The role of a costume designer By Ashley King Costumes by Colleen Attwood Costumes by Penny Rose

The Role of a Costume designer The role of a costume designer is to supply the clothing of actors to wear on set. These costumes must contain there own individual story, they must set the era for each character, the personality and provide a visually interesting scene for the viewer. Their job is to make the movie, opera, stage, and television show character "believable". Even if the theme or plot is fantasy. The costumes for mad men show the period of time the TV show is set in. Costume by Janie Bryant. This character in the movie Sweeny Todd, is tall, thin, and slender making the viewer automatically link cruelty and anger with the character.

The tasks of a costume designer

five primary tasks of this role Handle creative influences of the director. Prepare costume sketches. Take actors measurements. Construct garments for the scenes of each character and see if the garment reflects the chacters personality, era and story. Make sure the garments are taken care of and organised properly for each scene.

What kind of budget do they receive to complete their job? It usually depends on the class of production, for example a film can range to millions of dollars whilst a small production or play could reach up to the thousands or hundreds.

What specialist tools do they use? Every costume designer must need… A sewing machine, pins, elastic, buttons, zips, clasps, hooks and eyes, overlocker, heavy duty scissors, tiny thread snipping scissors, a needle, thread, fabric, embellishments, fabric paint and dyes and bobbins. ( this is obviously a beginner sewers list of supplies, the professionals list is much bigger)

How has new technology changed their job? Sewing machines have been around for thousands of years and they make sewing allot easier. Although the last hundreds of years new sewing machines have come out that are touch screen and have higher quality stitches, so over the last few years technology hasn't dramatically changed the average costume designers life, but instead have just made their lives easier and faster.

How does the narrative (story) of the film affect their work? The story line of the production DRAMATICALLY effects the work of a costume designer. The era, mood, personality, location and creativity of each character effects their costume. For example, in the movie Sweeny Todd, The era is set in the late 1846 and the costumes reflect the era brilliantly. The mood is dark and dreary and the costumes reflect this also, if you look at the costumes all in a heap, there isn't much colour and if there is it is mostly dark and shadowed. The personality of the character is shown through the costumes (tall and thin= mean, Chubby and short= funny and loveable.) by colour and shape, and the location is also reflected well too. (London- dark shades with a fleck of colour.)

What people do they have to work closely with? The costume designer works alongside the director, the lighting and scenic designers, and the sound designers. The costume designers also work closely with the hair and makeup designers.

What training courses are generally available? In Australia? In WA? Thankfully, there are many opportunities in Australia for costume designers, and many different options. Most universities supply a costume course as well as TAFE, however there are two main art schools in Australia that are brilliant for costume. The first is NIDA. NIDA is Australia's National Institute of Dramatic Art, a centre of excellence in training for theatre, film and television. NIDA's primary role is to select and train exceptionally gifted young people at a tertiary level, preparing them for careers in theatre, film and television. Course: Bachelor of Dramatic Art (COSTUME)__NIDA website. Based in Sydney Or there is WAAPA (the course I dream of getting into)-The Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) at Edith Cowan University. WAAPA is recognised nationally and internationally for the quality of its graduates. WAAPA provides the most comprehensive range of performing arts training in Australia and students can choose from a range of internationally recognised courses. Course: The Advanced Diploma of Live Production, Theatre and Events (Costume) ____WAAPA website.

What income are they likely to receive? You can make good money designing costumes in Hollywood, but the real problem is finding a way to earn a few bucks in-between jobs. Most costume designers work on a freelance basis, which means that they are self-employed, and have to seek out their own opportunities from one project to another. There isn’t really a Costume Designers ‘R Us’ that a director can visit to go shopping for someone he can hire for his next production. If you are a freelancer, you will often be paid in three instalments – once up front, once when all the work is completed, and the final instalment when the film or theatrical production premieres. However the over all money can range from $100,000 to billions of dollars.

What important awards can they win? The Academy Award for Best Costume Design is given out annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences for the best achievement of film costume design of the previous year. Films which are eligible for the award must meet a series of criteria, including the requirement that the costumes must have been "conceived" by a costume designer. For this particular criteria, each submission is reviewed by the costume designer members of the Art Directors Branch prior to the ballot process. - Wikapedia

State a person who is successful in this area. I have three main idols in this area, as they have designed costumes for my most favourite films. 1- Susan Hilferty- She designed the costumes for wicked, and became an award winning extremely successful designer, I loved her ability of taking a bland colour and experimenting with it in wicked! Her costumes where both visually interesting and all incredibly different. I loved the detail on each costume an liked how she made each unrealistic “fantasy” character realistic and believable. 2- Colleen Atwood- This women designed the costumes for both Alice in Wonderland and Sweeny Todd (which by now I think you can tell is one of my favourite movies.) I was ecstatic when watching these two movies because of what an exciting unique world she had created with the use of clothing. Her costumes where both dark and mysterious and Colleen does a great job of portraying each character across to the viewer. 3- Penny Rose- Penny Rose designed all the costumes for Pirates of the Caribbean from movie 1 to 4 and did an amazing job with it. Penny Rose was the reason I started to love costume design so much, It was released in 2003 ( I was about 7 when it was released) and since this movie I always knew I wanted to be involved in media. I thought it was a sign that I wanted to do directing but when I started using a sewing machine I knew this is what I wanted to do. I loved the detail Penny put on Elizabeth Swans dresses and how she took a very stereotypical, traditional pirate costume and created her own take of it. From what Jack Sparrow put on his head, to his boots- she thought about every aspect and idea. I have many other Idols in costume design including Cecil Beaton (my fair lady), Eioko Ishiokas, Catherine Martin and Angus Strathie (Moulin Rouge) and lastly Milena Canonero ( Marie Antoinette)

My idols creations Susan Hilferty- Wicked

My idols creations Penny Rose

My idols creations Colleen Attwood

My idols creations Milena Canonero.

State whether you would be interested in doing this role, and why/ not. This production role is ABSOLUTELY my dream, I want it more than anything and have, ever since I was seven. I love the creativity involved, I love how you can reflect the story/ scene on a characters piece of clothing and I love having to think of the construction of the garment. I plan to stay in school until year 12 and take fashion design courses in Polytechnic west (TAFE) next year. I will take courses throughout my entire years at school (as I am old enough to start next year) and gain further experience in costume design and production. At the moment I am currently Costume designer and wardrobe mistress for the production of Mid Summer Nights Dream, and intend to further my experience throughout the years. Every year I will try to take work experience at the Black Swan theatre company costume department, and may eventually even try to get on a real set. I plan to go to study a Edith Cowan university (WAAPA ) and get my Advanced Diploma of Live Production, Theatre and Events (Costume) certificate and hope fully will become a famous costume designer when I'm older.