Costume Supervisors join productions shortly after Costume Designers.  They liaise with all the staff in the Costume Department, and are the contact point for a number of other departments, including Hair and Makeup, the Art Department and the Production Office.  Costume Supervisors are responsible for translating Designers' ideas and designs into practical reality.  They draw up and manage the departmental budgets and schedules, supervise costume manufacture, staff the Costume Department, and oversee continuity. 

Depending on Costume Designers' requirements, Costume Supervisors may be expected to have some creative input, e.g., dressing crowds, etc., or their work may be entirely practical.   Two Supervisors may be employed on larger productions, one for the principal Actors, and one for the crowds.  There may also be Wardrobe Supervisors who oversee the Wardrobe department during the shoot.  However, on the majority of productions, Wardrobe Supervisors' duties are carried out by Costume Supervisors.

Responsibilities
Costume Supervisors receive script breakdowns from Costume Designers. They review costume plots to check whether any costume doubles are required, and to determine whether the number of costume changes are feasible.  They assess the scale of the wardrobe items to be made, purchased or hired, and work out how many staff should be engaged, and what kind of transport and facilities are required.  After analysing all this information, they work with Designers to prepare budgets for the Department.  Costume Supervisors must manage and control budgets, producing weekly expenditure reports.  They help to prepare the overall production schedule and are responsible for keeping the Costume Department to their deadlines. 

Supervisors ensure that a continuity book is maintained, including notes on character plots, Polaroid photographs of individual costumes, and instructions on how they should be worn.   Costume Supervisors oversee the construction and running of any servicing rooms needed for the production, e.g., work rooms, dyeing rooms, etc.  If a Costume Workshop is required within the production environment, Costume Supervisors are responsible for its management.  They may need to carry out a risk assessment of the workplace, and draw up a code of practice to minimise the possibility of injury to persons working with potentially hazardous machinery or chemicals.

Costume Supervisors negotiate terms and conditions with hire companies, costumiers and costume makers, and may organise and attend costume fittings for Actors.  They organise the transport of the wardrobe to the set or location.  During the shoot, in the absence of Wardrobe Supervisors, Costume Supervisors are responsible for the day-to-day running of the production.  They oversee the work of Assistants, Dailies and Standbys, and schedule their responsibilities for each particular day.  Supervisors ensure that all clothes have been laid out for dressing in accordance with continuity requirements, and that accurate lists are kept of costume accessories, such as jewellery.  They oversee the maintenance and cleaning of costumes and costume accessories during breaks, and between shoot days.  Once filming is completed, Costume Supervisors manage the return of hired outfits, and the sale or disposal of any remaining costumes.

Skills
Costume Supervisors must be highly organised and efficient, with a good memory and keen attention to detail.  They should be familiar with costume budgets and able to estimate costs.  They must be able to analyse detailed information, and use it to prepare realistic schedules.  Costume Supervisors have a number of people working for them, and must therefore have excellent leadership, management and motivational skills.  Because they work long hours, as part of a team in a pressurised, often cramped environment, good communication skills, the ability to cope effectively with stress, and a positive attitude are paramount.  

Costume Supervisors work closely with Actors in a physical sense, and must therefore be tactful, sensitive and able to put people at their ease.   They should be able to hand sew in order to carry out any emergency repairs.  They may need a creative feel for how to dress to particular faces or physiques in order to create characters.   Good computer skills (Mac and PC) are essential.  Costume Supervisors need solid research skills, and general knowledge of costume history and modern fashion.  They must be familiar with the requirements of all relevant Health and Safety legislation and procedures.

Qualifications/Experience
The role of Costume Supervisor is not an entry-level position, and practitioners have usually worked on a number of productions, in a variety of different roles in the Costume Department.  Qualifications in related fields such as Fashion, Costume Design or Interpretation are desirable but not essential.  Most Costume Supervisors progress through the Costume Department working on film productions, beginning their careers as Trainees or Assistants.  Alternatively, they may have worked for one of the large Costumiers, gaining experience in costume making and establishing valuable contacts among Designers, Costume personnel and Actors.  As the role involves travel, a full EU driving licence is required.

Individual course accreditation in certain subject areas is currently being piloted. As part of Skillset's and the UK Film Council's Film Skills Strategy, A Bigger Future, a network of Screen Academies and a Film Business Academy have been approved as centres of excellence in education and training for film.

Where to go for more information
Skillset is the Sector Skills Council for the Audio Visual Industries. The first sources of information for all jobs in the industry are the National Occupational Standards. Browse Skillset's website for links to our network of training partners, information about training and access to the comprehensive Skillset/BFI course database. Finally, Skillset Careers is UK's only specialist media careers advice service; for detailed media careers information and advice, visit www.skillset.org/careers.