Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1546058
40 FALL 2026 When the actor came in for a fiing, the E-container arrived about 45 minutes before his fiing, and it went on like a glove." Over the years, sourcing from the different costume houses for correct uniforms, there are times that uniforms have to be recreated from scratch when in a time and budget crunch. "When recreating foreign countries, that's the stuff that can be really hard to get—but I've been doing it for long enough now that when I see something that I need to do, I kind of already have it in my head where it is, where I can get it, or what we can use it for. If I look at a uniform and I can't find that exact thing, but I know something that's very close, we'll usually use it for background —for cast, that's when you really go above and beyond." As a Key Costumer specializing in uniforms or military on productions a lot of work goes into the collaboration process of developing the uniforms for a show, whether it is an episodic, limited series, or big-budget feature film. When working on productions with existing uniforms in the real world, Butler explains that "If it's period or if it's contemporary, the first thing I'll do is read the script, do the research, and then provide visual references for the Costume Designer. With the uniforms, it depends on what time of year it is and there are also optional items that can be worn too. This is where designers can get creative and kind of build from that." Butler currently works as the Key Costumer on NCIS: Origins which takes place in the early 90s at Camp Pendleton, where we see our lead NIS agents operate off the marine base and the Marine Corps in full uniforms. "We purchased all the uniforms because we use them so much. We wanted to make them look a lile more worn, so we sent them to the stonewash so they don't look brand new. A lot of those uniforms do exist at the costume house, but at this point, they've had patches put on them, they've had marks all over them, and the Marine Corps at that point, they had a stencil on their pocket that we have to Above: NCIS: Origins Marine uniform stock. Below: Butler making additions to flak vest