CHILDREN'S NOVEL..

Terence Blacker's: Boy 2 Girl

<Front cover>

MAIN INSPIRATION..

VIDEOS

This Video of Gareth Pugh is my main focus of inspiration to the creating of my viral advertisement. This video gave me the basis idea of my video. I want to film me doing the make up of the boy in the dress on the model , and whilst doing this interviewing the model... this i will go in to further detail at a later point.
Alex box  designed the make- up looks and directed Pugh as to how to apply the make- up. I like this idea however, I want this project to showcase my make up skills and not how I teach someone else how to apply it. This is what gave me the idea to film me applying the make up.


As previously mentioned, I was given the idea of stop motion, which is a technique used in this video, which I think makes the video more interesting and it cuts out a lot of the unnecessary parts of the video. If this was not done, the video would probably be too long and boring. Referring to my viral advert, i think this will be great as i do not want it to be too long, as this will bore the audience.


COPIES

Here is someone creating their own video on a how to create a specific look by yourself. This one however does not look as professional as Pugh's, this is due to the lighting, back drop, positioning of the camera and the application of the make up. I need and want mine to look professional as this will show that the performance is too of a professional standard.

Here is an example of a 'how to' video which involves both the stylist and the model applying the desired look. This is a good idea, however I think its not the right strategy for my video, and it is also quite long winded which may bore the audience.


IN DRAG

Even though my look may not end up looking like drag, it has been a great inspiration to the designing of my look, as I will be applying make up to a male model, in order to make him look like a woman. This is a video which I especially liked, as it looked realistic.


I recently came across Tamang Phan who makes herself who does tutorials of different make up looks and posts them on YouTube. I found them really interesting and exciting as it shows how different people can look with the correct usage of make up, here are a few images which were my favourite.

This Phan without make up

Phan looking like Angelina Jolie

Inspired by Lady Gaga

Phan as Michael Jackson

Phan as Jonny Depp

Phan as Mona Lisa

All these images have a sense of humour to them which is look that I am going for. I think this is why I really liked her work and found it to be great inspiration. I particularly like her design of Michael Jackson, as it is similar to my ideas with the idea of swopping genders.

Make-up 2012

Spring/Summer 2012

Agnes Chen

Brianna Thompson

Maybeline

Autum/Winter 2012

YSL

Jill Sanders

Both Summer and Winter of 2012 feature cold and bright make up. Making my make up ideas relevant to the fashion industry today and emerging trends.

MAKE UP IDEAS..

CHARACTERISTIC > Smudged

These following images will represent the idea that it is a 12 year old boy who is applying the make up and not knowing how to put the make up on properly..

> Inspiration

This is one of the first images that appeared on my search after searching 'smudged make up.' I was immediately drawn to it from the contrast of colours.. the dark background, pale face and bright red lipstick. This contrasting look in definitely a technique which would be suitable for my designs and shooting styles.

When I saw this photo, i immediately thought of a child being left with some paint unsupervised. Initially I thought it was great inspiration towards my designing. However, throughout the book, The young boy refers to Vogue and his inspiration, so this lead me to think that he would have an idea as to where to apply the make up. Also, I think the 12 year old boy would be more aware of what he was doing, as this image looks as tough a 5year old could have done it.

I like the use of the white face paint to create a doll like image, which is an idea i could use for my designs due to the child only being 12 years old and using children's dolls as an inspiration to his styling. However, this is not mentioned in the book, instead he looks at magazines such as Vogue to get inspiration from. I also like the thickly applied pink blusher which has been roughly applied. If this was a technique I was going to use it could imply that he is getting overly excited and can not stop applying the make up as he is having fun, but also that he is not really sure as of how much to apply to his cheek.

This is probably my favourite image so far regarding the look i am wanting to create, this is because there is a look of professionalism and preciseness to how the lipstick has been applied, which is something I think would be great for my designs.

I chose this image as one to get some inspiration from as it creates a sense that she is not sure herself what she is doing when applying the make up, as it appears as though she is applying the lipstick with her finger as apposed to using a brush pr the lip stick. I also like the dark eyes which are too roughly applied, however the use of colouring creates a dark and mysterious image which is not something I am wanting to design.

MY DESIGN > Idea 1.

Description >

Foundation lighter than the models skin tone (representing an adolescent look. This will also enhance the brighter colours)

Pink blusher thickly applied (child unaware as to how much and wear specifically to apply product, but has watched Mother)

Smeared yellow eye shadow along upper eyelid crease (unaware as to where to put the eyeshadow, also thickly applied due to excitement and exhilaration)

Little mascara (again unsure)

Bright red lipstick smeared over the lips trailing on to the side of the mouth (in excitement lipstick slips)

Bright lips adhering to the trends of spring summer 2012. Also a bright colour attracting the audience.

The idea of the rollers in the hair is to portray that he used to watch his Mum get ready, and is now copying her when he dresses up as a girl.

The bow represents the boys young age, as young girls tend to wear boys in their hair. It is also a trend of last year by Lady Gaga who wore a bow made of hair.

This is the simplest design and is the most daily worn make up, with foundation, eyeliner and lipstick. This is my least favourite design as i don't feel it will interest or gain viewers as its not original nor exciting.

DAPHNE GUINESS..

Performance in the Barneys New York Windows

“There is a commercial side to fashion that is needed, but there are these crossover moments that do become art. I hope it works, and I don’t faint.” - Guiness

Dress: Alexander McQueenLocation: Barneys, New York


My tutor told me to research Guiness in one of our tutorial meetings, as she said this will inspire me towards the designing of my film. And she was right. Even though I expected a bit more from her, I still found it quite exciting, and at the same time a bit strange and not really understanding the idea behind it. 
To promote her collaboration collection with Barneys.
Whilst behind the frosted glass she elegantly dances with scarves, it was at this moment that I thought I would change the Ballet performance to a Contemporary dance piece as this is more up to date with trends and theatre performances.
I think I would like to see this piece in her eyes as she looks at herself in the mirror undressing the garment wrapped around her head. This also, like Gareth Pugh's make up athon made me want to film my video from the perspective of the mirror and what the subject is seeing through it.

ASIAN CULTURE..

Summer 2011 I went to Thailand for 2 months, which has a high rating of men who dress as women on a daily basis, they are also known as 'Lady Boys.'

Unless you looked closely at the men in drag it was unclear that these people were actually men, i found that it was the wider jaw bones which mainly gave it away.

Whilst we were there we went to a Cabaret show which involved men dressing as women whilst dancing and miming. It was quite entertaining, and again it was difficult to see that they were men and not women. Some of the men had boob jobs and strapped their genitals backwards to create a flat area.
It amazes me that people are very willing to open their gender identities so publicly. However, in thailand, especially with the drag Cabaret shows, it is a great tourist attraction suggesting that they don't have much of a choice and force themselves to be a drag act in order to get money. This is clear mainly in Phucket which is the most tourist area of the Country. Even though you have to pay for the tickets to get in to the show, you also have to pay the acts if you want a photograph of them, like the one below.

Me with the 'Lady boys' at the Cabaret

Lady Gaga impression

Seeing that there were a lot of men who wanted to be women opened up my eyes, and allowed me to see that this topic I have chosen is a current issue within society today all around the world. This made me want to focus more and more towards creating a drag image for a young boy. 

BEYONCE..

MODELS..

This week was the start of finding a model for my project. Finding the right model for my project wasn't too difficult, as i had an image in my head as to how i wanted and needed them to look... Boyish, feminine and innocent in order to reflect a 12 year old boy, Dennis. He also needed to perform Contemporary Dance which was proving to be difficult to find. I scouted for models mainly on model mayhem and there were a few which fitted the bill,  but i still wasn't too sure.


These are two models from Model Mayhem which were suitable fitted the criteria but i felt there was something missing in the way they looked. I didn't get excited enough to want to use them.

FATE.?>


One day on my boyfriend's Facebook, new image uploads appeared on his newsfeed, and there he was.. the perfect model.


MEET> George Foster


Age:23
Figure: slim
Characteristics: all of the above
Career: Dance and Theatre performance 
> Contemporary Dance 
> Works at the Pineapple Studios in London

<Shoot for Toni and Guy>

After seeing all of his photographs, and after speaking with him I decided I wanted to meet him first before making any final decisions. This meeting went great, he was shy, yet bubbly and he had a great passion for what he does and with his interests.
As he had travelled all the way here from Kent, I used this to my benefit and got him to model for me for some other shoots I was doing at the time. This also allowed me to see how he would be when filming my FMP. As expected he was great, professional and dedicated. After the shoots were finished we discussed when, where and what I expected and wanted for my FMP filming. He gave me some great imput and advice which I will hopefully carry through to my FMP outcome. The best advice was to make my film stop motion, which I will be looking further into later.

LEIGH BOWERY..

PLANNING..

In January I placed a few adverts for a camera operator to shoot my project. I placed adverts on the Solent Portal, Facebook and got my friends to ask around. Luckily I received a few responds pretty quickly. My friend from home wants to get in to this business and thought my project would be a great way to showcase his work and to get further in to the business, and hopefully go to university.

As the person who was going to shoot my film lives in Hertfordshire, I decided to base my project here, as this to too my hometown. My friend's Dad has a studio in the basement of their house and is allowing me to use this space for free, which is great and handy as it is down the road from where I live, and as I have booked to shoot my film over the Easter period this is where I will be situated for the majority of the break.

COLOUR..

BRIGHT COLOURS>  Palette

After noticing that there was a clear coherency with men dressing up as women, this being the use of bright colours, i created a colour palette which represents this.

These are the colours which I may consider using, however it may change after more research. The bright colours help to create a sense of happiness and excitement which is a characteristic I want my video to adhere which reflects on the ambiance of 'The Boy in the Dress.' 

CONTINUED..

CONTINUED> In Drag

<Gay Pride 2009>

DEFINITION > Drag Queen


'A man who wears women’s clothes as an entertainer' (Macmillan Dictionary)

<Wig in a Box>

I love this image as it creates a sense of freedom and passion.  The use of the bright colours makes the image stand out. This photo gives a feel of movement through the use of the flowing hair, however it also uses still motion through the capture of the photo. This is something to which i want to involve within my storyboards.

<Music alter egos>

COLUMNIST & JOURNALIST > Angela Mollard

<Backchat: Pretty Boy>

'To be honest, with the blurring of gender roles, it's to be expected that men have veered into this territory.' (A. Mollard, 2011)

It is clear that men of today are wearing more and more make up on a regular basis. Maybe fashion advertising is causing the same affect as it is to women, this being the idea that in order to look 'perfect' they need to look like the models in magazines and on billboards. This is something that i will look further in to. I aim to generate a questionnaire specifically aimed towards men to find out exactly why they wear make up. This may be quite tricky as to recent experience men tend to deny that they are wearing make up.

MAKE UP FOR MEN > mmUKman

When people think of men, usually they think masculine, strong and rugged, but it appears that men in todays society are becoming more and more feminine, as they now have their make up for men. The image above has tried to create a masculine approach to make up, with the use of 'the Man Palette' and the image of a painting palette suggesting manly behaviour.. DIY.

THE BOY IN THE DRESS..

Brief Summary: 

Dennis is a 12 year old boy who lives with his Dad and his older brother, his Mum left when he was younger which Dennis is struggling to cope with, whereas the others act as though she never existed. He is a normal young boy who likes football, however he has a love for women's fashion. He meets a girl called Lisa who gives him a dress she made and gives him a make over. He later goes in to school wearing this dress acting as a French exchange student, Denise, and gets expelled. As a football lover, and the best footballer in the school he can no longer play in the finals, all because he wore a dress to school. He goes to watch the match, and his team are losing, so they beg the headmaster to let him play but he won't. So the team during half time put dresses on as a way to campaign for Dennis to play, which he does, and they win. However, he still not allowed back to the school. The next morning he sees his headmaster at his local shop dressed as a woman, and blackmails him in to letting him back to the school. His first day back at school his teachers ask him to play a girl in the next play, he agrees but doesn't want to.
The aim of the book is to show that there are people who don't think that dressing as a women is acceptable, however they eventually will change their mind once they realise that there is nothing wrong with it and it doesn't change the person.

FOCUSED/ IMPORTANT CHAPTERS> Under the Mattress

Dennis kept a copy of Vogue under his mattress as the woman on the front reminded him of his mum (who left him) 

I liked this chapter, however, it wasn't one which I could create a strong and slightly funny imagery and styling to.

> Lying on the Carpet with Lisa >Dennis becomes Denise

Dennis makes friends with a girl called Lisa. He goes to her house and she dresses him up in her clothes, shoes and make up.

This is the Chapter which I have mainly focused my ideas on, however, as I am making a short film to advertise the Theatre Production I want to create something which will sell production as a whole, and not just a section of it.

Here are a couple of quotes and imagery which are mentioned within this chapter.

<'Lisa held out the orange sequined dress'>

<Christian Louboutin>

He went to school as Lisa's French exchange student, dressed as a  girl pretending to be Denise which he manages to pull off until his wig falls off and gets expelled. He wears..

INITIAL IDEAS> Rough ideas 

I have had so many ideas that it has proved to be really hard to narrow it down as there are so many things that I wanted to include in my viral ad. 

I've been thinking about props, location, make up, hair and fashion styling, choosing a model, getting someone to shoot the ad for me, editing the footage.. and so on..

One thing I know for sure is that i want to somehow involve Contemporary dance in the viral. I could do this by maybe filming the model performing a contemporary dance piece or him posing in a dancing position which would create this moving yet still imagery.

Idea 1.

My first idea was to have the male model staring at himself in a tall mirror supposed to be in his mum's bedroom, dressed in jeans and a t shirt, but starring back at him would be the boy dressed in ladie's clothing pirouetting representing what the boy enjoys and how it makes him feel liberated and happy.

COMEDY ..

As mentioned in the previous post, the author of the book is a comedian and plays many roles in his own comedy shows. Comedy is a genre which everyone enjoys which is why it is around us all the time, whether it be on the television, in a book or in day to day conversation. It makes everyone laugh. However, some people do not appreciate the type of humour to which Walliam's performs: taking the mick out of specific stereotypes, including drag. Below are some of the characters he plays..

AUTHOR> David Walliams

<Little Britain>

<Little Britain>

<Little Britain>

<Come Fly with Me>

Little Britain is also mentioned in the book, and is referred to in a negative manner from the young boy's Dad. When his Dad finds out that he's been reading Vogue and dressing up as a girl, he blames and banishes Dennis from watching this programme. I like how Walliams knows that his tv shows are sometimes seen in a negative way, but he uses them to his advantage.
As the book has hints of humour, I want this to be reflected in my final piece.