Studio Production: Etsy VT Shoot

Studio Production: Etsy VT Shoot

The second and final VT that my group was in charge of filming, was the VT with the Etsy seller. We wanted to film a VT that would give a little background information on Bonnie, our online clothes retailer. 

Although my primary role outside of the studio is as a researcher, I  thought it would be a good idea for me to attend this shoot to lend a hand (since our director George Wing couldn't make it) and also since I was the person who initially contacted and reached out to Bonnie, I thought it would be a good idea for her to meet me so I could introduce myself in person and brief her further about the show. 

We met at the studios in the morning before heading to the contributors house as a group. We introduced ourselves to Bonnie and explained our idea with her further. We had a quick reccie of her studio to see which angles and which table would look the best. \

Although the first room we looked at had more natural light, this was not the contributors actual studio, and as such did not have convenient access for the her sowing machine. As such we wanted the contributor to feel as natural and relaxed as possible, so we were happy to set up some LED's in her studio to give as a great new set up. Although George Wing wasn't with us, we set up the composition of the shot to get a decent mise en scene that we thought he would be happy with. George had also sent us a few video examples and a brief of the look he had in mind that we would do our best to adhere to. 

For this shoot we decided to go with a two camera set up. This is so we could create an interesting montage sequence that would maintain the audiences attention. This way we could also have one camera focussing on Bonnie while the other focussed on whatever she was making, the items she was using, the movement of the sowing machine etc. Having two cameras allowed us to get opposite angles and reverse shots of each item while still remaining within a 180 degree range. 

In this shoot Alex Baldwin and Alex Hargood were the main camera and sound operators. Connor Deamer was the producer (although his role overlapped in to that of a director as well which worked well, giving us key guidance). We also had Laura who was there with me to lend a hand and make the contributor comfortable.

During this shoot I practiced my floor managing skills by briefing our talent on what we would be shooting, where they should walk, look etc. and when I wasn't doing this I was camera assisting, making sure the exposures and white balances matched, suggesting shots and occasionally taking control of a camera to follow some action. 

We filmed a set up sequence, getting some high angle shots of the materials being played out on the table and the sowing machine being set up. Then Bonnie took us through the process of making one of her items. We made sure to include a few pull focuses, zooms, pans and title so that we could create an interesting montage in the edit.

After the process was finished we were sure to get some wide and panning shots of the finished item; the kind you might see on a live broadcast. We finished the day by filming a small introduction sequence (being careful not to divulge too much background info that we are saving for the studio interview) and also obtaining a few establishing shots of the house and studio to help lead in the sequence. 

Overall the day went well. We got plenty of footage that we can create a montage from and it was great to meet the contributor that I had been talking to these past few weeks. 

As Live Production: Old To New Final Cut Review

As Live Production: Old To New Final Cut Review

After finishing the shoot on the "Old To New" VT Alex Hargood worked hard to edit together a cut. I viewed the rough and fine cuts and overall was really pleased with how both of them turned out. 

The VT has really nice transitions and the switch from a male to a female model and then back again as the decade's change are a really nice touch. 

The mise en scene for the whole shoot is really nice and the props that were gathered help add to the scene without detracting attention from the models.

In the rough cut there were a few shots that needed either cropping or extending. This is because either the model's face was cut off or a bag/other item was in the shot. And also because some shots did not give the audience long enough to focus on the clothing items.

There was also a transition that had an 80's logo spinning on a record (which worked really well as a transition) but then stopped. I suggested that it should keep spinning and the shot should then either fade or cut so that the pace is not ruined. 

I also thought when I first viewed the rough cut that to help symbolise the passing of decades and trends each decade should have a different filter. 

I am really pleased that these changes made it in to the final cut and that my research into style trends were clearly utilised in this VT.

I think that the music works well and that the VT utilises rhythmic editing without solely relying on it. Each shot is a nice length and gives the audience a chance to view the clothing items. 

Apart from the graphics (which are deliberately made to stand out). a lot of the editing is invisible which is what you want. The light levels are also very effective creating a good atmosphere without casting too many shadows.

Overall seeing my suggested changes make it in to the final cut there is nothing else that i can think of that needs changing. 

As Live Production: Rehearsal 20/03/18

As Live Production: Rehearsal 20/03/18

Today we had our first rehursal with our actual presenters and proper stand in's. We were all put inner production rolls and returned to our assigned positions (e.g. specific camera numbers) that were arranged last week. In the case of myself and Sonia it was agreed that our role would not be split in to two halves, instead we would work in tandem with Jack as our assistant. Although there was some initial confusion with others over this I have to say it worked really well. 

Entering the studios we had to set up the cameras and talkback as usual, since everyone knew where they were assigned this was easier than last week, however we had encountered several technical difficulties with one of the cameras. For unknown reasons it was not producing a visual output. As floor manager I had to communicate frequently with the director and the camera op to establish that everyone was aware of the issue and make sure it was being worked on. 

As we had our real presenters in the studio for this rehearsal and floor managers have a huge connection with he talent I knew it was important to introduce myself. I made sure that the presenters knew who I was and who the other floor manager/assistant floor manger was. Then having learned from last week, I gave them a quick briefing as to what some of my hand signals meant, so that they wouldn't be confused. I ran them through the basic/most important ones and made sure to make them clear and regular to help them remember them and learn new ones. 

Another advantage of today was that our set was placed/oriented where it would be in the actual show, and everyone had the same version of the script, meaning everyone was more prepared and had a clear idea of what would be required of them. 

Since we had focussed a lot on the introduction of the show last week, the directors felt that we should rehearse a different section of the script. The advantage of this was that we had some mock up/rough cut VT's prepared ao we knew exactly how long we had between segments and the gallery/VT operators could practice the running of these clips. 

As the day went on we discovered that although we all had the same script the camera blocking on it was a little rushed and a lot of it needed re-working. Whilst the director would often talk to the cameras directly through talkback (or occasionally come out on to the studio floor), I was still responsible for making sure the cameras were appropriately spaced, were aware of where they needed to be at all times. 

We aslo had our actual mannequin in the studio and could block the scene around it. The difficult faced with his however is that in this scene, and the one directly following it there were a number of stage directions that were listed for the presenters to follow. When rehearsing the scene for the first time the presenters were unsure weather or not to follow them, and although I asked the director they didn't pick up one this until the second take. This was when Del informed us that if the script says we should do something, then usually it is best we follow it without waiting for the director to cue it, otherwise It could hold up the

show.

Throughout the day I had to deal with a number of questions and issues from both talent and crew. As floor manager I made sure to regularly check in on the presenters and make sure they were happy and most importantly knew what was going on at all times. At the start of each new scene I made sure to ask the director which camera each presenter should be looking at, then communicate this with them and annotate it on scripts. One thing I did mess up on was cuing talent next to starting cameras. 

As a floor manager I leaned from last week that the talent need to be able too see me at all times. But on top of this at the start of each scene I should be cuing talent next to their starting camera, not in notes centre of the floor. This not only saves time and running around, but makes sure there eye line is in the correct place. This is something I learned today and was sure to pick up on as rehearsals went on.

The next scene we rehearsed was the finale. This was the section that took the longest. Since we had to get all of our contributors on to the stage, move our cameras with a fast turn around, and still guide the presenters, it was quite the challenge. This is where I was particularly glad for the help of Sonia and Jack. While myself and Sonia took charge of the presenters and guests on set, jack stood behind the set ready to cue on the models. 

This scene had not been blocked or rehearsed before and as such it took multiple different attempts to get it right. At first the director wanted all the models/guests to stand one the catwalk. However it was decided that there was not enough time and space for the talent that was sat not the sofa, to get up and make their way back stage. The next issue was that having all the models on the catwalk and our other talent standing in

the centre did bot look right, and in fact messed with the framing. So we attempted to have all contributors stood on the catwalk but found it to be too crowded. 

To resolve this I suggested that we have two models walk down at a time, then the first two can stand bellow/beside the catwalk, and the other two can stand on it, leaving just enough space for the remaining contributor to walk

down and stand in the centre of the catwalk, whilst the drag act remained in the soft area with the presenters. After a few attempts this seemed to work quite well. I did have to update the models on their positioning every time the director changed their mind. Also initially the presenters were asked to stand (which I would have to cue), but this messed with the framing so I asked them to remain seated.

At one point the presenters venture over to the catwalk and in to the audience, but they do so one at a time. To save me trying to be in two places at once Sonia and I each took charge of a presenter. She would follow one and guide them, while I followed the other, guiding them when to stand, where to move too, and which camera to look at, ensuring no one ever felt lost. Throughout the day I also had to deal with the requests and concerns of the crew. For example cameras were concerned about how they would fit around the audience and that they would be seen in one or two shots. Since today was mostly about blocking I had to use my communication skills to talk to the director then reassure the camera ops that they were being listened to and we were aware of their points but the director was not overly concerned about the minor issues they had raised at this point, however they would anted to them in a later rehearsal. 

Overall today was a great day for developing my communication skills as floor manager. I dealt with a number of requests from both crew and talent, learned how we should block out our scenes and what needed to happen during VT's/SOT. I managed to halt presenters at each stings and work around our audience camera. Whilst today had its fair share of problems, we were able to overcome most of them working as a team with both crew and other floor managers to create a successful rehearsal  The next step will be to do a full run through of the show.

As Live Production: Old To New VT Shoot

As Live Production: Old To New VT Shoot

Today we filmed the Old To New VT for our studio production. Considering a lot of details about this shoot had to be changed quite last minuet we did a great job. And although I was only a researcher I still found it useful to be on this shoot.

This shoot was filmed at the UCA project space at Rochester, that we had booked out in advance. Connor Deamer was our producer, George Wing was our director, Alex Baldwin was lead camera, Alex Hargood was sound and assistant camera, and I filled in where I was needed as a researcher and production assistant.

One of the first difficulties we encountered was conflicting schedules. Today was the only day we could reserve the location, but we had the models booked for a different day. As a result we had to source new models just days before the shoot. We also had a time limit on the location and had to ensure we stayed on schedule.

Fortunately the models turned up on time and with me there to lend a helping hand we were able to set up really quickly. We had a photographer with us to help with the story telling of the shoot. Unfortunately they couldn't get their or Alex H's DSLR to work. Fortunately I brought mine as a backup. I gave them a quick tutorial on how to work it. Since it was a different make than they were used to they asked me for tips on how to get the best photos out of it and how to manipulate the settings. I was able to advise and offer help that would benefit the look of our production. 

The models were all wearing outfits and trends that I had researched in detail before the shoot. I picked the biggest trends from each decade that had returned and shared this information with Connor so he could buy relevant outfits for our models. This was done successfully and they had stuck to the themes I had provided. 

 
For each decade we also had a different lighting, which I helped set up and offered opinions on the rise en scene (for example I pointed out some marks on the wall that I was able to clean up so they didn't detract from the rise en scene).

George Wing had also prepared some props to match each decades trend which really enhanced the quality of the shoot. 

The first trend was from the 60's. The model sat on a stool so that the framing would match that of traditional 60's era photos. The model wore a mod style outfit that I had looked in to.

For 70's we had the model wearing patterned flares and they were surrounded by vinyl records. 

For 80's we had a simple roll neck jumper look paired with a bump bag. We also placed an old style space heater to help emphasise the era. 

For 90's we had the models sporting double denim and camouflage jackets. For this I helped set up a projector to play 90's related videos to make for a cool background. 

We had to dim the lights and blur the projector focus to get this to be effective without drawing attention from the models or causing copyright infringement. But I think it worked really well.

We covered a variety of camera angles (George made sure we covered all the ones on our shot list before seeing if we had time to experiment). We tried to get both tripod and hand held shots for each angle so we had options to work with in the edit. 

Both Alex's had great control over the camera, and although we didn't have a dolly we were still Abel to achieve decent movement and effective pans. Thanks to our mock up VT we knew to leave space for graphics and pop ups. We also were sure to get a close up on each individual item of clothing so we could create a tag for them in post. Although we had a different location to our mock up VT, we were also still able to get some great high and low angel shots by utilising the space around us.

My role today was mostly assisting with tripod and lighting set up's since really the majority of my work was completed beef the shoot. Still I made valuable contributions by helping to arrange props, projector set up (finding clips that fitted the era's I had researched) and I also took a variety of behind the scenes photographs that the promos team could use.

Overall today was extremely efficient and productive. We stuck to our time frame and shot list and even had time to get additional shots. George and Connor were very clear as to what they wanted and were able to communicate this effectively to both camera and models.

Both Alex's had great control over the camera and everyone worked together well. Considering we only organised the models a couple of days before the shoot, they were really professional and responded well to direction. Everyone demonstrated good initiative and problem solving skills, key for adapting a shoot to make it as successful as possible. I was happy to lend a hand and had effective input. The photographer, props, set and lighting design all helped to enhance the story telling and I look forward to seeing the edit for this.

As Live Production: Rehearsal Workshop 13/03/18

As Live Production: Rehearsal Workshop 13/03/18

Today we had our first rehearsal workshop. From this rehearsal onwards we all work in our production roles. Meaning fir this reversal and all subsequent ones, I was the floor manager for the studio. 

Although the studio production is split in to two distinct halves with those in group A taking the lead for the first half and group B taking the lead for the second half. Del was very keen to express that even if you are not in your half of the show, you won't be doing nothing. You will constantly be working even if it is just assisting your counterparts in the other group.

I found that to be particularly true as a floor manager. As this was our first reversal with the show script I hadn't seen exactly how our show would play out and as a result I found things a little more challenging than I expected since I hadn't been able to practice. I found out very early on that as floor manager you often have to be in two places at once, so having the other floor manager or assistant floor manager around at all times is very useful. 

We began the rehearsal by running through the intro of our show. This was a great place to start as it helped us to understand where our initial starting positions for cameras, talent etc. should be, and gave us an idea of how this would change/evolve over the course of the show. For this rehearsal we were more active and had more instruction coming to us over talkback than before (since we want to replicate what it will be like in the live show).

This helped us to develop our awareness and filtration skills. Since the gallery are always talking and discussing what shots to get, as a floor manager I must learn to filter out a lot of this noise in order to focus on the needs of those on the floor. However at the same time it is important to be alert to what the gallery are saying in case they need to speak to you at any time. Admittedly I struggled to balance this once or twice, but after we had run through the scenes a few times I began to learn what to listen out for.  

Running through the opening of the script allowed me to learn where the presenters would be standing in the Live show and thanks to our stand ins, helped me understand the kind of direction I would need to give them. Just because the countdown reaches zero, doesn't mean the presenters should start speaking or appear on screen. I have to wait until the director queues the presenters and then communicate this to the presenters via hand signals or a verbal gesture, sometimes this brought challenges or anxiety as the director may forget to queue the presenters, meaning we either had to guess our timing or quickly communicate with the gallery to make sure there were no issues. 

As our rehearsal went on we tired out different sections of the script to give us more variety. This was a great way to prepare us for he show in the short space of time we have. But it did come with its share of challenges. Firstly several people (including our stand in presenters and our directors) were working on a slightly different version of the script. This meant that when the director asked as to start from a specific page or section, it would cause issues as they would get confused as to why we were starting on a different section than expected. 


Another issue I faced as floor manager was communication. At parts of the show I had to be in two places at once, I needed to be able to brief and queue the presenters while also being in the centre of the floor to guide the cameras. It is incredibly difficult to be in two places at once, and as such I was incredibly grateful to have both Sonia and Jack to help, even if it wasn't their section of the show (as Del said even if its not your section of the show, you need to learn it as you'll always be working to assist your counterparts). Thanks to help from Sonia, Jack, and Laura (who was lead camera so could take the lead at times to capture the talents attention and queue other cameras), we were able to overcome the issue of being In two places at once. I could be in one place briefing and sending on the presenters, while Sonia and the others could be on the floor to queue the cameras and the presenters. 

Sometimes the stand in presenters would start to talk without being queued to start, or would continue taking after I had singled for them to wrap things up. In order to overcome this I had a detailed chat with the talent before the start of each rehearsal  in order to make sure they knew what my hand signals meant, and I knew where best to stand to get their attention. 

The day continued and we worked on a few different sections. Some required the presenters to move from one part of the set to another, I made sure they knew what their queues were, so there were no issues with this (especially since we did a few practice runs). We also set up our 2+1 interview section where we would have our Etsy seller come in and talk us through some items. Thanks to practicing this last week and effective communication between myself and the talent we were able get this section to flow efficiently and to time.


Practicing these different sections also allowed us to run through camera changes and moves. As we changed scenes during a VT we got to run through different floor plans and have the cameras change positions, which thanks to the abundance of hands we have on set and  went relatively smoothly.

Overall today was a great learning experience. As floor manager I learned how to work in tandem with Sonia, and the other people on the floor. At times I would step in to learn hands on where talent would need to stand, look, and move to, helping me gain a greater understanding of the direction I needed to give them. I was able to improve my communication skills vastly, updating and talking to the talent and cameras/sound regularly to learn what worked for them and what they wanted from me.

Transition: Briefing

Transition: Briefing

The transition unit seeks to help you decide the role you want to fill and the output you want to create for your third year project. E.g. what you want to do as a creative. 

For this unit you are tasked with re-creating/re-imagining an existing piece of work, which will be different depending on your production role. 

e.g. as a director you could re-create a TV sequence, making sure to stick to the style and approach used in the original material. As an editor you could edit a sequence using similar techniques and stylistic approaches as the original source material. 

But re-imagining also plays a big part as you won't learn much by re-creating something shot for shot. As a writer you could re-imagine/re-write how a scene would take place in your mind, while still remaining faithful to the source material. 

Knowledge of: A focussed production role and project format. 

Understanding through application of: Critical research of a chosen production role and chosen format.

Understanding through application of: Developed technical and creative skills in the production of an audio visual output.

Understanding through application of: Developed research, critical reflections and enhanced independent learning. 

As Live Production: Entertainment Studio Production Analysis

As Live Production: Entertainment Studio Production Analysis

As part of my ongoing research for this unit, I am going to be critically analysing a studio-based entertainment programme. Reviewing the success of all the filming elements that it uses and how it has inspired/informed my work. 

The show I have chosen to look at is "This Morning". Officially re-launching on ITV in 2009 the show is a "breakfast show" that provides Live entertainment for a wide audience. 

The show features two presenters namely Phillip Schofield (who was a personality type that I thought would have worked well for my pitch idea "Teen Talk TV") and Holly Willoughby. Having two presenters like these who have great chemistry and can bounce off of each other, means that they are the primary source of entertainment. They are the recognisable icons that people picture when they think of the show and they generate a warm welcoming atmosphere. 

This was the type of character we wanted when casting hosts for "Steal The Style". And from what I've seen of our presenters, they do have that warm welcoming chemistry which is necessary for the show to successfully draw in an audience. 

The set for this show is also well constructed. It is reasonably large but appears homely/cozy thanks to the use of props and space management. When designing a set for my own pitch I used a 3D room building software to visualize how my set would look, with a large soft area and well-placed lighting and props. 

"This Morning" features both Hard and Soft areas that the presenters can walk to and interact with guests in. This means that scripting/blocking and directing has to be well planned out to keep a constant energy level throughout the show that helps presenters "segway" in to a new topic. 

For "Steal The Style" I look forward to working closely with the directors and presenters to plan out how we can block our scenes. The producers have already taken inspiration from "This Morning" and we plan to have both a hard and soft area. So when floor managing in this show I will be able to guide presenters as to which cameras they should look at and where/when they should move in order to keep a constant flow of energy that maintains audience attention. 

It is also interesting to look at the camera set-up for this show. Unlike some of the other shows, I have looked at "This Morning" regularly uses a standard 2 + 3 interview set up. Although it is such a common occurrence in studio productions, it (along with the blocking between areas I mentioned earlier), allows for a great multi-camera set up. You can have one camera as a wide, one as a mid/close up, two on the guests, and one on the presenters. Allowing for a variety of angles that gives an otherwise static interview more energy, successfully drawing in the viewer. 

For "Steal The Style" we actually have 5 cameras to work with, and we have been practising this interview set up in rehearsals. So hopefully when we have our set come in and a new version of the script we will be able to play around more with this setup to grant an even more immersive viewing experience. 

The show features a variety of guests and contributors that help generate the stories and entertainment value. When pitching my idea I had already thought of some guests I wanted that would make for an interesting story. But since "Steal The Style" was the winning pitch I have been working hard as a researcher to source interesting contributors that have a valuable or entertaining story to tell. In-fact I have been in contact with an Etsy seller who not only fits with the content of our show but can provide a unique and entertaining story that you would find on a show like "This Morning". Unlike some other shows ive seen this one makes good use of VT's to divide up its content and will help us learn how to transition into the VT's we are using in "Steal The Style".

Overall the show features a more traditional set up than some other Live/As-Live shows. But it is probably the closest show to "Steal The Style" in terms of content and technical set up, with its two presenters, hard and soft set, and simple multi-camera layout. But because of that there is so much to learn from it in terms of blocking, scripting, cross shooting, VT's etc.

As Live Production: Factual Studio Production Analysis

As Live Production: Factual Studio Production Analysis

To help me have a greater understanding of how studio productions work, I will be analysing a studio based factual programme. For this I have chosen to look at QI. 

QI first broadcast in 2003 and is still running to this day. Although the shows primary purpose was to educate and inform its audience, contradicting popular misconceptions and beliefs. It was one of the first shows to attract a wider audience by casting celebrities instead of industry experts to deliver this information in an interesting and entertaining way. 

For this reason, it was a big inspiration for my studio pitch (Teen Talk TV) and although it is a panel based show I think it provides useful inspiration for "Steal The Style". 

The show usually lasts for 30min and is filmed "As Live" with minor touch up's in editing before it is broadcast. For that reason, it is a great template to base our studio ideas off of it. 

The show has one main presenter, who is charismatic enough to carry the show by himself. His energy, wit, and amusing interaction with guests draws an audience in and is exactly the feel we wanted for both my pitch (Teen Talk TV), and the winning pitch (Steal The Style). 

The show also features multiple guests/contributors who compete against one another to win points, but also interact with one another to spark debates and discussion. This means that from a technical point of view there needs to be an effective multi-camera set up to deliver a range of angles and shot sizes. 

It strays away from the traditional 2+3 interview format and gives the director and vision mixer a more varied show. With steal the style we have sections that also break away from the 2+3 format so this show is useful to look at.

Also the show is only loosely scripted (relying on cue cards primarily) so the presenters have to "ad lib" which is something often present in a talk show format and "steal the style will be no exception". 

The show has other technical aspects only found in a live studio format. These include graphics and sound effects that have to be cued on certain lines, meaning effective communication  

Overall i'd say that this show fulfils its brief very well. It delivers a series of facts to an audience in an entertaining way. The set design, lighting plan and scripting is fairly simple, but more technical aspects like graphics, sound, camera angles, vision mixing etc offer a detailed insight that we can use in Steal The Style.

As Live Production: Research Update

As Live Production: Research Update

Following our recent meeting it was agreed that we should replace our 2000's section with a 1960's section. To account for this I have  continued my work as a researcher to find further information and identify the key trends of the 1960's (that have been revived) that we can use in our shoot. Bellow is a summary of my findings.

60’s Trends

Mods and Rockers were a huge part of 60’s fashion. While the “rocker” style was more about standing out from the crowd and making a statement. It is the more reserved and smart “Mod” style that has made a comeback in today’s fashion.

The mod style was all about incorporating smart high brow fashion in to everyday wear. Staples of the “mod” style included smart shirts, chinos, and a suit style jacket.

This hasn’t changed much over time. The only notable thing is that with the expansion of the internet along with high street retailers, it has allowed for more tailoring of outfits for a more personalized fit. And although the 60’s mods did have some range of tones to choose from in outfits, with more colours becoming fashionable and available for cheaper prices over time, modern mods have a greater variety of colours to choose from.

In today's world you can see the mod style being represented by stars like Tom Ford.

When it came to the women of the 60’s Mini Skirts were all the rage. As shorter clothing became more widely accepted women would turn to mini skirts as a staple of their outfits, used to accentuate and show off their figure.

Trends for women also included leopard print clothing e.g. bags, tops, leggings etc.

The 60’s also saw the birth of patterned tights; women were able to further express their own unique style by picking unique tights, which is a trend that has seen a comeback in recent years. And one further popular 60’s trend we see today is knee high boots, since people were able to worry a little less about practicality and more about making a statement; so something practical like boots were adapted and pushed to become fashionable items.

As we’ve seen with knee high boots, the 60’s had the attitude of “The Bigger The Better”. And this trend didn’t just stop with clothes, hair was also big in the 60’s, we see it represented by films like “Hairspray” and brought about by the afro style of the black community. Hair was often kept up and products were used to keep it as big as possible.

Fanny Pack Info

Since we decided to replace roll neck jumpers with Fanny packs I took it upon myself to find a little bit more about them. 

They first became popular in the mid 1980's, the trend was believed to have started in America, favoured by "soccer mums" as a practice way of keeping key items close to hand without the need for a large hand bag. However the trend soon made it across the see to the UK and they became soon became fashionable as well as practical. 

Manufacturers started producing them in a wide variety of colours and patterns to attract a wider market and piggie back on this fashion trend, which helped to increase their popularity. 

Today they are seen as a popular accessory and are frequently paired with an otherwise simple outfit to help make it stand out more.

Today as times and attitudes have changed they have been able to reach a wider market, becoming more evenly spread across both men and women. 

They're modern popularity is partly due to celebrity endorsement  Comedy stars like Demi Lardner, and other famous faces have given the trend a boost. Interestingly the way we wear these bags has also changed over time. Rather than the traditional waist positioning, they have been seen to be worn to the side and even over the shoulder. And while seen more of a fashion option than a practical tool their popularity is bigger than ever.

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