http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8370730.stm

Corset Training

Ok, I'm really just posting these videos for my own reference so I can find them again. Also just to keep a note of everything I've watched, read or found.


This one is really a bit weird, probably verging more on the fettish side of things.

Just some videos I've been watching

Brainstorm

Just tossing around some ideas, trying to find a focal point for my work.

Several routes I could take this down/topics I could look at:

• Neo Burlesque - new wave burlesque
• Corset Training - the intentional disfiguration of the body through persistant wearing of tightlaced corsets.
• Boylesque (a new trend of male burlesque performances.... the answer is in the name)
• Historical context - looking mostly at burlesque from a historical point of view 
• Fettish (need I say anymore?)
• Female Empowerment
• Fly on the Wall
• My own personal experiences/struggles as a burlesque performer.

Now, this last item on my list almost took me by surprise whilst I was jotting down these ideas. It was in fact something I had never considered making work about. From one perspective, I don't feel it worthy of a documentary, yet at the same time, this for me is the meatiest subject.

Oh, by the way... here is a link to a website i stumbled across with regards to the idea of corset training. If you dig deep enough you can find some really freaky shit.

http://www.waspcreations.com/

Bump & Grind - The Story of Burlesque

What better way to start researching for my own documentary than to check out existing documentaries on my chosen subject.

The first piece I watched, I found on youtube (hail almighty youtube!). This piece, like my own was made by university students and takes a look at burlesque with the slant of the good old burlesque defence "it's the tease not the sleaze" (which is of course very true). This documentary is very much focused on local burlesque talent (Glasgow) and covers a general overview of burlesque. A lot of this piece is spent interviewing semi-professional burlesque performers.

Next on the list is a DVD I purchased from HMV for a whole £15!!! Which, for a 30 min documentary is a bit extortionate. However, this film took the burlesque documentary on yet another slant. This was more a historical piece looking and the origins of burlesque and vaudeville. Packed with footage dating back to the 20's and exploring burlesque origins, this film highlights things such as hula dancing as big big influences in the development of what we now know as burlesque.

As brilliant as it was seeing all the old footage, and learning a bit more of the historical context I felt that this documentary was lacking in something, that it could have carried on to link all this historical information with the way things are today and concluded a bit more.

Here is a trailer for the documentary.

Starting where I left off

Original Burlesque Documentary - Year 2 project

Time to get this blog on the road.....

Ok, should have blogged all of this by now, but here is everything I've looked at, researched, planned and thought about to date.

Preparing my Project Proposal

Following on from last year’s work in the still & Moving Image production module, I intend to further investigate the topic of Burlesque, in order to build on my existing documentary film work. I felt that last year’s project held more potential that my time scale would allow and would like to expand on this to create a new, more in depth documentary film piece.

I am also looking to use other mediums to create supporting elements, which alongside the film piece will make up a body of work. My rough Idea at present is to build a website which will host both the documentary film piece, provide additional information and a collection of photographic work. I aim to connect the three disciplines in aesthetic style, content and purpose. I hope very much to develop my own visual style, which will give the whole project a distinctive look.

In my research I will look at surrounding issues related to Burlesque including historical development, Neo-Burlesque, the vintage lifestyle revival and the shocking trend of “corset training”. A lot of Burlesque culture embodies passion and pride in various lifestyle choices. Burlesque has many subcultures in which people live their lives and these are the things, which I would like to investigate through my work using predominantly documentary film but also with supporting stills work. I want to produce a body of work, which will inform and intrigue people, showing them that there is a lot more to Burlesque.

The aim of this work is to provide people with an “access all areas” insight into the topic. Although the work will be predominantly documentary, I will be placing a heavy emphasis on aesthetic style, experimenting with different filming and editing techniques.

I will carry out my research in a number of ways which will include; interviews, phone calls, articles, any books which may reference the earlier movement, web research. I am hoping that once I do get my research underway, more avenues will open up for sourcing information.  

Link to blog for original year 2 burlesque documentary project