SPCC - Cosplay Information & Concerned Parent Info Sheets

By **JVCA**. 21/01/10, 02:11 pm

In regards to the contacting senior members of CNZ for the safety of their children, I'm sure that any of the mods would be more than happy to speak to a parent about their concerns. If you like JP, you can chuck my email address on there ( jess @ jvca . net . nz ) stating that parents can email that address and I'll provide them with contact details for a local mod (local so as to save on phone call charges, hahah)? I would offer the contact details straight up, but if it's an online resource then I'd rather not put phone numbers up, hahah.

I'm not sure if it's been mentioned here or not, but one of the things my mum always gets stoked about is when we do well in competitions - so you could state that there are perhaps more substantial rewards to the hobby as well?

By Kitten Slave. 21/01/10, 02:15 pm

u_ne_korn wrote:: If I was to meet Kitten online somewhere, there is NO WAY IN HELL I'd go meet him. But this is not really the same as meeting a strange man for a date. But it's hard to explain this to parents.

I hate that I have to agree with you here. Although Im a lot less scary than I once was? But cheah, my CNZ online personality is a bit... Wild? And I can see how if you dont know me, well... And well, those of you that have met me can confirm that I am mostly harmless, if unique... If it helps, Im normally just as scared of you!
whee

Static wrote:: I'd like to put in something about skimpy costumes often being the hardest to pull off (in terms of costume, not the body it goes on)...

I beg to differ... Skimpy costumes are pretty easy to "pull off". I think that is the fear...
But well, as someone on here once said to me, I dont think it is every mums dream to see their little pumpkin prancing around that skimpily dressed in public!
whee

By Static. 21/01/10, 02:17 pm

Kitten Slave wrote:

Static wrote:: I'd like to put in something about skimpy costumes often being the hardest to pull off (in terms of costume, not the body it goes on)...

I beg to differ... Skimpy costumes are pretty easy to "pull off". I think that is the fear...
whee

Smartarse. Razz

It's a tough call, though - while it is probably a good thing to showcase ALL kinds of costume, including examples of what is appropriate for who, we don't want to give anyone the wrong idea.

By **JVCA**. 21/01/10, 02:17 pm

Perhaps a paragraph on compromise? Like with the grades thing, you could suggest that children might have to get their parents permission to do a costume first, if the parent is worried about skimpiness? Or if a parent is worried about the skimpiness of a costume, they can insist that it be altered to be less skimpy? (longer skirt, higher cut shirt, etc).

**Guest** Guest

yeah, I know some cosplayers don't tell their parents who they are cosplaying so the parents get suspicious it might be skimpy, then they get concerned.

By **jpwise**. 21/01/10, 02:24 pm

JVCA wrote:: Perhaps a paragraph on compromise? Like with the grades thing, you could suggest that children might have to get their parents permission to do a costume first, if the parent is worried about skimpiness? Or if a parent is worried about the skimpiness of a costume, they can insist that it be altered to be less skimpy? (longer skirt, higher cut shirt, etc).

Yeah, i already had a negotiating mention in mind, between being true to the character, and appropriate modesty. Although that is one of the advantages of making the costume, things like that can be adapted, so if the parent has some sewing experience their input can be highly valuable to the process. :)

By Kitten Slave. 21/01/10, 02:27 pm

Mmm, well, when I think about it, Ive always thought of slave leia as a sorta "package deal" that comes with the general star wars group (forgot the name). I guess I sorta see S. leia as a sorta actor as part of a troupe?
On her own, I think it would have a more scandalous feel to it.

I suppose it comes down to HOW the skimpy costumes are portrayed to parents. I mean, the older ones do the more skimpy costumes, but not for the skimpiness, but to fill in all the characters for a role?

What does it matter if it is "just a phase"? It is a lot more constructive than sitting in front of the computer/tv/PS/DS/Whatever all day. And it gets people together. The shy people get to go out and make friends etc.
We all had our "phases", but at the end of the day it is what you got out of it that counts.
And on that line, it is important that parents know that their child is looked after, especially if he/she is a shy person, the parent may feel more protective.

By azeria. 21/01/10, 02:29 pm

jpwise wrote:

JVCA wrote:: Perhaps a paragraph on compromise? Like with the grades thing, you could suggest that children might have to get their parents permission to do a costume first, if the parent is worried about skimpiness? Or if a parent is worried about the skimpiness of a costume, they can insist that it be altered to be less skimpy? (longer skirt, higher cut shirt, etc).

Yeah, i already had a negotiating mention in mind, between being true to the character, and appropriate modesty. Although that is one of the advantages of making the costume, things like that can be adapted, so if the parent has some sewing experience their input can be highly valuable to the process. :)

Yes, there's nothing wrong with modifying costumes so that you're comfortable. I'm planning on making my Rin shorts slightly longer than what other people do because I wouldn't be comfortable wearing short shorts, even though most teenagers do.

By Thornback. 21/01/10, 03:30 pm

Agreed-accuracy is one thing, but at the end of the day, you(or the person you make it for) have to wear it, and likely in public- I've always perceived perfect accuracy to the original-though it may be more relevant to Contest Cosplays-to take a back seat to being comfortable, and not just physically, in your costume. Hell, I've altered my skirt for saturday because I decided it was a little more leg than I was comfortable showing.

By Kitty of Doom. 21/01/10, 06:35 pm

I have to say the thing my mum would most be concerned about is what type of people I would be with. Especially as she is over 8400 km away. So while my mum is pretty relaxed about it all, other parents I'm sure would be concerned about the same thing. So don't forget to put emphasis on that they can come as well and all that stuff.

By firecat70. 21/01/10, 06:58 pm

^ Maybe we could make intro videos, with cosplayers in it. They could say their names, why they like cosplay, what their day job/what they study (a day in the life of ___), show them interacting in cosplay and interacting in real life to show we are (ocasionally) participants of the real world too. That way they could see a snippet of the kind of people we are and what we do.

**Guest** Guest

^^ OMG, that would be totally awesome!

@ Jess's idea about making local mods contact persons by phone for parents:
I think it's a good idea in principle, but just because someone makes a good internet mod, it doesn't automatically make them a good person to talk to in RL. They're different skill sets. Some people just ain't good at the talking to strange grown ups in RL thing!
There is also the thing that SPCC is not just for CNZ. There are, what, two other cosplay orientated forums based in NZ? And there are more than a few serious personality conflicts between the lot of them Very Happy

I don't mean this as a dig at anyone in particular, because personality conflicts are inevitable everywhere! Possibly choosing contact people on their own merits out of the entire cosplay community (not just CNZ) for each region would be more appropriate.
(And also, long distance toll charges are dropping like a stone these days. Most plans charge you less than $2 for a long distance call so long as its less than 2 hours.)

By **JVCA**. 22/01/10, 02:41 am

@Mel: Read more carefully?

Lumissne wrote:: One major concern my mother had was how "safe" CNZ was. She was extremely against me meeting up with people I had met on the internet. Can you please add that parents are encouraged to meet with the group leaders?

JVCA wrote:: In regards to the contacting senior members of CNZ for the safety of their children

People were talking about their parents being concerned about them being on CNZ, hence why I suggested CNZ mods particularly? I am aware there is more to the SPCC than CNZ, but I wasn't talking about parental concern about joining SPCC, I was speaking specifically about CNZ. sweatdrop

In regards to cosplay orientated forums - afaik, there's Michaela's one which is directed towards older, more serious costumers anyway, and there's NZVC which is not cosplay orientated as it centres around general visual culture - it just happens to have a cosplay forum. I agree that it's good to have contacts from different sources, but was offering CNZ specifically as it was the topic at hand. sweatdrop

I know that some mods will be better than others at talking to parents (like I wouldn't put Alex up to it, lol), but the three major regions we have mods from are Auck, Dunners, and Chch (...I have no idea why we have no welly mods), so with Me, Lucy and Angie, we're set in that regard - all of us are able to communicate well with adults. You forget that all of us have to speak to 'strange adults' on a near daily basis, what with having jobs and all. n_n; It's not that alien a concept really.

Long distance charges I admittedly know little about, but don't you think a parent is more likely to take a helping hand if it's not going to cost them money? Razz

On the video topic, I just remembered Madam Madhatter's video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCd8FpSVBjo Might be helpful? Very Happy

By azeria. 22/01/10, 04:06 am

JVCA wrote:: I know that some mods will be better than others at talking to parents (like I wouldn't put Alex up to it, lol), but the three major regions we have mods from are Auck, Dunners, and Chch (...I have no idea why we have no welly mods)

Though all the SPCC guys are from Wellington, so they can be used instead of mods Razz

Also Re Video idea; that sounds awesome 8DD
~~people can see that we're not a bunch of people who live in the basement~~

By **JVCA**. 22/01/10, 04:09 am

That's exactly what I was thinking tbh. 8D

By **jpwise**. 22/01/10, 04:19 am

By Static. 01/03/10, 01:22 pm

UPDATE: info sheet now online!

Mischa wrote:: The site has been updated with a parental info sheet:

http://www.cosplay.org.nz/

Big thanks to Sylvie and J.P for producing this, and the forums input!

Direct Link:
http://www.cosplay.org.nz/downloads/parental_info.pdf

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