Makeup for the main character: z-ombie

I have done extensive research into how z-ombie fx makeup is used in film and television. Firstly, I watched a series of youtube video tutorials to gain step by step ideas as to how I might go about creating the look.

Here are some of the videos I watched:
 

Here are the products I will be using on my actress, most of them I had already, but some of the special fx stuff I had to be especially. I bought the special fx makeup from a site called screenface.co.uk, a uk based special fx makup company. 

Click the link to see the presentation : https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1bXY9KigODyX-EXVMtZ4UDTZvyyV-VCrLfLkJlpVLmpE/edit?usp=sharing

Magazine hand drawn mockups

To get down my initial ideas. I drew a few mockups of potential cover designs. I sourced my inspiration from the popular film magazines TOTAL FILM and EMPIRE. Sorry they are facing the wrong way.

 

 

Locations moodboard

To gain ideas for the locations of my film trailer, I have created a mood board for potential location ideas. I want an almost industrial, dull feel for the locations for the scenes set in the present day, and a grand manor theme for the flashback set in the past.
Click the link to view the moodboard
http://www.flipsnack.com/erinlovescake/locations-moodboard.html

A film remake case study :The Fog

For my research into film posters, I have decided to compare a series of posters whose films have been remade. I will analyse both the original and the remake, firstly, I will analyse the posters of the 1980 and 2005 films 'The Fog'.
Click on the link to view the presentation.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1O6O9NKp3u63kuY9yhjT1otrXJvlQDpWqWP_flPeuG6Q/edit?usp=sharing

Film Risk assessment

As it is mandatory that all films do a risk assessment before shooting, I thought I would construct a basic risk assessment table showing potential hazards during my film production process.

Film Production Risk Assessment

Film corporate image

Here is a presentation regarding the corporate image of films of the z-ombie  genre.

My Main Character costume

I have decided to make a moodboard concerning my main characters costume, both for the flashback and the present day scenes. I have used the online moodboard website 'polyvore' for this job.

Edwardian costume by erinswierdworld featuring vintage jewelry

For the flashback to the late Edwardian period, my protagonist will lean towards the more casual side of the fashion, even though she is wealthy (this will be obvious by the jewellery) , she will wear fairly plain clothes for that time such as a plain long skirt and white ruched shirt. I have decided to research Edwardian/1900s costumes to get an accurate realism picture for my trailer.

Imagery such as this:


Represents the style I wish to adopt for my flashback sequence. In the Late Edwardian period the most fashionable skirts cleared the floor and approached the ankle. The overall silhouette of women's dresses  narrowed and straightened, beginning a trend that would continue into the years leading up to the Great War, this new, more masculine style was being worn by women as a way of empowerment. In around 1897, the silhouette slimmed and elongated. Blouses/dresses were full at the front and puffed into a "pigeon breast" shape, the waist was sloped from back to front and was often accented with a sash or belt.

Protagonists costume ideas by erinswierdworld featuring a black button cardigan

 

Here is my moodboard for my protagonists present day outfit, she generally wears muted colours such as greens, greys and blacks to blend in with the crowd. As she has a shy, reserved personality her clothes are not loud or pattered, with delicate colours to suit her as a person. However, her boots will be leather and tough looking, to indicate to the audience that their is still fire in her and she is fighting back against the removal of her pills.

Looking at costumes of the protagonist in other films of a similar genre, I can see they have a similar colour scheme.

For example, in 'I am Legend' the protagonist often wears black to conceal himself from the z-ombies, and in 'WWZ' the lead character wears a green/grey military style uniform.

My Production Company

I have decided to create my own production company to produce my film, along with working title. Many films of my genre have more than one production company to produce different elements, my company will 'produce' and 'provide' cinematography.

 

Here is my production  company logo I made on adobe fireworks, I chose the name 'picture picture entertainment' as the repetition suggests they are focussed on filmmaking and the 'reflection' in the logo promotes the idea that they reflect various audiences into their films. Using the red 'H' in the middle of the logo adds a focal point to the logo, also ad red is typically associated with blood/earning/anger/suspense/danger, it indicates that the company mostly produces horror/z-ombie/thriller films. The typography of the logo means it can be added to any billing block on a poster and be easily recognised, also, as it is mainly black with a bit of red, the colour can be changed accordingly depending on the colour of the background image or colour scheme of the film.

Narratology

Narratology refers to both the narrative structure and the study of the narrative in a media text and the affects and the ways it affects the audience. The narrative of a film is the organisation of a series of events which make a story. We connect these events and make various interpretations of the plot. The narrative often follows a various 5 stage process, Tzvetan Todorov suggested this process:

·         A state of equilibrium at the outset

·         A disruption of the equilibrium by some action

·         A recognition that there has been a disruption

·         An attempt to repair the disruption

·         A reinstatement of the equilibrium 

The theory generally states that Equilibrium will occur at the start of the film, then there will be disequilibrium, and then equilibrium will be restored.

My film:

Equilibrium – (everything is how it should be) - The protagonist has a privileged lifestyle in the early 20th century.

Disequilibrium – however she gets infected during a z-ombie apocalypse around this period. Now, in 2014, she is the last remaining of the infected and is kept alive by pills.

Recognition of the disequilibrium: The government cut her pills by one pill a day for an unknown reason, her condition deteriorates as she becomes more z-ombie like, later attacking and killing a man who mugs her in a fit of rage.

Equilibrium restored: the audience don't know if or how the equilibrium will be restored, that is the cliff-hanger element of a thriller

My film conforms to the theory as a state of equilibrium occurs in a flashback, however most of the plot is in a state of disequilibrium, as I have found out that from my research that most z-ombie films have a positive outcome, I want to subvert this stereotype. Yet, this positive outcome has underlying problems, for example in the film '28 Days Later', the protagonists are rescued after a state of disequilibrium, but the rest of the UK is experiencing an apocalypse, this is highlighted in the films sequel '28 Weeks Later' where the infection, supposedly contained, managed to infect new victims.