Scoop: What first got you interested in cosplay?
Tonia Antilla (TA): Well, I’ve always loved theater and grew up around it. I am also a lifelong artist of many mediums. So when I was invited to participate in my first comic con I had to go in costume. I made one myself, by hand as I did not own a working sewing machine at that time. I went to my first con in my first cosplay and had an absolute blast. It was magical being able to be the character and have others play along with me.

Scoop: What’s your personal approach to the hobby?
TA: I approach with my heart first. I love people and interacting with people. I love making them smile. If joy comes from your heart, it is contagious and will impact others. I enjoy making cons fun for everyone.  I also use cosplay as “cause-play.” There is a whole community out there who uses their cosplay talents for charity. We raise money for Make-a-Wish, children’s hospitals, prosthetics and wigs for children, playrooms for non-profit children’s hospitals, walks for cancer, you name it. This makes it personal for me, and joyful.

Scoop: How do you pick a character to emulate?
TA: Usually I pick a character for the sheer challenge creating the cosplay. Sometimes it is a character that is rarely seen or an unusual cosplay. Sometimes I see a movie costume and just challenge myself to recreate it. I usually stick to Star Warshuge Star Wars geek!

Scoop: Do you tend to make your costumes yourself?
TA: I do make the costumes myself. I don’t (or haven’t yet) commission pieces out for my cosplays. I make patterns, sew, sculpt, cast, and I work with leather, prosthetics, plastics, and just about anything except metal.

Scoop: What are your strengths and weaknesses in regards to costume construction?
TA: I think in pictures! I can take things apart and put them back together and rotate them in my head, so figuring out how things are put together and how materials are going to work together is usually pretty easy. I’m also very tenacious and don’t give up very easily at all if at all – I make it work one way or another. As far as weaknesses, I’m terrible about testing things out or doing test areas with textiles, paints and dyes. I just want to do it and roll the dice. So far I have been pretty lucky. I also hate waiting for molds to cure, castings to cure, dyes and paints to dry – I want it all done now!

Scoop: There are obviously lots of great experiences to be had in cosplay, but can you think of any negatives?
TA: Oh boy! Now we just had to go there! (Just kidding!) I have had a bad experience and unfortunately it is becoming all too common in the cosplay community. People who want to cosplay will often try to get cosplayers to make them a cosplay, and that’s fine, until they steal credit for the creation of the commission and steer business away from the artist. This is a very big no-no and will get a person blacklisted from the community fast. These people are often re-casters – they steal the artist’s work by having molds made of the work and sell castings.

Scoop: What challenges or issues do you think cosplayers face the most?
TA: Safety is one issue. People sometimes think that female cosplayers are putting themselves out there for physical attention – not true. Keeping dignity in the art is another one. No one is better than anyone else. All cosplayers should be treated with respect by their peers. And of course, cosplay is not consent. Please treat cosplayers with dignity and respect, and we will show you that in return.

Scoop: Do you think cosplay adds to the overall convention experience?
TA: I absolutely do! A great majority of people who attend cons want to see the cosplayers. It is also free advertisement for pop culture. A con without cosplayers would be like going to Disneyland and never seeing Mickey Mouse!