Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1538245
MOTIONPICTUREC O S T U M E R S .O R G 23 rubbing off ). Most of our Native Hawaiian costumes comprised multiple pieces, all of which had to be put on actors on set. Our Trailer Costumer, Anna Tibboel, described the situation well: "While plush beach sands, dense rainforest, and underground lava tubes are stunning locations to film, they are difficult terrain to navigate. It was impossible to roll even a rugged costume rack close to any filming location. This meant we had to come up with another solution to protect and transport our precious feathered mahioles, ahu'ula capes, and jewelry. These costume pieces were all hand-carried by our Set Costumers and added to an actor's body to complete their costume during last looks right before filming commenced. We purchased all the plastic bins we could find on the island and got to label them for each character. Holes were drilled in all the bins to help create airflow, and lots of Styrofoam and hat pins were used to help with securing delicate eight pieces. Stacked-high guerrilla carts with all-terrain beach wheels became our best friends, as did the transport department that helped us endlessly tote our precious cargo. The various plastic bins took up a lot of space; it felt like they were ceiling- high at the end of the night when all the pieces returned home to the truck, but the bins helped to protect the pieces from daily strong winds, an unforgiving beating sun, and sudden thunderous downpours." Cory Ching (Local 665) was our Hawai'i Key; he is held in high regard with the local crew for his work ethic and fairness. Lucky for us, he was available to join us on principal photography in Hawai'i and on reshoots. Being in Hawai'i with our Hawaiian cast and crew, however brief it was, was truly the most humbling and rewarding aspect of this show. Steve Sti-Bergh (Local 665) shared, "Shooting on the westside of O'ahu and on the lava fields on the Hawaiian island were so inspiring and powerful for all of the cast and crew. I think everyone felt the mana of the places where we shot, especially the actors in costume. The context of being in the 'āina, mauka and makai, added to the legitimacy and authenticity of the story, its characters, and sense of place." Coming from our mainland crew, Benj Gibicsar had these insights: "The entire cast and crew was full of such amazing and special people. There was a true sense of camaraderie amongst all of us, and everyone really had each other's backs the entire time. The Native Hawaiians especially knew how important this project was for their heritage, and they took it very seriously while still having fun. They knew how to wear costumes and present themselves on camera. And they all wanted to make sure they looked the part. The older generations wanted to make sure the younger generations were respectful and understood how special and significant this story was." From a professional standpoint, it was truly remarkable to collaborate with the extensive film team in New Zealand, where our department gained the crew size and infrastructure essential for a production of this magnitude. New Zealand is amply equipped for shooting in remote locations with elaborate costumes. In our Hawai'i setup, we operated with a single costume trailer. In New Zealand, we were provided with three dedicated costume trailers, all featuring efficient heat pumps that ran forced-air heating overnight, ensuring costumes were thoroughly dried. In Hawai'i, our department was split into two areas in town, which was extremely difficult to navigate. In Auckland, NZ, we were set up in a huge building that had been built out specifically for the Costume Department on The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Amazon TV series. This space made my supervisor heart soar, as we have nothing comparable in Los Angeles. Even though Amazon renovated the space, it was kept as a costume space to be rented for future shows, regardless of studio backing. I would genuinely love to see the second season filmed in Hawai'i, its rightful home. Significant investment in the local film infrastructure is crucial to adequately support a show of this scale. As the saying goes, build it, and they will come.