Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Day 29: Disguise

Not The Shadow's nose.
This was actually one of the easier and faster projects I've done, but I'll warn you right now, you're pretty much missing out on the project if you don't watch the video below. These still pictures are included... well, just because.
I actually do a fair amount of talking about The Shadow pulps in the video, but not the specific issue I'm holding up. This reprint holds the stories 'The Chinese Disks' and 'Malmordo', and I picked this issue specifically because in both those stories The Shadow uses a whole lot of disguises. It's an important feature of a lot of Shadow stories, but disguise is pretty crucial in these two stories, especially 'Malmordo' where the climax kind of hinges on it.
Not a clever disguise.
 My brain jumped to The Shadow pulps pretty much as soon as I saw the prompt to create a disguise. I have a long-standing love of costumes and roleplay and everything that could conceivably go into a disguise. I like accents, and I was actually very big into acting when I was younger. Even when I do text-based roleplay (and I do, a lot), I'm very aware of not just what the character I'm playing looks like, but their physical mannerisms, tone of voice, and all the little details we subconsciously take in about people.
Valley girl, or trailer trash?
In the video I was trying to make the point that disguise is more than putting on a wig or make-up, it's about how you speak and move and carry yourself. I did dress up and even put on make-up here (yes, it does say in the video I'm allergic, but not severely. Still, my eyelids are all puffy now.), but I really did pretty much a minimum of costuming. Changing your appearance visually is only one small piece of disguise.

Anyway, please watch the video, and I'll try top preemptively answer a few questions here: Yes, my 'valley girl' looks more like trailer park trash. I was limited in what I had to work with, and pulled out some really old clothes I don't wear anymore. Also that lipstick is really hard to get off.
Sophisticated, or snobby?
I did film these out of sequence, because of the make-up involved, and I did read off a script I wrote and taped up close to the camera. I apologize for the subtle echo effect, but this was filmed in the bathroom. I put a piece of white fabric over the shower curtain rod, and propped the camera in an open jewelry box so I could see the viewscreen in the mirrored lid.
I was really big into acting from when I was very young, in community plays and in Drama Club through Middle School, but by the end of that I for the first time developed lasting stage fright. I was nervous just talking to the camera alone in the house, which is why I'm rocking a little in the normal segments. Whoops.
And lastly yes, my voice really is just that low naturally.

3 comments:

  1. It's easier to do goofy voices at a camera than in front of real live people...

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  2. That was awesome!! I loved the different looks....you should act again! Very well done!

    "This is not one." ROFL!!!

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