Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to interpret the costume design and supervise the manufacture of costumes for any production within the cultural industries.

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

Application of the unit 

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to interpret an established costume design and to supervise the manufacture of costumes for any production within the cultural industries. As such this unit has a focus on organisational skills and underpinning costume manufacturing knowledge. It does not cover the skills required for the actual production of costumes, which are found in other units.

Prerequisite units 

Nil

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. Interpret the design and determine production requirements

1.1. Liaise with relevant personnel  and interpret/confirm costume  requirements so that design specifications, production and/or script requirements are met

1.2. Read and accurately interpret pre-production paperwork (including costume design and costume plot) to determine resource requirements

1.3. Make any insertions to the costume plots, such as ageing and visual effect requirements, to ensure costumes  meet the script or production requirements 

1.4. Produce detailed and accurate costume breakdown lists from the documented costume plots

1.5. Review budget allocated for costume manufacture  and wardrobe operation and make decisions accordingly

1.6. Develop solutions to identified manufacturing problems and promptly communicate difficulties to relevant personnel

1.7. Seek and receive approval to amend design, if necessary, before proceeding with work

1.8. Develop an operational/project plan and manufacture schedules for making costumes in accordance with the design and production requirements

2. Select and purchase materials

2.1. Check existing stocks  of materials or costumes for suitability of use for the production 

2.2. Obtain measurements of cast/performers and establish the required meterage of fabrics/materials to minimise wastage

2.3. Source and purchase suitable materials to ensure they can withstand the rigours and demands of the production and meet budgetary requirements

2.4. Ensure that materials are available in sufficient quantities to meet the costume requirements

2.5. Ensure materials comply with OHS guidelines

2.6. Ensure that materials can undergo any necessary special effects requirements such as ageing

3. Supervise costume manufacture

3.1. Oversee relevant personnel to ensure all costume production requirements are met, quality standards are adhered to and work is undertaken within item, budget, time and manufacture constraints

3.2. Ensure that OHS guidelines are met and production schedule is adhered to

3.3. Identify and communicate methods and materials for production to relevant personnel

3.4. Make design specifications available to production staff at an appropriate time and assist in their interpretation

3.5. Coordinate involvement of external manufacturers or hirers involved in the production of specialist costume items to ensure timelines and quality guidelines are met

3.6. Participate in ongoing production meetings or costume parades and ensure that any costume design modifications are agreed, noted and acted upon

3.7. Inform relevant personnel of costume design changes

3.8. Update any required documentation  and record and file in accordance with enterprise requirements

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

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

Required skills 

• communication skills sufficient to:

• interpret and communicate construction specifications
• negotiate with, coordinate and lead a costume team
• visualise and interpret creative concepts

• literacy skills sufficient to interpret scripts, specifications and instructions
• numeracy skills sufficient to interpret measurement charts and manage budgets
• planning and organising skills sufficient to:

• develop operational plans and production schedules
• keep records

• technical skills sufficient to:

• apply trims
• make and grade patterns
• perform alterations
• sew by machine and hand

Required knowledge 

• content, features and formats of scripts, specifications and other production documentation
• detailed knowledge of the costume construction process
• OHS requirements that impact on costume construction
• principles and techniques of costume construction, assembly and fitting
• supply sources for costume products
• typical costs and costing processes for costume manufacture
• use and properties of different fabrics and their appearance under lighting and/or on the screen
• workflow planning and work organisation methods in the context of a wardrobe department

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 

Evidence of the following is essential:

• ability to coordinate the costume manufacturing process using effective organisational skills and specialist knowledge to produce costumes which reflect the design brief, are of high quality and are available on time
• ability to communicate with a range of individuals and organisations and coordinate costume production teams
• ability to interpret creative costume design documentation (including venue requirements, type of production and resource constraints).

This unit of competence applies to a range of industry sectors. The focus of assessment will depend on the industry sector. Assessment must be customised to meet the needs of the particular sector in which performance is being assessed. Assessment should only address those variable circumstances, listed in the range of variables statements, which apply to the chosen context.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Assessment must ensure:

• access to a fully-equipped costume manufacturing facility
• access to a range of equipment as listed in the Range Statement of this unit
• access to materials for costume manufacture
• access to appropriate learning and assessment support when required
• the use of culturally appropriate processes, and techniques appropriate to the language and literacy capacity of learners and the work being performed.

Method of assessment 

The following assessment methods are appropriate for this unit:

• discussion with members involved in costume manufacture regarding effectiveness of process
• evaluation of report produced by the candidate describing organisational processes used to coordinate costume manufacture, including key challenges and responses
• evaluation of costumes produced against original design concepts
• oral questioning/interview to evaluate processes used in developing and realising creative concept
• review of portfolios of evidence and third party workplace reports of on-the-job performance by the candidate.

Guidance information for assessment 

Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example:

• BSBPUR401APlan purchasing
• BSBWOR402A Promote team effectiveness
• CUEFIN02C Manage a budget
• CUEOHS01C Implement workplace health, safety and security procedures
• CUFCOS401A Make costumes.

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.

Relevant personnel  may include:

• costume production staff
• designer (costume, production)
• director (photography, technical)
• floor manager
• head of department
• performer
• producer
• wardrobe department personnel
• wardrobe supervisor/manager
• other technical staff

Costumes  may include:

• accessories
• character costumes
• contemporary wear
• corsetry
• costume jewellery
• dance wear
• female, male, child and animal costumes
• millinery
• padding
• period costumes
• pre-production toiles
• tailored costumes
• undergarments

Production requirements  may include:

• budget/time constraints
• facilities (dressing/fitting rooms, furniture, production space, storage units)
• location (studio or production office)
• OHS guidelines (e.g. effect of fabrics on skin)
• physical demands on costumes
• touring requirements
• wardrobe equipment, e.g.:

• clothing storage and transportation bag
• coat hangers
• conversion tables
• cutting boards and tables
• dressmaker's dummies
• dyeing facilities
• glue guns
• hand held cutting machines
• hanging racks
• industrial/domestic irons, presses and steamers
• industrial/domestic sewing machines (portable or fixed)
• laundering facilities (washing machines, dryers)
• measuring tapes
• overlockers
• scissors and cutters
• spray guns
• tools (e.g. wire cutters, hammers, pliers)

Costume manufacture  may include:

• costume making:

• basic styles (pants, shorts, skirts, blouses)
• hand made or machine sewn
• tailoring

• construction techniques (cutting, machining, tailoring)
• finishing (fitting fasteners, fitting trims, hemming costumes)

Stocks  may include:

• cutting blades
• fabric
• fasteners
• haberdashery
• pattern paper
• solutions
• thread
• trim

Production  may include:

• commercials
• documentaries
• feature films
• live or pre-recorded television productions
• music video
• short films
• television productions of any type (e.g. music, drama, comedy, variety, sport)

Documentation  may be:

• budgets
• call sheets
• confirmation of receipt and dispatch notes
• costume breakdown lists
• costume design
• costume patterns
• costume plots
• descriptive costume checklists
• fault reports
• hire agreements
• manufacture schedules
• manufacturers' specifications/instructions
• measurement charts
• memos of instruction
• operational/project plan
• production schedules
• running sheets
• scripts
• stock documentation

Unit sector 

Competency field 

Visual communication - costume

Co-requisite units