Characters in movies and plays produced high schools, colleges, and community theaters are dressed a costume maker. He may also be able to fix drapes and curtains that have been used on a stage or set. He is generally responsible for any item used in plays or movies that requires hand or machine sewing skills.
For a good costume maker, creativity and resourcefulness are sometimes required qualities. Because school and community productions typically have limited budgets, he frequently has to create the illusion of finery using low-cost materials. He may also be expected to reuse costumes from play to play, creating new designs with the same material. To reinvent costumes for each production, the costume maker uses accessories and flourishes.
Sewing machine knowledge and related principles are usually required. Sewing machines, irons, and inventories of fabric, thread, buttons, zippers, and embellishments such as feathers, beads, sequins, and appliqués are usually maintained the costume maker. If there is a support staff, he may be expected to train them on how to use the sewing equipment and teach them the fundamentals of hand sewing.
To be competent in this position, good math and computer skills are sometimes required. Following the casting of a play or film, the costume maker determines the size of clothing required for each actor as well as the amount of fabric and thread required. If he’s on a tight budget, he’ll have to figure out what materials and costumes he already has and what he’ll need to buy new. For easy tracking and future reference, all of this data is usually calculated and stored on computerized systems.
This job entails keeping track of all of the costumes and accessories. No costumes, shoes, accessories, or jewelry leave the set due to a system of checks and balances. At the end of each performance, actors are usually responsible for returning the costumes to their proper locations. They are frequently required to inform the costume maker if the costumes require any tailoring or repairs.
A costume maker usually collaborates closely with the costume designer, a position that a costume maker might aspire to. The costume designer and costume maker meet on a regular basis to discuss costume design, fabric selection, accessory use, and color coordination with the rest of the set.
The requirements for this position vary, but the majority of jobs in this field expect applicants to have demonstrated hand and machine sewing skills. It is preferable if you have experience altering or making costumes or dresses. A costume-making certificate from an accredited university or college can be beneficial.