"Into The Woods" Transformation

[Phantom487]

Posted: 3/20/05 at 9:36pm

OK guys... I know this was probably talked about before, but I searched and couldn't find anything... so please dont bite my head off....

Anyway, I was watching the video of "Into The Woods" with Bernadette, and I was wondering HOW they did the Witch's transformation??? I mean, she had alot of makesup and latex on her face... and I mean, I never got to see it live, but on the video the transformation is pretty fast. Anyone know how it was done?

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 3/20/05 at 9:36pm

Body double.

[ElphieDefiesGravity]

Posted: 3/20/05 at 9:39pm

If you watch the movie, you will notice that she keeps her face kind of turned away from the audience and has her hood over her fac. I think she is pretty normal looking by the time she is supposed to change, so it really doesn't take long. Someone correct me if I am wrong, I haven't seen this movie in ages.

[Mythus]

Posted: 3/20/05 at 9:57pm

She has the hood up for the only time in the entire first act and she keeps mostly turned away. In the video, though, you can still see that she has makeup on. I think that in that scene it's just a mask she can pull off, or something, not actually latex pieces stuck to her face.

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 3/20/05 at 10:00pm

as i recall parts of this were not shot in front of an audience so i believe her filmed transformation involved a cut

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 3/20/05 at 10:02pm

someone add this to the FAQ list please...

[ElphieDefiesGravity]

Posted: 3/20/05 at 10:04pm

But jonart~ When I saw the revival, Vanessa Williams also had a quick change...

Updated On: 3/20/05 at 10:04 PM

[Mythus]

Posted: 3/20/05 at 10:06pm

I considered it being a body double, but in the video it's clearly Bernadette. Then again, it's the video. During that scene, the Witch is frequently running around the stage - even running off of it, I believe. So in the actual show I'm guessing that they use a body double, and when the Witch runs around at some point they switch.

[ElphieDefiesGravity]

Posted: 3/20/05 at 10:09pm

You have have no idea how upset that makes me. My whole life...a lie. Nothing but a big fat lie.

[Caroline-Q-or-TBoo]

Posted: 3/20/05 at 10:09pm

i think Vanessa pulled off a mask, i saw it live also and it was pretty quick, but she was raised in the air and surronded by smoke so who knows

[Mythus]

Posted: 3/20/05 at 10:14pm

She was raised in the air? That's much fancier than turning around, rustling around under your cape and then flinging the cape off.

[Caroline-Q-or-TBoo]

Posted: 3/20/05 at 10:17pm

she through her arms up got raised a little smoke flew everywhere and she came down she was... Vanessa.

[Parks]

Posted: 3/20/05 at 11:00pm

That's fancy schmancy. I thought I read on the ITW site (while it was still up) that Rapunzel's hair had a cool effect to it when it got "cut" off...or am I just making that up? If something did happen, what did they do? Did anything happen with hair?

[Caroline-Q-or-TBoo]

Posted: 3/20/05 at 11:03pm

oh yea! i remeber that too Park, but i just cant remember... BTW- did u get Mary_Ehels PM?

[broadwaystar2b]

Posted: 3/20/05 at 11:03pm

According to my "Let's Put On A Musical" book, originally it was a body double for that scene and Bernadette was behind a tree saying her lines in the fancy dress

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 3/20/05 at 11:31pm

Yes - that is what happened. But it's also true that on the video, it's Bernadette the entire time onstage. They didn't film it continuously, they cut and filmed that part separately, not infront of an audience.

[Jon]

Posted: 3/21/05 at 12:14am

Yes - the video was cut together so no body double was needed. When the Witch goes off stage to bring the dead cow back to life, she is replaced by a double while she does her costume and make-up change. She says her lines from the wings while the double mouths them. Just before the transformation, the double walks behind a tree and is replaced by the real witch, who is completely changed but covered by the cloak. All she has to do then is remove the cloak.


I don't know about the Vanessa Williams mid-air thing.

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 3/21/05 at 1:45am

Vanessa Williams most definitely had a body double. It was clearly not her acting out that scene, and I think I did see her hiding behind one of the trees because the harness was visible.

~Steven

[Sant]

Posted: 3/21/05 at 6:08am

They raised her in the air for transformation? That's so Disney...