How to avoid stage fright in 6 simple steps

I wasn’t new to stages when I first started cosplaying, but they still terrified me. Since I was a child I had to perform in front of other people. I was a musician and we had to play in front of a big audience every other month. I was also in a choir singing solos and the singer of a heavy metal band (yeah). Despite my background, it was never any easier for me.

1. Be prepared

This is probably one of my best tips. There is nothing worse than going on stage without a plan. You need to at least think what you are going to do before you get up there. This is like an exam, you don’t want to go without revising, do you?

If you have the time, rehearse at home. Write down a plan or your dialogue if you have one. There is a page on my Cosplay Planner that will help you draft it if you need it. Also, if you are part of a group, make sure you dedicate a few minutes before your performance to get it all right. My friend Larxenne and I are well known for improvising our skits

Not only you need to be prepared for your skit but also for your actual performance in stage. Get to the venue with plenty of time and make sure you will be ready on time for the revision and the contest. If you don’t, you will definitely get more nervous. This is something you can easily avoid with a bit of planning.

2. Take deep breaths

It may seem silly but taking deep breaths is actually a big help to calm down. Whenever I have to go on stage I get a bit panicky. The best thing to do is breath. It is exactly like in the films when you have a pregnant lady and someone asking her to breath. Inhale and exhale. Concentrate on your breathing and don’t think about anything for a few minutes. It will help you relax.

It is ok to be a bit nervous. I would say you need to be a need nervous in order to be sharp and perform well. But don’t let it go so far you actually freeze on stage or get a panic attack. Just breath.

3. Sit down and rest

All the tension accumulates in your body. For me it is the back. I used to get terrible back aches. Very often, I ended up lying down on the floor just before performing because I was so tense and so tired I couldn’t move anymore.

The truth is you have accumulated tension, not to mention your lack of sleep, usual day before convention cosplayer syndrome, and that is making you tired. Make sure you sit down and relax before you go on stage. It will make you feel much better. Drinking some water, maybe an isotonic drink and eating a snack is also a good idea as it will give you extra energy.

4. Find a quiet corner

If you can, find a quiet spot, all the noises, the loud music, people talking to you can actually make you feel more nervous. If you need to, go ahead and find a quiet space to stay while you are not needed. It is not always possible, in particular if you are about to perform, but you can do this beforehand. Make sure you are calm before you approach the stage. Mentally go through all the things you want to do, check all your props are ready for the performance and just get ready.

5. Go to the bathroom

Nothing makes me more anxious than knowing that I have to go to the bathroom but I won’t be able to do it if I am on stage. Go ahead and go to the bathroom before you go on stage with plenty of time. It doesn’t matter if you don’t really need to or if you have gone seven times that morning. It is actually a very quiet place and a great excuse to get away from other nervous people around you too.

6. Enjoy yourself

Always remember you are doing this to have fun! And no matter what happens you were very brave to go and do it. Don’t worry about your performance. It doesn’t need to be perfect and there will always be another time. It is not a big deal if it doesn’t go according to plan. And it doesn’t matter if your wig falls off or if your prop breaks halfway through. I’m sure you will still have fun just trying and everyone will enjoy with you.

If everything fails just laugh, you have a great anecdote there you will be able to tell to your friends. I have never had a performance that has gone according to plan, I have commited a hundred and one mistakes and it never mattered. But I always, always smiled at the end. You did it, and your rocked it. Well done.

Have you got any other ways to avoid stage fright? Did I miss something? Let me know in the comments and share this post with someone that may need it.

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Diré esto de nuevo, puedo dibujar mejor pero he dibujado esto como referencia.
Esta vez reuní poses de alguien triste y melancólico, probablemente alguien que ha perdido algo o a alguien. Las principales características de este tipo de personaje sería mantener los brazos cercano al cuerpo, los ojos medio cerrados o mirando al infinito. Además tumbarse en la cama o el suelo sería buena idea.
Algunos personajes que pueden ser así de melancólicos (pero raramente todo el tiempo serían Asuna (Sword Art Online – Alfheim version), Megurine Luka (Vocaloid – Just be friends version), Freya (Chobits), Emeraude (Magic Knight Rayearth), Sakura (Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles).

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Posing basics for cosplay

These are just suggestions for better posing. They are not set on fire but they are a good guide if you are just starting. A good photographer will try to get the best of you and some of them will even point you on the right direction. A basic tip is to look for reference pictures and try to imitate the poses of the characters.

Body

Don’t look like a robot. Instead, you can put one foot back and try to raise one of your hips if you are a girl.  You are looking for angles created by your body. Triangle shapes are interesting, blocks aren’t. Try to be relaxed and avoid getting your arms too close to your body, it will make you look chunkier and manly. However, if that is indeed your aim go for it. On my Megurine Luka Synchronicity and Raven casual I was not standing straight. Notice the position of the hips and one leg in front of the other.

Head

Don’t leave your head straight, try pointing your nose to a side, let’s say the shoulder of the photographer. However, you can still look at the camera. Remember you don’t need to move your head to move your eyes!. You can also tilt your head a bit to make your look more interesting. Also, remember that most people have a good side for photos, take some selfies and decide which side of your face looks prettier. See the angle of my head on my Luka Magnet cosplay.

Arms and hands

Your arms shouldn’t be dead, don’t let them hanging nor perpendicular to your body. Put your hands somewhere. Make it your hips, your head, casting a spell. You can even grab something if you run out of ideas. Avoid to put them hiding your face or hiding your cosplay details. Crossing your arms is fine with some characters but make sure you are not hiding that important piece you took so long to create. Raven below is a magician and uses her hands to cast spells.

Feet

It is more interesting if your feet point to different parts. Not like a duck but neither as a soldier. Maybe one in front of the other. Perhaps one looking forward and one sideways. Don’t hide one with the other as this can look weird. Check my Sailor V below with feet pointing different ways

Face and eyes

Don’t be expressionless , nor frown, nor tighten your lips. The duck face may work or selfies but it is extremely forced and unrealistic. You should smile if the character requires so, but be fierce if you need to. There are many expressions, don’t limit yourself to one. Also, did you know that your eyes don’t need to look at the camera? Try looking to a distant point instead. It will make the photo look different. Luka Magnet is ethereal and naive, Wonder Woman is a warrior with a piercing stare.

Props

Don’t hide your face with a prop nor point it totally towards the camera . If you do, you are hiding most of it that way. Also, don’t put them too far away from your body. If they are too big they won’t appear in the picture. Don’t hide your awesome cosplay behind big props either. Try other poses with the props that shows them and at cons rest big props on the floor, this way they will appear in the picture and you won’t hit anyone when you swing them. Weapons in diagonal are usually a good idea and much easier to get into frame. Ririchiyo has a very long weapon, I hold it at an angle to fit in the frame.

Surroundings

Always be aware of your surroundings. A picture in the middle of a crowd won’t look professional. Move yourself to a less transited area or near a wall. However, if you choose the wall it is best if you are a few steps a head of the wall. We all love selfies in the bathroom, but probably it isn’t a great shooting area either. Be aware of bins, mess or any ugly things surrounding you. Don’t let your handbag crossing your chest nor all the shopping bags next to your feet or in your hands. Give them to someone or leave them a bit further away. I shot Cinder Fall at a convention. We decided to go outside and take the pictures by a wall away from the crowd.

Final tips

Practice! Practice! Practice! Some poses, postures or looks will or won’t look good on you, make sure you practice in front of a mirror to see what flatters you more. Make sure to mix all the tecniques together and get an interesting pose. Also, I’m sure your character has a couple of characteristic poses or a specific attitude you can mimic. Learn them! They will look super cool on a photoshoot and we all love a cosplayer that can play its role. Sometimes you need time to remember all of this or to get it right, but you will get there. Overall keep practicing, keep trying and have fun!

I hope this posing basics for cosplay tutorial was useful. Remember, if you really want to, youcan support me on Ko-fi if you really like my work, there are no subscriptions and you will help me create more cosplays and more tutorials to share with you! Also, if you are looking for patterns and cosplay related downloadables make sure to check my collection.

And of course, a big thanks to all my amazing photographers Ian Moore, Paul Wills, Martin Jones, Chris Baugh, McCan PhotographyMark Lycett, CMAGS, Caitleen Messenger. You are the ones who make all this possible!

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