Aim: To begin editing film.

Having never used after effects of final cut pro, the prospect of editing a three minute film was rather confronting. Following Jasons advice we firstly went through all our footage and selected the best shots, we organised our footage by warehouse and green screen shots. Once these shots were selected, we imported them to after effects and began cutting them accordingly. We found that using youtube tutorials was really helpful! I think that was definitely our go to place for all questions. The internet has all the knowledge!

Despite having semi conquered after effects, we did find it was restricting our creative vision as there were so many filters and transitions that were just not available on that program. Hence, Jason encouraged us to work between after effects and final cut pro. Before we did render our video, we did find after effects very useful in:

- using the green key light to remove the green screen - we had wanted to keep the background white although the shadow looked really unprofessional. Therefore we decided to go for a black background, it was a mistake but we ran with it and tried to make it as artistic as possible!

- To split frames- better control of the masking tool

- Fixing colours - we did have a problem trying to match up the green wall from the warehouse in all the shots, although some were unfixable, we attempted to disguise the shift with filters

Working with final cut pro was initially quite irritating, as having just figured out after effects. Although, personally once we vaguely had an idea of how it worked I did find it easier to navigate. The only problem we did encounter with this program was that when we worked on the file after having closed it, all the files would disappear if we did not re-import the original files.This was initially quite scary after working on a document for 3 hours, then the words 'offline' appearing, followed by a scary red banner. Not good.

In regards to filters, final cut did provide a much vaster range. From the commencement of the assignment we had intended to put a glitch filter over the warehouse shots to create an illusion of a 'omniscient' third person onlooking, rather than the viewer participating. This rather exclusive eerie atmosphere would hence really build our brand. 

  

After originally intending to make up our own label, we decided it would be much easier to select a similar brand that has an already established philosophy. We therefore chose unisex brand Barbara i Gongini.

Overall, I really enjoyed this elective and I have learnt so much about fashion in film. If another opportunity would arise were I could be involved in a similar project I would definitely not think twice!

Aim: To film first narrative

Planning is the key to success, especially when it comes to a group of three overly anxious people. We began filming day by meeting at UTS to debrief with the tutors, gather our equipment and of course compulsively steam all our garments. Despite being rather organised, we did approach the day still needing to solve the dilemma of not having a dolly, in other words, we needed to find a way to smoothly film a tracking shot.  

On our way to the studio in Newtown, Gina had a marvellous idea of taking a trolley from the IGA, to create a home made 'trolley dolly'. Unfortunately we had underestimated the security at the IGA, and were interrupted by the wheel stoppers that had flung into action after Gina ran out of the store. Pale faced and embarrassed we continued our journey to the warehouse.

At the warehouse, before becoming too excited and getting ahead of ourselves, we sat down and went through what needed to be done first. 

- Decide what wall we would use for the main shooting, clear that wall

- Gina would do Campbell's hair while I would do Sarah's 

- While Gina was doing Campbell's makeup, Sarah and myself would set up and experiment with flood lights that we brought with us

- I would film all Campbell's shots 

- Gina would apply Sarah's makeup 

- Gina and myself would film all of Sarah's shots

- We would then film all of the shots together

Commencing the initial experimentation within the space with the lighting and camera positioning, we did encounter several difficulties. Firstly, the flood lights were not strong enough to eliminate the shadows and create sufficient depth. Secondly, without a dolly, smooth camera panning would be impossible. To overcome these problems, we found that by sacrificing our warmth and comfort and by opening the door, we were able to allow enough light in to really improve the quality of the frame. In regards to the foregoing trolley dilema, Gina took to the streets of Newtown in attempt to steal an escapee. To our delight, she was successful. 

To develop our DIY dolly, we used duct tape to secure the iphone to the tripod, then placed the legs of the tripod in the boxes our useless flood lights had come in. This ensured that the legs of the tripod would not fall through the gaps in the trolley. 

After finally having all our equipment, we began to film. In terms of filming, there were several technical aspects that we had not considered. For example, our film required cut editing between opposing frames in order to build suspense. For this to be effective, the frame composition would have to be the same, that means the ground would have to be aligned in each shot. The easiest way to do this would be to keep the camera in the same place, film all necessary shots then move on. Although, because we had completed filming all Campbell's shots first, we had to be really careful when filming Sarah's complementing shots. To really make sure that the floor was aligned correctly in all the frames, we place duct tape on the screen of the iphone to create a grid. This grid allowed us, as accurately as it could, to align all the shots. 

After watching ridiculous quantities of fashion films, we thought it was important that our film really showcased the clothes, therefore we were super pedantic about presentation. This meant that we made sure hair was continually retouched, collars sat correctly and lapels were symmetrical. 

As it was my task to film, I personally found it really difficult to direct and communicate my 'vision' with the models. But I did feel more comfortable as the day progressed.  

I think regardless of planning, it's really important to be able to solve problems quickly, as see opportunities as they arise and take advantage of them and experiment. When we arrived at the studio we saw that there was a wildly powerful fan available, and so we decided to use it despite not having planned to. After a long day of filming, we organised to meet on Friday in the DAB labs to begin editing. 

Aim: To film all of the Green Screen Shots and to experiment with Makeup and styling

Today we focused on really experiment with the the makeup and styling of the outfits. We had decided to use white face paint for one story to really differentiate the two narratives. Using the below images as a reference, we ultimately decided to do half the face without the eyelashes. We also found it really effective to paint the hairline as shown in the first photo reference.

In terms of styling, we didn't really come across any problems other than a simple wrong shoe size, but that was easily solved with some tissues and a professional-esque subject. 

In regards to filming, we did come across severe difficulties in trying to organise lighting. Despite Jason's advice about the three lighting technique, we were unable to create sufficient depth and to completely remove the shadows. We also had difficulty with the face paint as the white was reflecting the light, and consequently washing out the subjects faces. In addition, we found that the black garments would wash to a grey lighter colour when additional lighting was directed from the back of the subject. Overall, I found the experience really challenging, and had we more time I would have loved to experiment and finally conquer the lighting saga. 

Design Studio 

Aim: Complete storyboard, delegate tasks, present concept to class and set tasks for the week.

Brainstorming initial concepts was the most difficult task because each member had really different visions and perceptions of what they wanted from the film. Ideas ranged from Noir to Gareth Pugh-esque films. Therefore, we followed Sue's advice and attempted the '5 ideas in 5 minutes' strategy. This allowed us to each present our individual ideas, and therefore comment and build from these ideas. 

Inspiration: Zana Bayne's 2013 fashion film. 

What we liked: Warehouse sterile atmosphere | The idea of the omniscient viewer, that being the audience is looking in on a situation rather than interacting with the video as such | The glitch transitions | The long lengthy shots of the bare spaces | Off centred subjects within the frames

Inspiration:  Hussein Chalayan 2009 fashion film.

What we liked: Subtle narrative | Covert advertising | The use of music to create suspense | Long lingering moving shots | The contrast of the washed out colour palette against the fluorescent yellow nails | The use of 2 narratives, the female subject in the bath tub, and the two female subjects on the couch | The use of didactic sounds to increase suspense when she is biting her nails of 

Developing our storyboard

What we want to advertise: A unisex collection. Therefore by catering to both sexes, the target demographic is doubled, and consequently there is a larger sales potential.
Genre of film: Horror-esque aesthetic that is quite eerie and confronting. Appealing to the alternative buyer. 
Narrative: The film will feature two subjects walking towards each other. One subject will be of female sex who satisfies a more masculine essentialism and the other will be a male who is more feminine. A tension between these subjects will be created through: alternating close-ups, lingering shots, use of music and didactic sounds. A second narrative will to run through the film. The purpose of this second narrative will be to maintain the viewers attention and to further showcase the fashion detailing. 

Commencing Storyboarding was really difficult because of our little experience in film and our lack of confidence with our individual creative ideas. Below is our first draft. Personally I found presenting our concept to our class really helped us to figure out what we needed to work on and refine. That being what we are selling and how are we convincing our audience to buy our product. 

Things to do:
Bring potential outfits tomorrow to style | Organise location | Refine storyboard | Decide on make up | Bring potential lights to use when filming | Do practice filming | Bring Tripod | 


Essay Progress:
In my essay I will like to focus on Cinema as the medium for developing, producing and circulating ideas of masculinity. I have decided to focus on portrayals of masculinity in terms of representations of violence. I plan to focus on the 1950s film A Streetcar Named Desire and 1970s film A Clockwork Orange. In terms of contrasting I will use the heteronormative styling of Marlon Brando as a physically strong and macho character to illustrate the post war context and how men within this period searched for a masculine identity. I will then contrast this to Kubrick's feminised costuming of protagonist Alex to illustrate the change in societal context as gender essentialism became fluid. The aspect of violence creates a continuity within these two differing contexts, in other words, despite changes in visual characteristics of masculinity, the man in cinema internally still satisfies the normative over powering and violence male attribute. 

Discussion topic: Fashion and Image. Constructing Meanings in Fashion Film. 

Lecturer: Vicki Karaminas (Associate Professor).

Vicki described fashion film as a genre in terms of three sub-categories. They are:

1) to replace Catwalk shows 

2) as an installation (cross between fashion/art/film)

3) as cinema (high budget and narrative)

Lady Blue Shanghai

While the type of fashion film may vary, the objection to sell remains the same. In reference to John Berra's (2012) analysis on the collaboration of Dior and David Lynch in creating fashion film Lady Blue Shanghai, the notion of the mediated consumer is discussed. In other words, the film may be interpreted differently depending on the circumstance to which the film is viewed. For example, if viewed on the Dior homepage, the film would be viewed as a commercial, while if it was viewed at a film festival it could be interpreted as an art film. Understanding this relationship between covert fashion promotion and art film is crucial to successful marketing.

Understanding the collaboration between Dior and Lynch

This noir film was created to launch Dior within an emerging and growing China market. As a highly credited and renowned producer, Lynch acts as a vehicle to establishing Dior as an authentic and credible brand within this new market. Therefore by developing such a film, the brand becomes exclusive, unreachable and desirable. 

The nostalgic film appeals to the Chinese market through nationalistic images of 1920 Shanghai and the Pearl Tower. The success of this film lies in its wide appeal to both Western and Eastern audiences despite its intended China audience. The film positions China as an intriguing other nation (Edward Said 1974).  

Movement from Fashion editorial to Fashion Film

As discussed by Market Uhlivora (2012), fashion films work by creating a hyper-real world that immerses the audience. The film entrances the viewer to feel the unmeasurable experiences of the brand, and therefore presents them with a snapshot of an unreachable goal. The viewer is left desiring that experience, and consequently buys the product. Fashion editorials try to sell readers a lifestyle, but as a 2D image, they fail to completely immerse the viewer into an experience. The Ralph Lauren 4D fashion film (below) illustrates the effectiveness of a hyper-real world. (New York 2010) 

Discussion topic: Fashion, Costume and Cinema. 

Lecturer: Sue Osmond (Lecturer at UTS Fashion)

Today Sue gave a lecture on her experiences working on the set of the Matrix and the portrayal of masculinity within the film. This lecture coincided with the Sarah Gilligan reading entitled 'Becoming Neo: Costuming and Transforming Masculinity in the matrix film'. Personally I found this reading quite interesting, There are several points of interest that I have noted below:
- Gender Identity is a performance. The Matrix tells of a movement from identity as a performance of the body to one of clothing material and gadgets
- The eroticism of the extra ordinary male creates a gender ambiguity, therefore appealing to bot straight female and the gay male gaze.
- In the digital age, physicality will be no longer a desirable trait as technological expertise will be seen as more of an advantage and a symbol of power. 
- Virtual spaces transcend the physical and individuals have the potential to loose the natural body and enter the digital world. These virtual spaces consequently allow for the easy manipulation of data.
 - The differences between the authentic and artifice, between real and illusion. Identity as being or as doing.
- The possibilities of a hyper real world. Jean Baulliard. 

Discussion topic: Costume, Cinema and Film. How do Costumes inform Character. 

Lecturer: Tim Chappel (Costume Designer of film Priscilla, Queen of the Desert & lecturer at AFTRS) 

Tim Chappel described costume as the vehicle for transporting the actor into the character of the film. Semiotics mean that each clothing item attains a set of pre-existing connotations, therefore the bricolage of such items are used to create new and provocative meanings. These meanings therefore act as unsaid story tellers. 

Tim further noted the difference between costume designers and fashion designers in film. Costume designers see clothing as an extension of the character, the best example I could use would be Marlon Brando's oil stained singlet in A Streetcar Named Desire. In contrast, Fashion Designers often fail at considering the characterisation and personality of the character. 

Sarah Gilligan (2011) similarly notes that costume is central to the construction and performance of Bond in the Bond films. Costume consequently permits the ordinary man to transform into the extraordinary. When considering semiotics, a suit would traditionally be associated with power and business. Through the presentation of suits, with weapons (as phallic symbols) and the continual sexualisation of women, the bricolage of these presentations has created a direct connotation between the suit and James Bond. 

Tim Chappel further illustrated the importance of costume in constructing characters in terms of the film Priscilla Queen of the Desert. This Australian produced film was released in 1994, and served as a founding platform in catapulting Australian film upon a world stage. 

The costuming in this film serves as a spectacle rather than a more commercially viable prospect (as noted in the  Brooks Brothers suits in The Great Gatsby). The extravagant and over embellished costumes aim to visually represent the constructive and performative nature of gender. Consequently the purpose of costuming clearly parallels the  purpose of the film, that being to challenge the hetero-normative gender essentialism.  

Priscilla queen of the Desert therefore acts to dissolve and challenge heteronormative representations of typical Australian Masculinity. As discussed by Rose Lucas (1998), the rough, hairy and physically strong man of early Australian cinema is replaced by the modernised gender fluid man. 

Tim further distinguished terms drag and transsexuality. He understood Drag queen  as a man who dresses like a caricature of a woman, that is, over embellished and over feminised, while a  transexual refers to one who has undergone a sex change operation. The purpose of Drag is for performance or satire, it is a temporary change. Transsexuality is permanent. 


Filming with Jason

In addition to Tim's lecture on costuming in film, the class participated in a fashion film workshop with Jason Benedeck. This workshop essentially introduced us to the university film equipment and facilities. That being the Green screen on level 7, and the After Effects (left) and Final Cut software (right) available on the DAB macs.   

Jason ran through the types of shots and angles we could use, as well as how we should organise lighting in order to prevent shadows and maximise depth and realness on screen. Jason spoke of lighting in terms of key lighting, fill lighting and back lighting. I think this is a really important technicality which should be not overlooked and definitely will determine the success and professional finish of our film.