Constructive Criticism only Please - Cosplay Parade

By angellsnz. 07/04/10, 08:15 am

Hi Guys,

Just a quick question for me, but maybe not a quick answer from you. Please tell me honestly what you thought of the Cosplay Parade? Did you have fun as a participant? Did you have fun as an audience member?

Can you think of ways that it could be improved? Please keep in mind that we are limited to what we can do on the stage. Special effects, using the video screen or music/theme songs from the show you are cosplaying are out. <---- this takes a huge amount of organising and time that we just do not have.

Should there be a set list of questions that the MCees should ask? Or should they be random and in character of whom the mcee is cosplaying as?

Should you be introduced on stage as the character or your real name?

Any suggestions would be great, as I think we will be doing another Parade in Auckland.

Cheers,

angellsnz

By acidpinkbunny. 07/04/10, 08:25 am

I enjoyed waching the cosplay parade Very Happy

But if I was going to make a suggestion it would be that perhaps people should be able specify beforehand whether or not they'd like to be introduced in character?
Half of the people seemed to really want to be in character and were fully into being their character the whole time they were on stage and others looked a bit shellshocked when confronted with questions about their characters.
Some people probably just want to show off their costumes onstage, while others want to put on a bit of a performance. I think that would help people who aren't necessarily comfortable with improvising feel a bit better too ^.^

I thought it went really well for a first time though! Looking forward to seeing it done again at Auckland too.

By Suixelo. 07/04/10, 08:45 am

I really enjoyed watching it and I think it is a wonderful idea to both promote cosplay and to give cosplayers the chance to show off their cosplay if they didn't want to enter the competition.

As for the questions, some people did seem to either not understand (lol what sky would you be?) or not know how to answer their questions. So maybe this could be more pre-arranged, they could submit a question or a topic that they could answer in character, and you have a list of straightforward questions to ask as well. Like acidpinkbunny said above me, some cosplayers don't really like the whole in character thing, so maybe make sure you ask them if they want to be in character or just show off their costume. So you could ask about the creation of the costume if this was the case instead of making them feel odd =P

**Guest** Guest

Yeah I was going to say that the questions asked were a bit odd. So ask about their characters, get them to sign up early? And maybe let them do a little bit of a in character skit too C:

By **jpwise**. 07/04/10, 08:52 am

I think alot of people weren't quite sure how it was going to run.

Perhaps on the entry form have different category options or tickboxes?

ie:
* Exhibiting Costume - also commissioned or made?
* In Character - character related questions may be asked.
etc

I didn't see what you had on the form this time round, but depending on what they tick on the tickbox you'll be able to handle them appropriately. If they're only showcasing a costume, and not being 'in' character avoid character related questions, and may just ask what drew them to the costume, etc.etc.

By Static. 07/04/10, 09:20 am

I uh...got a bit over the "what's your favourite icecream? Very Happy

" question after the first few times, to be honest! I also felt it was a bit long - I really love the idea of anyone and their mum being able to get up onstage and show off their costume thang, but something more like a catwalk (walk on, pose, turn, walk off) might be easier on those of us who have trouble sitting still? Or break up the entrants into an in-character/walk-on split, maybe in alternating lots. So, five walk-ons, then a few more answering questions and hamming it up, then back to a few walk-ons. Simple info could be read off the bat for walk-ons - ie, "name, age, made the costume herself/commissioned it", or something along those lines while they're walking out.

LOVE the new cosplay event though - we are taking over the con, one stage-slot at a time! Very Happy

By **JVCA**. 07/04/10, 09:23 am

The walk-ons idea would work well for those people who didn't feel comfortable acting in character for q&a too. Very Happy

By Bishkip. 07/04/10, 10:46 am

i missed it.

D:

but i think it should be a sign up thing, just so you know if they are comfortable being in character.

like even if it's a sign up an hour before.

By KotoneVersus. 07/04/10, 10:54 am

I had fun. Very Happy

The other bunnies didn't realise they were going to have to talk on stage though, so they got a bit nervous. Maybe inform the participants precisely what is going to happen? Parade insinuates walk on, pose, walk off.

By deceptivemagick. 07/04/10, 11:57 am

I really loved it cos i was unsure if my costume would be ready for a competition and i had made my friends sakura costume too so we wanted to show them off,

i liked being able to answer questions in character, and it was a good chance to see cosplays that werent part of the competition.

this is an event that should definatly be carried on at future expos

By angellsnz. 07/04/10, 12:09 pm

Thanks everyone for all your suggestions. Keep them coming. :) There was a sign up sheet at the Information Booth. The idea of having "do you want to just walk on pose" vs "talk in character" boxes on the sign up sheet is good.

By neimhaille. 07/04/10, 12:52 pm

Yeah ticky box for questions :) And preplanned questions.. ?

By Junko. 07/04/10, 12:59 pm

More character specific stuff. I felt as if the hosting and cosplayers didn't really match up at all, and there ended up with alot of backs turned to the audience. The quetions not having much to do with either cosplay or the characters bothered me, I suppose.

The only other problem is armageddons terrible lighting and picture taking possibilities (or lack of) on stage.

By RainbowMoonDust. 07/04/10, 01:53 pm

Are you planning to have the Cosplay parade for Chchgeddon 2011 too? puppyeyes

I hope so, if I had a choice between a Walk on/off or Act in character then I'd do it as I don't want to have to answer any questions. pale

By Suixelo. 07/04/10, 03:04 pm

Junko wrote:: The only other problem is armageddons terrible lighting and picture taking possibilities (or lack of) on stage.

There is nothing they can do about lighting and they already asked each participant to pose for cameras. The lighting isn't terrible if you're using a decent flash, even some I took without flash have come out alright after I've tweaked them in photoshop. As far as the possibilities go, as long as you get a decent seat there were tonnes! They each posed plus you can snap away while they are talking - I got some awesome facials and laughter caught on camera this way.

By **seraphik**. 08/04/10, 12:33 pm

this is a little offtopic from the cosplay parade (i wasn't there, but i heard great things about it!)-- but i was wondering, what's the possibility of starting up hall costume awards? they give them out in the states just to people walking around the con in costume that look spectacular, and i think it'd be well received here?

/didn't know where else to bring this up, hahaaaa

By Suixelo. 08/04/10, 05:28 pm

I'd say money and time were obstacles for hall awards. But I do agree it would be very well recieved and would love to see something of the sort start in New Zealand.

By angellsnz. 09/04/10, 01:51 am

Hall cosplay is another thing that M and I have brought up with Bill. Now that we have gotten the go ahead with the Open/Novice divisions, and the Cosplay Parade seems to be a success, so Hall cosplays are the next thing we will hopefully be looking at.

It's very much 1 step at a time. Lets gets the Open/Novice divisions and Cosplay Parade going well, then look at other aspects of cosplay a little bit later :)

By Retro Scifi. 09/04/10, 09:47 am

I'd have to say that I really didn't think the MC related questions worked at all - sorry!

We've found in the past that people can be very nervous and just about manage to get enough courage together to show their costume and aren't expecting to answer questions as well. If you stick to a set list of questions (say "What's your favourite part of your costume?", "What made you decide on that costume?", etc.) and list these questions on the entry form so that they've got time to think about an answer, then you should get a much more fluid parade.

I'm sure there'll be people who you know that you can try and trip up with a left-field question, however, and some of the more experienced / confident cosplayers would appreciate the challenge.

I do very much like the fact that you guys dress as a group, though - it's always interesting to see what you've come up with this time.

By azeria. 09/04/10, 03:51 pm

I think it was kind of awkward because some people answered questions in character whilst others thought the questions were supposed to be about them personally?
That was the only thing that got me, so maybe just being clear on whether or not questions are supposed to be answered IC or not.

also re; favourite ice-cream - I was surprised that no one said Sea Salt ice-cream =P

By Huntress. 11/04/10, 09:55 am

I like the idea of hall awards. Especially as I can only make it to Wellington and have to choose what to wear the first day and then what to Cosplay as. It's hard - cos I always like both! Besides - the couple of Navi I saw wandering around this year looked pretty good and it would encourage others to enter the Cosply proper contest.

By angellsnz. 13/04/10, 05:27 am

Thanks for all the info and suggestions. Constructive Criticism only Please - Cosplay Parade Icon_wink

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