Character Studies

In the experimental short Character Studies, vaudeville veteran Carter DeHaven performs a series of uncanny physical metamorphoses. Eschewing a traditional narrative, the film serves as a technical showcase where DeHaven utilizes elaborate makeup and precise physical mimicry to inhabit the personas of Hollywood’s most iconic figures. He shifts from the stoic deadpan of Buster Keaton to the swashbuckling bravado of Douglas Fairbanks, and even the tragic smolder of Rudolph Valentino. By utilizing advanced double-exposure techniques and dissolve transitions, the film presents a meta-commentary on the malleability of stardom. It is a proto-deepfake exercise that captures the essence of 1920s celebrity culture through a single, versatile performer.