Working as a costume designer - (Plus my latest leather bargain - PIERO GUIDI)

Hedda Gabler auditions have been continuing this week. As the costume designer, I need to pay close attention to who is is cast for each role as I will be tweaking, fitting and manipulating costumes to fit each person. During the week I met with Gaby to go through all the clothes that are available. She taught me some more about period fashion, and made me aware of how little I actually know on the topic.

As mentioned before - the theatre works on a very low budget, this means we have to be imaginative when looking at the garments we have available. There are some super old pieces (well, old to little me!) and I discovered a bag of lace which we can use to customising plain blouses and shirts to create Victorian replica clothing. For me, this is a really interesting way to work and it adds an element of challenge - you really have to look further than the garment you initially see and experiment with how it works with other pieces.

Outside of the theatre I am one of 5 people taking part in a linguistics project ran by an American university. The project focuses on how a computer can interpret phrases, sentences or paragraphs and summarize them. They have selected us to read through paragraphs, phrases and sentences and give our own summaries to help with their research. The depth and accuracy of our summary is dictated by a rating - for example if they need a '1' we should give a bad summary, if they need a '4' we give something very closely accurate. We are being paid very nicely for helping with the research - 160+euro for 15 hours and it also very interesting. We met for the induction there which involved debate - firstly on the summaries, and then on the rating which we had given. When we had different opinions it sparked a lot of discussion which was good fun. 

Walking to Gaby's I noticed a perfect colour coordination with my Italian boots, Viv westwood jeans and the beautiful fallen leaves. Definitely an ideal colour palette for my third year project! Inspired

Monday and Tuesday next week Gaby and I are hosting the casting for a film coming up in Spring, in which they will needing English speakers. There will short interviews for the actors, they speak a little about themselves and answer some questions. I will be organising the event and filming each interview. I will also be giving it ago myself - it takes place in late Spring so it would be a nice extra experience before my placement ends!

The first of Kevin Gildeas stand up show is tonight. I will be picking him up and directing him to the theatre. This show will be an opportunity for me to learn how to work with the lighting. This is something I can see being very beneficial in the future in aspects such as fashion photography. I will learn about how to effectively use lighting to create certain moods, times of day and situations.

Near by my house there is a HUGE flea market called Porta Portese. You can get everything there, for every price. My favourite are the 50 cents and 1 euro store but I couldn't resist when I saw this gorgeous, colourful little Piero Guidi bag - with circus print! I managed to haggle the guy down from 70 euro to 30 (the remaining contents of my purse) and walked away a very very happy lady. 

This little piggy went to market - thank God I didn't stay at home!

Period Fashion of the late 1880's

Since our return from the countryside (boo), auditions for the next show have gone under-way. I have been present at all them all, meeting the potential cast members and the director. These situations are really boosting my confidence. I am constantly meeting new people and speaking with large groups of people older than myself which is doing wonders for my maturity.

I have also been conducting research into fashion of the late 1880's. I do not have a clue when it comes to period fashion so this challenge will expand my own knowledge - I have already learnt a little from my research however I would like to learn more. I have to say, I particularly like the detail in Victorian clothing. The use of lace is grand and the high collars are one of my favourite aspects. I will select costume from the theatre personal collection of clothes, and consider what garments I can put together to create authentic Victorian dress. This is good practice for re-creating period fashion from pieces from various decades.

My first attempt creating Victorian Fashion

The slightly boring job of sending out the promotion emails has come around again. The job is not a challenge because it is very simple, however I completely understand that it is vital to filling the theatre. I do however set myself challenges of how many I can draft and send in 30 minutes.. it gets them done fast and keeps me occupied.

Kevin Gildea, an Irish stand-up comedian is coming to the theatre on the 6th December. I have been co managing this performance too which involved negotiating with Kevin, working out the dates for the show and finally booking his flights and managing his trip during his duration in Rome. These small tasks are a great practice for me in organising and making final decisions.

The poster I designed to promote Kevin's show

Bomarzo - A Beautiful 16th Century town in Italy - You Must Visit!

Once 'Under the Overcoat' was finished and we had completed post-production, I was lucky enough to spend a few days in Gaby's country home. I've learnt that almost everybody in Rome has a second home - a vice and escape from the city life - usually in the country or by the seaside.

The old fort at the top of the hill, Bormarzo

Gaby's escape is in a darling 16th century town called Bomarzo. Being from the UK I had never seen a place with such obvious age that was still in tact and with no obvious renovation.

The 16th century homes of a small community

 It was actually quite amazing the good it can do for personal well-being. After spending a few days their I was relaxed, had cleared my mind and would be returning to Rome refreshed, rejuvenated and revitalised.

Not a bad view to eat your breakfast, eh?

Just before I headed home though.. there was one place I had to check out. It's called 'Parco Dei Mostri' which literally translates to The Monster Park. It is also 16th Century, built by a man called Vicino; a patron of the arts and so devoted to his wife that he built the gardens in her memory when she died. 

These statues in the gardens were not your average white stone statues of Gods and Goddess and such that you find in Rome. I have pictured some of my favourite parts of the park. I received a map which was excellent as it gives you information on each piece.

Il Drago

"For Ligurio, the dragon was not a symbol of destruction but rather of time and wisdom. Here, it is fighting a dog, lion and wolf - symbols of spring, summer and winter - the present, future and past. Some say they are 3 lions? The dragon is curiously adorned with butterfly-like wings, indicating its solar spirit."

Casa Pendente

 "The strange, leaning house serves as a passage to the upper garden level. The head-spinning unease of standing inside is meant to spur you on to the rest of the garden. The Orsini coat of arms and motto are in-scribed on the facade of the house."

L'Elefante

"Elephants carrying castles were popular symbols in medieval and Renaissance art, standing for both strength and restraint, often with reference to Hannibal's famous use of elephants to invade the Italian peninsular. This elephant holds a wounded or dead Roman soldier in its trunk who, in turn, holds a now unidentifiable object loosely in his right hand. Scholars argue over whether he is being caught or thrown by the elephant - protecting or discarding. Regardless, the elephant represents both the triumphs and defeats of Rome. It is also an african elephant, therefore, likely to be recalling Scipio, an African who according to legend, never left the side of his war elephants."

If ever you are in the area and have a chance to visit this place - I could not recommend it more. It's fascinating, beautiful and a little out of the ordinary. 

Being props master can be stressful - But fun! 'Under The Overcoat'

Last weekend was the final weekend of the show.

During the show my responsibility was to ensure the cast had their costume ready, were wearing it correctly, and that the props were all correct and present on the props table. This was really important because the table was on view to the audience and once the show begun, all the prop changes were done on the stage.

The props table that would be on display

This job I actually found rather stressful. After each show (and the rehearsals) the actors in their own rush would leave numerous clothes and props scattered everywhere. This meant Eve and I had to then gather them all up and tidy them or re-arrange them. This was using more of time then necessary and the question "Why is my..." really began to grate also. To solve this problem we addressed the actors and asked them to please take responsibility for their costume/prop once they had used it. We had to ask this several times and I can be quite a soft touch but learnt to stand my ground.

I mingled with the audience during the intermission, offering authentic Italian food to compliment the theme of the story and give the cast time to prepare for Act II. One night, I also got to see the rather hilarious sight of half of the audience members gasping for water after eating curry that was just too hot for them to handle. He he

During the show, I was the soundboard operator. This involved playing sound effects and music at just the right moments and fading them in/out effectively. I enjoyed this role, and when I had time peeked over Eve as she ran the light board. It was interesting to see how lighting can create a dramatic look on stage and add to the imagery, I wanted the opportunity to run the light board in the future and create some light design myself. It would be useful skill to be able to design lights, not only for in the theatre - but also during photography shoots and films.

Dramatic lighting effect creating during a 'Train Crash' scene

Eve and I in the tech box.. where the off-stage magic happens

After the show comes post-production which involved returning any props, dry cleaning and returning the beautiful saris and other garments lent by the Indian Embassy ladies. This I took upon myself and actually went into the Indian Embassy in Rome which I have to say is really a beautiful, beautiful building inside and out.

Next week we will begin work on pre-production for the upcoming show - Hedda Gabler. I am keen to start work on this as I will be involved from the very beginning, able to conduct my own research and create suitable costume for the characters. I felt that I did not quite have that with Under the Overcoat because I joined later.

I received positive feedback from both Theo and Gaby. Theo recognised that I am a hard worker however advised me that I need to be more confident when making decisions - If question myself, then other people will too. I found this feedback useful and will be more assertive when working with the next project. I feel like I will be more confident in doing so as I will have been present from the start.

Theodora, the cast, and I before the final show

Great fabric shop in the heart of Rome - Fratelli Basetti Tessuti

During these weeks I was busy finalising costume, attending rehearsals and working on the head pieces. I also had to make a tradition western wedding veil. So with the need for tulle I headed to what I had read was the largest fabric store in Rome - Fratelli Basetti Tessuti (Doesn't it have a ring to it!)

Inside one of the multiple rooms/floor at Fratelli Basetti Tessuti

Rolls and rolls of brightly coloured material

I hadn't yet had a chance visit the trade fairs in Paris with the fashion department back in Coventry so I was still a little naive to the amount of fabric one place can hold. Oh boy. This place was incredible. It had a double height ceiling, every inch filled with the most amazing fabrics. I took the time to rub a fair few of them in between my thumb and finger, getting a good feel of their luxury.

I also started a part-time job at a tourist restaurant which is a great way for my Italian speaking as most of the chefs do not speak English. Having a job alongside my intern-ship whilst still continuing my job in the UK as the promotional/graphic designer for my local bar is teaching me to manage my time effectively and follow through with my own deadlines that I set. My time keeping skills improved massively and I am now certainly seeing the benefits.

An insight of working with a small theatre company

This week I began working on the upcoming play 'Under The Overcoat'. On Sunday evening I went to the choreography rehearsals and met the director, Theodora Voutsa, daughter of Kostas Voutsa - a Greek actor, director and writer.

My job title for this show would Prop and Costume Assistant. I gathered all the information regarding props and costume that I would need to do my work from Theo - this was the first time I think I had ever taken a notepad somewhere and actually used it. Turns out they are indeed, very, useful thing to carry around. 

I also met Gaby's other intern, Eve and we cracked on right away delegating between us which props we would resource separately and which we could shop/hunt for together. This plan was important to make sure everything would be done on time. 

Within the English Theatre of Rome we work with a very small budget. This taught me about the finances when working with a small independent company. I feel that my personal skills in being frugal and logical when it comes to money could really be utilized within the theatre. 

As design assistant I took the opportunity to contribute my visual ideas for the performance such as the set design and also took on the role of creating some of the more complex costume pieces - In this case the traditional Bengali head-pieces for the bride and groom.

Please read a more recent post on this here: Bengali Head Pieces

This week opened my eyes to realise that I am a good problem solver and logical thinker. There were occasions where a particular strategy or idea was suggested and I voiced my opinion on how it could be done with more ease and efficiency - I was credited with good feedback from that.

I am self-teaching myself some basic Italian and I have arranged with to meet a friend of Gaby's each week and have an hour of language exchange. The idea is we both bring a text book and set each other some 'homework'. Our first lesson really helped my pronunciation and also his language skills too. To aid my learning I have began to create illustrated pages with common Italian phrases and words. As a visual worker, I think this will help me memorise words more easily.

Over the weekend we were really busy which was good for me as I work well under pressure. Eve and I resourced most of the props and transported them to the University where we would be holding the show and rehearsals.

Watching the rehearsal taught me a little about how theatre works from the acting side of it, which is new to me. I was interested to learn and see more. Theo held an exercise to draw out sadness in the class and show how this method can be used to portray convincing sad-acting. She had everyone, myself included, think of a nearest and dearest person who is currently alive - and imagine them dead. Then we wrote a list of things we wished we could have done with them. It was honestly heart-wrenching, it reduced half the group to tears. I actually thought this was really interesting, the point of it was to show how if you are convincing, the audience can relate to the character and are instantly more involved and it makes for a realistic show.

I started to realise how important communication is within work. I found I could sometimes be a quite solitary worker, not informing others of my progress or keeping them up to date with where I am with my work. I learnt that this was not always the best way to go and that sharing your progress can not only ease the worry of others but also allow people to offer me help if needed. Basically it can be a lot easier for me and others if I do so.

Another duty of mine was to take the reservations. I had learnt already how to work with the database and I am polite by nature, so sending lovely emails back to the customers was a fairly easy task. 

We met met the wives of the Indian Embassy employees and they taught us about the traditional clothing worn for Bengali weddings, which fabrics would be used and which colours were popular too. They bought in their own garments (which were incredibly beautiful, one was even her old wedding sari!) and offered to lend us their own clothing and jewellery to use in the show, I arranged to meet them later in the week.

Some of the stunning gold jewellery brought by the ladies of Embassy

If could compare this experience to project research like we do on our modules at university, this would be the best source of primary research. Learning first hand from traditional Indian women was so fascinating, and indisputably accurate - unlike some information you can find on the web. This really showed me how vital primary research can be and I will use as much as I can in the future. 

Monika demonstrating how to correctly wear a sari

After showing I could work well, Theo and Gaby decided to up my role and hand me the full responsibility of costume and props. I started to study the characters, think about their personalities and show I could reflect that in their clothing. I found this process similar to the work I did creating customer boards and designing clothes for that market during my second year at University.

By this point I had also moved into my new apartment with Michele my new house-mate, an older Italian man who was renting a room for a good price in exchange for the lodger (me) dog sitting 2-3 days a week. I was settling in and learning my way around. 

New canine companion, Chira

That feeling when you arrive in Italy, your new home

Saturday morning I arrived in bright sunny Rome.

I wasn't nervous beforehand. In fact, I wasn't even really scared - which is surprising when, at this point, I didn't even have a place to live. I was going to a foreign country where I didn't speak the language, I didn't know my way around, or a single person for that matter, and I had no idea how the public transport worked.

The truth is, none of that hits you until you step out of the train station onto the warm concrete, sun beaming down, your 34 kilo grams of stuff in your hand (and on your back, and on your arms) and then you have the thought:

'OK. So what now?'

My actual first step was get a coffee. My first Italian coffee. I could sit at a cafe and plan my day to see what the hell I was going to do. I had three houses to view, and as I did not have the foggiest on how to get around Rome, this was my first challenge.

My view from that little corner cafe

With only a name, address and an Italian mobile number for each house I asked in the cafe I was drinking at for some help. That instantly made me realise how much you take for granted knowing your way around somewhere - or at least how the transport works. I was lucky, the man spoke some English and actually lived about 5 minutes away from one of my addresses. He gave me directions that required me to use the metro and the bus and off I went.

Leaving my life in the train station luggage hold, my day continued with a clueless exploration of Rome and some of the grotty apartments it had to offer. 

That evening I met my boss, Gaby, at the theatre - I hadn't spoken to her until I arrived in Rome due to the fact the Erasmus placements are applied for through the university rather than student to employer. I actually think this is a little strange, I think it would be more beneficial for students to have a chance to chat with their future boss first and present themselves.

The was a show on the night I arrived at the theatre - this really was the best possible to instantly throw me into the theatre and give me an idea of how it all worked. I was introduced to lots of people that night - which, at the time, was quite a nerve-racking experience for me. Previously, as silly as this may sound, I hadn't had much interaction around adults on a same-level kind of way. They had always been parents, or teachers.

My first day was packed with challenges. Sussing out a new city, practising a new language and meeting lots of new people. I learnt that the best way to tackle things is without the worry and too much planning. The most important thing for me on my first day was communication. Asking for directions, asking for help and asking how to read the metro maps. The challenging aspect of this was the language barrier.

I was sleeping at Gaby's bohemian flat until I found my own place - needless to say I slept well that night.

My first week of work started on the Wednesday, 2nd October. As I expected I began with email work and database. It was my duty to send out mass emails to the theatre contacts regarding a show change. This was a really long process however it taught me the fundamentals of the companies mailing system and the importance to the company of promoting through the mailing list. It was their primary advertising method.

The next Saturday, a week after arriving, we had another showing at the theatre. My responsibility was to meet and greet the guests and ask them certain questions to gain market research. We wanted to know how they had heard about the theatre most importantly as this is key to knowing your target places to advertise. It was also important to take down the emails of any new customers so that they could be added to the mailing list. 

My first night I was a little shy, approaching a group of people to ask them questions was not something I had done before. I did my job, yet I can't imagine I was exactly exuberating confidence.

During the show I conducted a head count of the audience. The number would be used later when looking at the financial aspects such as profit and turnout.

I ended with seeing the guests out, thanking them for coming and also slipping in a little advertisement for the upcoming show. This role really helped to improve my people skills and the next night (Sunday we had another showing) I was already beginning to feel more relaxed. I learnt the importance of knowing your clientèle and how they know about you. This is vital for targeting promotion as accurately as possible.

I would just like to note that these are being re-written from progress logs I kept from my arrival here. This was written the week commencing May 12th 2014. 

(Well done self for dramatically improved writing skills)