, from natural skin texture and understated beauty looks to subtle signs of ageing, exhaustion and emotion that quietly supported the story.

 

For award-winning film, television and special effects make-up artist Feyisayo Oyebisi, authenticity couldn’t be achieved through a quick online search. Looking up “1990s make-up” mostly produced Western beauty references, not the everyday realities of Nigerian women from the period. Instead, she turned to extensive research, old photographs, magazines, personal memories and deliberate creative restraint to recreate a version of the decade that felt unmistakably Nigerian.

 

That commitment to realism has defined Oyebisi’s career for more than two decades. As the founder of Dancing Queen Productions and creator of Creative Chops, she has worked on acclaimed productions including My Father’s Shadow, Everybody Loves Jenifa, Tribe of Judah, Ile Owo and Ajosepo, building a reputation for treating make-up as a storytelling tool, not decoration.

 

“As a film and TV make-up artist, you must prioritise the story above your skills and personal interests,” she says. “There are subtle character details hidden within a script that can completely elevate a performance, and it’s my job to find them. Every detail matters, from how the writer describes a character to the environment they live in, even their bedroom.”

 

Recreating 1990s Nigeria

My Father’s Shadow, set in 1990s Ibadan and Lagos, became one of the defining projects of Oyebisi’s career, and its make-up team earned recognition at the British Independent Film Awards. The production demanded a level of historical accuracy that couldn’t be pulled from a simple internet search.

 

“What you will find when you Google ’90s make-up won’t be Nigerian make-up. You’ll find Toni Braxton, Beyoncé and Kelly Rowland, but not Nigerian references.”

 

For Oyebisi, recreating the period wasn’t about making actors look flawless. It was about resisting the temptation to perfect them.

 

“I had to resist the urge to over-perfect the faces, allowing natural skin texture, hyperpigmentation and the beauty of real Nigerian skin to remain visible, just as it would have in the 1990s.”

 

The production reinforced lessons that went beyond make-up.

 

“Above all, My Father’s Shadow was a deeply humane production. It reminded me that no matter how ambitious a film is, its greatest asset will always be the people who bring it to life.”

 

One of her biggest takeaways was the importance of camera tests, not as technical exercises, but as collaborative sessions where make-up, costume, lighting and cinematography came together to ensure every creative decision translated on screen.

 

“It also reinforced something I have always believed: the make-up and costume departments are not supporting departments, they are central to the storytelling process.”

 

The film presented several distinct creative challenges. Flashback scenes required subtle visual cues to communicate the emotional and physical state of the boys’ mother without drawing attention to the make-up itself.

 

“There are flashback sequences where the boys’ mother appears, and I had to subtly communicate what she was going through emotionally and physically. The changes were intentionally understated, you wouldn’t necessarily notice them unless you were paying close attention, and that was exactly the point.”

 

Continuity demanded the same precision. The story unfolds over a single day, but filming stretched across multiple days, so the team had to track changes in skin tone, sweat and overall appearance carefully.

 

“We photographed every look before and after scenes, especially when filming continued on another day, so we could recreate their appearances perfectly and preserve the story’s timeline.”

 

Other moments pushed the team further still, recreating a 1990s Mirinda commercial from scratch after failing to secure rights to the original, casting a convincing Abacha lookalike for a news broadcast, and ageing two characters backwards by a decade for a wedding photograph.

 

“Since we couldn’t use the original Mirinda commercial, we recreated it from scratch, carefully painting three actors to match the look and feel of the 1990s advertisement. We also cast someone who closely resembled Abacha to maintain authenticity.”

 

“As the boys were 10 and eight in the film’s present timeline, the wedding had taken place roughly a decade earlier, which meant designing bridal make-up that felt authentically Nigerian for an even earlier period. Ironically, period make-up is often harder than contemporary beauty make-up, because success lies in convincing the audience that nothing feels out of place.”

 

Research before the Production 

For Oyebisi, the creative process begins long before a brush touches skin. She typically reads a script twice before sitting down with the director to understand the creative vision and make sure her ideas support the story rather than compete with it.

 

“Those conversations ensure that my creative ideas align with their vision rather than taking the lookbook in a completely different direction.”

 

From there, she develops a treatment, prepares a shopping list, builds the budget and tests unfamiliar techniques before production begins.

 

“I always test any look I’m unfamiliar with before stepping onto the set. Whether it’s for a film, commercial or music video, I research, experiment and refine until I’m confident it will enhance the story without distracting from it. Preparation is what makes the magic possible.”

 

Ask her to define special effects, and she returns not to technique but to storytelling.

 

“Special effects allow you to visually communicate what a character has endured, making the audience believe every moment.”

 

Rather than relying only on reference images, Oyebisi immerses herself in the lives and experiences of the people she’s trying to portray.

 

“I recall one time with a woman who had gone through 15 rounds of IVF, and we needed to show her injecting herself and the scars that came with it. I spoke to more than one person, including a friend who was going through the same experience. I wanted to represent that journey truthfully and respectfully.”

 

Her research often extends to moments many people would overlook.

 

“I also do something people find a little strange. Whenever someone I know gets a bruise or an injury, and they’re comfortable with it, I ask to take a photo. I keep those images as real-life references for future projects.”

 

More recently, she’s added artificial intelligence to that process, using different AI platforms to generate and compare visual references alongside real-life research.

 

“As a veteran, I believe in using every tool available to deepen my understanding and create work that feels as authentic as possible.”

 

Building a career behind the camera

There was never a time when make-up wasn’t part of Oyebisi’s life. Creative from an early age, she enjoyed drawing, painting and exploring fine art before realising that what truly excited her was helping people feel beautiful and confident. Her first step into the profession was unexpectedly simple.

 

“It started for me from brows, and the rest is history.”

 

At a time when make-up was rarely viewed as a serious career in Nigeria, Oyebisi looked up to pioneers like Tara Durotoye and stayed determined to pursue the craft. Her entry into Nollywood came while she was still in 300 level, when a friend’s older sister introduced her to the set of Edge of Paradise, an Africa Magic production.

 

The internship became her first real training ground. Working under a department head who oversaw make-up, costume and special effects, she made a conscious decision to learn every part of the job rather than limit herself to routine tasks.

 

“I took the initiative to learn everything I could, and that’s where I learnt make-up and costume, which I still dabble in, but don’t talk about as much as make-up.”

 

After Edge of Paradise came a short film, Space Within, and a student production at Igbinedion University that sparked her fascination with special effects.

 

“This is a memory that has stayed with me,” she recalls. “During our trip, we needed to create a realistic gunshot wound, but we didn’t have access to professional special effects materials. So I improvised with red nail polish and cotton wool. Looking back now, it’s amusing to think those were my first attempts at practical effects. It certainly wasn’t industry standard, but it sparked my creativity and taught me that resourcefulness is often the starting point of innovation.”

 

She briefly pursued a career in banking after graduation, but soon realised her future lay elsewhere. She resigned, committed to make-up full-time and returned to the film industry, assisting her friend’s sister, who focused mainly on costume design while Oyebisi handled much of the make-up work.

 

“As I met more people in the industry, I began taking on projects independently. One opportunity led to another, and through word of mouth, consistency and positive feedback, my career continued to grow. Looking back, I can honestly say it has been the grace of God. I’ve simply stayed faithful to the gifts He gave me, worked hard and trusted Him to open the right doors.”

 

Practical beauty advice

For all the technical depth of her film work, Oyebisi’s advice for everyday make-up is refreshingly simple, and it begins long before any product touches the skin.

 

“The most important thing to having a great everyday make-up look is having great skin. Every woman should prioritise staying hydrated, moisturising properly and using sunscreen. When your skin is healthy, you need much less make-up.”

 

She also advises against choosing complexion products based only on online recommendations.

 

“Get a professional to match your foundation and concealer. Don’t choose products by shade alone, match them to your jawline because it sits between your face, neck and chest. And if the whole process feels overwhelming, just wear mascara, lip gloss and eyeliner. Your eyes will do the rest of the work.”

 

Among the Nigerian brands she regularly keeps in her professional kit are Hegai & Esther, Zikel and Yanga Beauty.

 

“Hegai & Esther products are affordable, reliable and deliver great results, which makes them staples for me. I also don’t joke with the Zikel powder palettes because they’re incredibly versatile and every make-up artist should have them on set. Yanga Beauty’s foundations and concealers are also worth mentioning. Their concealers, in particular, perform really well.”

 

Teaching beyond the brush

Despite the progress Nollywood has made, Oyebisi believes the industry is still evolving when it comes to film and television make-up.

 

“We’re getting there, and that’s one of the reasons I always include a demonstration of the ‘no-make-up’ make-up look in my masterclasses. As the name suggests, it’s make-up that’s designed to be invisible.”

 

“The goal is to enhance a person’s natural features so they appear as though they aren’t wearing make-up at all, even though there may be five or six products on their face. Achieving that takes real skill because every decision has to be subtle.”

 

For Oyebisi, film make-up should never call attention to itself.

 

“Film make-up should always support the character and the story, not distract from it. In Nollywood, we’re still evolving. You still see scenes where a character wakes up with a full face of flawless make-up, even when it doesn’t serve the story. That’s one of the reasons I, along with many other trainers in the industry, am passionate about teaching the right approach.”

 

That commitment to teaching grew from her own experience entering the industry.

 

“When I got into film, I quickly realised I didn’t just want to practise film make-up, I wanted to teach it, especially special effects. At the time, very few people were willing to share that knowledge.”

 

“There was a culture of gatekeeping, and having experienced it myself, I became determined to do the opposite.”

 

Today, her masterclasses extend beyond brushes and prosthetics to include the professional skills she believes every make-up artist needs on set.

“One of the things I’m most proud of is including soft-set skills in my masterclasses. These are practical and professional lessons I had to learn on my own, things no one taught me but have made a significant difference in my career. My goal isn’t just for people to attend a masterclass, it’s for them to leave with the confidence, skills and mindset to thrive on set.”

 

Her advice to aspiring make-up artists is equally practical.

 

“I always encourage aspiring artists to seek opportunities to work alongside experienced professionals. There’s no substitute for being on set and applying what you’ve learned in real production environments. Submit yourself to mentorship, embrace training and be willing to learn from those who have gone before you. That’s where real growth happens.”

 

Looking ahead

Although she’s keeping details of her upcoming projects under wraps, Oyebisi says she’s excited about what’s ahead.

 

“I am currently in pre-production for a few exciting projects that I can’t say much about just yet, but I’m looking forward to sharing them when the time is right. I’ve worked on some incredible productions this year, and I’m optimistic about how they’ll be received.”

 

Since 2024, she has expanded her creative work beyond make-up into producing, with a short film scheduled for release this year. She is also developing a feature inspired by the stories of widows she works with through her NGO.

 

“By God’s grace, I’m also developing a feature-length film inspired by the stories of the widows I work with through my NGO. It’s a project that’s deeply personal to me, and I’m excited about the possibility of bringing those stories to life.””