Filming The Monkey

Filming the monkey was quite stressful. I think it was because it was near the end of my booth allowance and I felt a bit of pressure to get out on time. But anyway, I painted my hands black so they didn't glare in the lights- I am so pale! I think they definitely add extra creepy quality, they are so surreal. I got a friend to help film- to check the monkey was in shot and to cut filming so I could get the hat in and out of the shot.
Once I had several takes I took them into Premiere and started to splice and glue the footage. I had some bits of inspiration in my head: Georges Melies' films, old film ingerneral with thte slightly dodgey editing, skips in the footage- it was a way for me to be able to get way with the fact that some of the footage didn't flow perfectly. You have to run with mistakes sometimes. Next I took the edit into Adobe After Effects to add a film flicker and grain etc. I'd seen a music video by Smashing Pumpkins 'Tonight Tonight" and really like the vignette effect and wanted to do something similar.

Smashing Pumpkins - Tonight Tonight

Georges Melies- The Vanishing Lady 1896

A still from one of the takes.