Friday, December 02, 2011
The Help: Character Studies in Costume Design
Below the Line: When costume designer Sharen Davis read The Help years ago, she immediately felt a deep connection with the book. “I loved the book so much, it was really serendipitous,” Davis says about getting on board as the costume designer of the 1960s era film about African-American maid’s experiences working for white families during the civil rights movement.
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4 comments:
I think that it's so great that individuals personalities, and embodiment of those characters, is here taking precedence over the design elements of these costumes. We do not dress in a "color scheme" in everyday life, we all have different ways we are willing to express ourselves/ want others to see through our clothing. So much can be told about a character through what they wear, and I appreciate that this film is not fearful of displaying bright, bold colors, depending on one's own individuality.
When watching "The Help" I couldnt help but notice the beautiful costumes. I was constantly drawn to the bold colors and shapes. This might be because, as a girl, I was craving to wear every single one of the dresses. I agree with Natalie that so much of a person can be told through what they wear, in life, on stage, and on screen.
especially in the case of this story, the costumes added to the harsh reality of the situation and fit perfectly with the film, almost becoming characters themselves.
How wonderful that there is an article written on the art and character development of costume design! Costume design is so integral to story telling and is so often taken advantage of because it can be so subtle. I love the way this article elaborates on the choices that were made for these costumes as well as the process of finding research on the time period. I agree with Natalie and Sam that so much can be told through the type of clothes a character wears. Sometimes I wonder what the difference is between what a character would choose to wear and what a designer chooses for the character based on their traits and what difference this makes to the final product of a design and how it is perceived.
As Natalie commented on, people do not dress in color schemes or intentionally choose clothing based on our feelings. It was relieving as a designer to read this article and see the approach of design through the psychological elements and character studies rather than the design aesthetic. I so often see peers of mine get so caught up in t he design of a project that they lose the meaning and the integrity of the show. It's always good to remind ourselves as designers of the rules of design we must follow, but to consistently maintain the meaning of the show in the choices we make.
I also loved how this article mentioned how Davis contacted her relatives for costume advice of the time. Sometimes, I get so lost in the textual research that I forget about the most related sources: people who lived at the time. In fact, my research is always stronger when I discuss the time and styles of the era of my design with someone who lived then than any other form of research. You just can capture the emotional connections to the lifestyle more than any other picture will tell you.
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