Self Directed Project National Theatre: Rocket To The Moon

For my self directed project at university I am splitting this project into two the first  I will be in London on work Placement at the National Theatre in the women's department in the workroom. I will be making female garments for the production Rocket To The Moon. This will be running until June 2011. Follow the link below to get to the NT website for further information on the production. I will be working with the staff for 5 weeks.I would really like to improve my sewing skills and see how to work within a professional environment. I will be looking at how the different department work together and the roles they play to bring the performance together.

For the second part of my self directed project I will be putting the skills i have learnt into practice on my own creating a shirt and a blouse for the national theatre hire department this will take place back at university and will be for a much shorter amount of time so the pressure will be on and I will need to manage my time well.

I really want to improve my making skills during this project and find out more about the working enviroment I will be trying to get work in in the future.

http://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/62806/productions/rocket-to-the-moon.html

I went for my interview at the National Theatre to work on the 1930's production I took my fundamental studies folder and the work I produced last term (corset and a tailored waistcoat) as well as loads of picture of my previous work I have done.

In the interview I spoke to Sue and Maddie as well as showing them my work I spoke to them about my interest in the National Theatre and also my interest in the 1930's as I watch loads of old films especially musicals and that I am particularly interested in silhoutte for women in those times.

these are some of the books I research for this project:

this book is amazing i got this last year and have found it very useful as i love old hollywood films it takes you through so many different films and genre's. it has costume designs and loads of photo's it really helped me prepare for what a 1930's women is thought now to of been wearing then.

I also spoke to them about making for men or women I thought there would be more of a market for employment making male garments, however I came to the conclusion that if the job is going to be taking up so many hours of my life I should really do what I prefer to do which is making women's garments.

this will be the first work experience I will have done in a theatre and I really hope it cements my aspirations to within this industry.as a maker I have been quite concerned about my lack of contacts within the industry so this is something I feel very important to build whilst doing this project.

Week 1

21st February 2011- 25th February 2011.

Planning for the week I decided to take pictures of the different stage of the way the National Theatre make their costumes to be able to  refer back when completing the garments on my own when I get back to university.

I also did research on the 1930's before I went to my interview as I'm very interested in the costumes from this period.

I am limited to how much work i can place on this blog as the designs are not mine so some of the work for this production will have to go in a separate workbook.

below I have pictures of the workroom space. Unfortunately I am unable to post most of the pictures so these will be presented in a workbook along with this blog for my hand in.

National Theatre workroom

Button Hole Maker and Press NT

Two Steam irons NT

I have been given a Nurses outfit to complete for the performance. the first fitting will be this Thursday with Jessica Raine. I must have completed tacking in the sleeves, hem, collar and the pockets. 

First Fitting

I was able to go into the first fitting with Jessica Raine, the costume supervisor costume designer and Sue the head cutter. the first thing that was tried was the underwear and in the play she plays with her slip so this need to be underneath her dress. secondly Jessica after reading the script and being in rehearsals advised ways in which she thought the character would have worn the outfit she also acted out some of the things she need to do during the play and made sure this was possible in what she was wearing. once the dress was on her we saw that the pockets needed changing and the collar as well. The rest of the fitting notes are in my workbook.

On the Friday we got straight on with making the changes to the outfit. this week I have feel that I have learnt allot of how people work together within the department and the amount of work that is expected. I feel my confidence growing even after a week in the workroom. I am really enjoying the structured working pattern which comes with the job.

 

The Mary RoseTudors Exhibition Portsouth

Mary Rose 500 appeal

Emmy award-winning costume designer Joan Bergin is the creator of the elaborate collection.

Costumes from the historical drama series The Tudors are being showcased in the UK for the first time.

I was able to be involved in setting up the exhibition at the Mary Rose Museum in Portsmouth in January.This was a great opportunity to get close to the costumes and see how they were made.  

Jonathan Rhys Meyers as King Henry VIII  costume.

The types of fabrics used for the show were chosen after considering how they would show up on film. this particular fabric was a completely different colour when the lights were not shinning on it. the fabric changed from a mustard colour to a bright pink once in the light. 

 Young Elizabeth's costume the costumes took around 90 hours each to make. there are 500 costumes for the whole show that have been made.

Me with Henry's Boot!

The finished layout for the exhibition