What do you think about people who use cosplay to make a living, or at least earn money? (Whether through appearances, doing parties, etc)? Have you ever thought about it?
>>8754615
Can we add making a living in Jfashion aswell? I'm curious about people doing it without being efame fucks.
As long as they're not scammers or ditching their fans and going somewhere else like JNig, I don't really care.
However, it's not a viable career option and people who think they can live a comfortable life just by doing cosplay are delusional.
>>8754617
sure!
>>8754624
I'm not sure about that. You could run a blog, shop, or even model without putting your life all over the Internet. Unfortunately that seems to be the case a lot.
>>8754620
It would depend on how well you can market yourself, where you're trying to make your money, and if you're invested in more than one venue. No, you can't live comfortably with 'just cosplay' but you could certainly create a safety net if you were dedicated to creating a brand for yourself.
Since I used her as the OP, Traci Hines will be the example. Over the years she's built up an image for herself as an adorkable Zooey Deschenel Ariel hybrid. She has a Youtube channel with music videos that get a lot of hits, Disney inspired skits that get a fair amount of views, she has a line of quirky Disney-inspired fashion stuff that sells well; she goes to various events to sing and sell merch and meet fans. Walt Disney Company bought out the studio that owned Traci's channel (Maker Studios) last year (hence why she was invited as part of the 'D23 Makers' meet and greet--the first time she was actually at D23 as a guest) so I wouldn't be surprised if they don't try some more official collaborations in the future like they have recently with other social media 'Disney' fans.
Now, Traci Hines isn't that popular when compared to other Youtube stars. She has about 1/4 of the viewership of Michelle Phan, who, according to Business Insider, gets about 378,000 a year ($145,530 after taxes and Youtube's cut). Assuming she'd get paid roughly the same as Phan (though there's many variables as to why she wouldn't, but for simplicity's sake) she'd be taking home around 35,000 from Youtube alone. Not livable, in California anyway, but nothing to sneeze at. Plus that doesn't include revenue from merchandise, appearance fees, etc.
But, as you said, "just cosplay" won't cut it. You have to create content, create a brand, and know how to market yourself.
>>8754629
If your fans are willing to spend money to buy your goods, then sure that's definitely a viable way but it still wouldn't be enough to rely solely on the income from your shop.
Eikkibunny on Tumblr cosplays and runs a Taobao scalper shop on the side and her fans throw money at her constantly, but the amount she said she makes every month ($2.5k) wouldn't be able to live a good life where I live since rent here is easily $1k a month (California! :))
>>8754650
I actually don't know anything about her. Sorry, OP! Imo it's still not a viable option.
JNig has definitely tried to build a brand around herself (quirky-and-dumb but sexy nerd girl) and does a lot of marketing on every single social media site ever.
While it has gotten her invited to crap tons of cons, including international cons, a lot of loyal fans who are willing to toss money at her, and voice acting roles in RWBY and Sonico,
I can't see her continuing this lifestyle 5-10 years down the road as she ages. Yaya does a good job of hiding her age but JNig already has wrinkles, terrible skin, and a receding hairline. Maybe she can become a streamer like KJ.
>>8754680
>I can't see her continuing this lifestyle 5-10 years down the road as she ages
Well no, but just because something isn't a lifelong career doesn't mean you can't make money from it.
It's kind of sad you can't show your talent without you personal life getting involved especially if you make money from it
>>8754650
But the only reason Traci has the time and money to do all of that is because she's the unemployed wife of a rich husband. If she were supporting herself with a job like most of us she wouldn't have been able to do even half of what she does.
So in the end, it's really not profitable at all. Unless you have a rich husband and don't actually have to work in the first place.
>>8754718
>But the only reason Traci has the time and money to do all of that is because she's the unemployed wife of a rich husband.
not when she was building her brand, she wasn't.
IMO a cosplay "career", like a lot of professions basedbaround e-fame and -content, is always a consequence of being good at what you do. It's not something you aim for, it's something you do anyway until people enjoy your content so much they'd be happy to pay you to do it.
It's not really a sustainable career desu. For the most part being in demand requires being desirable to neckbeards and beta fanboys.
It can be a good springboard for other careers though. People like Traci, or whatsherface who runs Her Universe manage because they have business that is tangentially related to cosplay & weeb stuff. Yaya has started figuring it out too because shes been retailing patterns/fabric/wigs, stuff people will actually use.
Cool an outlet I can finally share my opinions of cosplay vs kids parties. Prepare for sperg.
I've been doing kids parties for 5 years, first with a company now I operate alone. ( I'm not sharing anymore info than that). I also cosplay, but I was doing parties first. For me there's no crossover between my hobby and job.
I don't think its accurate to consider party work as making money with cosplay. I firmly consider them two separate things. Cosplayers can be party performers but party performing is NOT necessarily cosplay.
It makes total sense for a cosplayer to do princess parties and vice versa,
IMO if you have the costume and are willing to risk it being touched by dirty child hands, yanked on and stepped on (yep) then by all means!
But being a good cosplayer is no guarantee that you'll be a good party performer.
Gigs where you're payed just to cosplay, act 'in character' and take photos do happen but this isnt the case for most party performers. (There might be a location/average income difference tho, i service mostly lower to middle class) Almost all the customers I deal with expect you to be able to entertain with multiple activities for at least an hour, ex. I also face paint at most parties.
I know a bunch of you have seen pics dumpy looking party princesses, can't deny they exist. I WAS ONE! I was one b/c the company I worked my first 200ish gigs with provided shit costumes. All used. Halloween costumes with sateen that fell apart after one use. Wigs brushed to shit (never taught us to care for them or style them). The character I performed the most was Tinkerbell, and my costume was literally a green one piece speedo swimsuit with tulle and silk leaves hot glued on + halloween wings. I would have been perfect for the bad cosplay thread.
Thing is, it didnt matter since these people were not expecting disneyland-tier and most v young kids are easily convinced, especially when they're really excited.
(1/2)
Well, by that I mean me how I looked DID matter but the quality and accuracy of my costume was almost never an issue, for the small handful of parties it was a problem I did a shit job getting ready or the costume wasnt accurate to the website pics >>which would be the companies fault, they were not a good company. There was way more shit than costumes but I'll spare you all
I ended up learning how to sew, style wigs and do makeup so I could make myself decent for parties, that's actually what lead me to doing cosplay.
You may see pics and wonder why these girls would let themselves outside in those costumes... For me the rate they were paying us it wasn't actually worth it financially. I invested the time anyway since I enjoyed it.
Others who don't actually care all that much and just want to make extra cash might not put the same effort. I neglected to add that party performers aren't all cosplayers, in fact from my experience their all normies with a few aspiring actors and cosplayers thrown in.
>>not to say I won't side eye a terrible looking princess, I just withhold cgl-level judgement since I've been there
I don't want to scare you guys away from party companies, not all of them are bad. Just make sure you research and watch out for ones who enthusiastically hire inexperienced highschoolers.
Anyway I'm getting OT, saged.
>> get really disheartened when I see a pic of a party princess posted on a cosplay site like here
>>(unless it was tagged as cosplay by the OP)
>>b/c muh past muh experiences
>>but it rarely happens anyway
>>8754615
I can't believe this girl keeps milking the whole Ariel thing and still has fans
There's an Italian cosplayer who's now a gaijin tarento in Japan, she's basically living the dream and cosplaying professionally. I think it depends on where you are.
>>8755170
I've never seen her before
I doubt she really makes a living out of cosplay
>>8754615
It's kind of like models or idols, right?
Without a sponsor (usually).
I think it's okay as long as the person is nice and dont do bad things.
Honestly, It's kind of a dream.
>>8755215
she actually does. she also models and cosplay for official stuff. i know she's suppose to be the official Lilly or something
her name is YurikoTiger i think
>>8754650
traci had a day job previously working as a model
She also does not make any of her outfits, you know the girl that played the fairy god mother at her party company? SHE makes all of tracis clothing
>>8755170
what is the girl on the left dressed as?
If they're making money from what they love to do then why care? Most people who seem to have an issue with this are cosplaying while on welfare. Sucks to be them
>>8755215
>>8755584
She's the official Lili and the official Josie Rizal, she's the official model/mascot for Sugoi Japan, her face was plastered all over Shibuya at the end of october and in Harajuku train station in september, she was on the cover of the first number of Cosplay Channel and she's going to be on the cover of the second number too, which is pic related (the magazine is also going to feature Kaname). She's been in a couple of commercials and she's also going to star in a (quite trashy) movie next year.
She has been getting tons of jobs lately, despite her agency being super small (it's basically just her and her manager from what I understood)
So yeah, she does make a living out of cosplay, IT IS possible, if you're in Japan
>>8755751
Lucky Chloe
>>8754680
By KJ, you mean who?
>>8755743
>you know the girl that played the fairy god mother at her party company? SHE makes all of tracis clothing
Not anymore. She made the clothing (which Traci never denied) when Traci was working at True Enchantment. Then Traci started getting costumes from Firefly Designs, but I doubt she will again because she had a tantrum when they made someone else a Disney costume. So now she gets them from various people.
