Final Images - The Man Upstairs

Final Images - The Babysitter

Gothic Sketches

Model Choice - The Babysitter

Name: Chelsea Middleton

Age: 19

Hair Type: Dyed brown, darker roots, thick, falls below chest area.

Skin Type: Normal-dry combination

Skin Tone: Olive-tone

Eye Colour/Shape: Brown

Allergies/Medication: N/A

Model Choice - The Man Upstairs

Name: Sean Richards

Age: 23

Hair Type: Short, natural medium brown

Skin Type: Normal-dry combination

Skin Tone: Olive/Light tanned combination

Eye Colour/Shape: Light brown

Allergies/Medication: N/A

My chosen model for the character of "The Man Upstairs".

Hair & Make-Up Charts - The Babysitter

Hair & Make-Up Charts - The Man Upstairs

Hair Trials - Crimping & Styling

Crimping & Styling

Crimping Irons (Large, Medium or Small)

Kerby Pins

Hairpins

Pintail Comb

Brush out the hair to ensure there are no knots or hairspray left.

Section the hair off into smaller parts, incorporating the model’s

natural parting and hairlines.

Always start crimping from the bottom of the hair upwards, with the

un-styled hair clipped forward.

Section off hair at the bottom of the head, making sure the sections

isn’t too large and the sectioned line is tidy.

Hold the crimping irons towards the top of the scalp, and hold for 

few seconds before releasing.

Place the crimping irons directly underneath the previous crimp and

repeat steps until the entire head is crimped.

Once finished crimping, roll the bottom part and top part inwards on

the crown of the head and pin securely.

Loop the side section rolling up the hair and secure with pins, repeat

on the other side.

Backcomb the front section of hair lightly, loop into a quiff style on

the top of the head and secure with pins.

Never use hairspray.

Whilst the hair is still hot, it can be manipulated easier.

Never backcomb the top of the hair

Make-Up Artist Research

Alex Box with Nick Knight 

i-D Magazine September 2010

Pat McGrath for i-D Magazine

This portrait of Make-Up artist Pat McGrath was featured in i-D Magazine's 30th Birthday issue titled "Portraits" photographed by Nick Knight. Alex Box, creative director of leading make-up brand Illamasqua and world-renowned make-up artist was the artist for this shoot with fellow make-up artist Pat McGrath as the model and vice-versa. I was attracted to this particular portrait  because of the innocence it conveys, McGrath is looking quite youthful and pure. The hair softly billowing creates the soft, natural look and her make-up is quite minimalistic but still flawless. The lips have been lightly glossed to look as natural as possible, emphasising the bareness of this image. This image is very stripped back and the focal point is indeed the shapes the hair is creating, showing that it is not all about make-up. This image reminded me of the character of 'The Babysitter', as she is a young, innocent girl and I am trying to portray that whilst still keeping it attractive and sexy which is what I feel Knight's shot captures. 

Hair Trials - Gothic Updo

Gothic Updo

Single barrel curling tongs

Bobby pins

Hair pins

Pintail Comb

Hairspray

Hairband

1. Section the hair into a T at the front, and tie the crown of the hair into a     tight low bun.

2. Take the ponytail and section it onto four pieces.

3. With one section of hair, backcomb and then barrel turn it into the scalp       outwards. 

    4. Secure the turn with two bobby pins on either side.

    5. Continue this with the remaining three sections.

    6. Bring the four barrel turns together by using a pin to manipulate the hair to blend into the bun.

    7. If desired, take a few strands from the T-section and plait into the bun.

    8. With the remaining hair in the T-section, use the single barrel curling tongs.

    9. Take a piece of hair and clamp into the tongs, roll upwards towards the scalp, and hold for 10-12 seconds, place the comb beneath the tongs and the hair to prevent burning.

    10. Remove the comb and release the curl, then pin the curl until the hair cools so the curl holds.

    11. Repeat this with the rest of the hair, according to the parting.

    12. Once all the hair has been curled and pinned, release the curls and style accordingly

Photographer Research - Nick Knight

i-D Magazine - Portraits by Nick Knight

September 2010 i-D Magazine's 30th Birthday Issue

For the 30th Birthday issue (pre-fall 2010), he shot 200 portraits of fashion and make-up and 21st century's most influential personalities in a studio at Somerset House. The photographer shot stars such as Kate Moss, Lady Gaga, Naomi Campbell, Pixie Geldof and many others. The designers bought a high reputation to the portraits with names such as Christopher Kane, Riccardo Tisci and Vivienne Westwood on the editorial. The shots themselves are quite gothic as they are all shot black and white, with heavy use of shadows and highlights. Only a few portraits have a surreal abstract element that intensifies the gothic feel. For example, the shot of Alex Box reminds me of a clash between Cruella De Ville and Medusa. The strong black contrasts the pale complexion, creating that gothic element. 

Alex Box's Portrait by Nick Knight

'The Babysitter' Story Board

With the character of 'The Babysitter', although they don't mention her actual age, it says "A married couple were going out for the evening and called in a teenage babysitter", it also mentions she has a boyfriend so I am basing my character around the age of 17, so that she is young enough that she evokes empathy but old enough to make the character sexy and attractive. As a young girl, it is clear she is being mentally tortured by the killer and this is key to remember when styling and shooting the character. Mental angst can be portrayed through make-up by distressing the skin, adding tear stains and stress lines to make the character look visibly distraught. I chose to use stills from horror movies involving telephones and young girls because that is exactly what happens in the myth. The killer threatens her through the phone, so the use of those shots helps me to visualise the fear and how it is portrayed in different films. The colour scheme with the hair and skin tone are all accurate to my chosen model, helping me to reference when styling. 

'The Man Upstairs' Story Board

With the character of 'The Man Upstairs', I wanted to make him more mysterious than terrifying. Although he is a child murderer and portrayed as almost psycho, as his character is from an urban legend, his visual portrayal is left to the reader's imagination, allowing me to take any route when styling and shooting this character. As it is for a music video, I wanted to modernize the character and make it more appealing to a suited target market of the late teenage, young adult age. 

I thought about characters in existing TV shows and movies that resemble the works and traits of the man from the myth, and came across a few examples to be used as reference points. The top right-hand corner is Zachary Quinto who plays Sylar from Heroes, a very sick, twisted character that reminds me of 'The Man Upstairs'. His dark hair works well for him as it casts natural dark shadows, instantly providing the mysterious look. As you can see, the story board follows the theme of of the tall, dark and handsome mysterious stranger. I want to portray the character as a young, good-looking male, turning the gothic horror slightly sexual. 

Make-Up Trials - Scratches

Scratches

Kryolan supracolor palette

Ben Nye bruise wheel

Stipple sponge

Stipple the sponge into the red colour from the supracolor palette.

Add some of the purple onto the sponge aswell. (optional)

Press firmly on the skin and swipe lightly upwards.

Add yellow around the scratch to create an aged scratch and discolouration.

Add purple to make the scratch look deeper then intended.

Make-Up Trials - Bruises

Bruises

Ben Nye bruise wheel

Kryolan supracolor palette

Angled powder puff

Pat the purple colour from the wheel in the corner of the eye outwards onto the cheekbones.

Add the dark blue and green within the purple and blend in.

Bring the purple colour onto the upper lid and blend from the inner corner.

Add the green colour around the cheek area towards the edge of the bruise.

Pat the yellow around the edges of the bruise and blend into natural skin to create aged bruises.

Use the powder puff and red from the supracolor palette to get the darkest colour into the corner of the eyes.

Music Video Analysis

GAME X TYLER THE CREATOR - GOBLINS VS. MARTIANS

Having chosen a myth with one of the protagonists being male means that I have to consider male styling more than I have in previous projects. The male character in my myth is the murderer and can be interpreted as quite psychotic and mental, therefore I have chosen to research and analyse this specific music video as the two male artists deliver their verses in role as mental supernatural patients. Although this music video is more supernatural horror, I feel it is still appropriate. 

Game takes on the role of the mental patient going crazy contemplating the possible existence of goblins, martians and other supernatural beings. The video takes on the location of a stereo typically haunted mental asylum with blood on the walls, flickering lights and other typical elements of a horror music video. He is seen being pushed down the hallway of the hospital by a haggard, old nurse. He raps his bars in the style of a mental patient whilst fighting against his restraints and twitching his head, mimicking behaviour of a mental patient. 

The wardrobe choices for Game when he is rapping in the empty blood-stained room work really well, as he still looks deranged and harmful however he is dressed quite well, fitting the requirements of a Hip-Hop video. His light grey contacts give off a menacing look, as his eyes look glassy and empty. His make-up is soft and more suited to men, the dark circles under his eyes have been slightly darkened as well as the natural hollows of his cheeks to make him look more lifeless. His eyebrows and beard have been darkened to make the dark points of his face darkest so he looks tired and gaunt. 

Music Video Analysis

LUDACRIS X NICKI MINAJ - MY CHICK BAD

Ludacris' 2010 single featuring Nicki Minaj titled 'My Chick Bad' had the theme of horror for the accompanying music video, with featuring artist Nicki Minaj taking on the role of Freddy Krueger. The music video is set in a dungeon/lair during the filming of a movie, with Minaj being the only one dressed in costume. The song overall has a constant deep drum beat which sounds quite menacing, therefore making the song and the video relate. 

Nicki Minaj's styling choices suited the tone of the video as it's not too over done, but too much to be classed as everyday make-up. Dressed in black leather fitted trousers and a fuschia pink blazer, she delivers some of her verses of the song strapped to what resembles a shrink's chair by mental hospital restraints, giving the effect of a mental asylum as the chosen editing process means that the shot changes with the beat making it very fast-paced and quite tense. A few extreme close-up shots give the viewers a clear view of her make-up. 

A full-body shot of Minaj's styling for 'My Chick Bad'

Nicki Minaj's make-up in the video is subtle enough for a music video but too much to be classed as high fashion. She wears black glossy lipstick and lipliner, paired with heavy black winged eyeliner on the upper lid, and a light, shimmery silver on the waterline to not only open up her eyes and make them appear wider, but also to look more menacing and psycho-like. Her thick, black eyebrows peek through the bubblegum pink hair, that is styled short around her neck. She is wearing one Freddy Krueger like glove with long silver talons on one hand, and on the other her nail extensions resemble similar animal claws to emphasize the horror genre. 

A Close-Up shot of Minaj's make-up.

Horror Movie Analysis - Scream

Official release poster for 'Scream' (1996)

"Scream", made in 1996, is the first of a four-film series of American slasher films. The first Scream follows the character 'Sidney' as she becomes the target of an unknown masked killer. This film resembles my chosen myth as the opening scene of Scream shows a young, vulnerable girl being terrorized by the masked man through the phone, before brutally murdering her. Yet again they both differ as this time, the phone is used as a communication device to let the victim's parents know their daughter is being killed.   

The victim this time, portrayed by Drew Barrymore, is a young, blonde, high-school student. Her hair is styled short with a full fringe, falling just below her jawline, framing her face and giving her a very youthful look. Her styling options are very plain and typical of a 90's high-school student, making her character easy to sympathize and relate with. Her make-up was natural and archetypal of a teenage girl, however due to the nature of the story line, her character shows a clear decline. Her face becomes tear and sweat-stained, her complexion becomes paler and the light application of mascara and eyeliner smudges as she continues to be tormented by the antagonizer. This relates to the young girl in the myth and I can incorporate these make-up techniques used in similar situations to inspire my music video characters. 

Horror Movie Analysis - One Missed Call

This 2008 movie titled "One Missed Call" is a remake of the 2003 Japanese film of the same title. The plot of this resembles that of the myth I have based my project on, with the use of a phone to terrorize the innocent protagonists. The use of the phone is quite clever because it creates a sense of anonymity and fear of the unknown. 

Official release poster for "One Missed Call", released 2008

Official release poster for 2003 Japanese original.

The plot of 'One Missed Call' follows a young woman who after the death of her four friends, enlists a detective to help discover what happened. The plot differs from the myth in the sense that the antagonist is the ghost of a young girl, which contrasts the myth as the victims of the myth are three young children. The inclusion of children in both the movie and the myth automatically adds a satanic feel, intensifying the fear levels. 

Shannyn Sossamon portrayed the character of Beth Raymond, the main victim and protagonist of the film. Not only were the plots similar between the movie and the myth, but also the protagonist and victim are one and the same in both adaptations, as well as being a young, vulnerable woman. The actress cast for the role was naturally brunette however it appears her hair has been dyed for the role as it appears slightly darker than the actress' natural hair colour. Throughout the film, her hair is styled for an everyday wear, her fringe is simply pinned back and her hair naturally flicks at the bottom, presenting the typical image of a young american conservative woman. Her make-up and hair remains simple throughout the film, however as the tension of the film sets in, a gradual decrease in the character's appearance becomes visible. The circles under her eyes become darker, indicating exhaustion and desperation as she continues to be tormented, her hair becomes disheveled and greasy to highlight her mental state as she continues to suffer. This representation is something I will definitely consider when thinking of the portrayal of the young female victim from the myth, as it is an accurate, believable portrayal of an innocent young girl as the victim of a horror story. 

"The Babysitter & The Man Upstairs" Moodboard

Gothic Horror Moodboard

Character Analysis - The Man Upstairs

The Man Upstairs

Sadistic - The myth involves a man killing three children which instantly deems this myth to be sadistic as children are involved. Not only that but the way he goes about the murders and the phone conversations were twisted and expected of a satanic murderer. 

Persistent -  When making the phone calls to the young girl, he was very persistent in asking her questions to make her anxious and he was successful in doing so. It created tension as he did not show any leniency to the young girl. 

Intelligent - The planning of his crime could be considered as very intelligent, although horrid, as the thought process of how to torture her so successfully and time the situation in such a way that everything happened when it was meant to, is something to be considered. 

Controlling - From the first phone call he makes to the young girl, he is in control up until he is remanded by the police. He controls every move she makes as he was the one placing the calls. 

Character Analysis - The Babysitter

The Babysitter

Vulnerable - The babysitter herself, although unmentioned, is assumed to be around the age of 14, making her a vulnerable easy target. Not only is she young but is in charge of three young children who are equally as vulnerable as herself.

Anxiety - Looking after young children at a young age can be challenging as there are many pressures that come with it. The babysitter in the myth has to deal with more than the average babysitter therefore the anxiety would show through more when creating the character. 

Lonely - At two points in the myth, the babysitter could of felt extremely alone. The first time, she makes a call to the restaurant to talk to the parents to discover they had left a while ago, emphasizing her loneliness. The second time is after she makes a 911 call and the dispatcher informs her there is nothing the police can do if the phone calls she is receiving are not threatening. 

Despair - After the man upstairs torments with the young girl for a while, it clearly becomes too much for her to take as she snaps "I'm shaking, Are you happy? Is that what you wanted?". Naturally she must feel helpless and in despair as she doesn't know what to do.

"Gothic Urban Legends" Brief & Introduction to Unit

For the unit "Styling for Stage, Screen & Television", we were given the brief titled "Gothic Urban Legends", based on urban myths from the Gothic genre. We were required to style and shoot two images for two different models as characters from one urban myth, designed to be used as characters for a music video. My chosen myth is "The Babysitter & the Man Upstairs", a myth about a young girl babysitting three children who end up murdered by a mysterious man upstairs. 

The Babysitter & The Man Upstairs

A married couple were going out for the evening and called in a teenage babysitter to take care of their three children. When she arrived they told her they probably wouldn't be back until late, and that the kids were already asleep so she needn't disturb them.

The babysitter starts doing her homework while awaiting a call from her boyfriend. After awhile the phone rings. She answers it, but hears no one on the other end — just silence, then whoever it is hangs up. After a few more minutes the phone rings again. She answers, and this time there's a man on the line who says, in a chilling voice, "Have you checked the children?"

Click.

At first she thinks it might have been the father calling to check up and he got interrupted, so she decides to ignore it. She goes back to her homework, then the phone rings again. "Have you checked the children?" says the creepy voice on the other end.

"Mr. Murphy?" she asks, but the caller hangs up again.

She decides to phone the restaurant where the parents said they'd be dining, but when she asks for Mr. Murphy she is told that he and his wife had left the restaurant 45 minutes earlier. So she calls the police and reports that a stranger has been calling her and hanging up. "Has he threatened you?" the dispatcher asks. No, she says. "Well, there's nothing we can really do about it. You could try reporting the prank caller to the phone company."

A few minutes go by and she gets another call. "Why haven't you checked the children?" the voice says.

"Who is this?" she asks, but he hangs up again. She dials 911 again and says, "I'm scared. I know he's out there, he's watching me."

"Have you seen him?" the dispatcher asks. She says no. "Well, there isn't much we can do about it," the dispatcher says. The babysitter goes into panic mode and pleads with him to help her. "Now, now, it'll be okay," he says. "Give me your number and street address, and if you can keep this guy on the phone for at least a minute we'll try to trace the call. What was your name again?"

"Linda."

"Okay, Linda, if he calls back we'll do our best to trace the call, but just keep calm. Can you do that for me?"

"Yes," she says, and hangs up. She decides to turn the lights down so she can see if anyone's outside, and that's when she gets another call.

"It's me," the familiar voice says. "Why did you turn the lights down?"

"Can you see me?" she asks, panicking.

"Yes," he says after a long pause.

"Look, you've scared me," she says. "I'm shaking. Are you happy? Is that what you wanted?"

"No."

"Then what do you want?" she asks.

Another long pause. "Your blood. All over me."

She slams the phone down, terrified. Almost immediately it rings again. "Leave me alone!" she screams, but it's the dispatcher calling back. His voice is urgent.

"Linda, we've traced that call. It's coming from another room inside the house. Get out of there! Now!!!"

She tears to the front door, attempting to unlock it and dash outside, only to find the chain at the top still latched. In the time it takes her to unhook it she sees a door open at the top of the stairs. Light streams from the children's bedroom, revealing the profile of a man standing just inside.

She finally gets the door open and bursts outside, only to find a cop standing on the doorstep with his gun drawn. At this point she's safe, of course, but when they capture the intruder and drag him downstairs in handcuffs, she sees he is covered in blood. Come to find out, all three children have all been murdered.