Supporting character in 'Band Of Wild', senior thesis film for the Rhode Island School of Design.
Steel wire and brass tube armature, sculpted clay head, foam core, and felted exterior.
Costume process & pattern making:
As the troupe’s ‘Strongman’ I already knew I wanted to give Ram a classic early 19th century male circus leotard (picture 1 & 3). I love the exaggerated silhouette it gives and how it immediately identifies him as the ‘Strongman’. Ram is a pretty straightforward guy and so is his costume. The beauty lies really in the fit being perfectly skin tight. After a few versions, I finally achieved the right fit. While researching, I noticed that these ‘Strongman’ performers often wore belts with their leotards. These belts were usually thick and had metal details (picture 2). The thickness and weight of these belts were not just stylish- they helped the performers maintain the proper posture while weightlifting. I used a navy cord and some brass grommet backings for his belt which contrasted nicely with his orange leotard.
Final Costume
