Radio-Waves Prop and Costume choices

1. (UPDATED 1ST OCTOBER AFTER FILM WAS FINISHED)
RADIOWAVES​ ​(UPDATED VERSION ON TUESDAY 10TH MAY IN RED)
Props and costumes
A RADIO
The prop of a radio will be used to show the relation between the radio and the events
occurring. It symbolises the breaking news and tragedy of what is to be reported. It
relates with thriller codes and conventions as if has a skeptical, anonymous element to it,
as you never actually know who is talking behind it. This projects a large amount of
ambiguity and suspense to who is behind the murder. The radio appeals to audiences as
it is deemed as a mysterious object which informs grave news.​ The Radio we used in
Radio-Waves had a vintage look to it, it was creamy coloured and had the printing
sunnylife on it. This brought a touch of hidden sarcasm to the film as the printing
‘sunnylife’ suggests blue skies and happiness with a long life. When really the sky was
nothing but cloudy and there was no life at all on the beach; in this case only death. The
Radio posed as almost ironic as you imagine a happy family going down to the beach
with a Radio to listen to the hottest tunes of summer and have a good time. Which is a
direct contrast to what you are really listening to which is a broadcast of a horrific
disappearance in the area.

2. THE WHITE DRESS
The costume of a white dress will be used for the victim. By using the effective costume
of a white dress it highlights character representation. It symbolises the innocence and
moral purity of the character. Therefore conforming to the stereotypical victimised
female characters in the thriller genre. The colour conforms to Thriller codes as white can
express the mood of washed out and lifeless, what this character is portraying. The plain
white dress creates intrigue from the audience as it is a direct contrast to what the
aggressor is wearing, black. This shows the extreme moral difference between the two
characters, as one represents heaven and one represents hell. ​Intricate detail on the
white dress catches the audience's attention engrossing them further in the plot.
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3. Additional photos
This was Lauren and I observing how the dress looks from a
high angle and how it looks placed in a wide shot/close up
shot. We were pleased with the model/actress's
appearance in the costume which we felt fitted with the
look we wanted in Radio-Waves. The model Rosie
Gatfield-Jeffries has an intense look with dark features and
bright blue eyes. She was exactly what we envisioned for
the victim as she evokes direct emotions from the
audience with her striking glare. But also has a slight
innocent charisma which makes you feel sympathy for
what has happened to her.
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4. THE BLACK COAT
The costume of a black coat displays the character representation. By wearing a dark
coat it shows the character to be hidden and portrays skeptical behaviour. This further
alludes the character to be linked with death and destruction, symbolising the persona as
evil. This fits into thriller conventions as an essential character in a Thriller is an
antagonist. This costume appeals to the audience as it causes an ura of unease of the
true personality behind the coat.
We not only made the aggressor wear a black coat but also black pants to
have a direct colour contrast to the victim. Vividly separating them in
and identifying who is good and who is bad.
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5. EYE MAKEUP
The use of smudged eye make up for the victim further dramatises facial features. The
running makeup reflects the horrific event that took place and shows the distressed state
the person was in. Smudged black eyeliner is usually caused from crying or external
water, this symbolises her internal struggle of emotionally drowning but also the physical
struggle of drowning. It appeals to the audience by developing the past of the character
and creates more detail to her death. Especially with the girls eyes being closed the
smudged eyeliner exposes part of the past and gives a clue to her death being water
related. For starters the colour black is a contrast to her white dress which emphasises
the imagery of the character. Then by it exposing the mood of distress and panic it
conforms to common emotions showed in Thriller genre. ​The model Rosie’s blue eyes will
effectively show the vulnerability of the persona and the colour represents the somber
situation. The colour expresses the similarity between her and the ocean, as the ocean
waves are blue.
The eye make up was very significant as we placed repeated close up shots of her eyes in
the film. This dark eyeliner symbolizes the normality of what she would do as a teenager
e.g. putting on makeup further relating to the audience as some of them would have
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6. teenagers as well causing for more emotion to be projected. Although, we did keep the
eyeliner from being extreme as we did not want a too eccentric look. We wanted her to
relate to the majority of other teenage girls out there who in Radio-Waves could pose as
victims to disappearance and possibly death.
BLACK SHOES
The symbolism of black and disheveled shoes connotates to the person wearing them. It
shows the persona’s unraveling mental sanity by having holey and roughly laced shoes.
The black shoes reinforces the darkness behind the aggressor. This appeals to the
audience as the costume reveals the evil aspects of the character wearing them. It fits
into thriller codes due to it having masculine characteristics.
We used black shoes which were very effective as we only shot from the waist
down of the aggressor. It was important that they were black to fit with the
other items of clothing that were black also.
BRACELETS
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7. By having the victim wear bracelets it adds extra detail to the hand. It creates intrigue to
the audience as it draws attention to her limb which could give a clue of her death. The
colour symbolism of a blue bracelet further reflects the somber mood of her death. ​The
bracelets draw attention to the veins on the girl's wrist, which show the stillness of her
heart.
In the end we did not use braclets. We decided against this as we wanted the raw shot of
just the dress and the girl's arm. This placed the focus in the childlike dress and the cold
skin of the girl. It brings the watchers into realisation that Radio-Waves is about what
happened to this body, not material aspects of this girl’s life. We believe that in this case
less things on the girl made the impact of her lifeless body more server. As you are purely
viewing a dead human wearing the bare necessity of a dress. It provides the victim as
more interesting as a way because throughout Radio-Waves she is never named and
remains anonymous. Very few details of this girl are known except her age; 16 and her
dress; white. The effect of this character's ambiguity is to portray our limited knowledge
of the girl showing that she represents victims of violence as a whole.
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