people.com: The 2000 film, written and directed by Cameron Crowe, set in 1973, follows a high school boy, William Miller (Patrick Fugit), who is writing a story for Rolling Stone about an up-and-coming rock band. He follows them on the road and meets the "Band Aids," their "groupies." Kate Hudson was nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the Academy Awards and at the Golden Globes, the latter of which she won, for her portrayal of Penny Lane.
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4 comments:
I like how much care Betsy Heimann put into each character's wardrobe. There is so much thoughtfulness to what each character would wear and how well worn it would be. It is super impressive that Heimann was able to replicate the vintage look almost entirely with new clothes. I think it is interesting that Heimann chose to source all the denim jeans that were used but not shop vintage for the rest of the costumes. I think it's very useful to understand how costume designers think about and create their pieces and costumes. I think it helps me better understand how being a designer works if I decide costume design is what I want to pursue. I find that interviews like this and other records of a designers thought process is crucial in learning how to be a designer. I am very inspired by designers like this who clearly are motivated by their craft.
There are multiple aspects of this article that I find interesting, but the two key elements that I would like to point out is the sheer effortlessness that is reflected in the movie, and in tandem the deep amount of thought put into every microscopic detail. Heimann is a costuming genius, and while the style of this movie is flashy, it's the subtle details that make the piece. It goes to show that so much can be done with subtle choices. Her understanding of shape language and how that reflects the personality traits and aspects of each character is perfectly laid out throughout her comments about each iconic outfit or costume piece. If anything, as an artist who is specifically interested in costuming, this gives me a good idea of how to form my process and further explain what can often feel so trapped up in my head. Even when the work is laid out there before me, it can often be difficult to properly explain why each aspect has meaning.
Almost Famous is one of my all time favorite films! And the costume design certainly plays a part in the iconic look of the movie. What I found interesting was that the article did not discuss the look of William Miller at all, given that he is the protagonist of the entire film, or at least one of them, alongside Penny Lane. His look is bland, though likely intentionally so, and I found it odd that they didn’t mention him. His counterpart, Penny Lane, certainly has an iconic look, in a way that sort of makes her an icon of the movie. Stillwater is also mostly center stage throughout the film, as the band aids follow them through their 1974 (I think) tour. Their theme being “cowboy outlaw” I found to be quite accurate to the final product, as that’s really how they feel both visually and within each member’s characterization.
I love that she made sure to include repeating costumes; it always makes characters feel so much more real when they outfit repeat, especially along the run of a show. I feel like it also helps with the weird main character syndrome and refusal to outfit repeat that I’ve been starting to see lately. The 70s rocker look is also too fun to costume since you get to play with the more experimental versions of the style offered vs what the average joe was wearing then. I feel like it's easy as a costume designer to fall into the trap of thinking the character you're dressing is going to be self-assured and consistent in their style so I like that she has Jeff’s character always trying new styles and genres as he’s trying to find his place and not settling into an archetype as easily. It’s things like that that make characters more three-dimensional.
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