Recruiter's Glossary

Examples: Costume Storage • Historical Accuracy • Fabric Sourcing

Character Analysis

Term from Costume Design industry explained for recruiters

Character Analysis is a fundamental skill in costume design where designers study and break down a character's personality, background, and journey throughout a script or screenplay. It's like creating a detailed profile of each character to understand what they should wear and how their clothing should change throughout the story. This process helps costume designers make informed decisions about clothing choices that reflect the character's age, social status, time period, and emotional state. Think of it as being a detective who pieces together clues about a character to create authentic and meaningful costume choices.

Examples in Resumes

Developed detailed Character Analysis documents for main cast of 12 in regional theater production

Created costume designs based on Character Analysis for period drama series

Led workshop teaching Character Analysis techniques to junior costume designers

Typical job title: "Costume Designers"

Also try searching for:

Costume Designer Wardrobe Designer Theater Designer Film Costumer Fashion Designer for Theater Wardrobe Supervisor Costume Design Assistant

Where to Find Costume Designers

Professional Organizations

Online Communities

Job Resources

Example Interview Questions

Senior Level Questions

Q: How do you approach Character Analysis when working on multiple time periods in one production?

Expected Answer: A senior designer should discuss their process of research, script analysis, and how they balance historical accuracy with creative interpretation. They should mention collaboration with directors and working within budget constraints.

Q: How do you handle conflicting visions between director and writer regarding character interpretation?

Expected Answer: Should demonstrate diplomatic problem-solving, explain how they balance different creative visions while maintaining character integrity, and discuss successful past experiences mediating such situations.

Mid Level Questions

Q: How do you document your Character Analysis process?

Expected Answer: Should describe their method of organizing character notes, research images, and mood boards, and explain how they share this information with their team and production staff.

Q: How do you use Character Analysis to influence your costume choices?

Expected Answer: Should explain how they translate character traits and background into specific costume choices, including color theory, fabric selection, and style elements.

Junior Level Questions

Q: What are the key elements you look for when doing a Character Analysis?

Expected Answer: Should mention basic elements like age, social status, time period, personality traits, and character relationships in the story.

Q: How do you research a character's historical period?

Expected Answer: Should be able to describe using library resources, online databases, historical photographs, and period-appropriate reference materials.