(How did this develop from your working title and what was
involved in the decision making process?)
My current title is 'Overwhelming Beauty'. I wouldn't really say that there was a working title as I wasn't 100% on where it would actually go but I think the title definitely fits the project well. The development has definitely changed with the change of ideas and so it has changed that way but throughout this specific idea it has always been based around beauty.
SUBJECT:
(Reflect on the subject matter of your project and the
background research on this subject)
The film is all about beauty and what it takes to be beautiful. Through showing the overwhelming amount of products within the drawers it shows the extremes that women will go to to look beautiful. Beauty has changed through the years which was shown through my research but this shows what it is like today, with perhaps a more extreme version.
AIMS, OBJECTIVE, CONCEPT:
(How and to what extent have you have achieved the aims
and objectives of your project? Describe the main concept driving your project.)
I wanted the film to be shown in an overwhelming manner and for there to be a great contrast within it. I wanted the visuals to contrast against the sound and I think I have achieved that. The slow movement of the drawers opening and cutting towards each of the draws is slightly overwhelming but not even close to the level that is of the sound. The sound comes in slowly and builds up pace within layers. There is so much being said that at some points you can't quite make it out. It dips in and out in some points slightly to add to the frantic nature of the piece as you're not quite sure where it is going. It makes you feel uncomfortable seeing this frantic sound over the top of a not so frantic imagery. The fact that a lot of the images look as though they are stills works effectively with this as they're so still in comparison to the loud, overlapping sound. It is this that makes the project work, and that drives the idea behind the piece.
AUDIENCE:
(Are you addressing a specific audience with your piece of
work?)
I don't think I would say that there is a specific audience for this piece of work as it is the change in viewer that will make this so interesting. Someone who has no knowledge about the subject, someone who knows a lot about it, someone who hasn't really thought about it, someone who has, someone who is for makeup and beauty or someone who is against it. Every person will see it differently and will have different view on the context surrounding the project. They may find it overwhelming or disturbing but then again they might not.
CONTEXT:
(What is the context for your project? Is it going to be
viewed in a gallery space, a computer screen or television/cinematic space?)
I think this would work best within a gallery situation as it more of an art piece than a short film. I would want it shown on a loop as the piece is short and through the repetition it would add to the overwhelming nature as the viewer would have seen it before along with allowing them to notice more of the details.
FORM, MEDIUM, PRESENTATION:
(What is the final form
and method of presentation of your work and why did you make these decisions?)
It will be shown on a projection as I think it being shown on a large scale would work the most effectively. It would add to the overwhelming nature because seeing something on a larger scale than it is in daily life can make these feelings appear and along with the frantic sounds I think it would work best.
RESEARCH METHODS:
(What methods did
you use to research this work and how did this research inform your project?)
I looked at other films including the Lernert and Sander piece which related to beauty in excess along with other ways that beauty is literally used in excess. I researched on the internet to find relevant pieces of information along with the history of beauty and through books like Naomi Wolf's 'The Beauty Myth'. Through looking at the way beauty is seen in society and within other art pieces it helped me to realise that this emphasis worked effectively.
REFERENCES:
(How useful were the references you explored – the artists,
writers and filmmakers and how do you think your project would function in
similar contemporary fields of production?)
The idea of beauty in excess within my research looking into beauty pageants and the Lernert and Sander piece definitely helped to shape my project and show other ways that beauty has been shown in excess and perhaps other ways of looking at it. Looking into the history also helped as it shows that women have always gone to extremes to look beautiful and I think this made my project even more effective as it shows that this is a concern that has always been around.
