At last! After attempting to capture a model sampling cigarettes for the first time and then document her journey into regular smoker, I’ve achieved my objective.
Last year I embarked on a series of shoots with Ange, a Ukranian model residing in London. In her early twenties Ange decided she’d like to sample a few cigarettes. This extended documentary follows her progress. For the previous instalments follow these links:
Ange: Sampling Cigarettes for the First Time: Part 2 of a New Experimental Documentary…
Ange: Sampling Cigarettes for the First Time. A New 2-Part Documentary of a New Smoker!
Having vowed to NEVER smoke alone and NEVER buy cigarettes the inevitability of addiction becomes apparent in this latest episode. She conveys to us viewers that during a trip to Asia she the cheaper cigarette prices and purchased a carton of cigarettes for consumption back here in London. She now regularly buys cigarettes and has started smoking during the week when she’s not socialising with friends. Effectively, her initial golden rules of never smoking alone and never purchasing cigarettes have been broken; addiction is beginning to grip her!
On film in front of you is the evolution of a non-smoker into an addicted habitual smoker. Each segment of the film conveys a little more about her addiction. The volume of cigarettes Ange smokes and the noticeable deeper inhales she performs over the months. For me personally this latest portion of the documentary is most illuminating. During our brief discussion on cigarette brands Ange reveals that the cigarettes she purchased from Thailand (Vogue cigarettes incidentally) are not to her taste. Subsequently she never smokes them unless (she says):
“I’m really desperate for a cigarette!”
And that single statement captures the objective of this extended project … following a non-smoker becoming addicted to cigarettes!
Ange no longer appears uncomfortable inhaling smoke; she no longer looks awkward de-ashing her cigarette, she no longer seems self-conscious holding a cigarette, but instead she looks like an accustomed smoker. Her drags are longer and her inhales are deeper.
I’ve finally managed to capture the entire journey on film. I hope you enjoy.
