Dinesh Kamath's column 'Information about Careers' (Costume Designer) that was published in Newsband

Information about Careers

Costume designer

By Dinesh Kamath

A costume designer or costume mistress/master is a person who designs costumes for a film or stage production. This role is an important part of the production team. The costume designer works alongside the director, scenic, lighting designer, sound designer, and other creative personnel. The costume designer may also collaborate with hair stylist, wig master, or makeup artist. In European theatre, the role is different, as the theatre designer usually designs both costume and scenic elements.

Designers typically seek to enhance a character's personality, and to create an evolving plot of colour, changing social status, or period through the visual design of garments and accessories. They may distort or enhance the body—within the boundaries of the director's vision. The designer must ensure that the designs let the actor move as the role requires. The actor must execute the director's blocking of the production without damaging the garments. Garments must be durable and washable, particularly in extended runs. The designer must consult not only with the director, but the set and lighting designers to ensure that all elements of the overall production design work together. The designer must possess strong artistic capabilities and a thorough knowledge of pattern development, draping, drafting, textiles and fashion history. The designer must understand historical costuming, and the movement style and poise that period dress may require.

Responsibilities

A costume designer creates the look of a character in film, television or in a stage production and in a play. Their main duties are...

1. Read and analyze the script.

2. Work closely with the director and other designers (set designer, lighting designer, make-up artist) on the production team to develop design concepts.

3. Do research to flesh out design concepts. (for example, geographical setting, time period, characters and their relationships and actions).

4. Create a comprehensive costume plot outlining all of the costumes and changes for the production.

5. Develop and implement a budget for costume-related expenses.

6. Produce drawings and colour renderings of costumes.

7. Review costume designs with producer and director for approval.

8. Meet with the wardrobe manager and head cutter to discuss each design.

9. Purchase fabrics, new or used clothing and accessories (typically this is done by a "shopper", not the designer).

10. Develop or consult on patterns for costumes if it is necessary.

11. Attend fittings and rehearsals.

12. Refine or adjust costumes if needed (i.e. lead got pregnant since designs, and now they must conceal this fact.)

Types of costume designer

Professional costume designers generally fall into three types: freelance, residential, and academic.

Freelance designers are hired for a specific production by a theatre, dance or opera company, and may or may not actually be local to the theatre they design for. A freelancer is traditionally paid in three instalments: Upon hire, on delivery of final renderings, and opening night of the production. Freelancers are not obligated to any exclusivity in what projects they work on, and may design for several productions concurrently.

A residential designer is hired by a specific theatre, dance or opera company for an extended series of productions. This can be as short as a summer stock contract, or may be for many years. A residential designer's contract may limit the amounts of freelance work they are allowed to accept. Unlike the freelancer, a residential designer is consistently "on location" at the theater—at hand to work with costume studio and other collaborators. Residential designers tend to be more established than strict freelancers, but this is not always the case.

An academic designer is one who holds professorship at a school. The designer is primarily an instructor, but may also act as a residential designer to varying degrees. They are often free to freelance, as their schedule allows. In the past, professors of costume design were mostly experienced professionals that may or may not have had formal post-graduate education, but it has now become increasingly common to require a professor to have at least a Master of Fine Arts in order to teach.

Both residential and academic designers are generally also required to act as Shop Master or Mistress of an onsite costume shop, in addition to designing productions. In a resident theatre, there is almost always a shop staff of stitchers, drapers, cutters and craft artisans. In an academic environment the shop "staff" is generally students, who are learning about costume design and construction. Most universities require costume design students to work a specified number of hours in the shop as part of their course work.