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Interview with Candy Cosplay

Interview with Candy Cosplay

 

Interview by: Geek Girl Jenn Marvel

Hey all, Jenn Marvel here, I got a chance to chat with the lovely Candy Cosplay, here's what she had to say.

Interview with Candy Cosplay

GG: Lets start off with an easy question.  How long have you been a cosplayer?

Candy: I've been costuming practically my entire life, but when I started to attend conventions in cosplay was back in 2007 at my very first Anime North, so almost 9 years now.

GG: I have been a huge fan since you started out and everything you've  done so far are fantastic! What was it that got you into cosplay in the first place?

Candy: Originally it was just my love of costuming that carried me into it, but when I attended my first Fan Expo back in 2006 and saw all the people in costume, I was sold on the idea of being able to cosplay, without people thinking that it needed to be Halloween or something of the sort.

GG: What so far has been your most challenging cosplay/commission thus far, and which cosplay/commission has been your favorite to date?

Candy: By far my Maleficent has to be the hardest costume I've made, due to the structure of the wings. Trying to find the right angle for them to sit while still not showing the raw materials. My favorite costume however would have the be my female take on Loki as I love to portray the character while in cosplay.

Interview with Candy Cosplay
(Photo: JdSerada Photography)

GG: I am sure you attend plenty of conventions year round. What would you say is your favorite convention, and what has been your most memorable moment?

Candy: My favorite convention would be a toss up between Anime North and Fan Expo as they have been conventions I have attended since I very first started cosplaying every year. My most memorable moment was definitely at Fan Expo this past year when I attended as a guest and was dressed as Maleficent, when a little girl ran up to see me as I was her favorite movie character, and she refused to leave my side.

GG:  What would you say is the most challenging thing about being a Guest at Conventions?

Candy: I would have to say, when you go to the convention, you're right there bright and early in the morning, all day long and you have made no reasonable way to go to the bathroom with your costume on. You don't want to be gone from your booth forever and at the same time you know it's impossible to get back into once you take it off, so usually you just gotta grin and bear it.

Interview with Candy Cosplay
(Photo: Alex Rose Photography)

GG: There are so many different skills that can go into costume building! What is one thing you want to learn or try that you haven't already?

Candy: Well, I've some of my stuff out of Worbla, but at some point in the near future when I aim to make my female Malthael from Diablo 3, I would like to try and make some of it out of Eva Foam. I've heard good things about it but never worked with it myself so I'm hoping I'm up to the challenge and it turns out as I envision it.

GG: There are so many different mediums cosplayers use to create their cosplays, if you had to pick one medium to call your favorite which would it be and why?  

Candy: Without a doubt in my mind, Worbla is definitely my favorite to work with, as it's basically play-dough for adults when it comes to cosplay materials.

GG: Everyone makes mistakes! What would be your biggest blunder so far in costuming?

Candy: My biggest mistake so far, would be the bustle from my steam punk Harley Quinn outfit. I had cut out the red perfectly and had thought I had cut the black perfectly as well, but when I lined it up the black side of the bustle was completely backwards. I had to go back to the fabric store and buy all new material for the black half as I didn't have enough to remake it.

Interview with Candy Cosplay

GG:  We all started somewhere.  If you could give one piece of advice to new cosplayers or someone interested in getting into cosplay, what would it be? 

Candy: My advice to new cosplayers or anybody interested is; It doesn't matter what you have to do to create said costume, even if you have to get somebody else to help you make parts of it, or help you create something spectacular, or buy a prop to add on to it. If you love the character you are portraying, and you are proud of what you are wearing, let nobody stop you from being who you want to be.

GG:  Cosplay has become a very popular in the past few years. As the community grows so does the opinions, talents, and overall vibe of convention goers. As someone who has been attending conventions over the last few years,  what is your greatest concern regarding conventions and the state of the community currently? 

Candy: I would say my one of my concerns is people who don't really grasp the idea behind cosplay. Recently at a convention I was attending one of the people entering the convention had asked me why I was dressed up. I had explained to them that it was " Cosplay " where I portray some of my favorite characters from my favorite movies, games, etc. When people don't understand why we dress up in cosplay, usually they are the first ones to poke fun that we are strange, saying that it is a childish hobby. These people are usually the ones that don't understand the immense amount of effort and time that goes into making these outfits.

Interview with Candy Cosplay

GG: A lot of cosplayers are inspired by the work and attitudes of others within the community.  Who are some of your favorite cosplayers and why? Or what inspires you when you decide to take on a new project? 

Candy: My favorite cosplayers would have to be Yaya Han and Jessica Nigri. I love watching the time they put into making their costumes as it always inspires me to make something new. I also really love to see the work of Kamui, as the props and replicas that she makes are truly astounding, and I hope to be able to make props that well once I get better with the materials.

GG: Harassment has become more and more in the community.  What kind of harassment have you personally experienced in the community? 

Candy: Just recently actually, after getting home from a convention, I went out to lunch the next day with a very close friend of mine, who I met through cosplay. We decided to stop in the local cosplay / anime store that we both love near us and during lunch all the way to the store I kept receiving messages from somebody on my cosplay page. He was sending photos repeatedly and constantly asking for me to send him photos, I was very polite and told him that any photos he needed to see were on the cosplay page that I made. After I had politely told him no, he proceeded to send nude photography of himself and demand photos of me. So once I got home I blocked and reported him, but it definitely made for a strange day.

Interview with Candy Cosplay

GG: The more time you spend in the hobby you come in contact with a larger diversity of cosplayers and fans within the community.  What is one thing you wish con-goers/cosplayers would do more or less of?

Candy: As I attend more conventions I would love to see some of the cosplayers and Con-goers getting to know each other better, as you don't seem to meet many people at the conventions that you stay in contact with. Though I'm very hesitant on meeting new people through a convention it would be nice to get to know some of the people who love these conventions as much as I do. I myself for example have met a great deal of fantastic people as I've gotten to know more and more about the cosplay community who I can now call very close friends. Knowing these people and getting along with them so well always gives me something to look forward to when I attend a convention. I know that some of my friends who I met through cosplay will be there to support me or spend the weekend at the conventions with me, and that always makes it better.

Interview by: Geek Girl Jenn Marvel

Cosplayer: Candy Cosplay

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May 20 2016



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