Have /cgl/ ever considered making costumes as a job?
Skilled artisans are needed for the film and commercial industry.
Why not apply?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TquWnDFjtuo
>>8727134
That is my planned career path actually. I'm still in university, I'm studying Fashion Design at the top design school in my country. I decided to study fashion over actual costume because I felt like it would give me more options in industry and more transferable skills.
I have friends who study costume, and while their course looks fun creating beautiful and elegant ballgowns and such, they seem to cut a few corners, in drafting, construction and other areas.
it's the skilled part that's a problem
>>8727194
I'm actually in my final year at the top Theatre school in my country! I specialize in Lighting Design and Costume Construction. Having studied fashion design as well, I think the main difference is not so much 'cutting corners' - I don't think we do at all to be fair - but more the construction aspect. A fashion designer creates a piece of art that while intricate and very precise in it's construction, and does not have to withstand a week, or month, or longer, worth of run time. There are definitely different techniques to both fields, and where as costume construction will typically be more period pieces (but not always!), fashion is more free to explore a piece of clothing as a piece of art telling it's own story - a costume for theatre of film however is more a tool to tell the story as a whole.
I suggest to anyone considering either field to do both if you can! You will learn so much in each sphere of design. Each field also has so many options as well! Stichers, Cutters, Management, Textiles, Mistressing and so on and so forth. And if you do happen to choose one, talk to graduates of the program who have pursued varied work.
I have mulled over the idea.. I have made some nice costumes but If I'm not wearing it then my motivation is super low. I'm self-centered as fuck.
I might pursue costuming work later in life, though.
>>8727194
Costume Construction major here; I think >>8727230 has it down. With theatre, it's not so much that we're cutting corners, it's more that we know we have to make multiple costumes for multiple people, and they have to last through every night a show is being put on. It's absolute hell to have an actor tell you that they popped a seam, or a button flew off during a quick change, so we make sure our shit is sturdy.
My professor actually told us that it'll seem like a good idea to cut corners to make things easier in the moment, but it'll come to bite you in the ass later. If I were to be blunt, it honestly seems like the fashion students can get away with way more shit, because they know their clothing doesn't have to stand up to much more than a few runway shows.
>>8730506
OT but I'm actually making costumes meant for multiple wears (I do kids parties) and I've been looking for resources specifically for making them more durable and washable.. is there anything like books or sites you can reccomend?
>>8730700
...Make them like regular street clothes. Finish your seams, choose washable fabrics, use sturdy finishings.
I'm doing Costume Construction as well. Quite worried about finishing my course and not knowing where to look for a job, I'm still super slow working comparing to what someone in the industry needs to be like and I don't have a specific field chosen. Or decided whether I want to stay in theatre or try film and tv.
I'm halfway through so I suppose I still have time to think and practice but I can't help be worried.
For now I'm just considering giving a try at comissioning to test the waters and I've heard from a friend there's quite some demand from larpers and reenactment plays for some costumes? I'll have to dig a bit about it.
I'm in the middle of applying right now for costume construction at various universities. Any tips for a freshman come fall 2016?
I've always wondered with the amount of time, effort, publicity and resources put into cosplay as a hobby, if anyone took the obvious step of going into the film industry for costume and/or prop making. Same with LARPers as movie extras. It just makes sense.
>>8732530
You don't know everything. Even if you think you do; let the professor teach you. Assuming you're in theatre, the best way to get jobs is by knowing people. If you get a reputation in college of being a mouthy know-it-all, that's just going to make it that much harder to find a job.
Also, and this is a bit more for actors but it can apply here, don't look down on the work you do just because it's "only college." I've seen so many people cheat themselves out of a good résumé because they don't think the work they did in college is good enough. Of course with sewing, that's not often a problem.
Good luck!
>>8732530
>>8732542
100% be humble as fuck. Do not brag about how many shows you did in high school. Your professor will undoubtedly trump you and won't recognize you as someone who wants to learn.
On that note: be someone who avidly wants to learn, and who is willing to show fellow classmates the ropes if they can't do their work. Your teachers will look for role models in the class, as they don't have the time to teach everyone individually how to sew a snap the proper way 5 times.
BE WILLING TO LEARN. I'm a 4th year student, and this past summer I was stitching for a huge theatre company. I felt like I was so inadequate with all of these professionals, but honestly, they were so happy to pass on their skills. The head cutter was so pleased with the fact that I wasn't uppity, and I genuinely wanted to improve my skills. She expressed that even though she knows so much, she had things to learn. I even taught her some cosplay related skills (thermoplastics)! I got offered a job back too.
Finally, you're probably going to be working with industrial machines. Don't be afraid of them. They take practice to learn how to control, and some are just really reaaaaally shitty and go faster than flash. You can do it.
>>8730506
I have like two years worth of cosplays commissioned from a woman who did costumes for theatrical productions for 15 years, and I totally agree with both sides.
Every single cosplay I've received from her has been sturdy as fuck, and she always includes a fix-it kit with extra buttons and snaps, just in case. On the other hand, she doesn't pay attention to fine details unless explicitly asked (specifically small things that likely wouldn't be very visible on a stage).
>>8732542
>>8732800
Thank you so much! I'm mostly self taught, so I'm already pretty sure that what I know has to be improved upon or modified in terms of technique.
I do have some concerns about not having a lot of theatre experience per-se, since most of my portfolio is just me making things but not specifically for a theatre production. I'm not a huge fan of my school's theatre program or most of the students involved in it, so I've only done two productions.
Would anyone be interested in answering questions about this off /cgl/? Nobody in my family has ever gone into anything theatre related so I'm kind of fumbling my way through.
I want to go in this type of path once I'm out of high school but both my parents just tell me I'm "retarded" and that it's a waste of money lol. They tell me I'll go through years of college and just end up working at burger king, so idk.
Though right now making costumes /is/ my job because I'm not working. I do 3-4 commissions a month for the most part, some are cosplays, but most are just things that locals want but aren't willing to pay the online price for, like prom dresses, ect.
This is the path I want to take, but my community college has no idea what major to put me into to get me on my way. I actually hate theatre and would love to work on tv/films but I'd go into fashion as well if I had to. I'm just really lost on how to move forward and which school to transfer to and not waste more time and money. Did anyone else ever have this problem?
>>8734177
You need to be 18+ to be on this site. If you biologically are, please start acting that way.
>>8734218
lol, OKAY anon.
>>8734222
If you really are an adult, you can do whatever you want, your parents are not the ones holding you back. They won't back you up for college? Fine, make your own money, take out loans to pay for it. Prove them wrong.
And honestly, if that's the biggest complaint you have about them, they're not as bad as some parents I've seen in the threads. I was like you once, but honestly, they're just looking out for you albeit in a misguided way. If you want them on your side, prove to them that you have the passion for costuming and the mettle it takes to land a job in the industry.
>>8734222
Anon, your parents are probably genuinely concerned for your future and want you to find a major where you're going to be highly likely to succeed.
Speaking as someone whose major is very closely tied in with fashion, the fashion industry is pretty tough to break into even if you're going to be an independent designer. You need to know a LOT about trends, consumer wants and needs, patternmaking, construction, knowledge of textiles, etc.
My parents had the same attitude towards me wanting to go into my major but I showed them that a fashion career doesn't only mean designing and making clothes. There's also work to be found in trend forecasting, fabric and trim sourcing, working with buyers and overseas agents, etc.
>>8732800
Do you have any tips for working with an industrial machine? I just started working with an industrial machine just a little over a month ago. I can't seem to control the speed as well as I'd like to.
>>8734224
I don't know how its relevant but no lol, they're pretty bad all around. I'm obviously not going to let them hold me back from anything because I've dealt with them long enough to know what they're trying to do, I was just saying that they're discouraging, is all. I already have my money for college, I'm just finishing high school right now is all.
They already know I'm good at what I do and shit, they just don't respect sewing/costuming at all and don't believe it's worth any money. My dad keeps telling me to focus on school despite having more than fine grades, and still hasn't seemed to grasp that this /is/ what I want to go to school for. My mother is just a repeat offender of belittling/degrading any accomplishments I have and discouraging me from making future ones.
It's difficult to stay motivated but seeing someone talk about it for once (this is literally the first time I've ever heard anyone else talk about it) its pretty uplifting and justifies I'm not wasting my time.
>>8730502
>I have made some nice costumes but If I'm not wearing it then my motivation is super low.
Honestly I'm the same way. My college has a professional opera company on campus every summer, and while I've worked with them in the past, I have no desire to pursue a career in costume making because of the sheer amount of time you're expected to put in for a minuscule salary. Doing the math it honestly came out to a few bucks per hour for the appx 16 hour work days. You've quite literally got to cut and sew like the wind to finish sometimes hundreds of costumes before opening night and lord save your soul if you accidentally cut a (probably very pricey) piece of fabric wrong.
If you can handle the stress, then go for it. Personally I'd like to keep making costumes for myself as a fun enjoyable hobby. Maybe take some commissions now and then but I know I'm not cut out for doing it as a career.
>>8730502
i'm the same way too omg. my family and sometimes other people always ask me why i don't look at going into costuming/fashion design but having done a few commissions i just have so much less motivation to do things for other people rather than making my own stuff. i'm gonna keep doing commissions (mostly because i'm not working much right now) but i don't think i'd ever want to do it professionally. and having worked in a related albeit far less creative field (embroidery) i am 100% aware i'd have frequent mental breakdowns from the stress hah
