Today on Clairsy & Lisa’s How To Make it In WA, the guys went to the dress up box as we spoke to Angela Duncan who told us about working in one an area that is really important in TV and movies: costume.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Clearing and leases.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
How to majet in WAF you bring me some, I'll
make you a start. Continuing our series about our burgeoning
state of our movie and film industry. Right now, today
we have someone from the world of wardrobe and costumes.
Angela Duncan, is with us. Hello Angela, Hello Angela. So
wardrobe costumes, I mean one and the same. I imagine the
(00:26):
clothing department you dress these people.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
We do, and yes, we like to be referred to
as costume costume costume department.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Okay, So when you would be I guess required very
early in the shoot for something, you'd have to sort
out everybody's individual Look.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
Well, there's different members of the costume department. Normally the
costume designer and the supervisor sort of start in pre
and my job that I have done mostly in my
life is a standby, So I kind of come on
just before filming. It's a lot of work has done
before I arrive. Okay. Then when I start, I break
(01:10):
down a script yep, and then I'm sort of handed
a lot of the costumes that have been decided at
that point.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
Okay, right, right, How did you get into this line
of work?
Speaker 1 (01:19):
Anseler? First, right, okay, and just from there. I did
a secondment on Men from Snow River in Melbourne and
just went from there early.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
Right. Have you done stage stuff as well or is
it mostly TV and film?
Speaker 1 (01:35):
Very small amount of stage, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
Because I guess that would be a whole different animal
too that you're dealing with there.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
It is, yeah, just something I didn't gravitate to.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
I guess, right. What are some of the things that
you've worked on recently? I believe you worked on The
Surfer with Nicholas Cage.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
I did. I'm lucky enough with what I do that
I can sort of come in and out of productions,
not sort of work the whole thing, So I've done
a bit of that recently. It's quite good and convenient
when you have kids. A lot of my CV is
in my twenties. For I had children. I love traveling,
(02:14):
so that's what I did. I used to take jobs
all over the country and different you know, I worked
in London, different parts of the world, so I could
go exploring and work of this job. Yes, when you
have kids, it kind of changes the ball game a bit.
So I'm a bit more settled now and a bit
more choosy. I guess, as we know, we don't have
(02:36):
studios here, so.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
We're going to This is why you must be so
excited about what's happening in way in this industry.
Speaker 1 (02:46):
Definitely, I mean to have work in Perth is a
huge plus four something. Like me, I'm not always somebody
that can pack up my bags and go and work
three months up north or south that kind of well,
I mean I guess I could. Yeah, I just kind
of choose not to for to have from here. Yeah,
so you know, to work in Perth, it's the stability
(03:10):
is good. Yeah, just opens up a lot more doors
for I guess people who may not be able to
drop everything and.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
Not everyone can. And like you said, different stages of
your life, you still want to stay in it, but
you're in a different stage. So yeah, having that flexibility
is awesome to pick and choose. Hey, Angela, over the years,
have there been is it unusual being on a set
and there's a difficult there's an issue, something's broken or whatever,
and you're there at three o'clock stitching or working on
something for running repairs for a shoot the next morning.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
That happens all the time. Yeah, and I think that's
sort of you know the difference between not having studios
and having studios. Sometimes you will come across a problem
on a beach or in the desert that's remote and
a shoe's broken or those kind of things, and you're
left there with, you know, very limited things you can
(04:03):
do to fix the problem. It's kind of nice being
in a studio where you know there's a whole worker
room behind you and you've got glues and tapes and
all sorts of things that can help you out to
you know, save the day at least, I said mcguivy.
You've got to have a pretty important kit with you
that you do and sometimes, you know, that's very limited
when you're in a very remote spot, you know, where
(04:26):
you can only take what you can take. So I
quite like the safety of the studios and having a
costume department there with lots of things. I think that's
going to be great.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
What about dealing with some stars, I mean you are
putting them in there what they're wearing, and of course
that can be a very personal thing. Do you ever
get a bit of pushback from them on oh I
don't want to wear that, or you know, my character
wouldn't wear that. Go to you.
Speaker 1 (04:55):
Yeah, that happens a lot, so you've got to deal
with that. Yep. Sometimes you have just ideas, you know,
sometimes they might see the character in a different way,
and yeah, there's there's always a compromise, and you know,
it's great when you get handed of an actor that
would just do exactly, you know everything.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
Yeah, Samuil, imagine Samuel pushing back, I don't.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
Think you can play I mean, yeah, it's you know,
everybody's different and at the end of the day, they
are playing a character. Some people, you know, get confused
between themselves and the character. So yeah, you know, sort
of sometimes do you have to remind them that maybe
you know, they wouldn't wear that or that kind of thing.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
Yeah, they've got to be a bit of a personality
wrangler as well.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
As in the character. Someone might whip out the you know,
sunglasses at the last minute and sort of say, oh,
you know, I think he could wear these, and they
sort of sunglasses that don't go at all, you know,
with their characters, and the rays don't work and appear. Yeah,
that's exactly, that's exactly exactly.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
Speaking of period pieces and stuff, the costumes can absolute well,
they do absolutely set the scene of what we're watching.
Do you have a particular era that you like to
deal with that is a sort of a personal thing
that you love to do.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
I wouldn't say yes, because I guess that's kind of
refer a bit more to fashion, or I guess perhaps history.
I quite like costume costume, like the you know, really
Dodge of the Jungle of Matrix or kind of Scooby Doo.
(06:40):
It's very different and out there. Kind of Scooby Doo
would be. Well, I have to ask about County Rapes
because he's gorgeous. Yeah, I actually can't really say much
that I kind of was only went. There's a lot
of matricks to help with extras and things. So you know,
(07:02):
obviously a lot of films with the big stars, they
keep themselves to themselves, which in their witty bago Yeah,
I mean that. Apparently you've got it. You've got hundreds
of crew members around, expect them to speak to everybody.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
Angela, what would be because we're talking about the fact
that the film and TV industry has never been healthier
than it is right now in wa and it's only.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
Going to get more.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
So, what is your topic of advice for someone wanting
to get into the costume department in this industry.
Speaker 1 (07:36):
I guess I feel for the people who say that
they really they try and they can't get their foot in.
I would say, sort of try to let us know
that you're around, because we don't know yourself out of
them if we don't know who you are. And I
guess that's a really hard thing for those people to
(07:57):
then say, but who do I speak to? Studying from scratch? Yeah,
because I guess there is a bit of a thing
where you know, sometimes by the time you hear of
a film, it's already it's rude. Yes, and these are
smaller films, so sometimes you only have five or six
people in a costume department. Yeah. Yeah, so you know
(08:19):
Screen West, Screen Australia. I don't know, finding a way
of getting.
Speaker 2 (08:24):
Get onto those websites, see what's happening.
Speaker 1 (08:27):
Do little courses along the way, making context, Yes, just
letting us know what your skills are, what you can do.
That's not only just for the Whopper graduates and the
Tafe graduates. For me, I also think you know experience
being older. You know, perhaps you've graduated from Wapper ten
(08:48):
years ago, you've done some work other places. But you
you know, you've got a skill now yet people who
just graduate won't have so even if you haven't done
a lot, you know immediately, but yeah, get in touch.
Yeah I think that's you know, put yourself out there. Yeah,
it is good. And people who are a bit older
(09:08):
and have I don't know, lots of different things.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
Yeah all right, well, Angela, thank you so much for
taking us into your line of the whole industry. It's fascinating.
Costume department.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
Absolutely, thank you, thank you. Thanks Angela.
Clearing and leases.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
How to majet in WAF you bring me some, I'll
make you a start. Continuing our series about our burgeoning
state of our movie and film industry. Right now, today
we have someone from the world of wardrobe and costumes.
Angela Duncan, is with us. Hello Angela, Hello Angela. So
wardrobe costumes, I mean one and the same. I imagine the
(00:26):
clothing department you dress these people.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
We do, and yes, we like to be referred to
as costume costume costume department.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Okay, So when you would be I guess required very
early in the shoot for something, you'd have to sort
out everybody's individual Look.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
Well, there's different members of the costume department. Normally the
costume designer and the supervisor sort of start in pre
and my job that I have done mostly in my
life is a standby, So I kind of come on
just before filming. It's a lot of work has done
before I arrive. Okay. Then when I start, I break
(01:10):
down a script yep, and then I'm sort of handed
a lot of the costumes that have been decided at
that point.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
Okay, right, right, How did you get into this line
of work?
Speaker 1 (01:19):
Anseler? First, right, okay, and just from there. I did
a secondment on Men from Snow River in Melbourne and
just went from there early.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
Right. Have you done stage stuff as well or is
it mostly TV and film?
Speaker 1 (01:35):
Very small amount of stage, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
Because I guess that would be a whole different animal
too that you're dealing with there.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
It is, yeah, just something I didn't gravitate to.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
I guess, right. What are some of the things that
you've worked on recently? I believe you worked on The
Surfer with Nicholas Cage.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
I did. I'm lucky enough with what I do that
I can sort of come in and out of productions,
not sort of work the whole thing, So I've done
a bit of that recently. It's quite good and convenient
when you have kids. A lot of my CV is
in my twenties. For I had children. I love traveling,
(02:14):
so that's what I did. I used to take jobs
all over the country and different you know, I worked
in London, different parts of the world, so I could
go exploring and work of this job. Yes, when you
have kids, it kind of changes the ball game a bit.
So I'm a bit more settled now and a bit
more choosy. I guess, as we know, we don't have
(02:36):
studios here, so.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
We're going to This is why you must be so
excited about what's happening in way in this industry.
Speaker 1 (02:46):
Definitely, I mean to have work in Perth is a
huge plus four something. Like me, I'm not always somebody
that can pack up my bags and go and work
three months up north or south that kind of well,
I mean I guess I could. Yeah, I just kind
of choose not to for to have from here. Yeah,
so you know, to work in Perth, it's the stability
(03:10):
is good. Yeah, just opens up a lot more doors
for I guess people who may not be able to
drop everything and.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
Not everyone can. And like you said, different stages of
your life, you still want to stay in it, but
you're in a different stage. So yeah, having that flexibility
is awesome to pick and choose. Hey, Angela, over the years,
have there been is it unusual being on a set
and there's a difficult there's an issue, something's broken or whatever,
and you're there at three o'clock stitching or working on
something for running repairs for a shoot the next morning.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
That happens all the time. Yeah, and I think that's
sort of you know the difference between not having studios
and having studios. Sometimes you will come across a problem
on a beach or in the desert that's remote and
a shoe's broken or those kind of things, and you're
left there with, you know, very limited things you can
(04:03):
do to fix the problem. It's kind of nice being
in a studio where you know there's a whole worker
room behind you and you've got glues and tapes and
all sorts of things that can help you out to
you know, save the day at least, I said mcguivy.
You've got to have a pretty important kit with you
that you do and sometimes, you know, that's very limited
when you're in a very remote spot, you know, where
(04:26):
you can only take what you can take. So I
quite like the safety of the studios and having a
costume department there with lots of things. I think that's
going to be great.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
What about dealing with some stars, I mean you are
putting them in there what they're wearing, and of course
that can be a very personal thing. Do you ever
get a bit of pushback from them on oh I
don't want to wear that, or you know, my character
wouldn't wear that. Go to you.
Speaker 1 (04:55):
Yeah, that happens a lot, so you've got to deal
with that. Yep. Sometimes you have just ideas, you know,
sometimes they might see the character in a different way,
and yeah, there's there's always a compromise, and you know,
it's great when you get handed of an actor that
would just do exactly, you know everything.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
Yeah, Samuil, imagine Samuel pushing back, I don't.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
Think you can play I mean, yeah, it's you know,
everybody's different and at the end of the day, they
are playing a character. Some people, you know, get confused
between themselves and the character. So yeah, you know, sort
of sometimes do you have to remind them that maybe
you know, they wouldn't wear that or that kind of thing.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
Yeah, they've got to be a bit of a personality
wrangler as well.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
As in the character. Someone might whip out the you know,
sunglasses at the last minute and sort of say, oh,
you know, I think he could wear these, and they
sort of sunglasses that don't go at all, you know,
with their characters, and the rays don't work and appear. Yeah,
that's exactly, that's exactly exactly.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
Speaking of period pieces and stuff, the costumes can absolute well,
they do absolutely set the scene of what we're watching.
Do you have a particular era that you like to
deal with that is a sort of a personal thing
that you love to do.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
I wouldn't say yes, because I guess that's kind of
refer a bit more to fashion, or I guess perhaps history.
I quite like costume costume, like the you know, really
Dodge of the Jungle of Matrix or kind of Scooby Doo.
(06:40):
It's very different and out there. Kind of Scooby Doo
would be. Well, I have to ask about County Rapes
because he's gorgeous. Yeah, I actually can't really say much
that I kind of was only went. There's a lot
of matricks to help with extras and things. So you know,
(07:02):
obviously a lot of films with the big stars, they
keep themselves to themselves, which in their witty bago Yeah,
I mean that. Apparently you've got it. You've got hundreds
of crew members around, expect them to speak to everybody.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
Angela, what would be because we're talking about the fact
that the film and TV industry has never been healthier
than it is right now in wa and it's only.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
Going to get more.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
So, what is your topic of advice for someone wanting
to get into the costume department in this industry.
Speaker 1 (07:36):
I guess I feel for the people who say that
they really they try and they can't get their foot in.
I would say, sort of try to let us know
that you're around, because we don't know yourself out of
them if we don't know who you are. And I
guess that's a really hard thing for those people to
(07:57):
then say, but who do I speak to? Studying from scratch? Yeah,
because I guess there is a bit of a thing
where you know, sometimes by the time you hear of
a film, it's already it's rude. Yes, and these are
smaller films, so sometimes you only have five or six
people in a costume department. Yeah. Yeah, so you know
(08:19):
Screen West, Screen Australia. I don't know, finding a way
of getting.
Speaker 2 (08:24):
Get onto those websites, see what's happening.
Speaker 1 (08:27):
Do little courses along the way, making context, Yes, just
letting us know what your skills are, what you can do.
That's not only just for the Whopper graduates and the
Tafe graduates. For me, I also think you know experience
being older. You know, perhaps you've graduated from Wapper ten
(08:48):
years ago, you've done some work other places. But you
you know, you've got a skill now yet people who
just graduate won't have so even if you haven't done
a lot, you know immediately, but yeah, get in touch.
Yeah I think that's you know, put yourself out there. Yeah,
it is good. And people who are a bit older
(09:08):
and have I don't know, lots of different things.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
Yeah all right, well, Angela, thank you so much for
taking us into your line of the whole industry. It's fascinating.
Costume department.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
Absolutely, thank you, thank you. Thanks Angela.
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