Cosplay Corner Episode #8: Ejen Chuang

If anyone can understand a labor of love project, it’s me. I feel the same way about Japan Cinema and author Ejen Chuang feels about Cosplay. Cosplay in America is his tribute to cosplayers here in the United States. It is a 272 page hardcover photography book filled with 260 cosplayers from around the country. For him it isn’t just about dressing up, it’s about watching people from a different background, race, sex, shapes all becoming united under cosplay. This book is making waves in the community and having the book sit in my lap and flip through it myself, I was left speechless. Today we wanted to share with you guys, Ejen’s vision, his product, and his love of cosplay.

To your knowledge, has there been anyone out there who has done what you done, independently with this book?

Ejen: When I first started the book project I wasn’t aware of any such books before but have since found out there were two books about American cosplay – one released in 2008 by a British photographer who travelled to San Diego Comic Con and another was done in 2007 by US-based photographer though I have no idea how many conventions she travelled to.

From 1,651 cosplayers, only 260 cosplayers made it into the book, how did you narrow down your choices to who would be included?

Ejen: Because I’ve been out of cons and anime for about 8 years, I can tell you a majority of the cosplayers I had no idea which series they were from. The selection of the images were based on pose/composition and overall gut feeling. The images had to also work together – i.e for a two page spread, the two images had to compliment each other. I’ve thrown out quite a few images because they didn’t really fit together. Think of it as a giant jigsaw puzzle.

Are you a cosplayer yourself?

Ejen: No, but I plan to be cosplaying in November at a local con here in Los Angeles. Meeting and talking to cosplayers over the years basically had me as “why are y’all having all the fun, I want to have fun too !” Unfortunately, cosplaying while working would add an extra level of difficulty to what I do now. It’ll be hard to do what I do without stopping to pose for photos or for carry-on as I am already close to limit of what I can travel with, without being charged excess baggage.

Why do you feel that in 2011, cosplay is still considered a misunderstood hobby?

Ejen: In my opinion, the hobby isn’t as misunderstood as it used to be. With the geek culture growing more mainstream, it isn’t as odd to be a geek or nerd as it once was. Back in my day, geek and nerd with labels to be shunned. Now it is worn with pride. Time will hopefully bring better understanding.

Another note of mention – when you think of costuming in general here in the States – you think of halloween and purchasing store-bought outfits. Cosplayers tend for the most part to make their own outfits though many do purchase costumes and/or segments of their costumes. I believe part of the challenge is “how am I gonna make that”. Their task is to take a two-dimension artwork and create a three-dimension aspect to it. For many cosplayers it is a love and hate relationship with crafting their outfits. Their reward is finishing the outfit and displaying it before they begin the cycle again. Once people understand the process that a cosplayer goes through, there’ll be better appreciation for what they do.

Tell us a bit about the editing process for this book.

Ejen: I spent about six months editing the book together.Images from all six convention were narrow down to around 1,000 – some were of the same cosplayer but different poses. The trick was to somehow make it fit together. To give a different perspective, I had different friends look through the edits to give suggestions. For pre-press, I hired Kyle Johnson, a graphic designer who was kind enough to give me a very low rate for the work – he was an otaku so he understood what I was attempting to do. I have to say, I couldn’t have done it without Kyle. Translations was done by Yoko Honda, a local native speaker here in Los Angeles.

What was the most difficult thing, aside from maxing out your credit cards, creating this great hardcover book?

Ejen: The fact that I didn’t know what was gonna happen. It’s like swimming in the dark – you’re not even sure where you are headed and the best thing I could do was trust my own instincts. I have a lot of people tell me things and I had to weed through a lot of advice and suggestions that may not be the best course of action for me. I’m in very unfamiliar waters. There hadn’t been an independent photography publication about cosplay before of this scope.

You’re not simply snapping shot of cosplayers, you are trying to capture them a certain way and bring out a certain emotion from the viewer. Could you explain your creative process?

Ejen: Photography is like a dance between two people. I have them only for about 10 minutes max and we worked together the best we can. Some people don’t give energy toward it and I can feel it so I don’t shoot as much. Others bring so much to the table it makes it a lot easier to work with. The basic thing is to break down the barrier between us as fast as possible. If that person feels comfortable, they’ll bring it out in themselves. If they are uncomfortable, it shows. The process is very much trial and error.

I heard you went into a print shop and the guy working there recognized your work. That must be pretty surreal. How are you dealing with the reception of your work?

Ejen: I still feel shocked that people know who I am. I would rather be behind the camera but at the same time, I go out to promote the book so I’m taking the role of spokesperson and marketer since well, I can’t pay anyone is have to do it myself !

Cosplay is huge, don’t get me wrong…but do you feel in the next 5 years it will be considered mainstream?

Ejen: I don’t know if it would ever get “mainstream” and at best, it’ll end up as a convention -related activity.I’m hoping the mainstream media would dig deeper than the usual “hot chicks in costume” angle that is the usual route taken. There’s definitely art in this but there’ll be growing pains.

There is general awareness of the culture. I’ve been stopped at three different airports by TSA – I suppose people don’t usually travel with a box of books so they had to open it and swab it for chemicals. Two of the three TSA agents (one in Washington DC and one in Seattle) was aware of what the term cosplay meant.

You’re making stops everywhere in America it seems, could you tell us some of the big spots we can catch you at?

For the rest of the year you can find me at DragonCon (as an attendee), Anime Weekend Atlanta, New York Comic Con, Anime USA, Anime Banzai and a few unconfirmed dates. Most of the larger dates are done: San Diego Comic Con, Anime Expo (largest anime con in the country), Otakon (largest anime con on the East Coast).

WANT A COPY OF THE BOOK? BUY HERE

8″×10″ Hardcover, 272 pages, full color photography book Japanese/English language
ISBN-10: 0615349064 / ISBN-13: 978-0615349060

For the United States, click below. $40 (CA residents will be charged 9.75 % sales tax ). Shipping is $5. Book will be sent via Media Rate (7-10 business days)

The book is also available at selected stores as well as at cons on his tour. If interested in wholesale, please contact me for list of distributors -> cosplayinamerica@gmail.com

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