After my character finds the scarf
and puts on the dress, I want her to let her hair down into long waves to show
the freedom she is gaining when expressing herself through the items of
clothing. As the film goes on I want her makeup to
become eye catching and very high fashion. By the end of the film I would like
my model to be wearing a Smokey eye as I think this would be striking. At the
moment I am considering doing a bronze/gold Smokey eye but I am also
considering a more grungy silver/grey Smokey eye makeup.
For the completed look I want my
model to be wearing strong contour and a dark burgundy lip. Her finished look will
represent the 'typically fashionable' makeup of today similar to that seen on
celebrities such as Kim Kardashian.
In the first scene before my
character finds the scarf I want her look to be very natural and childlike. As I
am shooting on a HD camera I will have to
apply some makeup to my model but the aim of this makeup is to make it appear
as if she is not wearing any makeup at all. Her hair will be in braids as I
think this is a representation of innocence and purity. I have chosen to
put nude flowers in her hair when she wakes up t show that she is a part of
nature and her surroundings. I took the inspiration for this from the work of Isamaya
Ffrench who uses to surrounding that she
shoots in to inspire the makeup and styling.
The makeup style is influenced by the
work of Emily Sotto, her
images really capture the beauty and purity that I want the styling of my
character in the first few shots of my fashion film to portray. The makeup
is minimal just enhancing the model's natural beauty. She uses soft blush pinks
on the lips and cheeks to keep the makeup looking very fresh and youthful.
Shooting natural light can be convenient as you do not have the stress of stetting up and taking down lights, but it can be unpredictable changes in weather can cause your lighting dramatically altering the overall look of your film.
Its Important to choose the right camera when shooting in natural light, you need a camera with allot of dynamic range so that your film retains the detail when shooting in bright light. And the camera must also have good sensitivity to low light.
You must choose the right lenses for the right light that you are filming in. For example shooing in daytime exteriors means that you need a lens that has low contrast and wide primes.
Use reflectors of and flags, so your model doesn't get washed out by sunlight on a bright day.
When shooting in daylight make sure that the sun is always behind your model. If your model is facing the sun it can cast unflattering shadows onto their face and cause them to squint.
Preparation is key for a natural light film, you must arrange where you will park, wether you need permission to film? If any buildings will cast shadows where you plan to film? And finally what time the sun will rise and set.
The movie 'The Revenant' was shot almost in 100% natural light. It was shot in the freezing wilderness of Canada, they used daylight, moonlight and fire to shoot the movie. A Mexican cinematographer Lubezki helped film the movie he said that they shot in natural light because “We wanted to make a movie that was immersive and visceral,” he goes on to say that “The idea of using natural light came because we wanted the audience to feel, I hope, that this stuff is really happening.” The only time the film ever used artificial light was when they filmed a campfire shot as the wind was causing the campfire to behave unpredictably.
Inception, 81/2 and The Prestige all have allot in common as films. Their nonlinear structure means that they have complex storylines and require allot of attention from the audeince. They all require the audeince to believe in something impossible, such as real magic in The Prestige, Dream stealing in Inception and living in between dreams and reality in 81/2.
Inception and Fellini's 81/2 have the most in common as films as they both switch between reality and dream worlds. You are constantly asking yourself whilst you are watching the film weather you are watching reality or a dream.
Inception for me was much more enjoyable than 81/2. In inception the film purposely left you questioning between reality and the dream world as it added to the suspense of the film. But I never found myself lost by the movies plot or became bored. However when watching 81/2 the movie meant to make it clear what was reality and what was a dream, but this wasnt clear to me at all. Add on top of this the non-linear structure and the confusing storyline, I found myself lost and I became easily bored and disinterested.
It may have helped me watching the film in English, as tone of voice would of helped give context to what they where saying in the scene.
Another difference between 81/2 and Christopher Nolan's films is that, in his films you are suspended in disbelief, you become immersed in the world of the film. But in 81/2 the film is very Postmodern much like many of Tarantino's films, it points to it being a film and not real. Because the film is about a film maker and the filmmaking process it draws the audience's attention to the fact that they are watching a film.
In conclusion, I think that The prestige and Incpetion work brilliantly as films, their star studded cast deliver captivating performances that made me watch the films again and again. The plots are complex enough to keep me interested but not too confusing that I became frustrated and as a result bored. But unfortunately I found 81/2 to be very tedious to watch and was not a film that I would want to watch again.
The Prestige is a film directed by Christpher Nonlan in 2006.It tells a story of two stage magigcans Robert Angier ( Hugh Jackman) and Alfred Borden (Christain Bail), livivng in the end of the 19th century. They start to learn the art of magic under the supervision of their mentor Cutter ( Micheal Cane). But tragedy strikes when Anigers wife piper dies by drowning in a magic trick gone horribly wrong. Angier blames Borden for tying the knots too tight, and so a feud between the two magicians is born. The two become obssed with competing with each others performances and trying to discredit each others work.
I thoroughly enjoyed this film, like many of Christopher Nolan's films the plot was complex and full of red herrings, that led you to believe that you knew what was going on, until the real truth was revealed. I found myself torn between who was the villain and who was the hero of the film. The film kept me on my toes, the non chronological order of the film meant that I had to pay close attention to understand what was going on.
The ending of the film has left me with so many questions.The biggest being whether or not the real Angier had been shot or if in fact it was another duplicate of himself? I think that leaving the audeince asking questions and wanting to see more is what makes this film such a success.
I love the work of Photographer Emily Soto her images really capture the beauty and purity that I want the styling of my character in the first few shots of my fashion film to portray. She uses props such as flowers, as flowers are usually associated with purity and innocence this further depicts an essence of the mystic and magical. The styling of her models is very simplistic, the hair flows down long in large bouncy waves. The makeup is minimal just enhancing the model's natural beauty. She uses soft blush pinks on the lips and cheeks to keep the makeup looking very fresh and youthful. The models are most commonly dressed in white or soft pastels shades to symbolize their virtue and youth.
Initially I wanted my model to be wearing something like a sack or a sheet at the very beginning of the film. I have changed my mind and decided that she will be wearing a body suit, I made this decision because I think that having her dressed in a plain body suit bodysuit, shows the 'nakedness of her character and because she will be waking up at the start of the film, it's as if she is being born into the world of fashion. She is new and fresh and hasnt been dressed until she discovers fashion and style. Also the body suit looks like a leotard so I this ties in with the dance and movement theme of my video.
Body suit
Nude Flowers
I have chosen to put nude flowers in her hair when she wakes up t show that she is a part of nature and her surroundings also nude the will symbolize her purity and innocence and lack of her own 'personal style'. I took the inspiration for this from the work of Isamaya Ffrench who uses to surrounding that she shoots in to inspire the makeup and styling.
I was recently introduced to the work of makeup artist Isamaya Ffrench. I was particularly inspired by her work because of the of the way she contrast nature with the styling of her model. I love the way that she uses the elements of the surrounding that she is shooting in to inspire the makeup whilst incorporating high fashion styling and modern influences of society as well. For example the picture in the top left hand corner the model still is wearing long claw like false nails, but her hands are covered in mud and dirt. And the picture of the model with the paint on her face, looks to me like she has taken resources from the earth around her to use as paint. But she has still attempted to draw on eyebrows and used the red as a lipstick.
I will use the work of Isamaya Ffrench to inspire my makeup as I want my model to look as if she is part of the natural surrounding we first see her in and then her style develops as the film goes on as she is influenced by modern fashion.
I have been a big fan of Kneehigh for years ever since I went to see their production of Steptoe and Son with my Sixth Form Drama class (I later also saw their production of Tristan and Yseult). They are a company based in cornwall and travel around the Uk showing productions of stories you know but in a way you have never seen them told before. Each show is based around Physical Theatre and the choreography they use is just as important to telling the story as the dialogue is. I was blown away by how much emotion can be conveyed through dance and movement when I saw kneehigh perform. They have a brilliant way of using their movement to create classic comical movements that had the audeince in stitches but also to create sad or touching moments that made the audeince silent as they couldnt take their attention of the stage. Their plays flow with such rhythm that you never find yourself bored, they used non-naturalism techniques with ease and they applied music to their work with great effect. I will be taken inspiration from kneehighs performances to try and make my film flow through movement and provoke the emotions I wish to display through dance.
They are a growing group of performers, dancers, singers actors and musicians based in london. They have been brought together by their artist director Theo Adams to create large scale theatrical productions and films across the globe. The Theo Adams company do not take a regular approach to dance, instead their work is unique and different, as they really show the deep emotions of the character they are playing through movement. Looking at their work it strikes me not to be like dance but more like physical theatre which I love. They work is so unusual that it might not be to everyones taste, but I found it to be beautiful to watch and couldn't take my eyes off the screen. They have been described as"London avant-garde's most celebrated new phenomena." by W Magazine.
The way they display emotion in their choreography is amazing to me and is something I will be using to influence my work.
Establishing shot
An Establishing shot, is the shot that gives the viewer context as to wear the film is being set. Establishing shots classically tend to be very high long or wide shots, that set the scene of a large area such as a shot over new york city.
Establishing shots are very important as they can set the tone for the rest of your film. So for example is the establishing shot was of a dark creepy graveyard, you know that you will be watching a horror film, but if your establishing shot is of a high school and white picket fence houses you know you are most likely watching a highschool romance movie.
This is the Opening Sequence from the movie Apocalypse Now:
I would like my establishing shot to be from above. So hopefully with the help of some film students that I know, I will be able to use a crane to do a aerial shot of a meadow with my character lying down asleep. I have chosen an aerial shot as I think that way you can video allot more scenery and this will help give my audience context as to wear my character is. This will also set the magical tone for the rest of my film.
Close up
A close up shot of a character, keeps only there full face in the frame. It helps the audeince to get to know the character better. If something traumatic or upsetting happens the shot will most likely switch to a close up of the character to show the emotion displayed on their face.
It will be important for me to use close ups in my film to show the awe and wonder on my character's face when she is discovering the clothing but also to show the change in her hair and makeup as her character becomes more fashionable.
Medium shot
A medium shot is the shot that is most commonly used in movies, it is the perfect in between shot as it shows less than a long shot but more than a closeup. It allows the audeince to read the body language of a character as you can observe their hand gestures and movements.
A medium shot will be great for getting a closer look at the more intricate dance moves and tricks that my character will be performing.
Long shot
A long shot shows the character from head to toe, and is usually a wide shot. It helps place the character is a setting or location and allows the audeince to see what's around them. For example a long shot of someone tied up in a warehouse with lots weapons around them would let the audeince observe that this character is most likely in danger.
A long shot will be the best way to show my character dancing through the forest whilst showing the beautiful scenery around her. These will be the shots that hep give the film a magical feeling.
Extreme close-up
Extreme close up shots helps the audeince to see fine detail as it gets really really close to the subject or object its filming. This is also great for showing emotion for example someone crying.
I will be using extreme close ups to show the finer detail of the fashion for example I want to do an extreme close up shot of my character picking up the scarf to show the audeince close up the design of it, as fashion is an integral part of my film.
Low Angle shot
A low angle shot is a shot taken from below it can be used to make a character look more dominant or heroic because it makes them appear much larger of screen.
I want to use low angle shots as a way to keep my framing varied which will keep the audeince interested. But also it I would like to use this shot more towards the end of the film to show how my character is becoming more powerful and free through gaining her own sense of fashion.
High Angle shot
High angle shots look down over a character. This can often make the character seem weaker or more isolated because they appear smaller in the frame.
I want to use High angle shots at the start of my film so my character appears more vulnerable, before she discovers fashion. This will be a good contrast to the Low angle shots I will use towards the end of the film which will make her appear stronger, it will be a good way to show the progression of her character.
Over the shoulder shot
In an over the shoulder shot, the camera is positioned behind the actors shoulder this is usually done during a conversation so you can see the other character's reaction. An over the shoulder shot is also a good way to give the audeince a shot from the point of view of the character. For example following them around the street from behind there shoulder.
I will be using over the shoulder shots not too often in my film but occasionally to show my character's point of view, especially at the start when she discovers the scarf.
Howard Schatz is an american photographer, who created a collection of images called in character. In these images he photographed celebrities and asked them to pull the expressions that they think would best fit the character in a scenario he describes. See some examples below.
We then had to carry out an exercise in which we recreated our own version of the images. I found this exercise fun but challenging at the same time. I found the La Girl the hardest character to re-create as I don't feel I am 'sassy' enough to play that character and I found it really forced. If i was to do this exercise again I would look into changing up the styling between each photograph to really emphasise the character that I was playing.
I think that this task was really helpful in showing us how important the facial expressions of the character in our fashion film will be in order to evoke the emotion the emotion we are trying to portray.
8 1/2 is a Italian movie directed in 1963 by Federico Fellini. It tells the story of a film maker who has hit a brick wall in his creative process and is searching for inspiration which come to him in the form of dreams. The film gives you an insight into the life of a film maker. The structure of this film is different to that of films of the time. As it is not linear and it is unclear what is reality and what is in fact a dream. This reminded me of more recent films such as Total Recall and Inception.
I did not enjoy this movie, for a few different reasons. Unlike movies such as Inception and Total recall, which I think were brilliant and clever movies, I found the 'dreams' in this film weird and sometimes unnecessary to the story line. The nonlinear nature of the film made it confusing to watch and because of this I was left bored and frustrated.
This being said it could have been to do with the fact that it was in Italian with subtitles. With movies similar to 81/2 such as inception, you have to pay very close attention to understand the plotline. So by watching it in Italian for one I couldn't understand the tone of voice that things were being said in and two reading the subtitles gave me an extra thing to concentrate on, on-top of the plot. This does not mean that I do not enjoy foreign cinema and television. I recently watched (and really enjoyed) a french Tv series called the returned and I understood everything that was going on, which is why I think this movie is unnecessarily confusing.
I can understand that some people see this to be one of the best foreign films made at the time, but unfortunately it wasnt for me.
Trainspotting is a film that was made in 1996, directed by Danny Boyle. The film is set in Edinburgh and, tells a story about a man named Renton (Ewan McGregor) who has been caught in a viscous cycle of drugs, alcohol and crime. His addiction has ruined his life and led him to make some very bad decisions, so he attempts to get clean. But the allure of drugs and the temptation of his friends is too hard to resist.
I really enjoyed this film because it wasn't afraid to break taboos of film. It shows you the truth of what it is like living as a drug addict. Even when that truth is disgusting (the scene when he dives into a toilet filled with his own diarrhea looking for drugs) or truly heartbreaking (the scene where Diane's baby dies as she is too high to look after her). I found that particular scene really upsetting and very hard to watch. The film whilst showing the harsh reality of the life of a drug addict is also comical and upbeat in places. I found that even though I was frustrated by Renton because of his cycle of bad decisions, I also really rooted for him and really wanted him to succeed at getting clean.
My favorite thing about this film was the monologue at the start and the end of the film. It really shows the progression of his character. At the start he says"Choose rotting away at the end of it all, pissing your last in a miserable home, nothing more than an embarrassment to the selfish, fucked up brats you spawned to replace yourselves. Choose your future. Choose life... But why would I want to do a thing like that? I chose not to choose life. I chose somethin' else. And the reasons? There are no reasons. Who needs reasons when you've got heroin?" but at the end he says "Choose Life. Choose a job. Choose a career. Choose a family. Choose a fucking big television, choose washing machines, cars, compact disc players and electrical tin openers. Choose good health, low cholesterol, and dental insurance. Choose fixed interest mortgage repayments. Choose a starter home. Choose your friends. Choose leisurewear and matching luggage. Choose a three-piece suit on hire purchase in a range of fucking fabrics. Choose DIY and wondering who the fuck you are on Sunday morning.". Saying this I was not actually convinced by his finishingmonologue and that his character would stay clean after the film finished.
The Song I have chosen to use for my Fashion Film is Black Water Lillie's by the artist Aurora. I have chosen to use this song because the music has a magical quality to it, which fits the setting of a forest perfectly. As the song is introduced we hear subtle chimes which give the audience a sense of magic and a mystical genre before the main shots are even introduced. I think that the music would be really great to choreograph a dance to. The voice of Aurora is slow and haunting but the piece of music is up tempo enough to keep the video moving at a good pace.
The model I have chosen to play my main character for my fashion film is my sister Amie. She is a trained Ballet, Modern,Pointe,Tap and Jazz dancer, and is very talented. She has long blond hair and is very pretty so she fits into the role of my character perfectly.
I have started to consider my initial ideas of what I would like the plot of my fashion film to be. When conducting research I was really inspired by the link between fashion and movement and how they go hand in hand. Dance help the clothes to be seen the way the designer intended them to be seen in movement instead of being static. I want my storyline to portray how finding fashion helps her find her personality and joy and allows her to express herself through dance.
The first scene my model will be in a somewhere tranquil such as a meadow or field. She will be curled up into a ball wearing something plain and 'unfashionable' such as sack. She will awaken and rise. Next she will wander into a woodland area where she will come across a scarf hanging on a tree. The girl has never seen fashion before so she is in awe of the scarf. She picks it up examining it and she starts to move slightly. She wraps the scarf around her neck and suddenly my character is brought to life. She starts to dance through the forest finding pieces of clothing as she goes. Each piece of clothing brings new movement and joy to my charter and she lets down her hair from the plaits that they are in.
The last item of clothing she finds in the forest is a pair of shoes on the ground, puts them on her feet and taps her feet together. Suddenly she is transported into the fashion capital of london. Her makeup is transformed into a stunning smokey eye and bold lip and her hair is in glamourous curls. She finds herself drawn towards the fashion in london. Gazing into the windows of department stores such as topshop, Zara, Harrods, libertys and more.
I haven't thought of where I would like my fashion film to progress to yet, as I feel that I need to have a creative and interesting ending. And this is something that I am currently researching into.
I have started to think about some initial ideas for how I want to style the makeup and hair for my fashion film.
In the first scene before my character finds the scarf I want her look to be very natural and childlike. As i am shooting on a HD camera I will have to apply some makeup to my model but the aim of this makeup is to make it appear as if she is not wearing any makeup at all. Her hair will be in braids as I think this is a representation of innocence and purity.
After my charcter finds the scarf and puts on the dress, I want her to let her hair down into long flowing waves to show the freedom she is gaining to express herself through the items of clothing.
As the film goes on I want her makeup to become eye catching and very high fashion I would like my model to be wearing a smokey eye as i think this would be striking. At the moment I am considering doing a bronze/gold smokey eye but I am also considering a more grungy silver/grey smokey eye makeup.
For the completed look I want my model to be wearing strong contour and a bold red or dark burgundy lip. Her finished look will represent the 'typically fashionable' makeup of today similar to that seen on celebrities such as Kim Kardashian.
I have started thinking about my initial ideas for how I want my model to be styled in my fashion film. In the first few shots my model will be wearing something very plain like a potato sack or some form of cloth or sheet. This is to represent her lack of fashion. As she goes along throughout the fashion film she acquires pieces of clothing and builds up her fashion. The first piece of clothing my model will acquire is a scarf, this is a very key prop in my fashion film so the scarf will have to stand out in some way such as being bright and colorful or being sparkly. It needs to be eye catching among the forest setting and hypnotising for my main character to look at this is what spurs her love of fashion. As the film goes on her outfit will be completed piece by piece, such as a pretty pink dress, dangling earrings, shoes, a hat and a trench coat. The pictures below show the type of style that I think I would like to go for.
I have started to think about the location I which I want to film my fashion film. I would like to start my fashion film in a field or a meadow somewhere that is very tranquil and peaceful. I then would like the main character to wander into a woodland area of forest as i thought this had very magaical and fairytale like connotations for me and would be a beautiful scenic location . I thought that the perfect location to shoot both of these in would be the new forest in southampton. The next location I would like to use is the fashion capital London. I want to shoot around the big fashion shops such as topshop, kurt geiger, Mac, Liberties and also in and around the hussle and bussle of london such as the busy streets or the underground.
During my research into fashion films it has struck me that allot of them are movement based and incorporate allot of dance. Nick Knight says that when a fashion designer creates a garment they design that garment to be seen in movement not static. So when creating a fashion film it should incorporate movement so the garment can be seen the way the designer intended it to be.
Dance has always inspired me and is art form that really speaks to me, this is probably why I am drawn towards these sorts of fashion films.
The choreography of a dance can tell a story about your character and sometimes actions speak louder than words which is why i think that dance is the perfect thing to incorporate in a fashion film such as mine. Here are some of my favorite fashion films that incorporate dance:
I liked this particular film allot as they use the contrast of movement and stillness to show the constraints and pressures to look a certain way when working in the fashion industry.
There are 5 central character traits in movies. These character traits are universally known to be true for all characters in movies.
Openness-being creative, imaginative and curious.
Conscientiousness-being thorough, focused and organised. Much like Monica from friends.
Extraversion - being talkative, energetic and social.
Agreeableness-being helpful, selfless and kind.
Neuroticism-being anxious worries and easily frustrated.
Magnification is a good way to create a believable character. Its a way of making the ordinary extraordinary and you do this by taking one of your characters traits and making them extreme.
For example the hulks strength. But creating a believable character isn't the same as creating a realistic character. This means that you have the freedom to make your character's trait as extreme or wacky as you like.
