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[angeljibrille]

5/19/2012:

The database is now closed.

Confirmation letters have gone out, and Craftsmanship Judging has been assigned.

Please drop me an e-mail ASAP to let me know if you need to drop out.
You can e-mail cosplay@fanime.com.

A few reminders:

You must check in at the convention! Please check in on Friday or
Saturday and turn in your music.

Our hours and locations are listed here:

http://www.fanime.com/events/masquerade/

If you can no longer do a skit, but want to be a display entry as a
part of our Fashion Show, please let me know. This means you will go
right at the start of the Masquerade, and you will have about 30
seconds or so of music as you walk on, pose, and then walk off the
stage.

Please feel free to let me know if you have any questions or comments!

We can’t wait to see you at FanimeCon 2012!

Best wishes, Marisa Price
Masquerade Manager
cosplay@fanime.com

[azreale]

so excited!!!

[Dany]

Excellent!!   I can only imagine what sort of fiddling is going on in the background to get the logistics established...

Regarding the time..assuming that the 2:30 includes getting on and off, we should probably not make the audio longer than about 2:15-2:20? Or is 2:30 audio acceptable? I'm actually fiddling with audio now for our planned entry, and this will help us immensely

Also, any ideas on what new restrictions will come up about props that you can share informally?

[Kite]

Cool, can't wait for things to revv up this year.

 But for my skit idea, I was curious about the lighting. When the lights are off will it be completely pitch black? Because I kind of need it to be very dark.

[NoinHime]

Yay you're back! Woo hoo! 8D
I had an awesome experience last year. 

Couple questions...

2. Rules are basically the same as last year, but there are going to be more restrictions on large props and background again, because we are having a lot of problems with people not breaking down stuff fast enough backstage.

Can you clarify this? My group has some large prop/set ideas to go with our skit and I was wondering if we could get specific dimensions so we can plan sooner rather than later. ^_^

3. Skits are still 2.5 minutes (this is a hard timer! include getting on and off stage!)

This is a little disappointing. I know last year the 2.5 minutes did not include set-up/tear down. Is this because of the time the pre-show eats up?

[Teca]

So for the new time rule, if we want the music to start when we're on stage, do we have to build in that silence to the beginning of our music or are the tech people still going to start it when they see us ready?

[Vensy]

I've got a couple of questions -

"If you register as a walk-on, you will be in the Fashion Show portion at the start of the Masquerade (and you must compete for craftsmanship)."

What is qualified as a walk-on?  Or is it possible to do a one-man skit?  But if I decide to simply do a walk-on, are walk-on's allowed to have music for their walk on or nah?  I know in the past they were allowed, but not sure if that's changed.

"We will have video available again this year, but again you need to have your music embedded in the video, you can have either a video OR music: not both. The video and/or music starts with your skit and plays the entire way through, we will not pause it for you."

When you say you can either have a video OR music, you simply mean we can only submit a video file (with included music), or an audio file correct?

[Dany]

This is a little disappointing. I know last year the 2.5 minutes did not include set-up/tear down. Is this because of the time the pre-show eats up?

With this mentioned, a bit of feedback: The preshow? I have very VERY mixed feelings with. On the one hand, I've liked the acts. On the other hand, the acts were on WAY too long, needed their own extended teardown when they were done, which takes time, and really are deserving more of their own show than to be the "opening" bit for the Masquerade show.

I know that Masquerade probably has very little control over this, but I wanted to bring it up because I've yet to see such a long lead-up to any other masquerade event. My perspective is this: The sooner we start the show, the sooner we finish, and the sooner contestants can tear down and get out of the theater. The sooner we clear out our things so the staff can close things down, the less chance Fanime pays extra fees for going over-time and not getting out as scheduled.

[Teca]

So if we do plan on having simple props, as long as we can tear them down and get them out in 5 minutes or under, is it safe to assume that we'll be okay?

[memichi]

Is there an email we can contact for asking specific questions about participating in the masquerade or should they just be posted here? I looked on the Fanime website and couldn't find one. :c

[Hot Pickled Pepper]

You do not have to perform correct?
You can just do a walk on and be judged for craftsmanship correct?

[Dany]

You do not have to perform correct?
You can just do a walk on and be judged for craftsmanship correct?

That's what it sounds like, based on the notes above. Plus, it appears you get to go on earlier in the show

[SincerelyAimei]

Is there an email we can contact for asking specific questions about participating in the masquerade or should they just be posted here? I looked on the Fanime website and couldn't find one. :c

I would very much like to know this as well! :3

[angeljibrille]

Regarding the time..assuming that the 2:30 includes getting on and off, we should probably not make the audio longer than about 2:15-2:20? Or is 2:30 audio acceptable? I'm actually fiddling with audio now for our planned entry, and this will help us immensely

2:30 is fine; but we will cut anything that's longer than 2:30.

Also, any ideas on what new restrictions will come up about props that you can share informally?

The super huge backdrops of doom are causing us a lot of logistical problems. The major problem is that people do not tear them down immediately after their performance, instead they scuttle out into the audience.

1. The backdrops, huge props (like a boat from One Piece), etc. need to be easy to setup AND dismantle. If they aren't, we aren't going to allow you to use them.
2. These items *must* be taken down immediately  after your skit and then picked up and moved from backstage during the judging portion of the event. If they are still backstage when the judges are judging, we will disqualify the group.

We really want to encourage people's creativity and the neat backgrounds and such are great However, we had a ton of problems with this last year, and I actually had to yell at people which made me a sad panda. Every minute we are in the theater after the event costs FanimeCon a ton of money, and so we have to get out during our union contract hours.

[angeljibrille]

Cool, can't wait for things to revv up this year.

 But for my skit idea, I was curious about the lighting. When the lights are off will it be completely pitch black? Because I kind of need it to be very dark.

It's not really pitch black, but the audience can only see shadows. It's pretty darn dark.

[angeljibrille]

Yay you're back! Woo hoo! 8D
I had an awesome experience last year. 

Couple questions...

2. Rules are basically the same as last year, but there are going to be more restrictions on large props and background again, because we are having a lot of problems with people not breaking down stuff fast enough backstage.

Can you clarify this? My group has some large prop/set ideas to go with our skit and I was wondering if we could get specific dimensions so we can plan sooner rather than later. ^_^

3. Skits are still 2.5 minutes (this is a hard timer! include getting on and off stage!)

This is a little disappointing. I know last year the 2.5 minutes did not include set-up/tear down. Is this because of the time the pre-show eats up?

So, we pretty much had each and every group use the entire 2.5 minutes. Because of that and EXTENSIVE setup time for some groups (some groups didn't really realize it, but just their setup was taking 2-3 minutes... the length of an entire skit). This pushed out the time of the event too far and we were pressed for time for awards, which frustrates a lot of people (and the judges).

Read up a couple of posts, and it explains what I'm going to ask for as far as props go.

As far as time, I think I'll edit that a little bit. You can have the entire 2.5 minutes for your music, but we are seriously going to limit setup time. If you can't get everything set up and off the stage in 30 seconds in rehearsal, we have a big issue. It's not fair for me to give a simple skit 2.5 minutes (because they get on and off the stage quickly), but a big backdrop / prop skit is getting more like 5-6 minnutes.

The only other resolution is to trim the even to something like 30-35 entries, and I really don't want to do that because we like to encourage even newbie / low tech cosplayers to have a fun time doing a skit.

[angeljibrille]

So for the new time rule, if we want the music to start when we're on stage, do we have to build in that silence to the beginning of our music or are the tech people still going to start it when they see us ready?

They will still start it when you are ready.

[angeljibrille]

I've got a couple of questions -

"If you register as a walk-on, you will be in the Fashion Show portion at the start of the Masquerade (and you must compete for craftsmanship)."

What is qualified as a walk-on?  Or is it possible to do a one-man skit?  But if I decide to simply do a walk-on, are walk-on's allowed to have music for their walk on or nah?  I know in the past they were allowed, but not sure if that's changed.

Yep, you sure are. You can either provide your own, or we'll give you something usually the theme song for whatever your costume is from.

When you say you can either have a video OR music, you simply mean we can only submit a video file (with included music), or an audio file correct?

Yes! However, JUST IN CASE we can't play your video file for some technical reason, I suggest also bringing us both the video (with audio) and an audio file (mp3, etc.) backup.

[angeljibrille]

With this mentioned, a bit of feedback: The preshow? I have very VERY mixed feelings with. On the one hand, I've liked the acts. On the other hand, the acts were on WAY too long, needed their own extended teardown when they were done, which takes time, and really are deserving more of their own show than to be the "opening" bit for the Masquerade show.

This year I begged for a much less complicated pre-show, and we did get it. I can't announce it yet, but it will be much quicker and no setup/teardown. I believe that Hideo is being scheduled as its own event elsewhere, but I don't have details.

I know that Masquerade probably has very little control over this

I really don't have much say in this as you have guessed. I think you'll be much happier with it this year though

[angeljibrille]

So if we do plan on having simple props, as long as we can tear them down and get them out in 5 minutes or under, is it safe to assume that we'll be okay?

You can have as much time as you need to break them down backstage, but you need to do it right after your performance, and it needs to be torn down and removed from backstage by the judging period.