My final major project, entitled ‘FAME’ is the largest creative project that I have undertaken, creating a 250-page hardback coffee table book. FAME follows a year in the life of Hollywood actress Heather Steel, who is a character that I created to base the project around, with every image being styled, shot and directed by me. The concept was inspired by real celebrities, such as Madonna, Lady Gaga and Rihanna, who have all released their own coffee table books combining fashion, art and photography content.
The concept for the book was to document behind the scenes of the life of a celebrity, and the ups and downs that come with fame. A lot of time went into creating the character of Heather and her story in order to make the project real and believable. I was fascinated with the relationship between celebrities and the press, looking at examples like Marilyn Monroe and Princess Diana. The book is split into five chapters, each one exploring a different side of fame, from the perspective of the star. Due to lockdown restrictions at the time, every aspect of the book has been created by me; the styling, photography, locations, hair and makeup, lighting and creative direction.
I also created promotional material that would run alongside the book to advertise it, and this included a short film. The video advertisement further brings the character to life, and would act as a teaser as to what fans can expect from the book.
