task number	element	task
Element One		To take the form of an hour-long exam.
1a	1.1	Use 8 of the following words correctly in a paragraph. You are explaining to someone new to costume design how to present costume drawings. Design, Pattern, Accessories, Proportions, Blow Ups, Mock Ups, Front View, Rear View, Style.
1b	1.2	In a paragraph, explain four of the practical considerations of costume design.
1c	1.3	Look carefully at your final design for Midsummer nights dream. Identify five symbols (use of texture, symbol and colour) that have been used. Explain in detail the effect and purpose of these design choices.
1d	1.4	For each of the production roles outlined below, define the role they have in the theatre. Director, Designer, Production Manager, Production Team.
Element Two		To take the form of design plans and oral presentation.
2a	2.1	Read the design brief above. Rewrite it in your own words – so YOU understand exactly what is required of you.
2b	2.2	Bearing the brief in mind, come up with FOUR design points that you will need to investigate and include in your drawings e.g. the play, the venue, the period, the culture.
2c	2.3	Come up with TWO draft designs for THREE chosen characters and present these in graphic form. Your designs should include brief notes on each design, evaluation of the alternative designs for each character and 2 paper mock ups for one characters alternative costumes.
2d	2.4	You will present ideas for one character orally to the class – using visual stimuli of your drawings and mock ups.
2e	2.5	In class we will look at the designs and discuss which ones are most successful and convey the clearest impressions of your ideas. From this you will select your final THREE designs (one for each character). You will need to ensure these designs are developed effectively and presented as a design concept.
Element Three		To take the form of a presented design plan.
3a	3.1 + 3.2	In your final presentation, you must include written proof that your final designs match the original design brief, that your concept matches agreed production ideas and that your designs are suitable for practical use.
3b	3.3	Collate your final designs and hand them in for marking. Remember they must be large enough to include – Front and rear view. Accessories. Blow ups of important details. Colours and proportions. Info about material, swatches, costings and quantities. Some thoughts about how the costume might be made notes of explanation.
3c	3.4	Consider your final design concept and the work you undertook to achieve it, and answer the following questions – Are your designs appropriate to the style and needs of the performance? Have you utilised colour, texture and light to increase the effect of your designs? How? How would the actors feel about wearing the costumes they are being asked to wear? What problems did you encounter in your design process? How did you select your final designs?

Design Brief

You are to produce draft and final costume designs for THREE characters from the play “Little Shop of Horrors” The production is to reflect the social themes of the text. The production will take place in the Hawkins Centre. The performance will run over a week and includes singing and dancing. You have a total costume budget of $1500. Remember – your costumes must be able to be created and worn and they must be suitable for a school production!

‘Little Shop of Horrors’ is a science fiction, tragic-comedy romance. It is set in a poor, rough, run down suburb called “Skid Row” in the 1980’s.

The story is about a poor orphan guy called Seymour and the love of his life Audrey, an equally poor, sweet woman with a low self esteem. They both work together in a florists store and they both share the desire to find true love together and a better life. But in their current circumstances this seems impossible…until during a total eclipse of the sun a strange plant lands on earth from out of space.

This story is about the struggles we face in life between the ideal & real and the ethical choices we have to make in response to life’s challenges: Love vs. hate, greed vs. generosity and fantasy vs. reality. Ultimately we all have to choose how we will act, and how we want to live.

First - read the design brief above.

Identify the individual requirements so you understand exactly what is required of you. pc 2.1

1. Location of performance:

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. Duration of the performance season:

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3. Duration of the performance per night:

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4. Your costume budget:

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5. What era is it set in?

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Second - bearing the brief in mind, come up with four design points that you will need to investigate and include in your drawings pc2.2

1. Summarise the play (what is this about?)

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2. What are the main themes of the play?

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3. How do you costumes reflect these themes?

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4. Describe the fashion of the 1980’s (give some examples)

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5. How will your costume designs reflect the 1980s era?

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6. Are your costume designs suitable for a school production (explain why)

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7. Will your actors be able to act and dance in your costume designs? (Explain why)

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Third - come up with two draft designs for each character in your folio books (6 designs in total).

Try different methods, materials and media for making visual images. You don’t have to just draw with pencil and paper – experiment.

Present these in graphic form – they should be simple and include annotations on each design. (i.e. what you have chosen to show, why you chose the specific colour etc). You must also write the Pros and Cons of each design

Together with your graphic images, and verbal explanation you will present 2 of your 6 designs to the class. pc 2.3 + 2.4

Fourth – as a class we will discuss your designs. We will look at the designs and discuss which are most successful and which convey the clearest impressions of your ideas. From this you will select your final three designs (one for each character). You will need to ensure these designs are developed effectively and completely – they are your final designs! pc 2.5

1. Record feed back from the class on your presentation of draft designs.

Character 1 feedback:

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Character 2 feedback:

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Character 3 feedback:

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Fifth - collate your three final designs and hand them in for marking. Remember they must be large enough to include all of the following –

pc 3.1 + 3.2 + 3.3

Headings - (final design) & character name
front and rear view
accessories
enlargement of important details
colours and proportions
information about material, swatches, costing and quantities.
details about how the costume might be made
notes of explanation

How do your final designs match the original design brief? (write answer below)

Character 1:

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Character 2:

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Character 3:

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Sixth –consider your final design concept and the work you undertook to achieve it, and answer the following questions: pc 3.4

Are your designs appropriate to the style and needs of the performance? Explain how?

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

How have you utilised colour, texture and light to increase the effect of your designs?

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

How would the actors feel about wearing the costumes they are being asked to wear?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

How did you select your final designs?

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Costume design – unit standard 14956

Assessment schedule

Level three six credits

Task	Element	Evidence	Judgement	?
1a	1.1	Completed paragraph: “The costume designer is responsible for the overall design of all the stage clothing and accessories of a performance. When the designer is creating costume drawings he/she must consider the style of the performance and research the period – this will ensure that the production will stay true to the time period. The drawings the designer creates will have both a front view and a rear view, so that all detail can be seen, Difficult or delicate detail must be shown in blow-up – these are enlargements for ease of view. The designer must consider proportion in the clothing so that an accurate pattern can be draw up from the designs. Before the costume is sewn from material, the designer creates mock-ups of the costume – these are full size paper versions of the costume.”	Correct usage, in paragraph, of 8 terms for costume design.
1b	1.2	Completed paragraph of explanation of practicalities of costume design. “A costume designer must consider how many costume changes a character will have and the time they have to change – an actor cannot change into an elaborate evening dress in 15 seconds!” The designer must be aware of the durability of the fabric they choose. Theatre can be very physical and the designer does not want the costumes to disintegrate on the first night or the first washing! Safety is a large issue for the designer – costumes must be comfortable and practical for the actor and not place them in any risk (i.e. do not expect an actor to wear a plastic bag over her head!) Costume designers must be aware of the weight of the costume they are creating. Theatre lights are very hot and heavy costumes make life difficult for the actors.”	Correct explanation of 4 practicalities of costume design – to include movement, durability, costume changes and safety.
1c	1.3	Annotated chart of symbolic nature of costume design. “Use of gold fabric for all the costumes – gives the impression of richness and grandeur. Use of raw texture hessian for peasant costumes – gives the impression of poverty. Use of military swastika symbol on army uniforms – gives the impression of organised group and feeling of oppression. Use of simple white shift dresses for young girls – highlights purity and virginity. Use of hats – worn by the member of the same family – gives the impression of unity and togetherness.”	Accurately identifies 4 symbols and gives valid explanation of purpose.
1d	1.4	Completes table of production roles. “Director has overall control of the whole production. Designer has artistic control over the production, works with the Director, who has overall say on all aspects of the production and meets with each industry area leader e.g. costume designer. Production Manager is responsible for the total technical production of the performance. The Production team works together with the Production Manager. They are responsible for particular areas of the performance (e.g. Lighting, set, costume) it is their role to get their area up and running.”	Accurately defines and identifies roles of director, designer, production manager and production team.
2a	2.1	Four or more points identifying requirements of the design brief. “1. Open air performance 2. Period piece 3. Runs for four weeks 4. Evening performance”	Four or more points accurately identifying requirements of production brief.
2b	2.2	Notes on four costume design issues. “1. Venue is open air – costume must not be to long or loose or it will flow in the breeze. 2. Performance is period – costumes must reflect this. 3. Text requires woman to dress as man – how possible is this ? 4. Production runs for four weeks (every night). Costumes must be washable and quick drying!	4 design issues for circumstances accurately identified – may include text, venue, occasion, social, cultural.
2c	2.3	2 draft designs completed for 3 characters. Presented in graphic form.	6 appropriately completed design ideas presented in graphic form, including brief notes, evaluation of alternatives for each character.
2d	2.4	Oral presentation to class of design options.	1 appropriately completed draft design option orally presented with drawings.
2e	2.5	Best design options selected, developed and presented as final concept.	3 completed design ideas developed effectively and presented as design concept.
3a	3.1 + 3.2	Paragraph explaining how final designs have matched original brief, production ideas and suit practical application. “My final designs match the original brief in the following way. My designs are all period, they are suitable for long wearing and quick turnaround washing. They are minimal in accessories, so as not to be affected by wind and adverse weather. They are light and durable in construction so the actors are able to dance without constriction. My pricings have come in under the budget of $1500.”	Effective explanation of designs supporting requirements of original brief, how concept matches agreed production ideas and suits practical application.
3b	3.3	Final presentation of design drawings.	Presentation of 3 completed and final design drawings, suited to the stage production including: headings and character, colours, front & rear view, materials, quantities, costings, methods of realisation.
3c	3.4	Written answer to four questions as evaluation of process and product.	Completed written answers to five questions effectively evaluate design process and product.
			PASS / FAIL

Comments:

Students will be working on this Unit Standard Assessment for approximately five weeks. They will be working individually towards creating costume designs for a production of “Little Shop of Horrors”.

TASKS

Element Two

Task

Element

Evidence

Judgement

?

PASS / FAIL