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Ditzian, E. (2019) ‘Inception’ hallway scene: How filmmakers pulled it off. Available at: http://www.mtv.com/news/1643947/inception-hallway-scene-how-filmmakers-pulled-it-off/ (Accessed: 28 October 2015).

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Green, A. (2015) ‘Catch me if you can’ – readers’ poll: The 10 best Steven Spielberg movies. Available at: http://www.rollingstone.com/movies/lists/readers-poll-the-10-best-steven-spielberg-movies-20150826/catch-me-if-you-can-20150826 (Accessed: 10 December 2015).

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News, A. and James, S. D. (2011) ‘Black swan’: Diagnosing ballerina’s descent. Available at: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Movies/black-swan-psychiatrists-diagnose-natalie-portmans-portrayal-psychosis/story?id=12436873 (Accessed: 10 December 2015).

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Evaluation of the Unit.

Overall, I am pleased of how I have dealt with the challenges that this unit has brought. I never would have thought I would have been able to create a two minute fashion film, and initially, it was the most daunting and difficult task I have been set. What I have found most difficult was trying to film the rest of my footage, where I wanted it to be in the high street. I think that I dealt with this efficiently, but it was nonetheless a stressful experience. I was unsure of whether or not to keep the footage in my film, but made the decision to lose it, in order for my film to be as visually effective as it could be. I have found working with a model a little more difficult in terms of filming, as I needed to find a dancer that would be able to give up quite a lot of his/her time for filming. I was lucky to find Jasmine, but there were occasions where she only gave me small slots of times to film in, which wouldn’t have worked. I think that I would have benefitted from a session with Chris or another photography teacher to learn about the studio lighting, but on speaking to other students, I think that this was a general consensus. I am proud of myself for taking on each element of making a film myself, as I have filmed, edited, completed the makeup, styling, setting up the studios, chosen equipment and products all by myself. I know that we could have used other people, but I felt that it would have benefitted me to do it all myself, so that I learnt different things. I wanted to build on my skills, as well as challenging myself. I have never done filming/editing before, so I was looking forward to learning a new skill. I believe that I have used my time-management skills effectively, and have tried to use this blog to show all of my research and knowledge on the unit. I have found blogging easy to do mostly, but some days I have found completing my blog difficult, as some days I feel I have a creative block on my mind. I think that it is important to listen to yourself when completing a unit like this one, as you need to take breaks so that your work continues to be the best of its ability. I think that I have managed to overcome many challenges during this unit, and have learnt from every single one. I know that not everyone will like my work, as it is a matter of opinion, but I enjoy hearing different views as I can work on it, and develop my skills and knowledge. I am happy with my final outcome, and believe that all of my research supports the film, and the idea behind it. I have enjoyed making a fashion film, and would consider completing another film for my Final Major Project next year.

Final Fashion Film Cut.

Here is the final cut of my fashion film, Capti. I have found this one of the most difficult tasks to complete, but now that my fashion film is finished and edited, I am really proud of the work that I have done. I decided that my fashion film would be abstract, so that it does not have a direct narrative. I think that this works really well, and it is suggested in the film, with the material, that the model is feeling oppressed and trapped, and the audience are left to try and work out what it is. I have always thought that a movie that you have to use your brain to work things out always makes a better viewing experience, and I hope that my film is the same. I was initially worried that the film would be leaning more towards a music video, but I think that because I have included conflict, it is telling a story more than dancing along to the music. Because my film does concern dance, I think that it was always going to be a close-call whether or not it would be a music video, and I’m sure that there will be people who will watch this and believe that it is, but I am all for listening to other people’s views, and find it interesting how people perceive footage differently to others. I am looking forward to the feedback that I receive after the unit is finished, as I think that this will only help me learn and build on my knowledge. My fashion film explores dance in a different way to so many others like it, that I am proud of myself to have found an original idea. I think that exploring the mental side of dance is something that is not done enough, that hopefully people will begin to understand why I have chosen this as my subject. Feeling trapped in the dance is to do with the subject’s isolation to society, as I wanted to try and show how in public she goes unnoticed, but as soon as she dances, all eyes are on her, as if it is only the dance itself and not her being noticed. I tried to show this in the footage from the hughstreet, but I was so unhappy with the general quality compared to that of the studio cameras, as well as the overall look of the footage, which just did not go with the rest of my film. I think that it was a big step for me not to use the footage from the high street, as I was taking the risk for my film being too samey. In the editing process, I tried to mix things up a bit, by playing around with the frames themselves. I turned them upside down, black and white, fast-forward, slow motion and even rewound them. I did this, all to show how her mental state is deteriorating, and she isn’t seeing things clearly. I also filmed some sections of her hands gripping the clothing, to mix the footage up a little more. I know that some of my footage replays itself in the film, and I did this on purpose, again to show how fragile her mentality is, as well trying to portray all of her emotions through the style of the film. Overall, I am really proud and pleased that I have managed to create my fashion film, and believe that I found an original idea to work on.

The Difference Between Burlesque and Black Swan.

I have looked at both Burlesque and Black Swan, in connection to my work. I have chosen both of these films, as they take on different views of dance. Burlesque is light-hearted and fun, showing how the dancing saved Ali, and it ends on a happy note, with the lounge thriving and the girls enjoying themselves. However, the Black Swan is completely different, as it tackles the pressure and damage that the ballet causes to dancers. At the end of Black Swan, the ballerina dies, tragically, after suffering from severe psychosis. I found it interesting that two films concerning the same activity could be so different to each other. Burlesque starts with Ali escaping her life and finding Burlesque to save her, whilst Nina is already in the ballet but, in the same way as Ali, she is escaping her mother through the ballet. In my film, my dancer is escaping the dance itself, which I think is very similar to Nina in Black Swan, as the dance becomes everything for her, and engulfs her life and her mentality. I think that my film is going to lean more towards the Black Swan feel, exploring mentality, although not in greater depth. As my film is abstract, I want this idea to be suggested, not necessarily narrated to the viewer. I am quite excited to see what other people understand from my film.

Movie Directors.

When completing research in order to make my film to the best of it’s ability, I wanted to look at different movie directors, in order to understand what their common traits are for their films. Every director has a different style, which creates a different viewing experience for the audience.

 

Martin Scorsese –

Martin Scorsese

Martin Scorsese is one of the most profound movie directors of the 21st century, creating films such as Raging Bull, Wolf of Wall Street and Gangs of New York. It is undeniable that Scorsese has a type of film, he most often explores concepts of redemption, gang culture and organised crime, and religion. He was born in Queens, New York, and grew up in Little Italy, Manhattan. As a child, he suffered from asthma, so could not take part in any sporting activities, so his older brother used to take him to the theatre instead, and this ignited his passion for filmmaking. His family were devout Catholic, and he originally wanted to become a priest, but this passion for film making took control, as he went to an Art school.

Growing up, Scorsese became friends with other popular directors, such as Steven Spielberg, France Ford Coppola, and Brian de Palma, who introduced him to Robert De Niro, were the two hit it off immediately. De Niro often stars in Scorsese’s films. Scorsese met mentor Roger Corman, who then helped to teach him how to make exciting films on a lower budget, and told him to start making his own. Mean Streets was made, and Scorsese’s signature style was born; gritty violence, redemption and inner religious conflict. It is clear that Scorsese’s style was inspired from his upbringing, particularly the choice of using Catholicism in his work. His trademark styles are:

• His  use of slow-motion in his editing and freeze frames.
• Blonde leading actresses (A trait born from Hitchcock?)
• Long tracking shots to build tension.
• Has a quick cameo in many of his films, either appearing on set of voice-overs.
• Corrupt authority figures.
• Guilt is a main theme in many of his films.

His top 10 films according to a poll created by the Rolling Stones magazine are:

1. Goodfellas
2. Taxi Driver
3. Raging Bull
4. The Last Waltz
5. The Departed
6. King of Comedy
7. Casino
8. After Hours
9. Mean Streets
10. Gangs of New York

 

Steven Spielberg-

Steven Spielberg

Steven Spielberg is an American director, producer, screenwriter and coproducer of DreamWorks Pictures. He was born in 1946, in Ohio to a Orthodox Jewish Family. He struggled with growing up in a religious family; ‘when I was seven, eight, nine years old, God forgive me, I was embarrassed because we were Orthodox Jews. I was embarrassed by the outward perception of my parents’ Jewish practices. I was never really ashamed to be Jewish, but I was uneasy at times. In high school, I got smacked and kicked around. Two bloody noses. It was horrible.” He got through this, finding something that he loved to do, and became a Boy Scout. He claims his love of making films came to him as he had to make a film for his photography merit badge. He then entered competitions, and realised his potential for movie making. He gained an unpaid job at Universal Studios, and the team there were so impressed with his work, that he was able to move up the team and eventually become one of the most famous movie directors of the time.

According to the Rolling Stone Magazine, his top 10 rated films are:

1. Jaws
2. Schindler’s List
3. E.T
4. Close Encounters of the Third Kind
5. Duel
6. Raider’s of the Lost Ark
7. Saving Private Ryan
8. Jurassic Park
9. 1941
10. Catch Me If You Can

Spielberg’s most recurring themes in his films is ordinary beings, coming into contact with extraordinary beings or circumstances. His exploration of the extra-terrestrial stems from his own feelings of feeling ‘like an alien’ growing up, so he wanted to make this saddened feeling into a positive for himself. Other trademarks of Spielberg are:

• Low height tracking shots.
• Aliens.
• Extraordinary beings.
• Parent-Child relationships.

 

Christopher Nolan –

Christopher Nolan

Christopher Nolan is an English-American director born in 1970. He made his directorial debut in 1998 with the film ‘The Following’, and since then has gone on to make the ‘Batman: The Dark Knight’ trilogy, as well as ‘The Prestige’. His work often focuses on morality of the characters, personal identity and time. He is famous for his style of film, which is described as ‘postmodern’. Famous trademarks for his work include:

• Muted tones.
• Urban Settings.
• Shall depth of field.
• Extreme Close Ups.
• Emotionally disturbed characters.

Nolan has claimed he was influenced by film noir, which could be the reason for his choice of muted tones in his work, as well as the choice of suited men recurring throughout the films. His most recent film, Interstellar, stars Matthew McConaughey, Michael Cane and Anne Hathaway. It won an Oscar for Best Achievement in Special-Effects, and altogether was nominated for 119 awards and won 37. This film is a little different to his other films as it is a Science Fiction, however, the muted tones, close ups and emotionally disturbed characters all feature in the film. The top ten films directed by Christopher Nolan are:

1. The Dark Knight
2. Inception
3. The Dark Knight Rises
4. Momento
5. The Prestige
6. Interstellar
7. Batman Begins
8. Insomnia
9. The Following
10. Doodlebug

 

By looking at movie directors, and their common traits, I have come to understand that each person will direct the same story in a different way. Their own experiences that have shaped their lives effects their thought processes, no matter how minuscule or large the experience was for them. I think that this is a really interesting concept when looking at movie directors. This has made me look at my experiences and why I have chosen to tackle the mental effects that dance have on the dancers. Looking into this a little more, I think that I begrudge not being able to dance myself, and maybe that is why I am looking at the negatives of dance. I do not quite know.

 

 

 

Wikipedia (no date) Martin Scorsese. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Scorsese (Accessed: 10 December 2015).

Spielberg, S. (1994) ‘Steven Spielberg: “We Can”t Just Sit Back and Hope’’. Parade Magazine. March 27, 1994. .

Green, A. (2015) ‘Catch me if you can’ – readers’ poll: The 10 best Steven Spielberg movies. Available at: http://www.rollingstone.com/movies/lists/readers-poll-the-10-best-steven-spielberg-movies-20150826/catch-me-if-you-can-20150826 (Accessed: 10 December 2015).

Green, A. (2015) ‘Gangs of New York’ – readers’ poll: The 10 best Martin Scorsese movies. Available at: http://www.rollingstone.com/movies/lists/readers-poll-the-10-best-martin-scorsese-movies-20150916/gangs-of-new-york-20150916 (Accessed: 10 December 2015).

Wikipedia (2015) ‘Christopher Nolan’, in Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Nolan (Accessed: 10 December 2015).

The Top Tens (2015) Top Ten movies directed Christopher Nolan. Available at: http://www.thetoptens.com/movies-directed-christopher-nolan/ (Accessed: 10 December 2015).

 

Black Swan.

Black Swan is a psychological-thriller-horror film, directed by Darren Aronofsky, released in 2010. The film follows ballerina, Nina, played by Natalie Portman, as she competes to be the main dancer in Tchaikovsky’s ‘Swan Lake’ in the New York City Ballet Company. Throughout the film, she is challenged by many elements, which lead her to a path of self-destruction. Her overbearing mother, the constant sexual advances by her director and the thoughts of her sexuality all build up, leading to a detached mental state of psychosis. The film was praised critically, being nominated for 229 awards, and winning 87, including an Oscar for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role, a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in Motion Picture, and a BAFTA for Best Leading Actress. It is undeniable that this film is a great film that explores both mentality and sexuality, as well as the struggles that commonly face ballerinas in the top companies.

Black Swan, 2010, Promotional Posters.

 

I believe that the main theme in the film revolves around the protagonist, Nina, which is the depravation of her sexual maturation. She is not allowed to develop from a child to a woman. In the ballet, many dancers find the notion of maturing into a woman particularly difficult, because there is such pressure for these women to be petite and perfect. In Black Swan, Nina has been over-sheltered by her mother for her whole life, causing her to become naive. Her mother forces such pressure on her to achieve in the ballet, that it doesn’t allow Nina to fully mature. Nina is the perfect character to play the part in the Swan Lake, but she does not quite know it. The darkness of the Black Swan is starting to overcome her as she is maturing, but her naive mental state does not welcome this. The White Swan is pure, just like how her mother made Nina. The essence of the white swan is shown in many ways, from her pink bedroom full of stuffed toys, to Nina herself, a shy, pretty girl whose mother struggles with letting her grow up. It is undeniable that Nina’s mother is over-protective, I believe this is due to Nina being an only child, and her mother wants her to still be her ‘little girl’. From the film, I think that Nina’s mother is mentally unstable, as she is obsessive over Nina, trying to baby her throughout the film. The Black Swan, however is a much darker character. The Black Swan demands Nina to be impulsive, and free. As Nina tries to break through her chains held by her mother, the black swan starts appearing. The white swan is a child-like character, how Nina is at the beginning of the film, but the black swan is a woman, which is definitely the downfall of the main character. Colour is very important in this film, particularly in the swan colours. The white is so innocent and pure, whilst the black is dark, mysterious and scary for Nina. The whole concept of maturing is difficult for Nina because of her mother and childhood, which inevitably leads to her self-destruction.

The Black Swan is awakened inside of Nina, when the director kisses her. This clearly takes Nina aback, and she bites him. I think that this is the first moment in the movie where we are introduced to the dark side of Nina, as well as fully realising how affected she is by her mother. The director tells herself to let go, and masturbate. This is an undoubtedly uncomfortable scene to watch as it is very child-like, enhanced by the pretty-pink room decoration. It almost feels wrong, as we see this Nina as a child still. Her mother interrupts her, and Nina oppresses her needs, ashamed of what she is done. This oppression of the black swan only forces it out of her more, as the feathers start to grow on her body. This is uncomfortable for her, and starts her compulsive scratching. As there are no real feathers, this state of psychosis makes her believe that they are protruding from her skin, and making her uncomfortable. The audience are left deciding what is real and what is not, which I think Aronofsky has done particularly well. Lily, played by Mila Kunis, is introduced to the film here. She is also a ballerina, but is so much more laid-back and mature than Nina, that the director is thinking about giving her the part of the swan. Nina knows that there is now competition, which only increases her stress levels more. Lily is essentially everything that Nina wants to be, and the director plays around with this idea. He swaps Nina’s face for Lily’s, showing the audience that Nina sees her future self in Lily, but also enhancing the idea of her defending mental state. When Lily and Nina go to a club together, in the crowd are multiple Lily’s, as well as Nina with the black swan makeup on. This is Aronofsky showing the audience the conflict that is going on inside of Nina’s head. Her mentality spirals to of control, as she is suffering with psychosis (hallucinations), and OCD (scratching). Back at her home, we finally see Nina sticking up for herself against her mother. Nina imagines that Lily is there with her, as they engage in sexual activity. I believe that Nina is not particularly fantasising about Lily in particular, I don’t think that she is sexually attracted to her, but I think that she could be just attracted to the Black Swan, and her darkness. Her state of psychosis worsens, as the black swan is taking full control of her body. Aronofsky allows us to be part of Nina, experiencing her hallucinations alongside her. We see Beth, an older and more mature ballerina, stabbing herself in the face, but Nina then sees herself doing the same. And during this time, Nina’s feathers are becoming more apparent.

A still from Black Swan (2010), showing how Nina hallucinates doppelgängers. 

Her mother wakes her, restraining herself from scratching. Here is a pivotal moment in the film, as Nina realises that her mother is so possessive over her, as she is trying to relive her failed past as a ballerina through Nina. Her mother cares about her yes, but ultimately, she wants to be her. Nina chooses the ballet over her mother, and escapes her mothers clutches, fleeing to the ballet. It is the day of the production, and as she is filled with the dread and guilt of betraying her mother, she hallucinates that there is two of herself. She stabs the white swan version, the child, and she is now free from her mother. Aronofsky makes this scene so real, that the audience don’t know what to believe. Nina is covered in blood, but as soon as she leaves the room, she is clean, as if it never happened, but the mirror is still smashed. She removes a shard from her own body, realising that she is the one who stabbed herself. She appears back on stage, where the full evolution of her turning into the black swan occurs, with wings sprouting from her arms, her legs bending into swan’s legs, and feathers sprout from her body. As she finishes the performance with a standing ovation, she throws herself onto the hidden mattress, where people realise she is bleeding from her abdomen. She ends the film with the lines ‘I felt it. Perfect. It was perfect’.

The ending scene, in Black Swan (2010).

Nina’s transformation, as the feathers protrude from her skin.

I believe that the film explores the theme of sexual maturation as well exploring mental illness. Psychosis is where the sufferer loses contact with reality, through thoughts and emotions becoming so impaired that they understand things differently to other people. It is unclear of when Nina’s psychosis began, but it becomes more obvious when she starts hallucinating. Visual hallucinations are not common with psychosis, often auditory hallucinations overpower the sufferer. Psychosis leads to the person seeing, hearing and believing things that are not there, which is definitely the symptoms that Nina is suffering from. Psychosis is not a disease, however, it is a symptom, caused by many factors. The three main causes are psychological conditions, such as schizophrenia, general medical conditions, or substance abuse, such as alcohol or drugs. (NHS,2014). As psychosis is the detachment from reality, her OCD symptoms, such as the compulsive scratching or the lining up of her makeup, are more of a obsession with reality. This, and the introduction of bulimia, anorexia and self-harming is very rare to suffer with as well as psychosis. “It would be fairly rare to have a psychosis and an eating disorder,” he said. “People in psychosis are not in touch with reality. With eating disorders and OCD, they are too in touch with reality.” (Jonathan Abramowitz, 2010). The unbelievable stresses that Nina was open to, such as the performance, her sexuality, maturation and her mother’s oppression, all would wear down a person’s mental state, making Nina susceptible to psychosis. It is suggested through the idea of the black swan vs. the white swan, that Nina was suffering from schizophrenia, although this is not confirmed in the film.

Black Swan (2010) Promotional Poster. 

I chose to look at this film, as it is the film that has influenced me to look at the struggles that face a dancer, not physically, but mentally. The exploration of mentality is so intense in the Black Swan, that it does effect the audience. Because of the sense of realism throughout the film, and then playing with this idea, it leads the audience to think about if this is really happening in these ballet companies. It is a known fact that the ballerinas, both male and female, suffer from eating disorders in order to become petite and child-like, but at the same time they are creating a conflict between maturing and trying to be more child-like. As well as this, they are put through rigorous training, to become perfect. The idea of perfect is so pressured onto them, that eating disorders and constant training leaves a lasting effect on the person, this is seen in the character of Nina’s mother. I think that this film is similar to my fashion film in the sense that my fashion film explores the mentality of a dancer. It is looking at how the dancer feels that she goes unnoticed, until she begins to dance. This makes her feel like the dance controls her, which makes her unstable and wanting to escape and be free. I didn’t look at the physical struggles that a dancer goes through, but I think that this is just as important for people to understand. I think that audiences do not necessarily realise and praise the amount of work and complications that the dancers go through to create a performance, but I am hoping that my film, although it is abstract, will help to show this.

Promotional Poster for Black Swan, showing how her mentality is cracking. 

Choices, N. (2014) Psychosis – causes – NHS choices. Available at: http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Psychosis/Pages/Causes.aspx (Accessed: 10 December 2015).

News, A. and James, S. D. (2011) ‘Black swan’: Diagnosing ballerina’s descent. Available at: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Movies/black-swan-psychiatrists-diagnose-natalie-portmans-portrayal-psychosis/story?id=12436873 (Accessed: 10 December 2015).

Wikipedia (no date) Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Swan_(film) (Accessed: 10 December 2015).

Black Swan (2010) Directed by Darren Aronofsky [Film]. Fox SearchLight Pictures.

 

Burlesque.

Burlesque, 2010, Promotional Poster.

Burlesque is a musical film, written and directed by Steve Antin. It was nominated for two Golden Globe Awards for best Original Song, winning one of them, as well being nominated twice for a Grammy Award, one for ‘Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or for Television’ and the other for ‘Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media’. The film follows small-town girl Ali, played by Christina Aguilera, who has a passion for singing and dance. Her life in Iowa does not support this passion at all, as the opening scene shows her working in a vacant diner, where she isn’t being paid. She takes what she is owed, and leaves, destined for bigger things. She makes a one way flight to Los-Angeles, where she finds a small, grubby flat, but that doesn’t affect her, as she goes in search for a dance job. She comes across a Burlesque lounge, run by Tess, played by iconic superstar Cher, which is becoming run down in debt. Ali is inspired by the dancers, and applied for a job, which is quickly refused. She then takes it upon herself to work as a bar maid there, until there is an opening. When one of the girls is on leave, she quickly auditions, winning a place, begrudged by one of the lead dancers, Nikki. Nikki is an alcoholic, often turning up late and drunk, so Tess gives Nikki’s place to Ali on one particular day, but as Ali performs, Nikki turns off the song. Unexpectedly, to save the performance, Ali starts singing and the crowd go wild for her voice. Ali helps Tess bring in more money, and the lounge comes out of debt.

Tess and Ali.

As the film introduces us to the Burlesque lounge, the scene that we see is dark, and slightly seedy. Antin uses dark lighting to portray this feeling of danger to the audience. I think he did this, as many Burlesque lounges are seen to be seedy and dingy, but he wants us to realise that all is not what it seems. As soon as the dancers are on stage, the lighting becomes much brighter, and colourful. Cher performs a song, and Ali, as well as the audience, cannot take our eyes off her. The costumes are typical Burlesque fashion, knickers, corsets, feathers and heels, all with lots of sparkle. We see why Ali wants to become part of this, as all eyes are on the performers.   Even the men are wearing eyeliner to fit into this mystical lounge. Throughout the film, Antin uses lighting to change the mood of the audience. In the sections where there is conflict, such as the argument between Nikki and Tess, we are outside under the moonlight. This is cold, and dark, making the moods of the audience a little more sombre. The lighting inside of the lounge is never that bright, until Ali begins to perform. The lighting becomes brighter and more colourful, building and building until the ending song, which is like a mini show of fireworks for the audience. I think that the use of lighting and colour is important to this film, as Burlesque dancing is usually seen quite seedy, but Antin is showing how fun it can be.

In terms of the character selection, I think that Antin did well. Aguilera is the typical blonde Barbie doll in this film, who is portrayed as being so innocent throughout, although in many scenes her sexuality is shown. She begins the film wearing white stilettos, and ends wearing a corset and knickers. Cher plays the role as the authoritative figure, which I think she does well, considering her age. She is playful, but still a little more scary than the other actors, you would not like to get on her bad side. It is clear she cares about the girls who works for her, as she almost acts as a second mother to them all, particularly Ali. When all of the girls go for pizza and leave Ali alone in the dressing room, Tess comes in, and helps to teach her how to do her makeup, as Ali’s mum never could, as she passed away as she was younger. I think Cher does play a really good character in this film, and I don’t think that the film would have been as successful as it is without Cher being in it. I was initially apprehensive about watching the film, as I was expecting it to be very much like ‘CrossRoads’ with Britney Spears in it, where you concentrated more on the popstar’s bad acting than the movie itself. I think the characters bonded so well, that without them, the movie wouldn’t have been successful at all. I think that the costume plays a big part in this film, which I think was my favourite aspect of this film.

 

The Burlesque costumes are so extravagant and colourful, that they really catch the eye, especially under the stage lighting. The costume helps to tell the stories of the dances, as well as the dancer’s themselves. There were a range of costumes, from tiny skimpy outfits, to the dazzling lime-green dress that Aguilera wore towards the end of the film. Michael Kaplan was the costume designer for this film, and I think that he did an incredible job. He has also worked on BladeRunner, where he won a BAFTA, as well as being a nominee for the Costume Designers Guild Awards for Mr and Mrs Smith, and Fight Club. Making Costumes for Burlesque was not an easy task;

“There wasn’t that much time and there were hundreds of costumes. Each girl needed shoes for each dance number, the shoes were custom made in Italy, all the clothes were made for each girl, we had one small workshop and it was like doing 10 Broadway shows at once – it was crazy. I had no sleep. I didn’t want to just put any clothes on the dancers, but you had complications all the time. When the girls put their shoes on, some would say my feet hurt or I can’t wear these shoes, so then we would say, you change shoes with another girl. We had to send shoes back to Italy, or try and buy a similar shoe in a department store and paint it. Plus, when you make dance costumes they have to move without tearing – they have to be able to stand up.” (Michael Kaplan – how I dressed the movie stars for success, 2011)

Costumes in Burlesque.

I decided to look at this film, because of the dancing in it. I was recommended this film by another student, and I am glad I have watched it. I think that this is a totally contrasting view of dance, as it helps to better the dancers, and is good for them, whereas in my film, the dance is taking them and not letting them go. I think that it was beneficial to watch, as the film takes on such a different perspective to dance. I think that it is important to see both the bad and good in the dance, but I don’t think that many people actually see the bad, hence why I chose this to be the subject of my film. I liked the way that the dance was visually shown, there were many close ups during the movement and the costumes. I would have liked a more detailed costume for my film, but I just couldn’t find one that was under my budget. I think that, alike Burlesque, this would have definitely added to the performance. I think that the makeup played a large part in the film as well, particularly in Ali’s character,as her face transformed as soon as she put on some makeup. In some of the scenes I did not recognise her. The makeup was just like the costumes in terms of colour, and brightness, but also very elegant and glamourous. In my film the makeup is more of a way to portray the feelings of my model, although you could say that my makeup is quite dramatic too. The makeup shown in the image underneath, is very similar to that of mine in the film. I found this interesting as the makeup artist has created a sharp smokey eye, which is a little more subtle and glamourous than mine.

I think the main aim for Steven Antin was to create a fun, energetic and easy film to watch. I think that it shows the bright side of Burlesque dancing, which is often seen as seedy, when it really is not. I really enjoyed this film, and will definitely watch it again.

 

Michael Kaplan – how I dressed the movie stars for success (2011) Available at: http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/michael-kaplan-how-i-dressed-the-movie-stars-for-success-2318165.html (Accessed: 9 December 2015).

Burlesque reviews & ratings, IMDB (no date)  .

Continuity

In Helen’s last session, we looked at the importance of continuity. Continuity makes the films and television programmes that we watch day to day, look like reality. There are many angles having to be shot in one scene alone, so that the editing team have enough footage to use. This means that the footage has to be shot a couple of times. As well as this, some scenes may only have half shot, and the following week the rest will be shot. This means that the makeup and hair has to be exactly the same, to make the film believable.

What did I do to prepare?

To prepare for my continuity assessment, I wrote down a step by step instruction guide on how to create the look that I was completing. This meant that if I followed this routine the first time and second time exactly the same, I would produce the same outcome for both. I also took pictures of the practice run, and had them with me for the continuity assessment. Practising the look was vital, as I needed to get into the routine, so that I did not stress out or become unsure on what to do next.

Did you record the makeup used and where you bought it from? The hair products?

When writing down my instructions of how to complete my look, I wrote down a list of all of the products that I would be using, and in order, so if I became stuck, I could quickly look at the product list for both the hair and the makeup that I was using. In terms of colours and shades of products, I noted this down next to the product list, as this is a really important factor. If you don’t match the shades and colours, then the continuity is going to be wrong.

Did you record how much you need of everything?

In my notes, I wrote down how much of each product you would be using, e.g – ‘Apply a small amount of Radiance Veil to the high points of the face’. I think that this is important, as using too much or too little of the product in the continuity the second time around would result in the look being uneven.

Did you have enough makeup/hair products? Or did you run out making it difficult for you to recreate the look?

It has become a habit with me that I always check that I have enough product to use. If I am running low on the UltraFoundations, I split in half the amount that I would usually use, and add a moisturiser to thin the product out and make it go further. If I am running exceptionally low, I will always make sure that I buy another.

Did you have accurate face/hair charts detailing how to create the looks?

For my continuity look, I did have accurate face charts with notes in detail. I think it is important to make sure that the face charts have notes to explain the look. For hair, I did not have a hair chart, as the hair was just a basic slick back style. Looking back, I think I should have done a hair chart, as if someone was to complete the look for continuity, they would not have been able to do that hair without a hair chart.

If you or another person had to recreate the look in a couple of weeks, would they be able to create it?

I think that if myself or someone else were to recreate the look, I believe that they could do so. I think that my instructions were in detail for both the hair and the makeup, so by following this alone, they would be able to create it. I took pictures of both the practice and the first time that I did it, so these would be a good visual reference to the look. And supporting this, my face chart.

Did you take enough images of your work? From every angle?

With a history in photography, I know that it is important to take more than enough photos, so that you have a wide variety to choose from. In the practice, continuity 1&2, I took many photographs, to make sure that I would be able to use them in submission. It is always handy to look on the viewfinder of the camera and flick through the photos that you have already, to get a rough idea of what they are looking like.

Did you make sure you had the first images to hand when repeating the look for a second time?

I think that this is one of the most important things when completing a continuity look, as you need a visual reference to support the notes, so I had quite a few from different angles.

Looking at your pictures what worked and what didn’t? Why?

Looking back at my pictures, I think that the skin matched well, and so did the lips and the shapes. However, I don’t think that the flicks matched properly, and the hair wasn’t slicked back enough the second time. This affected the look of the photographs side by side. The flicks were not as blended and sharp the second time.

What would you do differently next time? And how could you improve/be better prepared?

I think next time, I should have taken images of the hair in a brighter light, so that I would know how much to have slicked down the hair.

What have you learnt from this experience?

I have learnt that although I read the notes and instructions, that I copy better from an image. I think using pictures as a reference has really benefitted me during this process.

 

 

 

 

 

Technical: Natural Makeup

The aim for this technical lesson was to create a natural makeup look, without it looking like the model was wearing makeup. This is important in film particularly, as many roles do need seem as if they are wearing makeup, when without it, the camera picks up any blemishes or dark circles.

Health and Safety:

• Always make sure that the workstation, hands, products and equipment are correctly sanitised.
• Hair up with no jewellery.
• Complete a full consultation beforehand, noting any allergies or infections.

 

Products:

• MAC Fix+.
• Kryolan Camouflage palette.
• Bobbi Brown Pro Longwear Foundation in 00 Alabaster.
• Illamasqua Translucent Powder.
• MAC Strobe Cream.
• Kryolan Blush Palette.
• Kryolan Lip Palette
• Brown mascara.

Method:

1. Prep the face using cleaner, toner and moisturiser.
2. Apply a green toned concealer over any blemishes, as seen below.
   

   
3. Work foundation in the matching shade into the centre of the face, and buff outwards to give a natural appearance.
4. Using a powder puff, press powder into the skin, particularly in places that you do not want to look oily. Do not use too much powder.
5. Using strobe cream, tap it into the high points of the face, and the eyelids.
6. With the Kryolan Blush palette, using the dark brown, line the eye socket lightly to give the eye depth.
7. Fill in brows if necessary, but very lightly.
8. Find a neutral tone of lip colour in the Kryolan palette and fill in the lips.
9. Apply a small amount of brown mascara to the lashes.

 

 

Here is my no-makeup, makeup look. I think I did well considering that I usually like a thicker layer of foundation, so I was good not to sway myself and add more onto the skin. I really liked this look as my model appeared fresh-faced, and glowing. I am pleased with the skin, as I didn’t expect it to look so healthy and glowing. I would liked to have put a little more mascara on the eyes to open them up a little, but I am pleased that I didn’t go over the top. I correctly matched the skin tone, so that the makeup looked like it was part of the skin. I think that buffing out the skin has made the foundation be part of the skin rather than just a layer, which some foundations often seem to do. I really like the Bobbi Brown Pro Longwear Foundations, I have bought 6 for my kit in different shades. I am using a lot more of the paler tones in my work. The foundations don’t appear too cakey, which I think gives this look the freshness that it needs.

 

Editing my Final Cut.

When it came to editing my final cut, I wanted the footage to be disjointed, flashing and quick paced. I think that this was suitable for the music, as well as the whole theme of my film as well. My film is very abstract, and I think that slow paced editing would not have suited the film or music at all. When editing, I tried to use different tools and techniques to make my footage interesting and not too samey. After not being able to use the footage that I had filmed in the town centre, I was worried that the audience would be bored very easily after watching my film. I needed the editing to be interesting and attention-grabbing.

When beginning my editing, I knew that I wanted the footage to be in time with the music’s beats. The beats of my music are a little disjointed in parts, so the use of the sound waves diagram at the bottom of the clips really helped me manage my clips. I fast-forwarded a lot of my clips, as well as rewinding them and making them play backwards. I think this adds to the whole idea of the dance mentally damaging her, as well as the physical entrapment. I also included slow-motion parts and normal paced clips, as I wanted each clip to contrast one another, as long as the beat matched. I turned some of my clips upside down, to confuse the viewer. I didn’t use any transitions such as fading or blurring into each other, as I believed that this would make my film a lot less jumpy, and not go with the music at all. I changed the saturation to 0 on some of my clips to give a black and white effect. I chose black and white because, to me, it shows how all of the colour is being drained from her life, and she is slowing letting the dance control her. I am really pleased with the standard of my editing, as I have never done anything like it. I have never made my own fashion film, so a lot of my processes included experimenting at first. I never though of my final cut as my final cut when editing, as I wanted to keep in mind the mentality that I was just playing about, as this allowed me to be as creative as I liked, and felt like there was a lot less pressure on me. I think that the way I have edited feels in time with the beats, as well as being suitable to the theme of the fashion film. Being able to ‘play about’ helped me create the fashion film the way it is, as I was able to experiment with different pacing, sequencing, filters and transitions, and if I didn’t like it I could just replace the clip with another.

Overall, I am really pleased with the editing on my film. Although I found it difficult, being able to practise and play about with the clips made it easier for me to get the hang of. I have never made a film before, so I feel like I have learnt a new skill that I will be able to use again in my future. I have really enjoyed the editing, and I think I would like to edit more films, as I was able to be as creative as I liked with the editing.