Topics

I want to start this thread to both encourage anyone who wants to enter into the competition for the first time.

Some food for thought:

• What music would work best to display your costume?
  
  Stand back from a mirror 20 feet, how does your outfit look?  Can the audience see you
  
  Write your dialog (if any) down
  
  determine if your entry is a walk-on (You strut your stuff on stage and then off) or a skit (acting out a scene or with other members of your team)
  
  How do you determine *who* you are playing.  You want to embody the essence of your character.  How do they walk, stance, facial expression.

Please feel free to discuss ideas, ask questions and get advice.

[Schedule]

Schedule
•   ONLINE REGISTRATION: March 29th, 2014 - May 23rd, 2014.
•   IN-PERSON REGISTRATION: May 23rd at 4:00pm - May 25th 2014 @ noon
•   REHEARSAL TIMES:
o   In the Masquerade room: May 23rd @ 12:00pm - May 25th @ 12:00pm
o   Stage rehearsals in the Convention center hall across the street: May 25th @ 1:00pm

•   PROPS:
o   Drop offs: Noon May 25th
o   All props must be picked up before 10pm or they will be moved to the Masquerade room in the Marriott.

•   CURTAIN OPENING: 4:00 pm sharp Sunday May 25th
•   HALF TIME SHOW: 15-30 minutes, depending on judging time.
•   AWARD ANNOUNCEMENT: ~6:30

Registration
Masquerade space is limited to 55 and are granted on a first come first serve bases until all 55 spots are filled.
•   ONLINE REGISTRATION: November 25, 2014 - May 23rd, 2014 midnight
•   IN-PERSON REGISTRATION: May 23rd at 4:00pm - May 25th 2014 @ noon

All contestants must do the following:
1.   Be an attending member of Fanime.
2.   Check-in to the Masquerade Registration Desk located in the Blossom Hill Ballroom (3rd floor) of the Marriott hotel before midnight Saturday May 24th 2014.
3.   Fill out the following before checkin:
o   Masquerade entry form (LINK)
o   Release & Waiver form
4.   Be 18 years or older or have the permission form signed by a Parent or legal guardian.
5.   Read and understand the competition rules
Once registered, you will be given your entry number.  If we receive more then 55 entries you will be placed on the waiting list and will advance up if other contestants drop out.  If you advance, the primary contact and all listed contacts in the registration form will be notified.
The Masquerade will e-maiil the primary contact for your group on a regular basis with important updates.   If you need to change your registration information or drop out from the competition please email [email protected] with your changes and modifications.
If you have any question do not hesitate to ask [email protected]
Introduction
FanimeCon has made a few changes to our system of judging to provide a more diverse and competitive field for our contestants

Awards
There are two categories of awards that are judged separately --- Craftsmanship and Performance. You or your group can possibly win awards from both categories. We divide our competition into three divisions: Open, Journeyman, and Novice.
1.   Open Division: Any competitor may enter in the Open Division.
2.   Journeyman Division:
•   Professional costumers cannot enter the Journeyman Division.
•   If you have won a Best-in-Show major regional competition, you cannot enter in the Journeyman Division.
•   If you have won any award in the Open or Master Division at any other major convention, you cannot enter in the Journeyman Division.
3.   Novice
•   Professional costumers cannot enter the Novice Division.
•   If you have won any award at a major regional competition, you cannot enter in the Novice Division.
•   If you have won more than 3 awards at prior FanimeCon Masquerade or other regional conventions you cannot enter in the Novice Division.

Cash awards:
•   Best in Show $600
•   Best Craftsmanship $200
•   Best Novice category $100
•   Best Journeymen category $100
•   Best Open category $100
•   Best Original Design $100


Craftsmanship Awards
Individual Craftsmanship Awards can be won by a single person (not a member of a group) or by a group member being judged as an individual. Being judged as an individual does not preclude you from being judged as part of a group (we actually encourage you to be judged as both; but you must be judged for both at the same time).
For specific information on Craftsmanship Judging, see the rules below.
Competition rules
1.   Check-in at the Convention Masquerade Desk in the Marriott hotel's Blossom Hill on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday to get your official Backstage Pass and turn in your music. Otherwise, you will be dropped from the Masquerade.
2.   MAXIMUM stage time:
a.   Maximum performances time is 2 minutes 30 seconds
b.   Display Entries (walk-ons) time is 90 seconds.
3.   Number of Contestants.
a.   Up to 12 contestants are allowed to appear on stage. You must get permission from the Masquerade Director by May 23rd if you need to have more.
b.   ALL members of a performance must be present at the pre-Masquerade meeting on May 25th @ 2pm.
4.   Each person can only participate in one performance. You cannot appear in multiple performances.
5.   AUDIO/VIDEO REQUIREMENTS: All entries must provide an audio clip or a movie clip (with embedded music / dialog) or we will provide it for you.  There will be a sound technician on call in the masquerade Ballroom located in the Marriott hotel.  See the sections on Music and Video below for more details.
6.   WEAPONS: Make sure you read and understand our Weapons Policy for the Masquerade (see below).
7.   PROPS: Make sure to read and understand the Props Policy (see below).
8.   JUDGING:
a.   All Display Entries (walk-ons) must be judged for Craftsmanship
b.   Performance groups can choose to be judged (optional).
c.   Anyone submitting for judging needs to submit a Craftsmanship Judging Form.
d.   Make sure you read and understand the judging rules (see below).
9.   PERFORMANCE RULES: All contestants must adhere to the Performance Rules as detailed below.
10.   COSTUME REQUIREMENTS:
a.   Any costume purchased or rented from a costume shop, designer direct, eBay, Yahoo Auction, Yahoo Japan Auctions, Cospa, or any other costuming store, online resource, or any costume made for you by a designer or seamstress is prohibited from entering the Masquerade.
b.   Costumes from previous FanimeCon conventions will be consider non-competition
c.   All costumes must be based on the following requirements:
•   Asian film, such as characters from 13 Assassins (Japan) or The Flying Swords Of Dragon Gate (China),
•   Asian animation, such as the Japanese animation Naruto or the Korean animation Wonderful Days.
•   Asian comics, such as the Japanese Fairy Tail, Korean Breaker, or Chinese Story of the Tao,
•   Asian-origin video game, such as Final Fantasy or Ragnarok Online, or Asian music stars (such as Girls' Generation). 
•   Asian-inspired sources; such as your own inspiration, such as Avatar.
•   The rule of thumb is: if the series and/or character originated anywhere else than the Pacific, it doesn't qualify. If you aren't sure, ask.


Weapons Policy
The Masquerade allows some Display Weapons, which are not allowed to be carried in the halls at FanimeCon. You must follow these steps for these items to be acceptable for participation:
1.   You must check the box on the registration form for "Requires Weapon Master review."
2.   You must pass inspection from the Masquerade weapons master, including chorography, and make any changes required by them.
3.   For safety reasons, all edges must be blunted or protected.
4.   Weapon must be transported to the Masquerade Event either boxed or covered.

Props
All large props (including scenery, backgrounds, etc.) must be:
1.   Easy to assemble and disassemble. You have 30 seconds (each) to get the props on and off the stage.
2.   Brought to rehearsal and stored on-site for the competition.
3.   Described in detail on your registration forms
4.   Immediately torn down after your performance, so it does not take up space backstage.
5.   Picked up after the competition or it will be moved to Masquerade room in the Marriott Blossom Hill Ballroom
If you are concerned about being able to meet these rules please contact [email protected] for special arrangements to be made.

Music
1.   All music must be provided in advance (online or during in-person registration) and confirmed by close of registration, or you will not be allowed to participate.
2.   DIALOGUE / MUSIC LENGTH:  You can MAXIMUM 2 minutes and 30 seconds for your dialogue or music.
3.   ACCEPTABLE FORMATS:
4.   NUMBER OF COPIES: Provide two separate copies of your audio in case of damage.

Video
1.   If you choose to show a video during your skit, it will serve as a replacement for your music track. Your video must play for the entire skit, or fade to black or a logo for the rest of your skit. There must be music for the entire skit.
2.   VIDEO DUE DATE: Two copies of your video must be provided in advance. If we do not receive the video submission by Saturday, May 24, 2014 @ noon, we will not allow you to use video in your skit.
3.   REQUIRED REHEARSAL ATTENDANCE: You must attend the Masquerade Rehearsal if you choose to use video for your skit. If you do not show up for the rehearsal, we will not play your video and will default to the audio-only version.
4.   Video featuring real people is only allowed if they are participating members of your performance or they have signed the waver and release.
5.   VIDEO LENGTH: Videos must be no longer 2 minutes and 30 seconds
6.   VIDEO FORMAT:
o   The screens in the Civic are 16:9 HD format.
o   We will accept entries recorded on CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, DVD+RW.

Craftsmanship Judging
1.   All Craftsmanship judging participants must also be approved entries for Masquerade and must participate (with a presentation or a walk-on) in Masquerade
2.   All Costumes are eligible for Craftsmanship Judging but mandatory for Display Entries. 
3.   REQUIRED FORMS:  You must fill out a Craftsmanship Judging Form
4.   JUDGING TIMES:  If you registered for Craftsmanship judging, you need to:
a.   Present your costume(s) for judging prior to the start of the Masquerade at the designated time assigned to you.
i.   There will only be limited craftsmanship judging at the event.
b.   Every contestant needs to be prepared to answer the judges' questions about his/her role in the construction of their costume
5.   GROUP CONSTRUCTION:
a.   If the entire group designed and constructed the costumes together and if you wish to win a group craftsmanship award, you must be judged as a group and all members of the group must be judged at the same time.
b.   If only one person in your group made all of the costumes, only that person is eligible for an award. He or she must be a participating costumed member of your group.
6.   INDIVIDUAL CONSTRUCTION:
a.   An individual (or a member of a group being judged as an individual) must have designed or constructed his/her own costume by himself/herself to win an Individual Craftsmanship Award.
b.   An individual that designed and created all of the costumes for a group is eligible for an individual Craftsmanship award. He or she must be a participating costumed member of the group.
7.   DOCUMENTATION:  The Craftsmanship Judges recommend that each competitor bring the following:
a.   At least one color picture, preferably two, of each character the costume entry represents.
b.   Source Documentation on the character
c.   The judges also appreciate craftsmanship documentation (also known as costume construction diaries).
8.   For additional information, see the Craftsmanship Judging Form.

Performance Rules
You must adhere to the following performance rules:

1.   Don't wear or use any messy substances that might ruin the costume of another contestant. If you are wearing body paint or make-up, make sure it will not come off in casual contact with others.
2.   Do not leave anything on the stage that cannot be picked up by the stage ninjas in a few seconds.
3.   Costumes must be self-contained. Connections to electrical sockets will not be available.
4.   Nothing is allowed that would be banned in a "PG-13"-rated film. Actions, dress, or mannerisms that would not be allowed on a public street or thoroughfare must be avoided. Specifically, the following must be avoided: explicit sexual gestures, nudity, and explicit swearing. Violating these rules will disqualify you and possibly result in your being escorted off the premises.
5.   No fire, flash powder, high power lasers, explosives or open flame of any kind will be allowed.
a.   Electronic flashes will be permitted provided that you notify the Masquerade Director in advance, and it must be announced in your MC introduction to protect those who might be affected by the flashing lights.
6.   No stage interaction with the MC, judges or audience is allowed. 
7.   The MC will read the name of the entry, the names of the contestants, and an short introduction.
a.   Any narration to be read by the MC will be limited to 35 words or less and read prior to the start of the performance
8.   There are only two acceptable exits – Stage Left and Stage Right.
a.   Jumping off the stage is not permitted,
b.   You cannot enter or exit the stage from any area that has not been approved by the head of Masquerade or the backstage director.

+ added cash awards section 4/20