Know Your Standards and Stick by Them - Part 2

Today I'm going to address another big issue (mostly for girls) -- how are you willing to dress for a film?

I was raised fairly conservatively, and I know that some of you were, too.  [Others of you don't share the same concerns.  Feel free to skip this post.]  This post is NOT to tell people how they should or should not dress.  My purpose is to encourage my readers to stand by their convictions, whatever they may be.  For some of you, that will simply mean refusing to do nudity.  For others, that will mean not wearing skirts/shorts higher than your knees.  Either way, my point remains the same, and I will use personal examples of my own fairly-conservative standards to illustrate that point.

I've had to grapple with wardrobe issues on several of my films.  I never wore tight pants or skinny jeans until I had to wear them for a movie.  I wasn't very comfortable in them, but I couldn't really argue against it since I was playing a modern day teenager and I had to sell the look.  However, I drew the line at wearing short skirts or low-cut tops (because that is my personal preference - just using this as an example).  I respectfully communicated those preferences to the wardrobe supervisor beforehand and she very graciously tried to respect my wishes and make sure I was comfortable.

Girls, I'm going to speak honestly here.  If you're desiring to dress modestly in your own personal life, maybe you've found that it isn't always easy.  Maybe you've been tempted, as I have, to dress in a way that is more alluring - wearing tighter clothes, or dropping that neckline a little, or buying that cute dress even though it's a just a *few* inches shorter than what you normally wear.

This isn't a modesty talk, but I just want to tell you that those temptations are even more intensified on a film set because you think you can justify it.  "It's for a movie.  They're telling me to wear these clothes.  It will be all right."  And secretly you'll get excited at the chance to dress more sexy and blame it on the wardrobe department.

That is why you have to firmly decide in your mind which lines will NOT be crossed before you are faced with that temptation.

If possible, it is important to communicate with the wardrobe supervisor beforehand to respectfully outline your preferences and ask if your clothes for the film can stay within certain boundaries.  You certainly don't want to show up on set AFTER all of your clothes have been bought and THEN say, "Oh by the way, I won't wear that skirt, or that top, or those shorts."  You might have an angry wardrobe supervisor on your hands, and potentially a crisis on set if you're supposed to start filming and there's nothing for you to wear.

If you had addressed the issue beforehand and you are still presented with troublesome pieces of clothing, try respectfully offering a solution.  Some examples:

Shirt too low: "Can I wear a cami with this?"
Skirt too short: "Can I put on some leggings or skinny jeans with this?"

If you're kind and respectful, and show appreciation for all of their hard work, the wardrobe personnel will be much more likely to try and accommodate you.

Again, I will emphasize the importance of RESPECT.  Every person on the crew is working hard to make the film a success, and I believe that we as actors need to do what we can to make the crew's job easier.

Honestly, for most low-budget indie films, you'll be asked to bring your own wardrobe and this won't be a problem.  But for bigger-budget films where they buy your wardrobe, this has the potential to be an issue and you have to be ready for that.

Bottom line: If you have modesty standards, be prepared to potentially fight that battle within yourself and resist the temptation to compromise in areas that you know you really don't want to compromise in.

Remember - just like I addressed in my last post - ladies, this is YOUR BODY we are talking about.  Don't let yourself feel forced or bullied into compromising in a way that you will regret.  This is film, and it will be captured for all of posterity to see.  But the most important thing is that you are honoring the LORD.  Seek His guidance, and stand strong.