I started the second set of costumes today. I now have a partner in crime, as it were, a seamstress who lives closer to the majority of the shot locations, production crew and local actors who can be on scene when I cannot. She is seeing to the organization of the wardrobe as well as making a fair number of the second set of costumes. This was not my idea nor even my choice. She and I did not get off to a good start and honestly, it's continued to be touch and go. She doesn't know a thing about the time period I based the designs on though I have to admit she's willing to do research. I'm just not terribly impressed with her own designs so far, they look... costumey, for lack of a better term. Ah well, the people in charge have approved them so I shan't worry about it. I have enough to do on my own.
I have three weeks to get these outfits done and shipped. So, a bit more time and fewer costumes than the last batch... though these costumes are more complex than the previous ones. This project seems to be racing by. I had hoped they would decide to contract me for their next project but I suppose that will depend on many factors. I'm not as positive as I once was about those prospects.
This new seamstress who has come on board seems bound and determined to take over, be in charge and basically relegate me to little more than backup. She had the gall to announce she was simply going to copy several of my costume designs and "tweak them" to make them her own in order to fill in a few gaps as far as wardrobe needs were concerned. I am afraid I got a bit tetchy at that and announced if she had everyting well in hand as she seemed to be implying I would happily step out. They could simply return ALL the garb for the extras I had loaned to them, gratus, keeping only the costumes they had comissioned and paid for and I'd be on my way. The director got wind of it and get very nervous. He called me and we had an hour long chat of him asking me not to quit the project. I agreed eventually on the condition he spoke to her and set her straight. I'm not sure how well that worked out.
I suppose I would be less inclined to be irritated by her attitude were it not for the fact that the FECKING DESIGNS ARE MINE and beyound that she has no experience with any of this... it's a hobby to her and she's friends with a few of the blokes in the production company. I do this for a living and have for well over a decade!!!! I see this ending badly. I'm sad about it really because up until she blazed onto the scene not only was I enjoying working with this production company but I was looking forward to hopefully making the working relationship a more long standing one.
Now... I'm not so sure. We'll see how the shoot at the end of September goes.
Wish me luck...
