Over the years as a successful Hollywood Costume Designer, I have mentored many young people into the business of costuming and costume design for film and television.
I have received emails from Russia, Germany, Italy, and all over the United States from students who wish to intern with me, and seeking my advice in how to get started. Hollywood can be a very intimidating place, and the competition for jobs in movies fierce. But I have always believed that determination and persistence, even sometimes more than talent, pays off in the long run, and that anyone can and should follow their dreams. I have loved the experience of seeing someone who started with me as a scared newcomer to blossom into a successful professional, working in the entertainment industry and earning a good living doing it!
To this end I created the unique online training course HollywoodMentors.co, where I will accept a limited number of students to train with me on a very personal basis, interacting with me through Skype or chat and email, where I can prepare them for a professional career in costume design for TV, film, or theater. and mentor them throughout the process.
The difference between mentoring and teaching is this: teaching is usually to a large number of students, giving the same course to all, and often to students who are not wholly committed to learning what I have to offer.
Mentoring, on the other hand, is a one-to-one special relationship between a teacher who cares, and a student who is so passionate about learning and becoming a costume designer that they are willing to put in the time to learn from an expert. Mentoring is guiding a student through the tough times as well as the successes, and taking a personal interest in that student.
Over the next days and weeks I am going to share with you some of the success stories of my interns and mentees, and also some of the elements that I will be teaching. I invite you all to join me!
http://HollywoodMentors.co
My thoughts about all aspects of costume design, costuming, movies, actors, mentors, and stories from my career as a costume designer.
