Wardrobe

This is not just the ironing and cleaning department. They have technical knowledge of television clothing, and the artistic ability to interpret briefs from directors. Properly-designed clothes will allow for the performer’s movement and be made to last as long as required.

Wardrobe departments also take into account cultural sensibilities and transmission times (you may be permitted to use more revealing clothes very late at night which would be unsuitable for a family audience).

Technical issues

White shirts and some light pastels are too white and will ‘burn-out’, losing all details. Instead we use ‘television white’, which is slightly grey or cream, but appears as white on camera.

Similarly black velvet is too black, so wardrobe departments use a ‘television black’, which is actually slightly grey.

Herringbone and small checks are a nightmare. They appear to ‘strobe’ on camera and look dreadful because of the way colour information is coded into a television signal. They must be avoided if at all possible.

Strapless dresses can look strange. A medium close-up shot shows the head and bare shoulders. Without being able to see the dress it looks like the subject is naked.

Jewellery can be noisy, especially for personal mics which tend to be fitted exactly where necklaces lie. It can also be very reflective and distracting, which can dominate a picture.

What wardrobe want to know from you

They need to know the programme content and style. Drama directors need to detail the characters, along with the period and the place where the story occurs. For non-dramas, is the show relaxed (jeans and sweat shirts) or formal (suits and power clothing)? Do you intend to use chroma-key, in which case what colour?

The clothes sizes of your presenters should be given in plenty of time, including shoe and hat sizes.

Planning for a rainy day

Presenters who might have to appear on screen at short notice should have a full set of clean clothes permanently available at the studio. For newsreaders this should include dark and sober clothes in case they have to make announcements of national interest (death of a prime minister etc.).

© Sean Preston/GMTV Magazine

Given sufficient information, time and budget, wardrobe departments will offer a range of outfits to suit your programme requirements.

Even straightforward shows may need extensive wardrobe assistance. For example, a quiz show with one host and hostess may have a policy of not using the same clothes on more than one show in a series. If five programmes are being recorded each day for two weeks, then 50 outfits for each presenter will be required, plus a couple of spares.