LOS ANGELES — The best costume design Oscar nomination for “Avatar: Fire and Ash” is one some have found surprising, since it’s a film filled with visual effects.
But as we explain, don’t be fooled, because the digital costumes on the screen are very real.
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When you look at James Cameron’s film, you may not realize every costume worn by a digital character in the film started out as an actual costume that was created by hand.
Costume designer Deborah L. Scott is now up for an Oscar for her work.
Pennacchio: “The question you’ve answered 100 times is the idea of what the costumes are, because it’s not typical of what’s nominated in this category.”
Scott: “A costume designer [getting] to work really closely with the visual effects team is amazing. We make all the costumes in real life before we transfer them to the visual effects team, to recreate them for the screen.”
The Oscar-nominated costume designer explained that it’s more than just learning everything about the garment.
“How it fits the character, how it moves, what the elements of the environment might be,” she said. “It’s really, really complicated. It’s really extreme.”
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Pennacchio: “Were you at 5 or 6 or 7 already creating?”
Scott: “I was. I was. I think we all, you know, started off sort of probably playing dress up, you know? But I learned to sew really young. My 1st thing I sewed was a puppet. I had to make the head, but then I had to make the body. And I still have it.”
Another treasured costume piece she owns comes from a classic film from the ’80s.
“I do have a really fun memory of when I worked on ET, an ET had to dress up,” Scott said. “I had a couple pieces of my kids dress up box and I brought them to work. So I have ET’s hat, and it’s one of my prize possessions.”
Pennacchio: “And last question, then let’s just talk about the nomination. Yes. Because it just has to feel like, ‘I work hard, I’ve worked hard for years. This is a nice moment for me.'”
Scott: “Yeah, it’s pretty wonderful that way. It was quite a shock, like I say, because it was, you know, outside the norm. So I wasn’t expecting it, you know? I feel very lucky to be in the place that I am.”
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