Costume Production
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Program Overview
Do you have an eye for creating clothing and costumes and experience in fashion design or theatre production? Specialize your career as a costumer or costume technician. Fanshawe’s Costume Production program builds on your skills, equipping you as a costuming and wardrobe specialist in the exciting field of live entertainment.
Program Details
Program Code
TCS3
Credential:
Ontario College Graduate Certificate
Duration
30 weeks
Start Dates
Locations
Availability
Full Time Offerings
2023 September
London - Downtown
Open
2022 September
London - Downtown
Closed
Start Dates
Locations
Availability
Full Time Offerings
2022 September
London - Downtown
Closed
2023 September
London - Downtown
Closed
Your Learning Experience
The Costume Production program is an eight-month graduate certificate program that will prepare you for a career as a costuming and wardrobe specialist. Graduate with the skills and confidence you need to work with costume designers in a variety of areas in the live entertainment industry.
This two-term Ontario Graduate Certificate program will build upon students' existing Fashion Design and/or Theatre skills and prepare them for working in a wardrobe department for the entertainment industry. Students learn both the technical and creative aspects of costuming for theatre through components of classroom theory, studio training and practical work placement. Advanced classroom studies in theatre history, wardrobe planning and script analysis serve as the foundation for the focused practical training in technical costume cutting and construction.
You’ll also develop project management and collaboration skills, by collaborating on multi-disciplinary projects with students in other programs in collaborative practice courses. During your final semester, you will apply your costume technician skills in a field placement in a professional theatre company, TV location or film wardrobe.
The curriculum is designed to provide technical study and hands-on experience in building costumes. The program offers students the unique opportunity to work in collaboration with industry professionals within actual theatre wardrobe settings during their field placement. This program is supported by affiliations with The Stratford Festival, The Shaw Festival, The Banff Centre of the Arts, The Grand Theatre London, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) and the National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians (NABET).
Career Information
Graduates of Fanshawe’s Costume Production program will gain the necessary creative, design and problem-solving skills to work in wardrobe departments as sewers, dyers, boots/shoes, milliners, dressers or management. Graduates could also become costume technicians in the film industry creating the outfits and costumes that help bring the characters to life.
Did you know Fanshawe consistently ranks high in graduation employment rates among large colleges in Ontario?
Here are some examples of career opportunities for graduates of Fanshawe’s Costume Production program:
Costume Shop Manager
Supervise, coordinate, and execute all costume designs.
Costume Designer
Design various costumes for performances.
Costume Shop Manager
Hire, train and evaluate staff to fabricate production costumes and garments.
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Learning Outcomes
The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:
- Develop and create costumes that express character, through the application of knowledge of the history of theatre and costume.
- Plan the development, creation, and maintenance of all aspects of costuming with respect to the organizational, logistical and financial factors involved in wardrobe.
- Analyze scripts in order to make costume development, creation and maintenance decisions.
- Communicate costume development concepts to a varied audience using a variety of visual media, including life drawing, illustration and/or wardrobe development.
- Create a technical translation of a costume illustration, using pattern making, draping, fitting and tailoring techniques that fulfill the director/designer’s vision.
- Construct costumes and costume accessories that meet the specialized needs of various productions.
- Prepare, modify, decorate, and care for fabrics and costumes, based on a thorough knowledge of textile characteristics.
- Fulfill the responsibilities of a production team member in the complex world of live entertainment by applying excellent communication, interpersonal, critical thinking, problem solving, and time/ project management skills.
Academic School
Program Coordinator
Karen Harley
Admission Requirements
An Ontario College Advanced Diploma in Fashion Design with a
minimum 'B' average or 3.0 GPA
OR
An Ontario College Diploma in a Theatre Production related program with a minimum 'B' average or 3.0 GPA and completion of a Portfolio and Sewing Test*
OR
An equivalent qualification from another institution with a minimum 'B' average or 3.0 GPA as judged by the College and completion of a Portfolio and Sewing Test*
OR
A combination of relevant education and work experience in a related field as judged by the College to be equivalent to the above and completion of a Portfolio and Sewing Test*
OR
An Ontario College Diploma in a Theatre Production related program with a minimum 'B' average or 3.0 GPA and completion of a Portfolio and Sewing Test*
OR
An equivalent qualification from another institution with a minimum 'B' average or 3.0 GPA as judged by the College and completion of a Portfolio and Sewing Test*
OR
A combination of relevant education and work experience in a related field as judged by the College to be equivalent to the above and completion of a Portfolio and Sewing Test*
English Language Requirements
English Language Requirements
| Test | Score |
|---|---|
| TOEFL iBT | 88 |
| IELTS Academic | Overall score of 6.5 with no score less than 6.0 in any of the four bands |
| CAEL | Overall score of 70 with no score less than 60 in any of the four bands |
| PTE Academic | 59 |
| Cambridge English | Overall score of 176 with no language skill less than 169 |
| ESL4/GAP5 | Minimum grade of 80% in Level 9, 75% in Level 10 |
| Duolingo | Overall score of 115, with no score lower than 95 |
Applicant Selection Criteria
Applicant Selection Criteria
Where the number of eligible applicants exceeds the available spaces in the program, the Applicant Selection Criteria will be:- Preference for Permanent Residents of Ontario
- Receipt of Application by February 1st (After this date, Fanshawe College will consider applicants on a first-come, first-served basis until the program is full)
- Achievement in the Admission Requirements
- *Assessment of Applicant's skill set relevant to the program based on Portfolio and Sewing Test
Courses
| Level 1 | ||||
| Take all of the following Mandatory Courses: | ||||
| DESG-1095 | Women's Cutting 1 | 4 | ||
| This course is a practical studio combined with theoretical research and contextual investigation. Practical demonstrations and discussions introduce you to a wide range of period and contemporary pattern cutting techniques. This enables you to develop your skills and abilities in the cutting of flat patterns for period and modern shapes. | ||||
| DESG-1094 | Men's Tailoring 1 | 4 | ||
| Introductory course into the specific area of costume making and pattern drafting for menswear. Students will produce professional sampling and use specialized tailoring techniques to construct a men's waistcoat and trousers. This technical course consists of demonstration, practical work and the development of critical thinking skills and technical ability. | ||||
| FASH-1018 | Costume Construction 1 | 2.5 | ||
| Students will learn the fundamentals of costume construction through sampling and building costume pieces. Hand sewing and industrial machine sewing skills will be developed along with speed and accuracy in construction. Practical skills are gained to industry standards and in adherence with health and safety practices. | ||||
| FASH-1053 | Costume Accessories | 4 | ||
| An introductory course in Millinery and Accessories for costuming. Students will be able to experiment with creative applications in millinery and jewelry-making while also learning the practical techniques necessary to take accessories onto stage and screen such as hair/wig prep for hats and quick rigging. Practical skills will be supported with theoretical and contextual research into period accessories and applications. | ||||
| FASH-1050 | Dyeing | 2.5 | ||
| Students will learn fabric types and uses, dye types and practices as well as methods for ageing and distressing costumes. The course will develop diverse skills as they discover current dyeing and fabric breakdown methods and come away with a greater competency in this specialized area of costuming. | ||||
| DESG-1093 | Costume Interpretation | 4 | ||
| Students will develop a knowledge and understanding of key historical periods in costume through research, practical exercises and presentations. Costume Interpretation will be drawn from scripts through a process of character analysis, historical research and visual design ideas/techniques. Students will learn how to communicate historical period and costume elements both visually and verbally to aid in the costume production process. | ||||
| DESG-1101 | Innovative Wardrobe Practice 1 | 4 | ||
| In a Wardrobe Department environment, students will be challenged to manage, create, and build all aspects of the wardrobe. Through live client, lecture and hands on work, students will work on college and community projects to learn about adaptive, creative methods and materials used the entertainment field. Team management, collaborative planning and creative problem solving are critical skills that are developed during this process. | ||||
Tuition Summary
London - Downtown
*Total program costs are approximate, subject to change and do not include the health and dental plan fee, bus pass fee or program general expenses.