Unit Brief

Project Title: Beauty Re-Born
Unit Leader: Lou Hart
Southampton Solent University
⦁    Assessment Brief
⦁    Assessment Details

Unit Title:    Digital Beauty and Editorial Writing
Unit Code:    FMS508
Unit Leader:    Lou Hart
Level:    5
Assessment Title:    Beauty Re-Born
Assessment Number:    AE1
Assessment Type:    Portfolio
Restrictions on Time/Length :    6-9 pages
Individual/Group:    Individual
Assessment Weighting:    100%
Issue Date:    W/C 26.09.16
Hand In Date:    12.12.16
Planned Feedback Date:    W/C 16.01.17
Mode of Submission:    Online via your SOL (Solent Online Learning unit evaluation page)
Number of copies to be submitted:    One electronic PDF file no later than 10pm on the date of submission

⦁    Anonymous Marking:
    No
⦁   
⦁    Assessment Task

UNIT DESCRIPTION
This unit is designed to build on the skills and techniques covered in Level 4. Students will be introduced to methodologies concerned with the formation of concepts and themes for use in the production of digital beauty and editorial. Students will learn to interpret briefs and identify the editorial and styling requirements for the initial design, taking into consideration time constraints, the type and scale of the production, any requirements for special effects, resources and budgets and interdisciplinary relationships particularly the creative preferences and prejudices of the art director. Students will learn about advanced applications, including beauty retouching and associated advanced health and hygiene issues. Students will also look at how to document their work, present ideas to decision makers, as well as looking at problem solving techniques associated with creative, logistical and technical issues.


AREAS OF STUDY
Advanced hair and make-up techniques and equipment appropriate to fashion and beauty editorial, for both print and digital media.
Advanced contemporary make-up, hair and wig styling techniques.
Specialist beauty retouching techniques.
Types of production and the production process as a whole and inter disciplinary relationships
Understanding professional briefs.
Casting creative teams.
Methodologies for producing and presenting concept and themes.
Advanced Health and hygiene: skin and hair structure and types
Advanced Health and hygiene: safe working practice, infectious and contagious conditions.
Safe use of equipment: workstation, dress, cleaning materials, labeling of products.



ASSESSMENT

AE1    weighting:        100%
    assessment type:    Portfolio
    length/duration:    6-9 pages
On-line submission:        Yes

Beauty Re-Born

As make-up artists capable of working at a professional level within the fashion and beauty editorial industries you will be expected to generate and contribute original ideas to the editorial teams with whom you work. This may be limited to trend ideas and quotes or extend to writing complete beauty editorial where you would need to be competent in producing coherent beauty ‘copy’.

With the boom in online media, now more than ever, freelance make-up artists are contributing to online magazines or even developing their own online magazines and blogs in the effort to better promote themselves as a brand. Equally, make-up artists working for cosmetics brands are now expected to maintain the blogs for that brand and often the responsibility extends to the written word for all online media platforms.  This unit will inform you of the essential writing skills appropriate for online media in the digital age and broaden your scope for careers within the beauty industry as a whole.
⦁   
⦁    Assessment Task

In order to build on the skills you have developed during level 4 of your studies in make-up and hair, this unit asks you to create an editorial style article choosing one of the following trend-led professional briefs:


Choose one of the following themes:

⦁    Ageless Beauty
⦁    Real Beauty
⦁    Wellness Delivers Beauty
⦁    Natural & Organic Beauty Products
⦁    Gender Neutral
⦁    High Tech/Beauty Innovation


…Research your theme
Research your chosen theme and also research the wider context of presenting your article and question whether it is relevant to the fashion and beauty industry as well as your target audience. Ensure that you capture your research someone either in an online document or physical research ‘sketchbook’ as this will form part of your final assessment.

Your article should ooze your passion and charisma for your chosen theme and at this advanced level 5 stage demonstrate your professional style. Think about the details of your outcome - what messages will you be portraying? How will branding play a part in your chosen theme and how can you be innovative and push the boundaries? You may choose to explore different mediums and processes, thus evolving your ideas throughout the unit – please keep this documented so you can explain through your evaluative statement.

You will be expected to show an understanding of the target audience and commercial aesthetic of the article. It is expected that each of the outcomes will be very different in style as this project is assessing your ability to understand and interpret narrative with flair and insight.
Consider casting, photography style and lighting, post production techniques, hair and make-up as well as the styling. You may collaborate with other creative students or industry professionals to produce your images – however the work must be your concept and directed by you.

You will also be asked to film a 5 minute VLOG of you demonstrating your ability to connect with your target audience and of your beauty knowledge – choose either a beauty tutorial, beauty haul/favourites/product review or a ‘Get Ready With Me’ video. This video needs to sit inline with your chosen Beauty Re-Born theme.

Final Outcome
A PDF of your final article to include the following:
⦁    Fashion and beauty editorial imagery - minimum of 3 different beauty shots that support your chosen theme
⦁    Accompanying copy (between 500-700 words)
⦁    Product shots (if relevant to your chosen theme)
⦁    Link to your VLOG video
⦁    Supporting Research – Research can include mood boards, key reading, contextual research, visual reference points, drawings, photographed outcomes documenting your in class technical progression and make-up templates. 

PLEASE NOTE THAT YOUR RESEARCH DOES NOT NEEDED TO BE UPLOADED TO SOL. I WILL HOWEVER NEED TO SEE EVIDENCE OF YOUR RESEARCH – YOUR CHOICE OF SKETCHBOOK OR BLOG - AT OUR ONE TO ONE TUTORIALS PRIOR TO THE HAND IN DATE OF YOUR PDF ARTICLE. 

The subtext to this unit is to develop some strong content to use in your professional portfolio and to refine your image production skills in preparation for your third year. Being able to demonstrate this is a great way of showing your skill as an artist and the depth of your understanding of reading and producing images.