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LAST FIVE INTERNATIONAL CREDITS

Lion; I, Frankenstein; Oranges and Sunshine; Animal Kingdom; Home Song Stories.

DESCRIBE YOUR JOB

Equal parts designer, researcher, shopper, psychologist, mum, sister. I run a department of between six and 40 (depending on the scale) in a workroom of cutters, sewers, finishing artists, buyers.

TELL US ABOUT SOME OF THE MORE MEMORABLE PROJECTS YOU’VE BEEN INVOLVED IN

Home Song Stories was my first big Australian film. I loved the period (1960s and 70s) and the Asian aspect. Writer-director Tony Ayres’ story was his own story. The research was incredible going through his family photos and it was the start of a long relationship with Tony and Michael McMahon at Matchbox Pictures. Kill Bill was a real learning curve, working with Chinese, Japanese and US cultural elements.

MOST CHALLENGING REQUEST ON AN INTERNATIONAL FILM SHOOT

On Lion, we shot in India first before shooting in Australia. Dev [Patel]’s final scene was shot there but we were trying to make him as Australian as possible. And I had not yet met him. We ended up using one of the Australian crew’s T-shirts to get him in the right frame.

CRAZIEST MOMENT ON SET

Again in India for Lion I was standing on a table in the slums of Kolkata trying to dress hundreds of extras in 80s costumes while calling out instructions to them in Hindi. Mad.

FAVOURITE PART OF AUSTRALIA

Any beach.

FAVOURITE ACTIVITY IN AUSTRALIA

Spending time with my kids, going to the beach, taking them to do their extra curricular activities. My daughter is in the Australian Girls Choir but I’ll discourage a career in performing as much as possible.

WHEN I’M NOT WORKING I…

am very much a mum and it’s hard trying to get the work life balance. I like a five-week break between jobs, especially when you are looking down the barrel of six months of research and shooting.

WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST ADVANTAGES/BENEFITS TO WORKING  IN FILM AND TELEVISION IN AUSTRALIA?

The biggest advantage is our tight knit crews who support each other. They make you want to go to work each day.

IF I WASN’T WORKING IN FILM AND TELEVISION I WOULD BE…

in the arts as an academic or art curator. I studied art history and theatre studies.

I’D LOVE TO WORK WITH…

[Quentin] Tarantino again as a costume designer. He’s just such an amazing director. It was like being in a cinema studies class. He explains and educates you. He’s very free flowing in his head.

I KNEW I WANTED TO WORK IN FILM AND TELEVISION WHEN…

my grandmother was a dressmaker and I did work experience at age 15 at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation working across all departments. It was their heyday of quality Australian dramas and iconic shows like Countdown, and it piqued my interest.

WHAT IS YOUR WORK MOTTO OR PHILOSOPHY?

If you’re not having fun, it’s time to reassess the job. It has to be rewarding on every level. Challenging as well, but no tears necessary.