Competitive Cosplay

There are no cosplayers here, this board is for talking about dresses, hair to go with your dresses, or to blog.

>>8776165
i'm entering my first cosplay competition in a couple weeks and i'm really nervous!! so i'd love to hear from other gulls who have competed in the past.

it's at a super small con near my house so that makes me feel a little better about it, but if it goes well i'm thinking of working my way up to competitions at bigger cons.

I won a xbox one this year.
The competition was announced last minute and luckily I had a costume almost done that fit the rules.
It didn't need a skit, but then in the last minute we has to do something on stage for the judges.
I didn't really think that I would win, but the results were based on Internet votes (the contest was being streamed online) and I got around 40% of the votes or something.

If there's anything I can say to help people who plan on trying a competition is: don't act like you're the best, be humble and don't pressure yourself too much. The more you think about it the worse it will be if you end up not winning. Just learn to admire other people's hard work too and enjoy the time backstage.

I made a ton of friends that day, it was incredibly fun and everyone but one guy were talking to each other and sharing costume details. Very different from other competitions I tried where no one would talk to each other.

But I think the main difference was that this competition was at a game con and the others I went to were anime cons.. So it might explain a bit of the different behavior among the contestants.

>Stories from cosplay competitions

I've only been in Anime California's this year, it was a lot of fun, we did a walk on which was nice but we didn't have a whole group sadly (we were bravely default and our Tiz had dropped out) so we just kinda posed, we won best group craftsmanship which was really nice, we had done it just to do it with no intention to win anything.

>Any corrupt wins or judges?

I don't think so, i mean i think there's just disagreeing with judges i mean i've seen some of the winners of various cons and sometimes i don't get why they placed or won.

>What do you enjoy when competing

I enjoyed the show itself, though explaining my costume and such to judges was really nice too.

>Best prize

In general i like money as a prize but badges or stuff is good too, i don't like when they put anime merch in there because it's almost always bad stuff

>Worst prize
Random junk, like thanks i worked hard to win this random volume of manga and this keychain...

>What competition are you entering next
I'm planning to cosplay PSO2 with a friend for Anime Expo, things will hopefully light up and we'll be doing a fight scene, though references for weapons are a pain, hopefully it works out.

>Best ratio for Costume vs Skit
I think both are important but costume is a little more to me because it's a costume contest, i like the masquerades that are run more like fashion shows rather then skits (not bashing skits some are really cool) but it should be more costume focused then skit

I've never entered one, I'd love to one day though!

This is probably a stupid question, but speaking of prizes, does Katsucon give any out for their hall contest? I'm new to cosplay competition and was thinking of entering, but it's going to be tough for me to get to and I don't want to necessarily bust my ass if the grand prize is a piece of paper.

(1/2)

>Any corrupt wins or judges?

There’s this con I go to where some of the prizes are awarded by the public. The problem is that 40% of the public is made up of members of a weeb group who vote for their competing friends, no matter how bad the skit or costumes, so we’ve had some questionable winners last year.

>What do you enjoy when competing

I love showing my costume off onstage even if it's stressful, making friends backstage, exchanging techniques and tips, meeting old friends and cheering on each other, getting the occasion to talk to cosplayers I wouldn't approach in my wildest dreams... And talking to the judges after the contest is over is a great way to get feedback on what was good/what can be improved and how

>Best prize

My country's biggest con doesn’t give out prizes but fake money you can spend at a special booth, so you can get exactly what you like. I think it's neat. I also won cosplay supplies at my latest contest (worbla, foam and LED lights), and I really like that concept

>Worst prize

A badge, with "Best Coslay" on it. Yes, the typo is intentional. Looking back on it, it was pretty funny though

>Fun stories
I spaghetti’d twice at my hometown con last year, because my cosplay idol was there. Because I’m shy as hell, I tend to bake food and offer it to people as an icebreaker, and I decided to man up and go talk to her. So I go backstage, see her here with her back to me, grab my cookies I had left on a table so people could help themselves and try a timid “Would you like a cookie ?”. Problem is, when she turned her head, she already had one sticking out of her mouth. Seeing my plan fail and not knowing how to work around it, I backtracked out of the room at the speed of light.

(2/2)

The next day, she was holding a workshop and then judging, and I was competing with a friend. While we were putting our gear on, two people, not in cosplay, enter the room, and one starts asking tons of questions about our costumes. Thinking it’s a staff member who’s a fan of the series, I start chatting and explaining in details with great enthusiasm. And then she says “oh yes I talked about this in my workshop this morning”, and I put two and two together, realizing the girl I’d been talking to without a problem was the cosplayer I admired so much (I’m really bad at recognizing people out of cosplay). I had an internal freakout for the rest of the judging.

>Dramas
Tons of it. I like to stay on the sidelines and watch. I was once accused of competing with a bought cosplay, but I was not present when the accusation was made. A friend was nearby and pulled out hr phone to show my WIP pictures to the accuser, though.
Recently, there was a big scandal in which several cosplayers, who had just lost in a contest, accused the jury of being biased and unfair. The cosplayer’s friends egged them on, saying that their costumes were perfect, when in reality they were kinda shit. It has mostly blown over now, but it was pretty important for a while

>What competition are you entering next
My country’s biggest con is in July, and I’d really like to compete for the third time to see if I can manage to pull myself to the first place this time.

>Best ratio for Costume vs Skit
I like the 50/50 ratio in use in most of my country’s cons, but I’m also fond of the system with 3 places for best skit, 3 places for best costume, 1 jury’s choice and several special prizes

>>8776268
Don't go to the contest with that attitude. You'll most likely not place at all. The main thing about contests is not placing or getting a prize. Think of that as just a bonus for your hard work.

I have been going to contests for many years and I go to a lot of them. Sometimes you win, sometimes you not, the important is just to have fun. I used to think that I had to place first on everything I went to, but then I realised the stress is not worth it.

>>8776193

Starting out at a small con is a good idea, I did that and worked my way up to a big con within a year. Being nervous is normal, but once you're on stage it goes so fast, it'll be over before you realize it.

There is this con near me. They have 4 cons a year all different cities. If you win a contest at one con they sponsor you to go to the next 4 and promo you so you get more likes.

3/4 contests ran okay. Last one of the year and from what I heard the staff checked out everyone entering and decided they were all too shit to win. So that day the rules were changed and the set up of the contest so there were no skits or pre judging.
Then the staff made some other cosplayer from the con enter. Who had won a lot of big contests in their costume enter but didn't want to sandbag. That person then went last in the contest and won frist prise.

Spoke to the staff after and she said it was because the con didn't want to sponsor crappy cosplayers with less than 10k likes so they made the popular cosplayer enter and win.

I'd love to enter one next year! I was hoping a thread would be up, because I know there are usually brackets like beginner, novice, etc. About how many years of experience are needed for each category?

>>8776512
my country doesn't have these categories can someone explain the point in them to me?
Like do you have better odds of winning if you're in one or the other?
Like if a beginner has a 10/10 and an expert has a 7/10 does the expert still win?

>Stories from cosplay competitions
I entered a small competition before competing in my state's biggest con.

>Any corrupt wins or judges?
Not to my knowledge.

>What do you enjoy when competing
I love talking to the others about how they made their costumes. Most of the time, they tend to disappear right after the contest.

>Best prize
All I've won are trophies. The folks seem to like them.

>Dramas
Not drama per say but this year, there were a couple of people complaining about how I won master's again at this year's con. I think it was because their friend didn't win anything though.

>What competition are you entering next
I was hoping my state's biggest again but I've been kinda put off due to the talk from this year.

>Worst competitions
I'm going to name drop: Nerdacon. They need to get their act together. When I entered, they stuck us in a back room. No one knew who the judges were. This year, they had a raffle during the contest. It dragged on forever. Even their own participates were walking out on them.

>Best ratio for Costume vs Skit
50/50. I like watching skits but they're being fazed out it seems.

>>8776550
not OP but I think the brackets are scored separately, so beginners compete between beginners, experts between experts and whatnot

>>8776550
Not from the US either but I think people only compete in their respective brackets, so a beginner will not face a journeyman or an expert

>>8776512

Not years per say. It goes by how many major awards you have won. It's best to check the contest rules at the con you want to enter to get a better idea.

>>8776557
>>8776556
but surely then it's not a level playing field if you're new you can't win?

>>8776565
Why not ? If, as a beginner, you can only face people who are also beginners, it seems more balanced than if there were no categories ?

>>8776570
Seems to just be fairer if it were no categories.

Because surely then you only need to win a few small shit comps to get moved up a bracket, but then you might be worse/better than other but not be the same skill level.

>>8776576

Oh, I see. Here in France, we don't have these categories so it's just you against whoever registered for the contest. I like how it is, but people tend to bitch about it when they lose against cosplayers who have a higher level.

>>8776588
That just seems fair to me. if you're good you win... If you are shit you don't. It just seems like pandering to make awards for shit cosplayers. It's the sort of "Everyone gets a medal for entering" sort of mentality.

If you're not as good, 1. get better 2. enter lower level competitions

>>8776321
>Pretending people don't enter hall contests to win
This isn't a masquerade where part of the fun is getting to perform. This is a craftsmanship contest, of course anyone who enters is looking to win with their work as validation. Get off your high horse.

>>8776560
Thanks, anon.

I enter at least one Masquerade a year. I don't do craftmanship cause I'm better at creating skits. Gotten Best In Show, Con Chair, Judge's, Best Group, etc.

>Stories from cosplay competitions
Way too fucking many. But how about an unrecorded (against rules) My Immortal skit that the cosplayers claimed was PG (was not) and the cosplay chair agreed (dumb bitch) and these two in unsealed shit tier Don't Hug Me makeup are screaming fuck at 5 year olds and having sex with vegetables. And they got an award. And then banned from ever competing again.
>Any corrupt wins or judges?
See above. A shit Elsa got Con Chair cause the Con Chair was dressed as Anna. She got fired for bias. And orher things (see above).
>What do you enjoy when competing
The creativity. It's more about what you can perform than the costume quality. And it can be dance, drama, comedy, skill, anything. Gotta fill those 3 minutes yo.
>Best prize
Best in Show. It was like 1,500 bucks or something.
>Worst prize
Judge's because if Best Group hadn't cheated we would have gotten the cash prize.
>Fun stories
>Have skit with guns.
>Never rehearse with holsters.
>On stage.
>Every gun falls out of their holsters.
>Almost hit judges.
>Win Best In Show.
Also that time we rehearsed for less than a day and still won money.
>Dramas
Too many. Bitches be stupid.
>What competition are you entering next
This is all Florida. Was gonna Magic City. Prob just Supercon.
>Worst competitions
Anything judged by the public. Avoid those weebs and norms, they don't know shit.
>Best ratio for Costume vs Skit
Well for masq I say 80% skit. Do a skit that isn't too niche and even better if it's flavor of the month. Focus more on good audio and acting than the cosplay. Unless your cosplay is hella good then the skit can be easier for you and almost a walk on.

>>8776512
It's by awards one. Major awards bump you up if the cons use the national system. Smaller awards add up. But yeah some cons don't know shit about the actual guidelines so check their sites.

>small con
>one of the judges doesnt even cosplay
>other judges are in casual
>best in show is a modified prom dress and a wig
>some boos and people leave to tell the other contestants they should have won
>because their shit is more than 50% handmade

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>Any corrupt wins or judges?
Eh,.. I haven't done skits in years, and back then most of the judges were voice actors. There was always the Steve Bennett judge award that went to most cleavage shown essentially. It's irritating when shit wins, but we didn't care much if we won or not, shit is really inconsistent as a whole.

>What do you enjoy when competing
The most fun is in the rehearsal honestly. My group was practicing in the hall outside our room once with a couple of keyblades and axel's chakrams involved and trying to simulate fighting without destroying the walls and ceiling. I did the writing and most of the voices for our skits as well. Just being there when everyone hears the first run through was hilarious. Had a Strong Bad voice in one skit that pretty much broke the entire room.

>Best prize
$500 dealer's room money

>Worst prize
$500 that the con didn't give us because they were shit and only had ONE con before disbanding. Also those horrible misc. win boxes that have like dvd 3 of a series and other random crap. Amazingly, one of those boxes gave us ONE yellow contact and I was planning to cosplay the Count from Gankutsuou, so it was actually useful!

>Fun stories
I had one case where a friend of mine flaked out and I anticipated it happening, so we had brought cardboard and paint to create a stand-in for him. Did a later skit with THREE stand-ins. It honestly made the skits even funnier. One of our stand-ins flew out the automobile in the interstate, RIP somewhere out in the middle of nowhere. I think we poured some libations out for our fallen comrade.

>Dramas
Eh, a few friends flaking out or not rehearsing is about it. My group is mostly disbanded or won't do skits anymore, so I'm just sad and lonely and missing them on my own these days. I should try to find a new cosplay group but I'm too old to buddy up to younger cosplayers.

>Best ratio for Costume vs Skit
Depends on how shitty the skits are! I hate 50+ walkons and 5-10 skits though

>>8776913
>>Have skit with guns.
>>Never rehearse with holsters.
>>On stage.
>>Every gun falls out of their holsters.
>>Almost hit judges.
Ah shit, gotta love the things that go wrong on stage. I always hated not getting to see where and how we entered the stage until right before performing, that would be a bitch if you planned for it a completely different way. Can always make a bad situation funny if you handle it well though.

>>8776165

I've been in 2 competitions, both for skits.

>Stories from cosplay competitions
First one was fun, but very little entries. Second was much larger and I had a good time talking to some of the other competitors. I think all of us that worked hard on our skits and displayed actual skill really appreciated each other, that being said...

>Any corrupt wins or judges?
I dont know about corrupt, but I think the judge choice in the 2nd comp I was in was very poor. It was a skit contest and there was a separate contest specifically for costuming, but everyone who won anything at the contest won based on their costumes. I mean they were very good, but so were all of the skits. The last group to go on (a large group, maybe 12 girls and one guy) even had their music cut off early and they didn't get to do their big finale. Overall it was just aggravating, especially after waiting for like 4 hours between the time we had to be there to set up and the end of the comp.

>What do you enjoy when competing
Performing and meeting people afterward who enjoyed my skit.

>Best prize
Cash, free weekend pass to next years con and a pretty sweet looking trophy.

>Worst prize
Well, I guess not winning anything despite putting a lot of effort into my skit lol

>>8776933
I was *this close* to doing hand guns with pew pew noises in my head. That'll show them.

>>8776935
2/2

>Fun stories
In the 2nd contest I participated in, most of the participants were girls, except for one guy who did belly dancing. Not only was he very nice to look at shirtless backstage, but he was the sweetest person! He complimented everyone's skits and seemed so genuine when people complemented his. Wish I had gotten his cosplay page or tumblr or something.

>Dramas
See above. I dont really keep up with other people's opinions on social media and such, so I dont really know if anyone besides the participants and my friends thought it was a bad contest.

>What competition are you entering next
Thinking about entering just a plain costume contest because I'm starting to focus more on my skill in sewing, making armor, etc. I'm also including EL wire on my next costume so I'm hoping it will look impressive enough to the judges.

>Worst competitions
See above. Waiting around for hours in a cold room, no food, and a restricting costume. I'll never enter that one again. I could have had so much more fun just screwing around at the con with my friends.

>Best ratio for Costume vs Skit
I think you should have a good balance of both in a skit contest. No point in one without the other, you know? I dont mind if the costume is bought, as long as it looks good AND you have a quality skit.

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>>8776938
>See above. Waiting around for hours in a cold room, no food, and a restricting costume. I'll never enter that one again. I could have had so much more fun just screwing around at the con with my friends.
Word. The wait time for participating in skits is absurd at some cons. We can get our asses in line thirty minutes before the show, why do I have to be here 2+ hours early!? My group used to leave right after our performance in the last years we did skits because we just couldn't give a shit to wait around any longer.

>>8776165
My group do enjoy skits and crafting cosplays. But we know the competitions are all rigged. Last year competition was rigged months before it took place and all the contestants knew it. I have asked to other cosplayers around the country and they told me that the same shit happens.

If it was not for the cosplayers who just love playing a skit, cosplay competitions in Spain would not exist.

>Stories from cosplays competitions
I only participate in two competitions, and I enjoy a lot. I want to do more, but I don't have the courage to make a solo performance. Also, I think they're boring. I think is more fun to cosplay and make performances with a group of friends. In the two competitions I won something, one I won the first prize and in the other I won the second prize.

>Any corrupt wins or judges?
This is really common in my country, usually won judges friends. I hear about a girl who sign up in a competition in the last moment and other "famous" cosplayer who compete too said to her "Girl, why you do thid, I had all accord with the judges".

>What do you enjoy when competing
Show to the public how fun is cosplay, doing a cool performance and outfit.

>Best prize
50€ and 50€ in prizes

>Worst prize
Three cheap movies and some candies. The problem with the movies is we was a fucking big people in the grupal.

>Dramas
I went a few years ago with a BIG Madoka Magica group. We have all the characters, included Walpurgis, Madokami and Charlotte. Our performance was a quick anime summary, and finish with Madoka and Madokami shooting an arrow to Walpurgis' chest. Was amazing.
But with other madoka grupal with less characters and dumb performance only because they use a confetti canon. Really disapointed.

>>8776979
Bring your own fuckig food, hobos

>>8777841
often you can't take bags backstage

Worst prize will forever be when the organizers do a whip around the stalls to see what free shit they can get to give away.

>>8777841
I don't even care about the food, I'm impatient and needlessly long wait times piss me off.

>>8776927
Steve Bennet was a judge? What year was this

One I entered as a dare to a friend at con. It was fun as a joke, but the judges were completely dicks. If they didn't care for or know your costume. They'd straight up wave you away when judging you.
I felt for the amazing steampunk couple with metal plated arm. Not only did they lose to Obviously bought online Deadpool, of whom was the announcer's friend. Not even kidding the asshole even announced it to us. "Hey guys! This is my best friend but that won't sway me or the judges!"
But also the shit tier dbz saiyan group. Whose "wonderfully" made casted armor as falling apart from age and duck tape. Like come on sure judges are gonna have bias, but hide it a bit jeez.

>>8776165
What year was the Anime Boston shit show where the shitty ass Chrono Crusade skit beat out JJ's Umineko skit because one of the judges was fucking someone in the CC skit or something.

I remember this board blowing up for a bit about it. Not shocked, AB's always been a biased shit show when it comes to "con famous" people

>>8779709
Being a attendee god don't I know it. I know the skit I was kinda forced into likely got noticed cause our main dancer was shaking her ass at the judges

>local con, very new
>go to catch cosplay competition
>most of it is crap
>lots of closet cosplays, cheap halloween costumes
>a couple very nice ones though
>they're allowed to do skits, but most seem shy and don't say anything
>guy in a GI Joe costume or something does a hilarious speech
>girl in a very nice Heartseeker Ashe costume shows off quality
>crowd seems to like them too
>other contestants after them try to step up their game, but it's a little forced
>Judges go into deliberations
>they call up their top five contestants
>Ashe, GI Joe, a Solid Snake, a girl in a costume I did not recognize, ... and a little kid in a cheap Spiderman costume
>Judges announce it will be decided by rounds of applause
>...I know how this ends
>little kid wins in his walmart costume

They should have really had a kids division.

>>8776165
Other than cosplay shows I've only competed in one craftmanship competition where I decided to go for the best wig styling price since that's what I'm strongest in.

> in judging room, talking with some friends and looking at other contestans
> Spot Ashe cosplayer I've seen before
> You're not allowed to compete in a costume you already won a price for, remembers seeing the girl winning a price for said cosplay at a different and smaller con than this
> Doubting myself whether I should call her out on it

I decided to call her out if she won something but she didn't so I just kept it between me and friends but damn. I don't understand why people want to cheat to get into competitions.

Reminds me of an other time:
> HTTYD cosplayer keeps doing dance skits at a lot of cosplay shows
> Cosplayshow I'm a part of this year have rule that you can't compete in a costume you've won prices for before or have competed in before in said show.
> Toothless cosplayer writes his boyfriends name as the role of toothless and himself as being hiccup
> Before they went on stage they switched costumes so boyfriend wore hiccup and toothless guy got to wear his own costume

he didn't win shit but jesus, why do people go to such lengths is beyond me.

>Tiny ass con
>My category is tiny of like 4 of us
>Ended getting third
>OK, but the guy in second wore jeans, no wig and only some armor pieces with badly painted prop.
>Best in show was just some speech from a ok cosplayer
>All because one of the judges was a major drama student and not even a cosplayer
>Was told we weren't aloud to have a mic on stage so never prepared to act or have some form of speech.
>Feels bad man

>>8776576
But you can work to get to the same skill level. Dividing it into categories allows more people to win awards and encourages more people to compete-- if there were no categories, all a contest would be is four or five amazing cosplayers, because everyone else would know they wouldn't stand a chance. If you get to the point where you've won three best Novice awards, it's probably time to move on up to Journeyman-- everyone else might be better than you at first, but there's no reason you can't learn more skills and improve.

Is it considered bad form to enter a costume that has one at one con in another. I've seen it happen so many times locally and it makes me salty as fuck.

Also shitty falling apart armours winning over fabric costumes just because they look more visually impressive.

Yes I'm salty as fuck.

>>8781993
Twice as salty, apparently.

>>8776165

>Couple of years ago
>Me and friend go to tiny con as pokemon gijinkas, very few other cosplayers there
>Sign up for competition for shits and giggles, fully aware that we wouldn't win, because despite the small number and overall mediocrity of the cosplayers in attendance, there was a really fucking good KH group and a League cosplayer that destroyed everyone else
>Waiting around before competition starts, this girl sits next to us
>Glasses, greasy hair in pigtails, dubiously stained white sundress
>We assume average nerd despite choice of attire being odd for Blackpool in winter
>She mumbles something to us about the competition, we tell her when it starts, she leaves
>Competition starts, everyone lines up, she's at the front of the line
>She has taken off her shoes and glasses, wrapped some fabric around her arms, and is holding a fairy wand
>The judge announces her as Cardcaptor Sakura
>audiencewidewut.mp3
>All go onstage, do our thing, we somehow start a crowd singalong of the pokemon theme

Half hour later, prize time

>KH group wins group award, no surprise there
>As the announcer opens the envelope for the individual award, sakura appears beside me, already headed for the stage
>Glasses back on, 'gloves' off, wearing pink crocs now
>Is about 4 paces away from the stage when League cosplayer is announced as winner
>Flips her shit
>Screams
>Informs everyone that this is bullshit and it's unfair and she should have won as she storms away through the crowd

>We see her later
>She tells us again that the whole thing was bullshit and she should have won
>We smile, nod, and back away slowly

I have never seen so much external butthurt in my life.

>>8782049
Thank the Lord, there is still justice in the world. I would have never competed at that con again if that brat won anything for scraps of fabric.

>>8781993
it depends....if you win something like a judge's award or honorable mention, or make some significant upgrades/changes to the costume, or are entering it at a bigger con with said changes, it's not really seen as bad. i got an honorable mention at one con, did a bunch of major shit to the costume, then took it to a much bigger contest a year later and won BiS.

however if you take it to a smaller con than the 1st, or in some cases, try to enter it at multiple small cons in the area with no changes or upgrades, that's seen as "touring" and is really frowned upon. usually the judges know enough of the locals to be able to tell who's trying to do this, so repeat entries don't tend to win in this kind of situation.

also, to contribute a bit to the thread:
>best prize
$500 in joann fabrics gift cards. also, i'm pretty keen on little trophies that some cons do.
>worst prize
random animu dvd #3 from a series i had never heard of.

>>8782567
the second part of this should include, if you win a major award, it's generally bad form to try and compete it somewhere else.

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i know this is mainly a cosplay contest thread, but what about maid contests? there's one at a con near me this march and it would be my first time competing in anything.. i've never even actually made a full cosplay before

but store-bought is fine and they're even encouraging cosplay (still sorta relevant) to maid attire so it's pretty lax

i just don't know how it'd go down, like what could you even be judged on in a maid contest?

>>8782656
Depends on your con and where it's held, but I would like to hear more about how it goes, sounds like an interesting idea.

>>8781993
It's shit form to do that, but most still keep doing it if no one knocks them down with their own better skills. Once they've been "succeeded", they'll give up as their once award winning entry has run dry.

>>8782049
I would have killed to see that in person, oh man. I love when cosplayers flip out at competitions. Once a girl started a fight with a volunteer because she thought it was unfair she couldn't compete because she had been banned. Had a "gang to back her up" and everything.

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>Win best in show
>prize is a cruise for 4
>turns out cruise is a scam
>email the con about it
Oh sorry, the original prize was 4 tickets for next year
>first place got 300$

mfw

You're tickets are worth 20$ at best. 80<<<300


This was after last year when the BIS winner supposedly won 500, but only got 250 of it.

To boot, last year's runner up gets invited as a guest, but not BIS.

I'm so done with this con. I was forgiving because it was new, but this has left a bad taste in my mouth.

>>8789790
What con pulled this autist bs so i can avoid

>>8776321
>Think of that as just a bonus for your hard work
This x100000 The amount of money you would spend to make a costume that you think would do well in competition because it's a popular show, something fancy from Clamp or made with worbla will be be a waste of time and money. Few competitions give any prize that could offset the costs of what you put in. You will be happier in the long run with a well-made costume of something you love that might happen to get a prize. Skit contests are a little different as you need to balance entertainment, spectacle and relevance and probably need to aim for series that are known.

>Worst Prize
A plush blue fire-flower keychain for 3rd place craftsmanship at a college con that awarded $75-200 Joann giftcards previously

>Best Prize
$100 giftcard to Joanns the previous year for 1st place craftsmanship

>Drama
Pretty much all cosplay contests I've been in were some level of fail but one Ohayocon feels worth mentioning

>Ohayocon 200X
>Contest requires pre-reg for limited judging slots on the site
>Website emphasizes this a million times that you need to have pre-reg
>Be in Journeyman section waiting backstage for walk-ons
>Meet girl with very simple long tunic, slippers and hat that were all hand-embroidered
>(something from LoZ I think)
>Compliment her work
>She thanks and says they judges saw her in the hall and told her to enter that day
>pokerface.jpg
>Girl walks in Journeyman group
>Girl ends up winning best in MASTER
>After timidly accepting award girl is backstage crying because she feels like she stole the prize from the Master competitors
>Master competitors are trying to console and congratulate the girl as best they can

The judges broke their own rule for pre-reg and then put this girl in an incredibly awkward place. I understand category bumping but damn that was pretty extreme.

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Oh KrakenCon. Not only do you put your con on a fucking battleship with tiny narrow wooden stairs and limited food and water. You also bring in a normalfag comedian to try and emcee a cosplay contest. David Studebaker was embarrassingly bad and really good at making things awkward for the people onstage.

Can't decide if him or the guy who emcees Fanime is worse. What happened to that great old guy? I know Fanime is shitty for basically making all their cosplayers wait backstage all of Sunday but I hear some of the judges are shit too?

>>8794002
can confirm main judge at fanime is shit (blanking on his name right now). i won't compete again unless he's gone...basically said i didn't make my shit during judging. (i'm a master level with a few BiSs....i make ALL my shit) and was really rude and dismissive when i was describing techniques/items/etc.

i wasn't at kraken, but the guy at fanime is PAINFUL

fanime is one of the worst judging experiences i've had....and i've competed at cons where the judges didn't even bother to stand up and look at my costume from any closer than 15 feet away.

>>8782049
I hate people like this
> went to contest a few years ago
> winners are announced
>all deserved winners, first place is the most beautiful gown I've ever seen
> allowed backstage to help a competing friend get out of her costume
> hear girl screeching she should have won and that it's unfair and that her skit was perfect
> chubby girl in closet cosplay harley queen. No wig. Not even one of her canon outfits, it was just a random shirt and miniskirt
> wouldn't even have recognised the character if it hadn't been for the bad, caked on make up
> skit was her trying to do an improvised sexy dance on stage and failing miserably

Bitch should've been grateful she wasn't kicked out of the competition for showing up in something she didn't make herself.

>>8776935
> The last group to go on (a large group, maybe 12 girls and one guy) even had their music cut off early and they didn't get to do their big finale.

You're talking about the huge cock-up that was last year's Dragoncon's masquerade, aren't you.

>>8776576
We divide by experience etc. If you work with fabric work for a living you can't compete in novice. If you've not made your stuff from scratch, you can't compete in masters. It evens out the playing field, IMO. Makes it a lot more fun to compete even if you're not very experienced.

>>8794109
Is it the asian guy who always wears the old school Gundam uniform? The woman who wears the civil war Era mourning gown seems cool but I don't know if she's still there.

>>8779709

One of the judges was fucking one of the CC and another judge was one of Mostflogged friends and gave JJ zeros across the board because people who like MF are petty like that.

>>8794279

Dragoncon masq is always a joke. The skit that won, you couldn't even hear the fucking dialog. 10000% not worth it.

>>8794252
Ugh sounds way more annoying than some of the people I've run into. Two girls were super butthurt that they didn't place for their Princess Tutu duo except that there were lots of unfinished edges in their tutus that didn't even had petticoats. I had to seriously evaluate whether to point this out or move on.

>>8794279
>>8794385
agree dcon's masq is a piece of shit. last year, the indiana jones skit should've won. they also got put in the wrong level also, which screwed them...should've been journeyman since they had a lot of less experienced costumers in the group.

>>8794360
i can't remember if he was in a costume the year i competed (2013), but he's definitely asian. the other judge that year was a really quiet woman in a monster high character outfit. was also very hands off. i know most of the masq staff changed out after 2012, and the whole event has continued downhill ever since.

>>8794749
First DCon anon again. I have to agree with everything but will add that Grant Imahara as host is the best thing that's happened to that event in the past 10 years.

>>8794759

bullshit. Chief and the Red Dwarf dude slowly getting incoherently drunk as they said what everyone was thinking was the greatest hosting ever.

>>8776165
I entered one contest a while back, it was fun! Alooooooot of waiting around, waited in the AM prejudging line, didn't get in before the cutoff, waited in the PM prejudging line, got in, then waited some more in the actual exhibition line. I ended up winning best novice so the waiting was worth it, and going up on stage in character was awesome - you should try it, but prepare to be bored through most of the process

>>8794795
Was that the FUZE year??? If it was, I do stand corrected and thank you for reminding me of that.

Does anyone have any tips on what makes for a good competitive costume?

I've entered a few contest, and won a few also, but I can never seem to nail down what separates a an average costume from a winning costume. I'm looking to enter a few competitions this year to help me improve my skills but I'm at a loss with what to choose. Is there any weight in the common belief something big and extravagant will win or is it better to make some simpler but execute it perfectly?

I guess I'm a little worried about pouring my soul in to something a little simpler and making it a solid costume but having these details looked over if it's not something massive with a lot of bells and whistles.

>>8794821
>>8794795
FU-TZEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

This is hands down my favorite masquerade memory, between that and the Keymaster entry.

>>8794749
Dcon's masq judging seems to vary wildly from year to year... sometimes it makes sense, sometimes it's completely batshit like last year's.

This is making me want enter a contest again, now that I have proper sewing education, and a craft room, but also terrifying and infuriating me at the same time.

>>8794862
It's always a crap shoot with judging so the only constants I can think of is show a variety of skills and make sure it's cleanly made without last minute fixes like safety pins. Also judges like hidden pockets or creative ways of keeping everything together like magnets and hidden velcro panels. And creative materials like one time I cut a mask from the side of a dollar store bucket or used napkin rings to fake gun barrels on a gattling gun

>>8794964
Also make a checklist for yourself when you go in for judging to cover all the details. Once I got an honorable mention but completely forgot to point out the hidden pockets in my prop and skirt and that might have bumped me into a placement.

>>8794279
Yep, I sure am. Dcon has kind of turned me off from any contests to be honest. I'm not planning on entering one for a while. Too stressful.

>>8795017
many of the tracks have their own costume contests....i find those to be much more enjoyable. also, if you are in it for the making of things and less the skit bit, the friday night costume contest usually has some amazing things in it. highly recommend. one of the best judging experiences i've had.

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I don't have anything to add, but have a juicy story.

There's a guy in my local cosplay community who's a bit... off. He is 30 years old and lives with his elderly mother, who makes all his costumes.
He only wears spandex costumes and I'm pretty sure he has some sort of zentai fetish.

Anyway.

Recently he entered a small competition at a small local con and LOST IT when the prize went to somebody else. He ripped the check out of the guy's hands and started screaming that "he wouldn't let such injustice happen, HE WOULDN'T ALLOW IT", that he deserved to win... A total meltdown. He had to be escorted by security.

And someone caught it on video and it's been the talk of our comm. It's not in english so I'm not going to post it here, but holy shit it was insane.
A couple years ago he was banned from a con for throwing a cellphone at a girl's face when he lost the competition to her.

I want to compete in my local con's contest, but I was wondering if lip-syncing to a song counts as a skit? Obviously with a small dance and movements and in-character with an appropriate song, but IDK if that would be boring. I can't actually sing or do the character's voice so it's my next bet

>>8796392
It does count as skit, but you have to do it right or it will be cringey as hell

>>8796287
Good to know! Yeah. I should check out the track contests. Both of the contests Ive entered were for skits, though. I have more performance skills than costuming skills, though I am getting better.

I keep making big costumes with the impression of wanting to compete but I always chicken out. The cons I go to only offer shitty prizes (like cosplay tutorial books, or gift cards LOL) and although I'd be happy enough with just a badge or piece of paper for placing, I'm so scared of /not/ placing that it keeps me away from competing at all. I have big anxiety problems and I don't want to put myself in bad health for nothing. I can't tell if it's worth it or not.

>>8796404
Thanks. Said character is an entertainer and v flamboyant so I'll have to see how well I can imitate him lol

>>8796392
Do you have any experience with stage performance? I think you can pull off lip syncing/small dance movements, but in reality the lip syncing and dance actually CANT be small. Yes, the people in the front row can see your tiny, cute finger and hand movements, but the people in the 20th row can not. Think of the camera filming from the back of the room. Move around the stage, make eye contact and 'interact' with the audience (I dont mean literal contact. More like pointing, smiling, a 'come hither' motion if appropriate). You are performing for the judges, but you don't want to bore the audience that waited in line to see you. You dont want to end up on youtube as just another bad idol skit.

Choreograph and most importantly PRACTICE your whole routine as much as you think you need before the con. And when you think youve done it as many times as you can, do it again. Have other people watch and give criticism. Take the criticism, dont just brush it off and make excuses, and change your routine accordingly. Film yourself and watch it a few times, I can guarantee you'll see stuff that could be better.

Sorry if Im sounding negative, I'm just trying to give you the best tips that have helped me in the past. You can do anything you put your mind to, just dont be lazy with the skit and think that it's 'good enough'. Especially as a solo performer, you have to be awesome and on your A game 100% of the time during the skit.

>>8796436
Thank you, that's really helpful! When I said 'small dance movements' I was thinking more of what singers do when performing live - nothing extreme. But I guess an actual dance would be more appropriate to the character, and I won't need to worry about getting out of breath if I'm only lip syncing and have a fake microphone.

>>8796436
Forgot to answer the first part, yes, I have a major in theatre arts so I can do some convincing performances.

>>8796448
Keeping on with what anon was saying, when singers sing they don't do "little things". It seems that everything is very self-contained, but all movements are actually exageratted.

Picking on the exagerattion and making it natural is your challenge. Rehearse a lot, follow anons advice. It will all go well and, if it doesn't, it is experience for a next time!

>>8796449
Oh sorry, answered before you said this. Then you know what you got to do. Good luck!

>>8796451
Also this. If youre doing a big point right at the audience/camera, dont just point. Wind up your hand, stomp one leg out, etc. Make the move an exclamation point, not a comma.

>>8796448
>>8796449
That's awesome anon! I love seeing cosplayers who also have other skills. I come from a background of performing arts myself, so I love incorporating that into my cosplays/skits when I can. Good luck! I hope you end up on a good skit/masquerade thread.

>>8796451
>>8796457
>>8796459
Thank you guys, if it goes well and this thread is still active I may drop back and let you know how it goes!

>>8796477
Also, here's a personal tip! Make sure you get someone to record your performance on stage! It will be fun for future reference, but very important to see what you need to get better on and what went well.

I hope the thread is still here by then, so we can read about your experience! I'm excited for you!

>>8796287
I got excited when I learned about this... and then really disappointed when I did a little research and found that the anime/animation track's cosplay contest awarded a bunch of prizes to non-anime or animation series. What's even the opint?

>>8796420
That would have been my only tip. Having it be in character is the most important in my opinion. I've seen more than once like "What does Ciel Phantomhive do when he's bored and Sebastian's not around?" Dances to hot Kpop music lol!

>>8796569
i've never been to the anime track's contest (i usually do the YA lit one tho and it's really good) so i don't know what their rules are. there may have not been many anime entries? also, check the silk road track, as they're very japan themed.

>>8796789
Ugh. I so hate those skits that start with serious music until there is a scratch noise with silly music like What is
Love or Gangnam Style. I went to an expo in belgium this year and these were 80% percent of the competition.

>>8782656
Play Maid RPG. Use the crazy shit that can happen in that game and go from there.

>>8794109
>>8794360
>>8794757
remembered shitjudge's name from fanime.

waynekaa or something like that. i was unimpressed.

I just learned that someone in my comm is having her grandma sew her entire cosplay for a contest. I hope she gets rekt by the judges

bump to save

>>8801272
most of eurocosplay was that this last year