GLOW

Glow came by your suggestion, and while I really liked it, it was hard to write about. For me, the two most influential elements to this show would have to be the costuming and the lighting. While they make use of a few diverse camera angles, it is not as influential. The lighting there is meant to be natural, like it is coming in from the windows above the ring. However it comes off as very artificial and unnatural, perhaps helped in part by the fluorescent lighting that also is there. The lighting makes the environment look grimy and awkwardly bright. It allows you to see everyone clearly. When the guy that Ruth is sleeping with comes into her room, the lighting in there is about the same lighting as the rest of the scenes in her room. The lamps cast warm light and soft shadows. While they discuss that he is cheating on his wife with her, the shadows and lighting make it more serious than if they were in a brightly lit room. It is interesting that she wants to break it off with him, until a bit later when you realize it is her best friend Debbie’s husband.  

Costuming influences the perception of the characters, specifically these four to follow.. The people with most professional outfits left the initial audition when he explained what the parts were going to entail. We are first introduced by name to Cherry. She has a simple, streamlined outfit and exudes confidence and sophisticated. For the wrestling audition where they are learning moves, she has an army green jumpsuit that is more covered than most of the girls outfits and still simple. You can tell she is not using her outfit to stand out from the crowd, relying more heavily on her attitude and talents to carry her through. The girl with the wrestling dad wears simple shirts, first baby blue, then pale yellow. Her headshot is her blowing out candles on a birthday cake. From these you almost get the impression she doesn’t want to be there, especially when they are asked when they want to be there and she simply replies with who her family is. The girl with the scary vampire vibe gives headshot of wolf. She looks like she just came out of a zombie movie or maybe even got attacked by a wolf. I don’t even know what to say about her. The girl who says she “throws things” reminds you of prison. She is wearing a denim jumpsuit for the initial audition and follows up with a strong handshake. For the second audition she has another monochromatic outfit, this time baby blue with a fuller coverage tank top and shorts. Just from her outfit choices she appears strong and put together.

Ruth has the most professional outfit of all potential girls that remain there for the first audition; a long denim skirt, navy and red shirt, and red shoes, along with being only one of a handful of girls carrying a purse. On her second day, she is sporting an outfit that looks like it is straight from her aerobics class, teal and pink, with high leg cutouts. When she comes back after being thrown out, as she is emulating Hulk Hogan, she is more covered up than her second round. Her colors all coordinate, with red, white and blue. Once she enters the ring, she quickly sheds her cape to act. The war paint was interesting touch, as it is fluorescent and vibrant compared to the rest of her outfit. I thought it was going to be indicative of how she was going to fight back against Debbie, but besides one well thrown elbow, she elects to avoid fighting her. She came in with this persona of a professional fighter, however when confronted with her best friend, she cannot follow through. Overall, these costuming choices help us develop an idea of the characters that contributes to their development.