Kate Birch - Hairdresser and Make-Up Artist

Career Highlights

• Attended Beaconhills College from 1984 to1987 (Years 7-10)
• Brother Peter Birch and parents Barb & Derek Birch were foundation College members in 1982
• Took up a hairdressing apprenticeship after leaving school at the end of 1987
• Won the Victorian Junior Hair Stylist competition three months later in 1988 and again in 1989 and 1990
• Attended the World Hairdressing Junior Team Titles in Japan in 1992 where the team came 4th
• Moved to Sydney in 1993 to complete a course on Make-up and Special Effects
• Began working in the television industry with Channel ‘0’ (now ‘10’) in 1994 on ‘Country Practice’. Also worked on ‘Medivac’, ‘Noah’s Ark’, ‘Jeckyl and Hyde’ and ‘Tales of the South Seas’
• Worked on her first film in 1999, ‘Mission Impossible II’
• Has since worked on over 20 feature films, including ‘Rabbit Proof Fence’, ‘The Man Who Sued God’, ‘The Boy From Oz, ‘Moulin Rouge’, ‘The Rage in Placid Lake’, ‘Stealth’ , ‘Anancondas’ and ‘Ghostrider’.
• Has worked closely with many famous actors, including Hugh Jackman, Eric Bana, William Hurt, William Macy, Sam Elliot, Peter Fonda, Billy Connolly and Eva Mendes
• Her favourite work was on ‘The Boy From Oz’ and her favourite film but hardest work was on ‘Rabbit Proof Fence’
• Favourite places where she’s worked include Chiang Mai in Thailand for ‘Stealth’ and Kununurra in W.A. for ‘Rabbit Proof Fence’
• Nominated for an Emmy award in 2007 for ‘Outstanding Makeup for a miniseries, movie or special’ in the feature film ‘Nightmares and Dreamscapes’