The aim of project 1 is to create a look based on a historical criminal from the UK. The look should not just be focused on the face and should also be suitable for a Halloween performance at the Bradford Police Museum. The criminal who will inspire my look is the infamous Myra Hindley, who killed 5 children on Saddleworth Moor with her partner Ian Brady in the early 1960s. She was, at the time, dubbed the most evil woman in Britain and is one of four women to serve a whole life sentence in the UK. The other three members of that club are Rose West, Joanna Dennehy and most recently, Lucy Letby. As Myra was a female serial killer, much of the media attention was focused mainly on her, due to simply being a woman and killing children. In the eyes of the general public, this went against the idea that all women are nurturing mother figures.
The Bradford Police Museum is where the performance will take place. It gives visitors a unique insight into crime and punishment, particularly focusing on the early 19th century. It also hosts performances and events such as ghost hunting.
I was already familiar with the case, but in order to get a better understanding of the character, I watched some documentaries and listened to podcast episodes as part of my research. I also found news articles relating to the case and Myra in particular. Not only did these sources give me information on Hindley and how she went on to do what she did, but it also helped me to gain a better understanding of the era in which she and Brady were committing their crimes.
Moors Murders part 1: https://youtu.be/H9ZB5NXEYts?si=ZpdZZbWm8UwI-zKb
Moors Murders part 2: https://youtu.be/1M1iPhTm27Y?si=Y-st7RoGiMPS20M8
Moors Murders part 3: https://youtu.be/hkT232XDuDU?si=xa3PfsfPzP1aGlFj
Things I need to consider when creating this look include the age of the character, the era in which they were active and what the popular fashion was at that time, their location, and I am also choosing to incorporate elements of Hindley’s death. This is inspired mainly by the movie Beetlejuice, and how the dead people in that movie remain in that state in the netherworld. For example, Miss Argentina still has her slit wrists as her cause of death. I had the initial idea to show partial decay to the character, similar to the movie Corpse Bride and how the state of decay depends on how long the person has been dead (which obviously also happens in real life). However, I decided to not go with that idea due to the fact that Hindley died in 2002 and would be just a skeleton.
Key features of Hindley’s appearance when she was partaking in the murders were her thick, dark eye makeup and her bleach blonde hair. She was actively killing in the early 1960s, so it is important to incorporate the iconic fashion of the 60s and make it more suited to the character. As Myra died of respiratory failure, applying a little blue to the model’s lips and fingertips would further highlight that. I was torn between using blue on the lips or going with the red lipstick that Hindley reportedly wore often, but eventually decided on the blue, as the red was a bit too bright in contrast with the rest of the look. As 3 of the 5 murders happened on Saddleworth Moor, I opted to apply some dirt to her hands and face to make it look as though she’d just finished burying a victim on the moors.
In order to prepare the models for the assessment, we performed patch tests on them. The entire performing arts class was tested just in case anybody’s models couldn’t make it on the day of the assessment, as well as the models people were going to be bringing in. Patch tests are completed to ensure that models aren’t allergic to any of the materials that may be used, and if they are, then alternatives can be used and exceptions can be made. The tests consist of asking models questions about their skin type and their skin care routine, as well as actually testing the products on their skin. The process should be explained to models, as well as what to do in the event of an allergic reaction (remove the allergen immediately). After 24 hours, the model should get in touch with the person who did their patch test to let them know the results. Patch tests should be completed every 3-6 months. Not only did this ensure no harm would come to any models, but it also helped develop communication skills and professionalism. Speaking to and working with people you don’t know that well is a key part of this industry, and while it may start off a little awkward or uncomfortable, it will soon build confidence and make communication easier.
For the final look, I chose Alexia to be my model, as she already had her hair bleached in a similar fashion to the character I was to create. All I really had to do was style the hair, using dry shampoo to give it that dry, dead texture. As I previously mentioned, I opted to use blue on the lips instead of Hindley’s signature red lipstick. This is because I thought the red would be too bright in contrast of the rest of the look, as she was meant to look pale and dead. I didn’t just stop at the face, bringing some of the bruising down onto the neck and applying dirt to the hands. Although it’s hard to see in the photos, I also put some blue on the fingertips to highlight some of the physical symptoms of Hindley’s death.
Throughout the assessment, I have developed my communication skills, having to talk to my model and the people I performed a patch test on. Communication is a huge part of the industry, having to speak to models and other colleagues. This is why it is important to develop these skills. If I were to do the project again, I would want to manage my time and prepare for the final look a lot better.