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Cosplay
This is one of the main events that can be found at Anime Mid-Atlantic. This is where people dress up as their favorite manga, anime, video game, Asian mythology, etc. characters and strut their stuff. The skits that are done are always original and you never know what may happen. Anime Mid-Atlantic Masquerade: Two Contests in One!
There are two different contests within the Masquerade! Skits and walk-ons are separated for judging purposes, one dealing solely with Presentation and the other with Craftsmanship. The Cosplay Contest will be for skits only, judged during the event. The Costume Contest will be judged by another panel of judges before the Masquerade and all participants will have the chance to go on stage to show their costumes, entertaining the audience while the judges decide the winners for the Cosplay Contest. Do not miss the Registration and Line-up times, or you won't be able to participate in either contest. Masquerade Division System and Awards
There will be a division system consisting of Youth, Novice, and Experienced. The Youth division is for contestants of the age 15 and under. The division split between Novice and Experienced will be based on the overall experience (such as past awards) of registered contestants, and up to the coordinator's discretion. There will be 3 major awards within each contest, picking the best within each skill division. There will also be Honorable Mentions as the judges see fit present. |
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Costume Contest: Youth Craftsmanship Novice Craftsmanship Experienced Craftsmanship |
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Cosplay Contest: Youth Presentation Novice Presentation Experienced Presentation The two top awards for the evening will be selected from all entries (regardless of skill division) present in the contest: Best Craftsmanship Overall and Best in Show. Best Craftsmanship will be awarded to the entry that shows not only the greatest skill in crafting his/her costume(s), but shows attention to detail, accuracy, and ingenuity in costume design. Best in Show will be awarded to the entry that not only presents a well-made costume(s), but incorporates outstanding performance while on stage. Costume Contest Rules
1) All participants must have reference pictures of their costume character; without proper reference material, the judges cannot assess the accuracy of a costume. Please fill out the registration form completely and attach reference pictures to the form. You may also bring pictures of your character to the pre-judging. 2) Craftsmanship is the assessment of the costumer's skill at making a costume. Any costume that consists mostly of bought items will not be considered for craftsmanship judging (ie. buying regular street clothes that require no alterations). Also, if you were not involved in the making of your costume (ie. you bought your costume from a seamstress), please do not register for craftsmanship judging. You cannot receive credit for another person's work. However, in the case of parents/grandparents/guardians helping their child in making a costume, that is completely acceptable. It is preferable that they be present at pre-judging to discuss the costume. 3) Please be present and on time for Cosplay Rehearsal. This is your chance to see the stage, receive your order number and practice walking across the stage and posing for the audience. Believe it or not, it does help if you take your time when moving across the stage. Staff will have a sign-up sheet of judging times during Cosplay Rehearsal. 4) You may register as a group. All members must be present during pre-judging. 5) There is no limit to the number of participants in the Costume Contest. |
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Cosplay Skit Rules
1) No more than twelve people on stage at any given time. If you have a large group, you can have others wait in the wings and come on as others go off. But no more than twelve at a time, since our stage is not large enough to safely accommodate more people. 2) What goes on the stage with you, comes of the stage with you. For safety reasons things like confetti, fireworks, flash paper or other forms of pyrotechnics, rose petals, water, and other small messy objects are strictly forbidden from the stage area. The cosplay staff will be very unhappy with a mess, nor will the audience be amused by a clean-up crew. 3) Stage acrobatics are not recommended, especially for beginning cosplayers. If you plan to use martial arts, falling techniques or gymnastic talents, it must be approved by the cosplay coordinator ahead of time. If approved, rehearsal on stage is mandatory before line-up. Times for rehearsal have yet to be announced. Corollary to Rule #3) Martial arts and weapons. If you REALLY want to impress someone, keep it at 1/4 speed. Again, this must be pre-approved by the coordinator. Do not try to sneak in a weapon, you will be pulled off stage by the coordinator herself! You risk the safety of the stage equipment, as well as your own should you attempt such a stunt... and both are not worth the risk. Second Corollary to Rule #3) NO LIVE STEEL ON STAGE AT ANY TIME! 4) No costume is NO COSTUME. Nudity and the display of bodily parts mandatorily covered by a bikini (for women) or speedos (for men) is strictly forbidden. 5) All costumes must pertain to Asian culture in some way (ie. manga, anime, Asian video games, mythology, etc). Please, no fanfic or original characters. 6) Time limits! An individual presentation has 60 seconds. Groups of 2-4 have 3 minutes (180 seconds). Groups with 4+ members have a maximum of 4 minutes. 7) Please try to keep your skit content and dialogue to a child-safe range. Subtlety is a practiced art. 8) Music and dialogue tracks: tech capabilities are not known at the moment, but plan on bringing a CD if you wish to have background music or a dialogue for lip-syncing. Please label your name and address on the front of the CD, and also specify in LARGE writing which track you need. If you are using an audio tape, it must be cued to the correct spot and be obviously labeled for the correct side. The tech crew cannot be blamed for any difficulties when entries are not prepared themselves. 9) There is a maximum limit of 25 skits, on a first-come-first-serve basis. 10) Cosplay Rehearsal is MANDATORY. All entries will be given their numbers and sign up for Pre-Judging during the Rehearsal (TBA). |
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Helpful Tips and Things to Remember
1) Remember, Saturday evening is the busiest time at cons. Plan on being early with everything you need so you don't risk losing your entry. 2) For elaborate costumes, bring an emergency kit! Murphy's Law states that if anything can go wrong, it will.. so be prepared. A small package of thread and needles, tape, scissors, safety pins etc., can go a long way. 3) Eat and Drink beforehand. Don't starve yourself! Those stage lights and the backstage area is a hot place to be dehydrated, especially if you're in a hot stuffy costume. Also, remember to use the bathroom before getting into costume. There's nothing more disconcerting than being on stage and needing to use the facilities. 4) If you've been shopping or are lugging around several things you don't want lost or damaged, have a friend drop them off in a room for you. The backstage is not a good place to leave items unattended. 5) Audiences love short skits. They also love funny skits. Put the two together and you'll have a memorable combination. And remember to practice, practice, PRACTICE! |
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| Divisons & Awards | Costume Contest Rules | Skit Rules | Tips | |||