Vin Burnham is a costume designer with a list
of credits that puts her at the top of her profession.
She began her career in England and is responsible
for helping create some of the more successful commercials shown
on British television.
Burnham's most memorable work to date is the creation
of the Batman costume for Michael Keaton in Tim Burton's movie "Batman".
She also costumed "Captain America" due for release soon,
and the upcoming "Ninja Turtles II."
Vin Burnham's family have their roots firmly entrenched
in the entertainment business. Her parents are both actors. Her
father worked on the Dr. Who and the Avengers series, and her brother
designs lighting systems. Her sister also works in costume design
concentrating mainly on ballet and opera costumes.
Burnham's work leaves little time for putting
down roots, but she has made the time to create a home for herself
in Malibu where she can unwind from her hectic schedule.
Q: I know you love your work, but this last year
has been particularly busy for you, are you due for a break now?
A: In January, I am going to St. Moritz to work
on a film starring Roger Moore. There is also a project in the
works with the late Jim Henson's company. I think I was out of
the country for four months in the last year. I was in Turkey,
Madrid, elsewhere in Europe and here. I am not complaining, I love
to work.
Q: The costume you designed for Batman was impressive.
How did you go about producing the costume with Michael Keaton
in mind?
A: We made a complete cast of Michael's body so
the costume was fitted like a second skin or what we called a body
prosthetic. We made about 22 Batman costumes for the star and his
stand-ins. The original comics helped give us an idea for the design,
but the work involved took six months to complete.
Q: How did you feel when you saw the end result
on the screen?
A: Great, the film was superbly crafted, the lighting
was perfect. So, the suit looked really good, very intimidating.
If a film is badly lit or poorly shot, the costumes can look inferior
even though that's not the case.
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Q: What character have you created
that gives you the most personal satisfaction?
A: The lion in the television special "The
Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe", by C.S. Lewis. We filmed
that in Wales, the local people watched the filming from a distance
and were convinced they were looking at a real lion. It was enormous
with two men inside it.
Q: The commercials you have made are so full of
detail. The work involved for a one or two-minute advertisement
must be arduous. A: Yes, but the commercials I did in England have
me the exposure I needed to work in film. They are like mini-films
and require that same attention to detail.
Q: Do you have an agent?
A: I have a business manager her in Los Angeles
who is great and getting me lots of work.
Q: How did you break into your particular area
of show business?
A: My whole family were involved in the business
on some level and I had reached a point where I was desperate to
work in the theatre. I started in the prop department and progressed
from there.
Q: Where can we see some examples of work work,
is there a movie out at the moment?
A: "Ninja Turtles II" comes out in March,
1991. I think that's going to be great. The costumes are so effective,
and like "Batman" the quality of workmanship on that
film was high.
Q: It must give you great satisfaction to see
creations grow, like children in a way, to become flesh and blood
characters on the screen.
A: Yes, it really is exciting. In "Ninja
Turtles II" the costume for the character Super Shredder is
particularly spectacular. I can't wait to see how the kids react
to it. The public is the final judge of whether something succeeds
or not, when it does work that is the ultimate satisfaction. It
makes all the hard work worthwhile.
Bruce Brady
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