Character Attire Question

TimCollins

TimCollins

Well-known member
Hey, all. I looked around for a Costume/Wardrobe type section but I didn't see one, maybe I skipped right over it. Anyways my question was pertaining to what a particular character would wear. The character is a middle-aged illegal merchandise buyer and dealer so I figured maybe a black suit (like Reservoir Dogs style) but maybe there's something out there that I'm not thinking of that would work better. Anyone have any ideas? Thanks!

-TC
 
wcmartell said:
If you are just the screenwriter, wardrobe is not your job.

- Bill
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Well, I suppose I should have clarified here and I apologize for the lack of info. This is a student-film so my crew only consists of me (writer/director/producer), the DP (who does lighting as well), the boom operators, makeup artist and art director. So, what people wear is pretty much up to me (and my co-producers).

I'm just trying to get an idea of what comes to mind (attire-wise) when they think of this type of character.

-TC
 
What is the story world, setting, geographic location, time period?

TimCollins said:
Hey, all. I looked around for a Costume/Wardrobe type section but I didn't see one, maybe I skipped right over it. Anyways my question was pertaining to what a particular character would wear. The character is a middle-aged illegal merchandise buyer and dealer so I figured maybe a black suit (like Reservoir Dogs style) but maybe there's something out there that I'm not thinking of that would work better. Anyone have any ideas? Thanks!

-TC
Click to expand...
 
Randall_Oelerich said:
What is the story world, setting, geographic location, time period?
Click to expand...

Story world and time period is current and realistic. The film is about two kids who are desperate for cash and decide to rob homes. They start to do so and find a black market dealer who buys their stolen goods for cheap and re-sells them. Everything is current and set where it is going to be filmed in suburban Atlanta, GA.
 
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Your options are wide open. What does a drug dealer wear? What does a salesman wear? What does ... I think you get the idea. He wears what you put him in. How you dress him tells us who he is. He could be t-shirt and jeans and that says one thing while a suit tells us something entirely different. How are you trying to portray him? Dress him accordingly. There is no "uniform" for a "middle-aged illegal merchandise buyer."
 
Agreed, he could look like a wino, or a pimp, or furniture shifter, or a high-powered lawyer, or something else entirely, any of those could make perfect sense, depending on the impression he wants to give and his circumstances - is he trying to blend in, look scary, look cool, look like he's asolutely not what he really is? Do you want him to be memorable or forgettable? How do your main characters respond to him? - terror, contempt, awe, friendship?

So look at the character and what clothes you actually have available, discuss it with your actor, a solution should show itself...
 
Classic example is Morgan Freeman's FBI connection in Se7en
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The gag was that the adience was surprised along with Brad Pitt when they learned that this slob of a grease ball was Morgan Freeman's FBI contact. I think the character's name was Greasy FBI Man actually

Same kind of thing could be applied to your drug dealer as others of mentioned. I think it was alluded to in Se7en that the point was that the guy didn't look like FBI so he could do his job better.

So yeah, who's the character? what do they want? how are they trying to get it? are they succeeding or failing? - that's what they look like / wear.
 
IMO: What ever you think your character should wear, put him in the opposite attire and see how that expands the situation.

Freshness is the missing ingredient in film; so look whenever and where-ever for a chance to bring a little freshness to old things, especially cliches.
 
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