Fandom School (6th period): Cosplay

So just what is cosplay? Cosplay is, simply put, dressing up as a fictional character. It is most commonly seen at comic-con. As I haven't had the wonderful experience of cosplay yet, I'd like to share with you some examples.

Deadpool cosplay is always really funny, so here are some examples:

Also, as many Whovians know, David Tennant had a wrap-up party for the end of his time as the Tenth Doctor in which the entire cast and crew danced (and lip-synched) to "500 Miles". Fans responded by creating their own video in which they dressed up like Doctor Who characters and danced to "500 Miles". If you haven't already, go watch both videos now. That is all.

Fandom School (6th period): How To Create an OC

Hello, everyone! Today is Christmas Eve, but it is also a Wednesday, which means it is time for Fandom School. Today's subject is roleplaying, and the topic is how to create an OC.

First of all, what is an OC? It stands for "original character" and is a character you created yourself, as opposed to a character that already exists in canon. An OC is not the same thing as a self-insert, nor is it the same thing as expanding on a minor character. An OC is totally yours. OCs are used in both roleplay and fanfiction.

What do you need to keep in mind when making an OC? Well, first and foremost, you need to be careful. Avoid making a Mary Sue at all costs. You also need to make sure your OC is appropriate for the setting you are using him/her in. If you're in a Camelot (Merlin) roleplay and you create a modern OC, your OC had better be a time-traveler with a very good reason to be visiting that time period. You'd probably be better off creating someone who fits in. There are a few categories you need to cover when creating an OC: name, appearance, and personality. You may also want to include these categories: strengths and weaknesses, backstory, and relation to other characters.

Keep in mind that not every roleplay accepts OCs, and some people won't read fanfiction with OCs. But don't let that stop you. Go for it! Now that I've given a basic overview of how to create an OC, I'll show you the profiles for my OCs.

Google+'s Fandom Family
This is a roleplay community where we are all one big, happy family. Click the link to see my profile.

You. Are. Divergent.
A roleplay community based on the "Divergent" series. Click the link to see my profile.

Target Practice
In this short fanfic about why the stormtroopers are terrible shots, I created an unnamed male OC. He's the instructor of Stormtrooper 101, and he's really strict.

When Justice Is Treason
This Wholock fanfic in which the Master and Moriarty team up also features three OCs: Melinda Raven, Kaitlin Raven, and Violet Verner. Melinda is a dangerous, black-haired, criminal computer hacker who helps the Master and Moriarty. She carries a purple laser screwdriver and a gun. Unlike her sister, Kaitlin has a conscience. A redhead, she's good with technology, and she helps the Doctor and his friends. Violet, the sisters' brown-haired cousin, is in the morally grey area. She's an expert spy, and she tells the Doctor and his friends that she's the best source of information, but she warns them that "any information you give can and will be held against you or sold to the highest bidder".

Fandom School (6th period): Roleplaying Example

I totally meant to post this yesterday, but then I forgot. Sorry, guys. I guess the teacher is tardy to her own Fandom School class. Did you enjoy throwing paper airplanes at eachother or whatever it is you do when the teacher isn't there? Anyway, today's (or rather, yesterday's) topic is roleplaying. In an earlier post, I explained what roleplaying is. So now, I'll provide you with an example of roleplaying. This is a roleplay I did on the Google+ community Doctor Who Roleplay Center. (Note: when we were doing this, the person named "Vladimír Mlečenkov" was called "Lord President Rassilon", so that's why he is tagged as that. Also, when we used asterisks, the text changed to bold, so instead of *action*, it's action)

Fandom School (6th period): Roleplaying, aka RPG

Hooray! It's time for Fandom School again! This weeks topic is roleplaying. Simply put, roleplaying (rp for short) is pretending to be someone else and acting out various scenarios (usually virtually) with other people. Depending on where and how you are roleplaying, you may need to create one profile and stick to it, or you may be able to change characters as you please. Roleplaying is a lot of fun, and it's also a great way to get a good feel for a character before writing a story about them.

Those of you who are particularly observant (hello, Sherlock fandom!) may have noticed that I said "RP", but the title says "RPG". RPG stands for Roleplaying Game, and it refers to games where you roleplay, rather that roleplay conversations carried out on social media (e.g., Google+). There's also LARP, which stands for Live-Action Roleplaying. I've never done it before, but it would be cool to do it some time.

There are typically a few rules in roleplaying:
1. Whatever the creator of the game/post/etc. says. They're in charge.
2. Rp might be open (anyone can join) or closed (between a few specified people). See #1
3. OCs (original characters) may or may not be allowed. See #1.
4. Cursing, hate speech, and profanity is typically discouraged.
5. Usually, there's an unspoken rule for length. Some might be short, and some might be long. See #1.
6. As said earlier, check to see how many profiles you can have. See #1.
7. Stay in character. If you need to be OOC (out of character) for a moment, use double parentheses ((like this. I am out of character right now.)) And now I'm back.
8. For actions, use asterisks. Like this: *waves hi*
9. If you have to go for a while, let the people in the rp know. For example: ((Sorry guys, gotta go. I'll be back tomorrow.))
10. Have fun! :)

So here are my different roleplay communities I'm in, and my profiles for each of them.

Doctor Who Roleplay Center
I change my character in this one. I like to play Donna, the Tenth Doctor, and the Eleventh Doctor, but I might play other characters if I'm in the mood.

Google+'s Fandom Family
This is basically a community where we are a family and we rp. It's fun. This is my profile. The short story is: I'm a Japanese girl named Sakura who's the Eleventh Doctor's clone (like Jenny. She's my half-sister.) I've traveled all over the place. I'm a cheerful, inquisitive person who likes to enjoy Earth's beauty. And this is my room.

You. Are. Divergent.
My name is Violet Verity. I was born Erudite, but I transferred to Candor after the Initiation test showed I was Divergent (Erudite and Candor). I'm smart, trustworthy, and dependable. I can tell if you are lying, and I always want to find out the truth. I have a very strong sense of right and wrong. I prefer to stay out of physical conflicts, but if there is no other choice, I will join the side of the person who I believe is right and defend them. I can sometimes get so caught up in finding the truth that I hurt others. I am also quick to condemn others for their wrong words or deeds. I have a cat named Lynn. To read my whole profile, go here.

So there you have it! I hoped you liked this class. Please comment below and let me know what class I should have at Fandom School next. Thanks! Have a great day!