How to Become a Professional Costume Designer14 Feb
A costume designer is a professional who designs costumes for movies, theatre, shows, artistes and even for retail.
A person who loves clothes, both designing and sewing, can become a costume designer which is different from being a fashion designer. A costume designer makes appropriate costumes, whether they are set in a particular period or place, or fancy dress costumes or masquerade costumes.
The Work
If you want to become a costume designer you will have to great deal of research into costumes, given the setting, the time frame and the ‘look’ of the show. This would change depending on whether it is a movie or theatre, the opera or ballet, a masquerade party or a music video.
Whatever the kind of work, costume designer have to work within a strict time frame and budget. He or she will probably have to do a scene by scene break up and design costumes accordingly. The fabrics will have to be sourced and stitched into costumes and accessorized as well. Usually the costume designer will have to be in charge of all details from head to toe.
Personal Qualities
You have to be a stickler for details, have an eye for the kind of work and have great organizational skills. If you are going to be dealing with artists on the one hand, the production team on the other as also workers and suppliers, you have to cultivate a great deal of patience and have the ability to work under stress.
You must be practical, creative, imaginative, reliable, hardworking and be able to translate the visions you and others have into reality. You also need to work as part of a team and see the bigger picture.
Academic Qualifications
While in school try and take up courses such as the history of costumes, study fabrics, drawing, painting, sketching, pattern making and sewing. After school you should study fashion designing, costume designing, art history, preferably in a degree or diploma course. It is also essential to know sewing and other crafts.
You should also know various softwares on the computer which will enable you to create designs and costumes and present them to others.
Jobs
All movies, production houses, television shows, theatrical troupes and shows have to use the services of a costume designer, who usually will either be part of or head a team. Manufacturers or retailers of masquerade costumes will also use a costume designer.
Work will also be available in teaching. In fact many costume designers teach as well as work. Jobs can be temporary, per assignment or production, or permanent, but in that case may be contractual.
A costume designer may have to design costumes depending on the period, the location, the season, the class of people, the ambience the production house wants to create, all the while keeping the personality of the character the actor in mind. Even movies and shows which have special effects, whether they show aliens or people in the future or animated creatures, will need the services of a costume designer.
This is a career which you have to start usually as an assistant, a wardrobe trainee, or work as a junior member of a team, and get lots of practical experience before you can work your way up. You can also work on a freelance basis or start your own business. It is always better to get exposure to costume designing right from school days so that you can get more practice.
Earnings
Earnings range from $70,000 to $150,000 a year. As a junior you may get only $500 per production, which will go up to $20,000 per production. If you are at the top, then you can command higher rates.
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