The Queen's Gambit

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- This show relates highly to my 40 Hour Project. I have found that whatever I watch, read or consume as an audience member at the time of a project, has always has an effect on my outcome whether I realise it or not. However specifically, the way time is developed in The Queen's Gambit simply through the character development, relationships and fashion is why I really liked this series. I loved how it captured the normality of life and how it made a "normal" story feel captivating. It felt personal, like watching someone else's real life. I want to somehow bring the same meaning and effect to my work for 40 Hours. In addition, more physically, the colour scheme of the series is very appealing to me: it's like looking back on memories, it has a vintage, dark academia feel to it.

Fashion

Set in the Cold War era and during the cultural revolution of the 1960s, The Queen’s Gambit, based on Walter Tevis’s novel of the same name, is a compelling step back in time as well as a gripping coming-of-age drama. The story traces Beth’s journey from orphaned child to gifted adult battling with addiction to rise through the grand master ranks.

Over the course of seven episodes, Beth’s competitive drive takes her to Mexico City, New York, Paris, Las Vegas and Moscow. Along the way, she’s exposed to — and embraces — daring new fashions and the latest pop music. As the series and the decade progress, so does Beth’s style (The Study, 2020).

Every frame was an artwork in its own right, and the interiors and outfits were heaven for throwback-style enthusiasts (Who What Wear, Dec 2020)

Binder describes Beth’s interest in fashion as stealthy. She gradually evolves from wallflower to geeky teen whiz to coquettish wonder woman as she becomes immersed in her adventure. Indeed, Beth’s costumes reflect not only the colourful counterculture of the 1960s but also her own confidence as she ups her game (The Study, 2020).

I adore the way in which her style develops withe her personal growth in her mental state and for chess, while reflecting the passing of time and her growing older. I would love to incorporate fashion and props in my work to reflect this in a similar way while also being aesthetic and matching of the wider picture, the way that Beth’s fashion matches the places that she visits. For example, “In New York, she’s influenced by a Warholian Factory Girl look, while in Paris, she becomes a French soubrette in the image of a young Catherine Deneuve or Françoise Hardy. In Moscow, she mixes a killer instinct with kittenish femininity, exemplified by her green velvet baby-doll dress with large decorative bow collar, inspired by an original design by Biba, whose skimpy cuts and sumptuous fabrics summon the famous Swinging London style (The Study, 2020).

“Beth has an edge, but she finds it through misunderstandings rather than intuition. “Cristobal Balenciaga is one of my favorite designers. His work is so pure and sculptural. His radical pieces from the ’60s were especially inspirational.” -Gabriele Binder, Costume Designer

Cinematography

A strong factor of making the show interesting for the viewer was the focus on the characters: their emotions and movements, rather than the subject of chess. It highlighted how important each move was for Beth and her opponent ands without even knowing how to play chess, the game became interesting and easy to follow though the story telling and cinematography.

Instead of interrupting the action with frequent cuts, The Queen’s Gambit favors thoughtful long takes, particularly when Beth makes a poised entrance or exit (Vulture, 2020). This demonstrated Beth’s progression as time passed and how she develops as a person due to her experiences, becoming confident and therefore more powerful reflecting on camera.

The way German Expressionism uses black and white contrast is mirrored in the colour palette of the mini-series with a strong focus on natural lighting to capture a shot. It also cleverly captures the colours of a chess board bringing across the way that Beth sees the world.

Research: 40 Hours

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