Consulting

Research & Development

Need a specific costume but don’t know where to start? Have a dream to achieve but can’t begin to guess what materials or patterns would be needed? Who better than a professional fabricator, copywriter, and researcher to prepare you for success by giving you a fast pass that skips those hours of mental labor? You could have a fully laid out plan all neatly typed and ready for you to begin delivered directly to your inbox!

An R&D consultation includes:

• a shopping list with budget friendly pricing links for materials
• a list of recommended equipment for your project
• links to sourced patterns and their anticipated modifications
• full coverage photos of the characters (if this is for a nerdlesque or cosplay client) or a collection of reference photos for original builds
• calculated labor hours to accomplish the project at your self-identified skill level
• design element breakdowns to modify projects for use in non-traditional performances (such as aerial, striptease, martial work, sliding, etc)
• links to anticipated tutorials for any self-identified new skills necessary to accomplish your goal
• recommendations for care of your project post creation

We’ll start with an initial consultation to assess your skill levels, set reasonable expectations for the time your project should take to complete, and then set a budget to work within!

Pricing ranges from $50-$200 based on the complexity of the plan, the research involved, timeline for delivery, and if there will be any custom pattern drafting or tutorials needed from Silver.

You can also combine the R&D option with either of the other consultation options at a 5% overall discount, to be calculated on your initial invoice.

Basic Consultation

Do you need a second set of eyes on a project? Some help tracking down a specific fabric, pattern, tutorial, etc? Would sitting down with a professional who has made costuming and props for aerial, belly dance burlesque, cosplay, film, horror, weddings and more help you? Then let’s schedule a virtual chat (either over live messaging or a video call) and we can go over all of your questions or concerns! You will also get a follow up email with the notes from our meeting typed out in an easy to follow format that includes links to any products, tools, or techniques I may have mentioned after we wrap.

• 30 min consult: $45
• 60 minute consult: $90

Advanced Consultation

This is same as the Basic consultation… only instead of one meeting, we meet multiple times over the course of your entire project! Think you’ll be able to get it all done with minimal fuss but you want a second set of eyes on your work who knows what they’re looking at? Need someone to watch your choreography run through and let you know where you’ll have issues with your costuming as you progress with building a stage costume? Do you need on the fly ideas about how to modify a project because of an evolving concept or unexpected issues? Then this is the option for you! An Advanced Consultation plan will be like having a mentor specifically for one project at a time! A mentor that is there to aid you with making your fantasy build a reality!

Each level comes with a set number of 30 minute meetings (live messaging or video chat, whichever is most comfortable for you; disclaimer: some things will need to be seen on camera for assessment, but you can opt to take video/photos at a different time and supply those with your questions). We’ll start with the same assessment as the R&D option and then decide on a realistic meeting schedule that will best aid you in your goals.

As with the Basic option, you will get a follow up email with the notes from our discussions typed out in an easy to follow format that includes any links to products, tools, or techniques I may have mentioned after each meeting.

• Three Meetings (ideally spaced as “beginning, middle, final touches”): $135
• Five Meetings (ideally spaced as “beginning, 2/5ths, middle, 3/5ths, final touches”): $200
• Weekly meetings (just like it sounds: we meet at a set time each week from the start of your project all the way up until you are finished!): dependent on the length of the project, meetings are $45 per 30 min with a 12% discount applied once we hit 3 meetings, number of meetings to be agreed upon in advance.

Critical Analysis

Are you thinking about starting the competition or festival circuit? Getting rejection letters about your acts, but can’t get feedback about why? Are you simply stuck on a routine’s development and don’t know where to go from where you are? Do you absolutely know in your heart that a specific act is capable of advancing to the next level? Are you frustrated because you know you’re too close to your routines to be truly objective?

It can be a daunting prospect to take something you’ve already poured your blood, sweat, and tears into and think clearly about renovating it. While you can post your videos to a Facebook group for feedback, how do you know for sure that the responses you’re getting aren’t being padded to avoid hurting your feelings? This isn’t about feelings! This is about you wanting to Red Pen yourself into achieving the amazing performances you know that you’re capable of! This is about forging the raw ore of your existing work into a brilliant crown jewel!

That’s where I come in: as someone who has mentored numerous performers, produced live and digital shows, and has had my fair share of rejections and act rebuilds, I am uniquely suited to look at every performance with the judgmental eye of a producer, a teacher, and a fellow performer. I can deliver fair feedback, advice for areas of improvement, and help you zero in on any weak points that might be hobbling a specific act. More than anything, I care about seeing every performer achieve their highest ability: the more we individually improve apart, the better our shows, the more we shine together as an industry.

Once I receive your video I will go over it multiple times to be able to give you a nearly frame-by-frame break-down of your routine from start to finish. You will receive a full write up of my constructive criticism (note: I will also point out the places your routine is at it’s best, critiques are supposed to be a tool, not an assassination) couched in professional, clearly articulated terms that will help you hone your act to it’s full potential. I will also include links to any relevant research or resources I feel will benefit you in your development of this routine based on my evaluation.

Critical Analysis Consults are $50 per act video and include:

• a questionnaire before I begin to assess your experience level, goals for this routine, and any specific concerns you may already have
• a digitally produced document with all of my notes on the act in question delivered to your inbox
• a follow up 15 min live messaging/video chat to discuss any questions you may have about the document

Accessibility issues and concerns for physicality in your performance will be discussed before the consult begins. All critiques are based on the individual -not a societal standard- for ability. Performance art is for everyone, and there is no one way to achieve your goals.