Have you always dreamed of becoming one of the most famous cosplayers? Cosplaying isn’t easy and it takes a lot of practice, hard work, creative skills, and preparation to become famous.
While becoming a professional cosplayer won’t happen overnight, there are ways to help you reach your dream. Cosplay is not just about wearing costumes and imitating your favorite anime character. If you want to take your cosplays to the next level, here are a few tips to help you get started.
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Tips For Becoming A Famous Cosplayer
Most cosplayers had very little money and resources when they were starting out. Cosplaying can be very expensive, especially if you have to build everything from scratch. Some people, mainly students, start their fan pages through Facebook or Instagram, and they try to sell their arts or rent their cosplay costumes so that they can support themselves in their passion.
If you want to be a famous cosplayer, you need to work hard in building a support group and hustle to be able to afford the cost of cosplaying.
Beware Of Competition
Cosplay competition can be very discouraging, especially if you are not winning. But don’t let this affect your passion for it. Rather, make this an inspiration for getting better the next time you enter a contest. Improve yourself and observe how the winners performed in the competition.
It would be best if you also watch out for cults and cliques. These are very common to the cosplay world, but you may want to stay away from them. Some cliques and cults destroy others to keep their cosplay secrets.
These may sound very childish actions but they really happen in the cosplay world. So it is better to avoid those kinds of cliques and cults and just try to make new friends without getting into that kind of behavior.
Socializing Is Important
Socializing with other cosplayers is a very important thing if you want to be a famous cosplayer. Some people just focus on their crafts and forget about how important making friends in the industry is. Make time to make new friends because these people will also inspire you and get you motivated to do better. Remember that cosplaying should always be fun and doesn’t always have to be very competitive.
Start Using Social Media
If you want to be a famous cosplayer, then you need to have a social media presence. Take advantage of different social media channels such as Facebook, YouTube, or Instagram. Post pictures of yourself in costumes and showcase your cosplay makeup and costume-making talents. You can also post about cosplay conventions and events you attended. Having a good social media presence can attract clients or sponsorships to earn you more money.
You need to gain more followers to become known in the community, and you can do this by engaging with your followers. Also, remember to use the same profile picture on all your social media accounts to build and maintain a reputation.
Remember to maximize your use of social media and utilize it to your advantage. You can also join forums; it’s a great way of meeting people and gain more fans.
Wear Costumes That Work For You
Not everything that works well for others will work for you. Cosplay is a growing industry and some people become famous by following the trend, but others do not.
You just need to know what works for you and always try to learn new things and trends about cosplay. Also, being popular is nothing if you don’t enjoy the craft anymore. Cosplay starts with people who want to have fun dressing up and portraying their favorite characters.
Though many people have made cosplay a career, you need to bear in mind why you like to cosplay in the first place. Don’t make cosplay all about fame and fortune because you will miss the true essence of its art.
Attend Cosplay Events
You won’t be a famous cosplayer if you don’t attend many conventions or cosplay events. You can start by attending small events near you. Attending your first event can be intimidating but it can be less daunting if you totally prepare for it.
It’s fine if you get nervous at first, but you’ll get used to it once you have a first-hand experience of attending one. Remember to enjoy and have fun during such an event; otherwise, there’s no point in going to a con.
Once you have attended your first cosplay convention, you may now be looking forward to bigger conventions such as Fan Expo, Gamescon, Comicon, Comiket, and Anime Expo. If you happen to attend to any of these, it is a great indication that you are already known in the cosplay community.
Famous Cosplayer Secrets
Not all cosplayers will make it big even if they follow all the tips above. You need to be unique, creative and have that certain charisma that can make you stand out from the rest. Here we’ll share some of the cosplayers’ secrets that become famous and known in the cosplay universe.
Choose Your Character Carefully
You need to be able to determine what character best fits you. The character of your choice must be tailored to your looks, personality, and build. It’s not that you can’t portray characters that don’t have the same build as you, rather you’ll give more justice to the characters if in any way you have the same build as they do.
Become The Character
It’s not enough for you to simply put on your character’s costume and say that’s it! You have to bring the character to life. You have to learn your character’s personality and act like them. You have to make people feel that they are indeed talking to the real character when interacting with you.
Costume play is not just about the crafts but it also entails acting like your character. Famous cosplayers will make you feel that they are the fictional characters in the flesh. Just do not exaggerate your acting because people get put off by that.
Focus On Winning The Competition
Do not enter a competition if you don’t believe that you can win. You have to compete to win, and that should be your major goal. Give your very best in everything you do and be meticulous about your makeup, cosplay costumes, gear, and even your acting. Your goal is to win as many best costumes as much as possible.
Remember that you are competing with the best cosplayers out there, and there is no room for mediocrity. However, do not get frustrated if you lose. You might think that your best is not good enough when you do not get the prize. You did your best, and that’s all that matters.
Humility Is Everything
Don’t let compliments get into your head. Be proud of what you have attained but don’t let the fame and applause of people affect your ego. Bear in mind to always keep your feet on the ground even if you become one of the best. Humility is a very important trait, especially in the cosplay industry, where everyone is always competing with each other.
Be approachable, most especially to the newbies who want to take photos with you. Always remember where you came from and try to inspire others by being humble.
Have Fun
Due to competition and sometimes jealousy amongst cosplayers, some of them lose the point of it all – to have fun. Whether for competition or not, attending a cosplay event should always be a fun and enjoyable experience. Remember that you are there to entertain and get entertained. Admire other cosplayers and be friendly to your fans so that you’ll have an amazing experience during the event.
Be An Inspiration To The Community
Share your knowledge with other cosplayers who are just starting out. Be a friend to everyone and always offer a helping hand to the new cosplayers. Remember how it feels like to be a newbie once. You can inspire so many people if you are just generous with your time and knowledge about cosplaying. Don’t let somebody feel that they don’t belong in the cosplay community. Give them words of advice and anecdotes on how you became popular in the cosplay world.
Things to Remember When Entering Cosplay Contests
Aside from choosing the right character that best suits you, there are still some things to remember when entering cosplay competition. Read some tips below to help you increase your chances of winning a cosplay contest.
Create Costumes and Props
If you have advanced sewing and crafting skills, then you would not have any problem creating your own costume to wear. But if you do not have those skills, then your best bet is to look for a professional tailor and props maker to make them for you. You will have to spend a lot more money on it but you are guaranteed that everything you need is professionally made.
Makeup Is Very Important
Wearing your costume is not enough to look like your character. You need to study the intricate details of their facial features in order to recreate your character’s look. Putting makeup is also a skill you need to learn if you want to be big as a cosplayer.
If you want to do your makeup on your own, then you can watch some video tutorials on YouTube on how to do your character’s look. Google as many videos as possible and compare which tutorial you think you can follow the closest.
If your character doesn’t wear makeup, then at least hide the blemishes and imperfections on your skin. Study the facial features of your character very carefully and make sure you copy the smallest details so that you will look very authentic in pictures or on live shows. Also, don’t forget about your hair, it can also make or break your entire look.
Get In Character
This was already mentioned earlier as one of the secrets of famous cosplayers. When you enter a cosplay competition, it’s not enough that you look exactly the same as your character. You should be able to play the role as well. Read and learn everything about them, such as their mannerisms, favorite phrases, nuances, etc.
Pick Good Background Music
You need to pick good background music when you join a costume play contest. Your music should be related to your character. Choose something that is catchy and will go well with your performance. Don’t pick rock and roll music background if you portray someone dressed in a princess costume. Choose your background according to your character’s personality.
Put Time Into Preparation
You may have completed your whole look for the contest, but you must not forget that you have to rehearse for your performance. Watch videos of past winners and learn how they performed during the competitions. This is your ultimate time to shine on stage.
Do not be shy; ignore all your inhibitions. Practice your act, pose, distinctive moves, etc. Make the audience look at you while you’re on stage. Imagine that you are the star of the night. Be as interesting as possible during your performance. Nothing can go wrong if you are well-prepared.
Related Questions
How much money do cosplayers make?
People who make cosplaying a career and not just a hobby can really make loads of cash from it. Most professional cosplayers earn between $100,000-200,000 annually. Some even make much higher, just like Japan’s most popular cosplayer, Enako, who earned half a million dollars in 2020.
Do cosplay models make money?
Yes, cosplay models make money through cosplay. The cosplay industry is continually growing, and there has been a great demand for cosplay commissions. Cosplay models can also earn decent amounts when they have a large following on their social media.
Some models sell products for clients. Costume playing can be a labor-intensive job but you can make big cash from it if you know how to market yourself effectively.
Do you have what it takes to gain popularity in the costume play world? It doesn’t matter whether you just started cosplaying or you’ve been doing it for a while as a hobby. The key to becoming successful in cosplays is to not be afraid to dress up in costumes that are out of this world.
Most people in cosplay conventions are just beginning as well and are afraid – there’s nothing wrong with that. The point is to have fun, learn, take very good pictures, and improve your skills over time.
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