Wookiee Blog: Chewie-Changa!

Zaxmon

Just in case anyone is interested, I have a simple no frills blog dedicated to the making of my chewbacca costume.

Hope you enjoy it.

Chewie-changa!

Contec

A bowler hat and you have Cousin Itt from Addams Family

Jessica

Wow I love this! Good luck to you. I'll keep checking...and I love the title of your blog. You rock.

Goosebot 5000

Chewie-Changa made me laugh for 15 minutes straight! looks great so far!

Zaxmon

lol Thanks

New blog post is up

Dougie Fett

A little bit of a cheeky post to say the least!

I personally couldn't care less about critisisms but I'm sure other people might!

Some of those people are members here! If you're looking for help from other wookiee costumers, u are certainly going about it the wrong way.

The Wook

Zaxmon,

Your blog post criticizing other people's costumes is rude, and completely unnecessary.

Get some class.

The Wook

Zaxmon

Hmm, interesting points. I'll edit the post.

Edit:
I took out the non-constructive criticism. The point isn't to poke fun at people's hard work. It was to present a broad spectrum of costumes and show a direction to where I hope to end up with my own efforts.

However, I never called anyone names and said they had no class. Thanks.

Dougie Fett

Still utterly pointless, can't believe you can't see that!

Zaxmon

I don't feel that it is pointless. I explained the purpose of it. Its not just for those who have already seen all this stuff, but also for those who may not immediately recognize differences in costumes.

I wasn't trying to be rude in my first post, only trying to add a bit of humor. Obviously that didn't translate very well. So I removed it. However I still believe my opinion on the differences are valid and of interest.

I'd like to know what about it bothers people so much.

Dougie Fett

To be honest I'd rather u take my photo (of my unfinished wookiee, I might add) out of your post.

Lumpy7189

At least mine ended up "good".

Yellowjacket

Analyzing is not necessarily criticizing. The internet is not a perfect medium for 'tone', so don't worry about some reactions.

Zaxmon

No Problem.

Zaxmon

Yes, I like your costume and followed your construction. It gave me a lot of good tips.

Dougie Fett

Did u see his first draft?

Yellowjacket

Nope, but I witnessed his willingness to change it.

Zaxmon

Even if he did, I still don't believe it was as bad as you think it was. There were a few extra photos used for comedic effect. I took a second look from your viewpoint and saw how it could be interpreted as being mean. So they were retracted. I then changed some of the wording to be more clear in what I was saying.

First drafts are usually rough, and now I think it's better. I removed your "unfinished" wookiee, even though I clearly stated it was great.

I don't understand why you are trying to make this an issue.

Dougie Fett

Well all I'll say is that those of us who did see it know what he really thinks.

Zaxmon

I want the blog to appeal to people, so I appreciate your own criticism. I used it. It was valid.

I am not trying to hide anything. Yes, I have opinions, and if you want to know what they are, I will tell you.

But you were right, some of that was worth editing.

Yellowjacket

"Let him have it. It's not wise to upset a Wookiee."


This thread reads like a cliché of the archetype. Good luck, Zaxmon. You're gonna need it.

The Wook

Zaxmon,

You still don't get it. Pointing out the deficiencies of other fans' home-made Chewies on your blog is offensive (even if you think the criticism is constructive). It's one thing to criticize the Rubies costume, as it was purposely made to look inaccurate and low-quality, per instructions from LFL to their licensee. But to pick apart the earnest efforts of fans, who put their blood, sweat and money into their projects, devoting months and oftentimes years to try to get it to look just like the real Chewie, is classless.

It is also pointless, despite your lame rationale. I suggest you measure your Chewie against Freeborn's, instead of the competitive "bad-to-good" framework you've set up against your peers, on your blog.

There's nothing wrong with *privately* analyzing the work of other fans to see what you like, and what you wish to avoid in your own build. But when you go public with those critiques--like what's currently on your blog, "his mask is way out of proportion" and "this guy's mask is scary"--you cross the line.

Quite frankly, you shouldn't be posting pics of anyone else's Chewie on your blog without their permission in the first place. Even in cases where you think the costume is great, and where you think the photo is an accurate representation of the costume. Dougie Fett, whose costume you generally liked but still criticized, is a perfect example--he didn't want his photo and your assessment of his costume on your blog, and asked you to take it down. Someone shouldn't have to ask you to take their photo down. You should instead be asking them permission up front, having explained to them that your purpose for posting it is to critique it and point out to others what inaccuracies you want to avoid when building your own. Then, if someone agrees, after hearing that full disclosure of your intention, go for it.

The Wook

ps~I realize you're a newb in the hobby of Chewie fabrication, and you've likely never costumed as the character, so here's a note about photographs and how misleading they can be. I've been performing as Chewie for nearly a decade--both as a fan in my own costume, and as the Lucasfilm tour Chewie wearing their official costume. Both costumes are well made, but no matter how good a costume is, photographs can portray accurate representations of it at times, and inaccurate representations of it other times. Thousands of photos have been taken of me over the years in both costumes, and while most look from good to great, I've seen plenty of pics of me in each costume where the suit or mask looked not so good in one aspect or another. Same goes for pics of the other LFL tour actor when he's in the costume. In fact, I've seen plenty of pics of Freeborn's Chewie that, for a variety of reasons, look funky and different from the Chewie we're accustomed to seeing in the films, when the lighting was perfect and the costume has been meticulously prepped by Kay Freeborn prior to every take. So I suggest that if a fan does give you permission to critique his costume on your blog, that you let him provide the photo, so that it is an accurate representation of his finished work, and not some random photo of his you swiped off the internet.

Zaxmon

OK, after thinking about it all day, I removed the post.

I understand the viewpoints presented and would like to publicly apologize to all those whom I may have offended.

I doubt there will be a further response to this, but I hope bridges weren't burned here. I respect you guys, but my blog post didn't represent that. This is why it has been permanently deleted.

Yes, I am still a newb to all this and I do hope that any damage I have caused can be mended.

The Wook

We live and learn. Kudos for doing the right thing.

The Wook