By interviewing costume professionals before I undertake my practical research may influence my perception of what may or may not go right or wrong. Though it is important to identify the challenges ahead, to have too much varying opinion may influence how I approach a design project.
Passing conversations with professionals about the subject of my research has generated strong opinion and also a little misunderstanding in what I actually intend to achieve. Traditional costume designers see the experiments as something either impossible, not necessary or irrelevant. This is the kind of attitude which warns me from gathering to many opinions from individuals before I undertake the practical part of my research.
In Jan – May 2006 I designed ‘With in these Walls’ by C Scape Dance Company. During the design process I at times, had to communicate with the choreographer by e-mail. This mode of communication was not intended at the beginning of the project, but has evolved out of convenience and geographical situation. Though this exercise did not echo directly the practical research I intend to undertake it did highlight the possibilities the service a costume designer could offer and heavily influenced the drive behind the MA research I am undertaking.
The experience did generate thoughts and left me with the knowledge which I can use when embarking on my practical research.
1. Good communication is essential:
· Working with a director/ chorographer who is willing and confident enough in there own computer skills to received and view work in this way
· Visual communication (sending sketches or designs) without words means nothing
· Set deadlines for both parties otherwise waiting for an email to find out what the other person thinks is frustrating.
2. Experience from my professional career highlights the following obstacles:
· How a read through of a play would happen
· Production meetings – the discussion between the set designer, costume designer, director and the rest of the technical team.
· Fabric sourcing? - Supervisors/ Buyers could do this in a large house but the responsibility of costume designer with wardrobe in smaller theatre.
· Fittings – a great deal of design happens at a fittings and I envisage attending fittings rather than conducting them over webcams etc.
17 September 2006
11 September 2006
What is this MA blog all about then?
The aim of my research is to explore and record the action, reaction, realisation and the nature of challenges when rendering costume designs using the digtial platform.
It build on my MA research which took place in 2006 -2008. In that research I undertook a case study where I designed costume for 3 productions using different digtial aprroaches and observing how these designs communicate and translated into realised costumes. I outline my findings to the case study in this blog.
Since completing my MA in July 2008 I have contiued to practice in this disipline and find out new things all the time. This blog which is sometime very formal and sometimes informal is a record of my exploration.
This post has been updated and edited since starting this blog in September 2006
It build on my MA research which took place in 2006 -2008. In that research I undertook a case study where I designed costume for 3 productions using different digtial aprroaches and observing how these designs communicate and translated into realised costumes. I outline my findings to the case study in this blog.
Since completing my MA in July 2008 I have contiued to practice in this disipline and find out new things all the time. This blog which is sometime very formal and sometimes informal is a record of my exploration.
This post has been updated and edited since starting this blog in September 2006
