'Will Be Done' And that it was.

A day on set with Lily Cheng doing Makeup and SFX.

" The difference between the impossible and 

   the possible lies a man's determination"

"Will Be Done" - Lily Cheng

WILL BE DONE is a psychological thriller/slasher that revolves around a group of friends, Leeah, Kellan, Hyde, Theodora, Flint, Sam and Amy. After a brief memorial held on behalf of the deceased Leeah, Sam injures his leg. They make a trip to the nearest hospital only to find it is in the renovation process. Soon, they realise that they are trapped in the empty hospital with something malicious that is killing them one by one and is connected to their lovely Leeah.

It has been two and half years in the making, but Lily was determined to finish what she had started. Lily's film was coincidently titled 'Will Be done' as it truly reflects one of her many qualities, determination. Everyone spoke extremely highly of Lily's beaming dedication as they embraced each other with open arms after what had been a large gap between filming the final scenes for the concept trailer for this film. I was also greeted with open arms and a warm smile. I felt like I was instantly apart of the family in which this film had allowed them to create. A beautiful thing alone. 

I received a phone call from James, a fellow cast member, in regards to doing the makeup and SFX for the film just a week prior. I jumped at the opportunity, calling her within minutes of my previous conversation to tell her I was on board. I was exceedingly excited to say the least and could not wait to get on set. I spent the following week surrounding my self in horror movies and filling out my SFX kit full of all sorts of crazy bits and pieces.  

Straight from her lips.

Once everyone had arrived on set we were straight into it. Stunts in the court yard, makeup on set and and props flying everywhere. I was so curious to know more about this film and the depths that Lily had gone to to make it become a success, but on set it was all business (the best kind of business). Having been surrounded by elements of horror the entire day, I was quite aware of how the story line was progressing, but wanted to know more about Lily's inspirations. I asked a few little questions.

With Love From Lily Cheng - Executive Producer/Writer/Director

This project was full of ambition. It was a feature that is now to be turned into a concept trailer in order to generate as much exposure as possible for potential investors to make this into a feature film again. I wanted to jump on board with the feature with the belief that we could provide a scary joyride with a solid psychological background. I didn't write a stereotypical slasher film. It had the potential to be something different and great, something that would make people think about their actions, their thoughts and their sanity. (Essentially a panorama of blood laced with intelligence.) In particular i wanted to have a strong female lead with an ethnic background. I wanted to showcase multicultural Australian actors (regardless that the setting was in America). I wrote many of the characters specifically with a different ethnic background in order to emphasise this. Although I do not have the resources to fund this myself, I truly hope that someone else who does can see what a truly unique project this is and take it on board with as much dedication as my cast, crew and I did. :-D 

I could not have done any of it without them.

Fine Tuning. Final touches. The beginning of the beginning.

On our earlier arrival to the factory like location, Alex and I explored the 'Old Flour Mill' from head to toe while we were waiting for the rest of the cast and crew to arrive. We found ourselves searching through old food laboratories filled with old office furniture and rusted bunsen burners. If not there, it was into the large industrial warehouses that surrounded, jumping in and out of old tubing and pipes that had been long forgotten. It was the perfect location for the set of 'Will Be Done'.

The 'Green Room' atmosphere was quick to check in. Before long we were all bouncing around and sharing stories while sipping on hot tea. I think we kept drinking the tea and coffee just to keep our fingers warm. It was only a matter of minutes before the 'family-like' atmosphere filled the deserted building.

We worked hard for twelve hours straight, long, strong and dedicated. Although, to me it didnt feel like work, I felt like I was having more fun than ever! Makeup, hair and SFX were happening behind the scenes, on scenes and in between scenes. I couldn't get the smile off my face. They say that if you love what you do, you will never work a day in your life. This, I strongly believe.

It was 1.45am when Shane announced it was the end of the day. As he turned off his exquisite camera, he bellowed out a loud 'thats a wrap up guys!' down the echoing corridor and engaged in a huge smile of relief. Lily (Director) and Miri (Assistant Director) had smiles raging on their faces as they cheered with a quick hi-five before it was off to clean the copious amounts of fake blood from the walls and pack up the remaining equipment. The twelve hour day had come to an end and everyone was extremely pleased with the result, especially Lily. I secretly could have gone on for hours, I didn't want the day to end!

Bianca and I walked out and into the intense night air during the early hours of the morning with our adrenaline still pumping. The frost was nibbling at our toes and every breath we exhaled looked like a cloud of smoke. We had just walked off the last scene of a horror film and into the pitch black night. All we could see was one car ad it wasn't ours. How ironic. We knew Bianca's brother Sam would be watching over us so we continued to laugh off the situation and made a quick dash to the car. Almost a horror film in itself.

It was an amazing, memorable and constructive day. A fantastic one to was had by all. This kind of work truly was incredible. I literally walked into an old warehouse with nothing but a makeup bag and flat coke and walked out with so much more. Experience, knowledge, friends and a whole lot of memories.

Thank you so much Lily for taking me on board, it was more than a pleasure. Thanks to all the cast and crew it was SO fun to work with you all and I hope to do so again in the near future. 

BL.x

Alex - Sam Slit throat SFX before liquid blood. 



SFX in the Green Room. Getting all prettied up.



Mona Lisa Smile.

Alex - Slit throat SFX mid scene.

Bianca - Amy

Renee - Fay

Anna Louise - Theodora

Zooooooom. 

Shining ever so bright. 

Lily Cheng

Me :) . MUA & SFX

Anna-Louise. James. Bianca. Sam.

Some of the amazing Cast and Crew.

We just wrestled in between scenes. Jokes, stunt prep.

Dilan. Gamze. Corey.

On set. 

Alex - Unsub

Intensity was through the roof!

Life in the Barracks.

"Not what I have but what I do is my kingdom"

- Thomas Carlyle

I have always been a strong believer in the 'if you set your mind to it, you can achieve anything' kind of scheme. Makeup and Styling took place on this Good Friday. In my first, of what I dream to be many more fashion shoots. With great company in hand we trekked up the road that the soldiers wish they had, and created my story - Life in the Barracks. 
It's now my turn in life to trek down that road they call career, but first I had to trek up Tomaree, or should I say 'Fort Tomaree' as it has previously been known. 


I will let Micheal Smith and Graeme Steinbeck, Authors of 'The Guns of Tomaree', set the scene:


1942, Australia was at war with Japan. Fort Tomaree was now home to over 500 soldiers within an establishment that contained torpedo tubes, mortars, machine guns, rifle pits, search lights command posts, observation posts, barbed wire entanglement and accommodation. If not residing there, they were trooping back to Gan Gan Army Camp. 


"Tomaree is essentially a huge boulder about 500 feet high, and forms the southern headland of the entrance to Port Stephens, which, incidentally, is an excellent deep water port. Guns were never fired in anger and it is not known where they ended up. What remains are gun emplacements, observation and command posts and the foundation of many structures. For over half a century they have survived the wear of salt spray and curious visitors. They stand silent seaward watch, their job complete" 


The massive concrete structures that housed the guns are now accessible by a walking track from Zenith beach - this is where my journey will begin.

Stylist - Bonnie Eick/Lola Marie

Hair/Makeup Artist - Bonnie Eick

Model - Bonnie Marshall

Photographer - Alex Warden

Location - Tomaree Headland   

Noni Smith.

I was running late for work this morning due to some unbearable cold weather that forced me to stay in bed a little longer. There snuggled up in bed with the lights out was me checking out the 'Artist Group' website. The Artist Group is a Sydney based agency that looks after some of the most exquisite Australian MUA's.
It is here I found my favourite. Noni Smith.  
Noni Smith has covered the front page of Vogue countless times and worked with Jennifer Hawkins, Megan Gale and Miranda Kerr, just to name a few.
I was really inspired  by her talented work. I always seem to put myself in the scene of the photograph and create a little story of how that shot was taken. Its fun and very inspiring. How else are you meant to feel what ever the artists are trying to portray?
Her work is so unique. I love it. She is a true artist with the ability to paint a range of pictures within a photograph. Have fun letting your imagaination run wild when u create a story in your mind.

Noni Smith - Editorial and Beauty.

Lost in another world.

'Any kid who has two parents who are interested in 

him and a houseful of books isn't poor'

- Sam Levenson

Please promise one day you will read this? I'll even lend you Mums copy. 

Mums beloved Book. Now in my Treasure Chest. 

For as long as I can remember my parents have always encouraged me to read different kinds of books. Although I rebelled against what they said at times, it was something that I secretly enjoyed. I found my young love for reading through the likes of Roald Dahl, Tim Winton and the author of my favourite children's book, Possum Magic, Mem Fox. 

Mum and Dad were big readers. Dad would always be reading the war stories and books filled with endless amounts of Alien action, while Mum went for for the more heart felt ones. 

It's funny, Mum only ever read true stories. Her books were always about the fascinating lives of other people. They ranged from African Slavery to heavy drug users who have now come clean. I used to think all these books she read were boring, that was until I started to read them. 

Every night before bed, everyone in my house would be laying less than 20 metres away from each other, all tucked up in our own beds. Each of us would be in a completely different word to one another, yet all under the same roof.  Dad would be a raging soldier fighting ruthlessly in the Vietnam war, while laying right next to him, Mum would be on the other side of the world listening to the chronicle life lessons of Morrie Schwartz, a retired sociology Professor. 

It was always interesting to hear the story of each adventure in the morning before school. One day Mum came to the kitchen and handed me a book - Slave. She had tears streaming down her face, which was not unusual for her after finishing a book, and put the book on the bench. I knew this meant I had to read it. I  was addicted after the first page,  not to this beautiful child's misfortune but to the feeling of being transcended into a completely different world. I began to feel like I was apart of the story. Every emotion became apart of me, from the distressing pain and losses to the relief of conquering life long dreams. 

On my recent walk home from the train station I found myself reading this book for the third time. I was right near the end but the sun was beginning to set, I was literally stopping under every streetlight as it got darker just so I could find out the ending. Sad, but true.

Mum has had this book since 2004.Although it has been in the hands of many others, it has remained a  'boomerang' kind of book. The kind of book that no matter how far away it goes, it always comes back. Every person that has read Slave has left a little quote on the inside of the front cover, giving it a little bit of love and extra character. A tradition that has been instilled from the start. 

This coffee stained masterpiece now rests patiently on my bedside table. It will remain here until someone decides to whisk it up and go on the amazing journey of Mende Nazer, through a life of slavery and astonishing achievements. What a journey it will be. 

Whens the last time you put your feet up, read a book and got lost in another world?

BL. x

My date with Destiny. (Part 1)

My little date with Destiny. 

Next weekend. Excitement much? I think so. Me and the ladies are heading out on Thursday to the opening night of Fashion Weekend Sydney. Shopping with exclusive designers for hours on end and sighting the new style of up and coming designers. Our tounges will be tasting the sweet bubbles of the complimentary champagne while our minds are being submerged into the exquisite world of fashion appearing just 2 rows in front of us on the catwalk. I know stylist Lola Marie will be checking out the likes in the clothing department, her eyes will be glued. I will be seeking out the latest looks in makeup and taking fine note of new little pieces I can add to my bundle of joy that I like to call my wardrobe. Grab some tickets and join us. 

Sydney Fashion Weekend - www.sydneyfashionweekend.com.au

Cant hold it in.

I am really bad at holding stuff like this in, I get way to excited. So the shoot has been done, my first Fashion shoot. Here is a little snap shot. All the pics will be up shortly. They are amazing! I am in LOVE.
Be sure to follow Letters to Laurie on Blogspot or on Facebook by clicking the 'like' button on the right hand side of this page to see the rest of the shots of Sargent Bonnie in Mission IS-Possible.

Peace.

BL. x

Model - Bonnie Marshall
Stylist - Bonnie Eick/Lola Marie
Hair & Makeup -  Bonnie Eick
Photographer - Alex Warden