HELP
TV movie 2021COSTUME DESIGNER — HOLLY REBECCA BARNES
My role: COSTUME SUPERVISOR
Help is set inside a Liverpool care home during the first wave of Covid-19, a world of exhausted staff, inadequate PPE, and residents whose lives were suddenly at the mercy of a system that wasn't ready. Shooting during active Covid restrictions added a layer of real pressure to an already demanding production.
The central costume challenge had two distinct layers. First, creating the care home uniforms from scratch: researching and sourcing fabrics to make the tabards feel specific and real. Then, building on top of that, the PPE arc: the progression from basic precautions to full protective equipment, reflecting the evolving and often contradictory guidance of early 2020. This had to feel true, because for many viewers it would be immediately recognisable.
Equally important was the world of the care home residents. Holly wanted warmth and a lived-in quality, clothes that felt like they belonged to real people, people who could be someone's grandparent. Tony's love of Liverpool FC became a key research thread, grounding his character in something specific and deeply held even as his memory deteriorated.
As Costume Supervisor I managed the team and the budget, handled all logistics across pre-production and the shoot, always in close contact with Holly on character plotting, continuity, and the overall look of the production.
AWARDS
BAFTA TV Award - Leading Actress: Jodie Comer
BAFTA TV Award - Supporting Actress: Cathy Tyson
INTERNATIONAL EMMY AWARDS - TV Movie/Series: Jack Thorne, Jenny Frayn, Marc Munden, Beth Willis
TV VENICE AWARD - Best TV Movie
CREDITS
Director: Marc Munden
Writers: Jack Thorne
Cast: Jodie Comer, Stephen Graham, Ian Hart, Cathy Tyson
Cinematographer: Mark Wolf
Production Designer: Alexandra Toomey
Hair & Make Up Design: Janet Horsfield
Production Companies: Channel 4 Television, One Shoe Films, The Forge
Distribution: Channel 4, Acorn TV
