Book Project : E3

Last week E3, the Electronic Entertainment Expo was in downtown LA. For those unfamiliar, E3 is THE video game trade show. Microsoft, Sony, Nintendo plan their press conferences at these events and to showcase their latest products. In 2005, E3 hit their largest attendance at 70,000. It is not unusual for some of the new game releases to hit $500 million in sales on their opening week. That said, E3 is pretty much the apex of the video game industry and so journalist, developers and those involved in the industry fly in from across the globe.

Of course, I have to be there.



My photography book "Cosplay in America" reflects on the culture of cosplay - which draws their references from anime/manga and video games. Games are especially strong. And if the world of gaming was to descend in Los Angeles, why should I be there to promote the book and hope to get some press from the numbers of bloggers and media there ?

My plan was simple. Hit as many E3 parties I can get into and put out promo cards on tables and bars. Have a copy ready to show. And it worked. I met with various bloggers and collected business cards. Reception was positive across the board. The simple fact that I pretty much finance the project with credit cards and bank loans impressed them further. In all, I hit about three parties and talked to bloggers, developers, marketers, even a documentary producer. I mention I knew of a woman who had cosplay back in the 70s and 80s....it was called costuming back then and she still does it today.


My day was spent outside of the LA Convention Center with a 18x24 size version of my book cover and handing out promo cards. I wasn't as much into making sure people got cards as much as I wanted them to see the cover of the book. Building impressions I am.



This weekend I'm at the second stop of my tour in Miami, FL. Here's to selling out all the books I shipped to the convention !