 We've
Got Designs on You.... One of the most important things about a film like Razor Blade Smile next to The Script is "The Look." Production Designer, Neil Jenkins worked feverishly to capture the feel and mood of each set: "Many details are only subconsciously obvious, but have tremendous significance in conveying the state of mind of the characters - from colour schemes, to Occult references and even the aesthetic arrangement of certain pools of blood!" All this is further complemented by Costume Stylist Dena Costello's breathtaking use off some very sexy clothes within these lavish and often unusual environments. Dena purrs, "Some of the gear we've got in the movie is rarely seen outside of the pages of magazines like 'Skin Two' and the more exclusive confines of certain clubs. I wanted a costume-look that would keep the audiences' eyes glued to the screen." Jake, a strong visual stylist with a background in post-production and editing, worked again with Cinematographer, James Solan (who previously shot "Club Death") allowing for a lot of creative collaboration on "The Look." Jake adds, "Basically we wanted to use every trick in the book from camera speeds to lighting design - all ingredients which add a harder punch to my editing style". Cinematographer James Solan makes
his debut feature film as D.P. with Razor Blade Smile. He attended film school
with Jake where they became friends and collaborators. Jim has worked on numerous
short films over the years including, "Snuff," directed
by David Blackburn & Alison Thompson, a provocative short film which played in
1995's Edinburgh Film Festival. 
However, when it comes to Razor Blade Smile, Jim's face lights up. "A film like this is a cinematographer's dream - it allows you to be totally outrageous. From gunfights to sex scenes and surreal dreams to intimate moments, but with Vampires! Visually that's a lot of meat! Our game plan was based on dynamics - to keep the camera moving during the action and to provide a unique look to each and every location. When it came to the lighting, we were like kids with a colouring book and wanted to try everything - push things to the limit. We basically put every type of Kodak filmstock through its paces, from the crystal clarity of the fine grained 50 ASA daylight at one end of the scale through to the new ultra high speed Vision 500 - in about every conceivable type of lighting situation. We also took advantage of a variety of lenses - most striking was the 5.9mm F1.8 Agenieux - a wide lens with a cinematic look that is incredible. The shoot was very creative and bloody exciting, literally." |