• Time management skills – Scheduling is a critical tool for an ACD as many components of production happen in a tight timeframe or overlapped: research, construction, fitting, and filming.  It is important to assign tasks the appropriate amount of time they need to be accomplished within the costume department. Also, when the size of the department allows, delegating tasks ensures the team will meet the shooting schedule.
  
• Knowledge of Dropbox – This app is often used within the department to manage research, assist in accounting matters, and create a common place to hold information. It functions as a digital filing cabinet.
  
• Knowledge of Airtable – This app is increasingly used to track shopping, returns and custom made orders. It is possible to create and customize spread sheet drop in photos and track dates easily.
  
• A Calendar App – An ACD will track appointments, the shooting schedule, fitting times, meetings, and more.  Alarms/reminders can be set to keep everything on track.
  
• Continuity – There are several apps including SyncOnSet which is used for document each piece as it appears on camera. Every scene shot will be notated, uploaded with photos and notes of every principal costume seen on camera.
  
• Research – Knowledge of the time period of the project you are working on which may require research. This does not mean an ACD needs an encyclopedic knowledge of the entire history of fashion, but once hired onto a job, it is their job familiarize themselves with the time / times you will be working in. This informs decisions about fabrication, construction, and how garments are worn.
  
• Knowledge of Fabric Names and Properties – Costume designers speak in the language of clothing which is often is of fabric. Knowing how to speak clearly about the clothing and fabric, how it needs to look, fit, and function is vital for creating characters.
  
• Clothing Construction – While not always necessary, a knowledge of building garments can be important when working on a show that requires custom made pieces. Being able to understand what the designer, custom made team, and vendors are talking about is key to helping the process succeed. Also, having a common language with the designer and the custom made team about the clothes will facilitate their execution. On a modern dress project where the clothing is shopped, this knowledge will also be useful when choosing garments for body types and knowing how items may need to be altered based on fittings, choosing wisely beforehand with help make the fittings more successful.
  
• Communication – Being able to communicate clearly and confidently is key. ACDs will often be asked to collaborate with other departments, vendors and colleagues on behalf of the designer. This needs to be clear, detailed, and confident in order to represent the designer, the production and yourself well.
  
• Problem Solving – Learn to be adaptable and a problem solver. Production moves at a very fast pace and changes come daily, but this does not slow the pace of shooting and the demands put on the department. Being able to pivot, be helpful, and try to see solutions rather than obstacles is invaluable.
  
• Curiousity – Ask questions when appropriate, always be willing and eager to learn. Pretending to know something that you do not is a recipe for disaster.
  
• Technology – Having a smart phone and a laptop computer are essential to the job. Learn how to use them, as you will receive and share most communications with the production and other departments this way.
  

Being an excellent ACD is about learning to support, communicate, ask questions, and learning to support each designers’ process. Costume designers work in many different ways, the needs of one are not necessarily the needs of another. ACDs responsibilities include research, shopping, pulling secondary characters looks, swatching fabrics, creating schedules, setting up fittings, dressing background, establishing new costumes on set, overseeing shoppers, and more. The key to success is understanding where the designer needs support and where they prefer to handle tasks. The goal is to help the designer realize and produce their vision in a timely way so that the production runs smoothly and efficiently.

Working in the costume department is an exciting and satisfying career whether you plan to be the costume designer or the assistant costume designer. Serving as an ACD can be a road to becoming a costume designer or a fulfilling career within itself. Together with the other teams on a production, we are incredible storytellers and magic makers. To become part of this community is not easy, but the rewards are immeasurable. The art we create has, and continues to endure, inspire, and in some cases change how people see each other and the world around them.