By staff writer Diane B. Rooney
Two of the very best Captain Jack Sparrows, Toby M. from Chicago and Wade F. from Atlanta, have spent countless hours researching and making (and remaking) their Captain Jack Sparrow presentations. Toby has an extensive repertoire of costumes, including several from Star Wars, Sauron from Lord of the Rings, and Edward Scissorhands, Willy Wonka, and Don Juan de Marco in addition to Captain Jack Sparrow. Wade, a professional performer and musician, also has a musketeer presentation of D'Artagnan, made with actual costumes from "The Man in the Iron Mask." They were nice enough to share their approaches to developing each element of Jack's costume and effects.
Doing Your Homework Means Repeated Viewing
Creating an outstanding Jack Sparrow presentation involves intensive research on both costume and character and means going back repeatedly to the source. Interestingly, Wade and Toby only saw "Pirates of the Caribbean" once in the theatre. Wade says he's seen the film "tons of times on DVD because I was doing so much research on the costume and character," adding, "I have two copies of the DVD, one of which I won at the MediaPlay DVD launch party for Pirates." Toby notes that he's seen the DVD "probably not more than about 5 times, all the way through. Some of the times, it'll be bits and parts that I watch."
Out of Whole Cloth
Wade and Toby agree that getting the right fabric is critical to any costume element, and both agree there are no substitutes for the human eye and hand, despite the convenience of online shopping.
Toby's waistcoat fabric.
Their shopping resources? Toby explains, "I look for fabrics in Little India, in Chicago. But it's not limited to just there. I will drive miles sometimes to see the different types of fabrics. There is a huge warehouse of a fabric store here. They are always a great place to go. Sometimes I'll buy a fabric, and later not be happy with it."
Wade also shops locally. "I buy most of my fabrics locally here in Atlanta. I don't buy fabrics online because I can't assess the weight, texture, and how it will look in different light. I'll take pictures of fabric in different light and then look at them for a while before I decide," he says.
The Real Thing
Toby has made his Captain Jack Sparrow costume three times and is still working on it. His first version, made in October 2003, was done for Halloween. But the current one is quite different.
He explains, "For the most part, I had hands on access to an entire screen-used costume. That's why you see so many revisions now. I originally did not have that luxury. It was first meant to be just a Halloween costume, but I just enjoyed it too much, and decided to have it be one of my 'good' costumes, not just a quick Halloween getup. So there were initially money and time constraints. But on the screen-used costume, I was able to make all the castings I needed, and exact fabric matches, as well as the colors."
The Frock Coat
Wade's frock coat.
"First of all, to me, it's not a costume, it's my coat, it's what I would have worn in that time, a historical piece," declares Wade. He continues, "The fabric for the frock coat was the toughest. I keep wondering how it would look on stage. I tried contacting people who worked on the film, Penny Rose, the propmakers, anybody I could think of who might have the information. I even tried to track down Johnny Depp's stunt double."
"I did a great deal of research on the materials for the costume. I knew that a fabric's color changes in real light so I took lots pictures of fabrics before deciding what fabrics to use."
He explains, "I made the frock coat myself, from heavy linen, starting with a basic pattern for a 17th century coat. Then I modified it, to make it match the whimsical shape of the film coat, the way it's Disney-fied."
From his extensive research Wade has identified some differences in the detail and silhouette of the costume from the way historical pirates' garments would have looked. "If you look at the silhouettes of a lot of Disney characters, they're embellished, like the moustache pattern that decorates a Gibson guitar. For example, the buttons on the pockets of Jack's coat are below where they should be, and there are too many of them. Also the cuffs are too big, too flamboyant. And the split in the coat's tail is over-embellished, too. The fabric is folded nine times," he notes.
He remarks, "My coat is made of four long panels, cut from a 64 inch bolt. I've seen replicas that are made from eight panels. They use eight panels because it's cheaper to buy a shorter length of fabric and then use more pieces. You didn't see eight panels in a coat like that until Victorian times. It's just not accurate for Jack's time".
For Toby, his current frock coat is "still a work in progress." "I've got a pile of the correct buttons lying around, waiting for the 'finished piece' to be completed. Until then, I am totally satisfied with what I've currently got. After all, you don't have to wear it, to have a costume. And it can get hot!" he avers.
The Shirt
Toby explains, "I made the shirt from what they call "handkerchief" linen. I liked that they machine stitched everything, but hand stitched the collar & cuffs, since that's all you're really going to see on screen. Even having to glue the linen over the buttons was a joy."
Wade comments, "The shirt is a lighter, sheerer weight of linen, not muslin. It's correct for the period, and I also read that Penny Rose chose it because it breathes and would be more comfortable for people wearing it in hot climates. Linen has a rough texture, it naps and sags, just like clothes from the period."
The Breeches
Toby made his own breeches. He notes, "The breeches are linen, not wool. My first pair was made from wool, but my 'screen cloned' version is linen. It's accented with buckles and buttons cast from a pair of the screen-used breeches." Wade's breeches were purchased from Jas.Townsend and Sons, who make high quality reproductions for living history (http://jas-townsend.com).
The Waistcoat
Wade's waistcoat fabric.
Wade made his waistcoat, or vest, from 100% linen. "I got my pattern from the screen-used waist coat, the original auction winner and actor Scott White." He notes the fabric "has the same thread count as the frock coat and comes from the same company. The buttons, which he purchased, are called "silversmiths."
Toby also made his waistcoat. "The biggest problem with the waistcoat," he explains, "is in the color. On screen, it looks blue. But in actuality, it's a kind of indigo shade. I had to run my linen through about 5-6 washes of various mixtures of dye. I had to machine the 150 or so pinstripes into the linen for the backside of the waistcoat. You can't do it all in one sitting, so that's about five nights of work alone."
Toby also made his waistcoat buttons, casting them in pewter, "because the only commercially available buttons that are the correct size are made in plastic." "The commercial pewter ones are too large," he adds
The Baldric and Buckle
Wade's baldric buckle.
"The leather work on the baldric was done by hand by a friend of mine," says Wade. "The buckle on the baldric is cast iron. I made it myself from a fireplace andiron with a Dremel, then painted it with brass paint."
Toby's belt buckle.
Toby explains, "I made my baldric, sheath and buckle. I sculpted and cast the buckle, while the baldric was a quick little project. The one from the sequels will be a bit more of a task, as the entire thing is tooled with designs. It'll be one thing to tool it, and another to actually identify exactly what is tooled into it. My original buckle was made from epoxy clay & the aluminum frame, but my current 'final' version is cast in pewter."
The Boots
Toby explains, "I constructed my boots from suede, and built them over a pair of old shoes. I also have a tutorial, on my website, on how make these: www.sithcamaro.com/boottut/. The same process can be used to make any kind of shoe/boot. And it's the same process that I use on all of my costumes."
"My boots were custom made by Caboots (www.caboots.com) from photos of the prop boots," says Wade. "They made the boots for the two sequels, and you'll see on their website that what they're selling are overstock made for the films, just 'til they sell out," he continues. "They also make custom boots for bands, and they also sell costume boots for Lord of the Rings, Star Trek, Star Wars, and other periods and characters."
Essential Accessories
In addition to the major pieces, Captain Jack Sparrow also wears a range of accessories, including hair decorations and jewelry. Wade and Toby have also developed these items as part of their presentations.
The Head Scarf
Wade's head scarf.
Toby's head scarf.
For Wade, "the only challenge here was finding the closest print. Again, the fabric is the important thing." "My current one will be updated," explains Toby. "I will probably end up either drawing the entire design on, or blocking the design on."
The Waist Sash
"My sash is made from cheesecloth cotton. It frays easily. I got it in plain white and stained it with tea for color and then did the red lines with a red sharpie," says Wade. A pirate's sash "could be used to hold up breeches, as a towel, or as a mark of status. Barbossa's, sash, for example, is taffeta," he continues. Toby also made his own sash.
The Hair Beads and Marlin Spike
Captain Jack Sparrow's hair and hair ornaments are one of the most distinctive aspects of his costume. He wears beads, a pendant, leather ties, string, and a tool called a marlin spike in his hair.
Wade's beads.
Wade explains, "My beads are 200 year old African trade beads. The spotted ones are called skunk beads; they're made from hand blown African glass. The marlin spike, by the way, was used by sailors to mend sails and slice rope. My marlin spike is made of bone."
Toby's hair jewelry.
Toby made his own beads and purchased the Kuchi pendant. He also made the marlin spike, noting, "My marlin spike is clay with a metal rod inside." "I added the metal rod for reinforcement," he continued, "because the previous ones kept breaking. Every time people would take pictures with me, they'd press the side of their head against mine. Eventually the pressure would make it crack in half."
Toby's marlin spike.
The Rings and Sailor's Palm
Wade's rings and sailor's palm.
Captain Jack Sparrow wears a ring and a sailor's palm on his right hand. The ring is worn on his index finger, and the loops for the sailor's palm are on the next two fingers. The other end of the palm fastens around the wrist. Wade explains, "A sailor's palm was worn to protect the hands while hauling sails and to make it easier to work the needle when repairing sails. Mine is leather, and I did the tooling on it." He continues, "I wear a collection of rings, mostly purchased at faires. They're modern and handmade by craftspeople. The copy of Jack's ring was purchased."
Toby notes, "I started with a ring that I purchased, and then I detailed it, like the buckles, with epoxy clay. My original was made that way. But my current one is a direct casting, from a screen-used ring."
The Medallion and Bottle
Wade also wears a medallion and carries a rum bottle, shaped like the one Jack drinks from on the island where he and Elizabeth are marooned. "My medallion is a piece of eight from the Atocha. It's over 200 years old. It was a gift from a friend of mine at the Georgia Renaissance Festival. And my bottle is an onion flask, so called because of its shape. "
Not Without My Effects!
In The Curse of the Black Pearl, Jack is very attached to his effects, especially his hat, sword, pistol, and compass. He makes a point of getting them back from Commodore Norrington after Elizabeth's rescue, and he won't leave them behind even when escaping from jail.
The Hat
"I've made several of my own hats. The first perfect one I made blew off and into the river, and I lost it," says Toby. "The biggest pain was to shape the rounded crown. I had to create my own hatblock/flange to do this," he explains.
"The hat was made from a specific type of leather. I had my hands on one of Depp's actual hats, and, of the many reproductions out there, I have not seen anyone use the correct leather. Because of that, I cannot say what kind of leather it is. But Master Replicas just may produce an identical reproduction next year," he notes. Wade's hat was custom made by a friend who works in leather.
The Sword
Wade explains, "The sword is an English hanger. It's made by Windlass Steelcraft and I aged the brass myself." (Windlass Steelcraft items are widely available online, see for example www.armsofvalour.com)
Toby notes, "I made the scabbard myself. The pommel, grip, and blade are from Sword and Stone, the company that produced all of the swords for production." (www.swordandstone.com)
The Flintlock Pistol
Wade's pistol.
Jack's pistol, with its one shot saved for ten years, figures prominently in the film. Wade explains, "My pistol is a replica purchased from Denix Replicas, antiqued and aged. I used perspiration to age it. It's a non-firing replica, so I used a heat gun to burn the wood, where it would have blackened from powder." (Denix Replica flintlocks are widely available online, see for example: http://www.discountcutlery.net/en-us/dept_22731.html)
Toby's made two generations of pistols. "The original I made myself, but my current one is a resin cast of the screen-used piece. On the one I made, the base was carved wood. The silver design I made from aluminum, and the hammer, trigger, and barrel were altered from a purchased piece."
The Compass
Toby's compass.
Wade's compass.
The compass that doesn't point north, like Jack's other effects, is an important prop. As with the flintlock, Toby has also remade his compass. "This current one is made of cast metal pieces, ebony and inlaid bone. It was put together using a resin casting of the exterior of a screen-used compass. It was mostly for the measurements. The interior pieces were eyed from detailed reference photos. The earlier one was made of wood."
Wade says, "The compass was the most challenging of the props, because the assembly is so intricate." He continues, "I used one piece of wood for the box, and did the pieces of the interior from brass tape cut for the inlaid effect. It's hard to keep it together. I eventually redid it."
The Look
Wade's makeup.
The final details in the presentation are the hair, beard, gold teeth, and makeup. Wade reveals. "This is my real hair and beard! But it's dyed. I'm actually a blonde." "Being a performer," he continues, "I have a lot of experience with makeup. My Jack makeup is not theatrical. The eyes are Wet 'N' Wild, because it's waterproof, and for the face I use a Clinique self tanner. I start about a week before I have an appearance."
Wade's gold teeth are "real 14k gold made from a cast taken from my own teeth. They were made for me by an outfit in California." The bottom teeth, he explains, "keep you from closing your mouth all the way, so I don't wear them anymore."
Wade's beard.
Toby's beard.
Toby explains, "I've had three different stages of gold teeth. The first was using the brush-on gold tooth enamel. It was more like a crusty yellow than gold. You can imagine that that had a very short life. So my next idea was to make molds of my teeth and vacuform thin plastic over them.
"On the DVD," he continues, "they mention using vacuformed teeth on the actors. I glued Hershey Kiss wrappers over the sections that were to be gold. They worked pretty well, but eventually I upgraded to 14k gold caps, from www.gangstagold.com.
Toby says dirt is probably the most overlooked detail necessary for an authentic Captain Jack Sparrow. "Not only must the clothes be dirty, but the skin must be as well! Jack Sparrow does not take daily baths, or live in the lap of luxury." He continues, "You've got to have some dirt on your chest, a smear across your cheek, and your hands must look like you've been working on a car all day. You need some dirt under those nails!"
Toby also works on the look of both Jack's face and his tattoos. "I like to try to tan the 'P' into my arm. When that's not possible, I'll tan it with tanning cream & some 'dirt'. Same goes for the face. I need to start adding the patch of scurvy to my jaw though," he comments.
Showtime!
Ever wonder how long it takes to get ready to be Captain Jack Sparrow? Wade discloses, "Now I have it down to an hour and a half. It used to take longer. The hair alone takes 45 minutes. My fiance helps me with my hair and braiding my beard. You really can't braid your own beard!"
Toby's take is very different: "This is an easy costume to dress. Probably no more than 5-10 minutes." (Spoken by someone who also does Edward Scissorhands and Sauron.)
Neither has entered a lot of costume contests. Toby doesn't care to: "I really don't do this to enter the contests. Two reasons, mainly. First, I'd rather be out entertaining my friends, rather than being holed up backstage, and second, I don't believe that costuming should be a competition. Once people stress themselves out about 'being better than the others', the fun and purity are lost. I did enter the contest at GenCon in August 2004, mainly because the con staff kept asking me to do so. I won Best in Show."
Wade has won at three events. "I won the Hall Contest at Dragon*Con 2003 even though I didn't enter it. I was the first male to ever win that. It was also my first time as Jack. Next, I won at the MediaPlay DVD launch party. My prize was a copy of the DVD. I also won three awards plus two hall awards at CostumeCon 22 in April 2004, which was held in Atlanta. They were Best in Class for Workmanship and for Presentation in the Masquerade for my Captain Jack and Barbossa costumes, and an award called The Slattern, which is given to the entry having the most fun onstage."
Neither has an official fan club, either, despite the huge amount of attention they draw as Captain Jack Sparrow at conventions and other events. Toby says definitively, "I'm not looking for a fan club. I'm just out to have fun, enjoy what I do, and make good friends." Wade maintains a forum on his website and agrees it "could be like a fan club," though it's mainly a place for people to get together and exchange ideas, news, and things to do.
Final thoughts
According to Wade, "The biggest battle is getting the right fabric." Toby says, "I'm attracted to the characters I play. It's fun. If I did it for a living, it wouldn't be fun."
Websites
You can read more about Toby and Wade at their websites. Toby's website,
www.sithcamaro.com/main.html (home of the Dark Lord and Tailor), has extensive photo galleries of him as Captain Jack Sparrow, including studio pictures, a series taken in Honduras (standing in for the Caribbean), and some detail galleries (still in progress) on the hat, the compass, the ring, and the necklace of toes from "Dead Man's Chest." It also has Toby's news updates, galleries on all of his other characters and photos from conventions and other events. The gallery photos can be enlarged so you can see the details.
Wade's website, www.captnjacksparrow.com/tortugas.htm, has photo galleries detailing events he's attended, his Jack Sparrow and Barbossa costumes, his compass, and his Lt. Andre costume from "The Man in the Iron Mask," plus a forum section and links to pirate sites, conventions and faires, and his band.
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