Studying on the MFA programme in Performance Costume at ECA gave Becky the opportunity to develop a wide range of skills in costume making and design through both practical and written projects.

Since graduating, Becky has been able to secure roles within the competitive film and television industry as a costume trainee on a six-part Channel 4 television show called Screw and on a three-part BBC television drama called The Control Room.

The skills she acquired at ECA have given Becky a solid foundation of knowledge and the confidence to jump into a fast-paced working environment.

Why I chose to study MFA Performance Costume

Having grown up in Edinburgh, I have always loved coming to see the Performance Costume shows. It was seeing one of the shows that inspired me to apply for the Masters programme.

I was drawn to the course because of the range of teaching, skills and facilities it had to offer. This was evident across the students' work at the Performance Costume shows: alongside the beautiful garment construction, I could see textiles, puppetry, metal work, millinery – I wanted to be a part of that!

Alongside the practical work I was also drawn to the combined theoretical and written studies available. I was eager to deepen my engagement in character study and the history of theory surrounding my practice.

My time at ECA

During my first year of my two-year MFA, we were asked to design a project around the topic ‘issues’. My project explored the nightmarish condition and phenomenon of sleep paralysis. The costumes portrayed the various symptoms and effects of sleep paralysis such as the apparitions that appear and the paralysing sensation you feel.

One costume was a night dress cast in resin; it appeared ‘frozen in time’. Many sufferers also see a shadow-type figure in the walls, so I created an eight-foot-tall Shadow Man costume. His suit was made to look like peeling wallpaper, reaching out of the walls. The Shadow Man held a puppet version of the sleeper, controlling the sleeper during their sleep paralysis.

In my first year we were also part of a project collaboration with National Galleries of Scotland called ‘Fragments and Gestures’. In this project I worked closely with a dancer from Edinburgh College, designing a costume and piece of choreography that directly responded to the work of Jenny Saville. This was a fantastic opportunity as we were able to see our costumes come to life in a performance at the gallery against the backdrop of Jenny Saville’s artwork.

For my final year project, I explored Liz Lochhead’s play ‘Mary Queen of Scots Got Her Head Chopped Off’. Written in 1987 and examining its titular figure, the play encourages a cross-examination of Scotland’s past and present. My costume designs combined 16th-century silhouettes with classic 1980s streetwear; bodices became shell suit jackets; trunk hose became tracksuit bottoms and bum rolls were transformed into bum bags. Juxtaposing these two time periods allowed me to learn about historical costuming while also being able to put my own spin on things.

I was lucky enough to have two industry experiences during my time at ECA, one with Lyceum Summer on Stage and the other with Vanishing Point Theatre company. I was able to utilise the industry experience in my projects at ECA, furthering my skills within budgeting, styling, and keeping to timeframes! If you can gain industry experience while studying, I would highly recommend it.

My experiences since graduating

I was nervous leaving ECA, especially in the height of a pandemic but I was also excited to get the ball rolling. I had always hoped to work within the film and TV industry. My first job since graduating was as a costume trainee on a six-part Channel 4 television show called Screw. This was a four-month job and I learnt so much about the industry!

That job led me onto my current job as a costume trainee on a three-part BBC television drama called The Control Room. I am loving being part of the flm and TV industry – not only do you get to work with great costume teams, but you also meet so many talented people in other departments.

I would say my biggest achievement since leaving ECA is stepping outside of my bubble and growing in confidence with the work that I do for other people. There is safety in making your own work because you are the sole operator and decision maker. To step into the industry and be producing work and assisting for other people can be daunting. However, working alongside a team and learning from their experiences and utilising all I learnt from my studies has allowed me to feel more confident in the workspace.

My advice to new and current students

The advice I would give to someone entering their first year is to share those ideas you feel a little nervous about sharing! It is always better to be vocal about the idea you may be hesitant over than to keep it to yourself. Use the shared space and bounce ideas around.

The advice I would give to someone graduating this year would be stay friendly and ask questions – it can be scary going into the real working world and not knowing all about the industry you venture into but if you are helpful, friendly and offer cups of tea in times of stress, you will be great! Good luck!