out of the closet for your entertainment

[zamgram]

I haven't posted here much, but I've been 'lurking' on and off for years (as blksun) and I'm just in awe of the talent obvious in most of your costumes.

I'm going to try to attach some photos here for you to laugh at...or maybe to start a list of "how NOT to make a Zam costume". I actually ~have~ made a few upgrades since these photos were taken at Megacon 2005. The 501st had their first Star Wars costume contest that year and were kind enough to give me the "Judges Choice" award (for effort, I'm sure). I was thrilled to get an action figure and a 501st t-shirt in addition to a plaque. (That's the t-shirt over my arm in the one photo.)

My helmet was a $1 toy fire helmet with lots of sculpy, duct tape and silver spray paint. My gun was a combination of a toy gun and a flutophone (they fit together perfectly so I couldn't resist). Most of the rest (like the baggy pants) were straight from Goodwill (I haven't replaced them yet but I have taken them in).

Enough blathering...we grandmas tend to do that...

Okay, I couldn't figure out how to attach photos, but if anyone's interested they can see them at:

www.myspace.com/summersgrandmajody

 

[Zam I Am]

If you hit the little picture icon and copy and paste the picture urls, then we can see them. Otherwise, they don't show up.

 

[pennywise]

Here...

 

[sl tk8456]

Looking pretty nifty.

I think this costume is cool. Some people would knock it cos it's not spot on. But not everyone can afford to get uber screen accurate things but still find the time and obvious passion to make something they love.
To turn a firemans helemt into something like that, you've obviously got a flare for making stuff. Good on you
A few pennies saved and a few upgrades here and there and she'll be a total beaut

Is that Scott, the 501st merchandise officer giving you the award?

 

[kimncris]

Looking pretty nifty.

I think this costume is cool. Some people would knock it cos it's not spot on. But not everyone can afford to get uber screen accurate things but still find the time and obvious passion to make something they love.
To turn a firemans helemt into something like that, you've obviously got a flare for making stuff. Good on you

Yeah, what he said!

I always admire the people who are meticulous enough to get every little detail 100% correct. Some costumers are motivated by knowing that they have achieved near perfection in terms of comparing their costume to the original. I wish I had the patience for that.

Obviously I take *some* pride in my work, but also I tend to be happy so long as people know who I'm supposed to be and they smile when they see me

That said, I think your costume is a perfect illustration of Zam-I-Am's point in another thread that one of the most important things to do is to get all of your pieces within the same color palette. Your body suit, vest, and skirt match nicely and thus the effect is a lot nicer than trying to put pieces together that don't match, even if some of them are the "correct" color.

Nicely done

 

[me gonk]

That looks really neat!

 

[Zam I Am]

Yah, I second SL/TK8456 and KnC, very good ensemble.
I admit to being a big nerd for taking a millenia to scrutinize every mm, but costuming isn't just about building a costume to near perfection, although that may be most people's motivations. The major part of it is just being able to have fun in your costume that you built and the satisfaction of people knowing who you are- the cool ZAM ASSASSIN. There aren't many of us out there, and I think that it is worth a lot if not more in the grand scheme of things that you and others have the creativity and drive to put your efforts out there for many people to see in the first place. I think that's where one can truly feel pride in their costuming. Good work!

I encourage more people to put up pics of their work on the TDH .

 

[zamgram]

such kind words!

Thank you all for your kind words and encouragement! It makes me want to go work on my costume right now...I did concentrate on color and proportion. The vest was another Goodwill find that had the sides laced already, and I just spray-painted it. (It's been replaced...and should probably be replaced again.) One 'advantage' to starting with what you can is that the upgrades are never-ending. That keeps me interested. Any of you who bothered going to myspace may have seen my Meryl Stryfe costume. It's as done as I'm ever going to make it, and so I've kinda lost interest in her. (Wearing 30 derringers is a kick, though, so I'll continue being one of the few over-fifty-year-old anime cosplayers!)

Thanks again for being so encouraging. I'll post new pics after the next round of upgrades. I hope more of you will feel free to post less-than-perfect Zam photos, too!

Zamgram

 

[zamgram]

p.s.

Oh, and thanks to Pennywise for the 'technical assistance'!

And I think that 501st guy's name was Scott. I don't really know the FL 501st folks, except the ones who troop here in Tallahassee. And my son, who is a 501st member and nagged me into starting a Star Wars costume (although he wanted me to be Mon Mothma; how boring is THAT costume? Plus she never smiled.)

:zam Zamgram

 

[MaulMaus]

Yep the costume went together well! Congrats on the award too! Now you can start the cycle of never-ending upgrades!

I've posted pics of my less-than-finished Zam! Have to agree on the Mon Mothma costume though.... zzzzzz.... I have a friend in the over 50 crowd as well, I'm trying to talk her into doing Jocasta Nu (I think that's an interesting costume!) but she has her heart set on an Imperial Officer.

I think it is Scott in the picture, though I don't remember him having a beard. Been a while eh?

 

[Kay Dee]

Hello Zamgram! I'm not sure if we've met or not. I know of a GGG 501st member in the bay area with a Zam costume. I'm not sure if you are the same person though!

I would have glanced at the myspace photos, but I'm not a member.

It looks like you did some amazing things with a toy helmet and sculpey! I'd imagine you've gotten a lot of great use out of your costume thus far. Sometimes the problem with trying to be spot on is you never get anything done (that's my death trap). Or you're never 100% happy because it is nearly impossible to make an exact replica without the real thing in front of you for reference, much less having access to all of the original supplies.

Have fun with your upgrades! I have a feeling you'll be done with them before I even start making my costume. I'm just trying to get all my parts while I can - I have another few costumes I intend to make before Zam

 

[Kay Dee]

Oh, and thanks to Pennywise for the 'technical assistance'!
I don't really know the FL 501st folks

Eeep, I saw the SF Bay Area location next Pennywise's post and associated it with your photo. Now I see you are in Florida! I guess I thought you knew the 501st bay area members or may have been one who temporarily relocated

 

[zamgram]

zams in florida

I don't know of any Zams here in Florida, although I know that folks come in from all over for the Star Wars Weekend things at Disney, and I've seen photos from at least one year with a Zam in them.

I attend Megacon in Orlando every year, but that's the only big con I've been to- and never saw a Zam there. I was all set to go to C3 and then bad things happened to spoil our plans. I'm hoping to get to Dragoncon in Atlanta this year...maybe I'd run into another Zam there.

I think more people ~talk~ about doing a Zam costume than actually wear it anywhere, which is understandable because there is just so much detail and so many pieces that are hard to make. But when you know your costume is 'weak' (to say the least, in my case)- it helps to have a veil to cover your face!!!

Thanks for everyone's support!
Zamgram

 

[morpheus1977]

are you going to make out here to CA for CIV???

 

[zamgram]

If I win the lottery, I'll definitely be at C4. Otherwise, I'm afraid that any cons at all in California are not in my budget for the foreseeable future!

 

[zamgram]

My new goal is to have Zam ready to wear to Dragon*Con (labor day weekend). If anyone has any old Zam parts (that you have replaced but couldn't bring yourself to throw the old ones out) or parts that you made that came out slightly damaged or just not good enough for your Zam, please pm me with what you have and how much you'd want for it. No piece is too small to offer me- it might be just what I need! (I still need a lot but funds are limited, as usual. Sigh.)

Thanks!

 

[Zam I Am]

Can you post a better pic on your costume? Cause we can't see what you might need that you would consider an "upgrade" to your existing zam. Make sense? Or, like list what exactly would you consider "upgrading" is the bigger question.

 

[zamgram]

I have a good helmet, blaster, and skirt/cumberbund. I'm happy with my vest, veil, and the greeblie on the upper arm, and the greeblie that looks like a bottle. My beads look good, and my holster is okay. Everything else needs upgraded badly, and some parts aren't even wearable (which I proved by trying to wear them and they fell apart!)

I'm not trying to put together a "cannon" costume, because I know that I can't afford it, but I'd like it to be decent-looking (at least, to Star Wars fans who haven't studied Zam's costume in detail).

I'm sorry that I don't have any good pics- I had some on my old computer but they got "lost" when it died. What with selling my costume, moving twice, and buying it back, I haven't actually trooped in it in a very long time.

If I find any pics I'll put them up here.......