Unit 2- Costume designer essay

UNIT 2:

                               PRODUCTION ARTS:

                      COSTUME DESIGNER ESSAY

During our first production arts lesson with Becca, Becca made us watch different performances and made us note down what we think is used in a stage production and what we think is needed to make a successful stage production. In the lesson Becca made us note down what we think makes a successful stage production and who is needed to make a stage production successful production.
She also told us that we need to write an essay about one of the jobs behind the scene of a production.The choices were:

• costume designer
• set/scenic designer
• lighting designer
• box office
• hair and make up
• sound designer

I decided to write my essay on a costume designer because when I go to theatre production the most thing that amazes me is the costumes because of how beautifully they are designed.

                COSTUME DESIGN

      WHO ARE COSTUME DESIGNERS?

DEBORAH NADOOLMAN LANDIS

Deborah Nadoolman Landis is an American author, historian, professor, and one of the most famous costume designer. She graduated from UCLA with and Master of Fine arts in costume design in 1975.

Throughout her career of being a costume designer, she’s worked in many iconic films such as Animal house, The Blue Brothers, Raiders of the lost Ark and Three Amigos. She’s also created some of the most famous costumes ever made, such as Fedora and jacket of Indiana Jones and the famous Michael Jackson red jacket in the famous music video ‘Thriller’.

               WHO DO COSTUME DESIGNERS WORK WITH?

During a production or filming costume designers work with everyone involved in the production such as Hair and makeup, scenic designer, lighting designer, and sound designer and chorographers.

A costume designer needs to work with Hair and makeup because both, hair and makeup need to see if the makeup or hairstyle matches the costume or goes with the costume.

A costume designer needs to also work with scenic designer because the scenic designer is a stage designer and sets the stage so the costume must relate to the set design.

They must also work with lighting designers because if the costume has LED lights on the costume then both, the costume and lighting designer needs to know to attach the lights on the costume and if it’s the correct vision of the costume designer.

Costume designers must also work with sound designers because during a production there are Many costume changes and many actors on stage wear sound microphones attached to the back of the costumes so the actors/actresses’ can be heard by the audience, so during every costume change the sound designer needs to reattach the microphone to the costume.

Also the costume designer must work with choreographers because they must see how the costume would work if the actors/actresses, or even dancers would be able to do the chorography in the costume given to them to perform in.  

       WHAT DO COSTUME DESIGNERS DO?

Costume designers are responsible for creating the look, mood and personality of the character through actor/actress in the film or stage production. The designer must have an understanding of the film or stage production so they have an idea of how to design the costume of the character through the actress or actor. They must also learn the history of the film or stage production the bring the directors vision to life.

The designer must focus on the personality of the character and relationship with the other characters throughout the film or production.

The designer must make sure all props and settings on stage relate to the costume. They are also responsible for supervising fittings and dress rehearsal’s and having the responsibility that all costumes are ready by a specific deadline.

            

               HOW MUCH DO COSTUME DESIGNERS EARN?

New upcoming costume designers usually earn and average salary up to £13,000 a year which would be £10.40 on hourly rate. However, experienced designers get up to £35,000 a year. But salaries typically start from £7.75 per hour and can go up to £23.85.

 

                        

                       

                        HOW DO COSTUME DESIGNERS TRAIN?

To become a new costume designer would have to go to college and university.

In college would have to have a Level 2 certificate in fashion that covers crucial like sewing machine skills and pattern cutting, you would also need a Level 3 certificate in theatre support- costume and wardrobe  

These qualifications would help getting assistant and then could go on doing more training on the job to move into design work.

For university You would do national diploma, degree or postgraduate qualification in costume design, fashion, theatre design and Production arts.