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. 

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Costume Designer Vera Chow

Credits include: The Brothers Sun | The Walking Dead | Boogie | Deadbeat

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Vera Chow is a costume designer currently most known for her work on Seasons 10 and 11 of AMC’s The Walking Dead and Netflix's action/dramedy The Brothers Sun, starring Academy Award winner Michelle Yeoh.

 

Film, Art and Design, was young Vera's coping mechanism for bullying while growing up as a child in Hong Kong. Therefore, determined to move to the US, she knew she wanted to be a Costume Designer since she was 13.  Throughout the 15+ years of her career, Chow has worked on films and series worldwide, spanning from North America, South America, to as far as East Asia and Central Asia. She has covered genres from horror to scifi to romantic comedies, comfortably leaping back and forth from 1 million art films to 100 mill epics. 

 

Vera is known for her penchant to acquire anything from thrift store pieces to bedsheets, and taking everything apart and rebuilding them into entirely reimagined costume changes (to the chagrin of her tailors and agers). 

 

And as Vera's experience grew, she also became an outspoken advocate for AAPI representation for below the line film workers.

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Vera Chow Links:

Website: verachowdesigns.com

Instagram: @verachowdesigns

Twitter: @verachowdesigns

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TFACD Links:

Patreon: Tales From A Costume Designer

Instagram: @talesfromacostumedesigner

Twitter: @talesfromaCD

TikTok: @talesfromaCD

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Whitney Anne Adams Links:

Website: whitneyadams.com

Instagram: @WAACostumeDesign

Twitter: @WhitneyAAdams

TikTok: @waacostumedesign

Ko-Fi: @waacostumedesign

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Pay Equity Links:

Pay Equity Now IG: @payequitynow

Pay Equity Now TikTok: @payequitynow

Costume Designers Guild IG: @cdglocal892

Local USA 829 Pay Equity Task Force IG: @usa829payequity

United Scenic Artists Local 829 IG: @unitedscenicartists

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 info! 

We had a great conversation that covered so much ground, from mentorship and education to her design process to how much we love the library! And so much more. 

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Production Designer Cheyenne Ford

Credits include: Shiva Baby | Story Ave | Miller’s Girl 

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Originally hailing from New Orleans, Cheyenne Ford is a New York City based Production Designer for film and advertising. Her eclectic art dept experience has influenced her process on indie favorites like Shiva Baby, the SXSW 2023 World Premiering Story Ave, and Lionsgate and Point Grey produced Miller's Girl starring Jenna Ortega and Martin Freeman. When she’s not on set, she’s often working with various organizations to educate and mentor newcomers interested in the art department. Most notably, she is set to launch Art Craft NYC, a month-long hands-on training program, with the inaugural class scheduled for Summer 2024. 

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Cheyenne Ford Links:

Cheyenne Ford Website: cheyennedesign.co

CF Instagram: @cheyenne_design

Art Craft NYC Website

Art Craft NYC Instagram: @artcraftnyc

IMDb: Cheyenne Ford

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TFACD Links:

Patreon: Tales From A Costume Designer

Instagram: @talesfromacostumedesigner

Twitter: @talesfromaCD

TikTok: @talesfromaCD

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Whitney Anne Adams Links:

Website: whitneyadams.com

Instagram: @WAACostumeDesign

Twitter: @WhitneyAAdams

TikTok: @waacostumedesign

Ko-Fi: @waacostumedesign

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Pay Equity Links:

Pay Equity Now IG: @payequitynow

Pay Equity Now TikTok: @payequitynow

Costume Designers Guild Instagram: @cdglocal892

Local USA 829 Pay Equity Task Force Instagram: @usa829payequity

Local USA 829 Pay Equity Task Force Twitter: @usa829payequity

United Scenic Artists Local 829 Instagram: @unitedscenicartists

United Scenic Artists Local 829 Twitter: @USA829IATSE

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 below to learn more. 

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If you want to support me and this podcast, feel free to buy me a coffee on ko-fi or subscribe to the Patreon and get the episodes two days earlier. These links and the link to the show on all your favorite podcast players is in our IG bio.

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Costumer Alesha D. Mitchell

Credits include: The Underground Railroad | Father of the Bride | Legacies | Collection | The Devil all the Time | The Fanatic

As well as the upcoming films Shirley | Gladiator 2 | The Life of Chuck | The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat

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Alesha Mitchell is just here to serve the people! Alesha is a union member with nearly a decade of experience in the film and television industry. 

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Alesha D. Mitchell Links:

YouTube Channel: Behind the Scenes and Below the Line (@AleshaDMitchell)

Instagram: @aleshadmitchell   

TikTok: @aleshadmitchell

Facebook: @alesha.mitchell.73

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TFACD Links:

Patreon: Tales From A Costume Designer

Instagram: @talesfromacostumedesigner

Twitter: @talesfromaCD

TikTok: @talesfromaCD

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Whitney Anne Adams Links:

Website: whitneyadams.com

Instagram: @WAACostumeDesign

Twitter: @WhitneyAAdams

TikTok: @waacostumedesign

Ko-Fi: @waacostumedesign

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Pay Equity Links:

Pay Equity Now IG: @payequitynow

Pay Equity Now TikTok: @payequitynow

Costume Designers Guild Instagram: @cdglocal892

Local USA 829 Pay Equity Task Force Instagram: @usa829payequity

Local USA 829 Pay Equity Task Force Twitter: @usa829payequity

United Scenic Artists Local 829 Instagram: @unitedscenicartists

United Scenic Artists Local 829 Twitter: @USA829IATSE

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 the CDG Diversity Committee and serves with me in the CDG Pay Equity Committee and we got to dig into the importance and impact and the work of both.   — Costume Designer Trayce Gigi Field is known for her vibrant tastes in color and her quirky yet fun choices in style and texture. With over 30 credits to her name, her multicultural background helps her see the world from a broad perspective. | Currently, Trayce is costume designing Liz Feldman’s No Good Deed for Netflix. In addition to Rian Johnson’s POKER FACE for Peacock, her recent credits include BOOKIE on MAX, Amazon’s A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN, Apple TV+’s THE AFTER PARTY and Netflix’s DEAD TO ME. In 2024, Trayce was a double nominee for the Costume Designers Guild Awards for POKER FACE and for Jack Harlow’s Super Bowl Doritos Commercial, in 2023, Trayce was nominated for a NAACP Image Award for A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN and in 2021, she was nominated for a Costume Designers Guild Award for LIONSGATE’S BARB AND STAR GO TO VISTA DEL MAR. She received acclaim early in her career for her iconic diner uniforms showcased on CBS’s 2 BROKE GIRLS. A native of Los Angeles, Trayce graduated from the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising (FIDM). CDG Diversity Committee Chairperson | NAACP Image Awards Nomination Committee Member | CDG Comic-Con Committee Member --- Trayce Gigi Field Links: Website: traycegigifield.com Instagram: @traycegigifield  TikTok: @traycegigi --- TFACD Links: Patreon: Tales From A Costume Designer Instagram: @talesfromacostumedesigner Twitter: @talesfromaCD TikTok: @talesfromaCD --- Whitney Anne Adams Links: Website: whitneyadams.com Instagram: @WAACostumeDesign Twitter: @WhitneyAAdams TikTok: @waacostumedesign Ko-Fi: @waacostumedesign --- Pay Equity Links: Pay Equity Now IG: @payequitynow Pay Equity Now TikTok: @payequitynow Costume Designers Guild IG: @cdglocal892 Local USA 829 Pay Equity Task Force IG: @usa829payequity United Scenic Artists Local 829 IG: @unitedscenicartists

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 on your favorite podcast player is in the IG bio. 

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Cinematographer Zachary Galler

Credits include: Lessons in Chemistry | Extrapolations | The Act | Piercing | Paper Girls | Manhunt: Unabomber | Briarpatch | Dr. Death

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Zachary Galler grew up on film and commercial sets where he would observe his director father at work. Galler’s passion for filmmaking led him to leave film school early in order to jumpstart his career. He cut his teeth as a lighting technician and quickly worked his way up to shooting various feature film and television projects. Notable projects include Hulu’s The Act, Piercing, and Apple's Extrapolations and Lessons in Chemistry.

 

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Zachary Galler Links:

Website: zacharygaller.com

Instagram: @zachary_galler

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TFACD Links:

Patreon: Tales From A Costume Designer

Instagram: @talesfromacostumedesigner

Twitter: @talesfromaCD

TikTok: @talesfromaCD

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Whitney Anne Adams Links:

Website: whitneyadams.com

Instagram: @WAACostumeDesign

Twitter: @WhitneyAAdams

TikTok: @waacostumedesign

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Pay Equity Links:

Pay Equity Now IG: @payequitynow

Pay Equity Now TikTok: @payequitynow

Costume Designers Guild IG: @cdglocal892

Local USA 829 Pay Equity Task Force IG: @usa829payequity

United Scenic Artists Local 829 IG: @unitedscenicartists

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 those trying to break into the industry. 

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Makeup Department Head Jenny Lin

Credits include: We Have A Ghost | Tell Me Lies | Queen of the South | Alita: Battle Angel | Hypnotic | Spy Kids: Armageddon | Not Dead Yet

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Jenny is a science nerd who fell into makeup accidentally while in college at UT Austin. The very act of creating sparked something in herself to explore and led to working hands-on at a cosmetics company part time while pursuing her undergrad. Her first unexpected opportunity arose when Jenny was approached fill in super last minute makeup on her first short film, but the catch was that she’d have to basically work nonstop for five days straight… at the end of that very sleepless week, something ignited within her and Jenny has not looked back ever since.

 

Fast forward a decade, Jenny’s makeups have been seen on major motion pictures, television shows and national commercials. Beyond her video work, Jenny attained experience in makeup for commercial print ads and lifestyle shoots as well as a roster of faces for red carpet, special events and celebrity weddings and her clientele includes hometown Austin cult movie director Robert Rodriguez.

 

Jenny’s truest passion is in designing and executing imaginative makeups for her directors while collaborating with all the actor, and all creative departments to get the job done beautifully, efficiently and as cost efficient as possible. Skills range in special effect and trauma makeups, airbrushing, tattoo and facial hair work on top of corrective, beauty and character makeups.

 

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Jenny Lin Links:

Website: makeupbyjennylin.com

Instagram: @makeupbyjlin

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TFACD Links:

Patreon: Tales From A Costume Designer

Instagram: @talesfromacostumedesigner

Twitter: @talesfromaCD

TikTok: @talesfromaCD

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Whitney Anne Adams Links:

Website: whitneyadams.com

Instagram: @WAACostumeDesign

Twitter: @WhitneyAAdams

TikTok: @waacostumedesign

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Pay Equity Links:

Pay Equity Now IG: @payequitynow

Pay Equity Now TikTok: @payequitynow

Costume Designers Guild IG: @cdglocal892

Local USA 829 Pay Equity Task Force IG: @usa829payequity

United Scenic Artists Local 829 IG: @unitedscenicartists

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!

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Costume Designer Joseph La Corte

CD credits include: Fellow Travelers | Fosse/Verdon | Tales From the Loop | Under the Banner of Heaven | Divorce

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Following his passion for costume design, Joseph La Corte has worked on some of the most iconic projects in film and television.  From period and fantasy costumes, to contemporary clothing, Joseph brings his fine-tuned attention to detail and unbridled enthusiasm for design to all of his work.

Joseph has worked on some of the most iconic shows in television. He also designed the costumes for the new ground-breaking limited series Fellow Travelers for Showtime/Fremantle, Fellow Travelers created by Academy Award Nominee Ron Nyswaner. Joseph received his fourth Emmy Nomination for his work on the critically acclaimed FX series Fosse/Verdon. His talents can also be seen in many HBO series including The Sopranos, Boardwalk Empire, Vinyl, and Divorce.  Other notable television credits include Saturday Night Live, Law and Order: SVU and the Sci-Fi series from Amazon: Tales From the Loop. Joseph also designed the costumes for the acclaimed Fx series Under the Banner of Heaven created by Dustin Lance Black.

His feature film dossier is no less impressive. Joseph recently contributed his expertise to the Academy award-nominated film Three Billboards Outside of  Ebbing, Missouri.  Other notable film projects include Bel Ami, All the Kings Men, Sex and the City 2, and School of Rock.  Whether the project calls for a modern sensibility, or an interpretation of the past, Joseph brings a true sense of authenticity to every costume he designs. 

Joseph’s work has taken him to such diverse locations as Japan, Morocco, France, England, and Hungary, as well as much of the United States and Canada.  Joseph is happiest when working and creating and is always looking forward to new costume design adventures that may lie ahead.

 

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Joseph La Corte Links:

Website: josephlacorte.nyc

Instagram: @josephwlacorte

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TFACD Links:

Patreon: Tales From A Costume Designer

Instagram: @talesfromacostumedesigner

Twitter: @talesfromaCD

TikTok: @talesfromaCD

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Whitney Anne Adams Links:

Website: whitneyadams.com

Instagram: @WAACostumeDesign

Twitter: @WhitneyAAdams

TikTok: @waacostumedesign

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Pay Equity Links:

Pay Equity Now IG: @payequitynow

Pay Equity Now TikTok: @payequitynow

Costume Designers Guild IG: @cdglocal892

Local USA 829 Pay Equity Task Force IG: @usa829payequity

United Scenic Artists Local 829 IG: @unitedscenicartists

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 --- Malgosia Turzanska was born and raised in Krakow, Poland. She has a BFA in Costume Design from DAMU in Prague, and an MFA in Costume Design from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. Her design credits include Hell or High Water starring Jeff Bridges and Chris Pine, Season 1 of Stranger Things, which earned her a CDG nomination for Excellence in Period TV, The Green Knight (CDG nomination for Sci-Fi/Fantasy), and Ti West’s two horrors, X and Pearl, which have inspired many a Halloween costume this past year. When not working on movies, Malgosia makes textile sculptures and weird mostly unusable furniture. --- Malgosia Turzanska Links: Website: turzanska.com  Instagram: @malgosia_turzanska  --- TFACD Links: Instagram: @talesfromacostumedesigner Twitter: @talesfromaCD TikTok: @talesfromaCD --- Whitney Anne Adams Links: Website: whitneyadams.com Instagram: @WAACostumeDesign Twitter: @WhitneyAAdams TikTok: @WAACostumeDesign

Costume Designer Alexis Forte

CD credits include: Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire | Smile | Eric Larue | Resurrection | Miguel Wants to Fight

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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.  

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Alexis was born and raised in Lisbon, Portugal, and moved to Miami at the age of 10. As a child, she trained as a ballet dancer at Miami City Ballet, Joffrey Ballet School and Alvin Ailey, with dance being her gateway into costumes. Alexis pivoted from dance into visual arts in college when she went to London to study at the prestigious Central Saint Martins. Immersed into the world of theatre and film there, she found her calling. Upon graduation Alexis moved to New York City and started her career. She came up as an Assistant Costume Designer working on films such as Jason Reitman’sGhostbusters: Afterlife and The Front Runner; Drew Goddard’s Bad Times at the El Royal; Darren Aronofsky’s Mother! and The Whale, and Steven Spielberg’s The Post to name a few. In addition, Alexis was on Jacqueline Durran’s costume design team for Greta Gerwig’s, Little Women, which won Best Costumes at the 2020 Oscars.

Alexis kicked off her own design career with IFC Film’s Resurrection, which premiered at Sundance 2022. Following that up with Smile for Paramount Pictures; Miguel Wants to Fight for Hulu; Michael Shannon’s directorial debut, Eric LaRue, that premiered at Tribeca Film Festival 2023; and currently Gil Kenan’s sequel to Ghostbusters Afterlife. Alexis also designs for the stage, most recently making her Broadway debut with Stephen Adly Guirgis’s Between Riverside and Crazy, the 2015 Pulitzer Prize-winner for Drama. That production of Between Riverside and Crazy was nominated for a 2023 Tony for Best Play. Alexis is also a proud member of LAByrinth Theater Company.

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Alexis Forte Links: 

Website: alexisfortedesign.com 

Instagram: @alexis_forte_costumes 

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TFACD Links:

Instagram: @talesfromacostumedesigner

Twitter: @talesfromaCD

TikTok: @talesfromaCD

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Whitney Anne Adams Links:

Website: whitneyadams.com 

Instagram: @WAACostumeDesign 

Twitter: @WhitneyAAdams 

TikTok: @WAACostumeDesign 

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.

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Support the show on Patreon:

Tales From A Costume Designer Patreon

Follow the show on Social Media:

Instagram: @talesfromacostumedesigner

Twitter: @talesfromaCD

TikTok: @talesfromaCD