Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Best Practices When Considering A Costume Design Career

By Patricia Butler


Watching movies and television shows can be very inspiring, especially if you love the clothes that the characters are wearing. Fashioning costumes for media and entertainment is a creative yet demanding job that requires both skill and determination. If you have these qualities in spades as well as a keen eye for style, then look to the advice below guide you on your future calling as a costume designer.

In your blood. People who desire this job must know all about clothes and how they work on the human body since this is a key trait that all costume designers possess. For example, they know what fabrics and notions are suitable for a period gown and the alternatives to Elizabethan collar. In addition, a skilled set of hands that can cut and sew are extremely desired skills indeed.

Make connections. Breaking into the industry can be tough, even for wardrobe designers. You could increase your chances by applying as an apprentice, assistant, or an intern in the costume department of a film production. This first step could potentially lead you to influential figures in the business and such links may spell out a bright future ahead of you.

Keep holding on. The reality of Hollywood is brutal and vicious behind the scenes because plenty of people are jockeying for highly coveted jobs, and the costume department gigs are no exception. If you are told no, you must never give up. Rejections are hard to accept, but remember that you will go through many declined offers before you will be accepted.

Collaboration is key. Understand that however talented you may be in fashioning the most amazing garments, you still have certain limitations. Which is why it is imperative that you should be a team player since it requires a lot of people to dress actors in front of the camera. Working with others who share the same goals as you do will ultimately be beneficial to everyone involved.

Extraordinary imagination. A true test of your inherent design skills is your capacity to adapt to restrictive situations like limited budgets. This is a common occurrence in the film industry and wardrobe supervisors must find a way to produce a comprehensive range of high quality designs for next to nothing. When you are able to accomplish this, you will definitely be acknowledged.

The big difference. What you need to understand is that designing for a film or TV production is very different from designing fashion intended for commercial retail. While it is good that you possess a keen eye for real world style trends, this often does not apply in a fictional setting. Be mindful of this deviation since outfits for movies and TV shows are not meant to be worn in everyday life.

Drop the ego. You are most likely to cross paths with outsized egos in the film industry and managing these demanding personalities can be mentally and emotionally exhausting. That being said, your own attitude must be different from everyone else. Be as humble as possible since you want your work to speak for itself and in turn, you will earn the respect of your peers.

The road to your endgame will be filled with obstacles but you could certainly conquer them. As long as you take note of the points mentioned above, you can definitely succeed. Good luck with your stylish endeavors.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment