Make-up is a novelty for most young girls, but Queensland teenager Tyla Robertson is hoping it could one day lead her to Hollywood.

The year 10 Calvary Christian College student recently landed her first job on a film set, as special FX make-up artist for Australian short film The Son.

Her skills have already been put to good use - helping to create the cuts, gashes, bruises and burns needed to bring the drama to life.

"I was very nervous," 14-year-old Tyla said.

"There was a car crash in the movie and that was my first day on set.

"There were about four people [in the scene] and so a couple of them had to have glass in their arms, a broken nose, and one guy had a piece of glass through his heart."

Tyla started experimenting with special effects make-up two years ago, using lipstick, toilet paper, glue and paint to create different looks.

"I went on YouTube one day and I found this tutorial on how to do a zombie mouth, and I was just sort of interested in it," she said.

An online portfolio of Tyla's work caught the eye of local filmmakers.

Year 10 Calvary Christian College student Brooke Canham modelling Tyla's special effects make-up. ( ABC News: Courtney Wilson )

"Our make-up artist got snapped up by Pirates of the Caribbean, and we were in desperate need of someone that could produce the goods," The Son producer Craig Kocinski said.

Writer and director Nick McLean said he recognised Tyla's talent immediately.

"We needed a certain makeup artist for this film, someone that could specialise in special effects – the blood, the cuts, the bruises, the scars," Mr McLean said.

"We saw her [Tyla's] Facebook page and we saw some of her work and we were just absolutely blown away with the level of quality."

Tyla Robertson gives an actor a "broken arm" thanks to her make up skills. ( Supplied: The Son )

Tyla finetuned her technique under the direction of make-up artist Lauren Veling, who worked intensively with her as part of an artist in residence program at Calvary Christian College.

"She just blew me away with the work that she's created," Ms Veling said.

"Tyla's great at everything but I think definitely the gore is her passion, and you can see that's what she loves."

Her recent movie set experience will help that goal – it has earned her a credit on the International Movie Database (IMDB).

"An IMDB credit goes on a world wide database – it has everything to do with films so like actors, film directors and all that sort of stuff," Tyla said.

"So a credit there is worth much more than money - it's a cool opportunity.

"I would love to make a career out of it."

But the bright lights of Hollywood are still at least a few years away.

Tyla is currently studying a certificate III in beauty services at the Australian Academy of Cinemagraphic Makeup, and plans to complete a diploma next year.

In the meantime, her schoolmates are helping ensure the aspiring make-up artist gets plenty of practice.

"They think it's pretty cool ... apparently I'm doing all of their formal make-up," she said.