Balloons

It's back to the woods for me.  I've been going on and off since the shoot.  Took several weeks off after shooting the first scene when my main actress disappeared. One learns.  But I also learned I can reduce the time significantly, by not only having the storyboards, and shot list, but also I'm going to shoot the movie with balloons to mark the placement at the sites.  Give myself more room on the set.   Since the trains have been running awfully, under the guise of massive 'repairs', it takes upwards of 3 hours to get there and back during the day.  Which reminds me, I've got to get out of here.  Anyway I'm going to map scene 4 today.

Ye Arkham Maides Production

The production is ready for shooting.  I've mapped out the sites at both locations.  The meadows are nice with sloping hills which lead to a wall of trees.  I'll use Establishing shots I've also gotten response from several crew interns and pas.  I'm waiting to hear from the several actors, to confirm dates.  Costumes also need to be distressed, but this shouldn't take long.

I met with Marie yesterday to do a few mockups of the hag.  We also went over the makeup for the rash, -which I should have photographed, as well as the bruised skin.  Still need to get a smooth full latex appliance for the facial swelling.

Ye Arkham Maides:Costumes, Crushed Silk Organza

Crushed organza gives me the random wrinkles I want.  Crushed taffeta in poly has great 3d, with random 'rivers', but is too stiff for my comfort, can't find crushed silk taffeta.  Crushed silk chiffon or poly chiffon has very nice drape and flow, but has a laid pattern that I can see.  I think there's one that doesn't have such a laid pattern.  At Nousha's. I don't want the pattern in the 'hero' close in the dream, to be a laid but a random pattern, before going out of focus.  My thoughts are it'll lend more drama if it's random.  

One could say that the discomfort that the dark brown poly brings may be of dramatic use.  This is for the nightmare sequence.  I'll stew on that.  Jevyn and I found it at Mood on 38th, but I found a cheaper dude on 35th that has the same fabric yesterday.  Didn't buy it straight away though.  I want to head over to the bureau to work on the wrap first.  Take some pictures and send them over to Jevyn.  Going to test an Indian wrap called a Chaadra.  Used for ceremonial purposes, I can mix it with a little venus de milo drape.
Getting a lot of info and inspiration from a lord of the rings costume forum.  Details about things like the fabric of Liv Tyler's gown in the dream sequence are helpful. It's a good thing to be able to analyze the work of the pros.  Picked up some crushed poly organza at the fabric store on Bway to test.

No, Chaadra didn't work.  But this is okay for a draft.

Ye Arkham Maides: Costumes

These textures lend themselves to underexposure, which I want to use in the cinematography.  Doesn't have the flow of, say a ruffle dress, like in the period dramas of the forties, but it has it's own drama.  We're going to use the blue dress as a petticoat, if rather than this, if it ever gets here.  Styling is going to be a challenge.  Made an adjustable bustle pad to hold up the skirt, just in case it needs adjusting.  It'd b nice if someone had a ruffle dress,  would be nice in the opening sequences..

Location Scouting; Ye Arkham Maides

 

Many textures in this forest.

Costumes; Ye Arkham Maides

It took me a good year to find corsets for the girls. I didn't want it to be over the top, the girls are picking herbs... didn't want it to be uncomfortable. Had to be sexy, but again, not over the top. In the end I ended up re-purposing several vintage dresses designed in a retro style, about 30 years ago. Trying it out tomorrow for the first time.

Zombie Honeybees & Decapitating Flies

Much talk lately of colony collapse disorder, when worker bees suddenly leave the bee hive.  Although unexplained, a variety of issues maybe causing the phenomenon. Apocephalus borealis, a parasitic fly which has already been attributed to a symptom in which the bees wander around aimlessly before eventually dying, as well as planting it's larvae in the bees' head, causing the heads to pop off after the larvae develops may be responsible for colony collapse from California to South Dakota.