Cosplay

The light is getting closer in the tunnel to getting cons back up and running in person.

SOOOO EXCITED!!!

Which means, my fellow cosplayer, you’re probably, let’s be real, you’re definitely planning (or have already gone) your post-covid debut con. 

To be clear, regardless of your investment, both time and finances, all cosplays are awesome cosplays. No elite, gatekeeping here, no thank you, nope!

Alright, just had to get that off my chest.

Now, when planning a cosplay, there’s a great deal to think about:

(Which is kind of the point, right, planning and prepping is for some the best part.)

Costume is key which probably goes without saying, but there’s other things like hair/wig, props, makeup, I’ve got brown eyes, but my character has blue; should I wear contacts? Kind of stuff. 

I’ve mentioned in the past that I believe movement is an important aspect of cosplay to think about when you’re researching to get to know a character.

But, that doesn’t mean it has to be a crazy intensive thing.

You don’t have to figure out how to climb walls if you’re gonna be Spiderman. 

Although, it’d def be a perk, lemme know how that works out!

Alright, without further adiu, here’s my 3, go-to, simple tools for cosplay movement. 

Posture

So as far as posture goes, a way I like to think about it is in regards to body language. 

Someone with good posture can appear more confident and open.

Whereas a character with more closed body language may slouch more because it can be a way of turning in on oneself. 

Does Captain America slouch when he’s suited up? (either of them, of course) 

Perhaps they have a time or two, they are human after all. But their overall stance? Open chest=straight posture. 

Adjusting your posture to better represent the character you’re cosplaying can be a great place to start.

Poses

How do they positon their hands? Where’s their center of gravity?

Would you say Scarlet Witch’s hands are more important than, Loki’s?

I’m clearly on a Marvel kick, go with it 🙂

It’s in the way Scarlet Witch moves her hands that is iconic for her, perhaps Loki too, just not as pronounced. 

Study how this character holds themselves, how they pose, and that way you’re ready to go for photo ops!

Path

Sticking with my Marvel theme today, let’s look at Black Widow and Hulk.

Now, Hulk is pretty direct with the way that he moves, right? I mean, he is a tank, and Hulk must smash, so why would he take anything but a direct path?

Black Widow, on the other hand, can certainly be direct if she needs to be. However, she can also exist in space more indirectly, more allusive, and calculating with her movements. 

Something to think about: how does this character of yours exist in space?

Do they move quickly or slowly, directly or indirectly?

How do they walk the path they’re on?

So, there you have it!

Posture, pose and path.

3 Quick, short, sweet, simple tools to aid you in your cosplay movement journey. 

There are, of course, many ways your could dive deeper into your research, many a rabbit hole awaits you, but if you’ve got these, you’re pretty good to go!

If you are interested in a deeper dive into cosplay character movement work, check out my post introducing Labanotation.

It’s basically a scientific breakdown of movement and how you can apply different building blocks to construct a character’s movement signature.

Let me know how you get on!

Did you want to grow up to be Morticia Addams when you were a kid?

I certainly did.

Graceful, passionate, a wonderful support to her family, incredible fashion sense, the list goes on and on.

Now, the original show from the ’60s is a delight to behold, to be clear, but my first is still my fav (first impressions and all, not to mention impressionable youth). So, I’m all about the 1991 version, directed by Barry Sonnenfeld. 

It feels like home. 

Sweet, nostalgic, dark, family goals kind of home.

All of that being said, this blog wouldn’t be complete without a character movement study of Anjelica Huston’s Morticia Addams. 

It just wouldn’t.

I cannot express how much I adore her, from the tips of her fingers to the shoes hidden under her glorious mermaid trip hazard-y dress. 

Firstly, a disclaimer: 

I’ve got no clue if Anjelica Huston used Labanotation to help create her incredible Morticia. However, it’s my go-to wheelhouse, so a good chunk of all movement I analyze is going to incorporate Rudolf Laban’s work.

If you’re not familiar with Laban, I’d recommend checking out my two intro posts here and here to get you started.

That way, you’ve got some familiarity with this incredibly adaptable movement tool before diving further into how I’d apply it to analyze Morticia Addams.

Shall we continue?

When a costume shapes your performance

Sometimes the costume dictates a great deal of your character movement signature for you.

It doesn’t take long to notice that Morticia’s dress is rather constrictive. It’s basically a mermaid dress that tightly clings to the body before flaring out below the knees. 

It’s the kind of dress that’s…well…a challenge to walk in.  

She’s also wearing a corset, which means her entire midsection moves all in one isolated piece. If you want to twist, it means your entire upper body twists with you.

Anjelica stated in an interview with The Guardian:

“The makeup was very intense. I had stickers attached to my temples; rubber bands that met behind my head and then on top of that the wig, fake nails and eyelashes, and the corset – individually they add up to something monumental. It was hard to move. There were certain things one could do with one’s hands but that was about it. fortunately wanted to keep Morticia very iconic and still. She’s not fractious at all. She’s very settled in her body language. I had a bonfire of the vanities at the end of the movie where I took all the fake stuff, made a pile, and set it on fire.”

Morticia’s stillness

The stillness that exudes from Morticia is simply captivating. Is she always completely still? No, however, it’s definitely her baseline. 

Stillness is sometimes a forgotten element of movement. As humans, we’re rarely completely still.

Actors sometimes find being still to be a really awkward place to be. 

But sometimes a lack of movement speaks more volumes than moving. It can be a secret weapon in a way. 

Morgan Freeman is a fan of stillness too. I love his quote, “It’s what I learn from the great actors that I work with. Stillness. That’s all, and that’s the hardest thing.”

Whenever I watch Morticia, I’m reminded of the sereneness of stillness. That there can be a grace to it. And to employ it as a character choice can be incredibly powerful. 

Morticia’s walk

Within this stillness, there is a grounded nature to Morticia. A heavy/strong and in some ways bound quality (thinking of her costume as well as Laban), the only part of her that is truly free to move are her arms, hands, and head. 

When she walks, her feet have to calculate their next step. Slow, deliberate, and sustained. This creates a gliding effect which helps when you add that she’s taking very short steps. 

It’s like if you tried to walk elegantly with either an exercise band or a diving ring around your knees. (Note: I was def one of those kids who put diving rings around their ankles to be a mermaid in the pool.)

Other aspects of her movement signature 

Her upper body, as mentioned, has a bit more freedom of movement. 

Anjelica’s long and thin fingers with those immaculate red nails are arguably my fav part of her performance. Other than her eyebrows, probably…yeah…toss-up between her fingers and eyebrows. 

Her fingers have such a fun quality about them. 

They’re flowing and free but also flicking from time to time. Flicking is a movement that is sudden, light, and often indirect. 

And her eyebrows…did I mention her eyebrows?

Bottom line, her facial movement work is on point.

It’s a great reminder, honestly, to utilize your facial muscles. Sometimes, it’s all you need.

When a costume feels constrictive

If I had to sum-up my three takeaways from Anjelica’s performance of Morticia Addams they would be: stillness, fingers and eyebrows. 

She took a constrictive costume and used it to her advantage. To be fair, she also said she intended to keep Morticia iconic and still, and in that way, the costume became an ally. 

Morticia is both comfortable and grounded and well, frankly, inhabiting that dress. It’s a second skin. 

For many actors, myself included, the costume or makeup can help a great deal in discovering their character.

It could be the shoes, or specific makeup or perhaps an important prop like a hat or handbag.

If you’re in a costume that confines your movement in some way, use it to your advantage. Make friends with it and see what it can teach you about your character’s movement. 

For the record, one last thought, a constrictive costume can also be an ally to the actor and not the character. For an animated example, I immediately think of Merida from Brave when she rips out of the dress that impedes her archery. 

But that’s a study for another time. 😉