CC30-SF-00a: Stage Judge
Competition Staff & Rules
Staff:
- Director: Marty Gear‡
- Master of Ceremonies: Unknown
- Presentation Judges: Kathy Mix, Rob Himmelsbach and Steve Swope
- Workmanship Judge(s): Jacqueline M. Ward and Karen Schnaubelt
- Judges’ Clerk: Unknown
Rules:
Science Fiction / Fantasy Masquerade
For more information:
Marty Gear‡, Masquerade Director
Email: [Removed]
This CC-30 Masquerade will be run according to a modified version of the International Costumers’ Guild Guidelines for a “Division System”. The division qualifications used for CC-30 are not identical to those used for Worldcons. The purpose of having this system is to encourage beginning costumers to compete by not requiring them to compete against experienced costumers unless they want to. Each division will be judged separately, although everyone is eligible for “Best-in-Show” regardless of division.
MASQUERADE REGISTRATION:
The masquerade registration table will be open for registration from 4-7pm on Friday and from 10am until 4pm on Saturday. If you cannot arrive to register during those hours you can register by email by contacting the Masquerade Director, Marty Gear at sffmasq@costumecon30.com and he will be happy to send you a registration form, or you can download one from our website. You will be required to actually sign the form at the con before you go on stage, but that can be done in the Green Room.
1. Contestants will be registered according to the following Divisions:
YOUNG FAN:
Any contestant under 13 years of age at the time of the con, unless he or she is part of a group of adult competitors. (Parents used as “props” for small children do not bump children into an adult class.) There may be two classes of award, “Self Made” and “Adult Made”.
NOVICE:
A costumer who has never won a major award (Best of, Most etc.) for a costume they have made in costume competitions (other than as a Young Fan) at any convention. (General S/F, Media, Cosplay, etc.) Honorable Mention does not count as a “major award”. (Note: a “novice” may choose to compete at a higher level if he so chooses.)
JOURNEYMAN:
Has won at a convention Masquerade competition previously, but does not qualify as Young Fan, Novice, or Master as defined herein. In other words, a Journeyman has won a major award as a Novice but less than two additional awards as a Journeyman. Winning “Best-in-Class” as a “Journeyman” should automatically boost one into “Master” status. (Note: a “journeyman” may choose to compete at a higher level if he so chooses but may not compete as a novice.)
MASTER:
An individual who has achieved “Master” status at a Worldcon or CostumeCon. Currently a World Class Master is someone who has won three or more major awards at Worldcons and/or CostumeCons or has won a major award in the Master division at these conventions. A person who earns a significant portion of their livelihood making clothing or costumes must compete as a Master.
Within each division awards may be given based on such things as original costumes, re-creation costumes, theme costumes, etc. The judges are free to give as many or as few awards as they choose.
WORKMANSHIP AWARDS:
There will be a workmanship judge present in the costumers’ Green Room. Workmanship Judging is strictly voluntary and will not affect the presentation awards. The contestant may request that only a portion of the costume be judged for workmanship. Workmanship Awards will be given based on the division level of the person making the costume or portion of the costume presented for Workmanship judging. If you’re planning on going for Workmanship judging, you will be required to go to the Green Room as early as possible.
2. We hope to have a video feed into the Costumers’ Green Room.
We will attempt to have contestant seating in the hall used for the masquerade itself, but this is not always possible as the costume competitions are usually the most well attended of the convention activities. Contestants will go from their Green Room onto the stage, through fan photography, and then are free to either go back to the Green Room or to attempt to find seating in the masquerade hall. Generally a video of the masquerade will be shown at several locations later that evening.
3. The Young Fans as a group will appear first.
After the Young Fans have appeared, the judges will withdraw to confer on awards while various announcements are made. The judges will then return, the Young Fan awards will be presented, and the adult portion of the masquerade will begin.
4. If necessary, the staff reserves the right to change the order of appearance of any contestant.
The staff also reserves the right to question the division chosen by a contestant.
5. Purchased costumes are not eligible to compete.
Costumes must be made by either the presenter or a member of the group if it is a group presentation. Workmanship Awards are given only to the maker of the costume or portion presented for Workmanship judging.
6. Group Costumes
If you are a part of a group costume, you will be required to sign the release form, but only one member of the group should register for the entire group. We do require the names and signatures of all members of the group. The group will be given a single entrant number, and will be judged as a single costume at the division level of the most skilled member making the costume or costumes. (A Master could be entered as a “body” in a Novice level group costume provided that he or she had no part in the actual design and construction of the costumes.) All members of the group must be members of the convention and may be required to show convention identification.
For the purpose of Workmanship judging, the individuals in a group will be judged on their individual division levels unless a single member made multiple costumes, in which case those costumes will be judged on the division level of the maker.
Remember, a group costume is only as good as its worst costume.
7. Introduction read by the emcee
If you wish a special introduction read by the emcee, please have it typed, double spaced, and printed in at least 18-point type on a single piece of white 8-1/2″ x 11″ paper. Please turn this in when you register.
Alternatively, you can have us play a recorded introduction with music or sound effects. Such recordings must be on a single CD (we may be able to handle thumb drives or other digital media, but don’t count on it) and it must be the only thing on that CD. The CD should be clearly labeled with your name and the title of the costume. It must be in standard audio .WAV format or .MP3 ONLY. Bring at least two (2) copies with you as you will be required to turn in one copy when you register. We WILL NOT play music from your iPod!
We will have available a variety of somewhat appropriate music that you can use, but it may not be exactly what you want, so you are better off bringing your own. Please check with the Tech representative at the Masquerade Registration table as early as possible if you think that you may want to utilize our music.
THERE WILL BE NO LIVE MICROPHONES FOR CONTESTANT USE!
This is a costume competition, not an acting competition.
8. Weapons Policy
The weapons policy of the convention will be strictly adhered to. No fire, open flame, flash paper/powder will be permitted. Sealed electronic flashes are permitted for use by the contestants.
9. Nudity
Since you asked, our general feeling is that if you are comfortable with your skin so are we… with certain reservations.
a. No costume is no costume. We are judging costumes not bodies.
b. There will be children present and also mundanes.
c. If you feel that nudity is essential to your costume, please limit it to the masquerade and keep it covered in the public areas of the hotel.
10. Photography
No flash pictures will be permitted of the contestants while on stage. An area for fan photography will be available and all contestants are required to go through fan photography.
11. Each contestant may appear only once in the competition.
12. Please try to be on time for your call.
If you have a good reason for wanting to appear early or late, tell us when you register and we will attempt to accommodate you. If you arrive after you have been called you may not go on.
13. The Green Room and Backstage Staff
Will have the full authority to eliminate anyone from the competition on the basis of taste, danger to the audience, yourself, other contestants, or us, and for any other reason deemed sufficient. You must be able to enter and leave the stage without help in order to appear. We will have people available to steady you but not to lift or support you. If your presentation requires you to leave a prop or costume part on the stage after you exit, you must tell us in advance so that we can be prepared to remove it before the next entrant. If it is a large prop this may affect when you are scheduled.
14. Technical Rehearsal
There will be one for those who require it. We urge you to talk with the Tech Rep at the masquerade table, and if there is any question, schedule one. It is most likely that the technical rehearsal will start about 3:00pm on the Saturday of the masquerade. Time will be limited and anyone not showing up for tech rehearsal when scheduled may not be able to have one.
15. Time Limits
Individuals and groups of four (4) or fewer are limited to 1 minute (60 seconds) from start to finish. Larger groups may be granted additional time but in no case will anyone be allowed more than 2 minutes. Short is better than long. (Think of 15 and 30 second TV commercials.) Let your costume speak for itself.
16. Contestants in costume should remain in the Green Room until they go on stage
Contact with the presentation judges by a contestant in costume prior to appearing on stage may be grounds for disqualification of the entrant.
The CC-30 Masquerade is generally scheduled to begin at 8:30pm on the Saturday of the convention. (Please confirm this when registering for the masquerade.) The contestant Green Room will probably be open two hours prior to the start of the masquerade. All contestants are required to be in the Green Room in full costume not later than one-half hour prior to the start of the masquerade. If you are planning on Workmanship Judging, earlier is much better. There will be an Official Photographer who will take pictures of all the contestants, so the earlier you can arrive in the Green Room the better.
