fletcher763

Consider yourself lucky that he spoke to you, mum & I are very nice carm people & paid the £25 between us for our autograph. We qued & when we met him, he didn't even look up or acknowldge you were there, or even say hello to us, even when I said hello straight to him at the desk. For the £25 it would be nice if the guests could at least hello, most of them do & are very chaty. I can really understand that they have a lot of signing to do, but he could of made an effort to say hello. You must have really caught him in a good moment, but I felt slightly upset myself.

Hi where am I supposed to sign, & who is SM? I would be so upset if there was no comp after spending 4 months making my costume & the endless hard sewing work & beading work i've done on my big dress. I think if it was better organized & advertised then there would be interest, people last year were getting very frustrated trying to find the organizer & some gave up. I recentley went to an event in Telford called MidlandsExpo on the 20th Feb, I just went to check it out & there were loads of people dressed up because the website for the event had a section advertised just for cosplays & had info posted there & was advertised well in advance for people to see. If it was a proper more well organized event & an advert put up on the Collectormaina 16 website then people would know. If it's not up there for people to see that theres a competition there won't be many people attending it. Anyway if you could send me the link i'm supposed to sign then that would be great. Thanks

HI, I did post a question about csoplay in the cosplay title section from the home page. I had no response there, but just saw this post now. I was getting worried there wouldn't be a competition as i've spent many months over winter preparing for it. Last years comp was nearly a disaster, many of us people wanting to take part spent up yo 3 hours looking for the cosplay lady. We walked round & round & round & kept going to the main desk for help. Why can't the cosplay competitions as collectormaina MK be as good & as well organized as it is at other simliar events? You know It would be great if there were events around the country just for cosplay only. I come from Shropshire & even Milton Keynes is fairly far to go, but at least can park the car right outside the venue, so can easily travel the costume's down & then get changed, then quickly hop over to the car & can tidily put my costume away for the rest of the day, as they are very delicate. Anyway, please let us all know what's going on, where we can find the cosplay person on the day & anything else, soon. Many Thanks

Does anyone know if there is a Cosplay competition at Milton Keynes in May 2010, or who to contact. Every year it's always a different person organizing it, it gets so confusing becuase you don't know who is actually the top person in charge of cosplay. It seems that at other similar event to collectormania, the competitions are always more organized & planned well in advance, but at Collectormania Milton Keynes, no one ever knows what's going on. Many of us cosplayers last year at Milton Keynes spent 2-3 hours trying to locate the cosplay organizer, the main help desk tried to put a message out, but couldn't help any further. Please can anyone e-mail me or reply on this forum as to what's happening, it would be disapoining if there was no comp becuase I have spent the last 4 months preparing my cosutme. Thanks

I would love to meet Jodi Benson who did the voice for Disney's Ariel in The Little Mermaid, long I have waited for a response from her for an autograph but no reply maybe I have the wrong address. Anyway would really like to have some of my mermaid stuff signed by her, would be really nice.

Is the stadium completed yet (conference hall)? or wil lit be the same arrangement as this years' event with all the stalls around the balcony?

Cosplay IS about showing off your costume and getting a reaction to it, why do we have a Cosplay website and forum, if not to show everyone what we have done? I don't spend months making a costume, just to hide it away in the closet out of embarresment. I want people to see my work, as a winner of 4 events now, I think I would pack it in tomorrow if I couldn't take pride in showing it off. There are lots of people who turn up to Collectormania who just want to strut their stuff in the crowd and we take great delight in seeing costumes that have been well made and presented, but they aren't there just to walk around, they want people to notice them. The competition is there for the more serious Cosplayers who truly believe their costumes have what it takes and maybe to boast that their costume was a cut above the others. (though there are exceptions!) So yes, Cosplay IS about showing off, why else do we take part in competitions? You Rock!!! This is the first thread I have found that was in total agreement to my grievances. Showmasters are trying to make out it was a great event, all the staff were doing a brilliant job and the event was well sign posted as regards to guests. I didn't need to use the bus, so didn't have the same problem as yourself, but it does put you off when it is advertised as frequent services available and they aren't! We go to Milton Keynes twice a year for this event, but are seriously considering going somewhere else if they don't get their act together.

Amy Adams, Emmy Rossum, Anne Hathaway

Talking about the "staff" and what they do to annoy. I was in a queue for Ben Browder, the assistant on our side of the desk kept going IN FRONT of customers and talking with Ben and having a laugh, it was like she was deliberately getting in the way of people wanting to take photos from the queue and that Ben was there to be entertained by her and her witty reparte. Not needed!! The staff as a whole do a great job, but it just takes one to be noticed and make people angry. I appreciate all the hard work that the volunteers do under extreme conditions and I take my hat off to them.

The highlight of the weekend, was finally being able to get our vouchers for winning Cosplay last year. Despite Showmasters pushing us from pillar to post to find out what was going on, all we did, was turn up at the info desk, hand over an email from "tallman" and the tickets were handed over in less than 2 minutes - it was THAT simple!!!! When people win at events, it shouldn't take countless emails and finger pointing etc., to get hold of what we were promised. Just hand over the vouchers Showmasters, we would really appreciate it. This time at MK, all winners were handed their vouchers straight away, which were are grateful for, keep it like that.

The whole event was temporary, we understand that, but even so there must have been plenty of time to get signs organised at the event itself. We were after Leonard Nimoys autograph, so dutifully went to door 3 and then where do we go! We found a sheet of paper hanging up, which listed a FEW of the guests, but no indictation which direction to take - are they to the left or right? A lot of time was wasted and a lot of mis-information given. You expect the helpers of Showmasters to give you answers, but most were completely in dark as to what was going on (is there a briefing held before opening up to pass information on, because its not working). The stall holders around the parapet WHERE complaining, no matter what Showmasters say, we asked them! One stallholder in the hall was taken to hospital following a bad asthma attack because of the oppresive air quality and builders dust. We have been so used to having a descent view of the guests as they were signing in the shopping centre, and this was all taken away by burying them in alchoves. People attending probably didn't notice the cold, but when you are standing in queue, or a stall holder, it was freezing. One showmaster helper DID complain, he had been standing as a ticket collector for 2 hours, with no protection from the cold expect for trousers and a sweatshirt and no sign of being relieved. All in all, it was a bad move to make, In my opinion, I would rather have waited for a descent warm place to go, even if it meant cancelling the event for this year. I think I speak for everyone, when I say - Showmasters, make the next event an occasion to be proud of, put signs up at EVERY entry door indicating where everyone is sited. PS. Please arrange a sandwich bar as well as the usual rubbish of McD's and KFC. We went to ASDA for our lunch, I'm damned if I was going to pay the prices on show!!!!!

We were there mainly for the Cosplay competition. We were asked to turn up for registration at 11.00am, went all the way round the stadium and couldn't find their desk, asked at the info desk, no one knew where it was. We were told to walk around again and if we STILL couldn't find it, go back to the info desk and ask. We did as we were told, got back to the info desk and were told it was being held in the ballroom. Found the ballroom blocked by bags and stuff and couldn't get through that way, went back to the info desk, they couldn't help. Took ANOTHER walk around incase we had missed it - no luck. Back at the info desk they decided to set up a table for signing in, then the Cosplay person turned up, she had been waiting at door 3 for three hours for someone to tell her where to go! We all finally got signed in and collected there at 2.30pm! Up until this time, no one was sure where the judging would take place and we were all led downstairs. Unlike other Cosplay events, there was no stage, no music, just the judges talking to the entrants. All in all a vast anticlimax to the whole event! I realise that the stadium was NOT the best place to hold such an event, but there were areas of the stadium (like downstairs) that could have been utilised to great advantage. Cosplay, you need to get organised, and put on a decent show, we can spend months making our costumes to show off to the crowds of people attending, apart from walking through a crowded stadium to get downstairs, not a lot of people saw our hard work. When the Hall is built, I think we will need a guarantee from Cosplay that it will be properly organised, otherwise we shalln't go.

Hi i'm just another winner here, but I have been e-mailing Jackie (Ladyd) & she said the voucher would be e-mailed. I myself have still not heard anything yet, theres only 3 day's to go now & it is really frustrating I know. Especially if you have to leave on say Thursday or Friday as I will be, to travel down to Milton Keynes. Just wanted you to know you are not alone, this really is disapointing from show masters.

What are you doing about all the people who didn't receive their £25 vouchers from LAST YEAR'S Collectormania. I am stilling waiting for my voucher for coming first as Padme Amidala. I have read that quite a few people are disappointed in you as an organsiation, when it comes to delivering. So prove me wrong. Miss T Fletcher

HI, I also won first prize at Collectormania 14 competition, I received my main prize but still havn't got my £25 voucher & June is fast approaching. I have e-mailed Jackie requentley & she has tried to contact someone for me to get my voucher, but still nothing yet. Something is seriously going wrong that people arn't getting their vouches, surley it doesn't take nearly 8 months to put a letter in the post box.

I'm afraid we didn't have a choice this time, it was either that or no competition at all. May I ask what you thought was awful and who thought it was disappointing? It was made very clear beforehand what would be happening, I thought. There should be a masquerade at C15, I can't make it this time but Sarah (Rickman101) should be taking my place for that one. It was dissapointing because of how many months are spent by people making their costumes. Photos of costumes just don't do the costumes justice!!! All that work & getting ready, just to stand thier for a minute for a photo. It was eventually clear what was going to happen, last year. The thing though with getting your friends to vote was not right, for one thing I only have 2 friends who both voted. Of course your friends & family are going to vote for you, no matter how much better other costumes are, becuase your family. At least there were proper judges with no connection to that person, & base their descion on hard work, which is how it should be, though i still think you can't judge the work properly from a photo. Costumes need to be shown off on a stage as previously done & at least then people can tell you about the work & details of the costume, with the microphone. With the on-line comp, you couldn't put a small speach with your photo, to help really put your hard work forward & to have a couple of sentances explaining some of the details, gone into. I really hope there will be a proper competition for the next CM-15.

HI, does anyone know if theres going to be a proper Cosplay competition, with a stage at collectormania 15. I have been owkring hard on my costume for this June & still no info, I really hope it won't be on-line again as it was auful doing this way & so dissapointing, for many people! If anyone can help I would appreciate it. Fletcher763

Being a fan of musicals & theatre as well, I would love to meet actress Emmy Rossum who stared in the recent Phantom of the Opera movie musical & also the Day after Tommorow. My other favourite would be Sarah Michelle Gellar.

Well done Kreek!!! An awesome costume!!

It was only meant to be a bit of online voting fun, so I don't see why you should knock yourself out. You've done a good enough job getting the whole voting thing together, so I would leave it as it is. The only voting that matters, is what the judges decide.

To naurarwen_fangorn: The colour of Padme's dress was bleached a bit in the strong light on the day, but the colours aren't that strong anyway, using pale yellow turning to a deep purple at the bottom (From the creator) I remember the dress on the day and it actually looked alot brighter when face to face with it then it does on the pictures. Can I just say tho the dress was absolutely amazing. Thanks for the compliment, it took nearly a year for my daughter to persuade me to make it (our first Cosplay outfit). She wanted to use the exact same materials as in the film, so I was a nervous wreck making my first cut! I hadn't used a sewing machine since she was a little girl. The research took about 6 months getting every little detail figured out, the "wings" were a nightmare, so many people had made the outfit, but their's never seemed to look right, I got it in the end though. If you want to see the "making up" pictures they're on Cosplay.com, member name Pink Princess, they've also been posted on the Padawansquide.com. (If it wasn't for "betty" and her false arm, I would still be pulling my hair out!)

Okay, keep the queuing system if you must for the minor celebs (it all reverts to chaos anyway). But for the really BIG queues that snake their way outside and along the building, why not hand the tickets out while they stand there queuing, instead of having the ritual "walk in", which is totally open to abuse and queue jumping. The only reason why John Barrowman and James Marsters worked okay (at C13), was because for the first time EVER, James Marsters queue was virtually zero, he had his nose put out of joint on that occasion, so really there was only ONE major queue - for John. Personally, I take the whole thing at a more leisurely pace now and commit myself to being there the whole day (which some people can't do). So I turn up at 9.45, see where everyone will be, go get a coffee, then go get my tickets. Most minor celebs. are "open" anyway. Last month's collection of "celebs" were very minor ones, so I knew there wouldn't be any problem with queueng and it was a more relaxed weekend. Even the parking was a doddle! At 9.30am the place was virtually deserted. But when you do go to the new venue, make sure there are signs to point people in the right direction to get their tickets, or at least make sure that all members of the crew know where they are going to be, I'm sure some members of the crew are there just to make up the numbers! I asked a crew member where the Cosplay table was, "er, the what!!" "Have you tried the other side of John Lewis?" Then can you tell me where Denise Crosby is signing? "Well, if its not down this side, she could be on the other side - or in the middle". I thought these people were there to help, its no wonder people get aggrevated. If there is going to be a major celeb, put a sign up to say it is their queue, it will make life SO much easier. Okay, keep the queuing system if you must for the minor celebs (it all reverts to chaos anyway). But for the really BIG queues that snake their way outside and along the building, why not hand the tickets out while they stand there queuing, instead of having the ritual "walk in", which is totally open to abuse and queue jumping. The only reason why John Barrowman and James Marsters worked okay (at C13), was because for the first time EVER, James Marsters queue was virtually zero, he had his nose put out of joint on that occasion, so really there was only ONE major queue - for John. Personally, I take the whole thing at a more leisurely pace now and commit myself to being there the whole day (which some people can't do). So I turn up at 9.45, see where everyone will be, go get a coffee, then go get my tickets. Most minor celebs. are "open" anyway. Last month's collection of "celebs" were very minor ones, so I knew there wouldn't be any problem with queueng and it was a more relaxed weekend. Even the parking was a doddle! At 9.30am the place was virtually deserted. But when you do go to the new venue, make sure there are signs to point people in the right direction to get their tickets, or at least make sure that all members of the crew know where they are going to be, I'm sure some members of the crew are there just to make up the numbers! I asked a crew member where the Cosplay table was, "er, the what!!" "Have you tried the other side of John Lewis?" Then can you tell me where Denise Crosby is signing? "Well, if its not down this side, she could be on the other side - or in the middle". I thought these people were there to help, its no wonder people get aggrevated. If there is going to be a major celeb, put a sign up to say it is their queue, it will make life SO much easier.

I'm having a strange vision seeing you lying on the floor trying to draw around yourself and being trampled at the same time! Get a tape measure and measure from your breast bone to the end of your fingers and double the measurement, this will give your overall width. Then measure from your finger tips to 3/4 of the way up your arm, this is where you cut down for the body of the cloak The width of the sleeves should be about 10-12". If you, or someone you know has a dressing gown, these are made in exactly the same way as I'm trying to describe, you could use that as a template pattern as well. You will notice in the film, that there is plenty of movement in the cloak and the sleeves are quite wide. The tabbard isn't so straightforward. on my first attempt, I cut the fake leather completely straight, but it didn't "sit" on the shoulders properly, so I cut a straight edge up to the waist, then put a slight angle in it up to the shoulders and so that it would stay on (cos it kept slipping off), I put a piece of velcro under the tabbard and the corresponding piece on the tunic itself.

To naurarwen_fangorn: The colour of Padme's dress was bleached a bit in the strong light on the day, but the colours aren't that strong anyway, using pale yellow turning to a deep purple at the bottom (From the creator)

My son won at Milton Keynes in May (with his sister as Padme). (Cosplay.com, type in Pink Princess). I made his jedi outfit by basically drawing around him!. I got him to lie on the floor and drew a large "T", doubling the material at the neck to cut down on seams to sew. Cut a slit up the middle and a "V" shape for the neck opening. Cut out a long length of material for the edging strip on the tunic and used the same material to go under the belt. I used velcro to fasten the belt, but there was no need really as the leather belt stopped it coming undone. I did the same for the cloak, but made it bigger and longer, cut out a doubled square of material about 40cm wide for the hood, then gathered it at the neck and neatened all the edges. The trousers were from a pyjama pattern, with the fly sewn up. The under layer garment under the tunic at the neck, is only two pieces of material sewn in place to make it look as though there is another layer under the tunic. His boots were just green wellies painted brown, then I made some "spats" to go around them, tied with three belts using velcro. This was artifical leather glued onto cardboard cut outs. As for where to get the material, we are fortunate enough to have a drapery shop in Shrewsbury, then there is Abakan in North Wales, I'm afraid it will be a case of tracking down your nearest material shop. Sorry I can't help there. But good luck on your venture.