#i love how the components break the costume conventions

[tabooiart]

a rare gay person who can do math

wrench / volta

[waifutella]

on cosplay planning and research

So, for those of us who opt to hate ourselves make our own cosplays, starting a project can be hugely overwhelming. A lot of characters are amazingly and intricately designed and in being so are difficult to duplicate and can be very stress making, but, as with any large task, the best way to go about it is to break it down into multiple build/buying goals. For illustrating my point during this post, I’ll be walking you through my process and occasionally using bits and examples from the research I did while building my Infinity War version of Steve Rogers.

And yeah, I know. This is a long post. It’s going to be a decent chunk of work before you even start building your cosplay. BUT, the better you prep, the smoother the rest of the process will go. Plus I find that having a record of all this is surprisingly useful in future cosplays- they might have similar elements or pieces to them, so if you can just reference the work you’ve saved from before you won’t need to do it all over again. So put on a playlist, make yourself a nice cup of tea, get comfy and let’s start this process together~

Step 1- Reference Photos and Window Shopping

The first thing you need to decide (after you’ve chosen your character) is if you’re going to try to replicate the costume as closely as possible, or if you’re going to make it your own. You’ve got to keep in mind that the closer you want your costume to be to the original, the more difficult (and most likely expensive) it is going to be fore you. Having a screen accurate cosplay is hugely satisfying, don’t get me wrong- but if you’re the type of person who likes to cosplay a bunch of different characters, it might not be the best choice for you financially or in terms of time commitment.

So once you have in your head how you want to go about it, you’re going to want to collect as many reference images as you can. If you’re doing an original design/mashup/taking liberties, sketch it out! You don’t have to be a skilled artist, but draw out a few versions of what you’re going for. If you’re genderbending, find fan art and other cosplayers who have done the same and take inspiration from them. If you can watch the show/play the game/own the original source material, go through it and save as many stills/photos from the character at every angle you can possibly find. This’ll take a few watches through but  when I was researching for my Infinity War Steve Rogers cosplay, that meant I got to sit and look at Chris Evans all day (week) soooooooo it was worth it. Some companies release in depth art books or reference images (like Blizzard’s “cosplay kits”), so if you can access those, take advantage of them. If, like when I started this project, your source material hasn’t actually been released yet, be creative. Cap has similar suit designs throughout his trilogy, and his IW suit is a damaged version of one of his prior uniforms, so I pulled reference images from Civil War. I looked at all the promo posters and trailers, I even pulled from toys and other promotional products. You’ll notice (especially when it comes to toys) that the design might change slightly between that and the real deal, but you can never have too much information. At the very least, you want a full body shot, from a minimum of four angles- front, back, and from the sides. Print out the pics for when you’re actually making the cosplay, and save them all in one doc/folder so you can come back to them if you need to.

Step 2- Window Shopping

EVEN IF YOU STILL WANT TO MAKE YOUR COSPLAY after looking over the design in great detail, don’t skip this step. Trust me.

Now, companies that manufacture these cosplays have to have slight variations on their final products from the original design, but for the most part they’ll be decently accurate. If you look at the way they’ve constructed theirs, you  might get some ideas on how to go about building yours.

This next bit kind of morphs into step three so bear with me

Your next stop is Etsy. There are tons of talented seamstresses, foam smiths and prop makers on there, and I absolutely believe in supporting them. You might fall in love with someone’s work and decide to commission your cosplay from them instead, and that’s great! Support artists within the community and all that. But if you still would like to make your own, be sure to look up the individual props and pieces instead of searching for the cosplay as a whole. If you’re lucky, you’ll find someone who sells blueprints or tutorials to their work, and you can support them by purchasing those and it’ll be hugely h*cking useful when you’re making it!

Step 3- Tutorials

AWW YE, hit up google, youtube, and the rpf. (in that order usually works best for me, but to each their own.) you’d be surprised how often searching <character’s name> + cosplay + tutorial can help you out, the cosplay community is amazing and a great source of information. If your character hasn’t been turned into a tutorial yet, or you can’t find a tutorial for every aspect, don’t worry! There’s always SOMETHING out there for you. If your character has similar aspects to another character, search for a tutorial on that character instead. Or if you can’t think of a character that’s remotely close, try to think of something from real life that might prove to be similar in design (while researching my Twilight Princess Zelda cosplay, I ended up on a lot of wedding dress forums.). If you really loved a piece on etsy but that shop hasn’t listed patterns or tutorials, write in to them and ask if they’d be willing to sell you their pattern/draft notes. If they do have them for sale, buy it! Being able to skip out pattern drafting when you can is a huge blessing. You can also ask other cosplayers, but

MAKE SURE you’ve actually researched and tried to find it on your own before asking them how to do it. Nothing was more annoying to me than when I had a flood of questions asking how I made my MJ/spiderman shirt, when in depth tutorials and walkthroughs are easily the first 124788 results if you google that question. I would absolutely love to help if you need it, but at the same time I’m not your search engine. (I feel I need to apologise to my BestFriendMikky™ right now, because when it comes to these things I absolutely use her as my own personal encyclopedia. Especially with sewing stuff. I’m sure it’s h*cking annoying to her do’t be like me, kids)

They might not have it? The first year I cosplayed, i didn’t keep any of my notes/patterns/wip pics (which i highly regret now), or they might not go about making these things in a conventional way, so their pattern might not exist in their head so much as it does in their brain. So sometimes when people ask me how I did something, I can only talk them through it rather than give them actual pictures/patterns/examples.

MAKE SURE you’ve actually researched and tried to find it on your own before asking them how to do it. Nothing was more annoying to me than when I had a flood of questions asking how I made my MJ/spiderman shirt, when in depth tutorials and walkthroughs are easily the first 124788 results if you google that question. I would absolutely love to help if you need it, but at the same time I’m not your search engine. (although, I feel I need to apologise to my BestFriendMikky™ right now, because when it comes to these things I absolutely use her as my own person encyclopedia. Especially with sewing stuff.)

They might not have it? The first year I cosplayed, i didn’t keep any of my notes/patterns/wip pics (which i highly regret now), or they might not go about making these things in a conventional way, so their pattern might not exist in their head so much as it does in their brain. So sometimes when people ask me how I did something, I can only talk them through it rather than give them actual pictures/patterns/examples.

Once you’ve found about 200 sources, bookmark them all. Start reading them. Save them, even. Print some of the ones you’re partial to out. Decide if you want to follow one of them verbatim, or mix and match steps and methods to make your own plan. Even if you have a pretty good idea of how you want it to go, you might want to save your other findings just in case something doesn’t go according to plot during the building process.

Step 4- Break up your plan

I like to do this on graph paper. I have a notebook that I’m partial to using during these projects, and a system of binders that the writings transfer over to once the project is finished. If you aren’t partial to a particular method/prefer technology, the cosplanner app might be a good way for you to go. It has spaces for you to do everything I’m about to describe, but in a convenient, cloud using app, and is a lot more mobile than your phone. Tbh I tend to use both, but my physical copy is always much more in depth than whatever I list out on the app.

The first thing I do is list out every piece of the cosplay, from head to toe. This doesn’t mean “shirt + pants + prop”, it usually goes a little something like

(we’re using my IW steve research, again, for reasons)

Wig/hair

Shields (x2)

Shield Harness

Shirt

main shirt/base

Shoulder/overlay piece

Gloves

Belt

main/base (buy)

buckle (make)

utility pouches (make)

Pants

Boot Covers/Shinguards

Boots (buy)

So if I already know I’m going to buy a certain piece I make a note of it, if I already know that one piece is going to be broken up into multiple components, I separate them out... you get the idea.

Next, you break these down individually. If you’re going to buy some of the pieces (I pretty much always buy things like boots/shoes/wigs,) on the cosplanner app you can move them into the “to buy” section, and everything will be separated out in terms of what you need to buy and make. (This is kind of cool on the app, because it has a place to save how much you spent on the purchased pieces and how much time you put into the making of each specific piece)

For each piece, you kind of start this whole process over again. Choose a piece, and google where you can buy it. If you did a good job with your tutorial research, I’m sure you have some you found that are for specific pieces of your build (ayyyy all that step 3 work paid off!) Start searching for sewing patterns and figure out what type and how much of the fabric you’ll need. Write it all down in it’s own little subsection/within the app so that when you’re shopping you can easily reference the list.

Now when it comes to timing this out- just a quick observation- I find that I do better quality work when I don’t have a due date, but those projects tend to sit unfinished for longer than I’m willing to admit. And the projects that I assign due dates for definately get done faster/on time, but usually aren’t my best work. Just something to think about.

If you’re on a time budget, now’s the time to figure that out and set goals. Look at the due date and estimate how much time you’ll need for each aspect of the costume, how much free time you’ll have to work on it, and plan accordingly. I’d recommend leaving extra cushion of time, especially if you’re using tools or techniques you’re not familiar with, so that if it goes slower than you expect or if you need to remake a piece you’ll have the ability to do so. And be sure to figure out what you’d like to do first! If you’re waiting on funds for the bulk of your project, start the cheaper pieces first. If you get overwhelmed by the larger pieces, start the smaller ones first. I mean, the order is really up to you, but I personally like to take a log of the materials I already have and start whatever I can finish whatever smaller pieces I can with what I have on hand >.< I also like to leave my wig purchasing/cutting/styling for the very last thing, it doesn’t usually take more than a couple of hours for me and it’s a nice low-stress thing to have to do if your project has been pushed into con crunch.

Of course, I started practicing this method as a way to combat con crunch, but it always seems to end up right around there, doesn’t it?

[bellesdomain]

Starlight Express Workshop - Thurs 14th Sept

Let me preface this with my overall impressions - this show was fantastic in many ways, the performances were all amazing, the band was fantastic, the staging was remarkably full and entertaining given the circumstances!  It was an absolutely fascinating experience, I’m so glad I had the chance to go - and that I’m going again to see how it develops further.  

But as reviews like this are bound to, this is all going to come across as very negative - but I want to start off emphasising how much I enjoyed it overall!

The theatre is a small, steeply raked auditorium, with a thrust stage about level with the 3rd row.  The stairways on either side were accessible from the stage and used in the performance.  There’s a gantry upstage, which forms a platform for the 8 piece band and Control - yup, live Control onstage.  He had fabulous glowing headphones and an Ipad that seemed to be a racing game - I think it also included his script!  Generally I am very anti-live Control, when it comes to non-replica productions - since the entire show takes place in his imagination, he exists on a different plane to the action therefore they shouldn’t interact. But given the fluid nature of this workshop, pre-recording the kid would be impossible so it worked ok!

The show opened with Andrew Lloyd Webber and Arlene Phillips giving us the context of the evening.  Lloyd Webber explained how they’d workshopped “School of Rock” in a similar manner - no big automation, complex lighting cues or costume changes, just establishing the story telling.  Great concept!  And the venue “The Other Palace” theatre in Victoria, is being run for precisely this function.

Lloyd Webber also told us how he and Arlene Phillips had visited the German production for the English Gala, and he hardly recognised the show they were performing as his work.  And indeed, I was also at the English Gala and suddenly hearing the material in its original language made the inconsistencies and plot holes glaringly obvious!  So the point of this workshop is to see if they can get the show back into shape for a future production, as well as the German production’s 30th anniversary next May.

The show opened in a familiar manner, Control (playing with his ipad), sent to bed by his Mother. She sings her lullaby, the melody is taken up by the mouth organ.  The Overture modulates, repeats, swells, in the fans’ mind’s eye you see the shadowy figures skating around the set - and then Control interrupts with “Stop that Boring Music!” And begins to introduce the National Engines.

I think it’s fair to say this change is getting a bit of negative feedback.  That overture is the literal HEART of the show, it’s the preview of the Starlight Sequence, it’s the title song melody.  It’s the magic happening, as Control falls asleep and we enter his dreamscape.  The Overture alone will literally draw people to tears.  To have Control dismiss it as “boring music” is crass, insensitive, and a tonal mis-fire, alienating Control from the audience.  In other words, he’s a brat!

Entry of the National Trains is always a clunky way to start the show, these minor characters are so unimportant to the plot.  Placing the scene later, before AC/DC, makes for better story telling, as the audience have already established who’s important and it contextualises Electra’s entrance as we’re calling forward the competitors for the race. Anyway, the workshop has given us some new names for the Nationals - Bobo the French train is now the feminine Coco, which works well.  The German Engine is now named after Wagner’s opera das Rheingold. Rather than fix the dated and embarrassing reference, the Japanese train is still Nintendo.  And the British train is now “Brexit” - which is as topical a joke, and I suspect will last in the public conscious about as well as his APT designation did.  Yeah, that’s the point. Nobody remembers!  A very quickly dated reference.  There were a few of them throughout the night, so hopefully they’ll be reconsidered. Rolling Stock - Oliver Tompsett as Greaseball, greased back hair and stubble, was hilarious and a bit menacing - would probably be more menacing if I weren’t so steeped in his performances from Rock of Ages!  The strangest thing here though, was it. Was. so. Slow. There’s a strange quirk that the 1984 original cast recording has the Rolling Stock track at a stodgy plod - as if an LP record is played on the wrong setting! And this is what they decided to replicate live.  The performances were all brilliant, the ensemble mugging it up as their Nationals, it was hilarious and engaging, but why so slow?  As far as I know, it wasn’t performed that slow in 1984, it’s just a quirk of the recording -  but Andrew Lloyd Webber obviously approved of this!

Second number in was Crazy.  Throughout, Crazy and Call Me Rusty have been mixed up and cut together - along with remnants of Engine of Love in there as well.  It works, sort of, plot-wise it’s exactly like Engine of Love, here’s young Rusty and the coaches.  There’s a lovely bit of contextualisation where Control explains “Rusty is the first train I got when I was six” which grounds us as these are his toys.  Then into Crazy.  George Ure as Rusty may have dried on his opening lyrics, but a bit of ad-libbing and he was back on track.  Christina Bennington as Pearl got straight in there with the high option for Pearl’s “Til someone better comes along”.

Greaseball, Nationals come in to bully Rusty, and the coaches all stick up for him, however Pearl makes the point that she’s not actually Rusty’s partner, flirting with Greaseball.  Then we have a version of “Call Me Rusty”, the short version used in Vegas I believe, layering “Call me Rusty if you dare. Call me Rusty if you like…”  with the coaches still having the mid break from the original but with some new lyrics from Pearl about “we’re just friends”. Rusty is sent to fetch the trucks, and we have the original intro into Locomotion, “Rusty/can’t/be serious, him/go in/for the race?” but then there was some new material, Greaseball flirting with Pearl, saying “woowoowoo you’re brand new!” Dinah comes forward to warn him off Pearl but she gets sent to “go make the tea” by Greaseball and the Nationals.  Here’s where we’re introduced to Tassita (shhh she’s a quiet coach and doesn’t like loud noises), and we go into the new song to “introduce” the coaches, “I Got Me (and that’s all I need)”  This song felt to me like there’s some School of Rock type influence.  It’s very “I can do what I like” independent rock chick.  It’s not a bad song, but it doesn’t serve the purpose of introducing these characters at all, plus the pedantic mind says that these girls are railway coaches - and coaches DO need an engine.  Sorry to break the vibe but coaches aren’t independent - but you can easily argue the case that an engine without coaches is as useless as coaches without an engine.  The song ended quite abruptly to muted applause, but launched straight into a reprise, which was then interrupted by the Freight train.

Freight ran exactly as the 1992 London, with all the banter from the coaches, which was particularly entertaining despite being such very familiar lyrics.  Whether it was due to the small ensemble, or an effort to address the gender imbalance in the show, Hopper 3 was female, and she was having a great time of it.  Sadly no return of the Rockies, the Hip Hoppers are about the only remaining remnant of the contributions made by David Yazbek in 2003.  The only new moment in the number was one of the most jarring changes - Caboose is included, but rather than introduce himself using the “There’s Me” melody (“at the back on every piece of track…”  Being “All alone, you think you’re on your own…”) no, the Red Caboose comes straight in with “Wide Smile, High Style” melody, telling us straight off that he’s in the business of wrecking trains. His characterisation was very much aggressive, nasty and scary!  No pretense at the sweet and helpful Caboose that anyone would trust, this guy is clearly one to avoid.  Caboose made a point about being paid to do his job.

Straight after Freight, we have Control announcing technical problems…  oh boy! A late entry!  These must be his minders! Kilowatt is Electra’s security truck. Wrench is the repair truck, Purse the money truck ordered us to switch your accounts to Electra.  Again money is an active concept in this world.  Joule and Volta followed - male Volta, as with Hopper 3 is this a limitation of the size of ensemble?

Electra appeared in towering red velour heels, fishnet stockings under a conventional masculine ensemble of slacks and jacket.  Liam Tamne has an incredible voice, great range and strength and falsetto! But his characterisation flat for my personal taste for Electra, and also really reminded me of someone else, a character on TV perhaps.  He was very flamboyant and self-indulgent.

AC/DC is interrupted suddenly, as Greaseball appears.  The coaches, who 10 mins earlier were making such a point of not needing no man, especially Dinah getting up in the faces of the Nationals to protect Pearl, undergo a complete 180 on their characters, turning to the regular excited fangirls we’re used to seeing in Pumping Iron.  This felt especially wrong given Dinah’s “Back off girls, he’s mine!” - really?  Is he?  Because you were defending your girls from his flirting just now, and showed no suggestion of a relationship between Dinah and Greaseball other than antagonism.  The earlier scene is massively out of character for Dinah.

Oliver Tompsett rocked Pumping Iron, of course, it’s easy to appreciate why the girls are all fangirling over him.  The two female components stayed to dance, while Electra and his boys left in a huff.  This was one scene where the minimal staging fell flat, as the dance break needs some rock’n’roll partner work, skates or not.  

Coda Freight ran much as expected, the confrontation between Greaseball and Electra was extended by the two of them sharing the lines usually sung by the Nationals, as they mock Rusty’s intent to join the race.  Coda Freight originally did not modulate key - the German production is one where it drops into a lower key which always jars. But this time we get a modulation UP a key, which is different! But not necessary, it’s quite busy enough staying in one key.

Control announces five minutes to race time, and “if you ain’t in twos, you lose”.  This is where we would expect to find Crazy, and indeed we have a reprise of the number where Rusty approaches Pearl, but she rebuffs him with something about “don’t push me around”.  But then their conversation follows the coaches’ melody from “Call me Rusty”, as she explains in no uncertain terms that while she likes him she wants an engine of the future.  Then they are interrupted by Electra’s Bodyguard Kilowatt (shall we just call him K?) who explains Electra’s coach has a “Migraine”. Pearl has her dilemma, and will let Electra know.

Pearl has a new intro to “Make Up My Heart”, written to the “diddlydiddly” pre-race music (also used by Caboose pre-”Wide Smile”), as she discusses how Electra seems fun, then she had an echo of “He Whistled At Me” - which I think was the only occurrence of that/”Engine of Love” melody.  Then that disjointed selection of melodies led into the full “Make Up My Heart” number, as performed on the 1992 London recording.

Control starts the races, with a comment about “I’ll pick your partners for you”.  A new addition for the races which grew very tedious almost immediately, each engine as they’re introduced, sings the “Clear my track, this is my train now, this could be my dream, clear my track” fragment of “No Comeback” that Pearl sings in “Laughing Stock” - each with their own lyrics of course.  But hearing that same fragment four times in a row was repetitive, and annoying given that that melody is meant to specifically refer to Electra.  The concept of melodies referring to specific characters and event - the use of leitmotif - has more or less been lost, apart from a few occasions which shows that while they COULD use the concept, they choose not to!  Race 1 ends up with a Dead Heat between Greaseball and Electra, with only the “No Comeback” melody appearing in the race music.

As the racers clear away, we have a mopey Rusty with the “Call me Rusty” melody on the mouth organ, as he approaches the Freight yard and “Momma” is singing The Blues.  Mica Paris was poorly served by the existing score - while the major solos are within a reasonable alto range, most of Poppa’s recit is well below an alto.  However her character, and the staging for the number was really engaging and fun, and included Caboose mooching in the background.  Caboose has always seemed notable by his absence from this scene of the Freight - I presume the practical reason is that Caboose has just finished racing so to make him immediately be onstage but purely for context would be unkind.  But within the world of the show, why is Caboose not hanging out with the rest of the freight?   Momma’s response after “Let me hear you say Steam!” - the Starlight Express melody - is “When the Night is Darkest” rather than “When Your Goodnights have been Said”, which probably only coincidentally is kinder on her vocal range. But it’s slightly odd in a production that draws so heavily from the previous London productions, to bring in the Broadway variation of the title song.   Control interrupts to inform us of heat 2, Momma decided to race and ends up with Dustin much as is familiar from other productions.  The exact reason was unclear but Brexit meant the British train was missing, allowing Momma to race.  

Race Two again seemed to have Control decide the race partners, and again repeated the “Clear my Track” melody, except Momma introduced herself with the Coaches’ “I got Me” melody which seems to be pretty random for an old Steamer.  It was also incorporated into the race music.  

After Race 2, into Laughing Stock, played much as normal, but with one small 1984 detail restored - Momma points out Rusty “Couldn’t face that losing shame!”  rather than Rusty admitting his own weakness, or the line being omitted altogether.

Starlight Express - the title song closed act 1 with an unexpectedly subtle edit, new lyrics to the “When the Night is Darkest” melody.  I’m not absolutely sure new lyrics were needed for this number, but they’re evocative and very much in keeping with the scene and Rusty’s emotional journey.

(And we have the interval.  Go get a glass of wine.  You’ll need it.)

Act 2 begins with The Rap - entirely a capella, started by Hoppers “Are you Ready?” which updated lyrics. The Coaches come in with something like “Swipe to the left? Swipe to the right?  Who will be my date tonight?” which feels like it’ll date very quickly.  It was a mix between the 1992 Rap in structure, “Gotta be in the frame if you’re gonna win the game, are you ready for the big one, ready!” with quite a lot of the individual lines tweaked.  This meant that we’ve still got all the “Shut it, Dinah!” and some of the classic lines like “losing the race with this floppy disc” and “Boil with the oil or lose with the fuse”.  Performed entirely unaccompanied, with much stomping on the beat, worked really well.

“Pearl Twirl” ran unaltered, giving Dinah a COMPLETE character shift from act 1.  The confident, sassy girl is completely unrecognisable as the heartbroken Dinah singing “Uncoupled”. Fantastic performance from Natalie McQueen, really heart-felt and beautifully sung, but it was distracting how she seemed to be playing a completely different role to earlier.  The staging was even much as normal, with the other two coaches hanging out behind, with varying levels of sympathy and boredom as they sing backing vocals. But without Dinah having established a character of a devoted, in love with Greaseball, the song was very out of place.

Invitation Dinah included some new material, a longer conversation between the girls, with Dinah saying “I can’t manage on my own” - again, this is not the Dinah we saw in act 1.  The line “But if Greaseball changes his mind!” is in there.  Tassita and Belle have very little to do - no Girls Rolling Stock - but whereas in the past the coaches only had “Oh, Dinah!” to express their frustration, this gives them a little dialogue.

Caboose’s scenes in the middle of act 2 almost had me vocalising my frustration!  This scene is one of my biggest problems in the current show AND IT HAS NOT BEEN CHANGED!

First, Caboose tells Greaseball that Rusty is fast, and they plot as in the US Tour with Greaseball’s “Ohh that’s nasty, I like it!”. This conversation also gives us the existing line “Just cos I smile all the time, don’t mean I’m not into crime”.  This is not news, this is not a reveal, and this Caboose has only been smiling in an evil, mean way. There’s been no pretense at Caboose being helpful or sweet, he’s been flat-out nasty from the beginning.

Then we have the Disco-tastic 1984 version of “Wide Smile” which repeated the  “Just cos I smile all the time, don’t mean I’m not into crime” line, and included “Under the smiles, under the fun I’m public enemy number 1” - again, there’s not been any fun or smiles from this Caboose!  Also they use the full 1984 “CB” lyrics including the CB radio references which were cut for the Broadway show in 1987 as too obscure!

Patrick Sullivan’s performance was extraordinary, hitting those falsetto notes, amazing energy and rhythm, a really enjoyable number.  I don’t know if I should read significance into Electra not joining in the backing for the number, but it was only the components.

The problem is though this scene is a MASSIVE plot point.  It should be the moment we learn that Caboose is a cheating back-stabbing bastard, but this has already been established.  Also, there is a logical gap in this number - with Electra well aware of Caboose’s enjoyment of double-crossing, why on earth does Electra then choose Caboose as a race partner for the downhill final?  Especially when surrounded by his components, any of which would be a suitable race partner. The simple solution, which I was hoping this workshop would consider, would be for Electra to be removed from this scene.  Simply continue the song on from Caboose’s conversation with Greaseball, have Greaseball’s gang as the backing dancers rather than Electra’s components. Then, Electra is unaware of Caboose’s scheme, his choice of race partner makes sense.  This would also remove a flabby feeling repeat of the material as different versions have been grafted together.

Race 3 - the Uphill Final - begins with Control announcing Greaseball and Pearl, Electra and Dinah, and Rusty and Caboose.  This race has not had the extra “No Comeback” repetitions, but rather the normal spoken lines from each Engine including Rusty’s “Let’s hear it for Steam!”  

No explanation is given as to how there are only three engines, since Control earlier quoted the 1992 London instructions “There are two heats, two qualifiers from each heat”.  So what happened to the 2nd qualifier from Heat 2?  Why did only Momma come through from that race?

Well, I can tell you why, it’s because Control’s lines are taken from the 1992 London, but the races are taken from the 2003 US Tour with the pre-recorded 3D races.  Because the tour ran with only 4 Nationals including the British train, the races were run on the logic of two heats, and the winner from each would compete in the final, which should have consisted of two engines.  But since Electra and Greaseball tied, they both went through to give us 3 engines in the final.  But this story telling has been overlooked in this workshop.

The race was staged with Caboose literally picking up Rusty to make it clear he wasn’t going anywhere!  The race music also included the inverted race melody, the descending phrase as used in Germany which always jars when used to the London versions.  The Race music did include the “Wide Smile” motif. Rusty was thrown to the floor, injured, as Control shouts “Race Cancelled!  Who did it?  I didn’t do anything!” - again the 1992 London script.  

The 1992 London show was the production which cut Caboose - which is particularly relevant in this part of the show, as without Caboose driving the story, the London show included material to patch over the holes.  This material was then drafted into the UK Tour in 2004, to cover gaps where some of the David Yazbek contributions were removed, I believe.  However the result is that there are two separate scenes which cover the same actions.  

Firstly, the Caboose version is that Caboose has crashed Rusty.  The original London staging in 1984 was one of the weaker points of the show, where a fairly illogical staging required all the racers to make it onto the bridge to be carried to the top level, mid-race.  CB slowed Rusty to the point he missed the connection and the race was then cancelled due, I believe, to the fighting between Greaseball and Electra.  This had Rusty challenge Greaseball with “That CB he never took off the brakes”, which is when Pearl realised that Greaseball and CB were in cahoots.  The original version didn’t have Rusty injured apart from his pride, but gave us CB’s insane “10, 10 never again you’re no engine!”.  CB’s gloating and insane pleasure at the damage he has caused is an essential part of his character arc.  The German staging had Rusty crash and tumble down the bowl to land in a heap centre stage, where Greaseball and Pearl came by, with Pearl saying “I’ll go tell the Marshalls!” then as Greaseball pulls her away, she begins to realise she’s made mistakes.  

Secondly, the No Caboose version, the London 1992 version, has to find another reason for Rusty to be out of the race.  The Uphill final is cancelled by Control when it’s devolved into a fist fight on the bridge, Control didn’t see what happened so Greaseball and Electra jump on the chance to blame Rusty - “Rusty did it, he caused the wreck!”  Greaseball then confesses “Shut it, I did it, he was good, he was fast” - without Caboose in the show, this comes as a surprise.  The Marshalls have been wordlessly clearing everything up, Rusty then comes back to Greaseball with “They (the marshalls) say - “  “what do they say?”  Greaseball then sics his gang on Rusty, to “make sure it won’t happen again”.  The Gang then beat up Rusty (to the melody of “Wide Smile”) in order to bring him to the same, injured and dejected state, as if Caboose had been there.

These two separate scenes have been smashed together since the US Tour in 2003 gave the show major re-writes, and the story being told is flabby and confusing.  If Rusty has been wrecked by Caboose, is already on his knees and his confidence destroyed, why do the gang need to beat him up directly?  Unless the staging includes Marshalls directing the clean-up, who is Rusty talking about with “They say”?  If Caboose is there, then how does the line “You told the Marshalls I drove into you!” make any sense?  

The Workshop gives us the current version of this scene, with the 1992 London version of the show, including Greaseball and gang beating up Rusty.  Then Pearl wanders in, sees Rusty wrecked on the floor, and realises things are going bad “This wasn’t how I wanted it, this wasn’t what I saw” (what had you seen, Pearl?  We no longer have He Whistled At Me to specify her dreams and ambitions)  Flat-top has his sympathetic line “Give it up Rusty, you’ll never beat them”, and Caboose has just left. Then we have a reprise of “Crazy” at a slow, reflective pace, as the badly injured Rusty picks himself up. This reflects back to Rusty’s naive hopeful attitude at the start of the show, contrasting his previous optimism with his sad current state.  Then we hear the “Call Me Rusty” refrain on the mouth organ as standard. This reflects back to Rusty’s naive hopeful attitude at the start of the show, contrasting his previous optimism with his sad current state.  Yes, the concept of Rusty’s confident introductory number being reprised in a slow, sad tone is exactly repeated in this scene.

Where we’d expect Right Place, Right Time, we have the Hoppers wander in and paraphrase the opening lines of the number, without any particular motivation for their presence, but the full number is omitted. This scene feels like it might be a compromise as the work in progress nature of the workshop, where this is a place-holder for a new version of the full number for the Hip Hoppers.  

Rusty, alone and dejected, runs into the Starlight Sequence as normal, reflecting on how he’s “down and out”.   The Starlight Sequence is always magnificent,  but it was slightly soured after Control’s “Stop that Boring music!” comment during the overture, which is of course a preview of this scene. Mica Paris as Momma wasn’t quite comfortable with the vocal range of the song but at some moments opened up sounded glorious.  There were also some slight lyric paraphrases such as “The Starlight Express is no more or less, I’m you, Rusty”, which doesn’t quite make sense, but I suspect was simply the nature of the workshop rather than a deliberate change. George Ure’s performance was stunning and so emotional, he really carried us on Rusty’s journey.

The Rusty and Dustin scene has some new music, using the same melody as Rusty’s monologue prior to the Starlight Sequence, the melody most characterised as the Coaches’ verse in “Call Me Rusty”.  It’s a minor key, the music always suggests concern, worry, lack of confidence, so to use it for this scene felt off.  The standard score uses “Belle’s Song” at this point, as that melody is connected with the Freight and Dustin as well as Belle.

Dinah’s Disco is re-worked to be a reprise of “I Got Me” which works well in this context.  If “I Got Me” were moved from act 1 to replace “Girls’ Rolling Stock”, following “UNCOUPLED”, this reprise would work perfectly.  Electra calls CB to his side with the “AC/DC” melody, the 7/4 time makes the short scene feel a bit awkward, but replacing the “Nobody Can Do It Like a Steam Train” melody makes sense when all references to “He Whistled At Me” have been cut.  Electra and CB bargain for the price of CB’s help.

Control introduces the re-run of the Final Race, on the Downhill course.  Again the score being used is snipped from the 2003 US Tour - the pre-race 4 has two versions, the original staging called for three finalists, the Broadway and later used four finalists.  The beautiful, complex layered music was originally written for the six racers, then altered for eight.  But then the US Tour version cut it back to six, rather than referring to the original score, the two vocal lines are simply left out leaving a gap in the music.  Specifically the 1992 score had Bobo singing “Le jour du gloire est arrivé” (please pardon my french!) with Ashley singing “Gonna be hot, hotter than hot”.  The alternative for that vocal part has Caboose singing “Just for me, I’m in this just for me” (or “Nur fuer Mich” in the German score) - but the workshop uses the Tour version which simply skips this vocal line. Once part that point the complex harmonies were gorgeously performed.  While I love the “Rusty’s gonna race in the Final” moment in this number, it harks back so strongly to the original version of the Rap.  

The Downhill Final was performed with a very witty side-comment from Control about “Sorry about the lights, use your imagination!”  The race music was very much the 1984 original which was gorgeous! Control’s narration tells us the story, including Pearl being disconnected, and Rusty saves her - at which point the Crazy melody was incorporated in the race music, with the ensemble singing “Come on Rusty”.   Immediately on winning, Rusty leaves with “I must find Pearl”, as usual.  

One Rock’n’Roll Too Many was staged almost exactly as usual - in fact all that was missing was the kneepads!  Contextually this was played the same as UK Tour / Germany, not like the 1992 London, which seems a shame.  The only major difference (apart from the presence of Caboose) is that in London, the ensemble stayed onstage and witnessed the massive fall from grace of the major players in the game.  I appreciate that practically, in staging the show, I am sure the ensemble are grateful for a couple of minutes backstage, but the story telling of including them as witnesses is important.  Plus it gives the ensemble characters more time to establish their personalities.  There’s no logical reason all the characters leave before the number, and come back at the end.  Momma was struggling with the vocal range for the “Where’s Rusty gone?” section.

Pearl is introduced with the electric guitar playing the “He Whistled At Me” melody, but since neither version of her song appeared at the start of the show, her reprise that was the introduction to “I Do” has been cut.  Which is super frustrating, because that little reprise was the only good addition with this dreadful song!  

“I Do” is untouched, it’s still abysmal, with clunky, random, meaningless lyrics, poor melodic construction, long and repetitive.  The lyrics scan very poorly to the music (“you think that noboDY would love you”), and the vocal ranges are very hard to sing, it’s fortunate the cast are so strong!  They are genuinely adorable and you’re so happy that they’ve found each other, despite the music.

I have to admit, however, that with the changes to Pearl’s character, that she is given more time to think, the lyrics are not as contradictory as previously.  It feels like Pearl, and to an extent Rusty, have been ret-conned to fit this song!

I am genuinely astonished that this song has been kept, I thought the one thing this workshop would be sure to give us was an improvement on the love song.  It’s such a shame to have lost “Only He” - in any of its many variations - as the love song being a reprise of one half of the Starlight Sequence is an enormously important part of the story telling.  The “Only You” melody speaks of discovery, completion, it’s the answer to the question, where the “Starlight Express” melody is the question.  

Following “I Do”, Rusty and Pearl sing a reprise of “I Got Me”, and the “Well Done Rusty, King of the Track” is now set to the same melody, which is slowed, and jars with the dissonance.  Then the reprise of the “Starlight Express” melody is as you’d expect, into Dinah’s “Greaseball you’re hurt!”  - beautifully performed, and there isn’t the jarring sense of “No, honey, don’t go back to your abusive ex!” - which is possibly more of a negative statement since Dinah’s character is so inconsistent.  Oliver Tompsett does have the most magnificent puppy-eyes pleading expression though, making it hard to resist forgiving his character!

Leading into Light at the end of the Tunnel, Mica Paris was again having difficulty singing the role written for a baritone! I had a moment of cognitive dissonance, given how there had been strong throw-backs to the 1984 version of the show, for the one line that was originally sung by Soul Queen PP Arnold as Belle, “The man who watched the pot and said, hey I got…”  - for one moment being sung by Soul Queen Mica Paris!  The final number bounced along, full of joy and energy as ever, with no changes from the norm.  No megamix, just a play-out from the fantastic band.  

[rhythmnext-blog]

Tips for Choreograph a Dance When You Are Stuck

Setting movement can be a daunting task. Regardless of whether you are another or prepared wedding choreographer in Chandigarh, you may end up at an innovative square during some piece of the procedure. These are ideal chances to be brave and think outside about the case!

 Utilize whatever challenge you are looking to make something new. Arranging is a work of enthusiasm and articulation that can be compensating regardless of challenges that may emerge.

 Generally when individuals consider a move, they may envision conventional artful dance and jazz move. In these increasingly customary structures, the movement may pursue the music precisely and utilize a structure, for example, ABA topic, minor departure from the subject, and redundancy of the topic.

 Be that as it may, in the event that you are arranging in these types or another by and large, breaking this shape can give fulfilling results.

 The components of move incorporate shape, space, time, and vitality. These are essential to think about when making development for your piece.

 Distinctive utilization of these components can create fluctuating outcomes while arranging. Be cognizant and mindful of how you use them – they can open up entryways and furthermore cause our imaginative procedure to halt. Use them astutely! 

 Here are some choreographic plans to get your innovative energies pumping:

 1. Arrange in a non-direct design.

 Rather than beginning toward the start and furrowing right through, why not begin in the center? Or on the other hand, start working with a few development phrases and simply observe where it takes you.

 2. Use the act of spontaneity as a driving force for development, expressions, or by and large moves.

 You can extemporize as the Dance choreographer in Chandigarh, or have your artists ad-lib for you. Recording impromptu creations can likewise be useful. In the event that you love impromptu creation or maybe imagine your last work being somewhat extraordinary every night, you can even incorporate the act of spontaneity into your piece!

 3. Arrange without music.        

 In the event that you ever feel stuck picking Sangeet choreographer in Chandigarh, or you are working with an author making a unique score, have a go at arranging without music from the start. This will make a significantly unique impact on the connection between move development and music. This works especially well with increasingly surrounding, scanty soundscapes.

 4. Take a gander at the essential components of your move: shape, space, time, and vitality.

 You can make whole moves dependent on one component alone, or utilize these individual components to make a minor departure from your move phrases. Venture back and conceptualize thoughts regarding every component through composition. At that point, investigate your thoughts through development.

  5. Decide to make a piece outside of the theater, or in a non-traditional space.

 You could make a site-explicit work in a recreation center, or produce a show in a discovery theater to assist break with increasing the frontal repetitiveness of theater move work. In these nontraditional scenes, the crowd is regularly given another point of view from which to see move since they are more very close. There is next to zero boundaries between the Dance choreographer in Punjab and the crowd in these settings. The crowd may get a 360-degree point of view or basically sit someplace near the artists.

 6. Break your average development shape.

 In the event that you will in general move a specific way and make moves that all contain comparative development characteristics, challenge yourself to make a development study in manners that restrict your regular propensities. You can make a whole piece off of this thought; or, use it as an approach to differentiate your development in other Sangeet choreographer in Punjab works.

 7. Fuse post-current move procedures.

 Test your point of confinement of what move can be. The post-present day artists of the 1960's pre-owned passerby developments, for example, strolling and ordinary signals to make whole pieces. They likewise joined verbally expressed word, video projection, and that's just the beginning.

 8. Make your work multi-disciplinary.

 On the of the chance that you ever feel befuddled for thoughts, think about how you can utilize other fine arts or something apparently totally irrelevant to move to make another move work. For instance, you could fuse unrecorded music or live painting into the move. Another thought is to work with a researcher or anthropologist intently on a point that interests you to base development from.

 9. Work kinds.

 Have you at any point considered making a hip-bounce Nutcracker? You could utilize current move procedures in a melodic venue piece, or expressive dance in a tap number. The conceivable outcomes are huge.

 10. Utilize chance techniques.

 Wedding choreographer in Punjab spearheaded this strategy. There are various approaches to utilize chance techniques while arranging. You could move bones or utilize the I Ching as he did. Another thought is to pull thoughts, numbers, and so on out of a cap and utilize that for sequencing, expressing, or whatever else.

11. Consider the final product.

 What will the ensembles and lighting resemble? These are two fundamental components that can loan a lot to the last item. Your development and thoughts may even be enlivened by specific costuming and lighting thoughts too, so don't leave them for the end! They could even be a beginning stage for a whole move.

 Think about your mind like an open book when you start the choreographic procedure. Similarly, as an essayist may get an inability to write, attempt to open another entryway rather than persistently attempting to open a bolted one. This doesn't imply that you are surrendering, yet rather having a go at something new. At the point when we can free ourselves inventively, the prizes are ample that we are making a work that communicates our most profound possibilities.

[vedanti-al]

Week 10- Shoot planning and shoot week.

This week was my group’s shoot week, Sir had also come back from his shoot so we started with understanding component 4 section A. Sir mailed all of us a zip folder which contained material to understand how to write this section of the question paper. The word document was quite long and definitely took me time to read.

The document was quite helpful and explained how we had to go about writing both the parts in section A. The part (a) consisted of four topics which required us to talk about:

Use of digital technology- The type of software we used on our product, what were the pros and cons of using that type of software, we also had to talk about how these elements enhanced our products.

Creativity- How did we come up with ideas, how did we try to make our product different and how could being creative help us and our product.

Research and Planning- Why were research and planning important? how did we plan and research in different ways and what type of audience were we targeting with it.

Using conventions from real media texts- What type of conventions did we follow and challenge in our product.

Part (b) contained 5 topics and for each, we had to write about:

Genre- How was the genre depicted through, Colour, Camera angles/movements, Editing techniques, Sound/dialogue/ music, Mise-en-scene such as Costumes/props/ Locations.

Narrative- How did we illustrate the story in terms of camera, mise-en-scene, edit, and sound.

Audiences- What kind of audience were we targeting with our product and how did we try to reach to a certain audience with the way we used camera, mise-en-scene, edit, and sound.  

Representation- In what way does our product represent a certain type of person or group of people.

Media language- This part is similar to clip analysis where the camera, sound, edit, and mise-en-scene are analyzed.

Sir also showed Vedant (group 1 Editor) and me how to do minor VFX for a shot taken in group 1′s shoot. We had to correct this shot as we could see ourselves on a reflective surface and the camera had captured it.

Paarth also confirmed the locations, which were his house and a restaurant. We went to check out the locations so that we could make the storyboard for the trailers and make changes to the shot division if required.

A shot we had thought of taking of Kabir leaving the cafe in a rush

After visiting the locations and getting an idea of how they looked I could visualize the shots much better which made my job of drawing the storyboard much easier. I drew the storyboard for the second trailer while Diya made the one for the first trailer.

Further, into the week, we got all the work we had done in Sir’s absence checked and approved by sir. Now we were ready for the shoot and all that was left for us to do was to give the actors confirmed timings and tell our assistant team about the things they had to get. Diya and I also completed our storyboards for the two trailers.

SHOOT DAY 1

For the first day, we had planned to start and finish off with all the restaurant scenes since we had a time restriction given by the owner as after a certain time, customers would start coming in and rolling the camera would be difficult. As we waited for the actors we marked down on the screenplay what scenes we were going to do that day from the master breakdown, so that everyone was on the same page.

This time around I was in charge of the mic and recorder. The shoot started at 10 am after all three of our actors had arrived at the location, Tanya worked on getting their costumes changed and ready for the scene.

The very first scene was of the detective walking into the cafe and introducing himself and the situation at Sahil and Kabir’s house. A small suggestion that as made by Kenosha (assistant director) of taking the reflection of the detective's footsteps in the mirror as the first shot and since my team, I loved the idea, we went ahead with it and implemented it into our trailer.

Unlike last time, my group had much better teamwork and Paarth (director)  was very clear at what he wanted and was ready to hear improvisations from me and the rest of the crew as well. This affected the entire team in a positive way since it made all of us more confident and sure of the scenes that were being shot. As an editor, if I saw anything that I would not have wanted to be included or shot differently, then I conveyed it to my director and he patiently heard me out and acted accordingly. Tanya (production designer) had also done a flawless job in terms of being ready with costumes, makeup looks and executed it very well on the shoot day.

how my DOP (Diya) practiced taking this panning shot that established the location beautifully.

After we started shooting I had seen many opportunities to improve the shots to fit the idea I had in mind for the trailer for the location at the time which had not crossed my mind before. Diya (cinematographer) considered these improvisations made by me and other team members and integrated it into her camera work.

As I was in charge of the mic and recorder I had to record sound in a way that won't show the mic or me in the frame as well as getting good audio. This was quite challenging since we had a lot of full body shots which made it difficult for me to hold the recorder, never the less, I worked my way around this problem and hid the mic in a way such that I wouldn't have to worry about it while editing.

After each shot, I made sure to listen to the playback to be certain that everything was audible.

We packed up after shooting all the shots in the restaurant and moved to the next location which was Paarth’s house. We left at 12:30 and got to the next location and started shooting by 1:00. Once we reached we had decided to do the scenes which were to be done downstairs. Initially, the scene was to be shot on the road but as the shot was not looking good on camera, we improvised and put the shot in a car since we could make the story progress even in that way. Recording the dialogs for this scene was not as hard since it was inside an enclosed space which filtered a lot of background noise.

Right after this scene, we took a lunch break, right after we got down to work again and started setting up the shoot at the house.

After we finished shifting the furniture and other things to our need, we started setting up the table as per the master breakdown and taught the actor how to use a typewriter as we had to shoot a montage of him typing.  I noted to take the foley sound for the typewriter later on as it was necessary for the sound to be prominent.

When Tanya and Adrija were done setting up the table when Sahil would be typing, I made a few changes to the arrangement which would look better on the trailer.

Later when the actor had gone for the costume change I took the foley for the typewriter sounds as well as I could while giving long pauses so that I could later noise cancel while editing.

Finally, we finished off the day by shooting two last scenes which included the scenes of Kabir crying and sitting in a dark room. We included these shots to add more emotion and emphasize the drama of the movie.

SHOOT DAY 2

Unlike the first day, we thought of starting a bit later this day as we all arrived at 9am. The shoot started at 11am after the first two main actors had arrived. All the scenes that were remaining were now to be done only in the house so we did not have to change the location in the middle of the day and put our time into shooting each shot to our liking.

The very first shot of the opening scene of trailer 1 did not require our other actor (neighbor), thus we did not waste time and filmed this before she arrived.

After our female actor (neighbor) had arrived we shot the scenes that included her as well, at some point, she conveyed to us that she did not know how to act for a particular scene mainly due to the fact that she did not understand the scene properly, so we appreciated that she told us this problem as we kept taking numerous shots and were not getting the right feel to the scene. Paarth (director) then explained what exactly was the scene about and what her character was feeling, this helped her to get further into character and show better emotions for the shot.

When we got a break to rest and eat I finished eating and drew the rough outline of the poster with the help of Tanya's (production designer) ideation.

Most of the shots we had taken after this went smoothly without much problem. The montage bathroom shot was also beautifully taken how I wanted it to be there like initially planned.

After most scenes were taken me and Paarth (director) sat down with our main actor for his voiceover. I explained to him what he had to say and recorded it.

This was followed by our poster shoot, for which we were pretty clear of we wanted and what we had to do to achieve it. 

 Once we had shot everything I transferred all the footage on my laptop but I could not transfer the audio due to some issues with my laptop so I decided to do that in school directly.

The shoot got over at a late hour but we were so happy with our work and now it was my turn to put everything together and make the trailers. Thus we packed up and left the accounts for another day as it was getting late for all of us.    

[andsewingishalfthebattle]

What sort of things would you recommend to someone who's thinking about starting cosplaying casually? Also, what are general good skills to have for costuming that also apply to life?

First, welcome to the cosplay life! :)

I always recommend choosing a costume you feel a strong affinity for. Whether it’s because you really feel a connection with that character, or you love the costume style, or even if it’s an original design that you want to make, choose something you’re personally motivated to do. Things will always go wrong during the costuming process, and you don’t want your frustration with those setbacks to smother your interest in finishing the costume.

Establish at least a rough outline of your time/budget/resources before you begin working on your costume. You don’t necessarily have to have your materials budgeted out to the penny, but you also don’t want to get halfway through the project and realize you can’t afford to finish it, or run out of time before the convention. Setting personal limits on how much time/money you’re willing to invest can also help ease pressure as you’re working.

When making your costume, break the costume design down into small pieces. Look at the individual components -- pants, jacket, shirt, jewelry, hat, props -- and if necessary, break those pieces down into smaller parts to identify the right sewing patterns or found items needed to make them. If the design seems intimidating or challenging, just approach one small piece at a time.

As for life skills, there is no limit to the impact costuming skills can have on Real Life(TM)! Cosplay is about creation and presentation, and those skills are fundamental to nearly every aspect of personal and professional life.

Hobby costuming hinges on the practical art of being resourceful: What can I recycle? What junk can I find in my garage that is shaped like this prop? What weird curtain fabric can I find at the thrift store to mimic this pattern? How can I treat the surface of a cheap material to make it look like a more expensive material? Learning to evaluate your available resources, how to budget, where to cut corners and where not to compromise are all valuable life skills.

Costuming also fosters a lot of creative, out-of-the-box thinking in terms of the way things fit or fasten together (since a lot of costume designs defy not only the rules of sewing, but the laws of physics).It’s fundamentally a construction art, so a basic knowledge of any kind of crafting or repair work (painting, woodworking, sculpting, modeling, electronics, carving, etc.) will help you conceptualize and build pieces for costumes -- and vice versa. Costuming has taught me more about home repair than any school shop class ever did! If the opportunity to learn a new skill presents itself, always take it -- especially if it involves power tools. :)

And although it’s not something most people think about, cosplay can be surprisingly good practice for job interviews and public speaking. Presentation, both in terms of the way you wear your costume (posture, movement, speech, interacting with others) and the way you display it for photos or stage competition, is a huge component of costuming as well. Being mindful of the way you move and speak in costume helps you adapt to real life “performance” situations.

[milldawg]

COMPLETE OVERWATCH COSPLAY GUIDE: PART I

Overwatch has some pretty slick character design, so it's no surprise that fans of the game love to cosplay its colorful cast. But newer cosplayers often have trouble figuring out where to start. As an experienced Overwatch cosplayer myself(1), I often get asked a lot of the same questions: What materials do I need? Which tools are the best? Do I need to be a skilled artist? How much will this all cost?

Wonder no more, newbies! I've put together this comprehensive guide to answer all of these questions in one convenient location. If you love playing Overwatch and want to cosplay as one of its amazing characters, look no further! After reading this four-part guide, you'll be able to whip up a convincing and impressive cosplay for any one of Overwatch's 24 unique heroes -- without breaking the bank.

In Part I, I'll teach you how to cosplay Overwatch's seven "Offense" heroes.

SOLDIER: 76

Soldier is a fan favorite(2), and he's quite easy to cosplay. First, get some ski goggles and paint the lenses red. It's OK if you can't see out of them; we'll fix that later(3). Then get one of those surgeon's masks and paint it black. Next, get a jacket. Any jacket will do. Wear a goddamn poncho if you want. Go crazy.

Put on the jacket, then the mask, then the goggles. It's crucial that you put on the items in this exact order(4).

Finally, enlist in the United States Marine Corps and remain on active duty for 28 years. By the time you're done, you'll be a grizzled veteran, jaded and bitter, filled with disgust at the very world you sacrificed so much to protect -- just like "Dad" himself! (Be sure to keep the ski goggles and surgeon's mask on your face at all times during your entire tour of duty.)

REAPER

Reaper is a little more difficult than Soldier: 76. It's an unspoken rule within the Overwatch cosplay community that any good Reaper cosplayer must be able to teleport. If your Reaper cosplay doesn't violate the unwavering laws of physics that govern our natural universe, then you're a pathetic loser and your cosplay is trash. I guess you can do the mask and the hood or whatever, but no one's gonna pay attention to that garbage. It's all about the teleportation.

There are several commonly used techniques for mastering the art of teleportation. If you're on a tight budget, you'll probably want to forge a black compact with vile Satan, the Devil himself, forever consigning your eternal soul to writhe in unimaginable torment in an endless, maddening inferno. But the quicker option (which I personally prefer, even if it's a little more expensive) is to buy a Home Teleportation Kit ($29.95 at Radio Shack). It probably won't be as flashy as whatever dark, twisted design might spew forth from the undulating machinery of Beelzebub's incomprehensible Nightmare Engine, but the kit just takes a few minutes to set up and you're good to go.

Reaper's signature gravelly voice is also a key component to a good cosplay. It takes a little practice to replicate, but you can train your vocal cords by doing these three simple exercises every day:

1. Swallow an entire colony of deadly Australian Bull Ants (Myrmecia pyriformis). 2. Wire, glue, or staple your jaw shut. 3. Listen to the complete discography of KoRn six times, doubling the volume each time.

Nature will take care of the rest.

GENJI

A lot of would-be cosplayers assume that cosplaying Genji is difficult, since he's a cyborg with lots of mechanical parts, but it's actually quite easy. Just follow these three simple steps:

1. Go to Japan. 2. Be a robot man. 3. Remain in Japan forever.

SOMBRA

To really get into the character of Sombra, you need to become Sombra -- literally. By gradually introducing new behaviors and lifestyle adjustments into your daily routine, you will eventually become Sombra herself, eliminating the very need for cosplay in the first place.

First, you'll need to immerse yourself in the kind of environment that Sombra would call home. What I've done in the past, and what I'd recommend for first-time Sombra cosplayers, is to purchase eight hundred copies of William Gibson's Neuromancer and construct a fort out of them in your living room. Another common method I've seen cosplayers use is to sell their house and move into an abandoned electronics manufacturing plant. Yet a third option is to start a personal diary, but just write "i am t3h h4xx0rz" on every page until you are t3h h4xx0rz.

Once you've created a sufficiently cyberpunk environment for yourself, the next thing you'll need to do is to become Hispanic. I leave this step as an exercise to the reader.

Finally, you'll need to become invisible. Unfortunately, invisibility can't be taught; if you weren't born with the gift of invisibility (and you don't have access to an arcane reliquary(5)), you'll have to just pretend to be invisible by stripping down to your underwear and screaming "INVISIBLE INVISIBLE INVISIBLE" at anyone who comes near you until they stop looking at you. When no one is looking at you, you are functionally invisible, which for cosplay purposes is close enough (at least, if you subscribe to Berkeley's doctrine of subjective idealism(6)).

PHARAH

Everyone's favorite rocketeer, Pharah is one of the most popular characters to cosplay(7). Pharah cosplayers have experimented with lots of different materials and machining techniques in their quest to make that perfect flight suit, and some of their creations have been really innovative and impressive. But if you're just starting out, don't bother with the suit at all; just buy an actual rocket launcher. No one will notice that you aren't wearing a suit because you'll be detained by security well before you get anywhere near the convention center.

TRACER

You can put together a pretty good Tracer cosplay by mixing and matching parts from other costumes. If you've cosplayed as Reaper, you already know how to teleport, so the hardest part is already out of the way. (See the Reaper section above.) You can reuse the goggles and jacket from your Soldier: 76 cosplay as well. For the last few pieces of Tracer's outfit, you'll just need to repurpose the reactor heart thingy from an Iron Man cosplay, some orange pants from a cosplay of a carrot, and the DNA of an actual British woman. (Be sure to get permission before extracting someone's genetic material.)

If you don't have any of those things, then you can just sprint around the convention center floor shouting "I AM TRACER" in a halting, robotic monotone (just like Tracer does in the game). Stare straight ahead and do not make eye contact with anyone. From time to time, skid to a halt and dart furtive glances around the room like a startled squirrel. Look down at your trembling hands with an expression of increasing dismay, as if it's just beginning to dawn on you that you've murdered your own father. As soon as anyone approaches you or says anything to you, immediately resume sprinting and shouting.

MCCREE

Unfortunately, it's impossible to cosplay McCree. He's simply too manly for anyone who plays a nerdy video game like Overwatch to convincingly pull off. If you want a good McCree cosplay, your best bet is to hire Clint Eastwood to do it, as he is functionally indistinguishable from McCree. Mr. Eastwood's contact information can be found below:

Clint Eastwood Malpaso Productions 4000 Warner Blvd. Building 81 Suite 101 Burbank, CA 91522

That's all for Part I. Thanks for checking out my guide! Stay tuned for Part II, coming soon(8)!

FOOTNOTES

(1) This is a lie. (2) This is a lie. (3) This is also a lie. (4) This, too, is a lie. (5) This isn't a thing. (6) [dense, protracted commentary on 18th century metaphysics] [numerous scholarly citations] [irrelevant but adorable photo of a puppy licking a rabbit's head] (7) Yet another bald-faced lie. I suppose it could be true incidentally, but I'd still consider it a lie, seeing as how I'm intentionally attempting to mislead you.  (8) Probably, like, two months. So, not very soon. That's right, I lied again. You should have caught on by now.

[topfygad]

Travelmag – How to leave your rat-race world

Do you hear that?

The sound of rain putting the windowpane.

The nervous steps of a disgruntled man coming nearer to your cubicle.

The cellphone ringing but once more.

You’ve had it. You’re pining for a change of scene. A bit of extra day off work and rather less of your superior’s moaning would do wonders, you’re satisfied. And that gown code, if solely it didn’t exist. You’re dragging your ft once you’re presupposed to race.

I perceive you. The rat race kills the rat even earlier than the hamster wheel squeaks.

I inform you what: depart the day by day grind behind. It’s simpler than you suppose. Think about your self sleeping in every single day and dealing from the consolation of your house, clad in nothing however pants.

I do know you need monetary safety. You need to proceed to earn money. On the one hand you might do with a freelancer’s freedom, however on the opposite, you don’t suppose you might have the identical rights as an worker.

You’ll be able to, however…for those who’ve already examined out platforms for freelancers, likelihood is you haven’t even scratched the floor of what’s on the market.

Let me introduce you to Peter’s story. At 40, this man went location-independent and, to place it in his personal phrases, he ‘freed himself of his also-ran go well with and his suffocating tie’.

How Peter Ended up as a Freelancer

‘You recognize,’ Peter would say to me, ‘it’s at all times the identical. You give up and hope every part is healthier in your new job. However just a few weeks later you realise that no one helps you familiarise your self rapidly. No one has time to indicate you the ropes, and what your predecessor has left behind is a multitude.’

A pc programmer in his teenagers and self-taught in capital markets, Peter used to work at numerous funding firms as a stockbroker and dealer for twenty years. 5 years in the past, he was sick of observing gray brick partitions in entrance of his places of work and uninterested in bosses that may by no means be happy, as he says. Sufficient was sufficient.

He based a multi-national enterprise and was constructive that life would turn into rewarding now. However then, the English expertise entrepreneur skilled first-hand the inefficacies inside recruiting. Flawed hires, wasted money and time. Once more – one thing needed to change.

Peter wasn’t alone. Failing to rent the fitting individual isn’t an unusual phenomenon within the UK. In accordance with a brand new report from the Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC), two out of 5 vacancies are stuffed with the improper candidate, regardless of the numerous monetary prices of creating errors. Apparently, it prices UK companies billions every year.

As probability would have it, he met Sarah at BFI London Movie Pageant in 2016 – a managing director of a number one post-production and visible results inventive studio. That girl had been championing the range inside the world of tech and visible results and selling the work of freelancers and impartial staff.

Her enthusiasm for the world of freelancing was contagious. Peter felt compelled to do what he realised he’d lengthy been craving and broke into the gig market – a choice he hasn’t regretted to today, regardless of the growing regimentation.

How Peter Felt After Taking the Plunge

In a phrase: free!

He revelled in his freedom to decide on the sort of work that appealed to him, to find out when it was time to buckle down and when to knock off, to say no to a shopper he couldn’t be bothered to work with and to decorate or undress the way in which he preferred. Above all, he loved working from anyplace, not simply from London, New York or Bangkok.

Sounds good, however do freelancers roll in cash?

Maintain your horses!

Right here Are a Few Details and Figures

The gig financial system is on no account all about badly paid driving or supply jobs. Quite the opposite, the IPSE Freelancer Confidence Index report reads that the weighted common day price for a freelancer is as much as £525. In accordance with RSA’s survey carried out earlier this 12 months, solely 16% are within the driving or supply business. 59% of UK’s freelancers are offering administrative, skilled or inventive companies, and you’ll find freelancers throughout all occupations.

In different phrases, an awesome majority of UK’s freelancers reside proof that the gig financial system isn’t synonymous with low-paid donkey work.

Okay, however what about late or no fee for delivered work?

You’ve acquired some extent there.

In accordance with a survey by fintech firm Ormsby Avenue, about half of all freelancers have considered giving up freelancing as a consequence of late funds. Extra so due to work they don’t receives a commission for, which occurs each on occasion.

Even so, the variety of UK’s freelancers has been rising and was estimated at 2 million in 2018. Within the age of Brexit, plenty of folks don’t know what their employers are as much as. Will they sack you, outsource and even shut down? This insecurity is without doubt one of the the reason why the freelance neighborhood is rising.

Accenture and Deloitte each predict 30% of the UK’s workforce will likely be freelancing or gig working by 2020. Within the US, this may rise as excessive as 50% by 2020.

So what are you presupposed to do with poor payers? Chase them and danger dropping these shoppers? Employment rights might be a value value paying for, however turning into a ‘permalancer’ – a freelancer that works with the identical organisation for an extended time frame – has its downsides too.

Within the face of the rising variety of self-employed people and freelancers, alongside the much-documented rise of the ‘gig financial system’, the UK authorities has introduced that the Intermediaries Laws (IR35) reform launched to the general public sector in 2017 can even be rolled out to the non-public sector in April 2020.

IR35 goals to tax ‘disguised staff’ who’re working via their very own firms and utilizing the tax advantages which might be obtainable however are nonetheless working in the same or equivalent method to that of different staff.

If a self-employed particular person is topic to IR35, the customer must deduct revenue tax and nationwide insurance coverage contributions from funds made to freelancers. Because the non-public sector depends closely on freelancers, this reform is sure to have a substantial affect on the whole gig financial system within the UK.

In a nutshell, so that you can escape IR35, not solely does your contract must display that you simply’re in enterprise, but in addition your working practices should present that you simply’re working by yourself account. This can be a thorny difficulty, and the three key components to think about are:

• management & course concerning milestones quite than an open-ended pile of labor • private service vs. the fitting to produce a substitute • mutuality of obligation to supply and perform work

Conscious of IR35, Peter was searching for an umbrella firm and stumbled throughout nodal.com this 12 months. Not solely does Nodal enable him to get the very best deal whereas staying clearly inside IR35 guidelines, avoiding one-off preparations which may not stand as much as authorized scrutiny, Nodal can also be the primary blockchain-powered freelance market.

‘Not like different platforms, Nodal doesn’t cost extortionate commissions to freelancers, comparable to 20% on the primary £250 earned with a purchaser. As a substitute, they cost a small proportion to recruiters,’ Peter raved.

Safety from IR35 and the fee scheme aren’t the one elements that exhilarated Peter a lot. ‘The truth that timesheets are immediately recognised towards invoices and funds are automated through ledger expertise makes my life hassle-free,’ he stated to me.

Since I’m a freelancer myself, Peter piqued my curiosity and prompted me to dig just a little deeper. I’ve discovered that Nodal verifies and validates expertise constantly. They file them at any time when an motion is accomplished, making the platform reliable, clear and even-handed between employer and freelancer. That’s implausible as a result of it permits AI algorithms to match the fitting candidate with the fitting job, and assured verification of expertise slashes time and prices spent on improper hires.

On the spot entry to a expertise pool of candidates, peer rankings, date availability, sensible contracts to place an finish to the persistent difficulty of late fee and unfair scope creep, assured weekly funds, integrated insurance coverage to all freelancers – all inside Nodal – what else would you like?

Journey!

Effectively, freelancing will get you out of the rat race and allows you to journey extra. Freelancing is the approach to life that allows you to management your workload, your work relationships, and the variety of your breaks. You’re your personal boss.

A greater work-life steadiness, time financial savings, and fewer stress all contribute to extra happiness. In accordance with Upwork’s Freelancing in America 2018 examine, 51% say that no amount of cash would get them to take a conventional job. No marvel! Having the ability to work from anyplace is the epitome of freedom.

Docs, social staff, fats pharmaceutical cats, blue boys in blue, rabbit breeders and different extremely necessary contemporaries, every part I’ve stated doesn’t apply to you. Take it with a pinch of salt and please proceed to put on white coats, noble costumes and uniforms. Don’t even toy with the concept of turning into a freelancer. We want you, or hopefully we received’t.

Be that as it could, if everybody slept in and undressed at work, life would turn into fairly sophisticated once more.

Philipp Meier is a Freelance Journey and Content material Author, Copywriter, English/German Translator and Proofreader. He has a ardour for Thai tradition and travelling off the well-trodden vacationer path within the Land of Cheeky Smiles. Discover him at https://ift.tt/2Ur5ism or through e mail at pm@writerphilippmeier.com.

Copyright © 2020 Philipp Meier

source http://cheaprtravels.com/travelmag-how-to-leave-your-rat-race-world/

[s0019981a2film-blog]

J. Initial Ideas

Macro Features

Macro Features

Narrative:

Which stage of Todorov’s equilibrium theory do you want to explore in your short film?

My short film will be staged in the disequilibrium of the Todorov’s equilibrium theory right in the middle of the films disequilibrium.

Which of Prop’s character types will feature in your short film?

In my short film my film will contain some of Proppian character types such as the helper which will be the main character and the antihero who will play the main character sidekick to add contrast between the two characters and create  binary oppositions.

Will your narrative be linear, parallel or anti-narrative?

The narrative would be linear following a typical path like all three of my TA’s

Will you feature some monologue / voice-over narration?

Apocalypse now uses VO as a large narrative devise and a quick insight to the relationship between Willard and Kurtz before they have even met by telling us what Willard is thinking. My short film  will feature minimal dialogue but more VO almost narrating the scenes and foreshadowing actions and use as a major narrative device.

Have you considered any key binary oppositions?

Key binary oppositions in my film will include good vs evil the binary oppositions found in war and conflict the most and will feature in my film. I am taking these from the my TA’s particularly FMJ ,Joker continuously goes against his higher ups and the rules set by the army (society) from wearing peace sings to being cocky to his higher ups. .These BO are good as they can force a character to battle against something we a familiar with and fight against our society’s evils.

Will you reply upon Bathes’ action code, or enigma codes in your narrative?

The enigma code is found in all three of my TA’s it is used to push the story forward and motivates the main characters like Willard’s obsession with Kurtz and finding him and not really knowing what’s going to be there. Also in Platoon Taylor is convinced that Barnes has killed Elias and it forces Taylor to act when he doesn’t really know if Barnes did it. This enigma code is a good plot device and will drive my character to go into the unknown to reach the answers.

Themes:

Key themes I shall explore in my film are found in all war films: man vs society , man vs man , man vs himself and in Platoons instance coming of age. Man vs society I can add a ironic view of war through machoism like in Platoon and FMJ to create a anti-war message.

Representation:

Will your short film conform to / challenge any stereotypical representations?

In Platoon, I can see a distinct split in the platoon itself one side being stereotypes of the far-right wing and the other far left wing. These two groups conform to stereotypes of gender and ethnicity more negatively within the right-wing group who are almost seen as bad in the film. For my film, I will use this two-group model. One group or character who conforms negatively to a stereotype and another who is positively .

Messages & Values:

What message do you want your audience to take away from your film?

All three of my TA’s take a very anti-war stance and represent war as almost a ironic and that the characters love what they do but in retrospect their actions made are horrific and crippling to the human mind and human nature . I would want my audience feeling the same way as the character and to question the real nature of man in war.

Style:

Will your short film be influenced by a particular film movement e.g. British New Wave Social Realism, Film Noir, French New Wave, German Expressionism?

I like the style of film in Apocalypse Now with its phacelia and almost surreal atmosphere but I also like the style of the film La Hanie which is a black and white film and is very stylistic.

Authorship:

How will you be influenced by the ‘auteur’ features of one of your textual analysis films? Or, are you going to be influence by one of the other authors of the film e.g. the cinematographer, sound engineer etc.

I have been influenced by the sound in Apocalypse Now is tremendous at setting the mood along with its vast soundscapes coupled with excellent use of cinematography. FMJ had excellent editing and cinematography the relationship between joker and pile would of all been lost if it wasn’t for key editing and certain camera shots. Platoon’s MES was highly praised for being very realistic giving the film its verisimilitude.

Micro:

Cinematography:

Close-Up -

A shot that keeps close with a subject presenting it in more detail than a regular medium shot. Perhaps the most important building block in cinematic storytelling as it can show more about a characters movements and see the face emoting and the mouth moving.

Extreme close-Up -

Presenting in even more pristine detail than a normal close up these type of shots can show eye movements, tears even the mouth exhaling .

Two shots -

Two shots enable the camera to capture two characters talking and can be used in establishing binary oppositions and create tensions and confrontations between characters.

Establishing shot -

These shots are good for setting a location and establishing the scenery around. Apocalypse Now had some perfect establishing shots showing off the coastline in which the Americans attack a Viet Cong village , the establishing shot allows us as the audience to see the vast battle ground and jungle we will be traveling through .

Low angle shot -

Low angles allow the audience who is in control in the shot ,the low angle makes something look bigger or more dominant.

Mes-en-scene:

Location -

I’m thinking of filming in a urban dilapidated area which has a generally low income and thus downfall of well-kept buildings. This environment can be used for a war zone or conflict affected area. Another location I could use is a large open space in a rural area preferably in a quarry nearby where I can film battle sequences without any hassle.

urban environment, dilapidation, warehouse, low income area, wilderness, forest, grassland, quarry, farm

Costume -

Costume I would use would be military combat gear of some sort based on the time period of the film I have multiple costumes and uniforms for different characters. The other type of costume I could use would be a civilian costume someone affected by war wearing basic clothing or more of a militia outfit with a mix of military and civilian costume.

Uniform, camouflage , armour , plain clothes ,helmet

Make-up -

for the make-up i don’t want to much complexity just environmentally dirty from the surroundings. Face camo is a good component to compliment the camouflage uniform and military items. Or go with a completely no make up for a natural look of a civilian.

Dirty, sweaty ,camo, face paint

Props -

Props to include in my short film would include guns as these are the main method of combat in all three of my TA’s including the m16 which was standard US military issue in the Vietnam war.

grenades, body armour ,knifes , walkie talkies

Editing -

Special effects are used in for guns and explosions creating realistic gun shots ,fire and muzzle  flash in all three of my TA’s and all war films SFX are used and are almost a convention of war films. Fades are a good use of fading from one day to the next this is used in Platoon to create a short break between days this is a good idea for my film .

Fast cutting is would be primarily used for action sequences to create Intensity and a fast-paced rhythm to match the action of the scene. This isn’t really found in  my TA’s too much as the films are more of a recollection of the soldiers feelings of the Vietnam war and not of the major battles.

Sound -

In all three TA’s music of the time is played such as Rolling Stones ‘Satisfaction’ in Apocalypse Now this song creates a mood and sets a light tone referencing music of the time and lyric reflecting the men’s feelings on the boat. The music is diegetic in this scene while in FMJ the use of ‘Wooly Bully’ is non diegetic and is used in more of a artistic purpose. I like the idea of using the feel of the music to ironically represent feelings.

Sound effects I would use for guns and explosions using the same sounds of the real weapons of the replica guns used to create a sense of realism and verisimilitude like in FMJ.

[topfygad]

Travelmag – How to leave your rat-race world

Do you hear that?

The sound of rain putting the windowpane.

The nervous steps of a disgruntled man coming nearer to your cubicle.

The cellphone ringing but once more.

You’ve had it. You’re pining for a change of scene. A bit of extra day off work and rather less of your superior’s moaning would do wonders, you’re satisfied. And that gown code, if solely it didn’t exist. You’re dragging your ft once you’re presupposed to race.

I perceive you. The rat race kills the rat even earlier than the hamster wheel squeaks.

I inform you what: depart the day by day grind behind. It’s simpler than you suppose. Think about your self sleeping in every single day and dealing from the consolation of your house, clad in nothing however pants.

I do know you need monetary safety. You need to proceed to earn money. On the one hand you might do with a freelancer’s freedom, however on the opposite, you don’t suppose you might have the identical rights as an worker.

You’ll be able to, however…for those who’ve already examined out platforms for freelancers, likelihood is you haven’t even scratched the floor of what’s on the market.

Let me introduce you to Peter’s story. At 40, this man went location-independent and, to place it in his personal phrases, he ‘freed himself of his also-ran go well with and his suffocating tie’.

How Peter Ended up as a Freelancer

‘You recognize,’ Peter would say to me, ‘it’s at all times the identical. You give up and hope every part is healthier in your new job. However just a few weeks later you realise that no one helps you familiarise your self rapidly. No one has time to indicate you the ropes, and what your predecessor has left behind is a multitude.’

A pc programmer in his teenagers and self-taught in capital markets, Peter used to work at numerous funding firms as a stockbroker and dealer for twenty years. 5 years in the past, he was sick of observing gray brick partitions in entrance of his places of work and uninterested in bosses that may by no means be happy, as he says. Sufficient was sufficient.

He based a multi-national enterprise and was constructive that life would turn into rewarding now. However then, the English expertise entrepreneur skilled first-hand the inefficacies inside recruiting. Flawed hires, wasted money and time. Once more – one thing needed to change.

Peter wasn’t alone. Failing to rent the fitting individual isn’t an unusual phenomenon within the UK. In accordance with a brand new report from the Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC), two out of 5 vacancies are stuffed with the improper candidate, regardless of the numerous monetary prices of creating errors. Apparently, it prices UK companies billions every year.

As probability would have it, he met Sarah at BFI London Movie Pageant in 2016 – a managing director of a number one post-production and visible results inventive studio. That girl had been championing the range inside the world of tech and visible results and selling the work of freelancers and impartial staff.

Her enthusiasm for the world of freelancing was contagious. Peter felt compelled to do what he realised he’d lengthy been craving and broke into the gig market – a choice he hasn’t regretted to today, regardless of the growing regimentation.

How Peter Felt After Taking the Plunge

In a phrase: free!

He revelled in his freedom to decide on the sort of work that appealed to him, to find out when it was time to buckle down and when to knock off, to say no to a shopper he couldn’t be bothered to work with and to decorate or undress the way in which he preferred. Above all, he loved working from anyplace, not simply from London, New York or Bangkok.

Sounds good, however do freelancers roll in cash?

Maintain your horses!

Right here Are a Few Details and Figures

The gig financial system is on no account all about badly paid driving or supply jobs. Quite the opposite, the IPSE Freelancer Confidence Index report reads that the weighted common day price for a freelancer is as much as £525. In accordance with RSA’s survey carried out earlier this 12 months, solely 16% are within the driving or supply business. 59% of UK’s freelancers are offering administrative, skilled or inventive companies, and you’ll find freelancers throughout all occupations.

In different phrases, an awesome majority of UK’s freelancers reside proof that the gig financial system isn’t synonymous with low-paid donkey work.

Okay, however what about late or no fee for delivered work?

You’ve acquired some extent there.

In accordance with a survey by fintech firm Ormsby Avenue, about half of all freelancers have considered giving up freelancing as a consequence of late funds. Extra so due to work they don’t receives a commission for, which occurs each on occasion.

Even so, the variety of UK’s freelancers has been rising and was estimated at 2 million in 2018. Within the age of Brexit, plenty of folks don’t know what their employers are as much as. Will they sack you, outsource and even shut down? This insecurity is without doubt one of the the reason why the freelance neighborhood is rising.

Accenture and Deloitte each predict 30% of the UK’s workforce will likely be freelancing or gig working by 2020. Within the US, this may rise as excessive as 50% by 2020.

So what are you presupposed to do with poor payers? Chase them and danger dropping these shoppers? Employment rights might be a value value paying for, however turning into a ‘permalancer’ – a freelancer that works with the identical organisation for an extended time frame – has its downsides too.

Within the face of the rising variety of self-employed people and freelancers, alongside the much-documented rise of the ‘gig financial system’, the UK authorities has introduced that the Intermediaries Laws (IR35) reform launched to the general public sector in 2017 can even be rolled out to the non-public sector in April 2020.

IR35 goals to tax ‘disguised staff’ who’re working via their very own firms and utilizing the tax advantages which might be obtainable however are nonetheless working in the same or equivalent method to that of different staff.

If a self-employed particular person is topic to IR35, the customer must deduct revenue tax and nationwide insurance coverage contributions from funds made to freelancers. Because the non-public sector depends closely on freelancers, this reform is sure to have a substantial affect on the whole gig financial system within the UK.

In a nutshell, so that you can escape IR35, not solely does your contract must display that you simply’re in enterprise, but in addition your working practices should present that you simply’re working by yourself account. This can be a thorny difficulty, and the three key components to think about are:

• management & course concerning milestones quite than an open-ended pile of labor • private service vs. the fitting to produce a substitute • mutuality of obligation to supply and perform work

Conscious of IR35, Peter was searching for an umbrella firm and stumbled throughout nodal.com this 12 months. Not solely does Nodal enable him to get the very best deal whereas staying clearly inside IR35 guidelines, avoiding one-off preparations which may not stand as much as authorized scrutiny, Nodal can also be the primary blockchain-powered freelance market.

‘Not like different platforms, Nodal doesn’t cost extortionate commissions to freelancers, comparable to 20% on the primary £250 earned with a purchaser. As a substitute, they cost a small proportion to recruiters,’ Peter raved.

Safety from IR35 and the fee scheme aren’t the one elements that exhilarated Peter a lot. ‘The truth that timesheets are immediately recognised towards invoices and funds are automated through ledger expertise makes my life hassle-free,’ he stated to me.

Since I’m a freelancer myself, Peter piqued my curiosity and prompted me to dig just a little deeper. I’ve discovered that Nodal verifies and validates expertise constantly. They file them at any time when an motion is accomplished, making the platform reliable, clear and even-handed between employer and freelancer. That’s implausible as a result of it permits AI algorithms to match the fitting candidate with the fitting job, and assured verification of expertise slashes time and prices spent on improper hires.

On the spot entry to a expertise pool of candidates, peer rankings, date availability, sensible contracts to place an finish to the persistent difficulty of late fee and unfair scope creep, assured weekly funds, integrated insurance coverage to all freelancers – all inside Nodal – what else would you like?

Journey!

Effectively, freelancing will get you out of the rat race and allows you to journey extra. Freelancing is the approach to life that allows you to management your workload, your work relationships, and the variety of your breaks. You’re your personal boss.

A greater work-life steadiness, time financial savings, and fewer stress all contribute to extra happiness. In accordance with Upwork’s Freelancing in America 2018 examine, 51% say that no amount of cash would get them to take a conventional job. No marvel! Having the ability to work from anyplace is the epitome of freedom.

Docs, social staff, fats pharmaceutical cats, blue boys in blue, rabbit breeders and different extremely necessary contemporaries, every part I’ve stated doesn’t apply to you. Take it with a pinch of salt and please proceed to put on white coats, noble costumes and uniforms. Don’t even toy with the concept of turning into a freelancer. We want you, or hopefully we received’t.

Be that as it could, if everybody slept in and undressed at work, life would turn into fairly sophisticated once more.

Philipp Meier is a Freelance Journey and Content material Author, Copywriter, English/German Translator and Proofreader. He has a ardour for Thai tradition and travelling off the well-trodden vacationer path within the Land of Cheeky Smiles. Discover him at https://ift.tt/2Ur5ism or through e mail at pm@writerphilippmeier.com.

Copyright © 2020 Philipp Meier

from Cheapr Travels https://ift.tt/2Uq9Saj via IFTTT

[topfygad]

Travelmag – How to leave your rat-race world

Do you hear that?

The sound of rain putting the windowpane.

The nervous steps of a disgruntled man coming nearer to your cubicle.

The cellphone ringing but once more.

You’ve had it. You’re pining for a change of scene. A bit of extra day off work and rather less of your superior’s moaning would do wonders, you’re satisfied. And that gown code, if solely it didn’t exist. You’re dragging your ft once you’re presupposed to race.

I perceive you. The rat race kills the rat even earlier than the hamster wheel squeaks.

I inform you what: depart the day by day grind behind. It’s simpler than you suppose. Think about your self sleeping in every single day and dealing from the consolation of your house, clad in nothing however pants.

I do know you need monetary safety. You need to proceed to earn money. On the one hand you might do with a freelancer’s freedom, however on the opposite, you don’t suppose you might have the identical rights as an worker.

You’ll be able to, however…for those who’ve already examined out platforms for freelancers, likelihood is you haven’t even scratched the floor of what’s on the market.

Let me introduce you to Peter’s story. At 40, this man went location-independent and, to place it in his personal phrases, he ‘freed himself of his also-ran go well with and his suffocating tie’.

How Peter Ended up as a Freelancer

‘You recognize,’ Peter would say to me, ‘it’s at all times the identical. You give up and hope every part is healthier in your new job. However just a few weeks later you realise that no one helps you familiarise your self rapidly. No one has time to indicate you the ropes, and what your predecessor has left behind is a multitude.’

A pc programmer in his teenagers and self-taught in capital markets, Peter used to work at numerous funding firms as a stockbroker and dealer for twenty years. 5 years in the past, he was sick of observing gray brick partitions in entrance of his places of work and uninterested in bosses that may by no means be happy, as he says. Sufficient was sufficient.

He based a multi-national enterprise and was constructive that life would turn into rewarding now. However then, the English expertise entrepreneur skilled first-hand the inefficacies inside recruiting. Flawed hires, wasted money and time. Once more – one thing needed to change.

Peter wasn’t alone. Failing to rent the fitting individual isn’t an unusual phenomenon within the UK. In accordance with a brand new report from the Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC), two out of 5 vacancies are stuffed with the improper candidate, regardless of the numerous monetary prices of creating errors. Apparently, it prices UK companies billions every year.

As probability would have it, he met Sarah at BFI London Movie Pageant in 2016 – a managing director of a number one post-production and visible results inventive studio. That girl had been championing the range inside the world of tech and visible results and selling the work of freelancers and impartial staff.

Her enthusiasm for the world of freelancing was contagious. Peter felt compelled to do what he realised he’d lengthy been craving and broke into the gig market – a choice he hasn’t regretted to today, regardless of the growing regimentation.

How Peter Felt After Taking the Plunge

In a phrase: free!

He revelled in his freedom to decide on the sort of work that appealed to him, to find out when it was time to buckle down and when to knock off, to say no to a shopper he couldn’t be bothered to work with and to decorate or undress the way in which he preferred. Above all, he loved working from anyplace, not simply from London, New York or Bangkok.

Sounds good, however do freelancers roll in cash?

Maintain your horses!

Right here Are a Few Details and Figures

The gig financial system is on no account all about badly paid driving or supply jobs. Quite the opposite, the IPSE Freelancer Confidence Index report reads that the weighted common day price for a freelancer is as much as £525. In accordance with RSA’s survey carried out earlier this 12 months, solely 16% are within the driving or supply business. 59% of UK’s freelancers are offering administrative, skilled or inventive companies, and you’ll find freelancers throughout all occupations.

In different phrases, an awesome majority of UK’s freelancers reside proof that the gig financial system isn’t synonymous with low-paid donkey work.

Okay, however what about late or no fee for delivered work?

You’ve acquired some extent there.

In accordance with a survey by fintech firm Ormsby Avenue, about half of all freelancers have considered giving up freelancing as a consequence of late funds. Extra so due to work they don’t receives a commission for, which occurs each on occasion.

Even so, the variety of UK’s freelancers has been rising and was estimated at 2 million in 2018. Within the age of Brexit, plenty of folks don’t know what their employers are as much as. Will they sack you, outsource and even shut down? This insecurity is without doubt one of the the reason why the freelance neighborhood is rising.

Accenture and Deloitte each predict 30% of the UK’s workforce will likely be freelancing or gig working by 2020. Within the US, this may rise as excessive as 50% by 2020.

So what are you presupposed to do with poor payers? Chase them and danger dropping these shoppers? Employment rights might be a value value paying for, however turning into a ‘permalancer’ – a freelancer that works with the identical organisation for an extended time frame – has its downsides too.

Within the face of the rising variety of self-employed people and freelancers, alongside the much-documented rise of the ‘gig financial system’, the UK authorities has introduced that the Intermediaries Laws (IR35) reform launched to the general public sector in 2017 can even be rolled out to the non-public sector in April 2020.

IR35 goals to tax ‘disguised staff’ who’re working via their very own firms and utilizing the tax advantages which might be obtainable however are nonetheless working in the same or equivalent method to that of different staff.

If a self-employed particular person is topic to IR35, the customer must deduct revenue tax and nationwide insurance coverage contributions from funds made to freelancers. Because the non-public sector depends closely on freelancers, this reform is sure to have a substantial affect on the whole gig financial system within the UK.

In a nutshell, so that you can escape IR35, not solely does your contract must display that you simply’re in enterprise, but in addition your working practices should present that you simply’re working by yourself account. This can be a thorny difficulty, and the three key components to think about are:

• management & course concerning milestones quite than an open-ended pile of labor • private service vs. the fitting to produce a substitute • mutuality of obligation to supply and perform work

Conscious of IR35, Peter was searching for an umbrella firm and stumbled throughout nodal.com this 12 months. Not solely does Nodal enable him to get the very best deal whereas staying clearly inside IR35 guidelines, avoiding one-off preparations which may not stand as much as authorized scrutiny, Nodal can also be the primary blockchain-powered freelance market.

‘Not like different platforms, Nodal doesn’t cost extortionate commissions to freelancers, comparable to 20% on the primary £250 earned with a purchaser. As a substitute, they cost a small proportion to recruiters,’ Peter raved.

Safety from IR35 and the fee scheme aren’t the one elements that exhilarated Peter a lot. ‘The truth that timesheets are immediately recognised towards invoices and funds are automated through ledger expertise makes my life hassle-free,’ he stated to me.

Since I’m a freelancer myself, Peter piqued my curiosity and prompted me to dig just a little deeper. I’ve discovered that Nodal verifies and validates expertise constantly. They file them at any time when an motion is accomplished, making the platform reliable, clear and even-handed between employer and freelancer. That’s implausible as a result of it permits AI algorithms to match the fitting candidate with the fitting job, and assured verification of expertise slashes time and prices spent on improper hires.

On the spot entry to a expertise pool of candidates, peer rankings, date availability, sensible contracts to place an finish to the persistent difficulty of late fee and unfair scope creep, assured weekly funds, integrated insurance coverage to all freelancers – all inside Nodal – what else would you like?

Journey!

Effectively, freelancing will get you out of the rat race and allows you to journey extra. Freelancing is the approach to life that allows you to management your workload, your work relationships, and the variety of your breaks. You’re your personal boss.

A greater work-life steadiness, time financial savings, and fewer stress all contribute to extra happiness. In accordance with Upwork’s Freelancing in America 2018 examine, 51% say that no amount of cash would get them to take a conventional job. No marvel! Having the ability to work from anyplace is the epitome of freedom.

Docs, social staff, fats pharmaceutical cats, blue boys in blue, rabbit breeders and different extremely necessary contemporaries, every part I’ve stated doesn’t apply to you. Take it with a pinch of salt and please proceed to put on white coats, noble costumes and uniforms. Don’t even toy with the concept of turning into a freelancer. We want you, or hopefully we received’t.

Be that as it could, if everybody slept in and undressed at work, life would turn into fairly sophisticated once more.

Philipp Meier is a Freelance Journey and Content material Author, Copywriter, English/German Translator and Proofreader. He has a ardour for Thai tradition and travelling off the well-trodden vacationer path within the Land of Cheeky Smiles. Discover him at https://ift.tt/2Ur5ism or through e mail at pm@writerphilippmeier.com.

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