New Normal:

This is the link to our final video, New Normal.

This film was created to highlight the fact that everyone should be able to wear what they want, when they want. We added a voice over as well as music in the background of the video. We did this so that the message of the video was fully understood and conveyed.

The background of the video highlights the fact that colours are often stereotyped to a gender. However the white colour highlights the fact that clothes should be gender neutral, that is why we had a male model wearing a dress.

The voiceover is to further emphasise that people should be themselves and that no one’s opinion should sway how they feel about themselves or stop them from expressing themselves. The voice over is a male because many judge men for dressing more feminine and call them derogative terms. The stereotyping of fashion could be harmful to the person’s mental health. Men are often thought as strong, unemotional and self sufficient. Often if men do not act this way they are seen as weak and fragile. The most common derogative names given to men who are not the media’s idea of masculine are called “flamboyant”, “gay” or “pansy”. Though these words in general are not commonly used to be offensive; the media has caused these regular words to be seen as rude and should someone be called these, they are not good enough.

Although we focused on the male perspective in our project that does not mean that this topic does not apply to women. Women have been called “sluts”, “tramps” or even “slapper”. The media judges women on the length of their clothing as well as their appearance (e.g. makeup) and brands a label on them which will often be seen by younger audiences which are more easily swayed by the media and its opinions, and will plant an idea of what they ‘should’ be wearing when they actually should be able to wear what the want without the fear of someone telling them they don’t look normal.

The media is the worst thing to read if you want to feel happy with yourself. The media constantly fixates on the topic of fixing yourself or making yourself look like the most famous celebrity (that often has a hair and makeup team, and possibly plastic surgery). The media shows celebrity “flaws” which then sways the reader’s mind on what they see as an acceptable way to look and dress.

Film

https://web.microsoftstream.com/video/8c3bf225-0b55-436d-9ce7-387214bea506

Digital Image

A storyboard is a collection of images in a certain order to portray a concept someone wishes to execute in their film.

The first picture illustrates the idea of the film containing same-sex actors within a church, sharing looks and doing personal readings of the bible, at a distance. We then wish to find authentic clips of old riots/protests against LGBTQ rights to use in the middle of the film, this is to project a clearer idea to the audience and adds a real element to the film, showing that is actually happens in real life. We will be flicking these clips in-between dazed, over exposed fantasy scenes that we will shoot in an open field with natural lighting. The aim of the middle is to show the thoughts of the pair if they wish to pursue a homosexual relationship, thinking of both negative and positive impacts on their lives, considering religion.

To end the film, we will direct the couple to move to sit together, there then they will compare positive verses they have both found. This is to show that they are supporting each other, helping to show the other how to accept their sexuality.

To link back to the title and topic, we will present the verse which states ‘love thy neighbour’ as a close up. We chose this verse as it can be interpreted as an umbrella for christianity to encourage all to accept those for who they are, de-stigmatising learnt prejudice from society.

We asked our model to wear different outfits:

1. His normal clothes
2. Baggy sweatshirt with Jeans
3. Crop top and jeans
4. Skater Dress

Screenshots from unedited film footage

Outfit 1

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We wanted the model to be more serious and stereotypically masculine whilst wearing the first outfit. We did this because we wanted to show the changes in his confidence, when he was wearing the different outfits.

When this is edited the green screen will be a light blue colour to highlight the masculinity of our model. Blue is associated with the male gender. It is also linked with the ocean which is known to be fierce and uncontrollable. As well as the ocean, blue is associated with the sky and which is a major part in our life as it protects us from the universe around us.

Outfit 2

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The second outfit was used to show a slight transition between the 1st and 3rd outfit. The baggy sweatshirt is hiding the masculine shirt; this could be seen as the beginning of the model feeling more confident in dressing in feminine outfits.

We wanted there to be serious poses as well as more laid-back / happier poses, leading up to the final outfit. We wanted to show the fact that the model doesn’t need to act a certain way to wear a certain style of clothes.

Outfit 3

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For this outfit we asked the model to be a little bit more confident with his poses to ensure that it’s known that he doesn’t care what people think about him.

Outfit 4

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For the final outfit, our model had more serious poses in the original unedited video (which is where I got my screenshots from), however the footage used in the video is showing the model being a lot more laid-back and relaxed in the outfit that he is in.

We used the footage from when the model was in this outfit throughout the film to help foreshadow what will be happening at the end of the film.