Katie George: An Interview with A Cosplayer Extraordinare
Nerd Caliber is privileged with the opportunity to interview Atlanta-based cosplayer Katie George! Katie is highly experienced and immersed in the cosplay community, with over 80 creations under her belt. She has been on the convention scene for over 10 years and holds a BFA in Costume and Makeup Design from Auburn University.
Last year, Katie and her cosplay partner won the title of World Cosplay Summit Team USA and traveled to Japan for the international competition. A video of their winning skit from Katsucon 2012 can be viewed here.
Katie has also had a hand in coordinating, judging, and MCing multiple cosplay events across the Southeast, and will be a guest at Atlanta’s MomoCon on March 8th – 10th, discussing tricks of the cosplay trade at multiple panels over the weekend.
Anyone who knows Katie can attest to her passion and excitement for cosplay – not to mention a robust personality! Check out our exclusive interview below, discussing World Cosplay Summit, culture shock in Japan and the best tips for new cosplayers!
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NC: What was your first exposure to cosplay and when did you start?
KG: My first exposure to cosplay was finding pictures of girls dressed up as Sailor Moon characters online, which blew my mind. If you don’t count the sailor fuku I pieced together with fabric scraps, tape, and Photoshop, then I officially started in 2004 at Anime Weekend Atlanta.
NC: Do you feel as though the cosplay community has changed since you first started? Has it been a positive transition or do we still have a long way to go?
KG: Oh, most definitely! The scene has made leaps and bounds in what cosplayers can now do and make compared to the early years, so aesthetically, it’s ALL GOOD! Emotionally, we’ve probably back-tracked a little.
Cosplay used to be competitive in that we’d fight to be the cosplayer with the most craftsmanship awards… Lately, it’s become a free-for-all for the most likes on Facebook! You can’t really complain, though, because that’s just how the world works right now, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it passed, like all fads do.
NC: You’re always so enthusiastic in your photos! Do you have any recommendations for what it takes to make a great photoshoot?
KG: I think the key is to let your personality out! Or at the very least, the character’s personality. You may be shy and reserved, but if you’re cosplaying a character that’s loud and boisterous, do a pose that’s loud and boisterous! Try not to worry too much about if your face looks silly because oftentimes, it’s not the facial expression that makes for a bad photo, it’s the apprehension and anxiety BEHIND the expression that ruins it.
Of course, sometimes, expressions just aren’t flattering, so for this, I recommend practicing faces in a mirror while wearing the wig, or maybe even using your camera phone to take a few test shots. Honestly, I ruin photos with my face ALL the time, but I keep on going at it, because if you keep trying, ONE of those shots has got to work eventually!
NC: Do you keep your cosplay life separated from your “real life?” What are some reactions you’ve received?
KG: Sort of, but not really? Do I show up to work in cosplay, not a chance, but when they ask me about why I took last Friday off, I’ll generally tell them “I was at a geek convention in ABC-town!” Whether or not I give them details or a watered-down version depends on the person. I get reactions anywhere from “That’s so cool!!” to “…You do what now?” I used to keep it a secret in high school, but honestly, that was just exhausting! I care a lot less what people think of me now.
NC: Besides cosplay, what are some of your other hobbies? (I heard you like to sing!)
KG: I love to karaoke! IT IS MY JAM. I’m not a very good singer, but I find belting out music gives me endorphins, like exercise, only WAY LESS HARD. I also love trying new restaurants, daydreaming about the beach, and working out on the rare occasion.
NC: In 2012, you traveled to Japan to participate in World Cosplay Summit. Overall, was it a positive experience?
KG: In hindsight, absolutely. We made some many great new friends, and cosplaying internationally really does feel like discovering cosplay all over again. It’s an amazing experience, even if it feels like nothing is going your way in Japan. Haha!
NC: In total, how long did it take to create your WCS costumes, props and skit material?
KG: We finalized our decision to do Princess Tutu in late November, so we cranked out both of our costumes in about 2 months, and my boyfriend and I built the set a few weeks before Katsucon (He gets 100% of the credit for rigging the lights and making the PVC frame, I just made the curtains and fabric shell that went on it).
I mixed the skit in about a week, and then choreographed it in late December and continued to modify the choreography up until we went on stage! Riddle’s Messy Wardrobe was my wonderful stunt double who filled in for Diana while she was in Florida and I was in Atlanta during the choreography process. My boyfriend, Cliff, was our coach who kept me from falling apart before Katsucon. I’ll admit- it’s a stressful process!
NC: Not only that, you’re professionally trained in ballet! Was that skill a deciding factor for the Princess Tutu theme at WCS?
KG: Haha, professionally trained is being WAY too nice! I danced from age 5 to age 18, then stopped in college. (Ballet just wasn’t in my budget… COSPLAY AND FOOD ONLY.) Diana and I DEFINITELY wanted to use our skills in some way, in fact, we even considered doing a skit where I could do ballet and she could twirl batons! But we did the baton twirling in 2008, and it tends to instantly make things kitschy, so we decided to do the EXACT opposite and go for a REALLY serious, dark, dramatic skit… but with ballet!
NC: What was your biggest culture-shock in Japan? Was it a positive experience?
KG: The biggest culture shock is not being able to read. It makes me realize how hard it must be to be illiterate! But overall, being a foreigner in Japan is really fun and fascinating. It makes you realize how YOUNG America is, and like any good “weeaboo,” I love the culture and already knew a lot about it.
NC: Was it easy to communicate in Japan? How often did you use Japanese?
KG: Hahaha, yes and no. I know enough basic Japanese to ask for little things here and there, but can I actually communicate? Lord, no. We managed to get by, though, and have a few inside jokes because of it.
NC: This past month, at Katsucon 2013, you were a judge for the Northeast World Cosplay Summit Qualifier. What was that experience like, having been there yourself?
KG: It was surreal to imagine that just one year ago, I was on the other side, wringing my hands, resisting the urge to tear my hair out, wondering if all the hard work and stress was worth it… And this time, while the pressure was still there to select the best team, it was a mere fraction of the pressure from the year before- especially since we were only selecting which team went to the finals in Houston, not the WCS in Japan. But overall, I absolutely loved the experience and it was undoubtedly the best contest I have EVER judged until now!
NC: What’s your best piece of construction advice for a new cosplayer?
KG: Always cut out your notches precisely (I cut inwards!); they are more accurate than matching edge to edge. Pay attention to seam allowances: 5/8” means five-eighths of an inch! Not ½”, not ¾”, not 1”! If your sewing machine does not have an obvious indicator for a 5/8” seam, use a sharpie or a piece of tape to mark where the edge of the fabric should fall 5/8 of an inch away from the needle (when lowered).
If your stitches go wonky or jump around, seam rip that area and stitch it again. Back up at the start and end of the area you are fixing. Finally, press every seam. Always. If you follow these simple guidelines, commercial patterns will always come out clean, and if you can cleanly construct a commercial pattern, you’re well on your way to drafting your own!
NC: On that note, what’s your best personal advice for a new cosplayer? The Internet can be rough sometimes!
KG: Avoid cosplayers who can’t have fun unless there’s drama- you know what I mean, the cosplayer who just can’t enjoy themselves at a con without seeking out scandals, trash-talking other cosplayers, or being a total diva. Ditch em! There are way too many cosplayers out there to only surround yourself with bad seeds. Just STAHP. Cosplay is an amazing hobby and a wonderful creative outlet, so embrace all the good feels it has to offer and you WILL have fun!
Want to follow Katie on her next adventures? Here’s how: Facebook, Twitter, AC Paradise.
Featured Image was taken by Jonathan Wai.
