Latest / The Art of Costume Podcast / The Mandalorian S3 with Costume Designer, Shawna Trpcic

Transcript

The Mandalorian S3 with Costume Designer, Shawna Trpcic · The Art of Costume Podcast

0:12
The the turtle fight, you know, half of our Mandalorian armor
0:15
pieces, had gone to the bottom of the lake.
0:17
And my amazing secre was like, in there with waiters trying to
0:21
pull out these pieces, so it's amazing.
0:31
No more, water monsters. Hello and welcome to the Arctic
0:44
costume. Blogcast, I am your host Spencer
0:47
Williams, and thank you so much for joining me for another bonus
0:51
episode. This is everyone, we are at the
0:54
end of our Star Wars month and it has been an incredible month
0:58
when Elizabeth and I set out To do the Star Wars month.
1:01
We thought we were just we talking about The Empire Strikes
1:03
Back, possibly the Mandalorian and just call it a day and we
1:07
were so lucky to have Natalie. Lucia on the talk about Empire,
1:10
Strikes Back and the lovely, Kevin Ochoa to talk about the
1:14
Mandalorian, but then some great opportunities came to us and we
1:19
were granted the ability to talk to three incredible costume
1:24
designers. First, it was to Toronto and
1:27
larb where we talked about Obi-Wan on Kenobi.
1:31
Then we had Michael Wilkinson on to talk about his work on and
1:35
or, and now, I'm so excited to say that we are talking about
1:39
the Mandalorian season three with my dear friend costume
1:43
designer, Shawna terpsichore. And I am such a fan of Shauna's
1:47
work. She is so passionate, I just
1:50
talking to her so inspiring, you can tell that this is someone
1:54
who truly loves what they do and that shows in her work.
1:59
It's just she's A real nerd about Star Wars which I truly
2:02
appreciate because she really has such an attention to detail.
2:06
And I just I really appreciate it and I love talking to her and
2:10
I know that you're all going to love this interview with that.
2:14
Let's get into the summary after the fall of the Galactic Empire,
2:18
a lone Bounty Hunter navigates, the outer reaches of the Galaxy,
2:22
and forms a bond with a mysterious creature.
2:24
Meanwhile, dark Forces gather to reclaim their power over new
2:29
Flick diving behind the costumes, the Mandalorian was
2:33
created by Jon Favreau and costumes for season two and
2:37
three of the Mandalorian were designed by Shauna terpsichore.
2:41
You will know Shauna for her work on Mighty Morphin Power
2:44
Rangers Firefly, Angel Much Ado, About Nothing, The Cabin in the
2:49
Woods and the Book of Boba Fett for which she was nominated for
2:52
an Emmy and won a costume designers Guild award.
2:56
We also did a interview for the book of Boba Fett that as On the
3:00
Arctic costume blogcast, I will put a link to it in our show
3:03
notes, but that was the first time I really got to meet
3:06
Shauna. And I just knew that she already
3:09
was someone that I want to spend a lot of time with.
3:11
She is so cool. You will love that interview.
3:14
And also she would recently worked on the upcoming TV series
3:18
for Disney plus Ahsoka and you know, I'm going to be all over
3:21
that. So you could trust that this is
3:23
not the last time Shauna will be on the podcast and with that,
3:28
I'm so excited for you all to listen to This interview, we
3:30
really get into everything that makes a Mandalorian special, we
3:33
talk about dinge, Ahrens, Mandalorian armor.
3:37
We talked about creating some characters for live-action,
3:40
translating those animated costumes.
3:42
And to real tangible costumes, that special moment with Ahmed
3:47
best, which is just such a beautiful story, brought tears
3:50
to my eyes and just what it's like to work on a universe that
3:54
has such a incredible Legacy that Shawna has really made a
3:59
name for herself. Laughs and I know you're all
4:01
going to love this episode. You're going to fall in love
4:03
with Shawna and I'm so excited for y'all to listen.
4:06
But first, let's take a little break.
4:08
When we come back we will be joined by costume designer.
4:11
Shawna terpsichore I am so excited to welcome back
4:38
to the podcast our friend costume designer, Shawna Turf
4:42
flick, hey Sana. Hey how are you so good to me?
4:46
It's so good to have you back. I can't believe you're back
4:50
actually. I thought I was gonna be a
4:50
one-time thing when we did it last.
4:52
So it's special occurrence. Well, I'm so excited to talk
4:58
about the Mandalorian for all those listening.
5:00
Last time we were talking about the book of Boba Fett for which
5:03
you want a costume designer, Guild award by the way, which is
5:06
super awesome. But I'm really excited today to
5:10
really get into the Mandalorian where it all started.
5:13
So I have a million into questions so buck.
5:19
Well, first, I want to dive into the background, you know, the
5:21
Mandalorian is one of the world's most talked about shows
5:24
right now, very guilty of watching every single episode, a
5:27
thousand times. It's very detail-oriented very
5:30
aware of the universe and the Legacy yet, still Innovative
5:34
every episode. You see something new, you know,
5:36
maybe a new costumer a new character, new world.
5:40
So, I guess, just for some background.
5:42
Like, how long do you and your crew usually have the prep for
5:45
this. How many Costumes are just feels
5:47
so massive to me. Yeah.
5:49
We usually get about 16 weeks to prep and we get all the scripts
5:54
pretty much in good shape. You know, before we even start
5:58
prep, John is really good about letting us know what we're
6:01
getting into. And so we can kind of prep all
6:04
Eight Episodes at once. And yeah so when you're out
6:08
shopping you're able to shop for the future and you know you kind
6:12
of got the broad Arc of what you're in for.
6:16
I mean, thousands of costumes, you know, every every time it's
6:22
a lot, you know, during covid, obviously we reduced quite a
6:25
bit, we did do Digi doubles you know, bun the screen and stuff
6:28
like that digital background. But now we're all were all real.
6:32
We're all able to, you know, get on the streets and get in the
6:34
volume and it's been amazing and wonderful to create these
6:39
different worlds. So, honestly, wherever we go,
6:42
it's a whole new Vibe whether in a burrow or, you know,
6:45
Coruscant. It's A whole new group.
6:47
So, I mean like, I mean, I that wasn't limit does not exist.
6:56
And how much does research play a role in this project?
6:59
You know, I mean, I know you personally and we're both Big
7:02
Star Wars nerds. I assume you're consuming a lot
7:05
of the Star Wars culture, but you know what, so what does that
7:07
research process look like for you?
7:10
So be on Star Wars culture? Which I am constantly revisiting
7:14
guy constantly constantly even in just like While eating lunch,
7:17
I'm flipping through a Star Wars book just so that I'm really
7:20
saturated in it. But if there's something
7:23
specific like, say, I don't know, like, like well on
7:27
Navarro, you know, they deal with lava and they do us, you
7:31
know? So I figure mining some of the
7:32
people should have by mining Vibe.
7:34
You know, some of the people that the dig underground for
7:37
these floats, you know? So you start to receive research
7:40
cultures that live on volcanic islands, and what do and what
7:44
they look like and how they do with At kind of stone and how
7:47
they build. And so a lot of my research that
7:51
Alyssa helps you with a ton, she was jealous all Colour, she's my
7:55
assistant costume designer on those shows.
7:57
I'll give her subject or like five different subjects from
8:00
five different cultures and like research, you know how these
8:03
people handle agriculture on a volcanic island and what, they
8:07
wear research, how miners on this kind of Island, you know,
8:10
all these different things. And then she'll just give me
8:13
these amazing images and then, you know, she's she's Different
8:16
background and she has a different interest.
8:18
I mean, she she's a, she's a savant when it comes to Star
8:21
Wars information. But she also has, you know,
8:23
she's really into Kpop and social slip in, you know, some
8:27
other that I wouldn't even think of which my oh my gosh, that's
8:31
amazing detail and that's why collaboration and you know, G on
8:34
Frederick my background, people will bring me an article that
8:38
you know, are stone that they found in a shop, you know, in
8:41
the middle of the Wilshire District, I'm like, oh my gosh,
8:43
yes, we should go with, you know, the Research is a
8:47
constantly moving Force throughout everything we do.
8:52
That's so cool. There's always like different
8:53
perspective to from all your different crew members which is
8:56
important as well. So fun already wait.
9:02
All right well let's get into a question.
9:04
I've actually been dying to ask you ever since season three
9:07
started, when we saw the Mandalorian covert come
9:09
together, I merely thought I was like, wow.
9:12
I know that Sean has Workshop is looking real crazy right now.
9:17
So tons of pieces they're all different colors.
9:21
I just have to ask you to, how did you and your crew pull off
9:24
all these different mandalorians?
9:26
I'm sure this process. I mean there's even child
9:28
mandalorians at this point, so that was a really fun part.
9:32
So so it was me and my crew, my beautiful, beautiful crew.
9:37
So the producers at Star Wars, Colin Wilson and you know,
9:41
Kathleen Kennedy and John and Dave and them it made it
9:44
available for us to get into a giant Warehouse.
9:46
House. And with that, I was able to
9:48
build my own creative crew. My own custom building crew, and
9:53
so we had a bunch of people in the union, because there weren't
9:56
a ton out there. You know, they're all working in
9:58
different shops. And so I wanted to build my own
10:00
shop where we would always be collaborating with always be
10:03
side by side. So my artist my painters on Tony
10:06
and Judah and then my sculptors like like Eric and and Marcus.
10:12
And then George brought in all kinds of people.
10:14
We went, we would all start to A break, and one of the things
10:18
that these guys came through would be the Clone Wars, right?
10:21
And so there would, there would be left over pieces that they
10:23
picked up from the battlefield and had to, you know, like say
10:27
one of their Bhaskar pieces were lost or, or, you know, was like,
10:31
like the dented helmet, you know, maybe one got dented and
10:33
they had to lose it, you know. So there's different things that
10:36
could have happened to their armor.
10:37
So I for a ragtag group, the group that coming out of the
10:41
cave, I wanted it to look like they've been through a war and
10:44
so that they had to some Storm Trooper Parts.
10:47
Maybe there's some clone Parts. I don't know, maybe there's some
10:49
parts they bang together and are just plates.
10:52
And then, as we, as we started dressing the background and I
10:55
teach, I treat each background or just like a principle
10:58
because, you know, Boba Fett was once a background person and,
11:01
you know, right, exactly. Now we gotta we also, you know,
11:07
kick keeping in mind the history, keeping in mind
11:09
animation and the video games and all the inspiration.
11:13
You know, then then we incorporate all the history B.
11:15
Well, then you Doing fittings with actual human beings and
11:19
these the, the background people.
11:21
So some of the, some of the kids had special needs and some, you
11:25
know, some of the helmets were working for them.
11:27
And so we're like, well, what would a society whose part of
11:30
the religion is having the face covering due to, to deal with
11:34
people? You know, to help promote people
11:37
with special needs and help to encourage them to live within,
11:40
you know, the way they want to live, you know.
11:42
And so we built these leather helmets, you know, and some Open
11:46
back so that they would have a little more movement within the
11:49
helmet. And, you know, so the evolution
11:52
of the costume comes from all the are different Artisans
11:56
working together and then when you start to create a society, a
11:59
group, these these sort of like I don't know, individualism has
12:05
come up that you're like, oh, you really know how to wear cape
12:08
and let's do this and okay, putting a panel over here, would
12:11
look great in. Do you know?
12:12
There's a, there's a tear in a patch and, you know, that
12:15
working with the actors And makes the character grow.
12:18
And it was really an awesome honor and privilege to work with
12:23
the different needs of the different players and to come up
12:27
with what was they would sort of emote the best in this in this
12:31
world that is so exciting and I love that you brought up the
12:34
different pieces to because, you know, there's one coming out of
12:37
the cave in a picture looking at and his leg is Right armor and
12:40
to me, I was like that's definitely Clone Trooper or
12:43
stormtrooper armor, which is so Cool, that's where the Nerds out
12:48
there. When we get into the survivors,
12:52
they're even more battled, even more resourceful rightly, some
12:57
of theirs are just not beaten down plates, and then, and then
13:00
there's, you know, the then there's the night out group on
13:03
the former night, Al group, who are Bortz.
13:05
The skidded militaristic. So, so you and I have never
13:09
specifically talked about Den jarn's armor before.
13:12
So we've now seen this armor passed through two seasons and
13:16
Look of Boba Fett. Is this a costume?
13:18
That is upgraded? Each time.
13:20
I have a feeling, it doesn't just get put in a closet and you
13:22
pull it out each season? No.
13:24
So. Season one Joseph Coral, was the
13:28
costume designer and Legacy built the costume.
13:31
Season two, I took over the costume with with my crew.
13:36
So we did some adjustments, what we could with, you know, working
13:40
with Pedro and like what what he felt best with.
13:43
And and of course Brendan and Latif Eat so season 3, we were,
13:49
we rebuilt the whole thing, you know, we brought it down to the
13:52
Bare Bones, we work very closely with the teeth and the stunt
13:55
department and with Brendan Wayne and to figure out how it
14:00
was going to move the best and of course, Pedro and the look.
14:03
And so it's gone through an evolution but the basic the
14:08
basic don't know who wrote look is the same so you should notice
14:13
the changes they're subtle but You know, he just like just like
14:18
Boba Fett where their upgrades his were more noticeable because
14:22
he went from being, you know, Wanderer of the desert to
14:25
having, you know, Wendell leader of the colors and all that.
14:28
Yeah. He was able to get into the
14:30
paint shop in the body shop and go like fix things.
14:32
I've been drawing is still, you know, he's still a nomad so he's
14:36
not going to go through his drastic of a change, but yeah,
14:39
there's definitely changes. Yeah.
14:41
I mean, I can't even sort of point out.
14:44
I mean, he's psychotic You know, so you can't really do too big
14:48
of a change. I mean obviously the one big
14:50
change was when he put on a new jet pack, he took the jet pack
14:55
from one of the soldiers and so but that that was the only like
14:59
drastic change, right? I only ask because I don't
15:02
something about the season to me.
15:04
It did look like I don't know like he polished it or something
15:07
something about was different. We're just like slightly cooler
15:11
this season. I don't know how yeah.
15:13
We definitely upgraded the paint job.
15:15
That's that's that's For sure. Let's because he is less and
15:20
less of a gypsy at this point. He's he's more in the ship and
15:24
he's more of a father and he's yeah he's cleaned up a bit for
15:27
sure. You have he has to look good for
15:29
didn't grow game. It's a very respectable Father
15:31
Figure. Yeah well my favorite thing in
15:36
costume design is the breakdown process.
15:38
I could talk about it forever. It's so fascinating to me and
15:42
our heroes go through a lot of action and trouble in this
15:44
season. So, with that being said, I
15:46
imagine maybe two costumes we see in this series, must go
15:49
through a breakdown process, whether it's to aging at a
15:52
Fabrics, making it look a little bit more worn.
15:54
How does that work on the Mandalorian go?
15:56
Carol is the head of my aging and dying department.
15:59
And I have been a journey or myself.
16:02
When I was starting out, it's very much, an artistic journey.
16:06
And what I try to do is I get her pieces that have been
16:11
through a long like old pieces. I'll get from a thrift store to
16:15
show. The natural way of fabric would
16:18
break down and and also she has a vast amounts of knowledge.
16:22
And then, you know we do everything from putting them in
16:25
a cement mixer with stones and just letting it roll around and
16:29
around how to to make the Fabrics in our especially like
16:32
when we were working with Ashoka and season 2 episode 5, you
16:35
know, we had to give her that that Seven Samurai Wanderer,
16:41
worn fabric look. But I, you know, I I was using
16:44
brand-new silks and so I had to find a way.
16:46
Way to get them that, like, they've been battered and washed
16:49
in a stream and dried in the Sun and worn and washed.
16:52
And just, you know, so all of our, all of our crew, my
16:57
painters Judah and Tony, again, we're going back to them, you
17:00
know that, we think about the hits and we and we try to carry
17:03
that especially on Armor carry the hit through, like bounced
17:07
off the chest like where would it hit next or did it just go
17:09
off or and with the clothing it's wearing the Fabrics down.
17:13
So nothing looks like it's just off the shelf except for Of
17:16
course on they had him or they have the washer and dryer.
17:24
So and then, you know, of course, we have to keep up, you
17:27
know, through eight episodes and you're shooting for, you know,
17:29
six to eight months and you know, new hits happen and new
17:33
rubs and you got to get rid of those and getting back to the
17:36
way they were and you have to keep that consistent, you know,
17:39
because they're fighting, you know, they're fighting monsters.
17:42
And like are we going to establish that as a hit and keep
17:46
it? To the entire series.
17:47
Are we going to clean it up and buff it out?
17:49
And, you know, and not carry it through the series.
17:51
So there's a lot of discussions that happen as they fight
17:54
because we don't necessarily shoot an order.
17:56
And so we have to make sure that continuity wise that were
18:00
keeping up with everybody's injury, tears and Patchwork and
18:04
oh my goodness. By the end of the, the turtle
18:07
fight, you know, half of our Mandalorian armor pieces, had
18:10
gone to the bottom of the lake. And my amazing set crew was like
18:15
in there with Waiters Pull out these pieces.
18:17
So difficult. Oh my gosh.
18:23
It's amazing. But the majority would say, dog.
18:27
But the occasional polls are would go find my like John no
18:31
more. Water monsters are giant leaps.
18:37
So we so it's a lot of work and and I have my set crew to has a
18:42
giant sort of cart, like a three shelf cart Full of paints and
18:48
charcoals and rubs and everything that you can imagine,
18:51
you know, to break things down on the set if they're not, if we
18:55
realized. Oh my gosh that person wasn't
18:57
supposed to go in the water. Now they're going in the water
18:59
how we're going to do with that. And, you know, and and salt, you
19:02
know, the stuntman salt will start to form around where
19:04
they're sweating, and we have to rub that out.
19:07
And so that they match from when they, when we shot them two
19:09
weeks. Dad didn't think of the
19:11
psaltery. I did not think of the salt.
19:15
Yes. A lot of action behind the
19:17
scenes and I have the most amazing support group in the
19:21
universe. Like you, you're only as good as
19:22
your crew and to keep the keep these Beauties consistent and
19:26
keeping something. The same amount of age, through
19:30
eight months of shooting is a task.
19:33
It's brilliant and it just really shows like how incredible
19:35
costume design is and how essential it is the storytelling
19:38
because you know, cos these costumes are not just as being
19:41
found in a warehouse somewhere. It goes through such a process
19:43
before it gets on camera. Yeah.
19:45
So For sure, a character, I've talked to you about this before.
19:50
I believe my favorite costume, this season was armor worn, by
19:52
Bogut on me, being a big Star Wars nerd.
19:55
I love the Clone Wars. I love Rebels.
19:58
So second I saw Katie show up as Bogut on, like, actual tears.
20:04
With that being said, I feel like the armor got even stronger
20:08
the season and that color on her is just so brilliant.
20:10
Brilliant. So what was it?
20:12
Like bringing to life this set of armor especially coming from
20:15
a animated Format, you know, we saw her in season two but this
20:18
is our first time talking about it.
20:20
Yes well I really, really took my direction from the animation
20:24
and in the animation, you can see her figure.
20:27
I don't know if you have a full photo of her full figure and the
20:31
animation, but she's a woman and she's built like a woman and so
20:35
I wanted to make sure that I carried that Warrior, that
20:39
feminine Warrior look into the realistic character and Katie
20:44
Katie. Oh my gosh, she's amazing.
20:46
And she was fully on board with creating armor that would fit on
20:51
a feminine body. You know, we wanted to, you
20:55
know, give her that the form of a woman.
20:57
And then, you know, and then bringing her waist and then, you
20:59
know, and then, you know, just I don't know, just celebrate the
21:02
feminine because she's 100% Warrior and she's 100% woman.
21:07
And so that was important to me to stay loyal to the animation.
21:12
And what what Dave, and that group had had started with And
21:16
then the color, we wanted to pop that up a little bit this season
21:21
because she was, she was being featured a lot more and she's
21:24
back in her castle and it's kind of like Boba Fett.
21:27
You're able to kind of like polish up a little bit.
21:29
Yeah, I'm she's not as clean as Boba Fett got, you know, because
21:35
she, you know, she's not gonna sit there and being body shop,
21:38
so we try to do it. Subtly just to show a different,
21:42
I don't know, atmosphere, or a different situation.
21:46
She's she's her Arc is amazing, and she's going to be rising to
21:51
a new position, you know, to the business you position.
21:53
She's always wanted but honestly, I think that she had
21:56
to go through this journey to actually feel she deserved it
22:00
and and we wanted to have our murderer celebrated that with
22:04
her. Yeah, it was so exciting and I
22:06
totally see what you meant by like popping up two colors.
22:08
Little, I think that's what stood out to me and that armor
22:11
with like the hair color to it. Just pops on screen so
22:14
beautifully. Yeah, Maria Santa Nail the hair.
22:17
I mean my gosh and keeping the the band in place you know it's
22:21
all a whole set of magnets and you know.
22:23
Yeah, yeah yeah yeah watch out then zarn because I think I have
22:27
a new favorite character. Sorry.
22:32
Well speaking of favorite characters, I feel as though I
22:35
can speak on behalf of the entire Star Wars fan base.
22:37
When I say that the scene where we saw Ahmed best appear as a
22:41
Jedi, was one of the best like mouth, probably the entire
22:44
series, all three seasons. The Jedi robes are fantastic and
22:48
I was really taken by the embroidery and I just know,
22:51
there must be a story between Ahmed and your collaboration and
22:55
bringing this to life because it was very short, but it packed a
22:58
punch and it was beautiful. Well, working with Ahmed
23:03
obviously was a very spiritual experience.
23:05
I've got to say, the direction from John, was he wanted his
23:11
robes different, he wanted them to show a little bit more.
23:17
A closeness with the force or a spiritual journey that you know,
23:21
because each Jedi has her own story.
23:22
Its Jedi has their own path, they need to take and the way
23:25
John explained to me, like, you know, the embroidery on on the
23:28
on the sacred shawls of the Jewish, I do not sound of Pastor
23:34
or priest for the Jewish leader and he wanted me to convey that
23:39
idea. And and so I was like, well, you
23:42
know what words and like would be an Arab Ash, you know,
23:45
because Because there's there's writing you know like it
23:48
wouldn't be Hebrew script, it would it wouldn't be it wouldn't
23:51
be are bashed. You know what, what, what were
23:54
the writing B? And so I was really.
23:56
So if you'll see in that image with the, like the pencil
24:00
squiggles all over it, that's what I showed John, you know,
24:02
it's like something like this, right?
24:04
You know, kept, but I hadn't found the imagery yet.
24:07
Then I met all meant and he, he was getting undressed so that we
24:10
could put the things on him. And I see these tattoos and I'm
24:13
like, what is the story of these tattoos?
24:15
And He told me he went back to Africa to ReDiscover his roots
24:21
and adinkra. Symbols are something that spoke
24:25
to him. And his history, he was in a
24:27
very, very, very dark, dark place when he took this journey
24:31
obviously all the bullying of Darker pink sand and all the
24:35
horrible things that he was going through as an actor, as a
24:38
performer, as a black man, it took a very, very dark emotional
24:42
toll on his on his Spirit when he went to to Africa to
24:46
ReDiscover who he is and who he, you know, so that she'd stop
24:50
listening to all that to all the president and all the fans.
24:53
He got these symbols that told of his journey from Darkness to
24:56
light and it really spoke to me, he really walked me through it.
25:00
So then I did my own research on dhingra symbols and through his
25:05
imagery and through his storytelling and and his
25:08
tattoos. And then more research into
25:10
these symbols. I wanted to tell the story of
25:14
his walk and of his Redemption. And on his ropes because that's
25:18
what I feel, the ultimate prayer shawl.
25:20
That's what's called a prayer shawl is.
25:22
It's the story of the people, the Hebrew people in their walk.
25:25
And and I wanted his story. And, and so, through his
25:30
Direction and being very inspired by his, his tattoo, and
25:34
his Artistry in his path. I then took these symbols and
25:37
gave them to Luiz. Who's my who's Mike the tailor,
25:41
who built this costume and who did the embroidery for me.
25:44
So he then signed it did some sketches of it and using the
25:48
symbols that I've given him using symbols from Ahmed and the
25:51
direction from John and me and I'm at and he mixed them all and
25:55
did this beautiful thing and we showed samples to John and he
25:57
was like go you got it, it's like questions and so Louise did
26:04
this embroidery and it just it like brought me it got me into
26:08
CI. Well presenting the robes to
26:10
Ahmed was the my gosh, it was like illiterate like you're
26:15
holding these. Robes.
26:16
Almost like you would feel the sacred Robes of the Pope or
26:19
something. I don't know.
26:21
And I presented them to him and he saw his tattoos, he saw his
26:26
story. He saw his pal on these Jedi
26:29
robes and it was a very, very emotional experience.
26:35
Yeah. That's that's very powerful and
26:38
very beautiful and I just I really appreciate you taking the
26:41
time to really take his story into account and just make you
26:44
feel special for him because So I think that's just what as the
26:47
fans, I feel like that's what a lot of us just wanted.
26:50
Is that special moment for him and you know, you and your team
26:53
really added to that in such a beautiful way.
26:55
So thank you Shauna my honor, my pleasure, like well, okay, now
27:00
let's talk about Lissa. What about transition?
27:06
But yeah, it's just, there's so beautiful and I love the color
27:09
that golden embroidery, just really shine to in the green
27:13
light of the blasters. And you could just tell that he
27:16
was feeling the best he's ever felt and he was loving every
27:19
second of it, very serious scene, but just it was very
27:24
powerful and it never ever if you have time, look up some
27:27
articles that where he describes his his view of the force and
27:31
how he, I mean, he really, he's a brilliant actor and and he
27:37
really does the research and he really comes up with his own
27:41
story, so that it's meaningful to the fans to the viewers
27:44
because he Leaving it in the moment and she's moving it.
27:48
And it's, you should really take the time to research his take on
27:52
the force. It's beautiful.
27:54
I am definitely going to do that right after this, I think
27:57
everyone listening should also take the time as well.
27:59
Yeah. Children, I love these guys.
28:04
So much of what the Mandalorian is includes.
28:07
Introducing audiences to new worlds, which is so exciting and
28:10
also, revisiting worlds that we haven't seen in a long while
28:13
such as Coruscant. So I really want to talk to you
28:17
about like the World building with Coruscant but also plaisir
28:20
15, where we were brought some really brilliant cameos from
28:24
lizzo Jack Black and the Christopher Lloyd.
28:27
Which was crazy, right? How do you know, your team
28:30
handle design? Costumes for Planet.
28:32
We've never seen before. Well, for plaisir.
28:35
We were given a rough. Direction from John of a sort of
28:42
I don't know. Alice in Wonderland type place
28:44
where well that was. It just I was wondering and then
28:47
that sense actually I like that. Well and then we got the artwork
28:52
from Andrew Jones and Doug chains of production designers
28:55
and that helped me. See.
28:56
Ok well we're really going there.
28:58
It's it was very white and very pristine and so I wanted the
29:02
characters to fit within that but I also want them to show up
29:06
and and the new Republic. So Like oh that's my blues that
29:09
I need to stay with. And she comes.
29:11
This was her family's, You Know, Jack likes being introduced to
29:14
her family's and her so I'm like okay the blues and then you know
29:18
of course all the people at the table I wanted.
29:21
So they're almost like Couples from different planets coming to
29:25
a government meeting because these two are the head of the
29:28
government there. So I figure each couple would
29:31
represent their country and and you know, just like you would go
29:34
to a country and Washington d.c., you know the people who Or
29:38
maybe from a my side background would have some beading or some
29:41
you know some red fabric to represent their area that
29:44
they're representing. So I wanted each couple at the
29:47
table to have a sort of theme or vibe that looked like they were
29:52
coming either from a fishing Town country or you know or an
29:56
agricultural country, you know? So that they would look like
30:00
they're from different places. So in order that's how I kind of
30:03
created that scene in that world then we get out into the world
30:06
where they're running around. Again, I took my direction from
30:10
from John and Dave, and Doug and Andrew, where, you know, taking
30:14
all into account. All the different groups of
30:17
people that would come to this sort of paradise, like planet or
30:21
City built on this planet. I wanted to make sure that I was
30:25
representing different ethnicities and different
30:28
backgrounds. And so, when they're running
30:30
through the crowd, although they are very wealthy bunch, I wanted
30:33
to make sure that there was the representative vibe Community
30:39
that was coming together on purpose, you know, and, and
30:42
working together from all their different backgrounds and all
30:44
their different interests. And so we had a lot of fun.
30:47
We're, we're really able to go there with it, with, with the
30:51
background because we're going to see them all through these
30:54
long chases, you know, through the streets.
30:56
And so it was a lot of fun. It was so exciting and it was
31:00
just, you know, like I love how each have so far like a
31:02
different sort of treat in a way where you see, new colors, new
31:05
costumes, new worlds, you'll know what to expect, which is
31:07
so, Citing and I mean single is 0 sitting next to Jack Black and
31:12
Christopher Lloyd. I mean that must have been super
31:14
exciting for you working with all these cameos.
31:16
Yeah. You know, you try to be mature
31:19
when you try to keep it. Cool.
31:21
Thank you for call when you're in.
31:24
But yeah, we lost it a little bit for each one of these.
31:28
So let's so you know, she was touring the world and it has 50
31:33
million things going on. So we met with her at her home
31:36
which is warm and beautiful and has like Star Wars, you know,
31:40
memorabilia and collectibles and socially to definitely one of us
31:44
and we're measuring and we're just talking and, you know, I
31:50
get to present her with the illustration.
31:52
I'm like, welcome to the Star Wars University.
31:53
She's like, oh my God. Like if it was wonderful and
31:58
then and the jet black came to the studio and he was just
32:02
jumping around, he was so happy and we're like, you know, who
32:05
show John your videos when you're doing like the Sith Lord.
32:07
Because All the arms in there as well.
32:13
And then Christopher Lloyd came in and you can't help it.
32:16
You have to say, sir, I have been a fan of yours, you know,
32:20
you can't help it. You got it.
32:21
And I guess fan of Jack Black and I blast Liz's music on the
32:27
way into work, like, half the time.
32:29
It doesn't know. So it's like you get to meet and
32:33
work with your Heroes and and to me, I mean, Jon Favreau and Dave
32:37
filoni or to and Don't anger, three of my biggest Heroes but
32:41
then they bring in really really authentic amazing Heroes for you
32:46
to meet along the way. So what what an honor, what a
32:49
pleasure to work with all this fighting, and what I love about
32:53
to suggest a brings joy to, for we were watching a lot of crazy
32:58
shows all the time that have a pretty violent or gory.
33:02
So it's nice to sit down and just see like a Happy Jack Black
33:05
and Liz. Oh, and you know, plaisir.
33:08
And it really brings joy and you're able to get your week
33:10
started after that. So it was it was a good pal.
33:15
Just just, just be so much fun. Yeah, watching lizza feed didn't
33:25
grow. Grew was definitely tree.
33:28
Well, I perhaps more this season than before, I was really struck
33:31
by the use of fabrics and textiles.
33:33
I mean, especially looking at palsy or 15 where you and your
33:36
team looking for when sourcing materials.
33:39
So Kevin is my my main fabric Shopper and then she like came
33:43
in toward the end. I'm often looking for textures.
33:48
So even if it seems flat, I'm looking for textures.
33:51
I'm looking for Matt and shine. I'm looking for otherworldly.
33:56
So especially when you look at. Well, the Jedi the, the Tuscan
34:01
from book of Boba Fett. It's the the textures that sort
34:04
of set it apart that make it look that helped me especially
34:07
on the journey that they have taken, you know.
34:09
So come from season 2 and and then you'll be seeing more of
34:13
her on her own show. Yeah, it's yeah.
34:16
It's just like, you'll blow your mind.
34:19
But, but like so that like, if this image that were looking at
34:23
right now, Liz owes Halo in the back, you know, those are all
34:26
different, so core ganz's and then they and then they fed them
34:30
through with embroidery and Beads.
34:32
And you know, and then and then special effects, you know, lit
34:36
him up. But everything I try to find
34:40
things that are going to be interesting to the eye.
34:42
Because I know with all the high death and A detail like
34:46
Christopher Lloyd's fabric that was just a flat Fabric and then
34:50
Vicki might one of my tailors, you know, stitched it and
34:53
quilted it and came up with this design, I gave her a piece that
34:58
I had found in stock from an agreement old Star Wars movie,
35:02
and then with, with this sort of stitching on it and then she
35:04
took it incorporated into the pattern pieces that we were that
35:07
we had already established for this jumpsuit.
35:10
So a lot of what I take we make our own Fabrics to you know, I'm
35:14
Min-seok has fabric, I chose every thread and it was woven on
35:18
an old-fashioned. You know thing, I'm boom.
35:39
So I get to make my own textures and fabrics, but I'm often just
35:45
looking for something that will be interesting to the eye
35:48
because a lot of Star Wars shapes are very basic, very
35:52
clean Silhouettes and I want to stay loyal to that.
35:55
And so in order to keep interest, you know, I look at
35:58
look back at episode Our original A New Hope, right?
36:02
That's it. Well, that's yeah, for some time
36:05
by John Marlowe, John Marlowe. Yes.
36:09
So if you look closely at Obi-Wan's over robe, when he's
36:14
sitting in and talking to Luke Skywalker was the first time
36:17
you'll see the stitching on his shoulder, right, right.
36:20
Right. In the ball of his shoulder and
36:23
that's something that the samurai would have done, you
36:25
know, long turning Samurai. They're constantly caring for
36:28
darning and taking care of their clothes.
36:30
They didn't just, it wasn't like, you know, throw it away.
36:32
You can't like, go out onto a limb and make your own, you
36:35
know, Noob robe you retain the robe.
36:38
You have. And I really I keep that picture
36:40
up in my office to remind me of how they made these Fabrics last
36:45
and how they cared for them and in the textures that John chose
36:49
for these for that over robe and then and then weaving down my
36:53
load and then weaving taking the time to weave that patch into
36:57
it. It's the kind of detail that I
36:59
want to be held accountable To and and want to continue to
37:02
bring. It's that sort of love and you
37:05
know it took Obi-Wan a long time too.
37:06
Darn that he lives by himself. He's an old man, his hands
37:09
arthritic and he darned the rope and it just the kind of love and
37:14
care. And honor that goes into.
37:16
That is something that I want to bring into the textures of every
37:19
costume. You see whether they're
37:21
wealthier or on our nomadic. It's so fascinating.
37:25
And also shout out to Kevin who by the time this comes out
37:27
either he was on or is going to be on the podcast.
37:31
Yes, yes. He's, no, that's not quite it.
37:41
It'll just go out and it just fine.
37:44
Okay. Back to the drawing board and
37:46
he's got the most beautiful spirit that you just and
37:50
knowledge of fabrics. You know, I'll just say I need
37:52
it to do this. I got you come back with a
37:55
perfect thing. I'm just, I love you.
37:58
So cool. I can't imagine.
38:00
Fabric sourcing part is sounds shopping for Fabrics.
38:02
Sounds difficult. So definitely props to your team
38:05
because I couldn't imagine speaking of good Fabrics to high
38:11
magistrate grief cargas back and looking better than ever, what
38:15
was your concept behind his new look?
38:18
So Doug and Doug Chiang, and Brian that take had done a
38:22
sketch and I wanted to had done a concept piece and I wanted to
38:26
take it to the next level just because like Boba Fett.
38:30
I just like the arc that these characters, you know, he keeps
38:33
rising to the next level. So I took some peace, the basic
38:37
sort of I don't know the gold arches that they had drawn on
38:42
there and then took it to the next level with these colors and
38:45
these the fabrication and then giving them and then changing
38:48
the under part, I wanted to bring a more Regal Look to Him.
38:55
And and so again, I researched Kings and leaders from
38:59
different. Hers and different backgrounds
39:02
and I picked a little bit from each one.
39:04
I even looked at Ruth Carter's work on coming to America.
39:08
I was just like, I love her work and so it's funny.
39:12
You say that because I actually can see that influence to I know
39:15
exactly what you're talking about.
39:16
Absolutely absolutely. So so all that and then and then
39:20
I bring in my tailors you know and then I bring in Lewis who
39:23
drape this for me and I bring in Marcus who carved the belt
39:27
buckle and made the and made the necklace.
39:30
The magistrate necklace and then my own child upbringing is where
39:34
I got the green stone because I used to dig through Lava Flats
39:37
digging for green diamonds and on Hawaii, my godmothers from
39:42
from the big island and there would be these green stones
39:45
buried in the lava and I used to stick for them for hours.
39:49
And so I wanted him to have this green green stone, which they,
39:52
which I bought one. Well, assist my assistant.
39:56
Alyssa, this isn't costumes are about 1 and then Marcus Dupree.
40:00
Can't make multiples for his first Dance.
40:03
So In Kevin found the amazing fabric that maroon fabric of a
40:06
shirt and then this gorgeous red that we went through different
40:09
fabrics for the cakes. I needed the drape because we
40:12
needed to create a structure for the droids to hold his cape up,
40:17
and it had, you know, to stay up, you know, there couldn't be
40:21
any weight to it or anything. So so that's an all wire
40:24
structure under there. Holding it into that shape for
40:27
the joints to carry. I need some Cake carrying
40:30
droids, by the way, the perfect life actually we all do.
40:36
So the final two episodes of the Season, welcomes back Giancarlo
40:40
Esposito as moff Gideon and his new praetorian guards.
40:44
I have to admit as one of those people that was highly
40:46
suspicious of the armor when I saw this armor step out my bad.
40:50
I'm sorry, but we have to talk about this menacing new look, it
40:54
was scary. I mean, suddenly off getting has
40:59
been defeated a few times, huh? Yeah.
41:00
Yeah, bring this guy back, whatever, we'll find him.
41:03
He showed up in this and I was like, okay nevermind.
41:05
He means business is time. Yeah, and it's it's Bhaskar.
41:10
So this came from the brilliant concept of Doug Chiang.
41:15
Brian made taste and Jon Favreau when I'm given a drawing, that
41:21
they really worked on conceptually.
41:24
I then have to deconstruct and reconstruct 21 feet.
41:30
It on my actors proportions because oftentimes the concept
41:33
drawing would look great on a six foot four guy, you know,
41:38
that I have my actor and Esposito brings so much presence
41:43
has so much strength that I need to exaggerate all of his
41:47
strengths. And and so I worked with my
41:51
Builders Jose Fernandez and and his group to bring the armor
41:58
that was conceptualized from John.
42:00
Direction and Doug and Bryan into a realistic way, onto
42:06
John's body and onto John, Carlos body.
42:09
And so we worked. I worked really closely with my
42:12
sculptors and my 3D illustrators at with, with, with Jose
42:17
Fernandez and and, you know, the color of the red and and the
42:23
drape of the skirt. So the skirts we in the armor of
42:25
those guys, the drape of skirt that was all my guys at the
42:28
warehouse. And I think that was us.
42:32
Yeah, because I happen sometimes when we get too much work, I
42:35
have to go out to different shops to try to get everything
42:37
right little, it has another Union house and they help you
42:39
with Mombasa to build to build her own.
42:41
I get too busy. But the, the like, the fabric on
42:45
my red guards is is ultra suede because yeah, because I built
42:52
capes out of ultra suede and it has sort of this heaviness in
42:54
this weight to it that it just works that when Michael cabin
42:58
first did these, it was a much more drapey Flowy which work
43:01
perfect for their movement and but then I was looking at the
43:04
priebus from the stunt department and I'm like okay
43:07
that we need something that's going to have a little bit more
43:09
body and not be quite so drink because these guys need to be
43:12
able to step out of this a lot easier.
43:15
So again, you know, you work with all these different
43:17
departments and then the prop Department with Josh, it was
43:19
like okay you know that the weapon for these guys.
43:21
It's this long, a weapon from him, you know.
43:22
So you so you get the concept and then the designer has to
43:27
choose Fabrications and work with the stunts for movement.
43:30
And work with your Builders and sculptors.
43:32
And so that costume designer designs.
43:34
The concept that the costume for the character that completes the
43:39
written story. Wow.
43:41
Yeah, I mean, the looking at the praetorian guards, I remember
43:43
the first time we saw them in, you know, Michael kaplan's work
43:46
as a, how did they get that done?
43:48
I showed up again, and like their back.
43:50
This seems like the most challenging costume ever.
43:52
Just don't, I can't wrap my brain around it.
43:55
So our guys are different because it because the Empire
43:58
has fallen and Our guys are a little bit different.
44:02
Yeah yeah, yeah. They definitely have a little
44:03
bit more of an edge to him to final.
44:06
Question is from an outside perspective of feels like the
44:10
Mandalorian has certainly changed an Innovative television
44:12
and film The Star Wars universe, but also your own career.
44:16
So Shana to end looking back on the season and the opportunities
44:20
have come from it. What does this project mean to
44:22
you and your crew? Well I mean I grew up with Star
44:27
Wars and I always loved it. You know.
44:30
I even watch Corvette Summer because I was so in love with
44:32
her because I wanted more bark Hamlet, you know, and Star Wars
44:38
brought me into the, you know, into the Indiana Jones world
44:41
because I love Han Solo. So, for me, getting this show,
44:46
so, I didn't know who the Mandalorian was, you know?
44:48
And when I interviewed, for the job, when basically, we just had
44:51
around and talk to talk about Dave, filoni and Jon, Favreau,
44:55
we just kind of sit around the table and Colin Wilson was sort
44:57
of, you know, the observing producer to make sure.
45:00
He went right and and basically we just talked to two hours for
45:05
probably an hour and one of the questions they asked me was
45:08
like, you know, what's a character that you would like to
45:10
see cuz I was like, who's the Mandalorian, you know, because
45:12
it hadn't come out yet. And, and, and there were they're
45:14
describing to what season one was going to be like.
45:16
And what would you like to see? And I said, you know what, I
45:19
would love to see. Like at the end of the Clone
45:21
Wars would like some being our Sokka, you know, if they could
45:23
come back and they both just like, whoa, okay, you know, like
45:27
hiding the script from you. Like, well, you're going to be
45:33
pretty happy about episode 5. So for me, you know, and of
45:39
course I know I talked to my son before I even went on the
45:42
interview because my son, I'm more of the movie movie Star
45:45
Wars fan whirring. She's also the animated know
45:48
I've seen I love Rebels and bad batch and all them but I wasn't
45:53
it's caught up on Clone Wars. I'd only seen, you know, I see
45:57
like the really good ones. There's a lot of them.
45:59
It's a He also knew all the books, like when Ahsoka said,
46:04
thron I mean, yeah. When Ahsoka ask, what's her name
46:07
worth? Ron, was he ran upstairs and got
46:09
the novel is like you have to read thriving, right?
46:12
So for me, it's a dream come true obviously and in a great
46:17
responsibility, but more than anything working with John and
46:20
Dave, who are such gracious. Collaborators has brought me
46:24
confidence, you know, and to my crew as well as we as we are
46:29
created as Sequels. They understand that the role is
46:32
costume designer is indispensable to storytelling,
46:36
and they make room for that, they make room for my ideas and
46:40
the ideas of my crew. They respect my set crew, they
46:45
encourage them. A lot of my set crew are
46:47
longtime Star Wars fans, and again, have that sort of serve
46:51
on knowledge of every single character really care.
46:55
And like if a belts put on wrong, they're like no that they
46:58
wouldn't wear it like that and you know, It's a true honor to
47:02
be respected and treated like that and and so I changed you.
47:06
It really does. It makes everybody want to do
47:08
better, you know right. Yeah because you're treated with
47:11
such respect is really it sounds like the dream collaboration
47:14
that you know, so many people in Industry don't have that and
47:17
it's, you know, it's a really beautiful experience that you
47:20
get the have. And I'm so happy for you and
47:22
proud of everything they've created.
47:24
And I know that there's more coming that we can't talk about,
47:26
but very excited for that to costume.
47:30
Who's on your Senator stick. Thanks so much for coming.
47:32
This is such a joy. Thank you so much for your great
47:35
work. I appreciate you.
47:40
The art of costume, blogcast is hosted, and produced by
47:44
Elizabeth Joy, glass, and Spencer Williams.
47:47
Our audio engineering and editing is done by Dan White.
47:51
Follow us on Instagram, at the art of costume pod or visit the
47:56
art of costume blogcast.com. For all blogcast updates.
48:00
If you want to support the show, go to the art of costume.com /
48:05
hot store for more costume reviews deep Dives and
48:10
Interviews, head over to the art of costume.com a Blog dedicated
48:15
to highlighting the best in costume design.
48:35
Well, there is one of the pictures you have is upside
48:37
down. So I'll resend that to you,
48:39
right? Side up.
48:40
Wait, which one is it? Yeah, what.
48:42
Yeah. That one's upside down.
48:43
Yeah, fix her up quick. Okay, good.
48:59
We have one more interview and this one is rather a near and
49:03
dear to my heart. As we are going to be talking
49:05
about the Mandalorian with my good friend costume.
49:08
Designing a costume, his eye Acosta designing.
49:12
It that was a weird Daniel. My good friend costume.
49:18
Designing a, oh my gosh, I did it again.
49:21
What is that? Daniel costume designer, Shawna
49:25
terpsichore I'll take it in my why kids saying that?
49:28
I'll take it in my why kids saying that?