Project Introduction

Our first second year project for Make Up and Hair Design for TV and Film is titled 'Goodbye to Berlin', and is based around Cabaret.

To start off the research for this project, we need to read the book 'Goodbye to Berlin'. This is a 1939 novel by Christopher Isherwood set in Weimar Germany. In 1966 the book was then adapted into the musical Cabaret, and then the film version of Cabaret in 1972. 

Before beginning this project I had never watched Cabaret or read Goodbye to Berlin, although after the first lecture I am really excited to begin this project, and to start researching more into the main characters in the story.

I am quite nervous about relating my looks to 1920/30's Weimar Berlin - as this is a subject which I have no knowledge about. I am confident that after doing a lot more research into it will help me come to a better understanding of this era.

The only part of the 1920's which I was familiar with are the art movements of the time - surrealism and art deco. Art deco was the main style of architecture and design - and it originated in Europe - which is relevant to Weimar Berlin. Expressionism and Surrealism were also popular art movements which originated in Europe - although they are quite different to Art deco. For example they involved elements of surprise and unexpected juxtapositions, whereas Art deco used pure and geometric forms.