Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1538245
MOTIONPICTUREC O S T U M E R S .O R G 29 Clockwise from left: Temuera Morrison receiving costume adjustments; Kaina Makua and Luciane Buchanan in Chief of War; Stevie Porch with rolls of Evelon. truly special experience. The natural beauty of the islands was breathtaking, and the crew was deeply commied to honoring and authentically telling this story. Many of the character names we initially struggled to pronounce were etched into statues and signs throughout the island, grounding us in the historical and cultural significance of our work. We stood before the same oceans and mountains our characters would have known. That said, Hawai'i geographic isolation came with notable production challenges. As a series of islands with limited resources, we oen relied on our costuming team in Los Angeles to ship us materials we couldn't source locally. Our Textile Artist, Ivory Stanton, had to work outside in the heat to get enough natural light, and the tailor shop was located a mile away from specialty and aging, making coordination difficult. Casting was only finalized once we arrived, which meant we suddenly had accurate sizing—and significantly more work—without an increase in crew. Still, despite every hurdle, we pulled together and delivered everything we needed in time for the scenes being filmed in Hawai'i. New Zealand offered both new advantages and unique challenges. Like Hawai'i, it is an island nation, but its larger landmass and greater self-sufficiency provided a different working environment. Most materials we needed were already there. When certain materials weren't available locally, we were able to import what we needed. We were able to have a larger crew, and we were fortunate to work in a well-equipped facility where nearly all departments were housed under one roof. I could easily walk to the aging room to coordinate fabric stamping designs, while nearby, our dyers were busy dyeing feathers and Evolon. We even had dedicated drying cabinets for treated fabrics, streamlining the entire workflow. With a solid infrastructure, everything became easier. Over the course of my 14 years in the union, I've been fortunate to work on many projects—but none as meaningful as this one. It offered unforgeable experiences in some of the most beautiful locations I've ever seen. More importantly, it allowed me to help share the story of the Kingdom of Hawai'i with a global audience through Apple TV. Along the way, I deepened my understanding of not only Native Hawaiian culture, but also the rich traditions of Aotearoa. As the daughter of a hillbilly, I never imagined I'd one day find myself on the other side of the world, contributing to an epic series of this scale. It's an experience I'll always treasure.