What is cosplay?

Marin Smith: Cosplay is choosing a character that you relate to, or just that you really like, and performing as them on Tik Tok, Instagram, or conventions.

What type of content do you create on Tik Tok?

Ally Fox:  I either create my cosplays or buy them, and then I just find sounds that I like on Tik Tok and lip sync to them. Sometimes I try to be creative and create my own storylines with the characters. Or sometimes I just, you know, do silly videos to make people happy for a little bit. 

Smith: Same thing for me. I also create my own characters with other people online, like we create our own storyline and post the videos on Tik Tok.

Do you also do plays/ musicals?

Fox: I’m in the musical, and I’m a theater major. 

Smith: I’m not much of a singer, but I do plays sometimes.

Have you met other people through Tik Tok?

Fox: I have met one person who I dated for a while — I’m not dating her anymore — but I met her in December over winter break, and we snowboarded together.

Smith: I have not met anyone in person, but I have met lots of people online.

Do you feel a responsibility to use your platform to work for change?

Fox:I know when I was younger, I promised myself that if I ever gained a platform, I would use it to speak out about issues. So whenever there has been a controversy, or people have been like, spreading hate online, I take it upon myself to talk about it and say this isn’t okay.

Smith: With the movements and stuff, there have been days that were just for Jewish people, or trans people to post, or black lives matter. I try to spread information about those issues and educate others.

When did you start making Cosplay videos?

Fox: I didn’t start cosplaying till probably maybe last year, really. I had gone through phases where I tried to do Tik Tok, but I kept deleting my first ones. And then finally, in November of last year, there was a tag I really wanted to be a part of. So that’s when I started. 

Smith: Kind of the same thing. It was like two years ago when I started and there was a tag that I really wanted to be a part of.

How long does each video take to make?

Fox: If it’s a story video, I try to take more time and use editing. But if it’s just a random video, it doesn’t take that long at all.

Smith: It depends on what the video really does. Some of them take maybe an hour and a half, but one of my more recent ones took about five hours to do just because I wanted the lighting to be perfect, but it really just depends on the character

Do you make other videos besides acting?

Fox: I make other videos. Like Marin, I make original characters and with them I do have to do story videos. And I’ve done entire stories on my TikTok. So I’ve had to film that by myself, write the script, edit it and post it.

Smith: Yeah, there’s a lot of editing.

Do you ever hit a creative block where you can’t come up with new ideas?

Fox: All the time. 

Smith: I’ll go through like periods of time, like a month over the summer, where I just didn’t know what to do. And then a week later, I’ll have like five different characters that I want to do right at that moment.

Do you think people perceive cosplay a certain way?

Fox: Yeah. It’s interesting, because a lot of people tend to have a negative view toward it. I guess they feel like it’s lame or anything, but specifically for me, and I’m sure for a lot of people, it’s a creative outlet. And it’s a way I can express myself and I have a platform where people like what I do, so it really helps me in my self esteem.