It’s hardly a secret that the photos of models we see in magazines are retouched. But a new viral video for Dove called “Evolution” depicts in detail–in just one minute, 14 seconds–exactly how much manipulation is done in the name of perfection.
Created by Ogilvy & Mather (O&M), Toronto, and co-directed by Yael Staav of Toronto’s Reginald Pike and O&M associate group creative director/art director/copywriter Tim Piper, “Evolution,” which aims to promote self-esteem workshops being held as part of Dove’s Real Beauty campaign, opens on a pretty young woman sitting in front of the camera in a studio. Makeup is applied to her face, drastically changing her appearance.
But the real transformation occurs after a photo retoucher gets his hands on the woman’s face, changing everything from her jaw line to the size of her eyes. He even elongates her neck. By the time we see the girl’s photo on a billboard, she looks nothing like she did at the start.
It’s startling, and everyone is talking about it. Originally, launched on YouTube.com, “Evolution” has recently been shown and discussed on programs ranging from The View to Good Morning America to Entertainment Tonight.
The girl featured in the viral is Stephanie Betts, who just so happens to be Piper’s girlfriend. Piper had used a photo of Betts sans makeup to create a storyboard to sell the client on the idea. “She made me promise that no one other than the client would see her without makeup,” Piper shared. “Six months down the track, millions of people have seen her.”
While a casting session was held, Gabor Jurina, a fashion photographer who took the still that is seen being manipulated in the viral, thought Betts was the best choice. “We needed someone who would look like a model after being photographed, so it wasn’t really a matter of getting an average woman and turning her into a billboard. It’s been reported that that’s what we did,” Piper noted, “but it’s actually not what we did. We tried to get someone who was a model type but would need some retouching. Gabor said that Stephanie was perfect because she was very photogenic, so he could get a really nice look from her photo. But he would have some good retouching to do as far as the structure of her face.”
Betts was game, and Staav was also eager to jump on Dove’s Real Beauty bandwagon. In addition to co-directing “Evolution,” Staav directed another recently released viral for Dove called “Daughters,” an emotional documentary-style piece that explores the impact family can have on a girl’s self-esteem. After reading Staav’s treatment for “Daughters,” Piper recalled thinking, “Hallelujah! We’ve got someone on board who is really going to grab this project. She did an unbelievable job talking to girls in Halifax and Toronto. “Daughters” is getting a huge response now after “Evolution” because people are seeing the link between the two, and it’s a bit of a tearjerker.”
While Staav wrote a great treatment for “Daughters,” Piper wrote the treatment for “Evolution.”
“That’s why it was a collaborative effort, and we approached it as a co-directed effort between Yael and me,” he explained.
“Everything was up for interpretation in terms of what we were going to see in front of the lens, and how we were going to do it,” Staav said of Piper’s treatment. “But essentially it had to be a close-up of a face. That was inherent in the idea. It read like it needed to be communicated and executed really simply.”
Staav’s career has come a long way over the past couple of years. In ’05, she was included in SHOOT’s New Directors Showcase, based in part on her moving, tug-at-the-heartstrings yet humorous public service campaign on behalf of the ALS Society of Canada. She has since taken on assorted assignments, with “Evolution” continuing to demonstrate her affinity for and prowess in people-based storytelling.
Staav and Piper shot “Evolution” on location at Jurina’s Toronto studio, with Tico Poulakakis serving as DP.
The viral was shot on mini-DV not only for cost considerations but to achieve the “real and raw” look the project called for, according to Staav.
After Betts was fully made up by makeup artist Diana Carreiro, Jurina stepped in with a still camera outfitted with the same lens used to shoot the video to take a photo of Betts for retouching by Edward Cha, one of the top retouchers in the business.
Initially, the thinking was that Cha would be taped during the retouching process. But he nixed that idea for fear that his secret techniques would be exposed. Instead, he saved his work frame by frame.
The 100 to 200 frames that resulted from Cha’s efforts were then animated by online editor/animator Kevin Gibson of visual effects shop Soho, Toronto, to portray the retouching process. It took two weeks of painstaking work to boil down what took Cha three or four days to complete to about 12 seconds or so.
Paul Gowan of Rogue, Toronto, edited “Evolution.” Toronto’s Vapor did the remix of The Flashbulb’s “Passage D (Vapor Remix),” which accompanies the visuals.
“Evolution” has gotten people talking. So what did the girl who dared to go through the process of retouching think of the finished product? As you might imagine, Betts was shocked when she saw how much retouching her face endured. “I remember looking at her, and she was at first delighted to see herself, and then I saw her face go into shock when they did the retouching. It’s an instant insult, and it hit her,” Piper said. “But she loves the Dove cause, and she understands now that every model gets touched up.”
Review: Director Jon M. Chu’s “Wicked”
It's the ultimate celebrity redemption tour, two decades in the making. In the annals of pop culture, few characters have undergone an image makeover quite like the Wicked Witch of the West.
Oh, she may have been vengeful and scary in "The Wizard of Oz." But something changed — like, REALLY changed — on the way from the yellow brick road to the Great White Way. Since 2003, crowds have packed nightly into "Wicked" at Broadway's Gershwin Theatre to cheer as the green-skinned, misunderstood Elphaba rises up on her broomstick to belt "Defying Gravity," that enduring girl-power anthem.
How many people have seen "Wicked"? Rudimentary math suggests more than 15 million on Broadway alone. And now we have "Wicked" the movie, director Jon M. Chu's lavish, faithful, impeccably crafted (and nearly three-hour) ode to this origin story of Elphaba and her (eventual) bestie — Glinda, the very good and very blonde. Welcome to Hollywood, ladies.
Before we get to what this movie does well (Those big numbers! Those costumes!), just a couple thornier issues to ponder. Will this "Wicked," powered by a soulful Cynthia Erivo (owner of one of the best singing voices on the planet) and a sprightly, comedic, hair-tossing Ariana Grande, turn even musical theater haters into lovers?
Tricky question. Some people just don't buy into the musical thing, and they should be allowed to live freely amongst us. But if people breaking into song delights rather than flummoxes you, if elaborate dance numbers in village squares and fantastical nightclubs and emerald-hued cities make perfect sense to you, and especially if you already love "Wicked," well then, you will likely love this film. If it feels like they made the best "Wicked" movie money could buy — well, it's... Read More