Gender In Horror

Women in Horror films/TV Shows

Typically in horror movie or TV show women tend to play a pretty prominent role: the victim.

Traits for Women in Horror:

• They are waiting for a man to save them
• They're running, bloodied and terrified, 
• Tied and cut up, and we see them completely powerless at the hands of murderers 

Female Horror Archetypes:

• Sex crazed bimbo
• Badass babe
• The smart one
• The bitch
• The invisible one
• The witch
• The postmodern 
• The final girl, e.g. in Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Scream, Saw II, etc.
• Blondes - Dumb/Innocent/Evil

http://www.gorestruly.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/TypicalFemaleHorrorChar.jpg

https://screampsychohorror.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/jen-vil.jpg

Websites Used:

• http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/commentisfree/2014/oct/17/women-in-horror-the-revenge

My Chosen TV Series - Penny Dreadful and Mood Board

http://d.christiantoday.com/en/full/20583/penny-dreadful.jpg

I decided to choose this series is truthful due to the fact I'd never heard of the TV series before when we were being read to list of TV shows we were aloud to research in order to create our chosen Characters. One of my friends had actually seen the series and she recommended me to do adapt this show. In all honestly I don't like watching horror films or TV shows as I prefer light hearted Shows, so this definitely was out of my comfort zone. So I decided to man up and watch the first episode, bare in mind I had no idea what I was going to see, after watching the first episode I became intrigued as it had familiar characters who I knew of for example Dorian Gray, Frankenstein and strange vampires (definitely not your typical Twilight Vampires) 

Some of literature's most terrifying characters, including Dr. Frankenstein and his monster, Dorian Gray, and iconic figures from the novel Dracula are lurking in the darkest corners of Victorian London. They are joined by a core of original characters in a complex, frightening new narrative. PENNY DREADFUL is a psychological thriller filled with dark mystery and suspense, where personal demons from the past can be stronger than vampires, evil spirits and immortal beasts.

Websites Used:

• http://www.sho.com/sho/penny-dreadful/home
• http://www.sky.com/tv/show/penny-dreadful/article/news

Using Moulds to make Wounds and Light Scarring


Equipment Needed:

• Gelatine
• Wound moulds
• Release spray/Vaseline
• Fixer spray
• Pros Aide
• Pros Aide remover
• Witch hazel
• Cotton buds
• Bowl
• Powder brush
• Loose translucent powder
• Small angled brush
• Supra colour palette
• Thick Blood
• Liquid Blood

Step by step:

Creating the prosthetics using a mould:

1. Clean the moulds fully and make sure they are dry before applying

2. Apply a thin layer of release spray onto the mould.

3. Heat up the gelatine and put it into the moulds, making sure they don't overlap each other and that the top of flat.

4. Once the mould has fully set, take it out of the mould and cut it down to the right size.

Applying the Prosthetic piece from the mould:

1. Apply some pros aide, with a cotton bud, to both the wound and the skin, as it is a contact adhesive.

2. Wait until the pros aide drys and goes clear.

3. Press the wound onto the skin and hold firmly to secure it.

4. Apply more pros aide around the edges if necessary.

5. Put some witch hazel in a bowl and, using a cotton bud, rub the witch hazel backwards and forwards along the edges of the wound to melt away the edges and make them look more seamless.

6. Powder well over the top of the wound with some translucent powder and a powder brush.

7. Use a small angled brush and your fingers to apply the supra colour on the wound to suit what look you are trying to achieve.

8. Add some thick blood and liquid blood to the wound to make it look more freshly cut.

Dark Eyes and Lips 

Equipment Needed:

• Eyeshadow Primer
• Eyeshadows - Green, Blue and Black
• Mascara
• Disposable Mascara Wands
• Flat Brush
• Small Blending Brush
• Large Blending Brush
• Gel Eyeliner and Eyeliner Brush
• Lipliner
• Lipstick 
• Lip Brush
• Concealer and concealer brush
• Lip Primer (Optional)

Step By Step for Eyes:

1. Firstly start by applying an eyeshadow primer as this will help to intensify the eyeshadows and will prevent the eye makeup from creasing.
2. Once the primer has been applied start by using a matt green shadow in the crease to act as a transition colour - this will help the other eyeshadows to blend better.
3. After the transition colour has been applied. Apply a green/blue shimmer eye shadow at the inner part of the lid - this will bring light to the eye.
4. Using a darker shade of green and using a small blending brush begin blending this into the crease follow this will a little black eyeshadow - this will help to make it look smokey.
5. With a clean fluffy brush blend everything together until it looks seamless. 
6. (Optional) Apply a black gel eyeliner to the upper lash line.
7. Finish off with a couple of generous coats of black mascara - make sure to use a disposable wand.

Step By Step for Lips:

1. (Optional) Apply and thin layer of a lip primer as this will help to prevent the lipstick from feathering/bleeding.
2. To create a crisp line start by lining the models lips as this again will help to prevent bleeding and also will give a nice base for the lipstick - Make sure to sharpen the lip pencil as this will help with the application process.
3. Using a lip brush apply the lipstick.
4. To clean up any dodgy lines use a bit of concealer on a concealer brush to fix any mistakes.

Personal Analysis 

I really enjoyed creating this look as I personally love applying eyeshadow and creating new looks. I think I did a good job with the eyeshadow as the eyeshadow was well blended and had a gradient. One thing I think I need to improve on is using lipliner because looking at the images again I think I could have been slightly neater.

Introduction to Claudia,Quentin and Mrs Laderman

Claudia

Claudia is a girl in her twenties. As a child she was left alone to develop with little parental guidance and through her relationship with T.V. movies developed an unhealthy relationship with Horror films, believing this to be the way life really is.

All the scenes take place in various parts of Claudia’s apartment, which is European in style with
a great deal of kitsch décor. She is agoraphobic and is kept in touch with the outside world by her neighbours who provide her with her every day requirements. She models herself on a variety of girls often twisting her look to suit whichever film she is watching at the time and there is often
a nod to the main character in the current film within her appearance.

The script portrays her as psychotic and there is always the feeling that although her character is scripted/can be seen as humorous, danger is just around the corner. However all this is normal to Claudia and she is of a cheerful disposition in this mad world of hers.

Quentin

Claudia has an imaginary boyfriend, Quentin, who is long suffering and a constant disappointment to her. They don’t live together but he visits regularly and they talk on the telephone if he can’t get in to see her. As he is part of her imagination his appearance changes to suit her mood. Sometimes he will be a David Beckham looking guy, whilst in another scene he will appear as a Pete Docherty type, Daniel Craig type or a Hollyoaks Babe. If she is having a bad day he will morph into an uncouth couch potato chav with all that brings with it.

He is as into the horror film genre as she and into role-playing to suit her whims and moods.

Claudia has a paranoid suspicion that he is constantly having affairs behind her back and keeps him firmly under her thumb, sometimes restraining him or keeping him prisoner in one of the rooms.

Mrs Laderman

Claudia’s neighbour in her 40’s. She alternately changes into a variety alter egos and is Claudia’s friend and confidant. Living in the apartment opposite, she was Claudia’s only link to the outside world. Although they are friends there is suspicion that Mrs L’, has designs on Quentin. In fact she has designs on Claudia.

Presentation for Claudia and Quentin 

Great Expectations Project Evaluation 

Overall I really enjoyed this Project it definitely was challenging at times. For example I didn't realize how difficult it was to replicate a look twice especially what I chose which in it's self was hard. I don't think I change anything as I am really happy with the final outcome. I really enjoyed experimenting with prosthetic's it really took me out of my comfort zone and I loved it so much, We learnt a lot in class on how to create different gory things. I knew straight away that I wanted to recreate Miss Havisham burning as I knew no one else would do it, however I had to do a lot of research on what product would be the best to use in order for me to get it exactly the same for both assessments I ended up using 3rd Degree which is my holy grail product know that I know how to use it as I did find it difficult at first. I think maybe one thing I'd do if I had to do it again would be that I should have practiced again before my second assessment of Miss Havisham for the continuity part, as this would have help when I was creating the hair style again because I really struggled with that. I really enjoyed creating Estella it was very refreshing to create her as I found it very easy as I didn't really need to think about it as I knew I wanted to stick to what I'd seen in the films and TV series of her.

Evaluation of My Timed Assessment 
(Continuity)

Overall I am very pleased with how my continuity design of Miss Havisham turned out, however I did come across many problems when creating my vision. The first problem I had to over come was creating the burn and where I wanted it position, I also had the added worry of how I was going to make it exactly the same both times. So what I did I research different ways of making SFX Burns on the face and I came across an amazing product called 3rd degree which is a silicone based product. So when it came to using the 3rd degree for the first time a had a little break down as I'd never used it before I had no idea how to create the burn on the face, so in my frustration I found out when I was removing the failed attempt that it peeled off very easily and was still in one piece which gave the idea on how I was going to achieve my continuity. After that lesson I decided I was going to practice with this 3rd Degree product on myself which I did and then I peeled it off my own face. When I had my next practice I just adapted the piece I'd made on myself to my Model's face, I stuck it on with spirit gum. We did have a lot of difficulty removing the silicone piece off my Model's face as the spirit gum pulled on her peach fuzz, however we over came that by using spirit gum remover which some what helped. I really enjoyed researching my vision of Miss Havisham as I knew from the start that I wanted to push myself and I wanted to create something out of my comfort zone so that's why I decided to recreate her when she was burning from the fire. I knew it would be difficult and time consuming however I made sure I practiced enough to make it easy and quick which it was in the end. I did however find it quite disturbing when I was researching actual burns as there are many images of young children which I found quite upsetting. One thing I did find very hard and I know the hair design isn't the same on both the timed assessment which I was really annoyed with myself for. As when I created the hair style in the first Timed assessment it wasn't like my images from my practice so I had to make sure I took pictures of the hair style I'd created then, however when it came to doing it again for the second Timed assessment the hair at the back wasn't positioned exactly the same as before. However I think the majority of the hairstyle is nearly the same. Overall to sum it up I pretty happy with how my Miss Havisham turned out I think I've definitely pushed myself as a make up artist and I have over come quite a lot during the process of creating my design.

First Timed Assessment

Second Timed Assessment

First Timed Assessment

Second Timed Assessment 

Estella Timed Assessment 

Estella Practice 

I decided I wanted to re create Estella from an early age, so the make up was very subtle I wanted it to show off her natural beauty (English Rose) The hair I decided to create a late Victorian hairstyle as Estella would have worn hairstyles similar.

 

Comparison of Miss Havisham Continuity 

I didn't find the make up part to difficult to make look the same, however when looking at the images we have to take into consideration the lighting as you can definitely see a difference in the colour of the burnt part - one is very red toned and the other is quite dark red. I think I pretty much got the silicone piece in exactly the same place and the colouring is quite similar. I think the non burnt is nearly exactly the same the only difference is the tone of the foundation but apart from that the eyebrows are the same and the contouring is too.  

 As you can see from both these images there are quite a few differences. The one on the left is the first time and the one of the right is my continuity. I found this quite difficult to get them exactly the same. As you can see the two large rolls at the bottom of the hairstyle aren't the same size or positioning as the other image this was due to me not leaving a bigger enough section for the bottom part. I think the loose curls are pretty much in the same place and also I think the bun is very similar.

Timed Assessment - Continuity Miss Havisham 

I was happy with how the Continuity for my Miss Havisham design turned out, I tried my best to get it exactly the same however I didn't realize how difficult it would be. I found the hair positioning particularly hard as on my first timed assessment the hair was positioned quite particularly as there were two distinctive rolls at the back, I tried mimicking this but I really struggled and they didn't turn out like they did first time which I found really frustrating. The make up was nearly exactly the same well the burnt part I thought did, however after looking at my first images I think the non burnt side wasn't the same because I think it looks a lot grey-er the second time. But overall I think it was a good first go at doing continuity.