Inside Freaks Mas’ “RAW” Section: A Taste of Confections for New York Carnival 2014
As New York Carnival 2014 approached, Freaks Mas was preparing to return to Eastern Parkway with A Taste of Confections, a colorful presentation built around the sweetness, creativity and visual spectacle of Caribbean mas.
For a closer look before Carnival Monday, Chandelle “Chandy” De Riggs went inside the Freaks Mas camp in Brooklyn for Julianspromos to explore RAW, one of the sections being prepared for the band’s 2014 presentation.
The feature gave viewers an up-close look at the RAW costumes and the people behind the section, while Intrigue Lane stepped into one of the designs to show how the costume came together when worn.
A Taste of Confections
Freaks Mas brought several different sections together under its 2014 presentation, A Taste of Confections.
The theme drew on the bright colors, playful imagery and sweetness associated with confectionery, giving designers room to create distinctive interpretations across the band.
RAW brought its own personality to the presentation, offering masqueraders another option for the road as Freaks Mas prepared for New York Carnival.
Chandy Goes Inside RAW
For this feature, Chandy focused specifically on the RAW section.
Inside the Brooklyn mas camp, she spoke with section leader Desma and gave viewers a closer look at the costumes being prepared ahead of Labor Day.
Seeing a costume inside a mas camp offers a very different experience from seeing it on Eastern Parkway.
Away from the music trucks and hundreds of masqueraders, viewers can appreciate the individual details, construction and styling that go into bringing a Carnival section to life.
Intrigue Lane Models the RAW Costume
Intrigue Lane also appeared in the feature wearing one of the RAW costumes.
Her appearance gave viewers a clearer look at the design as it was intended to be seen on a masquerader, showing how the individual costume pieces worked together once worn.
It added another dimension to the preview, taking the design from a display inside the mas camp and giving viewers an early glimpse of how RAW would look once the section reached the road.
Watch Freaks Mas RAW: A Taste of Confections
Uploaded: July 13, 2014
Host: Chandelle “Chandy” De Riggs
Featured in Costume: Intrigue Lane
Featured Section: RAW
Section Leader: Desma
Presented By: Wideshut Promotions
Freaks Mas RAW Photo Gallery
The RAW preview offered a closer look at the costumes being prepared for Freaks Mas’ “A Taste of Confectionz” presentation for New York Carnival 2014.
The photos capture details from inside the Brooklyn mas camp, including Intrigue Lane wearing one of the RAW costumes, giving viewers a better sense of how the section’s designs looked before they reached Eastern Parkway.
RAW costumes and moments from the Freaks Mas camp during preparations for New York Carnival 2014.
Inside the Freaks Mas Camp
The Freaks Mas camp in Brooklyn was where the presentation began taking shape long before Carnival Monday.
In the weeks leading up to Labor Day, mas camps become working spaces where costumes are assembled, fitted and adjusted while section leaders and designers prepare their masqueraders for the road.
For participants, the mas camp is also where much of the Carnival experience begins.
It is where masqueraders can see costumes up close, choose their sections, complete registrations and become part of the band that will eventually move together along Eastern Parkway.
Preparing for Eastern Parkway
Everything being built and fitted inside the camp was ultimately being prepared for the West Indian American Day Carnival.
On Labor Day, the quieter atmosphere of costume fittings and section previews would give way to music trucks, spectators and hundreds of masqueraders moving through Brooklyn.
RAW would become one part of the larger Freaks Mas presentation as A Taste of Confections came together on the road.
The Julianspromos feature captures the stage before that transformation — when the costumes were still being introduced and anticipation for Carnival was building.
Freaks Mas and New York Carnival
By 2014, Freaks Mas had developed a recognizable presence within New York Carnival.
Under the leadership of Ray Bruce, the band brought together different section leaders, designers and production teams to create a full presentation for Eastern Parkway.
The finished road experience depended on months of preparation behind the scenes — from costume design and construction to fittings, registration and section promotion.
Features like the RAW preview gave Carnival fans a chance to see some of that work before the finished presentation appeared on the Parkway.
From the Julianspromos Archives
The RAW feature represents another side of Julianspromos’ New York Carnival coverage in 2014.
Coverage did not begin only when bands reached Eastern Parkway.
Julianspromos was also going inside mas camps and band launches before Carnival, documenting the costumes, section leaders and personalities responsible for creating the road experience.
For this feature, Chandelle “Chandy” De Riggs hosted the coverage, taking viewers directly inside Freaks Mas for a closer look at RAW.
Julian C. Hackett shot and edited the footage, while Intrigue Lane’s appearance in one of the costumes helped show viewers what the RAW design looked like on a masquerader before Carnival Monday.
Together, these pre-Carnival features helped document not only the finished parade, but also the preparation and people behind New York mas.
Event Details
Mas Band: Freaks Mas
2014 Presentation: A Taste of Confections
Featured Section: RAW
Section Leader Featured: Desma
Band Leader: Ray Bruce
Carnival: West Indian American Day Carnival 2014
Julianspromos Host: Chandelle “Chandy” De Riggs
Shot & Edited By: Julian C. Hackett
Featured in Costume: Intrigue Lane
Video Upload Date: July 13, 2014
