Mary Lou Who?: costume

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It's Dragon*Con, Baby!

0 comments Posted by Mary Lou at 2:10 PM

I got to do some pretty incredible things at this year’s Dragon*Con. The most exciting of which is not going to mentioned in this post. It's an awesome interview, and I'm super excited to show it to you. Coming soon!! Because of the crazy scheduling inherent to the weekend, doing the interview meant I had to miss the annual parade. I had planned to wear Miss Martian from “Young Justice” with my cosplay group, TL;DR, and was sad I didn’t get to participate. But I’d say it was worth it! If you missed the parade too, I highly recommend you watch this great video by the guys at Bleeding Cool!

I was also really excited to participate in Dragon*Con in a new capacity. I’ve always attended this convention as a cosplayer and member of the press, but this year I was also a panelist! I sat on three discussion panels for the Stargate Multiverse Track and had a great time during all three! By Dragon*Con standards, they were pretty small panels, but we had great audiences. Team Dynamics, The Doctors of Stargate, Sexism in Stargate actually came to be highly debated topics. For each panel, the participants included highly knowledgeable members of the Stargate Multiverse Track staff who led quite interesting discussion. Ken Spivey of The Ken Spivey Band joined me as a panelist for the Sexism in Stargate panel as well. He brought a unique point of view as the only male member of that panel and though his interest in philosophy. If you missed it, here’s video from that panel:

Ken gave another great performance during his band’s concert on Sunday afternoon. The only thing I didn’t like about his show was that they needed to be in a bigger room! Quite a line had formed by the time the doors opened, and at least as many fans were turned away as got in. Next year I hope the Brit Track moves the concert so more attendees can experience the Doctor Who themed fun. If you haven’t heard The Ken Spivey Band’s music, you can hear their Celtic Time Lord Rock on Spotify and of course order their CD on Amazon. Here’s a peek at this year’s performance:

While attending panels isn’t generally my favorite thing about conventions (we all know I’m there for the costumes and the parties), two of my most beloved celebrities attended Dragon*Con this year and I got to see them both! As evidenced by my panels for the Stargate Multiverse Track, Stargate has been a big part of my life for a while now. It was the first show I owned on DVD in its entirety, and I’m a Stargate evangelist surprisingly to the delight of my non-geek friends. Richard Dean Anderson, or Colonel Jack O’Neill (also known as my favorite Stargate character), gave a great panel with several other members of the various multiverse casts. He doesn’t do conventions every often, which is why I was so excited to see him. He had some quite interesting points of view on the show’s direction and filming. Robert Picardo, most widely known as The Doctor on “Star Trek: Voyager,” was on that panel as well, and I had no clue how hilarious he was! He was full of quotes and one liners, and really livened up the panel in a way I had never seen before. Get a look at that romp here: http://spacegypsies.com/archives/7874

I also got to see “The X-Files’” Agent Dana Scully, Gillian Anderson! “The X-Files” was my first non-anime fandom, and the first time I learned about “shipping.” Let’s just say it opened a whole new world to my young eyes. For years Gillian Anderson has been a rarity at conventions, so this was not to be missed. She’s been doing mostly theatre since the end of “The X-Files,” but she was particularly excited about a great new project called “The Fall,” due to premiere on BBC Two in April! She told a few stories about her old “The X-Files” days too, which were incredibly interesting to hear. Catch a bit of it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ET2EmlJUrcA&playnext=1&list=PLuUL7WIBk69Vdcp0je-vNReNkpAV5qGeo&feature=results_main

As most of you know, I worked with Earth Station One for their Dragon*Khan Report leading up to the convention this year. We did one big group broadcast straight from the con. It was super cool finally meeting everyone in person! Those guys are really great, and totally know their stuff. Check out that episode here:

Disclaimer straight from ESO: Like the convention itself, this episode contains hard language, substance abuse, reports of nudity, and intense geekery.

http://erthstationone.wordpress.com/2012/09/05/earth-station-one-episode-127-eso-network-invades-dragoncon-2012/

Though I missed being Miss Martian in the parade, I did get to attend a Young Justice photoshoot! It was super fun to meet other lovers of the series and get some fantastic photos!! I also met another Miss Martian who did the comic version of her outfit. Here we are together:

And here’s a couple more sweet pics!

All three photos courtesy of Danny Hunter.

I’ll see if I can’t rustle up a few other photos from the con and share them with all of you.
All in all, Dragon*Con was a great convention. They always get the best guests and the best attendees. As always, I’ll encourage you to go, both new and old members of the con scene. Do it for the kittens.

Let the Insanity Begin!

0 comments Posted by Mary Lou at 8:22 AM

TODAY IS THE DAY, YOU GUYS!

Today I am leaving for Dragon*Con. Because Wednesday is the new Thursday, and all the cool kids will be there. Yes, despite the fact that the convention doesn't technically start until Friday. But who cares?! There's so much to see and do before the con even begins! I'm really looking forward to tonight (ZOMG IT'S TONIGHT) and getting to see my con family for the first time in a while! I plan to stay up late, have lots of drinks, and have a grand old time!
Thursday evening I'll be hitting the sack a little earlier, because I will be appearing on TV on Friday morning!! And yes, I'll be in costume to help promote Dragon*Con. I'm really excited and super flattered that they would ask me to represent them, and I'll be on with some other really fantastic cosplayers, so I'm very much looking forward to it! If you're in the Atlanta area, watch 11 Alive WXIA Friday Mornings!!
My schedule gets a little crazier come Friday and Saturday, but rest assured I'll be out costuming in the day and partying at night! I'll be hitting a few panels, too, seeing as I'm attending as a reporter. :) I hope to get some really great stuff. I'm mostly excited about Richard Dean Anderson (McGyver and Jack O'Neill from Stargate SG-1) and Gillian Anderson (Scully from The X-Files)!!
I'll also be on three panels for the Stargate Multiverse Track! I'm pumped to get to be a panelist. Friday at 2:30, I'll be on "Team Dynamics," where we'll talk about the various parts of a Stargate team, Sunday at 1:00, I'll be on "The Doctors of Stargate," a discussion of the doctors and their fates, and on Monday at 11:30, I'll appear on "Sexism in Stargate," which is pretty much what it sounds like. I hope to see you guys there! :D
Sunday evening Earth Station One will be doing a live broadcast of the 6th episode of their Dragon*Khan Report, which I've been helping host. The location is yet to be determined, but that should be a pretty fun couple of hours! If I remember, I'll let you know where we are so you might be able to be on the podcast!
As a media professional, I have a couple of celebrity interviews lined up, but I don't want to give anything away! Surprises are fun, right?

This is the trip I plan for all year long, and it doesn't seem like it's here! I was up til 3am packing and finishing costumes...it should feel like Dragon*Con time. I think I've just been looking forward to it for so long I can't believe it's actually happening! I'll get excited when we pack the car, I think. Anyhow, I hope to see you guys at Dragon*Con!!!!

NINE DAYS TIL DRAGON*CON

0 comments Posted by Mary Lou at 2:19 PM

I wrote a post exactly 9 days before Dragon*Con last year, and here it is again this year. NINE DAYS, YOU GUISE. NINE. There's so much left to do! I got a few things finished this weekend - you know those small things that only take 30 minutes that you put off because they'll be so easy and you have more important things to do? And then before you know it you have 20 of those things and 10 hours worth of work on top of everything else? Yeah, I hate those. But I got several finished this weekend, and bought a couple of things I need. I've made a list of everything that needs to get done, and I think it's actually doable. It won't be easy, and I'll probably be working right down to the wire, but I think I can do it.

Finished costumes:
Captain Shortpants
Natasha Romanoff
Pinkie Pie

Costumes which still need work:
TARDIS
Cersei Lannister
Fleur Delacour
Minerva Mcgonagall
Stargate
Dana Scully
Miss Martian
Yeoman Rand

..............crap.

I'm not sure if I had more or less to do this time last year. GAH!
Plus I've got a mysterious surprise costume I'm considering making. If I have time.
But I'm superduper excited! It's going to be a fabulous time.
I've been working with the Earth Station One guys on a great Dragon*Con prep podcast! Go have a listen!!
Episode 1
Episode 2
Episode 3

I've also got these awesome new business cards to give out at the con! Thanks a ton to Klout and Moo for the box of 50 free cards of my own design! I only had to pay for shipping. I'm really happy with how they turned out, despite my lack of graphic design know-how. The quality of the paper and printing is really fantastic. Definitely ordering from Moo in the future!!

Costuming Photos

0 comments Posted by Mary Lou at 7:46 AM

Hey guys! Just thought I'd post a few pics of my favorite costumes. For more details on my costume shenanigans, "like" my Facebook page!

Miss Martian from "Young Justice"

Ceremonial Princess Leia from "Star Wars Episode IV"

Fem!Malcolm Reynolds from "Firefly"

Minako from "Sailor Moon"

Sailor Venus from "Sailor Moon"

The TARDIS from "Doctor Who"

The TARDIS v.2 from "Doctor Who"

The TARDIS v.3 from "Doctor Who"

The SUV from "Torchwood"

Also, this is officially my 100th post! So yay me! :D

Geek Media Expo, Volume 3

0 comments Posted by Mary Lou at 10:06 AM

Ok, guys! This is my last convention review of the year! Then I promise I’ll write about other things besides how much fun I have geeking out with other nerds.

Geek Media Expo is here in Nashville, TN and I’ve been attending since it began in October 2009. It’s your basic sci-fi, gaming, fantasy and general geek convention, but it has a special place in my heart as it was not only my first non-anime convention, but it was also the place I found my people. If you haven’t read my Speak Out With Your Geek Out post over on Space Gypsies, check that out here.

So it’s all come full circle for me – my first year in the convention circuit. But before I get all sentimental and off track, let’s get back to GMX.

This year’s convention featured a wide array of programming including a steampunk exhibition, gaming stars, and even 80’s icons. What The Cast, a popular geek comedy podcast hosted by the folks behind Dragon*ConTV, recorded its 100th show live at the event. Check that out here.

The weekend was saddened, however, by the recent passing of one of its most well known members, Ryan Jones. Ryan was an active member of the 501st Legion and the spitting image of David Tennant when dressed as the Tenth Doctor. Ryan’s Army, an organization helping raise money for his medical treatment, hosted a memorial service Saturday afternoon. People from all over attended to celebrate the life of this amazing young man and remember his impact on the geek community.


The TARDIS ships it, and so do you.

The room where the service was held was the meeting place for Whovians throughout the weekend, as it housed a locally built TARDIS; the same one you might have seen at Dragon*Con. It certainly added flavor to my favorite event of the weekend which was the Rift Rapture Waltz, a 1940s themed dance featuring a live swing band. All kinds of geek media happens in the 40s – Call of Duty, Bioshock, even episodes of Torchwood and Doctor Who. Classic World War II posters decorated the walls and contestants from GMX’s Miss Pin Up Contest swung their way across the floor. There was even a combined performance by Samantha Newark of Jem and the Holograms and 80’s pop idol Tiffany. I almost thought the boys really might be going to war!

Bob and Carl: Sci-Fi Janitors made an appearance, as did Ellen McLain, (voice of GLaDOS in the video games Portal and Portal 2), and the Apparition Abolishers, a group of steampunk costumers and prop makers. They’re sort of a steampunk version of the Ghostbusters, if you couldn’t already tell. The Apparition Abolishers hosted a steampunk exhibition, featuring “curious contraptions and fantastical oddities,” and the “Clocktease Burlesque Show.” For more on the Apparition Abolishers and all the steampunk sights they have to offer, go here.

Don't think you guys have seen the finished Leia gown...

As with Dragon*Con, GMX is definitely a party convention. The 501st hosted their usual amazing shindig, as did Momocon. If you missed the parties, you simply weren’t looking hard enough!

Finding some of the panels, though, was another story. This was GMX’s first year at the Milennium Maxwell House Hotel, and I pray it’s their last. It’s a ten story hotel, with the main ballroom on the tenth floor. That’s all well and good, except all other panels are split between the first and second floors, making the elevator experience reminiscent of the Hyatt at Dragon*Con. Well, maybe it wasn’t all that bad, but it certainly wasn’t pleasant, especially with the stairs only allowing entry to the 3rd and 5th floors. Those arriving early to events in the 10th floor ballroom were forced to wait in the tiny 10th floor lobby, and were soon backed into the elevators, making the line for that event continue all the way down on the 1st floor. It was…chaos, to say the least.

Look at that Badassery!
Photo by MageTV

One of the things I’ve enjoyed best about GMX in recent years is that it is a small convention. It has, until this year, been held in the Opryland Radisson, a three story hotel with the main ballroom as a central lobby area. All rooms opened onto the main space. This made for easy access to panels and parties, because all one had to do was look around the walls and see where people were congregating. I don’t know all the details about why GMX left the Opryland Radisson, but I ask them to remember that the layout of the convention hotel matters. Some hotels are simply ill equipped to host a science fiction convention, and the Milennium Maxwell House is one of them.

Besides that point, GMX was a great convention. I wouldn’t call it strictly a “relaxicon,” but it certainly won’t tire you out like

Dragon*Con will. It’s a good way to round out the convention season because it’s really what you make it. You can treat it as a relaxicon and have just as much fun as someone who attends panels all weekend. This year’s convention had some super guests, awesome events, and up-all-night parties, with attendance increased dramatically from last year. If you live anywhere near Nashville, definitely add it to your list for next year, because I only see it growing. I’ll be there, and so will all the cool kids!

Also, check out this great video footage my friend Gregg took at GMX!

Leia's Dress Update

0 comments Posted by Mary Lou at 2:58 PM

Last night I got a lot done on Leia's dress! I still have to put in the bodice lining and attaching the bodice to the skirt, and then I'll be done! Well, except a ton of hemming....

I've also chosen what spray paint I'm going to use for the belt. So that's good!! haha.

My friend Allan helped me make four new chevrons for my Stargate costume. I've got to texture and seal them, and then put them on the outfit!

Whew. Still so much left to do. But tonight I hope to finish Leia's hairpiece and put the closures on Cersei's bodice. And start on the boning. omg.

Plates are done!

0 comments Posted by Mary Lou at 12:17 PM

The metal plates for Leia's belt are finished!!

Prototype for Leia's metal belt plates

0 comments Posted by Mary Lou at 8:31 AM

Now to make 5 more...

Nine days 'til Dragon*Con

0 comments Posted by Mary Lou at 7:39 AM

That's right. NINE DAYS.
I am so not ready.

I might have been ready, but my parents suddenly decided to come into town this weekend. So my sewing time is basically cut in half.
Yeah.

I love them and want to see them, but gah!!!

So, I'm going to post my costume progress to help me keep track of what I still need to do. *hopefully* this will help, and not actually make me take more time....

Hopefully you're interested, too! :P

Most of the remaining work is on the Ceremonial Leia and Cersei costumes.

Cersei's underdress, corset, and overdress are constructed, but not hemmed. I also need to add boning and closures to the bodice. Pics soon, I hope. :)

The pieces for Leia's dress are cut and serged. I just need to do the actual construction, and hem everything. Hemming is such a bitch.

Basically, Leia's dress is three dresses in one. Which makes it so you can't see through the whole thing, but is also SUPER annoying.

Today I'm working on Leia's belt. I've tested four different silver spray paints on the leather, and I think I've chosen one. I have to wait for it all to finish drying, but I think I know which I'm going to use. So that's yay! But I still need to cut out all the metal plates, draft and cut the actual belt, and construct everything. Need to get my butt in gear!!!! Rawr.

Pics soon. I'll have to post them from my phone, so they'll be in smaller posts. But they'll be here soon.

Wish me luck!!!