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The Do-it-All Director's Introduction to Costuming

Created by Holly Beardsley

Do you know the difference between a bustle and a buckram frame? Or what works best as an emergency hem? Some directors are blessed with a big budget and a full support staff—a choreographer, a set designer, and a costumer. But the drama teacher often becomes director, choreographer, set designer, and costumer all in one.

And a budget? What’s a budget? The Do-It-All Director’s Introduction to Costuming will give you, the director, who must do it all, the confidence and skills to costume and direct, no matter your experience or budget. This course will teach you costuming basics, budget tricks, organization, and most importantly, the art of costuming as a director.

costuming directing

10 Modules
2 hours, 12 minutes
4 Credit Hours

Course Summary

Standards Addressed

How to receive a Completion Certificate

Link to Costuming Unit

Lesson 0: Introduction 2:47 FREE PREVIEW

VIEW MODULE

Lesson 1: Vision: The Most Important Character 13:54 FREE PREVIEW

By having a strong understanding of the script, and especially the characters, your vision will help to drive your design. It may even make you a stronger director.

VIEW MODULE

Lesson 2: Fashion, Clothes, and the Habits of a Successful Costumer 12:16

Learn the lingo, understand the styles, and learn to make decisions that are time and character appropriate.

Lesson 3: Common Costuming Mistakes 8:13

Learn the basic costuming mistakes or challenges that many people attempt and then learn the specific reasons why they aren’t successful and what you can do to turn things around.

Lesson 4: Building Your Costume Closet 7:26

A good costume stock is a life saver for most theatre departments. Learn what you can do to make the most out of your costume investments and to build a truly useful costume stock.

Lesson 5: Costumes from Scratch 39:13

From fabric choices, to necessary costume construction tools this unit will guide you through what it takes to create a costume from start to finish. Also include are some “no-sew” techniques for creating costumes.

Lesson 6: Buttoning Up Your Budget 8:43

Prioritizing your budget is a necessity. In this lesson, you’ll learn where to spend your money so that it will serve you well in your current show and for future shows as well. Holly even shares some tips on what you can do when you have no money at all.

Lesson 7: Costuming a Period Show 16:51

While period shows can often take a dent out of your budget, this lesson can help you to understand that your vision, and often clothes you may already have can serve you well or these types of productions.

Lesson 8: Dressing the Whole Show 9:29

In this lesson you’ll learn how to give your show a cohesive feeling through costume connections in groups and color choices.

Lesson 9: Showtime 13:21

Costuming moves to a whole new level when it’s time for dress rehearsals and the run of the show. In lesson 9 you’ll learn strategies for all of the areas of wardrobe for your show including dress rehearsal strategies, utilizing stage parents, and training your costumers for a show.

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The Do-it-All Director's Introduction to Costuming

Standards Addressed

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