NEW BERN — Emmy-winning costumer Amy Andrews-Harrell has both a love of history and local ties to bring into a period movie about New Bern’s pioneer photographer, Bayard Wootten.
The Richmond, Va. resident, who also spends time in Brooklyn, N.Y., won an Emmy for her work on the 2008 HBO “John Adams” miniseries. Andrews-Harrell was in the area Friday, where she toured the Louisiana House, home of Bayard Wootten, in the company of Anthony Lilly, producer and writer of the planned film.
Andrews-Harrell has built up quite a record in the costuming field, where she has worked for 20 years. Asked about her experience, she mentions her recent work as key costumer for Steven Spielberg’s “Lincoln,” the recent National Geographic production of “Killing Lincoln,” and the upcoming “Killing Kennedy.”
But “John Adams” is not her only non-assassination video and film work: IMDB.com lists her as having developed her costuming chops on such movies as “Signs,” “Rachel Getting Married” ”How To Lose a Guy In Ten Days” and “Cold Mountain.”
Her television work includes “Mad Men,” “Law and Order” and “The Sopranos.” She’s currently working on an A&E pilot called “Turn,” to film in Richmond. The plot involves spies working for George Washington.
Her special pleasure is period films — which makes her coming on board Lilly’s project, “Bayard Wootten: The Big Stride,” one that is right down her alley.
“It’s such a wonderful period,” she said.
Or, periods. Lilly says his script covers the years 1875 through about 1959 — from Wootten’s birth to her death.
Much of the film will take place in the ’20s, a period whose fashion she especially admires.
Andrews-Harrell was raised in Charlotte, but her family relocated to New Bern shortly after she started attending college. She credits her interest in history to her mother, Allie Andrews, who works as a guide in the Stanly House at Tryon Palace.
Lilly, a Seattle resident who grew up locally in the James City area, says he knew of Andrews-Harrell through their brothers. His brother once ran a band in town and Andrews-Harrell’s brother was the bassist. He is enthusiastic about the character of Wootten, a strong-willed, single mother and suffragette growing up in a period when women had few opportunities to express themselves.
“I’ve been supporting Anthony in any way I can,” she said.
The costumer says she would dress many characters using costume rental houses around the world. Costumes would be created for principle characters.
Lilly states that he will draw from the local community for most of his extras — whom Andrews-Harrell says will have a lot of fun being gotten up in costumes of the day.
Lilly hopes to start shooting his project within a year and possibly as soon as eight months.