Second Proposal and Decembeard has Begun!

Following on from my first proposal, here is my second proposal which shows how far I am since then and how I'm going to continue:

MEDI 236: DECEMBEARD ORDER

Here is my list of scenes in the order in which they will appear in the documentary. Also at the bottom is an attached video of the first and third scenes, which I’ve already filmed. Also these films won’t play in Word for Windows.

1. Open onto me shaving (shaving foam on and just about to put razor to cheek) and camera aimed at sink and mirror etc. and I turn to camera, surprised “Oh! Hello there I’m Joe Skinner and with my friends Philip Peskett (photo of Phil pops up) and Jeff White (Photo of Jeff pops up) we are taking part in the social challenge that is DECEMBEARD and the following event of Manuary.
Now I’m pretty sure you’re all thinking “Decembeard?” “Manuary?” what on Earth are they? Well here is my good friend “VINCE” to explain. Over to you “VINCE”.

2. Transition to animation with “VINCE” (think 70’s handlebar Ricky Gervias David Brent moustached guy?) explaining the scientific explanation of why people grows beards, and the origins and rules of Movember, Decembeard, Manuary and others (the February) Etc. “Back to you Joe”

3. Transitions back to me wiping foam with a towel from my face all clean-shaven “Wow thanks “VINCE”, though you do sound strangely familiar…. then get Jeff to voice him? (Or say something funny) maybe VINCE shouts shut up and just get on with it?”.
So there you have it, it’s whatever time (10pm) on November 30th; I’m clean shaven, as are Jeff and Phil so time to get an early night so we’re all ready to begin Decembeard afresh tomorrow.

4. WHAT WOMEN WANT: “Intro = While I was taking part in Decembeard I thought it’s only fair to ask my girlfriend what she liked in terms of facial hair as she’s the one who has to put up with it!
Interviews with girlfriends, what they want, how they feel, how it makes them look, favourites etc. Starts with the calendar door NOTE: MAKE A JOKE OUT OF THE CALENDAR FROM FIRST SCENE AS I HAVEN’T FILLED IT IN SINCE WAS AWAY AT EDEN’S OVER THE WEEKEND! SO MAKE UP JOKE E.G. OH WOOPS THIS HASN’T BEEN UPDATED IN A WHILE! THEN FILM OF ME TAKING DOWN CALENDAR AND PUTTING UP ADVENT CALENDAR READY FOR TRANSITIONS! Opening and the date then goes into video (intro as narration over calendar) interview.
I introduce everyone “Hello today (looking at camera then turning it round, handheld) were going to find out what women like when it comes to facial hair by talking to my girlfriend and Phil’s partner Greta. Then go into interview and asks questions. Maybe interview housemates too?
From this we find out why they like beards (and also which types they like for later on - Point 8)
So from there I can lead onto what beards have represented over the years = history e.g. what they represent and symbolism. Why Etc. etc. “So it seems that beards for most of the girls I’ve spoken to symbolise strength and manliness, but has it always been this way? What else have beards been a symbol of in the past? Well through the magic of cinema let’s have a look through “The History of Beards” WITH THE HELP OF POP-UP POWER! (Film me talking to the camera so can explain how far along my beard is as well) (3rd week of December!)

5. The history of beards and facial hair. Pop Up Animation transition from the interviews with a voice over to a big book on a table (I put on table then open and zoom in on whilst narrating?).
From here the scene is then of the open pages whirring across then the stop-motion cut out people appear (side on animation on my desk) and the animation begins until a transition back out of the book (zooming out) and the book closes. Then the voice over carries on to say that now we’ve seen the past, let’s go forward in time using the magic of technology and transitions via this calendar to look at how Jeff got on with his first week. Then the camera zooms out from the book and out of a door on the calendar (the 3rd? Or put on another title e.g. 10,000 BC) and zooms in on a week ahead where that door opens and we see Jeff’s video inside and zoom onto it.

6. Interview starts with video of Jeff shaving or about to, or playing Xbox or something) and then voiceover explains that Phil’s away working in Guernsey for the first 2 weeks so we’ll see how his beard is coming along later on, but for now let’s hand over to Mr. Jeffery White. Begin interview of him a week later on how it’s come along and what styles he’s thinking of going for, influences of this style, Whether it’s itching etc. (30 seconds max) include pictures and narration too? Photos like on Mac whirling.

7. Phil’s back after 2 weeks (ish) so interview him then talk about styles and same things. Make it interesting and different to Jeff’s!

8. Then with narration over montage video of the two and Gret and Eden talking (amongst everyone else too if have interviewed the house as well) explain how from from all these interviews it seems that style is much more important than just growing a beard. Have examples of the most popular beards popping up as stills/drawings and then go on to to say: “So as I started taking into account everyone’s different style of beard in consideration for my own, I wondered just how many styles are out there? And which are the most famous/popular?”

9. From here I began to research style (clips of me on laptop and beard websites etc. have a clip of redtube maybe as a joke like oh! Woops! ) And found that like the history of beards, there is a lot more than you’d expect to find! So In short, it began with” then explain which style was most popular first (e.g. Mr. T’s) whilst it cuts to the comic strip in a comic strip panel style (i.e. the video becomes rotorscoped and cartoonified, then zooms out to actually be a panel on the comic strip and camera pans over to first style and on from there etc. Then end panel is a cartoonisation of the next scene, an interview with me explaining the end of Decembeard.

10. “So here we are at the end of Decembeard or in Manuary?” Then from here come back to an interview with me at the end of Decembeard or beginning of Manuary? (New Years Eve?) And explain what style I’m going to go for and why (For Eden). Then montage of the journey (extra footage which can include a Christmas theme e.g. me wearing a beard as a joke whilst interviewing family and friends etc.) and explain in a voice over how it’s been a great and surprisingly educational trip into a subject which I never thought could be so interesting and vast, and cite some random beard facts.

11. Then explain which style I’ve decided to go for during the montage with examples popping up (e.g. if went for Mr. T he could pop up) and then end on the animation of my beard growing and then becoming styled with narration, then fade out to an actual video of me in the same place talking about how I like my beard and how Eden likes it could end with a wink then closing my bedroom door but that could be too rude?

12. End credits is music over firstly an animation of Jeff’s beard or Phil’s beard growing and then a little disclaimer over the music explaining how far they got (for Jeff not far etc.) and what they went for in the end, then video of the beards and them talking about the overall experience. Think Jackass 3-D ending.

13. Actual credits with slide show of everyone with those blue beards. E.g. Starring: Jeff White with actual beard, and Philip Peskett with actual beard (same for me) then the others e.g. cameramen, Eden, Gret have the blue beards over the top. OR: All have blue beards but start with everyone else but me Jeff and Phil then show everyone with the beards as a starring and special thank you to and then have me, Jeff and Phil with blue beards then move them away to show animations? Prefer the first way.

14. Funny disclaimer at the end Merry Decembeard and a Happy manuary to everyone! Note: No beards, chins, Moustaches or any other facial hair/area was hurt during the making of this documentary. There was however a lot of itching for poor Jeff.

15. Date Created.


To really show the progress I have made, I've literally given in my final list/order for Decembeard (the title I'm giving this piece) and shown which bits I have filmed already as they are lined out. So far I've only filmed the first scenes where I've shaved off my beard and started Decembeard. All I can say is my chin is so cold! :( Didn't think it would be this bad but it really is freezing when it hits my bare skin like that haha.
So Decembeard has begun for myself, Phil and Jeff and so has taking pictures everyday till January. I decided against the video diary every few days as there is plenty going on in this documentary without them.
Also I could start uploading the photos of each day, but I'm going to leave them till each set is an animation of our beards growing and then upload them instead. :)

Other than that, nothing else has happened really. Next weekend I'm going to interview Jeff after a week of Decembeard to see how he's getting and then I'm going to my girlfriend Eden's next weekend to interview Phil who is her dad on how he's been getting on.
I was going to interview him around the same time as Jeff but he's been away working in Guernsey so I'll do it next weekend as I'm also going to be interviewing his partner Greta (Eden's mum) and Eden herself as to what they like in facial hair, since it's them who are going to have to put up with the beards overall!
So far my girlfriend has made it pretty clear that she regrets saying Decembeard as an idea because I apparently have a "fat chin". Hence I am now dying to have my beard back more than ever to cover this cold fat chin of mine!

That's all for now so check back soon when I'll talk about the interviews :)

Take care,
Joe.