By Carol Badaracco Padgett
When visual storytelling is seamless, costume design is “one” with character. This is one point driven home at the Atlanta campus of the Savannah College of Art and Design the morning of May 8, 2025.
At a SCADFILM In Focus: Artisans powerhouse educational event presented at the university’s SCADshow in Midtown, renowned costume designers took the main stage in the morning for a jam-packed, hour-long panel discussion attended by students, filmmakers, other industry professionals, and cinephiles. SCAD Associate Dean Karl Rouse with the School of Film and Acting served as the moderator for the conversation, which included questions from the audience.
The discussion was called “Made in ATL,” and featured costume designers Amy Parris (Stranger Things, Yellowjackets); Jeresa Featherstone (Beyond the Gates, The Bold and the Beautiful); and Liz Vastola (Will Trent, Daredevil). Production designer Julie Berghoff (The Handmaid’s Tale, The Studios) and head of makeup Steve Martin (Beyond the Gates, Creed III) also sat on the industry-veteran panel.
Here are 10 authentic takeaways from the panelists’ points:
1-Get to know your actor.
2-Create walls of references (images, artwork, and other) for inspiration.
3-Time and money are two consistent factors that will require flexibility and adaptability on each project.
4-Break down the script and get to know the character.
5-Brace for collaboration; the work of film and TV costume designers is highly collaborative.
6-Storyboarding is key (drawing the body, the textiles, etc.).
7-Work with a brilliant illustrator, one you trust to show your drawings to, no matter your skill level.
8-Know each actor’s height and true sizing.
9-Personally knowing how to sew is helpful.
10-Up until the moment a scene is shot, top costume designers are finessing their work.
Learn more about the SCADFILM In Focus: Artisans event here.
