Costumes

To me, as a production design/art dep/costume enthusiast...there is nothing more exciting in the pre-production process then seeing meters of material and various textile bits and bobs come to life!

I am very fortunate to have many talented friends who have been so kind in helping me out with my growing vision.

The costumes for "Courtship Date" were from the start going to be quite elaborate in that I wanted to create half bird, half human body suits for the two main protagonists. The god of re-incarnation to be half peacock.
The woman to be re-incarnating into a crane.

This vision continued to grow as the designing process went on...
The bill for feathers did too!

Designs by: Keiryn -lee Markides and Sage Butler
Costume maker: Keiryn -lee Markides.
Helpers: Camilla Rodgers, Kaitlyn Bott










Peacock train. Keiryn, you're Amazing!

Pre-production Paperwork

Pre-production paperwork completed --finalising call sheets tomorrow.

Say hello to my life in a folder...



I am a compulsive "To Do List" maker...

Creating my "Limbo World"

120 meters of white material to be sewn into projection walls...




A human sized birds nest...















A box full of paper cranes...(thank you Crystal, Keiryn and Malcolm!)



White television salvaged from the tip...



The start of something huge!

My "Limbo World" environment

I will be converting the AV tech studio at RMIT University into a 'Limbo World' of the Woman's imagination. As no one person is the same, my theory is, neither is ones "life after death journey" and their Limbo World for that matter, if they are suspended there at all.
I will be breaking my scene into two. The first part (set dress) I have called the "white room." Washed out by fluorescent lighting, every object in the room to be white...objects dragged in from the Woman's life --also projections on the white walls of her 'life before death.' Home videos of her as a child, playing on a white television, will signify her life 'flashing before her eyes.' A simplistic fantasy world that allows the audience some back story and emotional involvement in the woman's character.
The second --an ambient Forrest space, mixed with the ambient feel of a club scene. Dark with abstract projections of light and colour, paper cranes hanging from above. A space for the 'Courtship Dance' to take place, colour changes with the journey of emotion the two main protagonists experience.

I have been in contact with Paul Ross a UK artist I found on videoart.net. Has given me permission to use his work "Pthalo" in my film in part 2 of the 'Limbo World.' I will also have my own projection visuals featured. Below is a snap shot of the Artists profile on the sight and a thumbnail of his work I am featuring.

Environmental artist: Fiona Hall

The photograph shows details from “Tender”, a collection of birds’ nests made from shredded US dollar bills. They’re incredibly realistic — especially in the exhibition environment where they’re collected into museum-style glass cases with each species’ nest labeled with its scientific name on the front of the case, the banknotes’ serial numbers listed on the back.

Image Based Performance artist: Jill Orr

Her work is image based performance, which embrace live performance for an audience and /or the camera. She is most interested in creating distilled photographic images that often have been described as having a haunting or poetic presence.



Her art is mostly environmental and socio-political, where she searches for humanity reflected in different sights and issues, which have a personal and universal relevance. She works across mediums integration live performance, video, photography, painting and installation.

Inspiration

A screen shot from the 2007 film “I’m Not There.” This is the point in time where I fell in love with projections.
I am in the process of filming shots for live projections in the ‘Limbo World’ I am creating in a studio for my film. I am interested and have been since the art class years in high school in performance artists. This “courtship dance” piece I have written channels that of a dramatic performance piece of art drawn from the themes I have presented--almost theatrical, yet intimate and modern day themes of the club scene, in terms of lights and atmosphere. Breaking up the experimentation with some familiar aesthetics.

Below is a snap shot of my projection editing --note the particular style I am going for...more info on the context of the projections and the studio set to come.

Courtship Date -- Crystal Castles

Where the story and concept grew from.

A very special song to me....heavy with emotion and memories. Always cherished. But brings great pain.
I'll always have the memories.

Hoping the personal emotion behind my story proves to make for a powerful film.

“Courtship Date” pre-production

Pre-production has been underway for my new short film entitled “Courtship Date” for weeks and weeks now…
Here are the highlights, the creative bits, not all that paperwork!

A brief synopsis:

An experimental fantasy film set in the “Limbo world of re-incarnation,” that deals with the realist themes and complex emotions of love, represented through courtship.
It represents the transmogrification of humans into higher beings, and humans back into animals. Relating to Hinduism philosophies.

Tagline:

She walks on.
If you truly love someone you will set them free.

The Best of the Fest

On the 14th of July, The Workers Club, corner of Gertrude and Brunswick streets, was a buzz with the Sensory Overload night as part of the Gertrude Street Projection Festival 2010.
I was honored to be asked to produce the interval set visuals, that would play in between the DJ/VJ sets. Those people are pro hyper heads! Insane beats and visuals.
I also filmed the event.
Here is "The Best of the Fest."

Here's the link, Enjoy!

http://vimeo.com/13480866

Inspiration and personal works

The process of production was a journey of growth. Fresh into the responsibilities that were involved in making a film, I grew with the knowledge gained, grew as I found more inspiration and looked inside myself for that spirit I wanted to convey for my first short.
The first time I watched the film “Ratcatcher” by Lynne Ramsey, I was blown away. Her films have a raw, atmospheric and true quality to them that I really had never experienced before. The film displays uncertainty and surreal nature of childhood and the toll poverty takes on people, in this case the Slums of Glasgow in the 70’s. The colouring and contrast in this film is outstanding. I highly recommend it, especially if you are a fan of UK cinema.



SO now I have introduced myself…on with the show as they say!
Starting off with a montage of some screen shots of some of my work for the past few years…. ranging from documentary to comedy. Also some snaps of my abstract visual projection work that I developed for the Sensory Overload night at the Gertrude Projection festival this July.

One of the best years of my life

Last year I began studying film and television in Melbourne, I wrote and directed a film that captured that spirit of being a kid.
Set in country Victoria, “Once Back Home” is a 9min drama/fantasy film that challenges the trust of lonely hearts and displays the innocence of love.
3 children, who make up a family, yet, not officially a family, but one of bowl cuts and bad jumpers, wings and guiding stars, carry with them the spirits of those who pick them up and take them in, in the minds of individuals.
My film was inspired by the films of Scottish director Lynne Ramsey, Once Back Home aims to reflect the major theme of the fragilities of childhood, channeling the rich traditions of UK cinema. Allowing the audience into melancholic imaginative mind of the Old Man. Displaying tender, naïve, and raw sexual experience, that signifies the stripping of innocence rather than the hormonal changes. The main protagonist Felix, further displays the theme- at what point in time does a child have to “grow up”?
Once Back Home I think, offers its audience many layers.
As a writer/director, my interest is to see in what hierarchy the themes are perceived by the audience. It aims to represent perception, imagination, loneliness and melancholy, when one realizes that mind and body are not in harmony and imagination can only keep you company for so long.

Growing up

Growing up I guess you could say I had an over-active imagination. Daydreaming of far off lands most of the time, always making up new games to play with my sisters on those Sunday afternoons at the family home and stealing mums wooden spoons, using them as a microphone and putting on performances to the family in costume! I also seemed to spend a lot of my childhood crawling around like a lion and making dens out of the gap between the couches and the wall. Heart warming memories.
I find myself fortunate to have grown up on such shows as “Round The Twist” and anything ACTF (Australian Childrens Television Foundation) for that matter as they have such quality in their philosophies on the delivery of specific content to children, with such imagination might I add. Quality viewing that I think is lacking in children’s programs these days.



Now I am a woman, I have realized even since the last year, just how much I have grown up and matured emotionally through life lessons learned – in turn making me a better writer and filmmaker.
And no matter what, as the years go by, I still and always will carry that peter pan spirit inside of me- always a kid at heart. –Furthermore, one of my aspirations is to direct children series, my life to come full circle.

Back story...

I thought I’d give you a little “get to know me” entry, just to give this blog a more personal touch. I want you to see where I have come from, what inspires me and where I wish to be heading…

From the age of 7 till my early teen years I was very fortunate to have landed main roles in children series, and other roles in Australian dramas and TVC’s. In terms of inspiration, I know without doubt, being on set in those early years was the bones of my passion for filmmaking and I am very humbled to of had those experiences.
Here’s a little clip from “Legacy of the Silver Shadow” for your viewing enjoyment. Such a laugh! This scene was one of my favorites to shoot and one of the first too.

Introductions...

Hello and Welcome to 23/7 Films.
Sage here, Melbourne based filmmaker and this is my production diary.
I am 11 days away from filming my next short film and thought it would be nice to document the process and share my journey with you.

Here we go!