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lucyhannahart · 2 years ago

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Major Project - Compilation of ALL Blog Entries PART 1

12/1/23 The final major project is an amalgamation of everything learnt during my time at university. To reflect the skills I have learnt, both practical and theoretical, my response to the brief needs to be a fully realised output utilising several different forms of media. My initial idea was formed as a continuation of my previous project, in which I created a prototype for a website in response to the lingerie industry and its shortcomings - particularly when it comes to misrepresentation of minority groups and the predatory approach of photographers and other creative executives. In order to take ‘burn down the mansion’ further, I am going to fully realise the website and publish it publicly, create an accompanying Instagram to make sure my content can reach as large of an audience as possible, and document the process and context of this movement in a documentary film.

My first aim for this project is to set the goals I’d like to achieve by developing the above ideas. The goals are as follows:

- Reach 5k followers on the BDTM Instagram page by the deadline for this project (March 28th 11:59 p.m.) - Publish the pre-existing BDTM website with 5 posts - Create video content, ideally around 10 minutes worth in total - Guerilla marketing strategy to gain an audience’s attention, spanning wider than just those with an interest in fashion

The first step in beginning this project is to create the Instagram page. In order to engage as many people as possible, this page needs to have strong visual outputs, engaging content and a message that people either relate to or are intrigued by. To start I began to create a logo. This will be used as the profile picture on Instagram and as a visual cue - something eye-catching which intrigues those who may see it in passing on a sticker or in an Instagram advertisement.

Below are the initial designs I drew for a logo. Lexy, a friend of mine, gave some very valuable feedback. For the designs featuring a distressed Playboy bunny logo, she raised the fact that the use of the logo could infringe upon the copyright laws Playboy has. Though this logo was their favourite, I may not be able to use it. She also liked the design which featured the mansion. The final piece of feedback Lexy gave was that the font seemed too 'serious’ and that I may benefit from using a more playful font. However, when I explained that the existing website has a more serious tone, she suggested using a bolder version of a serif font.

15/1/23 I created the Instagram page on the 15th and will be doing regular follower updates so I can track the growth of the page. In order to start posting, I wanted the page to look as good as possible, therefore I continued working on the logo. I asked for further feedback from Lexy and Amelia who are both on the illustration course at Kingston. They both agreed that the strongest logo was the torn version of the Playboy bunny. They also raised the point that the mansion doesn’t immediately come across as being related to Playboy. This is a positive as it reduces the chance of me accidentally infringing upon copyright laws and I don’t think I want the project to centre around Playboy too much. I also received some feedback from my boyfriend Matt who stated that the second logo on the bottom was his favourite. He said that modifying it to include less detail in the mansion drawing would pull more focus to the text, which I agree with.

I’ve chosen the second logo on the bottom row, as I don’t want to spend all my time focusing on logos as this will delay the launch of the Instagram page. I may end up going back to edit this at a later date. I created a few variations to choose between for now and opted for one in which the background was black and the mansion was inverted with a lower opacity. 17/1/23 I have now started to add more to the Instagram. This includes story posts, changing the logo and adding a bio. At this point, I felt really stuck and uninspired, not knowing where to turn for inspiration. I made a mental note to mention this during my group meeting on Thursday to see if either my tutor, Odella, or my peers could give me some direction. When finding a tone of voice for BDTM, I wanted something engaging yet not too serious, which did not come off as pandering or too informal. This is why I struggled to write the caption of the first Instagram post, as I felt that this needed to set the tone for the project and immediately let people know what 'burn down the mansion’ was going to be.

19/1/23

During my meeting with Odella I raised the fact that I felt that creating a docufilm on top of running an Instagram and creating other forms of media may prove to be difficult given the amount of time I have for this project. In response to this, Odella advised that I create TikToks as opposed to long-form content (what I usually make). I have never made TikToks before so this would be a good way to step out of my comfort zone

20/1/23

As for the Instagram progress, I had been able to go from 0 followers to 29 within the first 2 days of the account's existence.

To keep people engaged I have created a linktree, a platform where users can share multiple links to different websites in one profile. BDTM's linktree contains the Instagram profile, TikTok page and a playlist comprised of songs by women that I feel reflect BDTM's aesthetic, attitude and ethos. It will eventually also have the website once it has gone public.

In order to create the best possible content for my intended audience, I needed to further establish who this intended audience was going to be. I began to narrow down my target audience into specific categories.

When thinking of the TikTok content I wanted to create, as per Odella's recommendation, I thought about the types of content that I frequently see on my homepage. One genre that stands out in particular is the impromptu street interviews, in which content creators will ask random people to answer questions. The process is filmed, edited and uploaded to TikTok. This inspired me to use this format, as gathering the opinions of others would contribute to conversations that should be taking place in response to the shortcomings of the fashion industry.

I thought that, instead of filming in Kingston or even in London, that I would travel to Brighton to conduct my interviews. By veering away from the place I have lived for several years, I feel that I could garner opinions that may differ more, as London does tend to be a bit of a 'bubble' at times. I created a list of questions which would act as prompts for myself and any interviewees.

I also created a sign to wear in Brighton in order to encourage people to approach me.

I then ordered a microphone to ensure that the audio quality would be adequate.

This entire process is unlike anything I have done before so I was quite nervous to embark on this journey.

Additionally, to aid my research into what other types of content I should create, I wrote a survey to send out. Examples of the questions are as follows:

How critical do you believe you are in terms of the fashion media and advertising that you consume?

Of the fashion media/advertising you consume, how much of it do you think is harmful?

Do you enjoy content that critically analyses fashion or fashion-adjacent content?

Would a platform/community focusing on critically analysing fashion media interest you?

What would encourage you to follow a platform that focused on reshaping the fashion/lingerie industries and posted fashion/lingerie content that was inclusive, creative and aimed to raise awareness of industry issues?

Which of these issues in the fashion/lingerie industries would you like to see an analysis of?

I began putting together a presentation to show to my peers and tutors on Tuesday 24/1, which outlined the idea, my plans for content creation, the target audience and research to support my idea.

24/1/23

I presented my work to my peers as well as Niki, Odella and Tony. Tony stated that he was impressed with my work from the previous project, which was very encouraging to hear. Both Niki and Odella suggested that a podcast would be an interesting format for the type of content I was going to be creating. I may use this idea after I have properly launched the TikTok content.

30/1/23

I had a varying level of success with my video interviews in Brighton. Many people approached me with enthusiasm, or responded kindly when I approached them to participate. Many onlookers stared at me, which I expected. In one instance, I had someone make a derogatory comment, stating that they 'wanted to talk about sex with me' in a manner that made me feel uneasy. Though this was uncomfortable, it definitely played into the idea that men see openness about sexuality as a means of taking advantage of people and thus proved a lot of the points I am aiming to make in this project.

Having conducted the video interviews, my next step was to edit my clips down into short form video content to upload as TikToks or Reels. I've had some difficulty with this as the most recent Premiere Pro update has moved a lot of tools around therefore reducing my ease of use. I have watched YouTube tutorials to help counteract this.

Recently, whilst researching for this project, I came across a video in which ex-MEP Alex Phillips cited the new Sam Smith video for an increase in reports of sexual misconduct, also referring to David Carrick's presence in the Met police and the sexual crimes he committed during that period. This shocked me, as I believe there to be no correlation between somebody expressing their sexuality creatively through costuming, dance and other visual elements, and crimes that greatly impact and disturb others. This led me into creating another post for the BDTM Instagram which tackled the perception of lingerie, sexuality and how bigotry can misinform people.

2/2/3

On this day I had my usual seminar with Odella and was able to update her on my progress. She recommended writing about how BDTM could create waves in the fashion industry.

I believe the relevance that 'burn down the mansion' has within industry is through its message of increasing awareness of how fashion content impacts consumers. BDTM is a representation of change in the way that fashion media is produced, valuing creativity and representation at its' core. This could affect the way in which many existing fashion brands and publications operate. From a business perspective, BDTM could be beneficial as it could help to encourage sales. If people feel represented rather than excluded, they are far more likely to buy from a brand, or at least have a positive view of it.

Another recommendation from Odella was to be more daring in the content I create. As part of this challenge, I want to utilise an older model in a BDTM campaign. Not only will this prove that diversity as at the heart of BDTM but it will also go directly against the standards set by the media - increasingly youthful people dressing in a provocative way. In order to get this process underway, I began brainstorming concepts and created a moodboard.

I specifically wanted to use an older woman in this photoshoot, because as women get older, the media tends to "forget" about them. Young models, actresses or women in other fields are offered opportunities that their older counterparts are not. This phenomenon does not tend to extend to men in the same way. I also believe that women of this age are discouraged from embracing their sexuality, so I want to encourage this to change in a raunchy, fun way.

My reasoning behind using Pamela Anderson as inspiration is because I see her as someone who had her identity stolen from her. Anderson was a victim of a sex tape leak in 1995, which caused her career to collapse and her reputation to be ruined. Though neither Anderson nor then-husband Tommy Lee consented for the tape's distribution, they were forced to sign the rights to it away after a laborious legal battle. I felt as if utilising Pamela's likeness in a way that is powerful would be extremely effective.

Finding models for this is proving to be hard; at this point I have used Facebook groups, contacted my parents friends and have had very little luck.

7/2/3

Recently, I have been editing down the TikTok video. It's been a very lengthy process as I don't tend to create short-form content and am not used to having to edit down 2-3 minute long clips of people talking. I wanted to make the video eye-catching in order to grab the attention of TikTok users, as this demographic are used to short, snappy videos. At this point, I am very close to finishing the video, and will just need another day to record a voiceover for the intro.

8/2/23

As I'm quite prone to anxiety, at this point I felt my stress mounting. The self-directed nature of this project caused me to panic and feel as if I'm not doing enough. Additionally, the lack of following on BDTM's Instagram made me nervous about reaching the goal I had set for myself. I realised that uploading the TikTok/Reel I was making would most likely assist in growing my follower base, so I prioritised finishing it off.

9/2/23

I managed to finish the TikTok then showed it to Odella, Louis and Kitty, who all gave me really positive feedback. This boosted my confidence a lot as I was nervous throughout the editing process and was convincing myself that the video wasn't good enough. I was praised for my editing ability and my diverse array of interviewees. I was encouraged, for the any future pieces of content I created, to try interviewing people in a different area.

I waited for a good moment to upload it, as TikTok's algorithm prioritises videos posted at certain times. I chose popular hashtags by looking at other creators' street interviews. I also uploaded a teaser as a reel on Instagram.

I then ran into huge difficulty as my video got removed on TikTok for violating community guidelines. This meant I had to go back, censor certain words, then attempt to reupload.

Fortunately, the Instagram teaser reel is fine.

My next endeavour for this project is to adjust the video for TikTok, then to create posters to put around London to gain a larger following for BDTM.

13/2/23

Over the weekend, I was able to create a flyer with a QR code link to the Instagram. I wanted to put these up in Kingston and around central London in order to attract more followers.

I decided to use bold text in one of the fonts used in my other communications in order to be both consistent and eye-catching, despite the lack of colour. The design is in black and white thus keeping printing costs down, meaning I could print more leaflets.

In order to build hype for the launch of the website, I wanted to create content that I could tease. This includes the photoshoot with an older model. Fortunately, my tutor Niki has been able to provide 2 potential models for me to work with.

17/2/23

I was able to talk with Veronique, one of Niki's friends, to outline the shoot to her. She was very on board with the idea. I sent her this list of requirements and details.

I had browsed for studios for a while to find one that was a good fit. QUEST is based in Canning Town, is affordable, and has facilities which are ideal for the shoot: Hollywood mirrors, a wind machine and several different coloured backdrops.

Whilst waiting for Veronique to confirm availability for a shoot date, I uploaded the full censored version of my Brighton street interview video to Instagram. Previously, I had only posted the teaser which was 90 seconds long, but since I had difficulty uploading the full video to TikTok, I thought it made sense to post it to Instagram at least.

I got two of my friends who are also on fashion promotion, Tali and Anna, to watch the updated censored edition of the video to see if they could identify what wasn't passing TikTok's community guidelines. Anna brought up the fact that using a banner over the word 'sex' that said 'censored' may be the reason the video was flagged. She suggested putting a plain line through the word instead, or creating several shorter videos to post. I will be taking on this feedback and re-editing the video again.

I then decided to take a look at the results of my primary research again. I noticed that my friend Megan, who hosts a podcast, had offered to talk about BDTM in an episode. Megan's podcast, 'Blonde Moment', is described as 'a discussion of stereotypically 'girly' topics that covers their impact on fashion, media and wider culture'. This sounded like a perfect platform to promote BDTM on and a great way to discuss topics that were relevant to both parties. Blonde Moment is broadcast on Livewire1350, which is University of East Anglia's award winning student radio station. This would allow me to reach an even wider audience than before.

18/2/23

I began adding more information to my BDTM presentation pitch, as all of our year will be presenting to eachother on Tuesday the 21st. This included adding a SWOT analysis, competitor analysis, primary research, secondary research, an overview of aesthetics and an overall mission statement as per Niki's recommendation.

When looking at competitors, I found it hard to think of many, yet the most obvious was Polyester Zine, as their aesthetics, ethics and overall message are similar to that of BDTM. One of the key differences is that they have a large team and are therefore able to produce far more content than I am able to currently. I also compared BDTM to Crack magazine, a publication which interviews well known and lesser known artists in equal measures. Their editorials are fantastic which is why I want to embody their essence into my own work. Additionally, giving a platform to smaller artists is an aspect I would like to incorporate into the way BDTM operates - all the way from models to makeup artists to writers.

I had another go at reuploading the Brighton video to TikTok and was once again met with a guideline violation, which I have appealed. If the appeal is successful, my video will be reinstated.

19/2/23

After discussing shoot arrangements with Veronique, the time slot I wanted at QUEST Studios had unfortunately already been booked. I discussed times with her again and have booked a slot for Tuesday 28th February for 2P.M.-4P.M. Though this is not the slot I initially wanted, delaying the shoot allows me more time to acquire the props and clothing items that myself nor Veronique own.

20/2/23

I decided that, since my shoot is not until next week, I should use this time to upload more content to the social media pages and website, especially since I want to start teasing the launch of the website. In order to plan the content I would release, I came up with a provisional timeline.

I thought that this would make it far easier to plan what I was going to post and when, and would also hold me accountable. For today's post, teasing the website launch seemed like a good idea to build hype. I therefore decided to update the look of the website to make sure it was up to standard.

I began adding more of my content to the website and changing the layout from how it was in the mockup from the last project, as I felt it would be better to have a menu where viewers could browse all of the types of projects individually, rather than having links to each project in the 'top bar' of the website. This made the site look a lot less cluttered and made navigation far easier.

I added a dynamic wallpaper to the homepage, as well as a featured articles section and the playlist.

My priority now is preparing for the shoot I have on the 28th.

21/2/23

My presentation to the tutors and rest of my class went well - not much feedback was given and we were limited to just 3 minutes each but I felt that I said almost everything I set out to. My task today was to buy the remaining props and clothing I wanted to use. I thought that going to Boux Avenue was the best option but was unsuccessful there, so went to Ann Summers instead. I purchased a black bodycon dress with a cutout section in the middle which had corset-style criss cross ties. This was perfect for one of the outfits, as it bears similarity to the one Pamela Anderson wore to play Barb Wire.

23/2/23

Yesterday I was able to post another Instagram story teaser for the launch of the BDTM website. This was a screen recording of the website in mobile view, blurred as to not reveal too much too soon, with the countdown over the top of it.

In line with my content timeline, I also created another set of 'slides' to post to my Instagram. One of my pieces of feedback from Odella was to explain or demonstrate to people beyond my 'echo chamber' why BDTM exists. This led me to look back at the survey responses I had received and analyse them.

The above three questions stood out to me the most as being helpful in demonstrating the value of BDTM - easily interpreted statistics as well as answers written by survey participants. I set to creating my own graphics to post to the Instagram.

I posted this to Instagram on 24/2. One of the issues I've found with the social media is that I haven't had much reach, despite myself and my friends reposting the content on our own social media. I'd realised I probably wouldn't achieve the goal of 5,000 followers which I had set at the beginning of the project. The page is currently on 65 followers. I spoke to Odella about this and she assured me that the amount of followers was not a graded metric and that the content I was creating was a lot more prominent than the follower count.

1/3/23

Yesterday I had my photoshoot in Canning Town with Veronique, her friend Michelle and my runner Lexy. We arrived at around 1:50 P.M. Immediately, we began preparing the set with the help of Dean who owns QUEST Studios. This included fixing the lights and sorting out the backdrops, as well as helping me connect to the speaker to create a good atmosphere to shoot and giving me a few tips regarding my camera settings.

I started by letting Veronique change into the outfit which comprised of the pleather dress I had bought and items from her own wardrobe and selecting her favourite songs for Lexy to add to a playlist so she felt energised during the shoot. Afterwards I began doing her makeup. I used a minimal amount of concealer, then creating a smokey eye look. In order to waste no time, we then began shooting almost immediately. Veronique was a fantastic model and was really embodying Pamela Anderson throughout the shoot.

04/03/23

Yesterday I launched the BDTM website for the first time, complete with its first blog posts written by myself and the other content I had created from the first iteration of this project in 2022.

I also began to work on post-production of the photographs I shot on the 28th. In my tutor group session with Odella, I had been advised to opt for a warmer tone rather than cool tone when editing my pictures. I was unsure about this at first but after editing the images I thought that the warmer ones had a more vintage feel. Though the original Barb Wire promotional images are cool-toned, I prefer the warmer editing on the photographs I took.

This style of editing wasn't going to work on all of the photographs I took, as there were 3 different 'scenes' I was shooting: the first with flat lighting and a red backdrop as can be seen above, the second in front of a Hollywood mirror, and the third using a red gel over dark lighting in front of a black backdrop.

The above before/after was shot in the third 'scene'. Though I like this edit and it makes the image clearer to an extent, I think the raw image leaves more to the imagination in a very sultry fashion, making it more suggestive. However, the clarity of the second image is better.

Odella also suggested that I create a contact sheet from the photographs, print them out in A1 or A0, and display it at the exhibition of our final projects that we are having in a few months time. I thought this was a fantastic idea and will definitely enact it. She also said I could draw over the contact sheet in lipstick. This seems like something that Pam would do as it's a little 'tongue-in-cheek'. I thought it may be a better idea to provide cheap lipsticks in different tones for people to draw on the contact sheet with, but realised this may backfire as it would make the photographs less visible the more people drew on the sheet. I believe having an interactive element at the public showing would be brilliant but will continue contemplating what this could be.

5/3/23

I set out to do another photoshoot with another model - my friend Lib. Lib is a plus-size non binary student who embodies a very feminine aesthetic. I felt that, by shooting with them, I could prove to the public that embracing sensuality and wearing lingerie is doable no matter your body type or gender. Below is a moodboard I created for this shoot.

Lib has a love of the colour blue and I felt that embracing this would not only make them more comfortable but would also veer away from the colours traditionally associated with romance and love, such as pinks and reds. Shooting in their own bedroom keeps to this blue theme and is a lot more intimate as it lets us delve into Lib's "world".

6/3/23

Tomorrow is the due date for the blog which unnerves me slightly as I'm vastly over the word count and don't feel as if this project is finished; I've not yet posted the images from the Pamela shoot as I've been editing for several days and the website needs more content. The fact that I'm handing in something that feels unfinished is nervewracking but I'm going to persist nonetheless and I'm proud of the work I've done thus far. I've had a fair few difficulties throughout this process - finding a model in the 40-60 age demographic, having my content blocked on TikTok, finding the funds to create the best possible outputs - yet this has all helped build my problem-solving skills.

12/3/23

As the end of my project nears, I have been making sure to tie up loose ends and publish the content I created. This past week, I've finished editing the images from 'Pam: Reborn', uploaded them to the website, posted them to Instagram and altered the 'videos' section of the website.

I was able to set a shoot date with Lib - Friday 17/3. Though this is a little later than I would've hoped it gives me time to make sure I get other facets of the project completed before embarking on the shoot.

My next task was to upload more of the photographs from the Pam shoot to Instagram.

17/3/23

Unfortunately, I became extremely ill over the weekend, however I did not cancel the shoot I did today with Lib. The shoot took place in their bedroom and was themed around embracing plus size women in lingerie.

CLICK HERE FOR PART TWO OF THE FMP FINAL BLOG POST

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lucyhannahart · 2 years ago

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Major Project Update - 13/2/23 - 20/2/23

13/2/23

Over the weekend, I was able to create a flyer with a QR code link to the Instagram. I wanted to put these up in Kingston and around central London in order to attract more followers.

I decided to use bold text in one of the fonts used in my over communications in order to be both consistent and eye-catching, despite the lack of colour. The design is in black and white thus keeping printing costs down, meaning I could print more leaflets.

In order to build hype for the launch of the website, I wanted to create content that I could tease. This includes the photoshoot I mentioned in the last blog post. Fortunately, my tutor Niki has been able to provide 2 potential models for me to work with.

17/2/23

I was able to talk with Veronique, one of Niki's friends, to outline the shoot to her. She was very on board with the idea. I sent her this list of requirements and details.

I had browsed for studios for a while to find one that was a good fit. QUEST is based in Canning Town, is affordable, and has facilities which are ideal for the shoot, such as a set of Hollywood mirrors, a wind machine and a blackout space.

Whilst waiting for Veronique to confirm that she was definitely available for the shoot date, I uploaded the full censored version of my Brighton street interview video to Instagram. Previously, I had only posted the teaser which was 90 seconds long, but since I had difficulty uploading the full video to TikTok, I thought it made sense to post it to Instagram at least.

I then decided to take a look at the results of my primary research again. I noticed that my friend Megan, who hosts a podcast, had offered to talk about BDTM in an episode. Megan's podcast, 'Blonde Moment', is described as 'a discussion of stereotypically 'girly' topics that covers their impact on fashion, media and wider culture'. This sounded like an absolutely perfect platform to promote BDTM on and a great way to discuss topics that were relevant to both parties. Blonde Moment is broadcast on Livewire1350, which is University of East Anglia's award winning student radio station. This would allow me to reach an even wider audience than before.

18/2/23

When looking at competitors, I found it hard to think of many, yet the most obvious was Polyester Zine, as their aesthetics, ethics and overall message are similar to that of BDTM. One of the key differences is that they have a team and are therefore able to produce far more content than I am able to currently. I also compared BDTM to Crack magazine, a publication which interviews well known and lesser known artists in equal measures. Their editorials are fantastic which is why I want to embody their essence into my own work. Additionally, giving a platform to smaller artists is an aspect I would like to incorporate into the way BDTM operates - all the way from models to makeup artists to graphic designers.

I had another go at reuploading the Brighton video to TikTok and was once again met with a guidline violation, which I have appealed. If the appeal is successful, my video will be reinstated.

19/2/23

After discussing shoot arrangements with Veronique, the time slot I wanted at QUEST Studios had unfortunately already been booked. I discussed times with her again and have been able to book a slot for Tuesday 28th February for 2P.M.-4P.M. Though this is not the slot I initially wanted, having the shoot later gives me more time to acquire the props and clothing items that myself nor Veronique own.

This meant I have the following items still to buy:

Size 12 bustier / corset

size 12 black lingerie set

male blow-up doll

red, white or black lighter

fake gun

large fake lashes

black eyeliner pencil

I have a martini glass and brushes I can use to do Veronique's makeup. I also need to make a placard out of cardboard, which I can acquire from work.

20/2/23

I added a dynamic wallpaper to the homepage, as well as section which includes featured articles and a playlist.

My priority now is preparing for the shoot I have on the 28th.

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lucyhannahart · 2 years ago

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Major Project Update 30/1/23 - 9/2/23

30/1/23

2/2/3

On this day I had my usual seminar with Odella and was able to update her on my progress. She recommended looking into the relevance of BDTM in the fashion industry.

I believe the relevance that 'burn down the mansion' has within industry is championing the creation of fashion content that considers its' impact on those who view it. The movement we are pushing aims to change the way that fashion media is produced, valuing creativity and representation at its' core. This could affect the way in which many existing fashion brands and publications operate. From a business perspective, BDTM could be beneficial as it could help to encourage sales. If people feel represented rather than excluded, they are far more likely to buy from a brand, or at least have a positive view of it.

I specifically wanted to use an older woman in this photoshoot, because as women get older, the media tends to "forget" about them. Far more young models, actresses or people in non-media related fields are offered opportunities that their older counterparts are not given. This same phenomenon does not extend to men in the same way. I also believe that women of this age are discouraged from embracing their sexuality, so I want to encourage this to change in a raunchy, fun way.

My reasoning behind using Pamela Anderson as inspiration is because I see her as someone who had her identity stolen from her. Anderson was a victim of a sex tape leak in 1995, which caused her career to collapse and her reputation to be ruined. Though neither Anderson nor then-husband Tommy Lee consented for the tape to be distributed, they were forced the sign the rights to it away after a laborious legal battle. I felt as if utilising Pamela's likeness in a way that is powerful would be extremely effective.

Finding models for this is proving to be hard; at this point I have used Facebook groups, contacted my parents' friends and have had very little luck.

7/2/3

During this time period, I have been focusing on editing down the TikTok video. It's been a very lengthy process and I have been very slow to edit it, as I don't tend to create short-form content and am not used to having to edit down 2-3 minute long clips of people talking. Additionally, I wanted to make the video eye-catching in order to grab the attention of TikTok users, as this demographic are used to short, snappy videos. At this point, I am very close to finishing the video, and will probably just need another day to record a voiceover for the intro.

8/2/23

As I'm quite prone to anxiety, at this point I felt my stress mounting. The self-directed nature of this project caused me to panic as I've felt as if I'm not doing enough. Additionally the lack of following on BDTM's Instagram made me nervous about reaching the goal I had set for myself. I realised that uploading the TikTok/Reel I was making would most likely assist in growing my follower base, so I prioritised finishing it off.

9/2/23

I managed to finish the TikTok then showed it to Odella, Louis and Kitty, who all gave me really positive feedback. This boosted my confidence a lot as I was very nervous throughout the editing process and was convincing myself that the video wasn't goof enough. I was praised for my editing ability and my diverse array of interviewees. I was encouraged, for the next pieces of content I created, to try interviewing people in a different area.

I then ran into huge difficulty as my video got removed on TikTok for violating community guidelines. This meant I had to go back, censor certain words, then attempt to reupload.

Fortunately, the Instagram reel is fine, however I couldn’t upload the full 3.5 minute video as Instagram limits reels to 90 seconds.

My next endeavour for this project is to adjust the video for TikTok, then to create posters and stickers to put around London to gain a larger following for BDTM.

#fashion student #fashion project #burndownthemansion #kingston university #university project #fashionpromotion #photography #video content #tiktok

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lucyhannahart · 2 years ago

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Major Project Update 19/1/23 - 25/1/23

19/1/23

During my meeting with Odella I raised the fact that I felt that creating a docufilm on top of running an Instagram and creating other forms of media may prove to be difficult given the amount of time I have for this project. In response to this, Odella advised that I create it on TikTok as opposed to long-form content, as this is what I usually make. This may prove to be easier as I can be far more flexible. I already feel quite overwhelmed with the amount of work I have to do. This would also mean I could vary the work I make a lot more, as I would be able to

Odella also advised me to change the logo for BDTM. This was understandable as I wasn't entirely keen on it either.

20/1/23

As for the Instagram progress, I had been able to go from 0 followers to 29 within the first 2 days of the account's existence.

To keep people engaged with the movement, I have created a linktree, a platform where users can share multiple links to different websites in one convenient profile. BDTM's linktree contains the Instagram profile, TikTok page and a personalised playlist comprised of songs by women that I feel reflect BDTM's aesthetic, attitude and ethos.

In order to create the best possible content for my intended audience, I needed to further establish who this intended audience was going to be. Odella had suggested targeting older women, as there was talk during our session on Thursday of doing a piece on the differing attitudes to mum bods vs. dad bods. Whilst I did think this would be interesting, I didn't want to limit my audience to just the older demographic, due to being advised to use TikTok and Instagram as my primary forms of social media communication. If I were to market BDTM for older people I would more likely use Facebook. I began to narrow down my target audience into specific categories.

Category 1 - 'baby' activists: Gen Z/X people who are starting to become increasingly aware of sociopolitics in the fashion industry. They primarily use TikTok and are huge consumers of content due to the current climate of the internet, therefore engaging content is necessary to grab their attention. Alongside the usual content they enjoy, they are most likely still figuring out the nuances of their own political compasses and use the internet to learn.

Category 2 - blog enthusiasts: These are millennials who were in their late teens/early 20’s during the ‘golden age of blogging’ - think Zoella and other, smaller lifestyle content creators. This was during the early 2010's. They primarily use Instagram although they're likely to have a TikTok, Facebook and Twitter account too. They are left/centre-left politically and engage in more traditional content related to feminism and politics on a semi-regular basis.

Category 3 - art/fashion fans: Gen Z people with a strong interest in the arts, that understand the fact that art and fashion go far beyond aesthetics. They value the integrity of art and want to revolt against the commodification of identity and discrimination in arts, which draws them to BDTM. They may also be willing to submit their own work, as BDTM is a community-based movement.

When thinking of the TikTok content I wanted to create, as per Odella's recommendation, I thought about the types of content that I frequently see on my homepage. One genre that stands out in particular is the impromptu interviews, in which content creators will encourage or ask people to answer questions. The process is filmed, edited and uploaded to TikTok. This inspired me to use this format, as gathering the opinions of others would contribute to conversations that should be taking place in response to the shortcomings of the fashion industry.

I also created a sign to wear in Brighton in order to encourage people to approach me.

I then ordered a microphone to ensure that the audio quality would be adequate.

Additionally, to aid my research into what other types of content I should create, I wrote a survey to send out. Examples of the questions are as follows:

How critical do you believe you are in terms of the fashion media and advertising that you consume?

Of the fashion media/advertising you consume, how much of it do you think is harmful?

Do you enjoy content that critically analyses fashion or fashion-adjacent content?

Would a platform/community focusing on critically analysing fashion media interest you?

Which of these issues in the fashion/lingerie industries would you like to see an analysis of?

I began putting together a presentation to show to my peers and tutors on Tuesday 24/1, which outlined the idea, my plans for content creation, the target audience and research to support my idea.

24/1/23

I presented my work to my peers as well as Niki, Odella and Tony. I believe this went well but am still awaiting feedback forms from the session. Tony stated that he was impressed with my work from the previous project, which was very encouraging to hear. Both Niki and Odella suggested that a podcast would be an interesting format for the type of content I was going to be creating. I may use this idea after I have properly launched the TikTok content.

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