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IN BRIEF This page is the best, most detailed version of the cosplay contest rules and includes information about how the scoring will be done and what awards will be given out. It's highly recommended that you read through this page at least once. However, there is a condensed version as well, located here. INTRODUCTION So, you want to participate in the cosplay contest at Geek-Kon. Congratulations! You are an awesome person. No doubt you probably have a lot of questions about it. Where do we go to sign in? When is the presentation? What awards are going to be given out? Who is this God person anyway? Well, good thing for you, you've found the part of the webpage with all the answers to your burning questions. HOW IT GOES First things first, you can do any costume you want to do, regardless of genre. Geek-Kon is a multi-genre con, so despite the otaku term "cosplay," you do not have to do an anime costume. In order to participate in the Masquerade, you must sign up when you check in at the convention or before 12PM (noon) on Saturday. This check-in will be at the information table. There, you will fill out a form which will include your name, what character you are cosplaying, who made your costume, and a few other pieces of information. The cosplay judges and staff will be needing each of these pieces of information, so if you leave something off, there may be some confusion which may effect what score you get on your costume and presentation. So please take the few minutes it will take to fill out the form. When you sign up at the registration table, you'll also sign up for a time to meet with the cosplay contest staff at an orientation meeting. These meetings will take place between noon and 3PM on Saturday. The meeting should take about five minutes and the timeslots for them will be handed out on a first come, first served business. Important information regarding weapon props!!! No real weapons of any kind will be allowed at the convention. Weapon props must be checked by convention Security for safety and they will have the final say on whether or not you will be allowed to carry it. If they do not allow it, you may check it and the staff will keep it for you until you need to have it as part of your costume for judging or presentation. All other weapon props must have Security's tag that it has been checked. At your orientation meeting, you'll need to show the cosplay staff your costume and your skit. This is when your workmanship will be judged. Craftsmanship points will be awarded on a scale of 1-10 in each of the following areas; construction, interpretation, visual likeness, accuracy, and intangibles. Bringing along something as reference for the judges to compare against your costume is highly recommended since the judges cannot be expected to know every character from every series or movie. This does not have to be a picture, although those are usually the best type of reference. For example, if you are dressed as a character from a book, you can bring a passage or some passages that describe the character. Also at your orientation meeting, you will need to tell the staff about your presentation and what it will entail. This will include telling the cosplay contest staff about what A/V needs you will have and what, if any, special introductions you need for the MC. The orientation meeting also serves as a buffer between the convention staff and the University of Wisconsin. As the convention is taking place on University property, we must comply with their rules of security and decency. If a costume is deemed to be indecent, the cosplay contest staff will have to disqualify the costume and you will be asked to change. The same thing applies to whatever skit you will have during the masquerade. No indecent language will be allowed (keep your skit PG-13). No throwing of objects into the crowd. And your skit must be comparable to what you describe to the contest staff or we will reserve the right to disqualify you even after you have performed. After you have attended your short orientation meeting, you will be free to do as you wish at the rest of the convention until 4:15PM. At that time, the contest green room will open. You must check in with the green room coordinator there by 4:45 PM. You may use the green room to finish getting into your costume, but you may not use the green room to change into it. You must be wearing enough of your costume by the time you get there as to be decent. The green room will be a staging area for the Masquerade. Entrants will remain there until their turn on stage in Main Programming. Before going to Main Programming for the Masquerade, you (or your group) will be photographed for the convention website. After your performance, you will be ushered to a section of reserved seating from which you can watch the rest of the Masquerade. During your Masquerade performance, the performance judges will rate your presentation. You'll be awarded points on a scale of 1-10 for each of the following areas: stage presence, audience reaction, character interpretation, creativity, and intangibles. At the end of the presentations, there will be a brief pause (don't worry, there will be entertainment) while the judges finish totaling points and determine the contest winners. The following awards will then be presented:
It's possible that other convention goers will want to take your picture after the Masquerade. Weather permitting, this can take place on the outside mezzanine section of the Humanities building. Thanks for your interest in the Geek-Kon cosplay contest and Masquerade! We hope you'll join us. |
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