Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1352017
Bringing characters to life through their costumes can mean very different things, depending on the project. One might be about 18th-century French aristocrats, the next could be the story of characters landing on a distant planet. One project might be about swordplay and wizards, while another details the history of the past decade. Since the inception of the Costume Designers Guild Awards (CDGA), the Awards Committee's selection process has tried to reflect that incredibly wide range, and comprehensively honor the art of costume design. The design categories are based on the costumes in a project, not the storyline. For example, a project may have one superhero costume, but is set in a contemporary world with the majority of cast wearing contemporary clothing. That project would there- fore be considered contemporary design, not sci-fi/fantasy. As CDG President Salvador Perez describes the mandate, "We want to make sure it's a fair playing field. It is a matter of trying to always consider the costume designer and their intent, and to show their best work." For the 23rd CDGA, the categories are as follows: Short Form Design; Contemporary, Period, and Sci-Fi/Fantasy for Film; Contemporary, Period, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, and Variety, Reality-Competition, Live Television. As the landscape of the entertainment industry changes, the Guild adjusts the categories to keep them up to date. For instance, the Short Form category was originally for commercials, but now covers music videos, webisodes, and other projects under 15 minutes in length. "The categories are always evolving," notes Demetra Stavrakas, Marketing & Events Director. "We listen to what the members think and where the industry is. We used to have seven categories, but now we have eight. Three years ago, we added the Excellence in Variety, Reality-Competition, Live Television category, because we saw the need for it." Contemporary is defined as any project set within the 25 years preceding the entry year. Period is defined as any project set within a historical period more than 25 years before the entry year. Sci-Fi/ Fantasy is otherworldly, not based in reality. Categorizing projects can sometimes be confusing. Any given project might have flashbacks, dream sequenc- es, or historical scenes, so rules were developed to help reduce muddled entries and conflicting considerations. "It depends on what ends up on screen. A costume designer might do a lot of work on period costumes for an episode, but that could end up being only a few minutes of screen time, while the rest of the show is contemporary," explains Stavrakas. The guiding rule for the awards is that if 51% of The CDGA Committee Selection Process by Gary V. Foss Spring 2021 The Costume Designer 57