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Name: Rosalie
Hometown: Chicago, IL
Occupation: Key Costumer
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What attracted you to the Entertainment Industry, and what was your first job or big break in the business?
A lifelong interest in make-believe and costumes! I started working in theatre after 10 years as a social worker in Chicago, dealing primarily with child abuse. My first theatre job was the Shakespeare Festival in Oak Park. My first was "The Killing Floor" on PBS.
What is the biggest challenge you faced trying to break into the industry, and how did you overcome it?
The biggest challenge was trying to deal with the catch-22 situation, i.e. needing to be in the union and getting work to gain eligibility to get in the union. After 10 years of trying, I finally was admitted to #769 in September 2000.
What advice can you give those trying to break into the "industry?"
1. Persevere -don't let anything stop you
2. Pay attention and learn from those around you
Please describe your job for those who might not know what a Key Costumer is.
Responsibilities include:
1. Organizing the wardrobe on a daily basis
2. Making sure that clothes are labeled and given to the talent on set
3. Making sure scenes match, i.e. continuity
Can you share any tricks of the trade that help you work faster/cheaper/better?
1. Wall-Mart
2. Resole shops
3. Always have a good script breakdown. Without it you will be lost.
4. Find a system that works and be flexible.
5. Always communicate with the A.D. and P.A.s.
6. The script supervisor is your friend.
Please illustrate the way the performance of your position can help or hurt a movie. Name a movie that you've seen (or worked on) that we could view and understand the difference between a good job and a bad job.
Bad job:
1. Talent not ready and camera is held up for wardrobe -a big no no.
2. Wrong costume for scene - no continuity
Great job: Any Merchant/Ivory and Martin Scorsese film.
Haven't seen any really awful jobs that I can remember.
What's the best lesson you've learned in regards to working in Hollywood?
Have only worked with Hollywood, not actually in Hollywood.
What advice would you give a director on how to make production easier?
If the director is a strong leader and is sure of himself, things will go easier; kind of like the principal of a school. It will be a trickle down effect.
List your top 5 favorite films
- Mean Streets
- Citizen Kane
- The Godfather series
- The Deer Hunter
- The Grapes of Wrath
Five is a very small number to pick out.
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