Voice Of Costume - Creating Character through Costume Design Catherine Baumgardner - Costume Designer and Educator

The “Voice of Costume” is the first podcast created between working costume designers sharing stories, inspiration, struggles, and insights into the creative career of costume design. An behind-the-scenes podcast to showcase the voices of Costume Designers around the world.
Listen in on this inspirational, one-on-one conversation between Tom Broecker and Catherine Baumgardner.
Welcome Tom - An Emmy-award winning costume designer. Working for Saturday Night Live since 1994. He also costume designed 30 Rock, House of Cards, The Comeback and multiple Broadway hits.
Topics Include:
First paid costume job
Juilliard School of Music
Hesitating going to SNL
 
The new Opera “Grounded”
“Creativity spawns Creativity”
Technology that helps
Process vs Results
 
Love of the theatre
“the true art of detachment”
The Christmas Carol example
Hunger Games sketch example
Pivot entire cast costume in 1 hour!
 
Deep Dive (min 20)
What do you like about yourself?
Any area too hard on yourself?
80% rule
Tough aspect of Contemporary
Let the joke lead the costume
Bob Mackie
The gift of the job
His favorite costume
Nostalgia dangers

The “Voice of Costume” is the first podcast created between working costume designers sharing stories, inspiration, struggles, and insights into the creative career of costume design. An behind-the-scenes podcast to showcase the voices of Costume Designers around the world.
Listen in on this inspirational, one-on-one conversation between Safowa Bright Bitzelberger and Catherine Baumgardner.
Topics Include:
mmigrant doctor and nurse parents
Malta and African roots
Being shaped by being unique
Being adaptable and flexible
Artistic threads as a youth
Working in Apparel Design
Styling in the Music Business
 
Starting at the bottom
Having a good head on your shoulders
Mastering your craft at an indie level
 
Griselda (Min 16)
 
costume designer vs costume supervisor
A gift of a long prep time
Designing the arc of Griselda
Story of the Earrings
Difficulty of pivoting a head of department
Challenges of managerial logistics with supervisor
Challenges of creative opinions with designer
 
Defining Success
Finding a new balance
Consumed by the Craft
 
Favorite Rewatch Movie
Favorite place to visit

The “Voice of Costume” is the first podcast created between working costume designers sharing stories, inspiration, struggles, and insights into the creative career of costume design. An behind-the-scenes podcast to showcase the voices of Costume Designers around the world.
Listen in on this inspirational, one-on-one conversation between Alayna Bell-Price and Catherine Baumgardner.
Topics Include:
Raised by a hard working, single mom
Desire to be different
Finding design in college
Dressing her great-grandmother
Great-grandmother inspiration
Columbia College
Styling for Athletes and Pageants
Month in LA college course
Internship out of that
A job and career launched
19-year old stylist
 
FIRST COSTUME JOB
Magic Mike XXL
The LA Grind
Trailer Costumer for Season 1
Encouraged to Assistant Design Season 2
Costume Design at 25 for Season 3
 
Process for keeping continuity accurate
Shooting the End First
911 real calls heightened
Jennifer Love Hewitt Wedding Dress Experience
Crying as a wedding dress litmus test
 
Great advice
Not “show friendship”
Don’t “shrink to fit because you feel you  don’t belong”
Defining success
Keeping things light-hearted
Seize the opportunities
  
Favorite Movie
Favorite Genre
Favorite Places to Visit

The “Voice of Costume” is the first podcast created between working costume designers sharing stories, inspiration, struggles, and insights into the creative career of costume design. An behind-the-scenes podcast to showcase the voices of Costume Designers around the world.
Listen in on this inspirational, one-on-one conversation between Anne Dixon and Catherine Baumgardner.
Please Welcome Anne - Anne’s design career includes designing for theatre, ballet, ice skating, opera, film, and television. A few of her film and series credits include: The Shrouds, The Marsh King’s Daughter, Falling, Lost Girl, Anne with an E, and The Dead Don’t Hurt (written and directed by Viggo Mortenson)
Topics Include:
Childhood with a father news producer
Making clothes for dolls and sister
First job at regional theatre
Traveling costuming theatre
Enjoying the adventure
Schooling in London
The apprenticeship that launched her
Following the inspiration 
Only live once perspective
DEAD DONT HURT (min 15)
Getting the job
There’s no one path
Viggo - writer/director/composer
Creating from the music
Collaborating with Viggo
Research and Look Books
Clothes from the ‘First Nations’
Importance of ‘strong truth’ in the design
Lead Character Design Arc
Shades of Red for her arc
Challenges to overcome
Working in Durango, Mexico
DEEP DIVE:
Proud aspects of oneself
Commitment choices now
Favorite movie
Favorite place to visit
An inspirational creative book

The “Voice of Costume” is the first podcast created between working costume designers sharing stories, inspiration, struggles, and insights into the creative career of costume design. An behind-the-scenes podcast to showcase the voices of Costume Designers around the world.
Listen in on this inspirational, one-on-one conversation between Annie Symons and Catherine Baumgardner.
Please Welcome Annie - Costume Designer for Worried About A Boy, Crimson Petal & the White, Great Expectations, The Hollow Crown, Guy Ritchie’s King Arthur, My Policeman and Mary and George
Topics Include: 
Parents influence in the arts
Pilot dad who also painted and made super 8 films
Falling in love with costume room
Instant best friend with a costume designer 
Starting at age 14 in stage
Deconstructing old wardrobe
Art School
Making clothes for bands in 80’s
Getting starting in music videos 
Journey to TV and Film
Ideal Format - Indie Film
Fun of Researching Period
Mary and George Process
120 person department
Lightning sketches
Contemporary much more challenging
More voices in the room
Working with Actors
Solutions arriving in your sleep
Adding subtext in costumes
Great team of Mary and George
Learned about herself
Words of advice
What all should know about costumes
Favorite Movies
Favorite places to visit

The “Voice of Costume” is the first podcast created between working costume designers sharing stories, inspiration, struggles, and insights into the creative career of costume design. An behind-the-scenes podcast to showcase the voices of Costume Designers around the world.
Listen in on this inspirational, one-on-one conversation between Loulou Bontemps and Catherine Baumgardner.
Please Welcome Loulou - Costume Designer for The Covenant, Operation Fortune, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (directed by Guy Ritchie and starring Henry Cavill and Carry Elwes), and Netflix series The Gentlemen (created by Guy Ritchie)
Topics Include:
Mom running an antique shop and making her clothes
Dad encouraging her to sketch daily
Entry into costume design
First few jobs as a designer
First working with Guy Ritchie
Hard to transition from assistant to lead designer
PROCESS: creating with Guy Ritchie
The Gentlemen Netflix Series
Creating the silhouettes
The costumes reflecting the characters
American version of show idea!
The British ditto suit
PROCESS: The most expensive outfit - the “chicken suit” story
Elevating a scene into an iconic moment
An emotional moment enhanced w/costume
PROCESS: Creating the character in the first fitting
“How do you want to feel in it?”
The emotion of a look
PROCESS: How to read the script and research
Learning Sustainability
When your costumes impact brands
*Father’s words of wisdom*
Being Brave
Favorite Films to Rewatch
Favorite Places to Visit
Design Hacks
*Restyle your own closet
Accept your body shape