Cosplay submission forms are currently open!
Divisions:
Youth – For contestants that are 15 years of age or younger
Novice – For contestants who have won less than 3 major awards
Experienced – For contestants who have won 3 or more major awards at other conventions
The division you are registered under is how you will be judged for the competition. You can always register under a group that is more advanced than your level, however you cannot degrade yourself.
Depending on how many people submit entries under each division, you may be asked to
compete in a higher division.
Judging:
Awards will be presented by the judges panel for the following areas:
Best in show
Best Craftsmanship – Youth
Best Craftsmanship – Novice
Best Craftsmanship – Experienced
Best Presentation – Youth
Best Presentation – Novice
Best Presentation – Experienced
Judges’ Choice
Other Honorable Mentions might be given as the judges see fit, however they are not considered major awards.
If you win a prize in a higher division than the one you are eligible for, you will have to compete in that division from now on.
Knowingly falsifying information on the entry form in order to be placed in a lower division is grounds for disqualification.
Time Limits:
Costume walk-on: 1 minute (60 seconds)
Cosplay skit: 3 minutes (180 seconds)
At the end of your time limit, you will be cut off, so making skits a bit shorter than the limit is a good idea.
Rules – General
1. No live steel on the stage at any time! Any other weaponry must be approved and secured before being part of a cosplay and they must stay shielded at all times. For questions regarding what is acceptable, first consult the convention Weapons Policy. If you still have questions, email cosplay.genericon@gmail.com. NO EXCEPTIONS TO THIS RULE!
2. What goes on stage with you, comes off the stage with you. For safety and legal reasons, no effects such as confetti, fireworks, flash powder or paper or any other forms of pyrotechnics, rose petals, water and any other messy objects are allowed on the stage.
3. No costume is no costume. Nudity and the display of body parts covered by a bikini (for women) or a Speedo (for men) is strictly forbidden. If you break this rule, you will be disqualified immediately.
4. All costumes must pertain to Asian culture in some way. For examples, manga, anime, Asian video, J-pop/rock, games, mythology, etc. are all allowed. Fanfic or original characters are not. NO RANDOM CATGIRLS! And no random otaku running around on stage either!
5. Genericon staff and the convention itself is not responsible for anything lost, misplaced, stolen, or broken.
Rules – Costume:
1. In order for your costume to be judged, you must have reference pictures of the character. Without pictures, it will be impossible for a judge to accurately assess your costume. You may include pictures of your characters with your registration, and/or bring pictures with your to the pre-judging. Bringing the pictures with you to the con as a back-up is always a good idea since papers have the chance of getting lost in the chaos that is cosplay.
2. Craftsmanship will be assessed as the skill used to make the costume. Costumes that are mostly store bought and put together are not eligible for this category. If you were not involved in the creation of your costume, (i.e. a seamstress made it for you), the costume is not eligible for the contest. If you had someone help you make the costume, however, this is permissible. If you have someone extensively help you, please have them present at the pre-judging so that they are present to discuss the costume as well.
3. Any interference with the judging process will get a Cosplayer disqualified. DO NOT try to hear or see what the judges are saying or writing while others are being judged.
Rules – Cosplay Skit
1. Depending on the size of the stage and the props required for the skit, there may be
requirements as to how many people are allowed on the stage at once. A suggested size
for a group is around 4-5, maximum 10. From experience, 10 is VERY stressful to keep
organized. The smaller the group, the easier it is for the audience to understand and everyone participate in the few minutes you’re allowed on stage. More information pertaining to this will be available at a later date. If you think there is a concern about this occurring in your skit, please contact us by email.
2. If you have an effect you wish to use, please get them approved prior to the cosplay by the coordinators. You will have a 1 minute transition on and off the stage. That is it. Make sure your transitions are less than this otherwise you are held on grounds for disqualification.
3. Stage acrobatics are highly NOT recommended, especially for beginner cosplayers. If you plan any martial arts, falling techniques, or gymnastic talents, you must get them pre-approved by the coordinators. If you try any of these on stage without them and give the coordinators and stage managers heart attacks, you will be disqualified.
4. Please refrain from using obscenities with skit dialogue and content. The utterance of any of the 7 forbidden words will get you disqualified. Keep it PG-13, consider that there will be little children in the audience. If you have any questions about your content, ask the Coordinator beforehand. If you do not obey this rule, you will be disqualified and removed from the stage immediately.
5. Music and dialogue tracks will be available media during the cosplay. The extent of these is still currently unknown. You may bring a CD if you wish to have background music, intro/exit music, or dialogue for lip-syncing during the show. From experience, having a skit ready for lip-syncing is an excellent way to go because it ensures that the audience will be able to understand your play from an audio standpoint and not have them guess what your various gestures mean. Once a CD is playing, there is no stopping and starting it during the duration of your skit. Please include needed pauses or background effects in your recording. (Exception: Intro music and exit music.) If a CD is presented for use, make sure to put your name and address on the front and specify in large writing what track you need. Any additional technical equipment (wireless mics, for example), you may have the possibility to hook up prior to the show, but in order for this to happen you NEED to be present 30 minutes early and there is still no guarantee that it will be able to be used. The tech crew cannot be blamed for any difficulties that might occur.
6. There will be a max of 20 skits at the moment, on first-come-first-serve basis. This may
change in regard to the number of walk-ons versus skits registered. There will also be spots available at the con. Registration for a skit can be submitted at any point before or at the first day of the convention.
Tips and Tricks
1. Be early. This means to check-in, registration, and especially the call for the show. This
ensures your position in the cosplay and the appreciation of the staff.
2. Bring a cosplay emergency kit. This applies especially for elaborate costumes. Knowing
cosplay, something will happen right before the show and there is no assurance it will be
able to be fixed if you don’t bring the supplies. A small back-up of needle and thread, tape,
scissors, safety pins, etc. are very helpful.
3. Eat and drink before the show. Make sure to eat something and especially drink something
because under the stage lights and just being on stage can do odd things. Also remember
to use the restroom, especially those with complicated costumes, so you don’t have to be
panicking about making it to the show or worrying about it on stage.
4. If you have purchased items at the con, or just have things with you, it is a good idea to leave
them with a friend and not backstage. There is no assurance that items will not grow legs
while you’re on stage.
5. If you have a question, ask someone! The cosplay staff will always be willing to answer
your questions, even if we are a bit stressed. A question asked is better than an accident.
6. PRACTICE!!! This cannot be stressed more. Nothing is worse for you than to mess up on
stage. Also remember that “Improv” is often a good way to recover. The audience won’t
know if you go off track of your script, so just go with changes and play off of them. If often
works to your advantage. (But don’t make it practice!)
7. Audiences love short and funny skits. Cosplay is an event to be enjoyed, so don’t worry too much about depth. The most memorable skits are often those that are comedic parodies or make their point clearly and quickly.