Overview

 

This standard is about your ability to dress performers, provide costume advice and help remove costumes.

This may involve explaining the costumes to performers, helping performers in and out of costumes, dealing with costume problems, ensuring that performers are comfortable in their costumes and building a professional rapport with the performers.

This standard may be applicable to costume supervisors, costume assistants, costume stand bys and wardrobe assistants.

 

Performance criteria

You must be able to do:

  1. analyse costumes and confirm specific dressing requirements
  2. determine costume requirements and the time available for performers to change
  3. verify costume changes required by the performer with the relevant person(s)
  4. minimise dressing time and prevent schedule delays
  5. negotiate and agree extra time where necessary
  6. check that the costumes, which the performers will need to change into, are ready for use
  7. assist individual key performers and back ground artists
  8. realise potential dressing difficulties that could cause discomfort to the performer and effect the production schedule
  9. assist key and background artists with dressing and undressing
  10. apply and check costume rigging /special effects during dressing and remove when undressing
  11. advise on the prevention of costume damage
  12. demonstrate discretion and sensitivity to the performers needs
  13. adhere to dressing room etiquette and manners
  14. develop and maintain a professional working relationship with the performer
  15. notify the relevant person(s) promptly if items or accessories are missing
  16. ensure costumes are secure and protected during breaks in production
  17. note servicing or repairs required prior to the costume’s next use and report this to the relevant person(s)
  18. ensure that performers’ personal items are stored in a secure area and inform the relevant person(s)
  19. communicate with the production team, performers and all relevant departments/individuals
  20. follow health and safety legislation and guidelines at all times

 

Knowledge and understanding

You need to know and understand: 

  1. costume requirements of the production
  2. production costume schedule and time constraints
  3. the number and order of costume changes required
  4. the relevant person with whom to discuss costume difficulties and agree solutions
  5. costume accessories required and their application
  6. potential costume damage and the appropriate action in the event that costumes are damaged
  7. costume repair and maintenance processes
  8. costume storage and protection
  9. dressing and removal requirements of costumes, including specialist costumes i.e. novelty costumes, animal suits, animatronics
  10. how to build a professional rapport with performers
  11. the etiquette, manners and personnel behavior required when dressing performers
  12. preparation requirements for the return of costume to storage
  13. security requirements and procedures
  14. the role of all production staff relevant departments/individuals
  15. statutory responsibilities under health, safety and environmental legislation and regulation