Maintain and service costumes
Overview
This standard is about your ability to maintain and service costumes, keeping them clean and in good condition prior to and during productions.
This may involve identifying the correct servicing techniques, checking, and repairing costumes, keeping accurate and relevant records, labeling the costumes and storing and protecting costumes from damage.
This standard may be applicable to costume supervisors, costume assistants, costume standbys and wardrobe assistants.
Performance criteria
You must be able to:
- examine costumes and assess condition
identify required repairs, alterations and improvements and agree them with the relevant person
carry out basic sewing and alterations and 'mark up' more complex repairs and alterations
- label and hand over costumes and instructions of work required to the relevant person
- examine returned altered/repaired items and ensure they meet the required standard and instructions
- select servicing methods which are appropriate for the costumes' materials and embellishments
- determine and agree the most suitable option for dealing with costumes that are impractical to service
- check the design brief for stated costume service requirements and service costumes accordingly
- check terms of agreement if using a hire company and service costumes accordingly
- note and report accidental damage to costumes during servicing
- seek advice from the relevant person(s) should costumes be damaged during servicing
- re-label serviced costumes with relevant information
- store serviced items and ensure that they are readily available to meet production requirements
- ensure costumes are secure, kept in the required conditions and protected when not in use
- follow the productions confidentiality rules and requirements
- communicate clearly across production staff and other relevant departments or individuals
- follow health and safety legislation and guidelines at all times
Knowledge and Understanding
You need to know and understand:
- the production costume requirements, time constraints, and production schedule
- stock room operations and procedures
- costume storage conditions, protection, and stowage techniques
- basic sewing, maintenance and servicing tasks
- procedures for complex repairs or alterations
- the types of materials in common use for costume construction and embellishment and the frailties of each in relation to servicing treatment
- continuity requirements of the production
- costume records and labelling, information required
the terms of agreement in place when using hire companies
legislative, regulatory and organisational requirements in relation to the safe use and handling of servicing equipment and agents
- the productions confidentiality rules and requirements
- production staff and other relevant departments involved in the production and the communication protocol
- statutory responsibilities under health, safety and environmental legislation and regulations