Cosplayers Behind the Scenes: Con Crunch Challenge Season 3
In a year that has been full of the unexpected, the chance to dive into cosplay was definitely among the more fun parts! My husband and I had the opportunity this summer to participate in Season 3 of Sew Daily’s Cosplay Con Crunch Challenge. We were not part of the original cast of cosplayers; there was a last-minute dropout (because of COVID—totally fair) and we were tapped to fill in.
That meant we only had about two weeks to plan our project (armor for Suki from Avatar: The Last Airbender) and prep for filming. Mark made the armor patterns while I patterned and sewed the dress to go under the armor.
To see our project and how it turned out, check out our episode, which will launch on September 4!
Filming Cosplayers in a Pandemic
The Con Crunch Challenge was a very unusual experience for me. I’ve done videos before, but they’ve been small crews with a cast of two at the most. Filming my episode, it felt like the studio was crammed with people: me and Mark, plus the hosts Cheryl and Cassidy, three camera operators, producer, director, sound guy, production assistant, even an intern! Everyone was masked up and keeping appropriate distances, of course, but it was an amazing buzz of activity. I also wasn’t used to having a hand-held camera hovering a few feet away from me; I was glad I knew the operator!
It was probably even more strange for my husband, Mark; he had never done a video shoot like that before, and I kept forgetting to explain things that were normal for me but confusing to him. He was a trooper, though! Read more of his thoughts on the experience below.
Insider Secrets
The version you’ll see is pretty cut down and edited, and I’m sure there was a lot of interesting stuff that ended up on the cutting room floor. It’s inevitable when four hours of filming needs to be cut down to 25-ish minutes. Here’s my little behind-the-scenes tidbit for you: a couple of times during the challenge portion of the filming, they stopped the clock. It was always to fix a microphone issue, and I promise that when they said “stop,” we didn’t do any work. So we really were working within just two hours—but we did have a couple minutes to catch our breath. And there were no stops in the second hour, so the tension as time ran down was very real!
Want more behind-the-scenes from the Con Crunch Challenge? The other cosplayers who participated in Season 3 sent comments about their experiences. Here’s what they had to say:
Meet Jade:
Wigging Out with Laharl
Episode 1 Available Now!
“It’s amazing what you can accomplish with two hours, a small idea, and a lot of encouragement (and sweating)! Thank you so much for having me!”
Meet Magnus:
Jester’s Embellished Jacket from Critical Role
Episode 2 Available 8/28/2020
“Being a part of the Con Crunch Challenge was such an enormously enjoyable experience. I always love trying new things and it was a great way to test myself while using the skills I enjoy.”
Meet Mark:
Kyoshi Warrior Garb from Avatar: The Last Airbender
Episode 3 Airing 9/4/2020
We were so nervous we wouldn’t be able to finish that Kate and I spent hours going over our plan, an exercise that served us pretty well (even if it did lead to some weird dreams). My biggest concern was, frankly, stage fright; what if I froze up as soon as the cameras started rolling? But the crew and hosts were fantastic, and after a moment of terror, it was easy just to slide into doing the work. It was really easy to banter with Kate, Cheryl and Cassidy, and of course their help was invaluable in getting everything done on time. Heck, I even stopped paying attention to the clock!
“Overall, it was stressful, hectic, messy . . . and fantastic. If I ever get the chance, I’d like to do it again.”
Meet Kat:
Life Size Baby Yoda
Episode 4 Available 9/11/2020
“As cosplayers we know the crunch of meeting the deadline. We prepare as much as possible and then go for it. Turns out, it’s still a crunch even when the cameras are rolling! Con Crunch Challenge was delightful, even if a bit stressful at the end. I guess you’ll have to watch and see why!”
About Con Crunch Challenge
The Cosplay Con Crunch Challenge gives cosplayers just 2 hours to complete the cosplay project of their choice! With the help of sponsors Singer Sewing Company, RNK Distributing and Oliso, our cosplay experts Cheryl Sleboda and Cassiopeia give the cosplayers the help they need to finish in time. The series is free to watch, with Season 3 running August-September 2020. When you register by the end of September, you will also be entered into our cosplay giveaway, courtesy of our sponsors.
Want more Con Crunch? Watch Season 1 and 2 here.
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