Set up and organise a costume department
Overview
This standard is about your ability to plan, set up and organise a costume department linked to a production.
This may involve recruiting department members, liaising with other departments, assessing available workspace and sourcing and setting up equipment
This standard may be applicable to costume supervisors, costume managers and costume assistants.
Performance criteria
You must be able to:
- confirm the costume requirements, production schedule and budget
- review the costume breakdown and identify resources required to store, distribute and maintain costumes
- identify and assess the space available considering security, confidentially and risk issues
- identify and recruit costume personnel with the required skills within budget
- consult with the designer and production staff and negotiate costume staff terms and conditions
- ensure the costume personnel are fully trained
- identify and source the equipment and tools required within the budget restraints
- identify and source the fabrics and materials required within the budget restraints
- organise the delivery of resources
- assemble, position and install equipment within the chosen area considering
- obstacles, hazards and safety conditions
- create a safe, functional and secure working environment
- identify the departments running and maintenance costs
- create and confirm the costume storage
- create and formalise a return process
- ensure adequate security measures are in place
- ensure the required insurance policies are in place
- communicate clearly with production staff and other relevant departments or individual
- ensure health, safety and environmental legislation and guidelines are in place and followed at all times
Knowledge and Understanding
You need to know and understand:
- the requirements of the production and schedule
the production budget and timescales at your disposal
how to identify the crewing and skills requirements
how to select and recruit members of the costume department
how to effectively negotiate terms and conditions
the roles, responsibilities and tasks required of the costume department
equipment required to complete tasks in the costume department, such as tagging guns, scissors, racks and pressing equipment and how to use them safely
facilities required within a costume department e.g. running water, electricity
required security measures
department maintenance and running cost
the cost implications involved in the loss or damage of items
adequate insurance arrangements
efficient costume booking, borrowing and returning processes
legislative and regulatory requirements applicable to handling and storing hazardous materials
the communication protocol with production staff and other relevant departments or individual
statutory responsibilities under health, safety and environmental legislation and regulations