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Friday, November 06, 2020
Costume designers for Oscar movies tackle big casts, period settings
Variety: When an accomplishment onscreen seems effortless, it reflects true mastery of a craft. For five costume designers of potential Oscar contenders, the weight of their undertaking — wrestling with ensemble casts and specific periods — remains undetectable on the screen.
“When an accomplishment onscreen seems effortless, it reflects true mastery of craft.” I love that statement. It’s so easy for things in the design world to go unnoticed. I see this a lot with sound design and lighting design. However, that’s what makes them great. If the lighting is something that you are looking at and thinking about, it is probably not done well. As strange as it is, effective and successful design tends to be when you don’t recognize it, but your subconscious is transferred to a different place and time because of it. That being said, I’m always amused by the work that costume designers put forth with period pieces. I can’t imagine the hours of research and studying that they go through just to get these things right. With pieces like these, I always wonder how they conflict with the designer’s intent for the character and how the costume designer goes about finding a balance. Obviously, they are trained to do this but for me, it’s interesting. There’s also the fact of wanting to convey something to an unknowing audience. For example, how do you tell an audience, through costume, that a woman during the Rocco period was promiscuous? Yes, people who are trained in the area can easily pick up on this. But I’d assume that audience members who did not study art history nor period styles may have a hard time picking up on things like this. I remember hearing a costume designer say that, with period pieces, costume design is never one hundred person accurate to the period. Simply because they can’t be. Reason being, audiences may not understand, pieces may be so far off from the character that it wouldn’t work, undergarments can be impossible to work with, etc… The art that they create really is interesting.
I absolutely loved this article, it was incredibly fascinating to me! Thinking about costumes like this, where the details matter so much, is so interesting. Even the smallest things matter: getting the fabric right, making sure it fits the actor how they want it to, and as contradictory as it sounds, the costumes should fit into the story so well that the regular audience member won’t consciously notice them all the time. This idea weirdly made me think of my experience stage managing- if the audience notices something about a scene change or set piece other than the actors interacting with it, something was wrong. Scene changes should be so smooth that the audience doesn’t need to process them consciously. While noting that it is going on, they are not focused on it. With these costumes, there is so much to plan and create in a way that is as perfect as possible- how the director wants it, how the actor feels in it, and how it fits into the story is all crucial.
I worked in sound at my high school, and my director would always say "the best sound is the sound unnoticed". When something is done so seamlessly, it is natural for a general audience to not notice it- that is the point. Usually, the audience spots the errors or something out of place. I never noticed how this applies to costume design, especially in contemporary pieces that may not have as many elaborate and obvious design statements. Especially in productions that highlight different cultures, making sure designs are culturally appropriate is a big deal. Respecting traditions, symbols, and mannerisms is a way to celebrate art from other places rather than insulting them, and it is a tight rope to balance on when unfamiliar with it. I think that for these costume designers, it is great that though there were challenges, they were able to get recognition and credit for the time and work they put into a period piece of another culture.
It is fascinating to me to read about people's creative processes and how they have decided to do things. While I have very little costume experience it is so interesting to me how clothes are designed and made or chosen. So much work goes into every single detail and it is all so incredibly researched and perfected. The costume designer must design a costume that is period-accurate, fits the character's personality and story, and fits the show or movie as well. It is even more impressive that even with ensemble characters this level of work is put into it. I thought that it was very interesting how so many things had to be made from hand even though authentic items could have been purchased because body proportions have changed so much the clothing items would've looked weird on the actors. Costume designers put so much energy and time into crafting perfect costumes for everyone from ensemble to leads and they deserve so much credit and appreciation for their hard work.
I found this article quite interesting. When I think about costume for film, you must go much further in the historical accuracy. Although the movies discusses were set in the 20th century, the accuracy must be impeccable. And unlike theatre you can use costumes from the period because they don't have to be worn 8 times a week. Also working in film, as evident in the article, the smallest of details have to be thought out and evaluated. I find it fascinating to hear the behind the scene details of what kind of research may inspire a certain piece. Although all of the history of the necklace Gloria Stienem lent to the film may not come across, I think it is important to not just have the costumes be artificial facing. I think the backstory of a certain costume piece being used also helps the actor get into the character and provides more context.
The way history ties into art is so fascinating to me, and I admire the integrity of the artists in the article to strive for realism and accuracy in their costumes. It is also so powerful to me that something as simple as a hat, for example, can say so much about a time period, mindset, and the personality of the person wearing it. For example, in the article, when a MAGA hat is used, audiences can already glean so much from that symbol alone that a scene hits a certain beat “without saying a word.” It is so fascinating to me that something as objectively simple as a red hat with white text can portray such a universal association that audiences inherently understand the meaning of a scene where it is used on a different level. When such strong messages can be conveyed through clothes alone, it is easy to understand why the design must be so strongly considered.
I have grown to get an increasing amount of admiration for costume designers for this very reason. Costume designers have to constantly find the balance between historical accuracy and creative vision, with the balance shifting in accordance with different projects with different needs, demands, etc. Specifically working with such a vast time-lapse, it left me very impressed with the work that was accomplished. It really goes to show to other people outside of our own little corner that design isn’t just “oh let me draw something for a few hours and frolic in a meadow”. Design involves a lot of research, drafts, patience, skill-building and so many other contributing factors. As a history enthusiast, I appreciate when the costume choices can manage to do exactly that instead of just throwing things together and calling it a day (looking at you Little Women 2019).
This creative process is absolutely fascinating and provides such a huge insight into creating for multi-million dollar productions. I absolutely loved Spike Lee’s, “Da 5 Bloods”, movie so reading about the care and detail that went into not just the uniforms, but the present-day emotion from seeing a MAGA hat was insane for me. The necklace handmade for Chadwick Boseman was actually something me and my mom commented on when we saw the film. To hear that he loved it so much he wanted to keep it makes me appreciate the film even more and I’m even more saddened to have lost such a powerful individual in the industry. Historical research always sounds very daunting to me because history is so complex, it’s imperative to make sure you understand all perspectives of whatever you’re researching. The research that had to go into these films is incredible and I can’t wait to see this process in person when I graduate.
This is a funny article. I find it so interesting how we flip flop on something like we are using multiple justifications to provide fulfillment in out craft. I often hear many a people and designers have a desire for their work to be noticed, in a good way of course. They want to make sure it stands out or some other quality to it that makes it worth noting from an audience member perspective. Then you also hear things like, you are only doing your job right if it goes unnoticed. It is a full one hundred eighty-degree turn. Both make sense. Your work should be recognized but at the same time, if it stands out then you might not fit in the world you are creating. This is true of any format: film, television, theatre, etc. I always point to the show Friends for this because every element of the design stands out, but they also complete a cohesive world, so they blend in.
9 comments:
“When an accomplishment onscreen seems effortless, it reflects true mastery of craft.” I love that statement. It’s so easy for things in the design world to go unnoticed. I see this a lot with sound design and lighting design. However, that’s what makes them great. If the lighting is something that you are looking at and thinking about, it is probably not done well. As strange as it is, effective and successful design tends to be when you don’t recognize it, but your subconscious is transferred to a different place and time because of it. That being said, I’m always amused by the work that costume designers put forth with period pieces. I can’t imagine the hours of research and studying that they go through just to get these things right. With pieces like these, I always wonder how they conflict with the designer’s intent for the character and how the costume designer goes about finding a balance. Obviously, they are trained to do this but for me, it’s interesting. There’s also the fact of wanting to convey something to an unknowing audience. For example, how do you tell an audience, through costume, that a woman during the Rocco period was promiscuous? Yes, people who are trained in the area can easily pick up on this. But I’d assume that audience members who did not study art history nor period styles may have a hard time picking up on things like this. I remember hearing a costume designer say that, with period pieces, costume design is never one hundred person accurate to the period. Simply because they can’t be. Reason being, audiences may not understand, pieces may be so far off from the character that it wouldn’t work, undergarments can be impossible to work with, etc… The art that they create really is interesting.
I absolutely loved this article, it was incredibly fascinating to me! Thinking about costumes like this, where the details matter so much, is so interesting. Even the smallest things matter: getting the fabric right, making sure it fits the actor how they want it to, and as contradictory as it sounds, the costumes should fit into the story so well that the regular audience member won’t consciously notice them all the time. This idea weirdly made me think of my experience stage managing- if the audience notices something about a scene change or set piece other than the actors interacting with it, something was wrong. Scene changes should be so smooth that the audience doesn’t need to process them consciously. While noting that it is going on, they are not focused on it. With these costumes, there is so much to plan and create in a way that is as perfect as possible- how the director wants it, how the actor feels in it, and how it fits into the story is all crucial.
I worked in sound at my high school, and my director would always say "the best sound is the sound unnoticed". When something is done so seamlessly, it is natural for a general audience to not notice it- that is the point. Usually, the audience spots the errors or something out of place. I never noticed how this applies to costume design, especially in contemporary pieces that may not have as many elaborate and obvious design statements. Especially in productions that highlight different cultures, making sure designs are culturally appropriate is a big deal. Respecting traditions, symbols, and mannerisms is a way to celebrate art from other places rather than insulting them, and it is a tight rope to balance on when unfamiliar with it. I think that for these costume designers, it is great that though there were challenges, they were able to get recognition and credit for the time and work they put into a period piece of another culture.
It is fascinating to me to read about people's creative processes and how they have decided to do things. While I have very little costume experience it is so interesting to me how clothes are designed and made or chosen. So much work goes into every single detail and it is all so incredibly researched and perfected. The costume designer must design a costume that is period-accurate, fits the character's personality and story, and fits the show or movie as well. It is even more impressive that even with ensemble characters this level of work is put into it. I thought that it was very interesting how so many things had to be made from hand even though authentic items could have been purchased because body proportions have changed so much the clothing items would've looked weird on the actors. Costume designers put so much energy and time into crafting perfect costumes for everyone from ensemble to leads and they deserve so much credit and appreciation for their hard work.
I found this article quite interesting. When I think about costume for film, you must go much further in the historical accuracy. Although the movies discusses were set in the 20th century, the accuracy must be impeccable. And unlike theatre you can use costumes from the period because they don't have to be worn 8 times a week. Also working in film, as evident in the article, the smallest of details have to be thought out and evaluated. I find it fascinating to hear the behind the scene details of what kind of research may inspire a certain piece. Although all of the history of the necklace Gloria Stienem lent to the film may not come across, I think it is important to not just have the costumes be artificial facing. I think the backstory of a certain costume piece being used also helps the actor get into the character and provides more context.
The way history ties into art is so fascinating to me, and I admire the integrity of the artists in the article to strive for realism and accuracy in their costumes. It is also so powerful to me that something as simple as a hat, for example, can say so much about a time period, mindset, and the personality of the person wearing it. For example, in the article, when a MAGA hat is used, audiences can already glean so much from that symbol alone that a scene hits a certain beat “without saying a word.” It is so fascinating to me that something as objectively simple as a red hat with white text can portray such a universal association that audiences inherently understand the meaning of a scene where it is used on a different level. When such strong messages can be conveyed through clothes alone, it is easy to understand why the design must be so strongly considered.
I have grown to get an increasing amount of admiration for costume designers for this very reason. Costume designers have to constantly find the balance between historical accuracy and creative vision, with the balance shifting in accordance with different projects with different needs, demands, etc. Specifically working with such a vast time-lapse, it left me very impressed with the work that was accomplished. It really goes to show to other people outside of our own little corner that design isn’t just “oh let me draw something for a few hours and frolic in a meadow”. Design involves a lot of research, drafts, patience, skill-building and so many other contributing factors. As a history enthusiast, I appreciate when the costume choices can manage to do exactly that instead of just throwing things together and calling it a day (looking at you Little Women 2019).
This creative process is absolutely fascinating and provides such a huge insight into creating for multi-million dollar productions. I absolutely loved Spike Lee’s, “Da 5 Bloods”, movie so reading about the care and detail that went into not just the uniforms, but the present-day emotion from seeing a MAGA hat was insane for me. The necklace handmade for Chadwick Boseman was actually something me and my mom commented on when we saw the film. To hear that he loved it so much he wanted to keep it makes me appreciate the film even more and I’m even more saddened to have lost such a powerful individual in the industry. Historical research always sounds very daunting to me because history is so complex, it’s imperative to make sure you understand all perspectives of whatever you’re researching. The research that had to go into these films is incredible and I can’t wait to see this process in person when I graduate.
This is a funny article. I find it so interesting how we flip flop on something like we are using multiple justifications to provide fulfillment in out craft. I often hear many a people and designers have a desire for their work to be noticed, in a good way of course. They want to make sure it stands out or some other quality to it that makes it worth noting from an audience member perspective. Then you also hear things like, you are only doing your job right if it goes unnoticed. It is a full one hundred eighty-degree turn. Both make sense. Your work should be recognized but at the same time, if it stands out then you might not fit in the world you are creating. This is true of any format: film, television, theatre, etc. I always point to the show Friends for this because every element of the design stands out, but they also complete a cohesive world, so they blend in.
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