Cosplay photography research project!

By neimhaille. 06/08/09, 11:30 pm

What does cosplay mean to you?
Coo, one the big questions ;) What's it all mean when you get right down to it, I mean really...
Well cosplay means to me a chance to indulge in something that is at one and the same time totally frivolous but also gives me a lot of responsibilty and that I can use to help and encourage others.

Why do you cosplay? What is it that attracts you to the hobby?
To make stuff and learn. Some people paint, some people collect and display rare objects/collectables. I like to make things. I probably should have done engineering at Uni instead of biochem ;)
I'm not entirely sure why I prefer to make things to wear as opposed to make things to look at on a shelf or in a garage or hang on a wall but I'm sure it stems from all the drawing I did as a child. Continuous figure drawing in fantastical or historical costumes. I guess I wound up wanting to make them for real. And then again I am a sponge for design and absorb ideas from existing garments and other artwork.

Talk about the cosplay community - what personality traits do cosplayers in general share? Which traits are most noticeable?
There are two distinct groups regardless of what genre you are talking about. The fans and the opportunists if you will.
The fans are generally focused on one genre or one film/series/production group and will buy or make to that- costuming is a means to an end. The opportunists will be quite the reverse and the genre/film/series etc will be the means to an end to make things. I am of the latter.

What
are some of the quirks and habits of cosplayers - is there anything
that could be considered a ritual, or shared habit or practice?
Last minute stressing and staying up late to finish a project! Seems to be almost universal!

How did you get in to cosplay? What inspires you to cosplay?
Back in the bad old days before the internet and the ability to know that you are not a freak and that there are thousands of people like you all over the world I used to be absolutely besotted by the works of two women costume designers: Maria Bjornsen and Eiko Ishioka. I would draw their costumes from all angles to work out how they were made.
A few years later I started making costumes I had seen as well as those I designed myself. It wasn't until around Auckland Armageddon 2003 that I actually got to wear what I made in public and thus gave it a purpose ;)
My historical costuming is not quite cosplay as it is a connection to the past- both the making and wearing. Nothing says you aren't in Kansas any more like wearing a pair of platform shoes, stockings to the knee, farthingale, corset 7kg dress and ruff that sticks past your shoulders. And pins everywhere.

What would you say is the strongest asset of a cosplayer - is it a mindset, a skill, an attitude?
For dealing with the public it's very definitely having the courage to face some fairly strong prejudices. There are so many and some are insidious and of a wider social issue.
For personal development being able to critically examine and consider multiple options and desire to absorb as much information as possible- not just to get the job done now.

When choosing a character to cosplay, what do you consider? Personality traits, catchphrases, costume, appearance, all/none of these?
Costume almost exclusively. At least on the surface. I realise though that I tend not to want to wear purely decorative clothing- there has to be some element of connection to the character.
But I will tend to choose costumes with a challenge to them. I want to keep challenging myself to develop new skills.
I also tend to prefer female characters who are flawed but strong.

Cosplay is costume-roleplay: how important is the roleplay aspect? Is it important at all? Does it depend on the cosplayer? Is it a common practise that you know of, or not at all?
For me not at all. Some training never leaves you and two years of a performing arts diploma left me not wanting to role play, ever! Acting yes, role play no.
From watching others it seems to generally be important to capture the spirit of a character rather than pretend to be them for the duration of a convention for instance. There is also a nice amount of self or fan parody out there.
Certainly very little of the scary obsessive types usually seen in the media.

By Static. 10/08/09, 11:02 pm

Thank you everyone! I'm putting together a seminar at the moment, and there are a number of very quotable quotes you guys have given me! Razz