Business and Life

Although it may seem we have been neglecting things of late that is far from the truth. Business and life has continued all be it a little quieter due to changes within the family that have slowed down some of our more ambitious plans, we are still working hard and will be posting increased updates and launching our creative director JamesC’s website very soon having secured a new domain tailored to his working plans.

We are very much on top of the work we have and arranging some very important meetings that will lead to a series of collaborations within the film and commercial sphere and JamesC will be working closely with the Sons of Adonis line on ad campaigns with other new elements being discussed for the future of the brand, in the meantime we are working with JamesC on the ad campaign for the range and in particular the sample kit that we will be blogging about soon.

There is also a real push with artist Stewart Nicol Soutar on the commercial that will see our team and in particular JamesC, working on ad campaigns and additional merchandising projects that have been discussed for the new year.

In summary, there is so much more to the business that we are building slowly and this is giving JamesC in particular, a much needed boost after the last few months where the focus and energy has been inward rather than outward.

Stay tuned for further updates and news.

Taking Notes

The last month has really flown in with more than a few meetings by phone and the various emails that fly back and forward concerning the blog and planning out PR pieces for clients or just the general research we have to do for our in house work that we thought it would be good to talk about some of it on the creatives site.

Over the next few weeks we will be doing more pieces promoting stage shows such as Smoke Not Included (Headless acting) as they go to the Edinburgh Fringe and talking to actors and most interesting for us, an increased amount of work with the Sons of Adonis brand expanding their marketing and other elements that we are closely involved in. *Stay tuned to our Facebook page for updated guest blogs by JamesC on the Adonis website.

We are really excited about the work that we have lined up and will of course, be sharing as much as possible across the blog and our social networks.

A Must See Brand: Narrative Cosmetics

As a makeup artist by trade, I am always looking for new options to add to add to my working kit that will add to my work or give me a wider range of options. Having found Narrative Cosmetics, in particular the FX range, I am really excited about the possibilities to create and for my work in film and TV the budget friendly side that will be a major plus going forward.

While the range offers up a wide array of beauty oriented products, it was the cream palettes from the FX range that first caught my attention and after a little research I can see there being so much more to the Narrative Cosmetics line that needs to be seen.

The FX range covers all the basics and with the addition of a YouTube channel with tutorials, you can utilize the range to create anything from a simple bruise to a creature with minimal fuss and maximum impact. Designed to meet the highest professional standards Narrative Cosmetics is fast becoming the go to brand for creatives across mediums.

Competitively priced, and expanding the range to support a wide range of requirements, you can go from theatrical to HD standard easily and with film and TV being a primary focus of my work, access to silicone compounds for quick wound creation or going old school with wax, the medical grade adhesive is a must see for the cost alone, Narrative has the scope to be a real kit staple.

If you are a makeup artist, no matter the stage of your career, passionate about FX and makeup then I strongly recommend you check out the range from film to fashion you will find something that will boost your kit and open up new potential in your creative work without losing out on quality.

To learn more about the Narrative Cosmetics range see:

Narrative Cosmetics Website.

Narrative Cosmetics YouTube.

Narrative Cosmetics Instagram.

Narrative Cosmetics Facebook.

A New Addition To The Lost Library

A new addition to the lost library is the fantastic book by Begona F Martin titled Special Makeup Effects & Prosthetics - An essential guide, a truly fascinating and well structured look at the potential of special FX and prosthetics aimed at the cosplay market, it offers up a wealth of information, resources and tips that will be beneficial to a wide range of creatives from makeup artists working in media to cosplayers looking to up their game.

With her extensive background in the arts as well as FX, Begona’s (BB to her friends) book is to me, a must read for those looking to expand their knowledge and test the waters of flat moulds and silicone, with step by step images and detailed explanations of each process with cost-efficient recommendations that will help those on a budget looking to get more creative in their work taking you through materials and techniques in a way that is easy to follow and insightful.

From the images to the text, it is all created by Begona over two years showcasing absolute passion for not just the special FX industry but sharing the skills that she has gained over the course of her career.

To learn more about the book or to purchase from her range of ready made FX or just to follow her work see:

Begona F Martin Website and Store.

BBFX Etsy Store.

Begona Martin Instagram.

Cosplay Instagram.

Sons of Adonis Concealer: A Kit Must Have

We are incredibly proud of our association with the Sons of Adonis range, so much so our creative director JamesC, was able to consult and is extremely grateful to have a concealer brush with his name on it as part of the collection. As a concealer aimed at the men’s grooming market we can see the advantages for both the consumer and professional and will address key aspects of this here.

With a current 3 shade range, this is a good pro starting point for mixing and will easily fit into your working kit and offer up a premium product that not only works but suits a wide range of different applications.

In what has become an increasingly HD world, men are more and more expected to be camera ready for meetings and presentations, TV appearances, film work and family photographs to name but a few occasions that are integral to life now.

Something as simple as a touch of concealer can wake up your look for an interview, or presentation in the office, and lets not forget the ever present Zoom calls that we are frequently asked for these days. Yes, I too have had to “Zoom” and give speeches and needed that little extra edge that Sons of Adonis gives to make me look respectable.

From a makeup artist perspective JamesC understands that a product like concealer needs to be pro grade (which this is) and stand up to the rigors of a shoot as well as look natural in the real world.

The Sons of Adonis range is our personal go-to for work across genres and features heavily in the work of the lost for good reason and we plan to show why with a Q and A blog with founder Shakti Sood who developed this range and has put a huge amount of time into the product to meet the needs of his clientele.

To learn more about the range or to purchase see:

Sons of Adonis Website.

Sons of Adonis Instagram.

Timeline Updates

While the blog and other elements have been very quiet of late, we do apologize for this, it does not mean we have been idle. In fact it is the opposite with so much in the works we have had to set deadlines for projects and new launches before time really ran away and we lost track of what is being done.

Some of the domains we own are now due for renewal and we are using that as the baseline for soft launching websites and taking down some of the older work to make things as clean as possible.

With a wedding under our belt, in what will be a two-part package, there is some really beautiful images coming from that which will showcase our creative director and founder working as well as our beautiful bride.

Lost Creatives is going to be changed dramatically as well with new galleries being worked out to match the upcoming Lost Project Media site that will be the home of our video and print work, a mix of editorial and commercial campaigns, more on this later.

James will be launching a fresh new site which as a makeup artist he wanted to be a whole set of new work all tailored to the lost identity and brand and completely different from his previous site with a focus on the commercial.

In the next week we will be doing a very interesting set of blogs piece about indie brands that popped up on our radar and will be playing a part in the working kit of our house artist. Both of which are interesting and will offer very different perspectives on a makeup kit as well as product usage and placement.

With an end goal of updating not just the websites but our other networking sites such as Vshowcards, by August we will be well on our way to the whole new look and entirely different brand identity than when we started and it is truly exciting to see how things have developed from where we began.

Building Your Team Featuring Vshowcards

Something I have seen quite a lot of when on social media is the individualist aspect of marketing, by that I mean promotion of just one aspect of what you do as a creative, forgetting that when it comes to a shoot be it film, TV, or photographic it is a team affair.

One of the biggest reasons we say this is because our own creative director JamesC has reached out to the team behind vshowcards and will be working with them to assess a proposal for upcoming projects.

Networking, promotion and just old fashioned relationship building over time can be a difference maker in the world of film and TV, we rely on each other to make a shoot run smoothly and efficiently so having good relationships with the team make a huge difference.

With Vshowcards you have access to the a huge number of professionals within industry that will support your moves and if you reach out are willing to help and support, you just need to ask.

From an industry standpoint there is so much more than just your skillset to consider, you are a part of a team, the machine works because we do and supporting each other is the way to move forward and building your team is a lot easier when you have all your information at your fingertips and know you can reach out to others with questions.

To learn more about the Vshowcards set up or to join see:

Vshowcards Website.

Vshowcards Facebook.

Vshowcards Twitter.

Vshowcards Instagram.

Vshowcards YouTube.

Reaching Out in 2023

As we are in the first week of a new year, the lost creatives team has been making really positive moves and reaching out to not just new people but spending time talking to old friends in the realm of photography to discuss potential studio and location shoots.

With our first official telephone meeting of the year now done, we are very excited by the potential of what is being proposed and can start really taking stock with a view to moving our own brand forward.

New in the mix is creative director Jamesc, who wants to do not just horror based shoots but go back to freestyle painting (inspired by the amazing makeup artist Linda Mason) for editorial and showcase once again, his creative talents.

Over the coming weeks we will be releasing more news and updates including interviews with actors, producers and other creative talent.

Welcome to 2023, lets make it a good one!

The Lost Creatives Christmas

In the last few weeks of 2022 (where has the time gone!!??) The Lost Creatives has gone from strength to strength, don’t get me wrong there have been pitfalls, but overall we have been able to create a network of people that is amazing, offer PR and other forms of support to fellow creatives that was after all the goal of the site.

Christmas for us, will be a time of relaxation with a heavy focus on what will be done in the new year, with commercial work and PR for clients having been the heaviest part of our workload, our creative director JamesC, will be returning to work as a makeup artist on a more open basis and taking on smaller projects to bolster the public side of his work and spending time on some personal projects that will be featured not just here on the Lost Creative but his own site and our partner site The Lost Agency who will be taking a heavier hand in our own marketing and internal affairs. *This means we will be returning to Instagram soon!

We have had some disappointments lately, with meetings and reaching out to potential collaborators falling through mainly due to scheduling issues which as you can imagine as a freelancer, has been a pain, however that will not stop us from pushing forward and with our ties to HOD TV, we will be focusing on that for the future and tackling things in a much more hard-line manner.

Our passion for the arts is not waning, far from it, we have collated magazines, festivals and other information that we intend to make full use of for ourselves, up until now we have put a vast amount of time into clients and not been able to put the lost concept at the forefront but, we are incredibly proud of the fact people have trusted the team.

In the next few weeks we will be releasing our goals and a schedule for this through the site along with a few snippets of art projects to test the waters.

For the moment we are going to allow ourselves a little breathing space for the festive season and release more information soon and options to get involved.

Working The Makeup Dept Budget With Desired FX

In the world of film and TV, budgets can be the biggest constraint alongside time, to the creative process. For the makeup department often this means we have to search out cost-efficient options to create a particular look or downgrade the process to fit the money available, thankfully, there are services like Desired FX that can help with this and give you a budget-friendly, professional add-on to your kit that will push the department ahead.

From silicone wounds to scars, tattoos including bruising and standard designs, Desired FX offers up a range of products that will work for most scenarios and even offers a studio custom service to allow further scope for creativity on a budget.

With increasing options in the digital market from Amazon to HOD TV (Horror on Demand), the indie film sector has never been so popular with the on-demand film/TV sector becoming bigger year on year, but budgets being tight in the circuit, having the option of a team like Desired FX who can provide cost-efficient options for the FX department, there is scope to bring a different dimension as a department head working smart with the available funds.

To learn more about Desired FX or to purchase see:

Desired FX shop ( 10% off on all products with the promo code "JamesClark10")

Desired FX Instagram.

Desired FX Facebook.