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Wahoo! (Norwescon!)
Well, I finally got to enter a costume up in Seattle at a *really* great science fiction convention called Norwescon. I've always enjoyed Norwescons: they have great programming, lots of art/dealers stuff and tons of hall costumes. I've only seen more hall costuming at an anime con. Most of it's goth-y (it's the home of the Vampire:the Masquerade club and a big larp event). This is also the masquerade where, many years ago, I had an epiphany when a costumer who'd done an exquisite monster bat costume showed me how to fake the jack legs. Full credit to him for both coming up with the trick and for being willing to show me how it worked! (And I wish I could remember his name! He was an spfx artist from Toronto!)
I entered Reales (Ray-al-us) and had practiced and refined the routine I'd done at Further Confusion. Lots of practice, counting the music beats, and timing where I was and what I was doing at each beat. Needless to say, I was having my usual major anxiety/stage-fright attack and had nearly gone tharn in the hours before the show. Don't ask why: I just stress out before showing a costume. I'm happy with the suit, or I wouldn't be showing it in public, but I still don't know what the public reception will be or if there will be some catastrophic failure. It's great when they say, "We'll remember your costume for years!," but it's less great when they remember you for years because you fell off the stage (and yes, I've seen it happen!).
The work and rehearsing paid off, because I took both Best Workmanship: Master and Best in Show: Master (single participant). Wah-hooo! Lots of ego-puffing kudos from people and only now is it really sinking in (and why I'm so happy). At the time, I was mostly just relieved that I hadn't fallen off (they have a great set of spotters and a terrific staff: totally organized and helpful!). I also won some actual prizes: a leather jacket (XL-yay!), a silver ring, and a great book of historical costuming!
The Workmanship judges were thorough! They -did- notice every popped seam, exposed stitch and flaw, but they also took into account what actually would be seen (and didn't dink my much for those). And they were fascinated by the wide variety of materials used to achieve different effect. I was thrilled at what they noted, both good and bad! This is a pretty fun group of costumers (I think they're the Northern Lights Costume Guild or something to that effect...I'll check. More fun than politics!
Plus I got to pose with a Hot Chick (unfortunately I don't know who she is, or I'd be married by now!):
Reales gets to ravash someone!
...Or maybe just a short Tango:
Hay-Bay-Beee!
Marry me! Arooo!
I entered Reales (Ray-al-us) and had practiced and refined the routine I'd done at Further Confusion. Lots of practice, counting the music beats, and timing where I was and what I was doing at each beat. Needless to say, I was having my usual major anxiety/stage-fright attack and had nearly gone tharn in the hours before the show. Don't ask why: I just stress out before showing a costume. I'm happy with the suit, or I wouldn't be showing it in public, but I still don't know what the public reception will be or if there will be some catastrophic failure. It's great when they say, "We'll remember your costume for years!," but it's less great when they remember you for years because you fell off the stage (and yes, I've seen it happen!).
The work and rehearsing paid off, because I took both Best Workmanship: Master and Best in Show: Master (single participant). Wah-hooo! Lots of ego-puffing kudos from people and only now is it really sinking in (and why I'm so happy). At the time, I was mostly just relieved that I hadn't fallen off (they have a great set of spotters and a terrific staff: totally organized and helpful!). I also won some actual prizes: a leather jacket (XL-yay!), a silver ring, and a great book of historical costuming!
The Workmanship judges were thorough! They -did- notice every popped seam, exposed stitch and flaw, but they also took into account what actually would be seen (and didn't dink my much for those). And they were fascinated by the wide variety of materials used to achieve different effect. I was thrilled at what they noted, both good and bad! This is a pretty fun group of costumers (I think they're the Northern Lights Costume Guild or something to that effect...I'll check. More fun than politics!
Plus I got to pose with a Hot Chick (unfortunately I don't know who she is, or I'd be married by now!):
Reales gets to ravash someone!
...Or maybe just a short Tango:
Hay-Bay-Beee!
Marry me! Arooo!
no subject
Did you happen to get any pics? I would love to see how these work. OH, BTW, speaking of jack legs, have you ever seen Ginger Snaps? If you get the Canadian version of the DVD, they have a small "making of" of the actual werewolf costume. This guy HAS to be on some sort of short 6" 4-legged stilts. Totally awesome. Apparently the DVD for DogSoldiers [and also Windego], which I think are the same monster makers for both movies, also has the making of the werewolves and shows their stilts. The Gingersnaps werewolf looked farely natural...not overly-stiff like 4-legged stilt suits tend to.
The work and rehearsing paid off, because I took both Best Workmanship: Master and Best in Show: Master (single participant). Wah-hooo! Lots of ego-puffing kudos from people and only now is it really sinking in
TERRIFIC news!! It is a gorgeous costume. It's what I call a 1-foot costume. Looks good from only 1foot away :) Are you going to bring him to CF? I wish I had a body like hers, I would adore to take some pictures like that for my personal collection :) :)
Seeya in a few days, eh?
-Jen
no subject
I saw the new Ginger Snaps suits at KNB and they're a huge improvement over the first set. I think I mentioned in a previous post that the performer could run in these. They used a nice mix of materials to get good muscle movements. I've seen the "making of" at the end of Dog Soldiers and was amazed that those were foam latex suits. I had thought they were either nylon unitards or actual make-up applied to their bodies. The stilts were apparently very painful to wear for any length of time-- you can almost feel how much pain the stuntmen were in as they took them off. I liked that they showed the wolves quite a lot in the film, but considering how detailed they looked in full light, I think they were somewhat wasted.
With this woman I had to be REAL careful where my claws ended up: I couldn't see/feel where they were on her and didn't know her well enough to have at it!The next time you're around when I'm in Reales I'd be happy to do some posing with you! I probably won't wear anything at CF, tho'. See you there!
no subject
Nothing? You will be NEKKID?? (runs away screaming) hahaha JK... you aren't gonna bring a costume eh? Hm, bummer, I really wanted to see the Demon-Wolf. Maybe I will be lucky enough to see him at AC.
Since the theme is 'Western' do you have a Coyote or Jackal you can put a 10gallon hat on? :)
-J
Nekkid!
(Anonymous) 2003-04-22 10:05 am (UTC)(link)...Naw-- that wouldv'e been last year's horror theme...
Back when CF was somewhat out of town (down in OC), I'd wear costumes, but when Darrel moved the convention plunk-smack in the heart of the entertainment industry (literally across the parking lot from Disney), I stopped suiting there. I have no control over what anyone else at the con might do; the only person I -do- have control over is me-- so no 'suiting. The association really is as bad as I've gone on about in the past, despite the contrary arguments of self-proclaimed industry experts. The nice thing about the con being in Burbank is that at least you can invite friends over to hikes, dinner and such!