Journal Entry # 61
10/12/2012
There’s just so many things I’d like to say, and a lot in my head right now that I can’t possibly fit in 3 paragraphs (our usual conversation). So, Journal, I know you might react, but allow me to babble a lot LOT longer…again…. ^_^;
If you remembered my last journal (link), I did mention about the GTMACCCon 2 event. So since then, we’ve been preparing for that, and Komikon. Well, things didn’t go as smoothly as we wanted…
A little after the pre-event in UP, Karla broke some bad news involving the skit. So here’s Murphy’s Law brandishing its nasty plackard at us. We needed to find new cosplayers for the extra roles. It’s not easy inviting people to cosplay characters outside their fandom. So I posted an announcement, hoping I could get a tall guy to play Ceredion.
A day later, I bumped the thread. Kit called out a few names and we got Joshua to play the role! I’m so glad we found somebody. :D
And then we lost another guy to play Mortus. This was around 3 weeks before the event. So I posted another announcement hoping somebody would be interested. And then FPJ (Indie Komiks Manila’s founder) said he wanted to be a villain! Awright! :D
I sent out character profiles to Joshua and FPJ. I was having a bit of trouble with the skit then, but Karla and I did talk it over at the chat, so I had an idea, but it wasn’t easy putting it on paper (since there’s a time limit).
And since it’s a skit, we had to rehearse…and Oh the costumes! Our schedules didn’t jive, so we four hardly met online to chat. Fortunately, I got some rough measurements from the two guys (I also thank Freely Abrigo for helping me out), and had the costumes made. I was a little nervous about the costume since the shop was also busy.
Three days before the event, I bought Ceredion’s wig, I met up with Karla and Joshua to rehearse. The sky was so bleak that I doubted we could rehearse outside (and we can’t do that inside a mall after all). So we just chatted about the story, characters, and how they could portray them. After walking around the mall, we fortunately found a place that works as a stage (with few people around) and there we practiced the script. It was really fun! We just relied on my cellphone to play the track…
Oh did I mention that I had to learn to edit an MP3 track to submit for our soundtrack a few days before the deadline? (I‘m really clueless…but I did it anyway) XD
Night before the event, I had to pickup the guys’ costumes, prepared some props for the skit. It was an exhausting week…
Last Sunday, it was my first time to visit the University of Makati (UMAK) which turned out to be Joshua’s Alma Mater. They had a big theater with really nice facilities… And a big stage.
Hubby and I got there around 9AM, and people were already rehearsing their skits (including Richard Arguilla and Team CATCH, and Lucy Patweetums). We also saw Tepai and Maika waiting for Visdei.
I thought this day was gonna be easy…But NOOOOooo. Murphy’s Law…Again…Several times that day! Why you liek us so much? X( Daming aberya nung araw na yun! At least my trio’s complete!
While we waited for the ballots, Joshua was also helping out the other cosplayers with their skits. Being a nervous wreck, with all the snags happening that day and doing emergency cosplay improvisations, FPJ’s words in the dressing room stuck to me… “For the love of Cosplay….*while spraying his hair with silver paint*”.
There, I was really REALLY grateful to have FPJ do the Mortus role, to have Joshua to do Ceredion (who’s really determined to give the character justice in the skit), and to have Karla play Silaya (who still looked darn pretty, even after the troublesome morning journey). I was with people who would go through all that trouble just to make a great cosplay performance that day… A cosplay of my characters to boot!
After drawing lots (for the perfomance order), taking pictures, taking the front row seats…the event proper finally started. After a magic show, a couple of peptalks on stage with Jin Joson and Manix Abrera, the first batch of entries took the stage.
Each entry had a video of the creators talking about the characters, and the cosplayers talking about the characters they’ll be portraying. The skits were priceless! XD We enjoyed the skits so much…but I was nervous about our skit too…
When finally it was my team’s turn, hubby took out the camera and started recording. Here’s the full skit (click!) .
(pic by Tepai Pascual)
I kinda sensed my trio was really nervous. But hey! It turned out alright! I can feel Ceredion’s frustration on stage, Mortus’ sarcasm, and see Silaya fawn over her bishie pics and ignoring Ceredion’s moves to woo her…I’m so glad they pulled through! ;w;
(pic by Ariel Atienza)
I also took a video of the Mark skit for Meganon since they can’t film themselves on stage. XDWhen the second batch came in, I personally anticipated hubby’s team skit. I’ve seen previous Dante and Mina cosplays before, but this is the first time Melvin worked with the cosplayers. When it was their turn, the fan girls and fan boys screamed all around! Here’s the skit (Click!).
The Q and A portion, in my opinion, must have been the toughest part of the competition. ALL of the contestants were in the “Hot Seat” to put it mildly. The questions were extremely difficult and tricky…
But you know? They all gave really good answers. That part of the program showed how the cosplayer entries actually think. It’s an interesting revelation, and kudos for a job well done! (Me and Tepai were listening carefully during that time)
When the time finally came, we all came up on stage to accompany our cosplayers and waited for the announcement of winners. I finally met up with Karla and, looking around, the cosplayers seem to be chatting happily on stage, like there’s no competition going on. Everybody’s excited. ^_^
The 2nd runner up was Carlo Valenzuela’s Boy Bakal (who was photogenic btw…Nice job Dennis!). The 1st runner up was Erico Calimlim’s Pag-Asa (who kicked a lot of ass during the skit! Great job Arnel!)…
The grand champion was Ilog’s Dante! XD Before I could even react to that announcement, the cosplayers near me (including Karla) literally jumped in excitement! Naunahan pa ako ng mga contestants, di na ako nakatalon! XP
(pic via Ariel Atienza)
You know that moment when you see the winners being congratulated and you realize you have no camera with you (and you’re also onstage?)? Yeah that…. >.< But seeing the bright lights and their backs kinda burned an image in my head… And the other cosplayers (entries) were genuinely happy for them. It was a beautiful sight! Makes me proud of their team, too (Point Zero pride after all)!
Frederick (Dante) and Daphne (Mina) did an awesome job with the skit. You can feel the audience hold their breath while watching them do (almost did) what PASIG fans were wishing for years! (and Ow! That pan hurts!) XD
I wasn’t able to congratulate them right away (including hubby). When hubby was finally alone, I gave him a hug from a proud wifey. \^w^/
Backstage, people were taking pictures…And were looking quite happy. ^_^
Looking back (almost a week later), with the cosplayers still talking about last saturday’s events, I can see they really enjoyed the journey (both creators and cosplayers).
Speaking as a member of the local indie community (and an IKM admin), I saw a different side of the indie creators who participated in this event. Kit mentioned a long time ago that they were trying to build relationships through this event…
Chard supported his cosplayers through the whole thing non-stop, while Paulo (Visdei) and Rawrr (Bruho Barbero) cosplayed for the love of komiks (and to support their fellow indie creators)…
As for me, Karla, Joshua and FPJ…
I’d like to think I gained not just new readers, but new friends in Karla and Joshua. And for FPJ, a new found respect as a colleague (in the comic industry) and as cosplayer. The event introduced me to the world of these dedicated artists. I was very fortunate to have met them through this competition.
I’m looking forward to seeing them again at the Komikon (now a few weeks away...the madness isn't over). We’re currently working on Kanto Inc. #4 (which, I heard, Daphne and Frederick enjoyed reading! Oh and Karla said liked reading CP too! :D ).
Now it’s back to work for us comic creators. I’d like to think that GTMACC’s event was the cherry on top of the 100 Araw ng Komiks campaign for this year. I’m not sure if we’ll be having new readers via this event (in time for KOMIKON), BUT one thing’s for certain…
We can feel the support and love. =^_____^=
-- J.T.C. (writer and artist for Point Zero)
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