collider.com: The Little Mermaid costume designer Colleen Atwood and filmmaker Rob Marshall have a working relationship that has already spanned more than 20 years, after first joining forces on Chicago (which won the 2003 Academy Award for Best Picture and Best Costume Design, among others). Immersing herself in nautical and marine research and taking inspiration from the life within the Seven Season and the colors of the ocean, Atwood created stand-out looks for all the inhabitants of this much beloved world, from the humans to the merfolk to the story’s tentacled villain.
7 comments:
I have never considered that costume designers would have to make their designs digital-friendly, but it makes complete sense considering that technology is used in most films. A part that stuck out to me was when she said, “Sometimes you do things and they go, “Okay, she’s gonna jump off the bridge now and fly.” And you’re like, “What?!”” It’s almost comforting to know that even in the professional world with people who have been doing this for years, there will always be lapses in communication and unexpected issues that you have to fix quickly. Another similarity I saw is that “nobody likes to wait for costumes.” I have seen this at CMU and other spaces as well. I’m not sure what the disconnect is but I have seen a larger annoyance or impatience during tech when waiting on costumes than with any other department. It’s interesting that it’s that way on movie sets, too.
I really enjoyed the costume design in The Little Mermaid, so it was exciting to hear from the costume designer herself about her process. I never thought about the fact that costume designers have to work with digital artists when there are scenes that involve digital art. It probably makes the costumes more effective and realistic in the digital scenes when the designer and digital artists work together. I like how the director and costume designer really worked together from the very beginning to discuss their visions for the costumes. I think that is really important and helpful in creating a cohesive feel for the film. I also love the fact that Atwood purposefully went to visit aquariums with her team for inspiration. That is such a unique way to collect research, but I also feel like it is the most effective because it really allows you to immerse yourself with the sea and the life of underwater animals.
I thought it was very interesting to read about how Colleen Atwood costumed The Little Mermaid adaptation that came out this year. I personally really want to go into costume design, so I love hearing about how costume designers work because there is so much you can learn by hearing their process. I actually made costumes for my elementary school’s production of The Little Mermaid, which made it even more enjoyable. I really liked hearing about how they achieved the fish-like fins and scales of the costumes. The process was extremely tedious and experimental, but absolutely worth it because they looked amazing on screen and really captured the feel they were going for. It was also interesting to hear about how they adapted this from the cartoon. As Atwood mentioned, there are things that work in an animation setting and things that do not on a human body. The cartoon came out in the late 1980s and I think took place off the coast of Denmark so the original costume design took inspiration from those aspects. I liked that the live-action movie’s costumes still made references to that but also was updated accordingly for this new era and location it’s set in.
I saw the new Little Mermaid in theatres with my family and I had a lot of fun. While I think I would’ve enjoyed the movie overall more if I were a few years younger, the movie was visually very stunning and everyone was extremely talented. One of the main things that I loved were the costumes. I did not know who Atwood was before this article, I realized how many projects I have seen her work in, many of which I love. I think that designing for movies now creates a lot more challenges when it comes to what needs to be a practical and digital effect, and with a movie like this that has so many special effects and is in the water a lot I’m sure that posed many issues. All of the mermaid costumes were stunning though, and my favorite one of the movie was Ariel’s blue dress, it is just so gorgeous. I think Atwood did an incredible job with the costumes, though I would’ve loved to see the sparkling silver dress at the end of the movie, and I am excited to see her work in the second Beetlejuice movie.
Colleen Atwood is my all-time favourite costume designer – I grew up watching her dress so many of my childhood favourite actors. In the article, she talks about having to adapt to using technology in the design process so that visual artists can work with her drawings as references. For some reason, the thought of a world-renowned designer learning digital tools step by step is such a surprise to me, and I really admire her for admitting that it was a learning curve. Atwood talks about drawing inspiration by going to aquariums and studying fish from different parts of the world, and it made me realise that sometimes the ‘old-fashioned way of research can be really helpful. She could’ve just done a little good search, but instead, she chose to see them in the aquarium in real life. Her open-mindedness and ability to adapt her style to each unique story are very worth learning from.
This article was truly fascinating to read. I hadn’t thought about how much the intersection between digital art and tactile costumes impacted design. I can’t fathom the brainpower it must've taken to think about creating the costumes for standard filming versus creating the same costume for water filming versus creating the costumes as a reference for the digital editing that took place after filming. I also found Atwood's remarks on the process of designing for the screen very interesting. Unlike in theatre, where all the costumes are pre-made and set way before the performance, in film, the costumes for scenes that are shooting in the next couple of months are being made while some costumes are currently being filmed. I admire Atwood for being able to have her head in two places, one in the shop, building costumes for completely different scenes while running to the shoot to assist in a practical way for costumes that are currently being filmed.
While I was aware of the upcoming "The Little Mermaid" adaptation, delving into Colleen Atwood's approach to costume design, as revealed in the interview, was both enlightening and fascinating. The meticulous thought and creativity invested in bringing the characters to life through their costumes underscore the intricate dance between storytelling and visual aesthetics. What strikes me as particularly cool is how Atwood is pushing the boundaries of diversity not just through casting choices—such as the groundbreaking selection of Halle Bailey as Ariel and Javier Bardem as her father—but also in the very fabric and design of the costumes. It's a profound acknowledgment that diversity goes beyond the actors on screen; it extends to every facet of filmmaking, including the visual representation of characters. Atwood's commitment to infusing cultural influences and unique elements into each character's attire is a powerful step towards a more inclusive and representative cinematic landscape. It reinforces the idea that diversity is not a checkbox but a nuanced, creative endeavor that enriches the storytelling experience. This behind-the-scenes insight heightens my anticipation for "The Little Mermaid," not just as a retelling of a beloved tale but as a celebration of the vibrant tapestry that is our world.
Post a Comment