Costume designers at UNC create for museum

Students and designers in UNC’s Fine Arts program have been tasked with creating some of the notable costumes and props that will be featured in the new Museum of Science Fiction, set to open in Washington, D.C. in two to three years.

The museum is the first to focus on the history of science fiction and the genre’s relationship with the real world.

Steve Dreyer, who is in charge of model construction for the museum, contacted Rachel Pollock, costume crafts artisan for UNC’s costume production program, to ask if the department could help with the project.

“He was interested in if he could coordinate some of the exhibition work with Carolina businesses and schools,” Pollock said. “Their mission is to get students involved in all aspects of the museum.”

Students in the costume production program will create a replica of a costume from the 1984 movie “Dune,” along with a matching weapon.

“We’ve gotten a couple of costumes that they’ve inquired about whether or not we can make them and, of course, we can,” Pollock said.

Andrea Bullock, props master for PlayMakers Repertory Company, said this exciting opportunity for students and staff differs from their usual work.

“The big difference about it is I’m recreating something that has already existed in a show or in a movie, where, for the most part, for PlayMakers, we do things that are interesting and new,” Bullock said.

Though it varies from their usual work, Bullock said both students and faculty are eager to participate.

“It is a very unique opportunity, and it is not an opportunity that comes around every day. So everybody is really wiling to work on this, is ready to go and wants to make this happen,” Bullock said.

Jennifer Guadagno, assistant costume director at PlayMakers Repertory Company, said she is excited that students will get the opportunity to show their skills as part of a unique collaboration.

“I think it’s an incredible experience to be able to participate using your craft and the skill set we teach them, with a broader stroke — not just in theater, not just in film — but sort of related to that in a museum that will become very interactive.”

Though much of their focus is now on the production of the pieces, Bullock emphasized that it is important to remember all the hard work that went into the project long after the replicas are finished.

“There is a lot of work but also a lot of artistry in what we do,” Bullock said of her team. “Even though we may not be the original ones that come up with the design, there’s a lot of artistry, a lot of skill and a lot of talent that goes behind it.”

The program’s costumes and props will be featured as part of a preview exhibit that will premiere around August 2016 and will also be used in the museum as a permanent display.

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