Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to construct costumes where products other than fabric are an integral part of the costume design.

No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of endorsement.

Application of the unit 

Prerequisite units 

Employability skills 

This unit contains employability skills.

Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the required skills and knowledge section and the range statement. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1. Determine requirements for specialised costumes.

1.1. Interpret design sketches and other production documentation and liaise with other production personnel to determine the need for specialised costumes.

1.2. Undertake research to establish the broad parameters for costume construction, including availability of materials.

1.3. Use research material to appropriately adapt styles for the particular production.

2. Develop specifications for specialised costumes.

2.1. Conduct experimentation and testing to determine the appropriate equipment, tools, materials and techniques.

2.2. Determine correct quantity and cost of materials required for construction with consideration of efficient use of resources.

2.3. Produce accurate working drawings and specifications for specialised costumes .

2.4. Negotiate requirements for assistance with manufacture by other departments or personnel where necessary.

3. Construct specialised costumes.

3.1. Take and accurately record performer's measurements.

3.2. Develop pattern shapes appropriately to meet design specifications.

3.3. Identify performance and performers' costume requirements to ensure that costume construction is practical and appropriate to the performance.

3.4. Select materials  for supports and bases to meet production requirements.

3.5. Construct internal supports, fabric base and outer costume to achieve the requirements and specifications of performance, performers and design.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This section describes the skills and knowledge required for this unit.

Required skills 

• Typical problems and challenges encountered with specialised costume construction, including issues surrounding the need for costumes to withstand the demands of performance, comfort of the performer and use of costume doubles.

Required knowledge 

• overview of the scope of the types of specialised costumes that can be constructed
• different materials, their properties and uses in specialised costume construction
• techniques for working with materials other than fabric in costume construction, including moulding and the integration of different materials and fabrics within the overall construction.

EVIDENCE GUIDE 

The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment 

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit 

The following evidence is critical to the judgement of competence in this unit:

• ability to use appropriate techniques to construct costumes which incorporate materials other than fabric
• knowledge of different materials and how to use these in costume construction.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

The assessment context must provide for:

• practical demonstration of skills through the production of specialised costumes for an actual production.

Method of assessment 

Assessment may incorporate a range of methods to assess performance and the application of essential underpinning knowledge, and might include:

• evaluation of costumes created by the candidate in relation to creative and production quality
• oral questioning/interview aimed at evaluating the processes used in developing costume specifications
• evaluation of sketches, drawings or specifications developed by the candidate
• third party reports and portfolios of evidence.

Assessment methods should closely reflect workplace demands and the needs of particular groups (eg people with disabilities, and people who may have literacy or numeracy difficulties such as speakers of languages other than English, remote communities and those with interrupted schooling).

Assessment of this unit requires access to:

• costume designs from which the candidate can develop specifications and undertake construction
• equipment, tools and materials used for construction of specialised costumes.

Guidance information for assessment 

This unit has linkages to a range of other costume units and combined assessment and/or training with those units may be appropriate, eg:

• CUECOS02C Apply art finishing

RANGE STATEMENT 

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

Specialised costumes may include:

• abstract costumes
• armoury
• distorted human
• human puppet costumes
• industrial textiles
• latex
• science fiction.

Materials that may need to be incorporated into the costume may include:

• clay
• composite fabric
• foam
• industrial textiles
• latex
• plastics
• surgical textiles
• vinyl
• wire.

Unit sector 

Visual communication - costume

Competency field 

Co-requisite units