Showing posts with label ECC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ECC. Show all posts

6 November 2012

ECC: Oh boy what a weekend

I wanted to write about the first feelings of the MCM Expo and Eurocosplay straight away after I arrived back to Finland, but I’ve been waiting for the results and some pics. But here we go! This will not be the last thing I’ll write about the competition because I want to say some stuff also in Finnish at some point. So this will be a report about the trip. Other snippets of my thoughts concerning ECC can also be found here, but only in Finnish: http://desucon.fi/desucon/blogi/2012/11/kolmas-kierros-ecc-finaalissa

Picture by Matias Tukiainen
I came on the 30th place in the competition. No surprise there for me as I’m always the most sceptic and pessimistic about my own costumes.  A week before Expo I was literally crying because I didn’t want to go to London at all. I also felt like shit because I wasn’t happy with my costume and felt so embarrassed to go at the same competition with so many amazing and epic costumes. 

But luckily with the support of my friends the feelings of giving up went away and I decided that even if I wasn’t that happy with the costume, I could and would give my fullest to the skit and all the things outside the competition.  I went to UK to really represent Finland as a European cosplay country, fully prepared to meet new people and make friends with all of them and to know more about cosplay in other countries.

And now afterwards… I don’t even hate my costume. There are lots of things I’d do completely over if I started it now, but that’s how I feel about pretty much every costume I’ve done. I watched my skit and I liked it. And I’m sure I’ve never talked so much in one weekend during my life, so the stereotype of a shy and quiet Finns has been shattered! All and all I had such amazing time there and made so many new friends that I’m still overwhelmed. I’m happy I decided to leave all the stress behind to Finland. I did cry a bit after my skit out of sheer exhaustion and relief, but other than that brief moment, I had a blast! 

It was snowing in Helsinki when I left!
London underground! Love love love!

I arrived to London on Friday and after picking up my Expo badge, I went to hotel that was just about 500 m away from the Excel Centre. I must have looked so like a stereotypical tourist during the whole day because I was so excited about EVERYTHING. Flying, airport, underground, different kind of houses, hotel and the Excel Center. I’ve been to London once before, but still it amazes me and after this trip I feel like have to go back soon to just wonder around the city. This time I only saw the Heathrow airport and the tubes on the way to Ecxel and the hotel. 

My room, when it still was clean.
Excel Centre


You can’t compare the MCM Expo to any event in Finland, because the amount of people is so different, and because we don’t really have any fairs or expos about anime here, just different kinds of conventions. Basically the place is a huge hall, with hundreds of people selling stuff from wooden props to manga, and places for game demos, dance shows and so on. There was a lot of cosplay from all different fandoms and lot more ready-bought costumes than we have in Finland. Also I saw more male cosplayers in the first 30 minutes in the Expo than I’ve seen in Finland for the past four years. :D Not complaining about that!

People lining up during Saturday morning. A few of them.

First thing I saw there: people dancing Macarena. (And I was like "YEAAH! No caramelldancen!". And then they danced that one as well...)

We had a party in the evening at Expo, where it was so much fun to talk to people and see all the faces I so far had seen only in Facebook. Since we all only had badges with our names on them (though I did write “Finland” in mine) it was kind of hard to remember who was representative, who were their friends and from which country everyone was from. But as we all laughed, it would still have been hard to recognize one another next day with everyone's costume on. :D But still, for the next years I do hope they’ll have some kitschy flag things or some other way to see who’s a contestant. With such a big group of people it might be hard to actually introduce everyone to one another, but it would have been great if the judges for example had been introduced to us. Only by the time of the stage number lottery we did get some clearer idea who was who. 

Friday night.
The stage order.


But we had so much fun and I talked to so many people (and for those of you wondering, I do speak quite a lot better English than I write :D) and tasted many different candies and sweets from different countries, even though I had to decline some in order to fit in Bayonetta’s costume the following day. We Finns of course brought some salmiakki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salty_liquorice) with us, though not so many were brave enough to taste it! I also got to have a sneak peek of the stage. Then it looked far smaller than I had thought!

There was this really spooky side road to the hotel that I just had to take! (no, just kidding, it only looks spooky in this picture)
I went to sleep by midnight, because I really didn’t have anything left to do with the costume. And I actually slept all right, though in the morning I felt like I could have slept a lot longer. I guess the few hours per night –sleeps from the previous week were taking their toll on me. We had rehearsals on stage in the morning, but didn’t put my costume on yet, so I went thought the skit in my normal clothes once to see how the stage size and shape worked. Then I had hours of leisure time ahead of me because my judging was to happen at 14:30.


 If I had felt like a little bad about my costume in home, for a moment I felt like shit because the other competitors costumes were soooo good! So detailed and well made, I’ve never seen so many so amazing costumes in a one (or actually two) rooms at once. But once I was past the whole “I suck” phase, it was great to see all the costumes come together and to be able to help other as well. The atmosphere in the changing room was just as good as ever in a Finnish competition, almost everyone was chatty and friendly and borrowed stuff for each other and so on. 

The dressing room.

I was travelling all by myself, but Heidi and Matias were in London on a K-ON-holiday and in the Expo as well, so they helped me out a lot during Saturday. Bayonetta was actually quite comfortable outfit to wear, only the heels gave me some pain, especially when I had walked so much during the previous day. Judging was really quick and after that just few hours wait to get on stage. Heidi was the cutest Rikka when she put my props on stage. 

Just before going on stage, dancing Gangnam Style it seems! Thaks N8e-photography for this one.

Here's a better video. For those of you who can't see it because the copyright things, try ProxTube ;) My part starts in 15 mins.



And heres the whole competition, my part starts in 45 mins.

Bayonetta disapproves. Picture by foxychan81

I wanted to do a funny skit because even though Bayonetta is so sexy and epic and all, the game itself has lots of humor or at least that’s how I see it. So my skit was about Bayonetta shopping in Rodin's armory, dancing and finding out that every weapon has some fault. It fit the theme of the game quite nicely. The skit went ok, the lights were a bit too dark in the beginning and oh gosh how I’ve laughed at my facial expression on the on-stage pictures! But I had so much fun on stage, and I hope the audience saw that as well. Too bad the live-stream didn’t work at all.

I heard this is a German thing. Sure looks sexy.
Bad quality, but of course I had to take a picture with an angel :D

Backstage

Rikka is kissing a dragon :3

Some of us went to dinner on Saturday night and again, so lovely people and so much fun talking to everybody.  On Sunday I just went to Expo for a few hours before I had to go to the airport. I watched the beginning of the judges panel, but the whole “Let’s watch pictures of our cosplay from Facebook” –thing wasn’t that interesting, especially when I’d already seen most of the pics. I was too hungry to stay ‘till the end, but I hope the questions and answers part was more interesting to watch and listen. 

Too bad I didn't take that many pictures with everyone, this one I stole from the lovely Begum, taken in the restaurant on Saturday evening.

The judges
Too bad I didn’t have a chance to properly say goodbye to everyone, I really hope I had stayed in London for at least one night more, but nope, off to Heathrow. Thanks to delayed flights I had to stay in Helsinki for one night before finally going home on Monday. 

My loot.
Now after little over a week I feel like I might have slept enough and don’t feel exhausted all the time! Seeing all the costumes up close, I feel so inspired and want to do like so many costumes right away now now now! So yep, on towards the new projects, even though I do feel a bit relieved that there's no cosplay competition for the next 6 months or so that I could participate in. So now it’s time for all the nice and non-stressful costumes. 

awwww so cute!

This time do want to say a few special thanks. For some reason white faux leather was virtually impossible to find in Finland, but thanks to Iris, Perho and her sister I finally got the perfect leather for the gloves. The golden chain was my biggest worry, and when - with the best internet detective Heidi - we found the perfect chain, there wasn’t any store that would ship it to Finland. Thousands thanks to lovely Marika who helped me with the chain. And without the help and support I got from my home team H&H, the whole trip could not have happened. And all of you in Twitter and Facebook, thank you so much for the support. 

Thank you Madu for these pictures

It was an honor to represent Finland and such an amazing weekend, that I’ll definitely remember it for the rest of my life. And I’m sure to keep in touch with the friends I made there and I’m already kind of planning to go to a convention outside Finland at some point…

All of us! Thank you all once more and congratulations to the winners!

And even though Bayonetta was a pain in the ass (hah hah) at some points, I feel like I learned so much while doing it, that I just have to make some other leather-bodysuit-thingy at some point. Or actually I kind of already bought the fabrics… :D


Perho, this one's for you.


Ilona

25 October 2012

London calling!

Long time no blog! "Kirjoittelen pitkästi ennen lähtöä, varmasti otan kivoja kuvia ennen Lontoota." Hah, hah, hah! Saamattomuuteni syyn ehkä arvaattekin, nytkin pitäisi olla jo nukkumassa, kun viideltä kutsuu lentokenttä ja Lontoo, mutta vielä olisi pakkaamista tehtävänä. Viime Hetki on paras, mutta nyt on nahkahaalari pakattuna ja voin jättää stressin ja huolet tänne Suomen puolelle.

Lehmämatkalaukku! Ja pyssy! (joka toivottavasti pääsee Englantiin asti... Itken jos turvatarkastus sen takavarikoi!)

Mutta niille, jotka ette Facebookissa ole jo huuteluja kuulleet, live-streami lauantaisesta kisasta löytyy täältä: 


Kisailut alkavat lauantaina klo 19 Suomen aikaa. Lavajärjestys selviää meille vasta perjantaina, mutta eiköhän tuolla shöwta ja meininkiä ole tarjolla koko parituntisen ajan. Tämän vuoden streamin lupailtiin olevan vielä viime vuotta laadukkaampi, joten kisakatsomoiden ei tarvitse pidellä korviaan ihan tuskastuneena.

Kunhan Suomen kamara taas on jalkojen alla, lupaan palailla aktiivisemman blogailunkin pariin :)

Ilona

Translation: HOLY SHI---- LONDON TOMORROW!


30 September 2012

ECC: WHAT, LESS THAN A MONTH TO GO?!

Actually I'm just kidding. I’m quite well aware of the time. Lots and lots of things to do and so on, but my style of doing has always been like this: last minute is the best inspiration. I need to get in to the flow mood in order to get things done the way I like them. 

Glasses on their way. At the moment with the right rainbowish colors.
While making my last costume, Leon, a friend of mine asked why I didn’t  just do one piece at a time and make it ready. Wouldn’t it be easier to keep track what was done if I actually first made the shoes, then start with the wig and so on. I was like Whoah. Can you do that?! ‘ Couse I sure can’t. I just randomly do things that I happen to like to do at that moment, or that need to be done in order to do something else. My chaotic method works for me. Or well, works and works, it always gives me the false feeling that I’m almost ready, when in fact there’s tons of the finishing things to be done. 

This was just a silly pic to check out the lenght of the hairpiece. I've shorten it about 5cm, so it's not so like Marge Simpson hair. I hope.
The lack of updates is usually explained either by the fact that I haven’t been doing anything cosplay related and I’m too embarrassed to admit in the blog, or that I’m so excited about doing stuff that I can’t take a long enough brake to write or choose pictures. That’s why using facebook as a quicker way to let everyone know I’m actually doing something is quite nice. This time it’s both reasons, there’s been so many lazy days when I haven’t felt like doing or writing anything, and those days that I’m on fire with the costume I just can’t make my self sit by the computer. 

Felt like I was back in school, in a geometric class when drawing these out :D
And some shoes. They were good but needed like an extra half an inch to them, so I used a piece of Worblas that I had from the Dog Day's costume. I have to wear these for the next month in order to walk with them the way Bayonetta does :P
It wasn’t a surprise that I love Bayonetta’s outfit, because of the details. The leather magic hair thing isn’t so nice to sew and really not that flattering, but all the details are so nice! I’ve just been jumping around with joy of making all the bits and pieces. Most of the small things, like the circles in the back, the hair ribbon, the glasses are almost done, same with the shoes. The wig was supposed to be ready this weekend, but I just had the sudden urge to do the guns instead of fighting with the fibers. So maybe some wig action tomorrow. 

I really would love to have a working space that's something else than my kitchen table, because I tend to make some mess.
The plane tickets are bought, hotel and everything ready. I just need to decide whether to use my mom’s old luggage or actually buy myself a new one. (For once I’ll have luggage with me! I usually fly with just the hand bag) It depends on the amount of stuff I'll be needing, Bayonetta herself should fit in quite a small package expect for the wig. And because I’ll be staying in London only for the weekend, I will not have time shop too many shoes or dresses. I think. 

So much fake leather... and from this pile of fabric, only one was good.
I still haven’t decided whether I’ll take some other costume with me for the Sunday or not. I’ll not have time to make a new one, so some simple and not too space consuming outfit might be good. Ichika, or Sonoshee maybe? I’m so excited about the whole convention, meeting everyone and seeing London again. The whole competition is like the nice bonus and excuse to get to know amazing people all over Europe and thanks to Facebook, I already know many of them.

My very first business cards! They turned out great, and in them you can see my love for Final fantasy, side characters, props and a typical finnish lake view.

And now I’m off to do some late night sewing to finish the shoes. I’ll promise to do at least one good wip- update before actually flying to UK, and my sincere goal is to get good pictures of the costume before the convention, just in case it breaks during the flight or something. 

Ilona

ps. Traconista pitäisi kirjoitella varmaan vielä jotain, mutta odottelen vielä meidän kisaajien virallisia poseerauskuvia. Luultavasti saatte vaan kuvapäivityksen, kun kerkiän tässä jo unohtamaan, mitä kaikkea piti kirjoittaa :P

6 August 2012

ECC: Decision time

Hölpöttelin ECC –puvustani viikonloppuna niin paljon, että pitää äkkiä julkistaa se bloginkin puolella. Assemblyä ja muuta sitten seuraavassa päivityksessä.
***

Wow, can’t believe it’s already like two months since I won the Eurocosplay Championship premiere in Desucon. To be quite honest, it hasn’t really sunk in yet.

But the time flies and even though the finale is in the end of October, it really is time to start with the finale costume. Or atleast start to collect the fabrics, paints, all the bits and pieces. But most importantly, time to decide the costume. 

Sheryl on stage in Desucon
I didn’t want to take Sheryl with me to London, even though I’m really happy with the costume. The skit requiered such big props that I really did not want to travel with them, and since the skit and the costume have been so closely linked in my head for like half a year, I wanted to start fresh.

I had a few ideas. Maybe finally finish with Ashelia’s wedding dress I had in the premiere a year ago. Maybe bake the worst pies in London, or do some other costume I have been planning for years. But actually my costume for the finals was decided in my head on one night (or was it morning already?) in May. I had the most wonderful day with friends, eating mudcake, watching anime, drinking. And then somehow, thanks to my dear friends, I ended up playing a game, that I’ve been curious about for years, and only the fact I didn’t own a console to play with, had kept me from byuing it. I played for a bit. And the I said, asjoke:

“When I win the premiere, I’ll do Bayonetta for London”

Three months laters not only have I bought a ps3 and the game for myself, I also won the premiere. I’m going to London. And desbite all the other ideas, this lovely lady has been on the back of my mind all the time. Actually only reason I would have said no to cosplaying her, would be if I had hated the game. I didn’t hate it. It was frustrating, it was so hard at times, but I liked it. And I’ve loved Bayonetta’s desing ever since I first saw her.

You just have to love her.
And since Finland has been represented in leather pants so far in the last two years, it only seems right to go even a bit futher.


So here we go. Ebay’s been busy for the last few days and I’ve been drawing desings like crazy. This just might be the hardest costume I’ve done so far, atleast it’s so different from anything I’ve ever done. But can’t wait to actually start with it! The only reason I’m not already sewing like crazy, is the Finnish premiere for WCS in a month. When I get that costume done, it’s all about Bayonetta for the rest of the year! And I’ll make sure to update the progress here in blog in english as well.

Ilona

14 June 2012

Desu 2012: Minä vahingossa ECC, tämä paha?

Desucon-päivitysten loppumaton virta alkakoon tästä! Tämä päivitys on ihan puhdasta kisafiilistelyä, jotain fiksumpaa (hah) juttua puvusta ja kaikesta muusta saatte myöhemmin.

En ole vieläkään täysin tiedostanut, että oikeasti voitin Eurocosplayn karsinnan ja lähden lokakuussa Lontooseen. Oletan, että kunhan puhun ja kirjoitan lauantain tapahtumista riittävästi, alkaa koko juttu vähän kirkastua. ”Miltä nyt tuntuu?” kysymyksiin vastaan edelleen, että aivan selittämättömän, käsittämättömän upealta!
Viime vuoden kisafiilikset voitte käydä kertaamassa täällä. Silloin olin äärimmäisen epävarma puvustani ja pääsin lavalle melkein pelkästään muiden ihmisten kannustamisen takia. Oletin olevani kisan viimeinen, joten yllätys kolmannesta sijasta oli melkoinen. Kuten ehkä näkyi itkemisen määrästä.

Tänä vuonna oli jännästi hyvin erilainen ja samanlainen tilanne yhtä aikaa. Pukuun olin täysin tyytyväinen. No kenkiä lukuun ottamatta, mutta kuitenkin. Puku oli sellainen, että oletin sillä pärjäävän. Lavasteet ja esitys olivat muhineet mielessäni yli puolen vuoden ajan ja pidin niistä itse ihan hirveästi. Olin oikeastaan tosi luottavaisin mielin menossa kisaamaan vielä lauantaina aamulla.

Ja sitten hain lavasteet pois autosta kello yksi lauantaina. Lavasteiden taustalevyt on kaksi 2m mittaista finnfoamlevyä, jotka olivat vielä Kuopiosta lähtiessä oikein hyvässä kunnossa. Jätin lavasteet kuitenkin koko perjantaiksi autoon, koska en tahtonut viedä niitä esim bäkkärille, koska oletin, että muutkaan kisaajat eivät saisi kamojaan tuoda ennen lauantain kisaa (noh, cosplayvastaava kyllä sanoi, että kuka tahansa kisaaja olisi kyllä saanut tavaroitaan tuoda jos olisi pyytänyt) enkä narikkanatsina tahtonut kuormittaa jo valmiiksi täyttä narikkaa yhtään enempää.

Kaiken miun lauantaisen stressin ja ahdistuksen syynä oli siis oikeastaan desusää. Ja se, ettei desusäätä ollut perjantaina. Koska finnfoam-levyt + auringossa lämpenevä auto = vääntyneet finnfoam –levyt. Lavasteet, joiden kokoamisen piti olla aika simppeli homma, muuttuivatkin vesiputousten aiheuttajiksi, kun koetin suoristaa levyjä. Eiväthän ne mitään suoristuneet, joten parin tunnin ajan ennen kisaa lähinnä kiroilin ja stressasin takahuoneessa. Tuomaroinnissa sentään osasin muistaakseni noudattaa oma ohjettani ja olla kertomatta mikä kaikki oli menossa pieleen. Elämäni stressaavimpia hetkiä oli ne pitkät minuutit, kun muut kisaajat olivat lavalla ja miun omat lavasteeni olivat sermin takana kuten joten kokoon kyhättyinä.


Ekat itkut tuli kyllä vasta siinä vaiheessa, kun cosplayvastaava kysyi, että olenko kunnossa. Onneksi olin toiseksi viimeisenä lavalla, kerkesin parkua parin vesiputouksen verran kyyneleitä ja rauhoittua ennen lavalle menoa. Niinpä lavalle ei mennyt lavasteista stressannut Ilona, vaan keikkoja rutiinilla heittävä ja jokaisesta sekunnista lavalla nauttiva galaktinen diiva Sheryl. En muista juuri mitään lava-ajasta, päätin vaan antaa mennä. Esitys oli harjoiteltu sen sata kertaa, tosin ei kertaakaan lavasteiden kanssa tai edes kaikki vaatteet päällä.

Joonas Forsell kuvasi

Lavalla oli Sheryl, heti kun astuin lavalta pois, oli taas Ilonan itkuvesiputous bäkkärin pukuhuoneessa. Esityksestä ei jäänyt itselleni oikein mitään fiilistä, se vaan meni, ja kaikki lavastestressi ja ahdistus ja pettymys purkautui taas sitten vollotuksena. Hallcosplayn ajan itkemisen jälkeen olo oli taas aika tyhjä. Onneksi juonto ei kuulunut kauhean hyvin pukuhuoneisiin asti, muuten olisin kuunnellut palkintojenjaon sieltä ja joutunut juoksemaan melkoisen matkan lavalle.

Miulta pari ihmistä kysyikin jo lauantaina, että olinko muka oikeasti yllättynyt, että sijoituin. No edes minä en ole niin tyhmä, että jos miulla olisi aavistustakaan siitä, että haen lavalta palkintoa, heittäisin puolet vaatteistani pois, itkisin irtoripset silmistäni ja näyttäisin muutenkin ihan puolipukeiselta! Vielä joskus lupaan näyttää edustavalta myös palkintojenjaossa, ilman itkemistä ja oikeasti kisapuku päällä!

Kimmy kuvasi, näytän just siltä että padot murtuu uudestaan sekunnin päästä.

Ensimmäistä kertaa uskalsin katsoa oman esitykseni näin pian tapahtuman jälkeen, yleensä en siihen pysty.  Tässä ensin vähän huonommalla laadulla, mutta varsin läheltä kuvattuna, alkaen about 41 minsan kohdalta:


Ja tästä se löytyy 8 minuutin kohdalta OF:n kuvaamana katsomon yläosasta


Ja näin tälleen jälkikäteen on pakko kommentoida (että ohoh, pyllyni!) että eihän tuo niin pahalta edes näytä. Nuo lavasteet siis. Esityksen kikat kuten setelit hihoista ja veren yskiminen onnistuivat, kaiken kaikkiaan homma meni siis paljon paremmin kuin mitä lauantain jälkeen itse oletin. Eli okei, myönnän, vähän oli ehkä turhaa se kauhea parkuminen kisan jälkeen, ennen kisaa stressasin kyllä ihan oikeasti ja aiheesta, koska voi vääntyvät finnfoamit. Tarkempia kuvauksia lavasteista ja puvusta saatte vielä, kunhan kaivelen kuvat tietokoneeni syövereistä. Videotakin voisin melkein lupailla, ainakin jos vielä muutama lukija ilmestyisi ja saisin nätin 150 täyteen bloggerin lukijoihin.

Odotatte kaikki varmaan, että otan oman lusikkani ja pyöräytän sitä tässä draamasopassa, joka voitostani nousi? Enpä aio sitä oikeastaan tehdä, kaikki oleellinen ja virallinen on jo sanottu täällä ja varsinainen vastine täällä. Minulla ei narikkavastaavan ole ollut mitään tekemistä kisajärjestelyjen kanssa (lol, tänä vuonna en valinnut itse edes narikkavänkäreitäni ;D), enkä saanut minkäänlaista erityiskohtelua verrattuna muihin kisaajiin. Jos näin olisi ollut, niin ulina olisi ihan aiheellista.

Niin monet ovat olleet huolissaan, että otanko ihan kamalasti itseeni kaikki kommentit ja kritiikin, mutta ei huolta. En ota. Miusta keskustelu tuomaroinnista ja esimerkiksi mahdollisesta jääviydestä on oikeasti ihan paikallaan, eihän siitä ole pitkä aika kun aiheesta itsekin kirjoitin. Tässä tapauksessa taitaa vaan olla kyse ennen muuta väärinkäsityksistä ja siitä, että kommentoijat eivät tunne cosplaykisojen ja conien järjestämistapoja. Mutta luotan siihen, että tästäkin keskustelusta voi poimia niitä oikeasti oleellisia ja rakentavia pointteja ja ajatuksia.

Eniten olen pahoillani tuomareiden puolesta, jotka tämmöiseen höykytykseen joutuivat, omasta puolestani en voi olla lähinnä naureskelematta varsinkin vähemmän rakentaa palautetta sisältäville kommenteille. Koska toki tiedän oman pukuni ja esitykseni kaikki virheet tuhat kertaa paremmin kuin kukaan takarivistä sitä seurannut taneli ja kyllä kisaesityksiä saa arvostella, eri mieltä saa olla, kritiikkiä saa antaa. Jos jonkun mieli paranee siitä, että pääsee miun pukuani tai esitystäni haukkumaan ja arvostelemaan, niin en minä siitä rikki mene, enkä menetä edes yöuniani.

Kuulopuheet on paras :D ja taidottomuus :D

Ilona

ps. No olihan se ECC-voittokin ihan jees, mutta cosplayurani huippu on kyllä tässä:
EI IHAN HUONO!