Head Assistant Costume Designer
Before you are a Costume Asst. Barbara has you read this thick packet of information. Much of it are different sheets and paperwork forms that you need to be familiar with. The rest is a job description. There are actually two types of Asstistants. 1. The Asst. Costume Designer and 2. Costume Designer Asst. Now the two positions are practically the same job. However, the Asst. Costume Designer has more artistic freedom such as making design choices. The rest of the job consists of taking notes, attending meetings, researching, filling out paperwork, calling fittings and helping during fittings, making sure the work gets done on all the costumes, pulling, keeping everything organized, comminucating between the designer, the stage manager, and the director. Well... that just touches a small portion of it. You get the point. It's a lot of work. So I'm the Assistant Costume Designer for Barbara in our musical, "A Little Night Music." Well... so I thought. I'm actually 1 of 3. I've been working on this musical since... January. I started by researching for Barbara and attending production meetings. Then I searched for different sources for Tuxedos and began pulling. Once Woyzeck (the play we were doing previously) ended, the other assistants starting showing up. We'll refer to them as, Melanoma and Missy. Now I didn't really know Missy but I'd heard good things about her. So far she's been doing an alright job. I can't really complain because I know she is trying and has had some difficult situations she has had to deal with. Plus she is very nice and helpful when she can show up. Besides, she is actually in the musical so I can't expect too much from her. Melanoma, however, I do not really like. I haven't liked her since she left for three days during "A Christmas Carol" while we were on run crew which caused us all to pick up her slack. Plus she doesn't ever shut up about the time she has spend in Europe. Most of us could really care less. Also, she is really good about butting in on other peoples conversations and she has this annoying little laugh which happens often because she'll laugh at something that isn't even funny. Honestly, she annoys me a lot!
So I've been working really hard the past few weeks, months, whatever. I'm there everyday (practically, i think i've taken off one day which I'll get to momentarily) and work at least 5 hours a day and generally a solid 8 hour day. I've done a lot of paper work, attended many a fitting, gone on several shopping trips (in which I was the one driving), gone to rehearsals, been to many meetings, took pages upon pages of notes, coordinated rentals, researched and purchased many items we need for production, designed and made some jewelry, patterned/cut/ and constructed hats, and helped oversee production of the costumes. I've also been somewhat helpful to Barbara. I've volunteered my car when it rained so we could get to Dallas to buy Fabric because Barbara's car has a hole in it and leaks. I also took her to the store when she lost her keys so we could buy more fabric and even took her to the Car Dealership to get her keys replaced. I've gotten her many cups of coffee and ice water when she needed it.
Now... Melanoma, she hasn't been there much at all. She missed a whole week when we really got started and has missed meetings. She came in maybe a couple hours a week for a while, and still, only is there for maybe two hours a day now. She hasn't had to do near the amount of work I've done. The work she has done however has been very helpful because honestly, I can't do everything. It's just physically impossible. Nonetheless, it is frustrating. Because I'm there all the time I know what Barbara wants (for the most part) and I know what is going on in relation to rehearsals and the others aspects of the musical design wise. People come to me when they need answers. Often times our Shop Foreman, Stage Manager, and other Cutter/Drapers have asked her questions and all she can do is blankly look at them like a deer caught in headlights. She's an assistant costume designer and she doesn't understand how the shop runs. She can't find the fitting list, the work list, where we keep fabric or sewing tools, and she doesn't know shop policy or procedures. It's frustrating. I don't want to have to explain how to get something done when it needs to get done. Sometimes I just want to say, "give it to me and I'll do it." But I don't. That's rude.
So there is stress from the fact that I've got a lot of responsibility, I have to deal with Melanoma, and of course, I have to work with Barbara. She is scary. She can be nice, but for the most part, she is a Big B****. SHE is rude and has a terrible temper. She doesn't really respect people's emotions. She's a hard woman to deal with. I suspect she's just a bitter old woman. But I can deal with her for the most part. Nonetheless, my patience is wearing thin and I've been struggling. I feel my performance so far has been good, not perfect, but I get things done. But recently she's been very bitchy, more than usual, which doesn't make a pleasant working environment. So because I'm working so much, I haven't been able to focus on my homework like I should. So last Sunday I decided to take a day off, go to church, study, and go to a test review session because I had a test on Monday. It was nice. I actually got to see my family and spend quality time with them. I got some good study on which i without I would have failed that test, and even got a little nap in (though it really didn't help in the sleepy department). Well... I was working on Monday on some Jewelry, doing the usual, when Barbara walks by complaining about something. She started bitching me out for not seeing me in "two days."
Me: "Uh... I was here Saturday Barbara." Which I was! I was there from 10 am till 8 pm. Then, i was there Monday from 12 till ... I don't remember. It was pretty late though. Oh wait.. it was 9:30.
Barbara: "I haven't seen you in two days. How am I supposed to know what is going on? What progress are you making? Have you seen the notes Melanoma leaves me? You should be doing that."
Me: O.K. Barbara.
Oh I WAS PISSED!!!!! I am there every freaking day for all hours of the day and she pulls that shit on me?! I don't think so! So big deal if Melanoma was there on Sunday to help her dye the fabric for these dresses!!! That is one day compared to all the time I'm there, not to mention all the time Melanoma is NOT there! And then to tell me I need to be more like Melanoma!! No F***ing way! The reason i don't write her stupid little suck up notes is because she sees me everyday and I tell her what is going on. I don't need to write those because she could just ask me if I haven't already told her. It's just bull shit! AAARRRGGGHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! >.< During our fitting today the stage manager came in and asked if it would be alright for me to go to rehearsal instead of work on Sunday so I could take notes of quick changes and things. I was like, what night? Sunday? Uh..... Barbara about had a fit. She apparently can't afford to lose any assistants, she wants us working. NOt only does she want me there on Sunday she wants me there all day working. Well, I'm sorry Barbara, actually, I'm not sorry. But my schedule says I'm not available till 3 p.m. and that is when I'm going to come. I have much more important things to do. First of all and most importantly, I have church. I love going to Church and it is the only thing that rejuvenates me fully to get through the week. Secondly, that is the only day I get to spend with my family. I love my family and I don't get to see them enough as it is. Lastly, it's not healthy to work everyday. We do need some down time. Therefore, I will come to work Sunday, but not until I'm scheduled. If she doesn't like it she can, in my mother's words, Get Over It.
Before you are a Costume Asst. Barbara has you read this thick packet of information. Much of it are different sheets and paperwork forms that you need to be familiar with. The rest is a job description. There are actually two types of Asstistants. 1. The Asst. Costume Designer and 2. Costume Designer Asst. Now the two positions are practically the same job. However, the Asst. Costume Designer has more artistic freedom such as making design choices. The rest of the job consists of taking notes, attending meetings, researching, filling out paperwork, calling fittings and helping during fittings, making sure the work gets done on all the costumes, pulling, keeping everything organized, comminucating between the designer, the stage manager, and the director. Well... that just touches a small portion of it. You get the point. It's a lot of work. So I'm the Assistant Costume Designer for Barbara in our musical, "A Little Night Music." Well... so I thought. I'm actually 1 of 3. I've been working on this musical since... January. I started by researching for Barbara and attending production meetings. Then I searched for different sources for Tuxedos and began pulling. Once Woyzeck (the play we were doing previously) ended, the other assistants starting showing up. We'll refer to them as, Melanoma and Missy. Now I didn't really know Missy but I'd heard good things about her. So far she's been doing an alright job. I can't really complain because I know she is trying and has had some difficult situations she has had to deal with. Plus she is very nice and helpful when she can show up. Besides, she is actually in the musical so I can't expect too much from her. Melanoma, however, I do not really like. I haven't liked her since she left for three days during "A Christmas Carol" while we were on run crew which caused us all to pick up her slack. Plus she doesn't ever shut up about the time she has spend in Europe. Most of us could really care less. Also, she is really good about butting in on other peoples conversations and she has this annoying little laugh which happens often because she'll laugh at something that isn't even funny. Honestly, she annoys me a lot!
So I've been working really hard the past few weeks, months, whatever. I'm there everyday (practically, i think i've taken off one day which I'll get to momentarily) and work at least 5 hours a day and generally a solid 8 hour day. I've done a lot of paper work, attended many a fitting, gone on several shopping trips (in which I was the one driving), gone to rehearsals, been to many meetings, took pages upon pages of notes, coordinated rentals, researched and purchased many items we need for production, designed and made some jewelry, patterned/cut/ and constructed hats, and helped oversee production of the costumes. I've also been somewhat helpful to Barbara. I've volunteered my car when it rained so we could get to Dallas to buy Fabric because Barbara's car has a hole in it and leaks. I also took her to the store when she lost her keys so we could buy more fabric and even took her to the Car Dealership to get her keys replaced. I've gotten her many cups of coffee and ice water when she needed it.
Now... Melanoma, she hasn't been there much at all. She missed a whole week when we really got started and has missed meetings. She came in maybe a couple hours a week for a while, and still, only is there for maybe two hours a day now. She hasn't had to do near the amount of work I've done. The work she has done however has been very helpful because honestly, I can't do everything. It's just physically impossible. Nonetheless, it is frustrating. Because I'm there all the time I know what Barbara wants (for the most part) and I know what is going on in relation to rehearsals and the others aspects of the musical design wise. People come to me when they need answers. Often times our Shop Foreman, Stage Manager, and other Cutter/Drapers have asked her questions and all she can do is blankly look at them like a deer caught in headlights. She's an assistant costume designer and she doesn't understand how the shop runs. She can't find the fitting list, the work list, where we keep fabric or sewing tools, and she doesn't know shop policy or procedures. It's frustrating. I don't want to have to explain how to get something done when it needs to get done. Sometimes I just want to say, "give it to me and I'll do it." But I don't. That's rude.
So there is stress from the fact that I've got a lot of responsibility, I have to deal with Melanoma, and of course, I have to work with Barbara. She is scary. She can be nice, but for the most part, she is a Big B****. SHE is rude and has a terrible temper. She doesn't really respect people's emotions. She's a hard woman to deal with. I suspect she's just a bitter old woman. But I can deal with her for the most part. Nonetheless, my patience is wearing thin and I've been struggling. I feel my performance so far has been good, not perfect, but I get things done. But recently she's been very bitchy, more than usual, which doesn't make a pleasant working environment. So because I'm working so much, I haven't been able to focus on my homework like I should. So last Sunday I decided to take a day off, go to church, study, and go to a test review session because I had a test on Monday. It was nice. I actually got to see my family and spend quality time with them. I got some good study on which i without I would have failed that test, and even got a little nap in (though it really didn't help in the sleepy department). Well... I was working on Monday on some Jewelry, doing the usual, when Barbara walks by complaining about something. She started bitching me out for not seeing me in "two days."
Me: "Uh... I was here Saturday Barbara." Which I was! I was there from 10 am till 8 pm. Then, i was there Monday from 12 till ... I don't remember. It was pretty late though. Oh wait.. it was 9:30.
Barbara: "I haven't seen you in two days. How am I supposed to know what is going on? What progress are you making? Have you seen the notes Melanoma leaves me? You should be doing that."
Me: O.K. Barbara.
Oh I WAS PISSED!!!!! I am there every freaking day for all hours of the day and she pulls that shit on me?! I don't think so! So big deal if Melanoma was there on Sunday to help her dye the fabric for these dresses!!! That is one day compared to all the time I'm there, not to mention all the time Melanoma is NOT there! And then to tell me I need to be more like Melanoma!! No F***ing way! The reason i don't write her stupid little suck up notes is because she sees me everyday and I tell her what is going on. I don't need to write those because she could just ask me if I haven't already told her. It's just bull shit! AAARRRGGGHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! >.< During our fitting today the stage manager came in and asked if it would be alright for me to go to rehearsal instead of work on Sunday so I could take notes of quick changes and things. I was like, what night? Sunday? Uh..... Barbara about had a fit. She apparently can't afford to lose any assistants, she wants us working. NOt only does she want me there on Sunday she wants me there all day working. Well, I'm sorry Barbara, actually, I'm not sorry. But my schedule says I'm not available till 3 p.m. and that is when I'm going to come. I have much more important things to do. First of all and most importantly, I have church. I love going to Church and it is the only thing that rejuvenates me fully to get through the week. Secondly, that is the only day I get to spend with my family. I love my family and I don't get to see them enough as it is. Lastly, it's not healthy to work everyday. We do need some down time. Therefore, I will come to work Sunday, but not until I'm scheduled. If she doesn't like it she can, in my mother's words, Get Over It.
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