Both of my grandmothers knew that threading a needle and filling a bobbin were job skills. I have learned that they are right. I think my job description is "whatever". Who would have known that knowing the location of all the thrift stores and laundromats was a job skill. I’ve been fortunate to have worked for several movies filmed the last two years in the Midwest. The movie companies film here because of the film tax credit incentives. I wanted to work in actual movie production because I thought it would help my screenwriting – and it has.
Here's the inside skinny on the wardrobe department in movie land. The wardrobe for each movie is set by the tone of the script, the personality of the character, and the time period, whether it’s the Civil War or the 1980’s. Then each character has quirks, such as wearing delicate turquoise jewelry, polo shirts, or a lot of pink. You know how you can look at a sweater and know that it's the kind of sweater a certain friend of yours would wear? The character's wardrobe changes throughout the movie based on the scene in the script. The head of wardrobe reads the script noting the tone, time period and personality of the characters, decides what clothing is needed for each character for each scene and shops for the movie. Sometimes I have been sent shopping. The wardrobe department also needs supplies, like supplies of tee shirts, socks, printers, photo paper, ink cartridges, laundry soap, bleach, fabric softener, printer paper, etc. Wardrobe may buy 5 sets of each outfit for the character - one for the stand in, two for the actor and two for the stunt doubles. Alternate outfits are purchased as well. The actor comes in for fittings and is photographed in the movie wardrobe. The director weighs in on the clothing choices. Everything has to look right under the lighting and blend with the background for the scene. Think of an outside summer scene. Everything will be green so the actor wouldn't be in a green outfit. If the actor is dark skinned, yellow might be a good choice. But if the scene calls for that character to hold a yellow cat, blue might be a better choice. Other characters would wear a color other than blue.
Once the clothing is approved, the unused clothes are returned. I often make the returns. I also make any alterations needed for the actor – taking seams in, letting seams out, adding ribbons, and sewing on fur cuffs, changing the buttons, etc. Who knew sewing all those Halloween costumes all those years was preparing me for a career?
The character and the stunt double may have two sets of the same outfit for each scene in case a button pops off, the zipper breaks, or something else happens to the clothes. Sometimes 7 of each outfit is purchased because at the beginning of the movie the clothes are clean, but during the movie, the clothes get messed up or dirty based on what happens in the scene. The clothes are "prepped" or "distressed" or "teched" for these scenes. My job involves washing clothing repeatedly so they look faded instead of brand new. I have also sanded down cuffs, seams and hems so they looked worn. I have clipped and snipped hems so they unraveled. I have washed clothing with fabric dye so the white threads in the seams would darken up. I have deliberately ripped holes in clothes. I have made up a bucket of mud pies that were rubbed into the fabric. And to think I used to get in trouble for doing all of this. Who knew making messes was a job skill?
Each scene is shot several times from different points of view. Wardrobe has to make sure the actor's clothing is identical each time they shoot this. For example, the hero’s top two buttons are unbuttoned each time this scene is filmed. I have noted movies in which an actor falls in a swimming pool and is magically dry a few minutes later. The on set costumer takes pictures of the characters in the scene for continuity. My job involves flashing pictures of people and printing them for all posterity in the wardrobe book. Who knew taking pictures of kids on the first day of school, at every birthday party, during every Christmas, at every event, on all vacations and so on was a job skill? Movie scenes are filmed one location at a time instead of being shot in the order they are written in the script. So, if the script has the story starting out in the house, then the characters go to school or shopping, there are locations in the house, at the school, at a mall, etc. Based on the script, the characters may have breakfast in the kitchen, go to school, be outside the school talking, go back inside the classroom, head for the the mall, stop at a park on the way home from the mall, be back in the kitchen for dinner, then maybe to a friend's house after dinner. There's a lot of work in setting up each scene. The cameras have to be in place, and the lighting has to be set. The camera is set on tracks that move so it can go back and forth or roll around in a circle. It can also be on giant tripods. The lights are huge and set on tripods. There are also rolls of gel film that clip over the light to add a yellow or blue or red tint to the lighting. Then they have big screens that diffuse or deflect the light and those are clipped on tripods as well. During one movie we were in the upstairs of an old abandoned farm house. There were so many people and so much equipment that the floor started to cave in. My job involved making a run for it. Who knew running errands was a job skill?
Every location move involves moving the movie company’s trailers, which are the size of the back of an 18 wheeler truck. The wardrobe trailer has rows of clothing racks along side the walls, a washer and dryer, storage cupboards and a desk surface or workspace for sewing. Hair and make up has their own trailer and it will look like a mobile beauty salon with chairs and sinks. Props has its own trailer. Movies always have a catering truck, called craft services and they have a trailer. Movies serve a breakfast at the start of the day (regardless of the time the day starts). The meals are catering. Throughout the day, in between meals, snacks are served and this is called craft services. They bring around bottles of water, little sandwiches, cheese and crackers, fruit, etc. There are changing rooms for actors and those are in another trailer. All of these trailers are called the "circus" and the area where they are set is called "base camp". Most jobs are like a circus. Working in the movies is a fun circus. Because moving all of this is a huge effort, the movie will normally shoot all of the scenes in one location and the characters will do wardrobe changes. My job involves labeling all of the clothing by the character and by the scene. The clothing is put in clear plastic zip up wardrobe bags with each bag containing everything the character needs for that scene - bras, belts, shirts, pants, jewelry, shoes, socks. At the beginning of each day's shooting, my job can be putting the actor's outfits in their changing rooms on their trailer (called the honey wagon - because each room also contains a potty). Who knew getting kids ready for school each day by setting out their clothes, back packs, etc was a job skill?
When we start filming for the day, my job can involve being on set (called set costumer) to make sure the actor's clothing is right for the scene and to have on hand anything that gets added during the scene (like a bandage after an actor is attacked by zombies). Also, we may be filming a summery scene on a colder day (like we had in August) and my job involves having "warmies" there - like a robe or coat the actor can wear on set while not in the scene. Who knew being prepared for life’s little events – like taking kids’ jackets along in the car incase it got cold –was a job skill?
I might do quick clothing repairs on set. I have a "wardrobe kit" that includes a little pouch where I keep spools of thread, needles, scissors, a seam ripper, pins, and other little things for emergencies. Who knew keeping a well packed purse was a job skill? When the scene is done, I collect all the clothing from set and from the actors' trailers, take it back to the wardrobe trailer and make sure it gets put back on the racks with all the labels, etc. If the clothing needs to be washed, I wash it, and then put it back with all the labels in the bags. Who knew picking up after kids and husbands and getting everything ready for the next day was a job skill? When the movie is over, the each piece of the clothing is inventoried by character by scene, stored in wardrobe packing boxes (like you can get when you move) and shipped back to the film company in Los Angeles. My job involves doing the entire inventory, finishing the wardrobe book and shipping off the wardrobe boxes. Once the film is shot, there's the editing. As the movie is edited, they may find that scenes or parts of scenes have to be refilmed. So they'll use the inventory list to find which wardrobe box the clothes for that character for that scene are in, pull the wardrobe for that scene out of storage and reshoot the scene. This is a lot like spring cleaning and knowing that the winter coats are in storage at the dry cleaners, and knowing which kids sweater is in what box in the attic, that the sleeping bags are in the cupboard in the laundry room and that the stocking hats and mittens are in the attic. Who knowing the locations of objects was a job skill? I am not sure if my name will ever be listed in the credits. So far none of the movies that I’ve worked on are finished being edited. I've also heard that a lot of movies are filmed every year, but only a few ever make it into theaters. So, who knows? I’ve started paying careful attention to the credits at the end of movies. I’m looking for someone whose job is listed as picker up, washer, fixer, shopper, etc. I haven’t seen one yet. There is best boy. Maybe I’ll be listed as best mud pie maker.
Here's the inside skinny on the wardrobe department in movie land. The wardrobe for each movie is set by the tone of the script, the personality of the character, and the time period, whether it’s the Civil War or the 1980’s. Then each character has quirks, such as wearing delicate turquoise jewelry, polo shirts, or a lot of pink. You know how you can look at a sweater and know that it's the kind of sweater a certain friend of yours would wear? The character's wardrobe changes throughout the movie based on the scene in the script. The head of wardrobe reads the script noting the tone, time period and personality of the characters, decides what clothing is needed for each character for each scene and shops for the movie. Sometimes I have been sent shopping. The wardrobe department also needs supplies, like supplies of tee shirts, socks, printers, photo paper, ink cartridges, laundry soap, bleach, fabric softener, printer paper, etc. Wardrobe may buy 5 sets of each outfit for the character - one for the stand in, two for the actor and two for the stunt doubles. Alternate outfits are purchased as well. The actor comes in for fittings and is photographed in the movie wardrobe. The director weighs in on the clothing choices. Everything has to look right under the lighting and blend with the background for the scene. Think of an outside summer scene. Everything will be green so the actor wouldn't be in a green outfit. If the actor is dark skinned, yellow might be a good choice. But if the scene calls for that character to hold a yellow cat, blue might be a better choice. Other characters would wear a color other than blue.
Once the clothing is approved, the unused clothes are returned. I often make the returns. I also make any alterations needed for the actor – taking seams in, letting seams out, adding ribbons, and sewing on fur cuffs, changing the buttons, etc. Who knew sewing all those Halloween costumes all those years was preparing me for a career?
The character and the stunt double may have two sets of the same outfit for each scene in case a button pops off, the zipper breaks, or something else happens to the clothes. Sometimes 7 of each outfit is purchased because at the beginning of the movie the clothes are clean, but during the movie, the clothes get messed up or dirty based on what happens in the scene. The clothes are "prepped" or "distressed" or "teched" for these scenes. My job involves washing clothing repeatedly so they look faded instead of brand new. I have also sanded down cuffs, seams and hems so they looked worn. I have clipped and snipped hems so they unraveled. I have washed clothing with fabric dye so the white threads in the seams would darken up. I have deliberately ripped holes in clothes. I have made up a bucket of mud pies that were rubbed into the fabric. And to think I used to get in trouble for doing all of this. Who knew making messes was a job skill?
Each scene is shot several times from different points of view. Wardrobe has to make sure the actor's clothing is identical each time they shoot this. For example, the hero’s top two buttons are unbuttoned each time this scene is filmed. I have noted movies in which an actor falls in a swimming pool and is magically dry a few minutes later. The on set costumer takes pictures of the characters in the scene for continuity. My job involves flashing pictures of people and printing them for all posterity in the wardrobe book. Who knew taking pictures of kids on the first day of school, at every birthday party, during every Christmas, at every event, on all vacations and so on was a job skill? Movie scenes are filmed one location at a time instead of being shot in the order they are written in the script. So, if the script has the story starting out in the house, then the characters go to school or shopping, there are locations in the house, at the school, at a mall, etc. Based on the script, the characters may have breakfast in the kitchen, go to school, be outside the school talking, go back inside the classroom, head for the the mall, stop at a park on the way home from the mall, be back in the kitchen for dinner, then maybe to a friend's house after dinner. There's a lot of work in setting up each scene. The cameras have to be in place, and the lighting has to be set. The camera is set on tracks that move so it can go back and forth or roll around in a circle. It can also be on giant tripods. The lights are huge and set on tripods. There are also rolls of gel film that clip over the light to add a yellow or blue or red tint to the lighting. Then they have big screens that diffuse or deflect the light and those are clipped on tripods as well. During one movie we were in the upstairs of an old abandoned farm house. There were so many people and so much equipment that the floor started to cave in. My job involved making a run for it. Who knew running errands was a job skill?
Every location move involves moving the movie company’s trailers, which are the size of the back of an 18 wheeler truck. The wardrobe trailer has rows of clothing racks along side the walls, a washer and dryer, storage cupboards and a desk surface or workspace for sewing. Hair and make up has their own trailer and it will look like a mobile beauty salon with chairs and sinks. Props has its own trailer. Movies always have a catering truck, called craft services and they have a trailer. Movies serve a breakfast at the start of the day (regardless of the time the day starts). The meals are catering. Throughout the day, in between meals, snacks are served and this is called craft services. They bring around bottles of water, little sandwiches, cheese and crackers, fruit, etc. There are changing rooms for actors and those are in another trailer. All of these trailers are called the "circus" and the area where they are set is called "base camp". Most jobs are like a circus. Working in the movies is a fun circus. Because moving all of this is a huge effort, the movie will normally shoot all of the scenes in one location and the characters will do wardrobe changes. My job involves labeling all of the clothing by the character and by the scene. The clothing is put in clear plastic zip up wardrobe bags with each bag containing everything the character needs for that scene - bras, belts, shirts, pants, jewelry, shoes, socks. At the beginning of each day's shooting, my job can be putting the actor's outfits in their changing rooms on their trailer (called the honey wagon - because each room also contains a potty). Who knew getting kids ready for school each day by setting out their clothes, back packs, etc was a job skill?
When we start filming for the day, my job can involve being on set (called set costumer) to make sure the actor's clothing is right for the scene and to have on hand anything that gets added during the scene (like a bandage after an actor is attacked by zombies). Also, we may be filming a summery scene on a colder day (like we had in August) and my job involves having "warmies" there - like a robe or coat the actor can wear on set while not in the scene. Who knew being prepared for life’s little events – like taking kids’ jackets along in the car incase it got cold –was a job skill?
I might do quick clothing repairs on set. I have a "wardrobe kit" that includes a little pouch where I keep spools of thread, needles, scissors, a seam ripper, pins, and other little things for emergencies. Who knew keeping a well packed purse was a job skill? When the scene is done, I collect all the clothing from set and from the actors' trailers, take it back to the wardrobe trailer and make sure it gets put back on the racks with all the labels, etc. If the clothing needs to be washed, I wash it, and then put it back with all the labels in the bags. Who knew picking up after kids and husbands and getting everything ready for the next day was a job skill? When the movie is over, the each piece of the clothing is inventoried by character by scene, stored in wardrobe packing boxes (like you can get when you move) and shipped back to the film company in Los Angeles. My job involves doing the entire inventory, finishing the wardrobe book and shipping off the wardrobe boxes. Once the film is shot, there's the editing. As the movie is edited, they may find that scenes or parts of scenes have to be refilmed. So they'll use the inventory list to find which wardrobe box the clothes for that character for that scene are in, pull the wardrobe for that scene out of storage and reshoot the scene. This is a lot like spring cleaning and knowing that the winter coats are in storage at the dry cleaners, and knowing which kids sweater is in what box in the attic, that the sleeping bags are in the cupboard in the laundry room and that the stocking hats and mittens are in the attic. Who knowing the locations of objects was a job skill? I am not sure if my name will ever be listed in the credits. So far none of the movies that I’ve worked on are finished being edited. I've also heard that a lot of movies are filmed every year, but only a few ever make it into theaters. So, who knows? I’ve started paying careful attention to the credits at the end of movies. I’m looking for someone whose job is listed as picker up, washer, fixer, shopper, etc. I haven’t seen one yet. There is best boy. Maybe I’ll be listed as best mud pie maker.
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