A Career in Costume for Film and Television

A straight-talking introduction to costume for film and television, led through real work and real experience. I’ll take you through my own route from theatre, to music tours, to TV and into film, using images from productions I’ve worked on to show how a costume career can build over time. We’ll look at what costume is actually doing on screen — the details that create character, shape story, and make a world feel believable — and why costume is such an essential part of the finished film.

You’ll leave this first session with a sharper understanding of the industry you’re aiming for, and a solid foundation for the rest of the week, with time for questions throughout.

When: Monday March 9th at 7:00pm
Where: Online Zoom Video Call
Who: MFJF PRO Members Only
Cost: Free for MFJF PRO Members!

Content

• My story: theatre → tours → TV → film
I’ll open the session by sharing my personal route through costume, showing how my work developed across different industries and gradually moved towards screen. I’ll illustrate this with images from productions I’ve worked on, so participants can see what the journey looks like in real terms.

• What film costume actually is (not just clothes)
From there we’ll define what costume means in film and television: a visual department that supports character, tone, time period and storytelling. We’ll talk about why costume choices matter on screen, and how strong costume work is often felt even when it isn’t consciously noticed.

• Turning points, mistakes, and lessons I wish I’d known sooner
Honest, practical reflections from my own career — the moments that taught me the most, what I would do differently, and what really makes a difference when you’re building momentum and credibility in the industry.

• What you’ll get from the full 5-day series
A an overview of how the rest of the week connects and what each workshop will focus on, so participants understand what’s coming next and how the sessions build towards working professionally in film costume.

Course Leaders

Julia Drummond-Haig

Julia is a Costume Designer working across film, television, commercials, music promos and theatre. She trained at the acclaimed London College of Fashion and began her career in the Royal Shakespeare Company where she developed an in-depth knowledge of period and contemporary costumes. She has worked on such features as Aladdin, Tarzan, Murder on the Orient Express and Kingsmen. TV shows include The Last Kingdom, Bad Education and several ITV series.

Julia designed the award winning Notes on Blindness, the Netflix Original Father Christmas is Back and countless other films. She most recently designed Grace for ITV.

When she’s not on set she is a busy mum of two young children working out of her studio in the Cotswolds.

Tickets

This workshop is for MFJF Pro Members. To join and participate create your account on MFJF and then upgrade to become a PRO Member.

Eligibility

Any MFJF Pro Member can attend regardless of prior film industry experience or knowledge.

No experience is required, if you are simply curious about a career in film or are a recent film graduate we welcome you to join us.

Please look at our Career Stages Pathways to understand where your experience lies in the grand scheme of things, it will help you navigate and plan your next steps.