Tales From A Costume Designer
Join professional costume designer Whitney Anne Adams as she interviews fellow costume designers, costume department members and filmmakers from across the industry. Questions for future guests can be submitted at the TFACD Patreon page.
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ANNIE SPONG - Intimacy Coordinator
09/22/2025
ANNIE SPONG - Intimacy Coordinator
This week’s guest is Intimacy Coordinator & Costumer Annie Spong! We had a fantastic discussion all about Intimacy Coordination: the origins, the nuance of the job, the process, the intersection with costumes, intimacy riders, different types of modesty garments, and so much more! Annie also co-hosts a fantastic Intimacy Coordination podcast called Romancing the Screen - check it out through the link below. There’s a LOT of great links in the show notes today, so be sure to take a look. --- If you want to support me and this podcast, please subscribe to the Patreon - we have tiers starting at just $3 and you will get access to extended cuts of every episode with more even more stories. If you enjoy the show, please consider helping others find it by writing a five star review on your podcast app of choice. --- Intimacy Coordinator Annie Spong Credits include: The Patient, Beef, Saint X, Dave, Rebel, Perry Mason --- Annie Spong, MFA (Pratt Institute, NYC), is an Intimacy Coordinator for television, film, and advertising, bringing decades of award-winning experience as a costume designer and wardrobe stylist. Her seamless transition into intimacy coordination is rooted in years of firsthand advocacy for on-set safety and talent support. Often the first to respond to unspoken needs in production, Annie naturally stepped into the role of safeguarding boundaries long before the industry formalized the position. With a reputation for professionalism, emotional intelligence, and creative problem-solving, Annie collaborates with directors, producers, and performers to choreograph intimate scenes with integrity and care. Her production fluency and deep commitment to consent-forward storytelling make her an invaluable asset on set. She is passionate about cultivating a safe, inclusive, and dynamically creative work environment for all collaborators. --- Annie Spong Links --- Modesty Garment Links: --- TFACD Links: --- Whitney Anne Adams Links: --- Union Links: ---
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BOOK CLUB: THE COSTUMES OF HOLLYWOOD with Co-Authors Coleen Scott and Larry McQueen
09/08/2025
BOOK CLUB: THE COSTUMES OF HOLLYWOOD with Co-Authors Coleen Scott and Larry McQueen
This week episode is a special Book Club episode digging into the brand new book The Costumes of Hollywood with co-authors Coleen Scott & Larry McQueen! We cover Larry’s extensive collection, the creation of the book, the importance of preserving Hollywood history and maintaing the legacy of Costume Designers and their teams, advice for Costume Designers on archiving their own pieces and so much more! The Costumes of Hollywood details the design, creation, and influence of over 100 ensembles from some of the most iconic designers, films, and roles in Hollywood history, spanning the 1920s through the early 21st century. All costumes featured are from The Collection of Motion Picture Costume Design, one of the world’s largest private collections, curated over thirty-five years by leading Hollywood costume historian and archivist, Larry McQueen. The book presents full costumes on display in addition to close-ups, and rarely seen interior details of some garments. Iconic costumes, including many with Academy Award nominations, from Some Like It Hot, Hello Dolly, Cabaret, Rear Window, Ben Hur, Mildred Pierce, Angel, Masters of the Universe, The Piano, The Hunger Games, and so many others are featured. This book gives the audience a rare and heretofore unpublished insight into what collecting, restoring, and reproducing entails, and highlights differences between private collecting and museum-backed collections. The Costumes of Hollywood details the significance of the designer, costume, and wearer via thorough research, interviews, and Larry McQueen’s behind-the-scenes knowledge of collecting and working as an archivist in Hollywood. Within the entertainment field, this book will be of interest to professional costume designers and technicians in film, theatre, and performance, as well as students of film production, history, and costume design and construction. The Costumes of Hollywood will also enrich and entertain anyone with an interest in costume design in film and collecting. — If you want to support me and this podcast, please subscribe to the Patreon - we have tiers starting at just $3 and you will get access to extended cuts of every episode with more even more stories. --- The Costumes of Hollywood: Highlights from The Collection of Motion Picture Costume Design Written by Coleen Scott & Larry McQueen --- Larry McQueen is a leading Hollywood costume historian and archivist. He has held the position of consultant for Camden House Auctioneers, Inc. in Los Angeles; Christie's East, New York: Christie's London; Butterfield and Butterfield Los Angeles/ San Francisco; Entertainment Rarities; and Julien Entertainment. As consultant, he has been responsible for the authentication of film costumes and the estimation of their value. From 1999-2012, Mr. McQueen worked as an archivist with MGM/ UA in creating and maintaining a prop and costume collection of MGM films. In addition, his collection has worked with private estates and costume houses such as Lucille Ball, Jane Withers, Edith Head, Wayne Finkleman, Julie Newmar, Debbie Reynolds, Western Costume Company, Eastern Costume Company, CRC, American Costume Co., and others in researching items and their valuation. Mr. McQueen's private collection of film costumes is one the finest, and consists of over 600 costumes worn in films and television from 1920 to present. Portions of his collection have been exhibited in museums across the globe including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, The Fashion Foundation in Tokyo, and The Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Website: www.filmcostumecollection.com. Coleen Scott is a costume designer and historian with an MFA in Costume Design from Boston University, where she received the Kahn award upon graduation. She has worked for over 25 years in theater, opera, film, and television. She has worked with Academy Award-winning costume designer Ann Roth as well as designers Stephanie Maslansky and Tina Nigro. She frequently works with her creative partner and photographer, Ben Trivett, doing styling, set decoration, and photo tech for celebrity and editorial portrait photography. Coleen taught Costume Production and Makeup for Stage and Studio at Saint Ann's School in Brooklyn, NY for thirteen years. Her book The Costumes of Burlesque was published by Routledge in 2019. She is a proud member of lATSE, USA 829, USITT, and is Chair of The Costume Society of America's Western Region. Coleen is tenured faculty in the Theatre Arts and Fashion Department at Santa Rosa Junior College in California heading the Costume Design, Technology and Makeup programs. Website: www.coleenscottdesign.com. CoH Links: --- TFACD Links: --- Whitney Anne Adams Links: --- Union Links: ---
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KATHLEEN FELIX-HAGER - Costume Designer
08/25/2025
KATHLEEN FELIX-HAGER - Costume Designer
This week’s episode features the fantastic costume designer Kathleen Felix-Hager. We dig into her start in the world of costumes on the epic film Waterworld, the love for our costume teams, using her grandmother as one of her inspirations for Jean Smart’s Deborah Vance in Hacks, the unexpected logistical issues that come with cross-boarding, the joy of contemporary research, what we look for when we’re hiring new staff members, and so much more! --- *We had some cute puppy barks and gardening noises in the background, so don’t be alarmed if you hear them a few times! --- If you want to support me and this podcast, please subscribe to the Patreon - we have tiers starting at just $3 and you will get access to extended cuts of every episode with more even more stories. --- Costume Designer Kathleen Felix-Hager Credits include: Dexter, Veep, Hacks, Space Force, Happiest Season, Downhill --- Kathleen Felix-Hager is a costume designer, currently working in both television and feature film. Born and raised in Los Angeles, she began her career on the film Waterworld, and fell in love with the art of storytelling through costumes. She has designed the costumes on several award-winning television shows, including Dexter, Veep and Hacks. She received an Emmy for Contemporary Costumes for her work on Hacks. Photo by Chris Hager --- Kathleen Felix-Hager --- TFACD Links: --- Whitney Anne Adams Links: --- Union Links: ---
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BOOK CLUB: BREAKING INTO NEW HOLLYWOOD with Co-Author Ada Tseng
08/11/2025
BOOK CLUB: BREAKING INTO NEW HOLLYWOOD with Co-Author Ada Tseng
This week episode is a special Book Club episode digging into the brand new book Breaking Into New Hollywood: A Career Guide to a Changing Industry with Co-Author Ada Tseng. Come listen as we highlight the special features in this book and what went into bringing it to life. I’m honored to be featured in the Costume Design section of this book (along with this very podcast!) and it was a blast to turn the tables on Ada who interviewed me — now I get to interview her! --- If you want to support me and this podcast, please subscribe to the Patreon - we have tiers starting at just $3 and you will get access to extended cuts of every episode with more even more stories. --- Breaking Into New Hollywood: A Career Guide to a Changing Industry Written by Ada Tseng & Jon Healy. Presented by the Los Angeles Times. --- Ada Tseng is the co-author of the upcoming book Breaking Into New Hollywood, with Jon Healey. She co-hosts the Asian American pop culture history podcast, Saturday School, with Brian Hu. A former editor at the Los Angeles Times, Ada covers culture, lifestyle, health, style and travel. Her bylines include National Geographic, Center of Asian American Media, Women’s Wear Daily, HowStuffWorks, The Washington Post, Public Radio International, NBC, LA Weekly, Asia Pacific Arts, Audrey Magazine and more. Headshot photo by Leo Wu Published since 1881, The Los Angeles Times is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the United States, as well as the largest newspaper in the western United States. Ada Tseng & Book Links: --- TFACD Links: --- Whitney Anne Adams Links: --- Union Links: ---
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TONY GARDNER - SFX Makeup Artist, Designer & Puppeteer
08/04/2025
TONY GARDNER - SFX Makeup Artist, Designer & Puppeteer
This week’s episode features the incredible designer Tony Gardner! I was lucky enough to work with Tony on Freaky and we overlapped on the Happy Death Day series. We dig into his illustrious career from his professional start on Michael Jackson’s Thriller music video through his most recent projects like Heart Eyes. We talk about collaborating with costume designers on Hocus Pocus, designing the helmets for Daft Punk, and finding places for his disembodied head to have a cameo. And so much more! --- New Release Day! New episodes will now be dropping on Mondays both on the Patreon and publicly to streamline things so I can get more episodes out. The Patreon episodes will still be longer than the public versions with more stories and anecdotes. I release a longer cut of each episode there with more even more stories than the public versionIf you want to support me and this podcast, please head over and subscribe to the Patreon. --- SFX Makeup Artist, Designer and Puppeteer Tony Gardner Credits include: Heart Eyes, 127 Hours, Hocus Pocus, Hairspray, MTV’s Jackass, The Addams Family and Zombieland films, as well as the CHUCKY film franchise and recent TV series. --- Tony Gardner is an American makeup effects designer, special effects artist, and filmmaker. He has designed and created effects for multiple feature films, including Heart Eyes, 127 Hours, Hocus Pocus, Hairspray, MTV’s Jackass, The Addams Family and Zombieland films, as well as the CHUCKY film franchise and recent TV series. Gardner’s Alterian Studios created the signature helmets for Daft Punk as well as the animatronic robot DJ for the duo’s "Technologic" music video. He wrote and directed Daft Punk's music video for the song "The Prime Time of Your Life," and associate produced and populated a world full of robots for the duo's feature-length directorial debut, Daft Punk's Electroma. Alterian's makeup effects for Johnny Knoxville's character in Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa were nominated for an Academy Award as well as a Makeup Artist & Hair Stylist Guild Award, and won the Makeup Artist & Hair Stylist Guild Award for Best Special Makeup Effects in the Feature Film category the year it was released. Beyond the film-making arena, Gardner and Alterian also designed and created the popular GEICO Cavemen characters as well as the current iteration of Smokey Bear for the US Forestry Department. Tony Gardner Links: --- TFACD Links: --- Whitney Anne Adams Links: --- Union Links: ---
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Summer Check-In
07/23/2025
Summer Check-In
Hello everyone! It’s hard to fathom how quickly time has passed and now how long it’s been since my last episode. This quick little episode talks about what’s been going on in my life and the industry in the time since. I hope you all do the homework I assign to you! Sending much love to all of you out there. --- If you want to support the work that I do or you want to be a part of my little community, you can meet me over on our Patreon page. I have a free membership tier too so it doesn’t have to cost any money at all. When I get back to releasing episodes (will be asap!) — I release a longer cut of each episode there with more even more stories than the public version. I also host a monthly movie watching party on my Patreon and share fun costume trivia and behind the scenes facts for each film. --- Whitney Anne Adams is a Costume Designer who has worked on several internationally acclaimed films, many of which have been featured at the Sundance, Cannes, Tribeca, and Toronto International Film Festivals. Her credits include The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat, Story Ave, Freaky, We Have A Ghost, Happy Death Day 2U, as well as the upcoming film Five Nights at Freddy’s 2. Whitney is an active union member of two I.A.T.S.E locals: the Costume Designers Guild, Local 892 and United Scenic Artists, Local 829. She is passionate about advocating for the essential art of costume design. --- TFACD Links: --- Whitney Anne Adams Links: --- Union Links:
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KATIE IRISH - Costume Designer
11/15/2024
KATIE IRISH - Costume Designer
This week’s episode features my talented friend and colleague, Costume Designer Katie Irish. We dig into her roots in theatre (she also started off college pre-med just like myself!) and her transition into film and tv which included taking over designing The Americans. We talk about our union work in United Scenic Artists Local 829 - especially as she and I have been two of the co-chairs of the Pay Equity Task Force for several years. We discuss our recent contract negotiation and the gains made and what more still need to do: especially in regards to our amazing ACDs and CDCs. We also cover her most recent show Manhunt, a 19th Century feast for the eyes, and how she started her research of a period that’s quite removed from our present day. And so much more! --- If you head on over to the Patreon, you'll see that I release episodes there two days before the main podcast feed and some of these episodes will be longer with more even more stories than the public version. If you want to support me and this podcast, feel free to buy me a coffee on ko-fi or subscribe to the Patreon. --- Costume Designer Katie Irish Credits include: The Americans, Manhunt, Hit & Run, The Enemy Within --- Katie Irish is a costume designer best known for her work on seasons 4-6 of the Emmy award winning FX series The Americans. Her most recent project is a miniseries for Apple + entitled Manhunt about the search for John Wilkes Booth after he assassinated Lincoln. In addition to these, Irish has designed Hit & Run for Netflix and The Enemy Within for NBC; the indie features The Widowers and Landing Up; and co-designed the Season 10 semi-finals and finale of NBC’s America’s Got Talent. She has also designed numerous commercials, short films, and music videos. Earlier in her career, she worked extensively as an assistant and associate designer on Broadway where favorites included Jesus Christ Superstar, Godspell, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, Jerusalem, Fences, Promises, Promises, The Seagull, Is He Dead?, and Shrek. Originally from Memphis, Katie is an alum of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a MFA in Design for Stage and Film. Katie Irish Links: --- TFACD Links: --- Whitney Anne Adams Links: --- Union Links: ---
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TINA MABRY - Director, Writer, Producer
10/25/2024
TINA MABRY - Director, Writer, Producer
This week’s episode features the incredible Director, Writer, Producer Tina Mabry, who I was lucky enough to work with on our film The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat from Searchlight Pictures which just premiered on Hulu in August. Not only do we dig into our work together on The Supremes, we also cover a wide array of topics from cultivating a kindness and respect on set, jumping into directing episodes of television on established tv shows, to coming up with the spark of an idea for a script to and what happens when you a have to cut a two page monologue in favor of a wordless scene so you can make your day. Spoiler alert, it ends up being the right choice. Also, this episode is essential for all those starting out in the industry as Tina gives so much incredible advice. She is such an inspiration! — If you head on over to the Patreon, there’s an extended cut of this episode. I release episodes there two days before the main podcast feed and these episodes will be longer with more even more stories. If you want to support me and this podcast, feel free to buy me a coffee on ko-fi or subscribe to the Patreon. Thanks for your patience during this past two week delay in getting this episode out: work has been all encompassing the past couple months and will continue to be through February. I’m getting episodes out as quickly as I can! --- Director, Writer, Producer Tina Mabry Credits include: writing and directing The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat & Mississippi Damned, serving as a writer, producer and director for both tv series Queen Sugar and Queen of the South, directing episodes of television including Pose, Women of the Movement, and Insecure. --- Tina Mabry, a native of Tupelo, Mississippi, is an award-winning writer, producer, and director. She earned her MFA in Film Production from the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts. She is known for her work on "Queen Sugar" and on "Queen of the South," where she served as a writer, producer, and director for both series. Her directing credits include "Insecure" (HBO), "Dear White People" (Netflix), and "Pose" (FX). Tina’s feature film "Mississippi Damned" won over 13 festival awards. She has received a DGA Award and an NAACP Image Award. Her latest project, "The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat," starring Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Sanaa Lathan, and Uzo Aduba is available to stream on Hulu. Tina Mabry Links: --- TFACD Links: --- Whitney Anne Adams Links: --- Union Links: ---
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KARA LINDSTROM - Production Designer
09/27/2024
KARA LINDSTROM - Production Designer
Today’s episode features Production Designer Kara Lindstrom, who I was lucky enough to work with on our film The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat from Searchlight Pictures which just premiered on Hulu in August. Her impressive and varied career has seen her work as a Set Decorator, Art Director, Screenwriter & Novelist in addition to Production Design. Not only do we dig into our work together on The Supremes, we also cover her beginnings starting with a mentorship from Polly Platt to her career today and what it took to design clean mud and construct trees for her Predator film Prey. And guess what iconic horror film just happened to be her first film job? You’ll have to listen to find out! If you head on over to the Patreon, there’s an extended cut of this episode with even more stories. I also usually release episodes there two days early! --- Production Designer Kara Lindstrom Credits include: The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat, Prey, Dear John, Den of Thieves and the upcoming film Novocaine. --- Kara Lindstrom has worked as a novelist, screenwriter, set decorator and production designer for film and television. She was nominated for an Emmy in writing and has been noticed by Variety as “One of 10 Screenwriters to Watch.” Her novel, Sparkle Life was published in 2006 (Other Press). Shorter fiction has been published in Bridge Eight and Black Clock. Twice, she has been a two-time prize winner in the Islands Short Fiction Review (British Columbia, Canada). She has written for many studios, including Paramount, MGM, Universal, DreamWorks, HBO and Warner Brothers. As a set decorator, art director and production designer, she has worked on dozens of projects, including Heathers, French Kiss, Strange Days, The Mambo Kings, Den of Thieves, Dear John, Prey, Nyad, Novocaine. When she’s not working on location, she lives in Victoria, BC, Canada. Kara Lindstrom Link: --- TFACD Links: --- Whitney Anne Adams Links: --- Union Links: --- Slightly delayed episode release today! I’ve been quite busy designing my current film which takes priority! A million thanks to my dear friend Corey Culp (also a Patreon member!) for editing this episode for me and helping make it sound fantastic.
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LISA SMEDLEY-CALDERON - Costume Designer
09/13/2024
LISA SMEDLEY-CALDERON - Costume Designer
Today’s episode features Costume Designer and Fashion Stylist Lisa Smedley-Calderon. We talk about her start in the entertainment industry as a fashion stylist for many musical artists including Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, and Boyz II Men. We dig into how styling and costume design are two very different jobs that sometimes intersect. Lisa shares what it was like when she had to leave the industry for a decade to take care of her ailing parents and how she decided to transition fully into costume design when she returned. She built her experience by working as a buyer, a costumer, and an ACD on a multitude of projects before starting to head her own teams as a costume designer. If you head on over to the Patreon, there’s an extended cut of this episode with even more stories. I also release episodes there two days early! --- Costume Designer Lisa Smedley-Calderon Credits include: Color Book, The Waterboyz, Cinnamon, Karen, The First Noelle, How The Gringo Stole Christmas, The Ice Cream Man --- Lisa Smedley-Calderon, Costume Designer and Fashion Stylist, has built an impressive reputation from styling, creating images for legendary celebrities, to creating characters for commercials, TV series and movies. A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, it was her move to California that propelled a whirlwind of working with some of the greatest artists in the entertainment industry. Lisa became known for cultivating styles unique to each clients’ personality while adding a hint of her own quirks. Her acute attention to detail marks her signature touch. While completing her studies in Fashion Merchandising, Lisa became a fashion consultant for Saks Fifth Avenue in Beverly Hills. While at Saks Fifth, she was referred to the Crystal Agency and began assistant styling and later styling independently as one of the most sought after fashion stylists and is presently working in movies and TV series. Lisa has styled for artists such as Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, Bobby Brown, Boyz II Men, and Color Me Badd, as well as award shows such as the Grammy’s, American Music Awards, Billboard and MTV Awards. Lisa has evolved in her career as a costume designer on movies and TV series with A-List celebrities. Now with over 20 years of experience in the film and TV industry, Lisa continues to have the same drive and passion she did 20 years ago. When not on a project, Lisa likes to read, travel, and spend time with family. --- Lisa Smedley-Calderon Links: --- TFACD Links: --- Whitney Anne Adams Links: --- Union Links:
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MICHELLE A. GREEN - Costume Designer
08/30/2024
MICHELLE A. GREEN - Costume Designer
Today’s episode features the Costume Designer Michelle A. Green. We first met through our advocacy work as members of Costume Designers Guild Pay Equity Committee. We cover many topics including the joy of finding the character in the fitting room, the importance of safety, staying true to yourself, as well as making sure our actors in period projects have those trousers pulled up fully to their actual waists! If you head on over to the Patreon, there’s an extended cut of this episode with eight more minutes of stories. --- Costume Designer Michelle Green Credits include: Queen Sugar, 13 Reasons Why, Son of the South, Valor, Parish --- Michelle Green is a costume designer who has worked on numerous productions with Netflix, Starz, AMC, and WB. Michelle's work is synonymous with great storytelling. A true artist at heart, Michelle approaches each project with unwavering dedication and a keen eye for detail. Her hands-on approach ensures that every costume not only complements the character but also elevates the storytelling experience. From meticulously selecting fabrics to crafting bespoke designs, Michelle's commitment to excellence shines through in every stitch. --- Michelle Green Links: --- TFACD Links: --- Whitney Anne Adams Links: --- Union Links:
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ROBERT STADD - Visual Effects Supervisor & VFX Producer
08/16/2024
ROBERT STADD - Visual Effects Supervisor & VFX Producer
Hello everyone! Today’s episode features the Visual Effects Supervisor and Visual Effects Producer Robert Stadd. I was fortunate enough to collaborate with Robert on our Netflix film We Have A Ghost. We get into some fascinating discussions about his work in VFX including the intersection of VFX and Costumes (especially on We Have A Ghost!) as well as covering his extensive film career, and the reasons he turned down Titanic and The Matrix! Also tune in to hear about working on the miniatures for The Crow & Crimson Tide as well how he made a monkey look like he’s smoking for The Hangover. If you head on over to the Patreon, there’s an extended version of the episode with more tales, like working with Michael Mann, designing his favorite shot from Miami Vice and how some Navy Seals accidentally had their hair turn green on Crimson Tide. --- VFX Supervisor & VFX Producer Robert Stadd Credits include: War Dogs, The Hangover Part 2 & Part 3, The Laundromat, Ali, Collateral, Miami Vice, and Public Enemies --- Robert Stadd has supervised and produced the visual effects for We Have a Ghost, A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting, The Laundromat, Mortal Engines, War Dogs, Hangover Part 2 and Part 3, Public Enemies, Miami Vice, Redline, Collateral, Ali, as well as producing the VFX for Nutty Professor (I & II), Galaxy Quest, Liar Liar, Mighty Joe Young, My Fellow Americans, The Crow, Crimson Tide, The Mask, Hot Shots!, Defending Your Life Stadd directed Alien Siege for the Sy-Fi Channel, which had their highest viewership in five years when it played. He has directed theater at the Off Main Street theater in Santa Monica as well as the Globe Playhouse in West Hollywood. His webisode, The Ballad of Mary and Ernie has won multiple streaming awards. --- Robert Stadd Links: --- TFACD Links: --- Whitney Anne Adams Links: --- Union Links:
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DANIEL SELON - Costume Designer
08/02/2024
DANIEL SELON - Costume Designer
We are BACK! --- Hello everyone, hope you are all having a wonderful summer so far. It has been such busy and overwhelming year for me, so I unfortunately haven’t been able to get a new episode out til now despite my best efforts. Still a one-woman operation over here! Thrilled to be releasing this fantastic conversation with my dear friend and colleague, the phenomenal Costume Designer Daniel Selon. In addition to being a CD, he has also worked extensively as an Assistant Costume Designer and other roles in the costume department. We discuss so many things, including how we break down a script, the way we build our teams, the way we build our teams, the importance of ACDs, the unusual places inspiration can strike, working in the Marvel universe, and of course CDG Pay Equity as we are one half of the Steering Committee of the CDG Pay Equity Committee. --- Costume Designer & Assistant Costume Designer Daniel Selon CD Credits include: Agatha All Along, Dave Made a Maze, numerous projects with comedians Rhett and Link including Good Mythical Morning ACD Credits include: WandaVision (he’s an Emmy winner!), Thor: Love and Thunder, Blue Beetle, Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness --- Daniel Selon Links: --- TFACD Links: --- Whitney Anne Adams Links: --- Union Links:
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VERA CHOW - Costume Designer
05/24/2024
VERA CHOW - Costume Designer
This week’s episode features the imaginative and talented Costume Designer Vera Chow! We had so much fun talking about how we first met, the difference between working in NYC and then working outside of NYC, AAPI representation in filmed media, dealing with tough situations on set, and so much more! I really hope you enjoy this one. --- Costume Designer Vera Chow Credits include: The Brothers Sun | The Walking Dead | Boogie | Deadbeat --- Vera Chow is a costume designer currently most known for her work on Seasons 10 and 11 of AMC’s The Walking Dead and Netflix's action/dramedy The Brothers Sun, starring Academy Award winner Michelle Yeoh. Film, Art and Design, was young Vera's coping mechanism for bullying while growing up as a child in Hong Kong. Therefore, determined to move to the US, she knew she wanted to be a Costume Designer since she was 13. Throughout the 15+ years of her career, Chow has worked on films and series worldwide, spanning from North America, South America, to as far as East Asia and Central Asia. She has covered genres from horror to scifi to romantic comedies, comfortably leaping back and forth from 1 million art films to 100 mill epics. Vera is known for her penchant to acquire anything from thrift store pieces to bedsheets, and taking everything apart and rebuilding them into entirely reimagined costume changes (to the chagrin of her tailors and agers). And as Vera's experience grew, she also became an outspoken advocate for AAPI representation for below the line film workers. --- Vera Chow Links: --- TFACD Links: --- Whitney Anne Adams Links: --- Pay Equity Links:
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CHEYENNE FORD - Production Designer
04/05/2024
CHEYENNE FORD - Production Designer
I am so excited to welcome wonderful Production Designer Cheyenne Ford to the show today. We’ve worked together on multiple projects including Story Ave, The Caretaker, and The Eyes of My Mother. Cheyenne is also the founder and program director of Art Craft NYC, a program that provides knowledge and training to those interested in becoming entry level in the art department. Applications for the inaugural class are currently open until Saturday April 6th. Head over to their page to get more info! We had a great conversation that covered so much ground, from mentorship and education to her design process to how much we love the library! And so much more. --- Production Designer Cheyenne Ford Credits include: Shiva Baby | Story Ave | Miller’s Girl --- Originally hailing from New Orleans, Cheyenne Ford is a New York City based Production Designer for film and advertising. Her eclectic art dept experience has influenced her process on indie favorites like Shiva Baby, the SXSW 2023 World Premiering Story Ave, and Lionsgate and Point Grey produced Miller's Girl starring Jenna Ortega and Martin Freeman. When she’s not on set, she’s often working with various organizations to educate and mentor newcomers interested in the art department. Most notably, she is set to launch Art Craft NYC, a month-long hands-on training program, with the inaugural class scheduled for Summer 2024. --- Cheyenne Ford Links: --- TFACD Links: --- Whitney Anne Adams Links: --- Pay Equity Links:
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ALESHA MITCHELL - Costumer
03/22/2024
ALESHA MITCHELL - Costumer
Today’s episode features a fantastic Costumer, Alesha D. Mitchell! Alesha and I met when she was my key/truck costumer on our film The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat. We had a great conversation of wide ranging topics from physically demanding days on set, taking care of ourselves in this industry, money smarts, the difference between and Costumer and a Costume Designer and so much more. We also talked about her YourTube channel: Behind the Scenes and Below the Line. Check out the links below to learn more. --- If you want to support me and this podcast, feel free to buy me a coffee on ko-fi or subscribe to the Patreon and get the episodes two days earlier. These links and the link to the show on all your favorite podcast players is in our IG bio. --- Costumer Alesha D. Mitchell Credits include: The Underground Railroad | Father of the Bride | Legacies | Collection | The Devil all the Time | The Fanatic As well as the upcoming films Shirley | Gladiator 2 | The Life of Chuck | The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat --- Alesha Mitchell is just here to serve the people! Alesha is a union member with nearly a decade of experience in the film and television industry. --- Alesha D. Mitchell Links: --- TFACD Links: --- Whitney Anne Adams Links: --- Pay Equity Links:
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TRAYCE GIGI FIELD - Costume Designer
03/15/2024
TRAYCE GIGI FIELD - Costume Designer
Today's episode features the brilliant and talented Costume Designer Trayce Gigi Field! We talk about so many wonderful things from her roots at Western Costume to the difference in process between television and film. Other great topics include the value of costume design, the #creditcostumedesigners campaign, working with and highlighting diverse brands, the importance of the collaborations with costume illustrators, actors and directors, and the danger of AI. Trayce is also the co-chair of the CDG Diversity Committee and serves with me in the CDG Pay Equity Committee and we got to dig into the importance and impact and the work of both. — Costume Designer Trayce Gigi Field is known for her vibrant tastes in color and her quirky yet fun choices in style and texture. With over 30 credits to her name, her multicultural background helps her see the world from a broad perspective. | Currently, Trayce is costume designing Liz Feldman’s No Good Deed for Netflix. In addition to Rian Johnson’s POKER FACE for Peacock, her recent credits include BOOKIE on MAX, Amazon’s A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN, Apple TV+’s THE AFTER PARTY and Netflix’s DEAD TO ME. In 2024, Trayce was a double nominee for the Costume Designers Guild Awards for POKER FACE and for Jack Harlow’s Super Bowl Doritos Commercial, in 2023, Trayce was nominated for a NAACP Image Award for A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN and in 2021, she was nominated for a Costume Designers Guild Award for LIONSGATE’S BARB AND STAR GO TO VISTA DEL MAR. She received acclaim early in her career for her iconic diner uniforms showcased on CBS’s 2 BROKE GIRLS. A native of Los Angeles, Trayce graduated from the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising (FIDM). CDG Diversity Committee Chairperson | NAACP Image Awards Nomination Committee Member | CDG Comic-Con Committee Member --- Trayce Gigi Field Links: --- TFACD Links: --- Whitney Anne Adams Links: --- Pay Equity Links:
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ZACHARY GALLER - Cinematographer
03/01/2024
ZACHARY GALLER - Cinematographer
I am so thrilled to have my friend, the fantastic Cinematographer Zachary Galler, on the show this week! Zack and I worked together on our film Piercing! We talk about the working relationship of a DP and a Costume Designer, his process on set with his team, working digitally vs working with film, post-production, our work in Piercing, his work on Lessons in Chemistry, the state of artistry in the industry and making sure to stretch before picking up any camera equipment! The link to the show on your favorite podcast player is in the IG bio. --- Cinematographer Zachary Galler Credits include: Lessons in Chemistry | Extrapolations | The Act | Piercing | Paper Girls | Manhunt: Unabomber | Briarpatch | Dr. Death --- Zachary Galler grew up on film and commercial sets where he would observe his director father at work. Galler’s passion for filmmaking led him to leave film school early in order to jumpstart his career. He cut his teeth as a lighting technician and quickly worked his way up to shooting various feature film and television projects. Notable projects include Hulu’s The Act, Piercing, and Apple's Extrapolations and Lessons in Chemistry. --- Zachary Galler Links: --- TFACD Links: --- Whitney Anne Adams Links: --- Pay Equity Links:
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JENNY LIN - Makeup Department Head
02/23/2024
JENNY LIN - Makeup Department Head
This week, Whitney is so excited to be hosting one of her previous collaborators on the show, the talented Makeup Department Head Jenny Lin! We talk about transforming Jennifer Coolidge into the “West Bay Medium” for We Have A Ghost, her amazing times she’s spent working with Robert Rodriguez, creating a safe space in her trailer, working with the costume department, staying organized during filming and continuity work, protecting her time during “lasts looks”, as well as fabulous advice for those trying to break into the industry. --- Makeup Department Head Jenny Lin Credits include: We Have A Ghost | Tell Me Lies | Queen of the South | Alita: Battle Angel | Hypnotic | Spy Kids: Armageddon | Not Dead Yet --- Jenny is a science nerd who fell into makeup accidentally while in college at UT Austin. The very act of creating sparked something in herself to explore and led to working hands-on at a cosmetics company part time while pursuing her undergrad. Her first unexpected opportunity arose when Jenny was approached fill in super last minute makeup on her first short film, but the catch was that she’d have to basically work nonstop for five days straight… at the end of that very sleepless week, something ignited within her and Jenny has not looked back ever since. Fast forward a decade, Jenny’s makeups have been seen on major motion pictures, television shows and national commercials. Beyond her video work, Jenny attained experience in makeup for commercial print ads and lifestyle shoots as well as a roster of faces for red carpet, special events and celebrity weddings and her clientele includes hometown Austin cult movie director Robert Rodriguez. Jenny’s truest passion is in designing and executing imaginative makeups for her directors while collaborating with all the actor, and all creative departments to get the job done beautifully, efficiently and as cost efficient as possible. Skills range in special effect and trauma makeups, airbrushing, tattoo and facial hair work on top of corrective, beauty and character makeups. --- Jenny Lin Links: --- TFACD Links: --- Whitney Anne Adams Links: --- Pay Equity Links:
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JOSEPH LA CORTE - Costume Designer
02/16/2024
JOSEPH LA CORTE - Costume Designer
This week, TFACD is excited to be hosting the lovely and talented costume designer Joseph La Corte to the show! We talk about starting in theatre and his first jobs in New York (working nearly 24 hours a day on two projects at once!), his family history of sewing and tailoring, the love for The Wizard of Oz, his homemade Grease 2 costume made out of unusual materials, and much more. We do a deep dive on his process for Fellow Travelers and how on earth he sourced and built all those pieces! --- Costume Designer Joseph La Corte CD credits include: Fellow Travelers | Fosse/Verdon | Tales From the Loop | Under the Banner of Heaven | Divorce --- Following his passion for costume design, Joseph La Corte has worked on some of the most iconic projects in film and television. From period and fantasy costumes, to contemporary clothing, Joseph brings his fine-tuned attention to detail and unbridled enthusiasm for design to all of his work. Joseph has worked on some of the most iconic shows in television. He also designed the costumes for the new ground-breaking limited series Fellow Travelers for Showtime/Fremantle, Fellow Travelers created by Academy Award Nominee Ron Nyswaner. Joseph received his fourth Emmy Nomination for his work on the critically acclaimed FX series Fosse/Verdon. His talents can also be seen in many HBO series including The Sopranos, Boardwalk Empire, Vinyl, and Divorce. Other notable television credits include Saturday Night Live, Law and Order: SVU and the Sci-Fi series from Amazon: Tales From the Loop. Joseph also designed the costumes for the acclaimed Fx series Under the Banner of Heaven created by Dustin Lance Black. His feature film dossier is no less impressive. Joseph recently contributed his expertise to the Academy award-nominated film Three Billboards Outside of Ebbing, Missouri. Other notable film projects include Bel Ami, All the Kings Men, Sex and the City 2, and School of Rock. Whether the project calls for a modern sensibility, or an interpretation of the past, Joseph brings a true sense of authenticity to every costume he designs. Joseph’s work has taken him to such diverse locations as Japan, Morocco, France, England, and Hungary, as well as much of the United States and Canada. Joseph is happiest when working and creating and is always looking forward to new costume design adventures that may lie ahead. --- Joseph La Corte Links: --- TFACD Links: --- Whitney Anne Adams Links: --- Pay Equity Links:
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MALGOSIA TURZANSKA - Costume Designer
02/09/2024
MALGOSIA TURZANSKA - Costume Designer
I am thrilled to welcome the brilliant and wonderful costume designer Malgosia Turzanska to the show this week! We talk through her process of sketching for every project, her start in student films, working with vegan materials on The Green Knight as well as our work together in the realm of costume pay equity. --- Costume Designer Malgosia Turzanska CD credits include: Expats | The Green Knight | X | Pearl | Stranger Things | Hell or High Water | Ain’t Them Bodies Saints --- Malgosia Turzanska was born and raised in Krakow, Poland. She has a BFA in Costume Design from DAMU in Prague, and an MFA in Costume Design from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. Her design credits include Hell or High Water starring Jeff Bridges and Chris Pine, Season 1 of Stranger Things, which earned her a CDG nomination for Excellence in Period TV, The Green Knight (CDG nomination for Sci-Fi/Fantasy), and Ti West’s two horrors, X and Pearl, which have inspired many a Halloween costume this past year. When not working on movies, Malgosia makes textile sculptures and weird mostly unusable furniture. --- Malgosia Turzanska Links: --- TFACD Links: --- Whitney Anne Adams Links:
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ALEXIS FORTE - Costume Designer
02/02/2024
ALEXIS FORTE - Costume Designer
Costume Designer Alexis Forte CD credits include: Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire | Smile | Eric Larue | Resurrection | Miguel Wants to Fight --- I am so thrilled to welcome my friend Alexis to the inaugural episode of TFACD! We begin with the wild story of how we met (randomly in a bar!), then her beginnings in ballet and to PA-ing, assisting and now where she is today as a department head. --- Alexis was born and raised in Lisbon, Portugal, and moved to Miami at the age of 10. As a child, she trained as a ballet dancer at Miami City Ballet, Joffrey Ballet School and Alvin Ailey, with dance being her gateway into costumes. Alexis pivoted from dance into visual arts in college when she went to London to study at the prestigious Central Saint Martins. Immersed into the world of theatre and film there, she found her calling. Upon graduation Alexis moved to New York City and started her career. She came up as an Assistant Costume Designer working on films such as Jason Reitman’sGhostbusters: Afterlife and The Front Runner; Drew Goddard’s Bad Times at the El Royal; Darren Aronofsky’s Mother! and The Whale, and Steven Spielberg’s The Post to name a few. In addition, Alexis was on Jacqueline Durran’s costume design team for Greta Gerwig’s, Little Women, which won Best Costumes at the 2020 Oscars. Alexis kicked off her own design career with IFC Film’s Resurrection, which premiered at Sundance 2022. Following that up with Smile for Paramount Pictures; Miguel Wants to Fight for Hulu; Michael Shannon’s directorial debut, Eric LaRue, that premiered at Tribeca Film Festival 2023; and currently Gil Kenan’s sequel to Ghostbusters Afterlife. Alexis also designs for the stage, most recently making her Broadway debut with Stephen Adly Guirgis’s Between Riverside and Crazy, the 2015 Pulitzer Prize-winner for Drama. That production of Between Riverside and Crazy was nominated for a 2023 Tony for Best Play. Alexis is also a proud member of LAByrinth Theater Company. --- Alexis Forte Links: --- TFACD Links: --- Whitney Anne Adams Links:
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Introduction
01/25/2024
Introduction
Welcome to Tales From A Costume Designer! Join professional costume designer Whitney Anne Adams as she interviews fellow costume designers, costume department members and filmmakers from across the industry. Questions for future guests can be submitted at the TFACD Patreon page. --- Support the show on Patreon: Follow the show on Social Media:
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