While the traditional idea of building cosplay invokes the image of one or two people toiling away on an outfit, Henchmen Studios work on an almost industrial scale, drawing on the talents of massive teams to produce work so good that they’re often hired by Blizzard to help debut Overwatch characters.
Take the company’s latest effort, Brigitte, for example. She took five weeks to build, and that’s with 15 people involved with designing and constructing her armour and props. Throw in the fact Henchmen actually made three other Overwatch outfits for PAX as well and you can see how much work is going on over there.
To help show just how much blood, sweat and tears goes into work like this, Henchmen have made this video detailing the build process for Brigitte, from sketching her out (based on in-game models) to putting each component and piece together.
And just in case you needed more appreciation for the whole thing, this video showing cosplayer Claire Hunniset’s big day out at PAX gives you a look behind the scenes at things like hair and makeup work, not to mention having her armour loaded on.
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5 responses to “How Some Of The Best Cosplay On Earth Is Made”
That’s a well constructed baguette.
I dunno, doesn’t really feel like cosplay anymore. It feels like an industry making money.
Pretty much this. It’s basically an industrial prop studio.
And last I checked, the outfits in movies and such weren’t being hailed as fantastic cosplay.
Well that’s the thing its a bit more diverse field nowadays with professionals to hobbyists.
Whole team of professional builders vs the one guy working on his kitchen table.
The professional studios, they are either doing massive commissions for trade shows and corporate sponsors… or they are doing it to build up their resume and show off their skills.
I still appreciate the professional builds, but yeah, you do have to go… that’s out of my league or budget, or concept of reality.
I don’t have an issue with professionals doing this kind of work, I just don’t think it should be called cosplay. Mostly because your lumping amatures with professionals and reviewing them with the same terminology.
Cosplayers for me will always be the guy or gal in their kitchen, sowing away at costume they’ve spent a year putting together. It’s not perfect but you can see the effort they put in and that’s great.
Where as these professionals, while talented are just marketing tools for companies. They are basically the new “booth babes”
team of 15ppl? its a fabricator studio hired to create costumes for a big company.
not hobyist cosplay