By Hunter Lacey
Hollywood-sized dreams don’t necessarily mean a cross-country trek, because Atlanta has a bustling entertainment industry of its own.
Isaac Spry works as a tailor for film and TV shows, such as AMC’s “The Walking Dead” and Lifetime’s “Devious Maids.”
Spry enrolled at Bauder College and earned a degree in fashion design in 2010. He left his corporate job as a technical support employee and began sewing for big names, such as Tyler Perry and Susan Lucci.
The garment guru raves about the fast-paced atmosphere behind Atlanta’s silver screen and offers advice for getting started.
Q: What are the hours like?
A: You really have to be flexible in this industry. We work 12 hours a day, and we won’t know our schedule for the following day until the prior day has lapsed. I always have to be ready to roll. It’s not uncommon to spend days working on a piece and then the script changes, or the producer changes their mind—you have to roll with the punches.
Q: What’s an example?
A: On one show, it was an easy day, and then all of the sudden, we need a pair of pants for a child. We had 20 minutes. I knew the pattern, I had seen the child, so I went straight to the fabric and started cutting after drawing the pattern. I ended up making two pairs in 20 minutes. When I’m faced with that kind of challenges my creative juices start flowing.
Q: What’s the appeal of working in Atlanta?
A: There are times they actually have to bring people in from other cities. During a time when people are looking for work, I am having to turn down jobs. When I was on “Devious Maids,” I had to turn down eight jobs!
Q: How does someone in costuming get involved with this industry?
A: Joining the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) is and networking key, because opportunities usually get passed along by word-of-mouth. A lot of opportunities are emergency situations where people need a tailor.
Q: What’s your advice for preparing to work in the entertainment field?
A: My suggestion is to start with a local high school that might have a theater department or a junior college that might need help with costumes. It may progress to larger colleges or different theatrical outlets in the city. Once you enter the realm of film and television, it’s not a place where they want to take time and teach you. They expect you will walk in knowing what to do.
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