CDG - The Costume Designer

He embraced anything that involved clothes in ront o a camera, rom music videos and commercials to celebrity styling and print wor. But he ept return ing to film and television. Helmers bacground in cultural anthropology ueled his interest in building characters. It also made him an astute believer in me dias power to shape culture. Helmer cut his teeth on small indie eatures. Its scrappy, un and exciting, he gushes. Its the heart o filmmaing or me. obs oten located him in t lanta, Georgia, where he met three o his avorite showrunnersproducers on Hurwit, osh Heald, and Hayden Schlossberg. The fireball trio invited him to design their new series Cobra ai, a continuation o the arate id films star ring the original lead cast members. He umped at the opportunity to revisit his childhood heroes rom the badassery o ohnny awrence versus the conserva tive Daniel aRusso and the gamut o students re ecting San ernando Valley cool. Early in Season , Sony mareting contacted Helmer about a collaboration with sportswear giant Champion U.S.. The return o sensei Terry Silver was the perect opportunity to introduce a new line o athletic wear bearing the Cobra ai name. When Champions design team sent over some preliminary ideas, Helmer elt they didnt fit the Cobra ai universe he had so careully built. He proposed loos that would be more impactul and organic to the story, sug gesting there is more to thoughtul design than attaching a logo. This resulted in a partnership with Champion encompassing everything the students wear at the doo. It loos lie a whole new army o sportswear attire, Helmer explains. Champion did an incredible ob with their turnaround and the uality is ama ing. It was a true collaboration and a very satisying and exciting process. The proposed deal included a at ee or Helmers designs. Sony lawyers sent a universal contract that was not specific to the ob. Helmer consulted inda earns rom Matchboo Company who recommended an editable redline con tract. He could strie wording he didnt approve o and insert his own text or them to review. Since designing the athletic wear was above and beyond my wor or hire on the series, I wanted to mae sure the contracts language ept it separate, acnowledging me as the designer o the Cobra ai line, specifically or use on the show only. I its ever o ered to the publicand I hope it isthe contract states that will be a separate negotiation. Helmers experience is another big step in the right direction. He encourages cos tume designers to negotiate or air compensation, stressing the importance o defining the scope o wor outside the contract o their television show or film. I eel theres a particular attitude in the Guild right now that a rising tide raises all boats. "Hav who t cos tu ca te cil ly la t• l•e like a bag •o -f—i t m„ l…k like a l †, bu t i t ˆ neŠr ŒŠ sŽe f'l qua li ty. " 47

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