This week’s episode features my talented friend and colleague, Costume Designer Katie Irish.  We dig into her roots in theatre (she also started off college pre-med just like myself!) and her transition into film and tv which included taking over designing The Americans. We talk about our union work in United Scenic Artists Local 829 - especially as she and I have been two of the co-chairs of the Pay Equity Task Force for several years. We discuss our recent contract negotiation and the gains...

This week’s episode features the incredible Director, Writer, Producer Tina Mabry, who I was lucky enough to work with on our film The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat from Searchlight Pictures which just premiered on Hulu in August. Not only do we dig into our work together on The Supremes, we also cover a wide array of topics from cultivating a kindness and respect on set, jumping into directing episodes of television on established tv shows, to coming up with the spark of an idea for a...

Today’s episode features Production Designer Kara Lindstrom, who I was lucky enough to work with on our film The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat from Searchlight Pictures which just premiered on Hulu in August. Her impressive and varied career has seen her work as a Set Decorator, Art Director, Screenwriter & Novelist in addition to Production Design. Not only do we dig into our work together on The Supremes, we also cover her beginnings starting with a mentorship from Polly Platt to...

Today’s episode features Costume Designer and Fashion Stylist Lisa Smedley-Calderon. We talk about her start in the entertainment industry as a fashion stylist for many musical artists including Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, and Boyz II Men. We dig into how styling and costume design are two very different jobs that sometimes intersect. Lisa shares what it was like when she had to leave the industry for a decade to take care of her ailing parents and how she decided to transition fully into...

Today’s episode features the Costume Designer Michelle A. Green. We first met through our advocacy work as members of Costume Designers Guild Pay Equity Committee. We cover many topics including the joy of finding the character in the fitting room, the importance of safety, staying true to yourself, as well as making sure our actors in period projects have those trousers pulled up fully to their actual waists! If you head on over to the Patreon, there’s an extended cut of this episode with...

Hello everyone! Today’s episode features the Visual Effects Supervisor and Visual Effects Producer Robert Stadd. I was fortunate enough to collaborate with Robert on our Netflix film We Have A Ghost. We get into some fascinating discussions about his work in VFX including the intersection of VFX and Costumes (especially on We Have A Ghost!) as well as covering his extensive film career, and the reasons he turned down Titanic and The Matrix! Also tune in to hear about working on the miniatures...

We are BACK!  --- Hello everyone, hope you are all having a wonderful summer so far. It has been such busy and overwhelming year for me, so I unfortunately haven’t been able to get a new episode out til now despite my best efforts. Still a one-woman operation over here! Thrilled to be releasing this fantastic conversation with my dear friend and colleague, the phenomenal Costume Designer Daniel Selon. In addition to being a CD, he has also worked extensively as an Assistant Costume Designer...

This week’s episode features the imaginative and talented Costume Designer Vera Chow! We had so much fun talking about how we first met, the difference between working in NYC and then working outside of NYC, AAPI representation in filmed media, dealing with tough situations on set, and so much more! I really hope you enjoy this one.  --- Costume Designer Vera Chow Credits include: The Brothers Sun | The Walking Dead | Boogie | Deadbeat --- Vera Chow is a costume designer currently most...

I am so excited to welcome wonderful Production Designer Cheyenne Ford to the show today. We’ve worked together on multiple projects including Story Ave, The Caretaker, and The Eyes of My Mother. Cheyenne is also the founder and program director of Art Craft NYC, a program that provides knowledge and training to those interested in becoming entry level in the art department. Applications for the inaugural class are currently open until Saturday April 6th. Head over to their page to get more...

Today’s episode features a fantastic Costumer, Alesha D. Mitchell! Alesha and I met when she was my key/truck costumer on our film The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat. We had a great conversation of wide ranging topics from physically demanding days on set, taking care of ourselves in this industry, money smarts, the difference between and Costumer and a Costume Designer and so much more. We also talked about her YourTube channel: Behind the Scenes and Below the Line. Check out the links...

Today's episode features the brilliant and talented Costume Designer Trayce Gigi Field! We talk about so many wonderful things from her roots at Western Costume to the difference in process between television and film. Other great topics include the value of costume design, the #creditcostumedesigners campaign, working with and highlighting diverse brands, the importance of the collaborations with costume illustrators, actors and directors, and the danger of AI. Trayce is also the co-chair of...

I am so thrilled to have my friend, the fantastic Cinematographer Zachary Galler, on the show this week! Zack and I worked together on our film Piercing! We talk about the working relationship of a DP and a Costume Designer, his process on set with his team, working digitally vs working with film, post-production, our work in Piercing, his work on Lessons in Chemistry, the state of artistry in the industry and making sure to stretch before picking up any camera equipment! The link to the show...

This week, Whitney is so excited to be hosting one of her previous collaborators on the show, the talented Makeup Department Head Jenny Lin! We talk about transforming Jennifer Coolidge into the “West Bay Medium” for We Have A Ghost, her amazing times she’s spent working with Robert Rodriguez, creating a safe space in her trailer, working with the costume department, staying organized during filming and continuity work, protecting her time during “lasts looks”, as well as fabulous advice for...

This week, TFACD is excited to be hosting the lovely and talented costume designer Joseph La Corte to the show! We talk about starting in theatre and his first jobs in New York (working nearly 24 hours a day on two projects at once!), his family history of sewing and tailoring, the love for The Wizard of Oz, his homemade Grease 2 costume made out of unusual materials, and much more. We do a deep dive on his process for Fellow Travelers and how on earth he sourced and built all those pieces! ...

I am thrilled to welcome the brilliant and wonderful costume designer Malgosia Turzanska to the show this week! We talk through her process of sketching for every project, her start in student films, working with vegan materials on The Green Knight as well as our work together in the realm of costume pay equity. --- Costume Designer Malgosia Turzanska CD credits include: Expats | The Green Knight | X | Pearl | Stranger Things | Hell or High Water | Ain’t Them Bodies Saints ...

Costume Designer Alexis Forte CD credits include: Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire | Smile | Eric Larue | Resurrection | Miguel Wants to Fight --- I am so thrilled to welcome my friend Alexis to the inaugural episode of TFACD! We begin with the wild story of how we met (randomly in a bar!), then her beginnings in ballet and to PA-ing, assisting and now where she is today as a department head.   --- Alexis was born and raised in Lisbon, Portugal, and moved to Miami at the age of 10. As a...

Welcome to Tales From A Costume Designer!  Join professional costume designer Whitney Anne Adams as she interviews fellow costume designers, costume department members and filmmakers from across the industry. Questions for future guests can be submitted at the TFACD Patreon page. --- Support the show on Patreon: Tales From A Costume Designer Patreon Follow the show on Social Media: Instagram: @talesfromacostumedesigner Twitter: @talesfromaCD TikTok: @talesfromaCD