#doxumentary

My Facebook memories reminded my that this documentary on Cosplay, which I wanls in, premiered 11 YEARS AGO.

I watched some of it today and I am amazed at how much cosplay, creation, and sharing our creations has changed. There are materials and technologies now that didn't exist when I started. There was no Worbla, no 3D printers.

Very few companies made products for cosplay -- coloured contacts, coloured wigs better than Halloween quality, sewing patterns, they weren't readily available. You had to binge-shop at Halloween Sales, special order, or go to theatrical supply speciality stores. Or, in my case, all the way to Harajuku.

And TikTok didn't exist. Insta didn't exist. Twitter BARELY existed. The only place to share your costume and carefully rehearsed skits and sketches was during the Masquerade of a convention.

I'm not pining for the past, I want to make that clear. I'm not saying that the way I had to do it, the harder way where you had to carefully pause films and sketch costumes because the resources weren't online and the ability to screencap was limited, was better. I'm not putting a value judgment on it. I'm just saying it was very VERY different.

And I miss cosplay. I'd love to get back into it but I feel intimidated by all these tiktokers and amazing makeup artists. You all have so much talent💜.