A New Year A New Plan

In many respects, 2020 has been a lost year for a lot of people with the world changing dramatically. For us, it has opened up doors to a whole host of new potential avenues and given us a chance to reevaluate what we have been doing and look at how we can fit ourselves into the market long-term. To do this we have broken our work into key areas that will be public and those which will be kept private to the inhouse team.

In the public sense, we have two key areas we will be focusing on in the first quarter of the year:

Editorial and print: we have been putting this on the backburner in some respect taking time to look at locations, edit work already shot, slowly build up a series of images and work that will be released over the early part of 2021 with additional planned small shoots that will be a combination of artistic and commercial. *This will include product placement in behind the scenes imaging and video with brands such as Lord and Berry, Mykitco, and Brushwork Cosmetics to start. We are open to new potential brand partners for projects contact the team to discuss.

Film and TV: something that we have been doing since the start of Lost Creatives is supporting a range of festivals including Micromania and The Nepal Cultural and Film Centers' own festival. We do have plans to partner with a European festival and will reveal details on that soon.

Our initial goal is to work on 3 projects that will be shorts, designed specifically to go to festivals and as an opening gambit for our planned digital TV shoots in the horror/thriller market (for Which we have already spoken to several distributors and have options in place including the HOD TV route which is our number 1 choice).

In the coming months, our projects will be smaller in nature to help push forward and test the waters of the market and expand out. Our ties to South Asia (Including Nepal Film Production and our key actor contacts in India), will play a heavy part in our work as we are questioning how we will be able to work in Scotland and the UK in general.

Each of the current websites: JamesC mua. Lost Project and of course Lost Creatives will be receiving overhauls and updated images across the galleries, and the welcome pages, additional sites are being planned for our film/TV work to keep the Creatives solely about marketing and the background elements we have built.

Further updates will be released over the course of the month. We are really excited about our plans for 2021 and look forward to pushing the boundaries of our work.

Location Scouting a Lost Boy Shoot Part 1

Finding a little free time our creative director (JamesC) decided to break away from his usual duties of admin and management to do some location scouting for a 3 part story built around The Lost Boys concept, with his trusted point and shoot camera he walked along the promenade and into town to find some specific locations that would fit the brief and in doing so has settled on 3 distinct locations that will add a touch of drama to the shots (with a video being planned to add to the drama of the scene).

“The images themselves will be built around derelict buildings, waste ground, and a fractured symbolism of nature. Each model will have his own story that will hint at both the inspiration of Pans Lost Boys to the more dystopic visuals of the backdrop to fit with the ‘council estate boys’ look of the models.”

A full and detailed explanation of The Lost Boys shoots can be found by clicking here. We are really excited by the concept and the fact we have the support of fellow Creative Director Shakti Sood founder and brand manager of The Sons of Adonis and the amazing Lord and Berry makeup line, both seeing the potential of what we are working on.

Restructuring The Lost

With our two blogs (Lost Creatives on the professional side and Lost Project on the consumer), our creative director JamesC, and a new site in the wings, the overall concept of The Lost as we started it has grown in the last 2 years into a much bigger and much more refined business that while it was our plan, is still surprising how things have changed for the better. In the next few weeks, we will be adding heavily to the various galleries we have of our work and making amendments to the overall layout and general themes of our work to better fit what we feel in the direction we are heading in. What this means is we will be changing a few of the frequently asked questions, designated accounts, and announcing the longer-term plans and goals of how we will progress in business terms including that of our base location.

*We did consider an office but in the current climate that seems like a redundant step that would be overly complicated and serve no purpose for what is coming into play.

Admittedly many of the changes will be small and have a minimal effect on the business there is something larger that will be taking public soon that focuses heavily on the vision of founder, creative director, and head of makeup JamesC, who has led the charge on the basis of “be the change you want to see.” Creating The Lost and carefully selecting who we work with, researching and planning, taking additional training as and when required, he has taken the lead on the business and we do want to offer a nod to the Nepal Film Production team who have offered up several opportunities and been a huge supporter of the work we are doing.

In an industry that is evolving and changing we fully intend to make the most of the digital landscape in whatever format we can and we are taking steps to ensure that our work is seen in the best possible light with more updates on this coming soon we are really excited about the future of The Lost.

Creative The Narrative

We are working in the background and will be showcasing new work soon through all 3 of our sites and talking about the creative process in more detail along with the logic behind what we did and how we did it. At the moment we are working on some site updates which will come into play across our sites. At this time we have some editorials in the edit suite with others in motion for publication alongside text articles that will be available through World Fashion Media News upcoming print magazine (which we are truly grateful to be a part of).

Our creative director JamesC, is working with a few brands on product testing (subject to non-disclosure agreements) which is an exciting prospect for our work collectively and announcements on longterm partnerships will be made as and when they are completed.

Understand that while we are quiet we do have a lot happening and cannot wait to showcase the new work and our refreshed sites and we are working to create new partnerships for future projects.

Editorial content will be playing a big part of our upcoming work with JamesC leading the charge on this and plans to completely change the layout and look of his site including an opening video for the site which we are designing the overall look for at the moment.

Focus is on publication and as previously mentioned, World Fashion Media News having a new print version coming soon, we will be working on editorials exclusive to them with an emphasis on clean beauty and male grooming.

Our list of magazines is growing and thankfully the terms are clearly laid out which means we can focus on the artistic over the corporate first with marketing taking a very close second.

Motivated and pushing forward The Lost Creative team is working hard and dreaming big.

Upcoming Changes to The Lost Plan

With the new rules and mandates in place for England coming soon and those in Scotland already started, we are disappointed that it has meant we are going to have to make massive changes to the way we work now and how we will continue forward. In the coming weeks, we will be updating the websites and blogs to reflect changes to the business and our goals.

The Lost Stories will continue as it stands with the support of our various PR contacts and the JamesC website along with the Lost Creatives will be looking at how we can work within the rules and regulations outlined and taking the time over the next 14 days to talk with our remote teams in Nepal and India to discuss options. Our ultimate goals will not change and we will continue to work diligently and professionally in the capacity of media with new websites and extension to our business being set up including the registration of our production company that will be solely aimed at the Horror and Thriller market along with the fantastic team at HOD TV.

By 2021 we will be a completely different company within the media realms and pushing toward what is an old school method of working which we will reveal soon. While we put these changes in place we do have projects that we will be working on alongside our normal business and look forward to what the future has to offer.

It is time to start with a new way of looking at the business we are in and thinking differently to move into the future. Additional training is being looked at alongside the certification our creative director has taken for safe sets and makeup safety with Dermalogica., we are looking at production training short courses for the longterm benefit of the team.

Creating Something Fresh: A Portfolio Journey

In the last ten years, the media industry has changed and we focus our energy on creating curated websites and social media accounts that (especially in the UK) are designed to be our portfolio and showcase our work. However, we at The Lost Creatives can see that changing and the physical portfolio book will make a comeback for those in makeup and photography in particular. There will always be a three-tier system in place when it comes to business and we have our goals and understand that we will need to go back to an earlier incarnation of how we worked.

We have been quietly discussing this in the background in our WhatsApp calls and Facebook messages as something we need to really push forward with hence our editorial plans. *Because we work primarily in-house (with thanks to creative director JamesC for his support) we can keep the team small and with the options available in the digital market it is possible for us to completely change our outlook to fit a new audience which is a major plus. We will maintain the websites as part of a larger marketing campaign but for meetings, we want to be able to show our potential clients or collaborators a book of work that will allow them to look at images which admittedly we have not done in many years and it is an exciting challenge to be in a position to create something fresh.

For this we do have a plan of action in place and have started working out exactly what we want and which magazines we will shoot for, there will be two portfolios of work focusing on key areas of the work we do and keeping them distinct and separate.

As our primary focus with any shoots will be marketing we will be starting with our fashion and beauty folio which will be geared toward tear sheets and covers (we have done some digging and can make this happen fairly easily), with a film/TV book being secondary and scripts being chosen to shoot for festivals to start and of course an array of Commercial projects that will include a showreel of the work done.

Something to consider as we move into a whole new arena of work in the coming months will be how to stand out in the market as an artist.

TV Production and Development

As you can well imagine, we are really keen to get back on set and start working properly again, much the same as our partners in Nepal. The Lost Creatives team is working quietly on marketing, planning and with their usual dark minds in motion, we started looking at the horror/thriller script options we have open to us with a view to the future. Taking everything into consideration we are going to be focused on TV projects and have 2 already earmarked with a 3rd being discussed and developed. We want to have a set of projects that can be set up as long term with options for multiple series follow ons and continued creative development.

In the short term, we have been watching the indie magazine world and have decided on a total of 4 photoshoots planned as part of a wider project to be done as soon as we can. With 2 male and 2 female concepts in place and more being discussed collectively by the remote team. *Naturally, we are following current guidelines and our meetings are done over the phone or via Whatsapp/FB messenger to ease the strain on those who are not in the country or cannot risk attending meetings.

Our Creative Director JamesC, is happy to hold for the moment and has agreed that he will begin stock checking so we can order in new materials that are needed for the work planned, blush is going to be a big part of our upcoming beauty shoots.

Stay tuned for further updates and news from The Lost Creative Team.

Montarem Mens Grooming

In the world of male grooming, the landscape has changed dramatically with more and more people taking the care of their appearance, working in environments that require HD video calling and of course the current landscape of news presenting and on-camera appearances which is why brands like Montarem are important and offer a solution for the modern man.

The world has and still is in a state of fluctuation and more and more people are working from home, video calling and the media industry is working in the background to find new scripts and concepts for the day we can all start filming again and it will see a rise in the need for products tailored to men and offering options that will work across mediums from a laptop call to the screens of our TV’s. This is where Montarem will come into play offering a good option for solo workers, actors and more to create a more polished look when required.

While Montarem was started as a personal solution and will continue in this way, it is easy to see where the crossover to other areas of life are, simplifying the day to day and giving confidence back to the general populous, they have opened the door to the commercial, fashion and of course media world with their easy to use products that are solution-based.

“TV presenters take note if a makeup artist is unavailable for your show/newscast then Montarem will be able to help with their BB cream and concealer offering a way to ensure you are camera ready.” JamesC professional makeup artist.

To learn more about the range see:

Montarem Website (sign up for the newsletter).

Montarem Facebook.

Montarem Instagram.

Mykitco In Times of Reflection

Image courtesy of Mykitco Instagram

With an international reputation for their brushes, Mykitco has taken the savvy and generous step of supporting artists through social media and working with their clients both professional and consumer, to increase the use of the classic face chart. Spending time on Instagram TV designing and sketching with a showcase of the work of their viewers which has become a hit for the artistic scene.

Co-founder James Molloy is considered one of the elites of the makeup world with good reason and this step not only helps the business but shows how important it is to support and nurture talent with mentoring them through what is a difficult time for freelancers.

While primarily known for their brushes they are artist-led and look for solutions to the most common issues that are faced: storing your kit, packing your brushes being on-set with essential items and carrying a working kit that is both practical and stylish, which is at its heart what people look for as makeup staff. The logo also adds to the sense of artistic continuity and community, the badges are covetable with the added bonus of being a nod to your professional knowledge showing that you have your craft in mind and want the best in your working kit and life.

As a staple of many professional kits, it’s not uncommon to see Mykitco brushes and accessories popping up in pro kits backstage at the shows through to TV shows, a marker of how far they have come and the regard they are given as a brand and how they have become synonymous with a certain standard. Watching their channels and updates also has become integral to the rise of the company.

To learn more about the range or to purchase see:

Mykitco Website.

Mykitco Instagram.

Mykitco Facebook.

Mykitco Twitter.

Luminar Photo Editing Software

Something that we have talked about frequently and have in hand at the moment is our editorial work since much of this is done in house, we wanted a simple, easy to use photo editing software that would make the flow of work easier for the team and we found Luminar. Designed to work independently or as a plugin with other photo editing software, the Luminar Photo Editing Software is a dream for someone like our creative director JamesC, who likes the control aspect of being able to work with a small team which in the long term may be a good thing.

Naturally, at the moment we are holding back on further work (we do have some work in the can for publication later), the time we have has been set into doing other elements of business and the process of editing images, in some cases reedits has allowed us a little flexibility and changed the dynamic of what we offer. Which is positive all around for the creative process. Based on artificial intelligence the Luminar Software is designed to smooth the flow of work and reduce time spent on editing and will change the game for many people not just for the ease of use but the cost factor. With a series of deals available at this time and the added bonus of a donation from each sale going to Corona Virus research, the Luminar packages are excellent value and have the bonus of lifetime ownership.

To learn more or to purchase the software see:

Luminar Website.

*Affiliate Link Included in this article/blog.