YOUR FIRST MASQUERADE - All the Cosplay Contest Info You Need to Know | Practical Cosplay

[@telekineticManiac]

Hey hey I went over a lot in the video and yet... there is still so much room for so many more tips. If anyone wants to comment any tips based on their own experiences competing to like help compile a whole resource page for any new competitors, please feel free to do so - I'm sure any new folks who stumble across this would be most grateful to hear from a variety of different voices!!

[@becca9867]

Oh some tips, it never hurts to bring your own snacks and tissues, a bit of makeup for touch ups or quick fixes for your cosplay. In the past competitions I've been in some provide a spread of food and drinks throughout the masquerade and another one had a cheese and crackers platter and maybe a handful of granola bars so it made it all the longer being hungry. Also, check if they provide chairs or maybe ask how the green room is setup because one masquerade I was wearing a cosplay with limited mobility when it comes to sitting in the ground/standing back up and that green room had chairs only for people in ball gowns. So plan ahead or at least ask if that might be an issue. Tho usually masquerade staff will ask if you need a stool, or different seating arrangement. But don't assume all backstages are set up the same.

[@sofiabruiz17]

In my first contest, there was no prejudging, it wasliterally done in one minute while waiting in the dark to go up to the stage. I was also disqualified because even tho I arrived 5 hours before the actual contest, I arrived 10 minutes late to checkin (again no prejudging or anything) because of a car accident, and they wouldnt budge. This implied I was also banned for two years from competing, and it's the only convention near me. A bit of a bad experience...

[@becca9867]

Oh also might have been mentioned but if you are trying a masquerade for the first time or even just someplace new. Ask around if you know people who have competed there before because they are also great sources of how it's been run in the past. Things can change from year to year but it doesn't hurt to see what's been done.

[@_xinny_2402]

Do cosplay skits have to be 100% original? Or can they be referenced or based of an existing material? :0 I can’t seem to find any info on this on any con sites

[@telekineticManiac]

Hmm. Short answer: no, they do not have to be 100% original, at least not in my experience. (Although you absolutely cannot copy other skits that already exist.) Long answer as follows: That’s very frustrating that you can’t find the info you’re looking for because it can depend on the contest a little bit. I’d highly recommend reaching out to the contest coordinator(s) of the contest(s) you are interested in and asking them directly. If you still can’t get the info you need, I’d recommend to play it on the safe side and stick to an idea that has a least some originality to it. While I’ve seem many skits that are recreations of important scenes in a show or dances taken directly from idol anime performances, the most skits, and the most successful skits, I’ve seen are the more creative ones. These may draw from multiple parts of a piece of media, or reference popular meme at the time, or have completely original dance choreography. You don't have to reinvent the wheel when coming up with a skit idea by any means but usually at least a little bit of originality goes a long way!