I need some costume help, Ghosts and poltergeists.

[amandaggogo]

Does anyone have any good tips on how to look like a believable ghost/poltergeist? makeup tips and costume ideas are great. I am currently working on a horror movie, and the genre is paranormal.

Thanks for any help. :0)

[jadewik]

If you don't know anything about it already, I recommend reading up on distressing clothing.
Here's a little bit on how to distress clothing for Halloween dummies:
http://www.ehow.com/how_4498089_distres ... oween.html

... Ultimately, for ghosts and things, you want to have the clothing period match the time the ghost or ghoulie was alive. Also, poltergeists usually don't physically manifest. They're usually invisibly throwing things or making noises. They also are usually more predominant if the person these events happen around is a teenager. If it was a mischievous ghost, you might want to go for a youthful look. Then again, there are plenty of stories of older pranksters. I'd have to know more about the particular ghost you're going for before I could give tips as to appearance or suggestions for clothing. I'd also have to know what sort of film this is-- low-budget, home-made? Will there be special effects? The list goes on. I truly don't have enough information to provide much of a useful answer. Read your script and maybe ask the director what he/she envisioned the ghosts looking like.

I recommend renting some old scary movies and going off that-- that was before special effects and they relied a lot more on costume, makeup and cinematography. You may even be able to find information about makeup from the older movies online. In general, they do hallow eyes by blackening the area around the eye. Also, sallow cheeks were added by darkening the area under cheek bones-- somewhere near the area where women normally put rouge.

If you're looking for cheap clothing or older clothing to distress, try a second-hand store or hit up your grandma/pa or mom/dad for things out of their closets.

[amandaggogo]

thank you for the help. :0)

And when I said poltergeists, I don't think I used the right term, i was thinking the scary things from the grudge and the ring and such.

As for the movie, its a low budget movie, we don't many special fx we can use (we are limited to using imovie)

the ghosts are modern day looking (age range is 17-27 and one 6 year old), I just need a way for them to look dead and ghostly. Which is our problem, we can't really figure out a good way for them to look ghostly and not cheesy.

[jadewik]

My other suggestion for ideas is to rent or buy season 1 (and 2) of "Supernatural". That first season was like a ghost story every week. The costumes were simple, but effective.

I think a lot of time, in film, people try to go too over-the-top with the costumes. That may be what makes it "cheesy". What do you find to be more scary-- the thing that you know is a ghost... or the thing that looks more normal, but then isn't? ... but, again, you may want to speak with the director about the script and how they envisioned the ghosts-- just to get some ideas.

I'd personally go pale in the skin (white it out with something) and use grey, white or black coloured and distressed clothing. I'd put some colour on the main characters, but have the ghosts "colourless". When you distress, you may use ashes or dirt to age the clothes. Rip, tear, fray things.... I woudln't put any blood stains on the clothing... unless absolutely necessary.

[amandaggogo]

Thanks for the tips, I will definatly use them, Hopefuly this movie will turn out well.