Masquerade
Location: Main Hall
Time: Saturday [ 11/17 ] 5p - 7p
Calling all cosplayers! Come show us your best cosplays, your best performances, and your best spirit in this year's masquerade competition. Professionals and novices are encouraged to enter and show our judges their talent.
Masquerade Judges
Jez Roth
NipahDubs
The Cosplay Bunny
Pannon
Masquerade Participant Rules
1. Masquerade check-in will begin on Day 1 (Friday, 11/16) and end on Day 2 (Saturday, 11/17) at noon. Check-in location is at the Programming Table. One representative from ALL entries MUST CHECK-IN between those times.
2. Music must either be submitted with application or emailed beforehand as an MP3 file to before November 10, 2018. Youtube videos will not be accepted. Please try to have it in early so it can be organized properly in advance. Submitted music should be exactly as you need it. The sound director will only press "play" to begin your music. They will not take instructions to "start your music at 35 seconds in" or any other instructions. If you need your file to begin 35 seconds in, we recommend you cut your music appropriately and send an MP3 file where the music begins exactly where you need it to.
3. There will be no sign-ups the day of the competition.
4. Participants interested in craftsmanship judging will be scheduled a time for judging on Day 2. Participants interested in craftsmanship judging are expected to arrive 5 minutes early to be judged. Participants who are running late must contact the masquerade director and may not be disqualified from craftsmanship judging.
5. To qualify for craftsmanship judging, cosplays must be at least 75% altered or made. Participants are encouraged to bring progress shots and photos to the judges.
6. Masquerade seating for competitors will begin 30 minutes before the competition. Please be on time so everyone can be seated in order.
7. Participants performing a skit are limited to a 3 minute time frame. Participants who require extra time may contact us directly at [email protected]. Participants who do not inform us of a needed increase in time will be stopped after 3 minutes of their performance.
8. All cosplays and skits must be PG13 or below. Keep in mind that this is a family friendly convention! Participants who break this rule will not be allowed to participate, or -if in the process of performing- will be cut off and disqualified. "Damn" and "Hell" are the extent of the language that is allowed to be used.
9. Participants who leave a mess on the stage (glitter, flower petals, etc.) must be prepared to clean up after themselves at the end of their skit. Cleanup must take no more than 1min.
10. Metal weapons and real weapons are prohibited from being brought on stage.
11. Each participant may enter only once during the competition (either as a solo participant or group participant, but not both).
12. Entry Levels are based on awards:
Novice (0-3 awards) | Journeyman (4-6 awards) | Craftsman (7 or more awards)
13. Competing "down" (competing at a lower entry level than you actually are) is discouraged and will lead to disqualification. For group entrants, the "highest" level group member determines the entry level of the group. For example, if a group consists of 1 member who qualifies as a Craftsman and 3 who qualify as Journeymen, the group will be entered at the Craftsman level.
14. Awards are presented at the end of the Masquerade. All participants are expected to be present at the award ceremony.
15. Walk-on entries are limited to 1 minute and 30 seconds for their skit.
16. Additional time will be given for skit set-up if needed.
17. There will also be a mandatory meeting at 10am on Day 2, November 17, at the Main Events Hall so that participants may do a sound check and walk the stage.
18. Participants may not enter any cosplays that have won or placed in any other competition before. Participants who are found to have entered such a cosplay will be disqualified and will not be allowed to participate in future Sabakon masquerades.
Craftsmanship Judging Guidelines
1. Participants should have progress shots/photos ready for the judges to view.
2. Participants are expected to respect all the judges.
3. Participants are expected to arrive on time for the time slot they signed up for. Participants who are running late should contact the Masquerade Director before their time slot or risk losing their chance to be judged on craftsmanship.
Masquerade Prizes
Best In Show - 1 Trophy
Best Overall Craftsmanship - 1 Trophy
Best Overall Performance - 1 Trophy
Novice Best Craftsmanship - 1 Trophy
Novice Best Performance - 1 Trophy
Journeyman Best Craftsmanship - 1 Trophy
Journeyman Best Performance - 1 Trophy
Craftsman Best Craftsmanship - 1 Trophy
Craftsman Best Performance - 1 Trophy
Judge's Picks
1 Certificate per Judge
Masquerade Categories
*All participants will be automatically enrolled in each category they qualify for with the exception of craftsmanship.
Best In Show
All participants qualify for this general category
Best Overall Craftsmanship
Cosplays must be at least 75% altered or made
Best Overall Performance
All participants with a skit qualify for this general category
Novice Best Craftsmanship
Cosplays must be at least 75% altered or made
Novice Best Performance
Entrant(s) must qualify for Novice Entry
Journeyman Best Craftsmanship
Cosplays must be at least 75% altered or made
Journeyman Best Performance
Entrant(s) must qualify for Journeyman Entry
Craftsman Best Craftsmanship
Cosplays must be at least 75% altered or made
Craftsman Best Performance
Entrant(s) must qualify for Craftsman Entry
Judge's Picks
This is solely up to the judges to select who they liked out of all the competitors. Criteria will be different for each judge -perhaps the entrant made the judge laugh the most or perhaps the entrant inspired the judge the most.