costuming@geekkon.net

Quick Steps for Participating in the Masquerade

• Come to Geek-Kon.
• Sign up for the masquerade at the information table and fill out the form by 10:00 AM on Saturday.
• Attend the Masquerade Orientation panel and sign up for a judging meeting time
• Attend your costume judging meeting between 1PM and 4:45PM on Saturday
• Report to the Masquerade Green Room by 4:50PM and check in
• Present your costume to the audience at the Masquerade
• Have fun!

Rules for Cosplaying at Geek-Kon

• No costume will be allowed that exposes the wearer in an inappropriate fashion. Madison rules and laws governing indecent exposure will be followed and any violators will be ejected from the convention and subject to arrest, penalties, and fines as per city, state, and federal law. No clothing is NOT a costume.
• No mock fighting or sparring on the convention premises.
• No real weapons may be brought to the convention. All other weapon props must be checked by convention security and tagged as checked. Please note that Airsoft guns are ILLEGAL within the city of Madison. Please do not bring them. All other prop guns must have an orange tip.
• No props larger than 4 feet long may be carried in the halls. Your prop can temporarily expand to larger than four feet for photography purposes, but must collapse down to four feet or less.
• Convention staff and security reserve the right to peace-bind or make safe any spikes or sharp edges they deem dangerous.
• Crediting the creator of your costume will be strictly enforced. If you made the costume, you may put "self" or something similar on your entry form. However, vague references such as "Ebay" will disqualify the entrant. If you purchased or commissioned the costume, be certain you know the name of the person who made it and their contact info. Commissioned costumes will not be entered into the contest for Best in Show.

Rules for the Masquerade Presentation at Geek-Kon

• Entrants shall not expose themselves in violation of city, state, and federal law or be ejected from the convention and subject to arrest, fines, and penalties.
• There shall be no mock combat or sparring on stage or in the aisles, regardless of whether or not an entrant is qualified to do so at other venues or events.
• Entrants shall not swear. Language shall be approximately PG-13 rated.
• Entrants shall not throw things into the audience. All parts of the presentation must remain on the stage at all times. Special dispensation may be given for use of the aisles in the Main Programming room, but must be approved by contest staff.
• Props larger than 4 feet in length are subject to approval by contest staff.
• No stage presentation shall be longer than 3 minutes in length.
• There is no minimum presentation time requirement, but the contestant must be willing to appear on stage as a walk-on and walk-off at the least.
• Entrants must complete the contest registration form in full by 10 AM on Saturday.
• Entrants must attend their assigned costume judging meeting or be disqualified. Contest staff will allow a five-minute grace period for late arrivals before moving on to the next group.
• Any A/V elements needed for a presentation must be submitted at your costume judging meeting and are subject to approval by contest staff. No A/V elements will be allowed following that meeting. This will be strictly enforced.

Entrants will report to the contest green room no later than 4:50 PM on Saturday and will check in with the cosplay staff. Entrants who fail to check in by 4:50 will be disqualified. THIS DEADLINE IS FINAL! THERE IS NO GRACE PERIOD!

Curtain calls will be held in the green room. Entrants failing to appear for their curtain call will be disqualified.

Other Pertinent Information

• Though a contest entrant may express interest in the contest on their registration form, they will not be considered entered until signing up in person at the convention.
• Contest staff will reserve the right to cap the number of entrants if they deem it necessary. If this happens, entrance into the masquerade will be on a first come, first served basis. There will be no waiting list.
• Costume judging time slots will be handed out on a first come, first served basis.
• All times will be based on the time piece of the Masquerade Organizer.

Points Structure

Points will be divided into points for presentation and points for craftsmanship. In the category of craftsmanship, up to ten points each will be awarded for construction, interpretation, accuracy, and intangibles. In the category of presentation, up to ten points each will be awarded for stage presence, audience reaction, creativity, and intangibles.

Awards

Awards will be handed out for the following:

1. Best in Show – for the entrant with the most overall points
2. Best Youth – for the youth (under 14) entrant with the most overall points
3. Best Group – for the group entrant with the most overall points not receiving Best in Show
4. Craftsmanship – for the entrant with the most craftsmanship points not receiving Best in Show
5. Best Commission – for the entrant who did not make their own costume. Will be judged separately from the other costumes and crediting the craftsman will be strictly enforced (you cannot say "Ebay"). Cannot win Best in Show.
6. Presentation – for the entrant with the most presentation points not receiving Best in Show
7. Honorable Mentions – one each for the entrants receiving the second most points in both presentation and craftsmanship
8. Judges' Picks – to be presented by the judges at their discretion