Cosplay: “short for “costume play”, is an activity in which participants wear costumes and accessories to represent a specific character or idea from a work of fiction.” (Wikipedia definition)
We’ve all seen them. Pictures of people dressing up as Goku or Aerith, sexy versions of Velma from Scooby Doo, Slave Leia’s at San Diego Comic Con, professionals like Yaya Han and Jessica Nigri bringing life to characters we all love. Ejen Chuang is a man with a mission: to travel across the country to multiple conventions and capture and compile into a book the most brilliant and fun cosplays he can find. I was lucky enough to get in contact with him via email to ask him a few questions.
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How did you come up with Cosplay in America?
I came up with the name Cosplay in America because it was simple and to the point. There was no mistaking what the book was about. The idea of the book came about when Bill, an owner of an independent bookstore in Downtown Los Angeles, saw my Cosplay photos from Anime Expo 2008 and suggested making a book. From there, I stumbled down the rabbit hole into what it has become today. If I had never driven by the Los Angeles Convention Center and seen the sign advertising Anime Expo 2008, Cosplay in America would have never existed.
What were some of the most intricate cosplays you’ve ever photographed?
There are so many out there that I wouldn’t be able to pick just one. I would suggest to anyone they take a chance and attend a pretty good size convention in the United States and you’ll see wonders and ask yourself, “How did they even DO that?”
What has been something negative you experienced and how did you get over that problem?
Fear is my greatest enemy and the only way to handle fear is to do it. When I did my book, I had no experience in the publishing world or marketing world at all. I sank three credit cards and took out a loan to finance the book – the fear was strong that I would not succeed. To make sure people knew about the book, I started traveling the country, again financed on credit cards. Through the sales of the books, I managed to pay my expenses. I wouldn’t call it making a living but I did manage to have a good time for a while. I would say to get over any problem takes facing the fear and doing it anyways. What is the worst that is gonna happen?
Can you tell me about your Kickstarter project?
For years people suggested I use Kickstarter and it wasn’t until earlier this year that I knew how to tackle the idea of a sequel to the first book. In some ways, the second book mirrors the first book – portraits of Cosplayers taken at different conventions around the country. How it diverges is the behind the scenes – the process of creation, preparation, the convention scene, and such.
Do you cosplay?
I casually cosplay but since Cosplay in America has taken off, I’ve spent a lot of time maintaining the site through photos and videos at conventions. That said, I tend to cosplay at local conventions where I can be more relaxed.
What are your goals for the future?
I’d like to continue making my own work – either in a print or web format and I’d like to somehow make a living doing this. I realized that the saying is true. It is the journey, not the destination. I figured you had to know what you wanted to do when you are young but I now realized I’d rather experiment and see where life takes me. You can’t plan life out …. though I tried.
Where did you go to school? What else do you do?
I attended the University of North Texas and graduated with a general Bachelor of Science degree. I spent many years working in the photography industry as a photographer, photographer’s assistant, as well as working in a film lab, equipment rental facility, and as a production assistant.
What would you say to encourage some aspiring cosplay artists or photographers?
Same advice I would say for what anyone wants to do with their life: Explore, try different things. Listen to others, but at the same time form your own opinion. Do the work for yourself. Just because someone is doing something that way doesn’t mean you have to follow the same path. There are many different ways to take a photo. There are many different ways to craft a cosplay. Pick what interests you the most. Somehow along the way, you’ll find your path.
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Cosplay in America is an amazing idea. It’s so cool that Mr. Chuang was able to explore and shoot many beautiful and colorful cosplayers. As a semi-new cosplayer myself, I can appreciate Chuang’s vision of sharing with the world the art form of cosplay. For me, cosplaying is more than just creating and putting together costumes, but also a celebration of diversity. Cosplay in America seems to highlight diversity as well as its other virtues. He hopes with his newest book to dive into the world even deeper, by exploring the culture and how these artists go about creating their elaborate costumes and props. Hopefully you all will check out Cosplay in America! Make sure to take a look at his Kickstarter idea!
Sources
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C…
Photos from:
http://www.cosplayinamerica.com/