A pre set up photo of the studio. Bruce starting to set up the lights. Photo by Louise Peacock

The Anatomy of a Project

Homage to The Detective Noir Genre

We are big fans of the Detective Noir genre, both books and movies. Think movies such as The Maltese Falcon, Touch of Evil, Laura, just to mention a few …We love the authors that more or less created the genre — Raymond Chandler, Dashiel Hammett.

My photographer partner (Bruce M. Walker) was very interested in the lighting techniques used in these movies, and I was really keen to set up a project using the Detective Noir theme.

So in 2016, this is how the idea began. However, as we progressed with planning, etc. the ideas began to grow and morph.

Bruce was masterminding how the lighting would be, and thinking about some basic set ideas. Meantime I thought I should create an outline, a plot if you will, to help the set idea along.

I wrote the outline, and as usual, left to its’ own devices, my mind conceived a more detailed story. As previously mentioned, being an avid reader of the Detective Noir genre, a loose plot evolved. As I worked on the “story”, it got more detailed. Bruce liked where it was going, and his set plans also evolved.

The story would only involve two characters, with the main one being the intrepid lady detective, known as Phillippa Marlowe and her somewhat seedy buddy, known as Peter “The Wrench”.

Left, Peter Domanski leering through the blinds as Peter The Wrench. Right, Louise peering nervously through the blinds as Phillippa Marlowe. Photos by Bruce M. Walker

It had previously been decided that I would be the model in this project, giving me the opportunity to go wild with 1930s - 40s hair, makeup and clothing styling.

The part of the seedy buddy was up in the air until Bruce rented Studio By House for the project. I casually asked if our friend and studio owner Peter Domanski might be willing to play the Peter the Wrench character, and with his usual gentle grace, Peter agreed.

Peter is constantly amazed by some of our projects and the imaginative sets that Bruce creates. He is also floored by some of the stories I end up writing to support the projects. “How on earth do you come up with them?” is a question he has asked me many times.

As the day of the shoot approached I rushed around to the various Goodwill places searching for costume items, such as vintage-looking shoes and hats. I also rifled around in our supply of previously obtained items for Steampunk costumes and found a great fascinator, used once in one of our rare cosplay outings.

One item that caused us a lot of trouble to find was an appropriate looking fake gun. We visited several costume places and found that fake guns were in bad favour. We finally managed to find one replica with a big, pink plastic plug in the muzzle. We filed off the plastic and painted over the remaining small piece of pink plastic left. Our fake gun looked pretty good, we figured.

Replica gun in hand. Photos by Bruce M. Walker

Bruce meantime was trying to put together items for his sets. One brilliant find was a cheap venetian blind which would be mocked up as a window cover (for a non-existent window).

Months after the shoot, Peter told Bruce that a few photographers renting the studio inquired after the venetian blind window they saw in our shots and were disappointed to learn that the studio had no such window!

The venetian blinds. On the left a suspicious-looking Peter the Wrench stares in from the “outside” at an equally suspicious Detective Marlowe. On the right, Bruce make use of the shadows from the blinds to get an interesting portrait. Photos by Bruce M. Walker

This is what the studio looked like before the props and lighting. Photos by Louise B. Peacock

We needed an old fashioned looking desk for Detective Marlowes’ office, but had to fake this with a office supply typing return. We needed an old style dial type black telephone, this too caused a lot of trouble. We eventually found one, but it was not as old fashioned looking as we had hoped. We did get really lucky with finding a vintage Underwood typewriter.

No detectives’ office is complete without the ratty old typewriter, an ashtray and a clock. The ’50s alarm clock had to stand in for the normal wall clock. Photo by Bruce Walker

Bruce had other items he wanted for his sets. We got lucky at the costume store where he was able to get lengths of fake chain which he wanted to create a warehouse scene.

To create walls for rooms, Bruce used sheets of poster board clamped to lighting stands.To create lighting effects, Bruce also made extensive use of lighting stands and also existing ceiling fixures from which he could suspend assorted lights.

Here Bruce has created a street light effect and has added in generous amounts of mist from the fog machine. Photos by Bruce Walker

The warehouse effect. Using the custom made chalkboard wall as a backdrop, after drawing rough brick shapes on with huge chalk pieces. Photo by Bruce M. Walker

Credits

• Photography, lighting and set design and building was done by Bruce M. Walker
• The studio was Studio by House
• Hair, makeup and wardrobe — Louise Peacock
• Creative Director — Louise Peacock
• Behind the scenes shots — Louise Peacock
• Models were Louise Peacock and Peter Domanski
• Story by Louise Peacock. Read here: Dead Give Away