NYWIFT Blog

Making of a PSA: Interviews with Production & Costume Designer Deborah Zawol Smyth and Makeup Artist Jennifer Snowdon

image

Taliyah Whitaker as the 1980s talk show host getting last-minute touchups from Makeup Artist Jennifer Snowdon on the set of Little Leading Ladies. Photo courtesy of Amanda Lin Costa/Instagram.

This is the fourth installment of a five-part series co-presented by New York Women in Film & Television and Adorama Rentals.

NYWIFT member Susan Modaress interviews Little Leading Ladies Production and Costume Designer Deborah Zawol Smyth and Makeup Artist, and NYWIFT member, Jennifer Snowdon.

The PSA depicts several different eras all seen for a brief amount of time. What eras did you create? How did you decide what key elements were needed to represent each era?
DEBORAH: I created a 1995 feel for future CEO Emily by using the actual clothing of my daughter Aubrey, which was bought at that time. Emily is wearing what Aubrey would call her “business girl” suit. I couldn’t bear to part with it and I am glad I kept it! Those are my kids’ lunch boxes. The hairstyles the girls are wearing have a late-’90s feel.

Isabella, the future director is from 1982. The dining room shows furniture that was popular then. Every object you see I personally bought in the ’80s. The glasses she puts on are spot-on 1980s.

For Vanessa, the 1988 future talk show host, I looked back to the beginning of Oprah’s reign on daytime TV. Big was in style—big hair, big jewelry, and big shoulder pads! My daughter and son built a talk show set in my basement quite like the one showed. The table and chairs used in the set was my children’s, bought from IKEA in the late-’80s.

The future makeup artist, Lucy, is from 1975, my favorite decade. Bright colors, flower power, a ginger jar and lava lamps depict the decade. All appliances such as the makeup mirror, box of makeup and curling irons were made in the ’70s. The key elements I decided to use are the ones that first spring to your mind when each decade is mentioned.

Which era proved to be the most challenging to capture and convey to an audience in a short scene?
DEBORAH: The hardest year to depict for me was 1982 for Isabella, the future director. I decided that Isabella would not be interested in trendy clothing, hence the black T-shirt, because she would be too focused on her art. The dining room would look like something a young couple with young children would have at that time, not too over the top. So the camera gives you an idea of the era and the glasses are authentic ’80s with a new wave/punk feel.

Period on a tight budget is difficult. What were the challenges? What out-of-the-box thinking did you have to do?
DEBORAH: Yes, period on a tight budget is difficult. I had to remember that the viewer only gets seconds to make a connection with the various years depicted so I went straight for the clichés of each year. There is a saying that you only get one chance to make a first impression. My thinking on this shoot was that authenticity was of the utmost importance. You can’t fool your audience.

image

Production Designer Deborah Zawol Smyth cuts the hair of a 1970s doll used as a prop in Little Leading Ladies. Photo courtesy of Gingersnap.

What were some of your favorite props or costumes that you think really worked?
DEBORAH: Of course my favorite costume was for Emily, the future CEO. I never thought that I would see another little girl, Giselle Eisenberg, wear Aubrey’s childhood outfit! I also liked the set for Vanessa, the future talk show host. That set brought me back to a lovely time in my life when my children were young. I loved designing the bedroom for Lucy, the makeup artist. My own room when I was a teenager looked a lot like that. I like to design rooms for children, and I am also a volunteer Wish Granter for Make-A-Wish, specializing in room makeovers for children with life-threatening illnesses.

Was this your first time designing for a film? What did you learn from the experience?
DEBORAH: This was not the first time I designed, but it is the first time for a two-minute video. I learned that by just catching the essence of a decade with well-thought-out props and costumes tells the story without words.

What advice can you share with other designers regarding designing for period piece films?
DEBORAH: I think that set designing period pieces successfully depends on the accuracy of the details. You can’t put ‘90s objects in an ’80s room and have the viewer accept it. I think if you do that you have lost your audience. In this project, Little Leading Ladies, which is a humorous video on a serious subject, I brought things onto the various sets that would bring a smile to your face and say to yourself in acknowledgment, “Hey that’s me!”

image

Zoe Manarel as the 1970s makeup artist on the set of Little Leading Ladies. Photo courtesy of Gingersnap/Instagram.

How is doing period makeup different from contemporary?
JENNIFER: You really have to do your research and see the wardrobe designs first. There are many changes within a decade, so you have to match what the wardrobe style dictates. There are great sites that actually detail the type of makeup products used at the time. This really gives you clues as to how to apply it, if you are going for authenticity. Otherwise, you will have a “2014 cat eye” and not a “1960 cat eye.” Or a frosted lipstick then is not the same as a frosted lip now. There are different product textures in different eras.

Was it particularly challenging to create the looks since the roles were played by children?
JENNIFER: The wardrobe was predetermined by the director, so I just took it from there. The makeup and hair was to support the look and capture the essence without turning it into a satire.The girls were emulating the women they wanted to be. In other words, playing dress up in look, attitude and attributes.

What are the particular challenges working with children on set?
JENNIFER: I think the challenge is more with those accompanying the children, whether parents or child “wranglers.” They can spin off a lot of energy before they even get on camera, especially if there are other children on set, and then not be able to hold their focus.

image

Makeup Artist Jennifer Snowdon curls hair on the Little Leading Ladies set. Photo courtesy of Gingersnap.

What advice do you have for other makeup and hair designers in similar situations?
JENNIFER: I treat them [children] as professionals. Encourage them if they are nervous, discuss the process so they know what to expect, ask about their aspirations.

Please join us Friday when the series continues with interviews with Little Leading Ladies Editor Oscar Luna and Colorist Tim Ziegler. Catch up on Monday’s post, Interview with Little Leading Ladies Writer/Director Aubrey Smyth, Tuesday’s post, Making of a PSA: Interview with Casting Director Jessica Daniels, and Wednesday’s post, Interviews with DP Bryant Fisher & Gaffer Jerred Sanusi.

PUBLISHED BY

nywift

nywift New York Women in Film & Television supports women calling the shots in film, television and digital media.

View all posts by nywift

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

*

*

Related Posts

Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Hyonok Kim

Welcome to NYWIFT, Hyonok Kim! Hyonok is an award-winning filmmaker and choreographer who creates innovative and experimental film. Hyonok was born in South Korea, then studied film and dance in Paris and New York. Rather than dialogue, her films use dance to express interactions, bringing the emotional experience to the viewer. She choreographed and directed 15 dance films including Weeping Water, For Sunrise, Dance with Horses, Ode on a Korean Urn, Isle of Waiting Souls, Passion & Rebirth, South Sea to Isang Yun and L’Heure de Coq. Her films were shown at international film festivals and broadcasted in France, Germany, Australia, China, Korea, the Netherlands, and the USA. Now, she lives and works in the Bronx. Hyonok shares her inspirations in nature, as a choreographer and as a storyteller here!

READ MORE

Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Beatriz Barbieri

Beatriz was born in Brazil, then moved to New York in 2015 to study film at NYU. Her roots in Brasilia are close to her heart and are at the core of her work, from her 35mm black and white photography series to her upcoming feature film script. She was director of photography for Murielle’s “Can You Get Me High” music video and directed Foreign’s “Commando (feat. Da $ilva)” music video. She has taken photos for Brooklyn-based clothing brand ByLiv and behind-the-scenes photos for New York Magazine. Beatriz tells us about her artistic inspirations, her upcoming short film Shrapnel, and how her identity inspires her storytelling.

READ MORE

Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Alisa Lomax

Let’s give a warm welcome to Alisa Lomax! Based in Detroit, Alisa is an award-winning producer and director who is interested in providing a platform for characters who are in the midst of navigating hardships. Some of her most celebrated projects include Maya and Her Lover, Layla’s Girl, and the documentary When I Need to Smile, which centers on philanthropist and jazz label founder Gretchen Carhartt Valade. Alisa was one of just 13 Detroit writers to be selected as part of the Sundance Screenwriters Lab. Find out more about Alisa as we discuss her amazing 20+ year career trajectory, which includes her transition from working in corporate jobs to more artistic endeavors, and her current role in a digital arts program that aims to introduce the art of filmmaking to kids!

READ MORE

Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Hannah Niebielski

Welcome to NYWIFT, Hannah Niebielski! Hannah is a former National Director for the Olympic Sport of Dressage, where she led 36 US Teams to earn the highest podium finish rate among Olympic medal nations at Championships and Games. She organized talent and teams for the 2016 Olympic Games, 2018 World Games, and 2019 North American Youth Championships. Now, she brings her skillset in managing talent, public relations, event operations, and hospitality to the world of film and TV. Hannah tells us about the overlaps between Olympic sports and entertainment, her passion for connecting others, and the importance of talent support.

READ MORE
JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER
css.php