Makeup in the filmmaking medium does far more than just make an actor or actress look good. In fact, it can often do the opposite. It becomes an essential part of character-building, allowing actors and actresses to disappear into the world of a film, and it is awarded every year by the AMPAS in the form of the Best Makeup Oscar.

The award is actually designated for both makeup and hairstyling. But in my humble opinion, the category has tended to ignore the latter more often than not.

This category will become much clearer after the announcement of the seven bakeoff finalists later in the season. As in the Best Visual Effects category, seven finalists are announced prior to the date when the nominations are announced, and three of those seven finalists become the nominees.

This is a strange category; seemingly easy gets often miss out while otherwise poorly-regarded films occasionally score nominations (last year’s “Click” immediately jumps to mind). Considering anything a “lock” in the makeup category is a foolhardy action indeed.

Regardless of typical shockers that pop up in the bakeoff, particular types of work do score in this category regularly. Aging is near the very top of that list. Character-building work – turning famous actors into infamous people or disguising them as fictitious personas – frequents this category all the time. Battle wounds and blood are also a good way to get work noticed. Prosthetics and very showy work show up every single year.

Tim Burton’s “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” would seem to have everything this category loves. Wild hair, period makeup – and there will be blood! The makeup crew also includes a giant in the field, Ve Neill, who has won two Oscars for past work with Burton (“Beetlejuice” and “Ed Wood”) in addition to her third win for “Mrs. Doubtfire.” This strikes me on paper as a solid bet. We’ll see what happens.

“Hairspray,” meanwhile, was another big, brassy musical. Not only where the hairstyles hilariously – though appropriately – over-the-top (terribly surprising, I know, given the film’s title) but “Grease” legend John Travolta was turned into the hefty Edna Turnblad! This sort of stunt transformation can easily get people talking. The crew has no previous nominations between them, but even so, recent years suggest to me insularity is not all that important in this category. So I’d say both musicals are good possibilities.

“La Vie en Rose” also turned its star into a musical icon (albeit a very different one) as Marion Cotillard was transformed into Edith Piaf. The makeup crew also did so in such a way where her aging and illness where very noticeable. Again, no previous nominees are on the crew. Last year’s winner, however, was also a foreign film (“Pan’s Labyrinth”) without prior Academy-recognized talent behind the prosthetics.

Yet another famous lady was manifested in “Elizabeth: The Golden Age.” Jenny Shircore won an Oscar for this film’s predecessor nine years ago. The hairstyling and facial makeup suggest that a follow-up nomination could occur. Then again, the predecessor was held in higher regard – and it was a Best Picture nominee. Not likely with this critical bomb.

“The Golden Compass” is aiming to be the launch of a new fantasy series, creating the characters Philip Pullman’s celebrated literary world. Peter King won an Oscar for his makeup designs on “Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.” I don’t know if this effort is going to give him the sort of opportunity that arose there (or even on an endeavor such as “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”), but I’d venture to say that the average makeup artist would still love to have this sort of prospect. I really think we’ll only be able to evaluate this when we see it, however.

“Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium” is another fantasy effort that could pop up. The film will transform Dustin Hoffman into a seemingly lovable eccentric with a very unique look. Disguising famous actors is something this category loves.

Speaking of which, “Fred Claus” turns Paul Giamatti into Santa Claus as well as making all the other members of the North Pole community. “The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause” managed to make the bakeoff last year after all! This probably shouldn’t be ruled out.

“Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End” is in a strange situation. The first film in the series probably would have won the Oscar in 2003 had it not been for the “Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” juggernaut that year. The first sequel continued the work of battle wounds, unique pirate looks and crazy hairstyles – not to mention grotesque creations here and there – but it missed out on a nomination to “Click” of all things last year. Ve Neill and Martin Samuel continued to improve and deepen their work on the third installment this year, but is it likely that the film will score when a predecessor in its series failed? You never know. There are occasions, though rare, where this kind of thing happens.

The “Harry Potter” series has never managed to score in this category, which frankly surprises me. Makeup and hairstyling has been pivotal to this hugely successful series since day one. The Academy has never really embraced the franchise with any discernable passion, so I doubt that “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” will be able to break that trend. Then again, the nominations which the last two installments managed surprised many. And the only makeup nomination that “Star Wars” series ever received, for instance, was for the final installment. Never say never.

In the world of period and illness, “Love in the Time of Cholera,” though seemingly underwhelming, could be the sort of film ignored everywhere else EXCEPT here. Matthew Mungle won an Oscar for “Dracula,” after all. Something to keep in mind.

And lastly we come to my lame pun while discussing “Sweeney Todd” – “There Will Be Blood.” This will be period, seems a certain critical favorite, and the sheer amount of dirt and oil will likely result in makeup being noticeable. I wouldn’t rule it out.

But I began with saying just how unpredictable this category is; I certainly stand by that notion. I’m sure we’ll at least see a film or two making the bakeoff that I haven’t even mentioned (or considered).

The Academy Award for Best Makeup really recognizes makeup and hairstyling. The hairstylists might be largely forgotten on account of the title of the award, but this is nevertheless the category in which their work is noticed by the AMPAS. Both makeup and hairstyling help create a character, specific to time, period, setting and persona, whatever these factors may be.

Like visual effects, there are two stages to choosing the nominees in this category. Seven films are announced before nomination morning as finalists, known as the “bakeoff.” A committee then views the films and chooses three nominees from the lot.

The category is also one of the most difficult to predict, largely because the bakeoff often has shockers in store, omitting films considered good bets for nods and including titles often not considered. As expected, however, makeup that is most noticeable tends to garner the most attention.

Perhaps the biggest question mark in this year’s race surrounds “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest.” Ve Neill (three-time Oscar winner) and Martin Samuel were nominated for their work on the original film three years ago, losing to the “Return of the King” juggernaut. They could also run into trouble this time around if the branch feels there is not enough new work, especially when a character like Davy Jones is created through visual effects rather than practically. I personally feel their work is easily worthy of a nod given all the battle wounds, distinctive looking new characters and, most notably, Stellan Skarsgård’s Bootstrap Bill, a character whose look was almost completely the result of makeup. I suspect the branch will see this as I do and give the film the nod, on its way to the win. But if it were not to make the bakeoff, I would not be shocked.

After “Dead Man’s Chest,” the film which strikes me as the best opportunity this year for makeup artists to shine is Mel Gibson’s “Apocalypto.” We all know of Gibson’s rather – how shall I put this politely – “odd” behavior as of late. However, “Apocalypto” will feature ritual makeup, battle wounds and memorable hairstyles, all attempting to fashion a piece of history seldom recreated. Moreover, his makeup crew includes Oscar nominees Daniel Parker (“Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein”) and Keith VanderLaan (Gibson’s own “The Passion of the Christ”). All things considered, this nod is up to the film to lose.

The makeup branch loves aging famous actors. See the nomination for “The Sea Inside” two years ago for essentially aging just one character in particular. And Daniel Phillips did this exquisitely and memorably this year on Stephen Frears’s “The Queen” for a far more famous individual. Helen Mirren looks doesn’t exactly resemble Britain’s reigning monarch, but Phillips’s work, on both makeup and hair fronts, aided in convincing us that she was. Moreover, there was also the task of turning Sylvia Syms into the 97-year old Queen Mother. Ms. Syms is, after all, a spry 72!

Also dealing with queens this year was Sofia Coppola’s “Marie Antoinette.” Though not necessarily a makeup showcase, the range in the hairstyling was rather incredible. A nomination is not out of the question though color me skeptical as to the number of nods the film will receive on the whole.

“Dreamgirls” is another movie where the hairstyling may be able to pull the film into contention in this category. I would not bank on a nod here, but if the film starts scoring across the board, one never knows how much love it will receive.

Gritty makeup that serves the situations of the characters can find a home in this category. Witness “Saving Private Ryan”’s nod here in 1998. Through makeup, both “World Trade Center” and “Flags of Our Fathers” captured the horror of the situations in which the films’ protagonists were immersed. However, neither crew has received plentiful Oscar love to date (only Mike Smithson of “World Trade Center” has been nominated before, for “Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me”).

Makeup and hairstyling have been key to the success of the “X-Men” franchise. So far, however, none of the films have even managed to make the list of finalists. And Brett Ratner’s “X-Men: The Last Stand” was nowhere near as good as Bryan Singer’s previous efforts in the series. Then again, “Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith” managed to be the first movie in its franchise to score a makeup nod last year.

“Eragon” is another blockbuster which will undoubtedly be heavily reliant on makeup. Oscar winner Trefor Proud (“Topsy-Turvy”) leads the department so I wouldn’t call this nod impossible. But the film will need hit status and reviews that aren’t horrid. (Stefan Fangmeier hardly guarantees quality filmmaking after all). Proud also headed up the makeup department on “Copying Beethoven” this year, transforming actor Ed Harris into the famous composer.

I’ll end the discussion of this category with the same way I began it – by discussing a film whose fate here may be reliant on the branch’s perception of makeup being downplayed by visual effects work. I’m speaking of Guillermo Del Toro’s “Pan’s Labyrinth.” I unfortunately have not seen this film yet, so I can’t comment on where makeup ends and effects begins. But it certainly looks like a visual feast with the opportunity for a makeup artist to really shine.

So there’s another category covered. Next week, we turn to Best Sound Mixing.