I assume that the material posted so far regarding professional behavior and expectations of costume designers has related mostly to community theatre.? May I comment as a professional costume designer.? I learned very early in my career not to work without a signed contract.? Every contract I sign spells out very clearly what I am responsible for and gives due dates for rough sketches, final sketches and dates?that I am required to be in residence with the theatre company which has employed me.? My contract expires on opening night.? Most contracts also indicate that I will partipate in all design conferences with the director and other designers involved in the production as well as regularly scheduled production and budget meetings.? In addition, the contract gives dates in which I will receive a portion of my design fee.? The contract I am looking at right now stipulates that I will be paid for my work in three installments, the last to occur on opening night.? It also s! tates that I will be given a housing allowance and be reimbured for traveling expenses to and from the theatre company. Having a signed contract protects both the designer and the company.? I learned my lesson when I was first beginning my career wherein, after working for three weeks on designs for a show and being promised a contract any day, the producer quit and the new producer had a girlfriend who was a costume designer.? Guess what happened?
Cheryl Odom College of Santa Fe _______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list [email protected] http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
