I suddenly felt the need to pay homage to this character, maybe because its one of those old characters i wanted to become, or maybe because the mask is just plain creepy in an industrial sort.
Not sure when i can cosplay him, but i would really like to do some photoshots of me wearing his likeness.
Here is the second part of the blog, which ends our "tour" as Transformers. It was all worth getting free advance screening and premier tickets of the controversial Micheal Bay's Transformers.
I also uploaded my Shockwave costume in DeviantArt, Cosplay.com and Cosplay.ph.
Now the last part of my Shockwave adventure...
[03 Jul 2007|09:56am]
And so ends our "Transformers Tour" as of last weekend.
Its the first time i actually worn my costume thin. I would never ever to do it if i wasnt such a fandom schmuck of the series i was cosplaying. The last time i did that it was my Eva-00 costume, but that was with a time duration of at least 4 times every 30 days. My Shockwave costume ran about 5 times in two weeks.
The first time happend during TOYCON, where over 6 months a group of us wanted to cosplay the G1 Transformers in time with the opening of the movie. The original plan was one of protest, since at the start some of us didnt like what the character concept art had turned out. Not all of us though made it through the deadline. I wouldnt have made it if not for our friend Mark who made his Optimus Prime. 3 weeks before Toycon he showed me his pics and saw that he was done. Ricky was just working on his Devastator limbs. I was just starting on the torso. Jewel was just done with the head. And the rest havent even started at all. So thanks to him it jolted us to finish the costumes on time for the sake of not having our Optimus Prime cosplayer on his lonesome.
Not everyone was able to make it due to one reason or the other. But those who did enjoyed their debut as Transformers at Toycon. After that, everything went uphill for us, fandom-wise.
Cybertron Phils. invited us to help them promote the then-upcoming movie, the CYBERCON 2007 at Shangri-la the next weekend for two days. We originally agreed in exchange for movie passes on the July 28 premier, along with food and storage space (it was a two day event so we were offered to leave our costumes behind in a secured space in the mall). Later on they added cash allowance as a bonus, which we were very grateful (pambawi ng gastos).
So for two days we wowed the Shangri-La crowd and succumbed to a TF Geekfest as we ogled the exhibits and watched Transformers the animated movie on wide screen plasma TV. As a group we had fun sharing experiences after the gig over dinner.
After that we had a nifty surprise again: Cybertron Phils invited us to show up at an exclusive press release of the movie on June 27 at Gateway Cinema, a day before the nationwide release. Some of us were invited to dress up to promote the movie, but i decided to lend my costume to one of the Cybertron guys and instead would watch the movie in earnest and comfort with Jewel and my sister Gail. The show started really early around 7:30pm, i was kinda expecting like 8pm, but i guess everyone needed to go home early.
I have tons to talk about the film but that would be for another entry.
The next day however, we had to go in costume as promised for both Cybertron Phils and HERO TV. This time the movie was held in Megamall and started quite late too, around 9pm. As usual we got free tickets and extras for those who werent able to invite friends last July 27. Again we enjoyed the movie like we in it, lolz! Our costumes were once again taken care of by the Cybertron team to be used on the next gig, on July 1.
July 1 we were invited to help again promote the Transformers Day, a Robinsons Galleria gimmick. I wasnt suppose to wear my costume and instead opted to go as support for those who did. What happened was i ended up using the costume because no one was available to use it. Oh, and the crowd there was much more rowdy than the Shang crowd. Kids were really butt-friendly. They have this disturbing knack of hitting our butts.
Butts
aside, it was just as fun as the last time, for the fact that we get to
interact with a whole new crowd and enjoy each other's stories
afterwards. It was absolutely cute for our friend Mark (Optimus Prime)
to introduce his crush to us (naturally we were NOT to tell her na may
crush siya sa kanya, which was a big mistake, hahaha). With the last of
our allowance we ended up buying TF merchandise (me buying ROBOT HEROES
given the fact that it had the only Shockwave toy in it, but it comes
with the classic Grimlock, which was better). Ricky, our resident
Devastator, was happy with his TF Movie Bumblebee keychain with movable
limbs. The rest of us used the last of our allowance in food and
groceries. And we got posters too. ^_^
So that ends our
"Transformer Tour" and honestly, despite riding the hype, was fun. So
now our costumes are back home, mine in particular taking space in our
garage. The next time ill prolly wear this is probably Halloween,
maintaining the tradition of scaring the kids and giving them candy.
I guess i was being very busy with my career as corporate artist that i have neglected to make this blog what its supposed to be: a detailed update of my cosplay hobby. I have, however, listed my details in my other blog, which was not supposed to be there in the first place. But i was lazy and placed it there anyway.
Now im just copy pasting what i wrote there. Its over a month's old but at least you'd finally see the result of my cosplay work. So without further adieu here is my post about my latest cosplay costume...
[27 Jun 2007|11:02am]
I came as my favorite TF character, who is a Decepticon, and pretty much an underdog in the series: Shockwave. I first loved the character because of his unique design: he does not have a face, which made him more creepy as a Decepticon then Megatron or Starscream ever did. Plus his bio-stats were very vague then, making him quite mysterious and alluring. His British-accent semi-monotone voice in the TV and Animated Movie also added that not-so-robotic touch, as if to contradict his original description as a being of pure logic. But he is, deceptively so, which makes him embody the cliche "More than meets the eye".
See? Geekness.
Neways, after Toycon we were satisfied of throwing the cosplay towel and go on with our mundane lives. Instead we got a chance to show off again at a Transformer-centric convention in Shangri-la Mall called Cybercon 2007. It was exclusive to us Transformer cosplayers so there were just 6 of us, plus two from Cybertron Phils. We walked around the mall in our costumes, and quite literally made gibbering fans of parents instead of their children, although children automatically love giant robot mascots whether you're a Transformer or a Gobot.
I remember this one full grown man suddenly jumped up and down shouting "OMG! OMG! Its Prime! Fucking Optimus Prime!" and had his girlfriend take a picture of our cosplayer friend. There were asian foreigners there, probably Korean, but you have to smile whenever you actually hear them speaking in Engrish. Im kinda glad i wasnt in any kind of Starcraft costume or else they (the Koreans) might keel over and convulse in gamer orgasm.
At the end of the day we had the exhibits to ourselves so we finally were able to see all those wonderful toys. Heck they even got that custom-built "Hearts of Steel" Optimus Prime (for the non-TF geek, Hearts of Steel http://www.idwpublishing.com/titles/transformers/hos.shtml is part of the IDW Publishing's TF:Evolution series, kinda like Marvel's What IF or DC's Elseworlds). Neways, part of the exhibit also featured the Transformers The Animated Movie on a 64 inch plasma screen TV which made it a nice gag for us watching ourselves in TV and making loud comments.
Prime: Oh look! Thats me! Thats me! Im in the movie!
Elita:
You're ALWAYS in the movie! Anyways I hate it because im not in it!
Instead they got some teeny-bopper Leia Organa-inspired robot named
Arcee! What ever happened to women power?!?
Shockwave: You
think thats bad? I only had 2 minutes screen time. Two friggin minutes!
And the only time i actually said something, i was rudely interrupted
by Unicron's planet-sized Bitch-Slap-Of-Doom.
Rumble: OMG! My first appearance there i have Frenzy's color scheme!
Frenzy: Its not so bad, my color scheme is pretty cool!
Rumble: But... but... i happen to like purple a lot!
Frenzy: Great, just great. Gay-bot in disguise? That would explain the pistons then.
Devastator: I think i sounded real cool there! Imagine me saying "Prepare for..."
Everyone: "...Extermination!" Yes, yes, like we havent heard you say that 2 billion times today!
Anyways, never imagined we would have this much exposure (even timing it with the opening, i really thought we would have the BANG we needed at Toycon). But i guess its fun since we are fans of TF we would love to cosplay them again and again. Neways, the free premier tickets we got from all that cosplaying was worth all the soreness we got walking and lugging around our costumes.
I guess the premier would be the last time i would cosplay, even reality such as work would take its toll, so sorry for those who invited us but had to turn down. Even we need to rest.
Check us all out at our online album!
That's it for now.
...I used to post cosplay related stuff here in Vox. Its been a good 5 months.
5 months of not being able to cosplay that is. But things are different now, since im back means im back making all sorts of things cosplay.
Im currently working on my promised SHOCKWAVE costume, you know, that purple thingie you saw in my last Vox journal.
But at the moment, my creation will have to be put on hold because im making another Transformer costume for my girlfriend, and she wanted to be Elita-1.
We'll be showing off our cosplay costumes this coming Toycon on June 16. Wish us luck!
*skitters off to buy rubber sheets*
Been quiet up the Cosplay front.
After Hero Con and Toeinty Con, after finishing organizing conventions and winning a cosplay skit, there's nothing much to do but go back to the grind.
Oh, i did get interviewed twice by Hero, one of which is on international TV ANC (my folks in the US missed it, much to their chagrin and to my relief, cuz i think i stuttered live on cam).
Now me and my fellow moderators/friends of Filcosplay/Cosplay.ph is preparing for our annual Christmas event this coming Saturday, December 16. After that, im taking a loooooong vacation.
I was suppose to go on a trip to Hong Kong to attend a Toy Fair, but had to cancel it cuz my job in Teriyaki Boy got in the way of schedule, but i dont mind since i love my job enough not to regret not being able to go. There's always next time.
Neways, to my friends who are both FC/Cosplay.ph members, and frequent visitors to my Livejournal i know you'll get sick seeing this poster again but i just love it so im putting it here. Sorry guys. :)
Photos and video upload soon!
-------edit snip-----
I found videos of us at YouTube! Thanks to Yojichan for recording our skit!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1oxUGQJn0Y
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-ohoRgHsuI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJIPD3_w_6c
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CP_Vrq7i0k4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkA3D0_Ih7U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1oxUGQJn0Y
So much stage destruction is so much fun, which im glad the audience shared with me. XD Hopefully a better quality video would be available soon, as well as pics. If ever, please check on the galleries section of the website im administering, Cosplay.ph
------edit snip-----
One of my cosplay group friends was so proud of what we did, he made a wallpaper out of us. XD enjoy!
Tomorrows the big day, the day my little stage act will be crunched together by my fellow cosplayers in their usual robot rampage fashion. The sad truth is that i could not see it with my own eyes. T_T So instead my friends will immortalize it on video.
I guess its alright to post draft pics of our stage setup and actor layout, no more cause of secret stuff and all that.
The sizes are just about right, especially when we tested the whole set last saturday. Now tomorrow people will get to see our destructive little act in all its styrofoam glory.
And about the opportunity part? Just this morning, a local anime channel called Hero set me up for a televised interview on costume making. During the shoot, i met this old guy who was selling souvenir mugs. Apparently he was an entrepreneur on an Arts and Crafts business called "The Thought Factory". He was impressed with my costume craft skills and got into a conversation about workstations. There i discovered that he had a 250 sq. meter warehouse that he hasnt used for months and was thinking on what to do with it. I asked if i could talk to him about leasing the place to me so i can convert it into a workshop for cosplay costumes. :D I used to have an idea about having a Cosplay Warehouse to rent for cosplayers having problems storing their extra large or numerous costumes. I guess if things turn out right, it might just come true. I scheduled to meet him next weekend and he agreed. :D
Gets interesting and interesting....
Good luck to the guys doing the stage skit at TOEI Con tomorrow!
Darn, i wish i was two persons tomorrow!
Our whole skit gang was able to attend the scheduled skit practice in Salcedo park in the heart of Makati City. There was this spot in the park that was perfect for practice, the cemented spot was 25 x 25 feet, more then enough to encompass the whole alotted 15 x 25 feet skit area of the actual convention stage. So we brought the whole set and rebuilt the stage, the actors came in with their Super Robot helmets, and the sound guys came with their MP3 player and speakers.
Well, it didn't actually start as smoothly as expected. Two actually came on time, while the rest took almost an hour to be completed. But at least we were completed before the sun went down, so we were able to start the practice.
It strange to see people practicing with robot helmets on, with the complete building set around them, saying lines with the background music and sfx blasting. Needless to say we gathered quite a crowd, mostly children who were asking us if they can jump into the set and be little Godzillas themselves. We told them those scary robot helmet people might beat their tiny asses off the park, just like what they do on TV. Lol! We can be evil sometimes.
But we also attracted some unwanted attention as well. Park security gathered around us but we went on pretending they were lamp posts. One approached me and asked if we had a permit, which of course i had to be honest and answered that we didnt. They asked us when we will be finished, and i told them in an hour or so. But since we had set up our stage and were already entertaining some park visitors, they let us be, but not without having us feel their presence by hovering around our practice area.
But we were done after about two hours and packed up and had dinner. But it was ok since that was our last practice (we had a total of 3 practices already, so we were confident). And all i can say is that our special effect for Getter Beam came out rather brimming with innuendo, ahahaha!
My real tragedy in all this is that i cannot see the whole skit with my own eyes, have work in another convention. :(
In continuation with my present stage project, i finally was able to create these little creations of mine using styrofoam boards and latex paint. I had fun duplicating familiar buildings in our city, like our malls, stock exchange and business buildings, and naturally our centerpiece the Makati City Hall. Just to make it official, this is not a form of political statement that City Hall would be our main explosive climax in the skit, its just that in every city being destroyed by aliens, giant robots or monsters, its always has to include some political office.
Take Godzilla for example, heck in almost every movie he made, it always included the destruction of Tokyo's Diet Building. Independence Day movie had the White house demolished by a flying saucer. Why not have mine obliterated by Super Robots?
Originally i wanted them to be just as colorful as their counterparts but decided against it for these reasons:
1) Their dull grey color would make the Super Robots stand out more with their more striking primary colors.
2) Less paint means less cost. XD
3) Suddenly lazy.
As for size reference, City Hall stands around 6 feet tall. Most of the actors are around 5 feet to 5'9" so they're pretty much proportioned.
The Sound Guys did a wonderful job with the music and dub sounds. :D It was so professionally done! All the actors have to do is follow the sound cues.
Btw, the buildings are far from done. They arent "knockdown-re-assemble" friendly yet where the building just dont fall down, they crumble like real buildings do. I'll probably have it done over the weekend.
I love Halloween when i was a kid. I get to dress up in cheezy and tacky costumes, roam around the neighborhood with a paper bag and demand candy from the neighbors or have their roofs pelted with rocks.
Now im grown up, i still love Halloween and get to dress up in much more impressive looking set of rags, except that now i dont roam around the neighborhood and greet the little kids with my imposing stature and a sackful of candies to give away.
Except that God decided to give back all the little naughty things i did as a kid on Halloween, with hordes of costumed kids who would like nothing better to do than demand candy from me or have my sides poked, pinched and punched like crazy.
It started last year that we've hope would become tradition. Last year a friend of mine and fellow cosplayer just moved in their new neighborhood. And to celebrate their first Halloween there, and to get the opportunity to get good karma points, she decided to invite all of her friends to gather their best looking costumes we did that year and parade ourselves in front of their driveway in exchange of a small party afterwards with food, drinks and bouts with Mr. XBox. Last year the lineup was Alien (the kind that hates Sigourney Weaver), Digimon cast Devilmon and the cowgirl kid Mimi Tachigawa, Trinity of the Matrix and an Angel of Defiling Tears (if you are a Magic the Gathering fan, you'd know her). This year the lineup included Ragnarok's Blood Butterfly worn by my cosplay friend's daughter Akira, Queen Amidala in her bedroom dress, the Mirror Queen of Brother's Grimm movie, and me in my robot Accretia costume.
I got there rather late, with my friends already on front parading and mingling with the kids and their adult and not-so-adult chaperons. But like last year, we were the bane of all traffic officers there. Cars literally stopped in their tracks to view and take pictures of us, with their kids asking them to bring them down so they can come up close. My girlfriend the Mirror Queen sat on the outdoor rock garden giving away candies, while the rest made sure that this would be a bit less like the sharkbait feeding frenzy we experienced last year.
The kids treated me like their mascot. Its nice to hear the little tykes debating whether i was a real robot or a guy in a robot suit. The debate finally ended when one of them decided to give me a rather painful poke on my clothed-clad sides and exclaimed "Its a guy in a robot suit! When i poked his sides it was wet!" Ooooookay, that was embarrassing. It was humid and i was sweating, so kill me.
We did this for over an hour and i had to call it quits when one of my boots gave in (it was shoddy work, and the stilts gave way after all that walking). So after 6:30pm we officially ended out Halloween gig and started the most important part of evening: dinner, drinks, and bouts with Mr. XBox.
Btw, Robot Chicken rocks!
Recent Comments
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Goddess of Happiness said:
[참 좋습니다]Argh! Mukhang di ako aabot ng 16 (punyetang salary, di ko makuha-kuha). T^T Would you know if the rubber sheets... read more
on A long time ago... -
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Babelglyph said:
[this is good]Totally awesome!! You should add the videos to your Vox account so we can say those are good, too. :D... read more
on :D -
Sorry, they're not open on sundays. read more
on A long time ago...