Cosplay Show Rules

2010 Cosplay Show Rules

Forms Now Available! Click to print them out!

• Hall Cosplay Show Form [Click this if you're signing up for the Hall Cosplay just for walking around the convention and want to possibly win an award, OPTIONAL].
• Cosplay Fashion Show Form [Click this if you're signing up for the halftime cosplay fashion show happening during the Cosplay Show, NON-COMPETITIVE].
• Cosplay Contest Form [Click this if you're signing up for the main San Japan Cosplay Show happening on Saturday evening, COMPETITIVE].

If you have questions, please read the rules below thoroughly and please post on our San Japan :3 Cosplay forums.

For questions about cosplay in general, please read the convention FAQ.

Class System

San Japan is going to implement a Two Class competition system for Craftsmanship, Performance, and Walk-On judging. This is to ensure fairness in competition that is otherwise not seen at most cosplay-related events seen in the State of Texas. It is HIGHLY important that all potential entries read and understand the layout of this system. This system is a bit of an experiment, so if you have any questions at all, we strongly encourage you to ask away.

Novice: This is the class for first time costumers or people who have been costuming for less than a year with no major awards (Judge’s Awards are not counted). They will have their own award category for all three major judgments. If you have been costuming for over a year and are not perfectly confident in your skill, please discuss this with us so we might negotiate your placement in this category.

Open: This is the class for all cosplayers whom have been cosplaying for some time or have won major awards. They will have their own award category in all three major judgments. There may be some who do not fulfill the normal requirements of Open placed in this category if the directors and judges feel you should be competing at this level given situations where a first time costumer is able to produce a higher level craft (it has happened, we promise).

Basic Rules for the Stage

As a note, all Skit entries will be pre-screened before being allowed on stage. Signing up for the show does not guarantee you a place in the show. Pre-screening means we will be going through skits for content that doesn’t apply to our rules or for things that might go over time. We require a SCRIPT FROM ALL SKIT ENTRIES, recorded or not, to be turned in AT THE TIME OF ENTRY. If your skit has audio, please turn the CD in with your entry form and script.

1. Content: We expect all stage entries, both walk-ons and skits, to ensure their entry maintains a TV-PG rating (not how PG is defined for film, but for television). To quote Wikipedia:

TV-PG (Unsuitable for young children)

This rating signifies that the program may be unsuitable for younger children without the guidance of a parent. Many parents may want to watch it with their younger children. Various game shows and most reality shows are rated TV-PG for their suggestive dialog, suggestive humor, and/or coarse language. Some prime-time sitcoms such as Everybody Loves Raymond, Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, The Simpsons, Futurama (on FOX and adult swim airings), and Seinfeld usually air with a TV-PG rating. Recently, Cartoon Network has been using the PG rating to rate shows that may contain suggestive dialogue, crude humor, or scary elements, such as Total Drama Island, 6teen, Gundam Wing and reruns of Goosebumps (on FOX, Goosebumps was rated TV-Y7 for scary/disturbing content)[2]. Also, on Nickelodeon, Invader Zim is also rated TV-PG when uncut.. Also some unamericanized anime sometimes receives this rating such as Princess Tutu, One Piece (the FUNimation version, though some episodes are rated TV-Y7-FV), Naruto and Kodocha. Some feature films originally rated PG-13 are edited for network or basic cable and are rated TV-PG. Despite edits, all episodes of the show Naruto are given a TV-PG rating. Some shows may skip over from TV-PG to TV-14 between episodes, such as House or 30 Rock, in some rare instances when switching networks as well.

Basically, if it can’t air on Toonami, then it won’t fly on our stage. This rule applies to ALL ENTRIES.

2. Time: Skits are allowed three minutes. You are not allowed any more, and are encouraged to take less. We strongly suggest your skit use pre-recorded audio to ensure the smooth running of the show. We only have two hours to work with, after all. Skits that go over time will be disqualified and removed from the stage.

3. Stunts: Any choreographed fighting or stunts must be done at 3/4s speed and jumping/tumbling, while not against the rules, is discouraged. You will not be counted against for jumping/tumbling, but for your safety we’d rather you did not. Please discuss it with the directors if you plan to do any of this.

4. Karaoke: There will be karaoke related events at the convention at other times, including Ani-Idol. Therefore, we see no reason for these types of performances during the cosplay show and are thus not allowed. If you desire to sing on stage, please do so at an event other than the Cosplay Show. We suggest singing up for Ani-Idol.

4a. We are limiting skits/performances containing dances such as the Caramelldansen and Hare Hare Yukai in order to promote original content. If you’re going to be doing a choreographed dance from something such as Idol Master, please run it by us first.

5. Cleanliness: Anything that goes on stage with you leave with you. Do not bring any sort of particle/fluid/other projectile on stage with you. It is not our responsibility to clean up after your performance.

6. Bulky Costumes: Please inform us ahead of time if your costume is difficult to move around in so we can make proper accommodations. We are willing to do almost anything in order to allow an amazing costume on stage so please talk to us!

7. Group size limits: We are limiting the amount of people on stage to 12. You may have more than that in your group, but not on stage at a single time.

8. You must show up ON TIME for Saturday afternoon required pre-rehearsal to be listed on the convention schedule with the time of when you need to arrive at Main Events for check-in, pre-judgment & walk-through. We recommend you arrive early. If you arrive LATE, you WILL likely be disqualified from the show. Do not arrive 30 minutes before the cosplay show is about to start to check-in else you will already have been disqualified.

Craftsmanship

1. The Gear Project endorses a "50% rule" on craftsmanship. This rule means that at least 50% of your costume must be made or modified personally. Note that this rule does not apply to shoes and wigs.

2. Modification: The 50% rule for costumes that are modified from store-bought pieces means that at least 50% of the work put into this costume was alterations, accessories, props or details. For example, buying a T-shirt, jeans and a jacket does not count as 50% craftsmanship. Altering the jacket to fit, painting details on the jeans and sewing trim or patches on the T-shirt does count as 50% craftsmanship.

3. If your costume was commissioned (bought or ordered from another person who did more than 50% of the work on the costume), and the maker is present at the contest, you may compete but note that the prize (if one is won) will go to the maker of the costume, not the model. If the maker is not present at the contest, you may not enter the contest.

4. For group entries, at least half of your group must comply with these rules. For example, if you have three people in your group and two of them bought their costumes, you are not eligible to enter the contest. If you have three people in your group and only one of them bought their costume, you are eligible.

5. The craftsmanship rule may be waived for skits, which will then be judged solely on performance and not on construction. Note that this is an option for skits, not mandatory.

Halftime Runway Show Rules

About the Runway Show:

The runway show will take place at halftime during the Cosplay contest. This show is open to anyone whose costume did not qualify to be judged in the contest, as well as participants in visual kei, J-rock, EGL or other Japanese street fashions. There will be no specialized introduction or individual music. This is a great opportunity to show off your costume if you weren't able to enter the cosplay contest for any reason.

Rules:

1. San Japan is a family friendly convention, and there will be children at the cosplay show. Therefore no excessively revealing costumes will be allowed on stage.

2. Participants in the runway show will have fifteen seconds to cross the stage.

3. Signups for the runway show will close at the same time as signups for the cosplay contest.

4. If you are disqualified from the cosplay competition, you will automatically be entered into the runway show.

5. The San Japan cosplay staff reserves the right to deny your entry into the runway show for any reason. These reasons may include but are not limited to: Failure to follow rule 1, props that have not been checked by security, lack of visible badge, rudeness or profanity directed toward staff or other participants, violation of convention security or other convention rules.

If you have any questions about the halftime runway show, please check out the forum thread.

Awards for Stage

There will be several awards presented at the San Japan Cosplay Show. The following are brief descriptions of each:

Judge's Award:These are the personal awards of each judge that they may present to whomever they wish. Class does not mean anything here and the qualifications of the award are dependent entirely on the judge presenting it. There will be 5, one for each Judge.

Best Performance (Walk-On): There will be an award for both the Open and Novice class for this category. This will be based entirely on an entry's ability to command the stage and entertain the audience with both posing and stage presence.

Best Performance (Skit): Once again, there will be an award for both Open and Novice class. This will be based on the quality and execution of a skit entry, given their ability to execute their performance as well as entertain the audience and keep people excited about their entry. This applies to all skits, be they dance numbers, dramatic scenes, or comedic sketches.

Best Craftsmanship: Both Novice and Open will have their own awards here as well. This award is based purely on the skill of your craft and performance is not factored in at all. Excellence in costuming as well as prop/accessory construction will be looked at here.

Best in Class: Basically, there will be two Runner Up awards for Best In Show based on Class, and these are it. See below for Best in Show

Best in Show: This is a category that both Novice and Open will compete for. This will be awarded to the entry that shows the best examples of both craftsmanship and performance together. This is considered the top award in the show.

If you have any questions, PLEASE ASK us.

Hall Cosplay

As an alternative to going on stage, there is also a Hall Cosplay competition at San Japan. This contest will be a craftsmanship only based competition that will see costumes being judges as they signed up. There is no pressure to perform on stage and your work will be able to speak for itself in a more intimate experience with the Cosplay Staff and Directors. Awards for Hall will be presented at the same ceremony as the Stage awards at the end of the Cosplay Show. The awards are as follows:

• Best Group (Open and Novice)
• Best Single (Open and Novice)

If you have any questions/concerns, please post on the cosplay section of the forum. The Gear Project will gladly answer all of your questions.

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Questions? Please Ask On The San Japan Forums.