COSTUME DESIGNSeattle Kraken
Release the Kraken
Release the Kraken
2022/2023 Season Open
Directed by Ryan Thielen
Research & Inspiration
It was important that the costumes felt old, but not a recognizable time era. Mythical but still real and relatable. Shape and silhouette inspired by traditional Icelandic fisherman. Warm, wet-weather uniform gear suitable for life on a boat as well as on land. Multiple layers of waxed canvas garments with decorative trim and norse-inspired accessories. Leather used for shoes, belts, and bags. Fisherman rain hats, ‘greek’ fishing hats and knitted beanies for headwear, Irish/Aran cable knit sweaters for under layers.
Team Colors
The Seattle Kraken already have a wonderful color palette for their team, so I definitely wanted to incorporate it into the costumes.
The palette consisted of these gorgeous shades of blue, which I kept and made sure to focus on. I also included their accent color, ‘Red Alert’ by adding it into small details (seen in small stitches in every costume).
From there, I expanded the palette to include more grounded and earthy colors such as brown, taupe, tan, charcoal and grey.
Costume Color Palette
Materials &
Accessories
It was very important that modern materials (such as rubber and plastic) weren’t used in the costumes. This way, it would help aid in compelling that the costumes were from a older time period.
I wanted most if not all of their accessories to nod to the world we were creating. Most of the jewelry is ‘kraken’ inspired—whether it actually imagery of an octopus, abstract textures of a tentacle, or subtly nautical themed. I didn’t want anything to be too obvious, but just enough that if a viewer catches it, it would be a fun Easter egg.
The Captain
As the most important and featured character in the story, I wanted The Captain to really represent The Kraken team. He’s wearing the most Kraken colors, with a ‘Boundless Blue’ uniform jacket, ‘Shadow Blue’ rain hat, and hints of ‘Red Alert’ throughout his costume in small red stitches.
Since these sailors have been out at sea for a long time, I needed to make sure their uniforms are 1.) water-repellent and 2.) worn-in and weathered. I painted on all of the costumes to create built-up dirt—not overly dirty, but just enough that it looked like they had been worn for years. I also gave their jackets, accessories and shoes a ‘salty’ look, to make them look like they had been splashed by ocean waves over and over again. I then waterproofed the jackets with beeswax, which gave them a ‘waxed-canvas’ look.
These buttons were my favorite. From far away the design is ambiguous, but up close you can see the kraken. I aged and distressed the jewelry—especially the metal jewelry—to look rusted/oxidized in the crevices by the salt water and continuous wear. The Mystery Sailor
We wanted The Mystery Sailor’s costume to nod that this character was a part of the story he’s narrating. I did this by choosing a sweater—a traditional Aran Fisherman’s sweater—in the Seattle Kraken color palette, a similar hat that some of the crew were wearing, similar jewelry, and ‘kraken’ tattoos.
A kraken tentacle carved out of bone, a tooth carved in scrimshaw.
Credits
Directed by Ryan Thielen
Assistant Director Paul Winkels
Director of Photography Kyle Moe
Producer Noelle Anderson
Costume Designer Kailey Schmitt
1st AC Andrew Bradford
Gaffer Tracy Mailloux
Composer Hans Zimmer
Costumers Amanda Schwarzrock, Sally Baker
Key Grips James Winters, Don Stier
Swing Grip Clay Malecka
Drone Ops Joe Wiebe & Conrad Jacobsen
DMX Operator Kerrigan O'Neil
Special Effects Supervisor Conor Wing
Special Effects Technicians Brad Batson, David Andrews, Andrew Case, Andy Lacy
PAs Reid Fuhr, Jacob Gerstman, Noah Harper
Special thanks to Jerry Bruckheimer, The Lady Washington and The Seattle Kraken
