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The purpose of this blog is to be a posting hub for my projects and information.
I am a current graduate student studying Telecommunications Digital Storytelling at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. As part of my degree requirements, I must complete a Creative Project, which is an alternative to a thesis in the program. The topic I’ve chosen for this creative project is a short documentary piece exploring the aspects of cosplay at conventions and an accompanying paper entitled “Cosplay and Its Conventions: A Generation’s Attempt To Bring Internet Hyperreality Back To Reality.”
My proposed Topic:
Dressing up in character costume is called cosplay, short for costume play. I have attended several different conventions across North America throughout the year in the process of filming a documentary about cosplay. I have had the opportunity to talk with many cosplayers and observe the “con culture.” Cosplayers are extremely passionate about their hobby, and most of the dedicated cosplayers I have talked to have confessed to spending hundreds of dollars building and creating their cosplays. These comic, steampunk, and anime conventions are nothing if not a social space; in fact, that is mostly their entire purpose. They provide a venue for people with the same interests to gather and discuss their fandom. Many different aspects of social psychology may be applied to the study of these cosplay conventions. I think that the conventions, and the cosplay that occurs at them, are wonderfully interesting subjects that have great potential to be studied for social psychologists. Cosplayers are a phenomenon purely for the way that they transform the members of the group, and allow them to be whoever they want to be. Whether that transformation is simply into a more outgoing person, or a Soul Reaper who carries a six-foot sword, it matters not.
What is the larger intellectual question my paper will address?
Fans cosplay for many individual reasons, the sense of belonging and transformation they achieve when they dress up as a character and even the achievement of a sense of celebrity status from a well known and well made costume that stands out from the crowd may be key reasons. Cosplay bonds people together and gives personal meaning to their lives in a way that fits within a generations-long pattern of American social belonging.
How does my paper advance the study of popular culture?
With this project I hope to inform the viewer about this ever-expanding culture and explore why its participants devote so much of their time, money, and many of their weekends to their craft. I hope to document and explain the current state of cosplay as well as its history, present, and the future of the trend. I will also delve into how cosplay culture fits into a continuum of social belonging and role playing that goes back to ancient culture’s ceremonies and dances, as well as to Masonic organizations and continues through the rise of historical first person interpretation of American history and battles and Renaissance fairs. In an increasingly fragmented niche culture dominated by electronic media and all of its forms, these conventions are filling the vacuum left by the ceremonies and committees of old in a way that is very complementary to the fragmented media culture.
This blog is meant to provide a showcase of my skills. I am seeking employment with a company that can benefit from my experience as well as my degree. I have graduated from Indiana State University with a Bachelor of Science in Communications with an emphasis on Electronic Media. This included many concentrations on the different aspects of radio, television, and film. I have also had two years of experience working with the University’s radio station, WISU. I have worked both in the on- air department and I was the Director of rock. In this position I handled the on-air employee’s schedules and training, I was in charge of programming and logs, and also created promos and liners.
During my studies I have learned skills in many areas of radio and television production and management. I have knowledge in many programs such as Adobe Audition, Cool Edit Pro, Adobe Soundbooth, Audacity, OpLog, Vegas Pro, Apple Final Cut, Windows Movie Maker, Media Touch application software, Pinnacle Studio 12, Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Afterefects, InDesign, Dreamweaver, Adobe Photoshop, SPSS software, Artisteer, and HTML and CSS usage.
Thank you for your time in viewing this blog.
