CDG - The Costume Designer

38 THE COSTUME DESIGNER | SUMMER 2021 No matter how prepared you are, some things are impossible to anticipate. During one fi tting just as everything was buttoned and zipped up, the costumer went to fetch the matching belt from the next room only to see the actress' puppy scurrying away with the belt in its mouth. "The crew started chasing the dog around the room and by the time they were able to wrest it away, it looked as if it had gone through a garbage disposal," Perlmann says. Meanwhile, Susan had her own crisis. The set dresser had used the exact same color for the podium as the actress' costume, so the costume had to be swapped out. "In the end, our cutter/fi tter found matching fabric and recovered the belt, and the costume was worn in a diff erent scene." All's well that ends well. Perlmann's most important tip to ACDs is to be super organized. It's easy to get off track during the creative process. Perlmann lives by a master list, a living, breathing document that she revises daily based on shooting schedules, actor availability, and script changes. Costume design can be a whirlwind, but Perlmann knows that keeping an eye on the practical side of the process remains imperative. "While I love the creative aspect of my job, it is my responsibility to stay focused on the nuts and bolts of the process. I try to take much of the logistical weight off the designer so they can concentrate on keeping the vision." by the time they were able to wrest it away, it looked as if it had gone through a garbage disposal," Perlmann says. Meanwhile, Susan had her own crisis. The set dresser had used the exact same color for the podium as the actress' costume, so the costume had to be swapped out. "In the end, our cutter/fi tter found matching fabric and recovered the belt, and the costume was worn in a diff erent scene." All's well that ends well. Perlmann's most important tip to ACDs is to be super organized. It's easy to get off track during the creative process. Perlmann lives by a master list, a living, breathing document that she revises daily based on shooting schedules, actor availability, and script changes. Costume design can be a whirlwind, but Perlmann knows that keeping an eye on the practical side of the process remains imperative. "While I love the creative aspect of my job, it is my responsibility to stay focused on the nuts and bolts of the process. I try to take much of the logistical weight off the designer so they can concentrate on keeping the vision." ... my sp bil y foc n s b ts proc s. Photo: C nte rtsts Photos: he on Wrner ros Ptures

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