Color and tone As the early screen actors usually did their own make-up, they had to know how they looked when photographed, and how to apply it for the best effect. They also had to be able to judge the tonality of their make-up colors – to know how color would look when converted to the black, whites and grays of blue-sensitive film. Colors play an important part in screen make-up and costuming. It is true that on the film we have only black, white and varying shades of gray. The mere statement of this fact seems simple and to the novice would appear to offer no problem, but illimitable shades of gray tones and the striking effects of each are an endless study to every one interested in producing photodramas. (Hatton, 1922) Selecting make-up on its gray-scale tone, not its color, was an art not everyone was good at it. However, with the assistance of the cameraman/cinematographer, some photographic tests, and a lot of practice, most actors could develop a suitable routine. Given the importance of the way they looked on screen, for some it became an obsession. Pink, more or less flesh-colored make-up was commonly used but there was also a widespread belief that a suitable complexion could be only be produced by using yellows. In nearly all cases the face is first thoroughly whitened and then tinted with yellow so that any subsequent color that may be applied will stand out in bold relief, and also for the reason that the face will appear white instead of grey, as would be the case with the natural color of the complexion. (Rathbun, 1914) The powders used for film makeup are specially mixed for the purpose. They are yellow in color. Do not accept others. Theatrical powders are not permissible. The powders are known as Special Film No.1 and No.2, and are used for all grease numbers except cork for negro makeup, when a powder is not necessary. (Bernique, 1916) If you have never had a “try-out” use a light yellow grease paint, such as Stein’s No. 27, or the Leichner Light Yellow that comes in a porcelain box, as a foundation. It is very hard to tell how a skin will look in a photograph; when I say “photograph” I mean pictures made in the glare of Klieg lights. Some skins reflect light more than others and therefore take lighter. Practical experience only will determine what is best for you. A light shade of yellow will photograph lighter than a grease paint containing pink, unless the latter has been applied to an extremely fair skin. Some skins reflect so much light that a heavier shade of grease paint is used in order that the face may be toned down to match others in the scene. (Chalmers, 1925) Green or blue make-up was also used due to its high actinicity with blue-sensitive film. It may also have been easier to reconcile it under the blueish-green light of the mercury-vapour lamps The player with a fair complexion seldom uses grease-paint at all. He finds that cold-cream with a dash of light-brown powder screens effectively. The player, however, possessing what I might term a medium complexion, uses either a yellow or dark-blue grease-paint after first applying cold-cream to the face, but, in order to prevent his face screening like a ball of grease, he covers it with a light-brown powder. (Dench, 1917) The use of such ‘unnatural’ colors had its critics. Another myth that numerous actors entertain is the yellow grease-paint theory. Nobody can explain why a performer should make-up in Chinese yellow. There is absolutely no photographic theory to account for it or its use. Let the actor make-up with grease-paint if he has a rough skin but let it be flesh-colored paint, not yellow. The objections to yellow are that it is non-actinic and if the actor happens to step out of the rays of the arcs for a moment or if he is shaded from the direct force of the light by another actor his face photographs BLACK instantly. (Gregory, 1920)
Posted on: Tue, 11 Mar 2014 16:10:34 +0000
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