Cosplay Corner Episode #9: Ridd1e

Where would the Cosplay Corner be without Ridd1e? Well, quite frankly, it wouldn’t exist. Prepare to meet the most ambitious, talented, and of course, beautiful cosplayer we’ve come across. Not only appearing in numerous cons, magazines, websites, and TV appearances, she is the curator of the Cosplay For A Cause cosplay calendar. We have been big advocates of this calendar as it organizes cosplayers to pool their talents into raising funds for Japanese Quake relief efforts. I talk to Ridd1e about a variety of topics and see what makes her tick. Read the full interview below…

You’ve cosplayed over 50 characters in your career, so is your mindset any different on your last costume compared to your first?

Ridd1e: Yes, definitely my mindset has changed between my first costume and the last one.

Things that have changed:

• attitude towards costume quality
• money investment into costumes
• pressure to debut a costume by a convention date versus quality
• photo environments
• balance of life and costuming

When I first started, I would do a direct copy of what I saw on the screen or from the manga. Now I spend more time trying to understand the costumes – analyzing color, detailing, material type, etc. With comic book costumes this is a much easier process but with videogame and anime characters it is more challenging but not impossible.

I now invest more into higher quality items such as wigs, shoes, fabrics and makeup. As well as trying to stay fit. Another change I’ve made is to not debut a costume if I don’t feel it is ready. I feel a nice photo of the costume is much more important to me then actually wearing it to a convention. Photos are ultimately the best way to showcase the costume but if you have an environment with bad carpeting, garbage cans or it’s just a photo bombing session then the costume will lose its value. That’s why I try now more to ensure the environment that photos are taken enrich/enhance the costume that I wear.

How did you enjoy the TNT Comic Expo this year? What kinds of costumes did you showcase?

Ridd1e: TNT was a blast, between the sightseeing, food and all the attendees at the convention; they really knew how to make someone feel like a rock star. I would like to send a big thank you to Mario and Paula, for inviting this rowdy Canadian. My only disappointment was I didn’t get a chance to look around the dealer’s room and to enjoy more of the local food.

As for costumes, TNT specifically requested certain costumes; it’s really smart on their part because you have the cosplay guests coordinating. So, super heroes one day, Disney another day. It makes for better interactions between us and the other cosplayers attending the show.

I wore the following costumes during the convention:

• Dr. Mrs. the Monarch
• Huntress
• Snow White
• Rosette

Both you and a number of the girls are located out of Atlanta, do you guys ever get together?

Ridd1e: We are lucky to have 6 cosplayers (including myself) located in Atlanta – that were featured in our calendar (Jenny, Lindze, Allison, GSTQ Fashions, Yaya Han). We don’t see each other as often but usually our paths cross every couple months; sometimes we will get together and check out the latest superhero films.

We know you’re a fan of video games, especially RPGs. There has really been a decline in good RPGs the last few years, so how do you get your gaming fix nowdays?

Ridd1e: RPGs and I are having a break right now, I can’t commit and RPGs demand all my time and are pretty needed. Always want me to buy them stuff like new clothes, potions (I think that’s a sign of a drinking problem), and have me grind for hours. I play Halo Reach a couple times a week for an hour or two just to take the edge off the gaming shakes. I do always have multiple portable systems on me; right now when I’m on a road trip and put some hours into Dragon Quest IX.

Cosplay for a Cause is a great way to promote your brand and help save lives. Tell us what it means to you personally to be able to use your craft to benefit a necessary charity to help people.

Ridd1e: Cosplay for a Cause isn’t about promoting any brand, I just wanted to find an approach of using the hobby that was inspired by this country to help raise for it as well as getting like minded cosplayers involved. I love Cosplay and it’s given me so many opportunities to express myself and show others the different cultures and characters. I can’t remember a time where I didn’t have anime, manga or videogames in my life – in one way or another.

So when Japan was hit by the earthquake, it hit home, especially because this was the nation that inspired my passion. I wanted to reach out and help anyway I could. The first thing I did was to make a donation but afterwards, I read up on disaster relief and how there is a limited time that people will donate based on the public’s awareness of the disaster – the farther away the disaster, the less people will donate. Funds were still needed help with the rebuilding efforts and that’s where I felt the calendar would help. I was really excited that my fellow cosplayers liked the idea, of producing a calendar that would show our appreciation for Japan and generate money for the Japanese Red Cross.

Do you feel cosplay has changed since you started doing it 10+ years ago?

Ridd1e: Yes, things are different from cosplaying 10 years ago. I’ve learned the importance of planning & craftsmanship. I now take more care to select characters that are appropriate to me and I realize costuming is a whole package, not just the costume.

When I first started costuming there was a very limited selection of things such as fabric and wigs, so you had to make do with what you could find. Now there are so many options out there for wigs, fabrics, footwear, etc. And with the advent of the Internet there are now prop tutorials and message boards for costuming. With this wealth of knowledge someone just starting out can make something as good, if not better then someone who has been doing it for years.

Your work has been featured in TV Guide, Game Informer, Kotaku, Maxim, list goes on and on! What do you hope to tackle before 2011 is finished?

Ridd1e: I hope to tackle a delicious beef wellington… with my mouth, before the year is out!

Things I’d like to tackle before 2011 is done:

1. Get a jump start on costumes for next year. I’m hoping for more anime and video games, especially a costume I’ve wanted to do for years.
2. Focus on getting into better physical shape; Jamie Eason is my fit-spiration. Especially in the arms & butt department.
3. Getting the chance to cosplay in Europe or Asia.

Black Cat is making an appearance in the new Spider Man movie next summer. We think you would have made a better casting choice! Have you had a chance to design costumes for anyone other then yourself?

Ridd1e: I hope they put her in the movie, she is one of the sexiest comic book ladies out there and she is always getting the short end of the scratching post. While I haven’t had a chance to design costumes for someone else I have helped different cosplayers on many occasions with their designs, technical help and where to get supplies.

My costume designs did catch the attention of someone in Hollywood and they hired me to work with the “Special Makeup” effects unit as a suit technician for movies like Big Momma’s House 3 and X-Men: First Class. It was a weird moment standing on the beach surround by X-Men and thinking about how my little cosplay hobby helped me get here.

This is a film site, so we have to ask….give us the lowdown on your favorite Anime and/or Asian films!

Ridd1e: It’s always so difficult to list my favorite anime! I have so many titles! It all depends on my mood.

Favorite Asian films! Wow I’m out of the loop, I’ll have to visit your site to get caught up but a few I have on my shelf are: Red Cliff, God of Cookery, Golden Chicken, My Sassy Girl, Most Jet Li movies prior to coming to the states

Anime that turned me into fan are: Neon Genesis, El Hazard, Oh My Goddess, Read or Die, Nausicaa, Crest of the Stars, Cowboy Bebop, Tora Dora, SailorMoon (almost all girls who started watching anime when I did were moonies)!

Seriously, there are so many out there. There are those that I love the art but wasn’t keen on the story or I enjoyed the manga but the series didn’t translate well into an anime.

Lastly, any advice for a person who wants to turn their hobby as a cosplayer into a full-fledged career?

Ridd1e: Well, I would first like to say, I don’t feel cosplay will ever be a full fledge career for anyone. With that said, honing your skills in the various disciplines – sculpting, styling, sewing, etc. – could help you get a career, in fashion, film and many other industries, doing what you love. Cosplaying is an expensive and time consuming hobby. Do it for yourself.

Want to keep tabs on everything Ridd1e related? Follow her cookie crumb trail below:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/24173116@N05/
http://himearts.com/
http://twitter.com/#!/ridd1e

http://www.facebook.com/Riddlesmessywardrobe/