RULES

• Entries can be from any source material – from east to west to world wide web! This contest is not restricted to anime or Japanese media. 

• Entries will have the option to perform as either a walk-on or a skit.
  • Walk-On: typically shorter, backed by an instrumental track, and consists of a series of poses that show off the contestant’s costume. 
  • Skit: typically longer and tells a story, often with dialogue and sound effects. 

• Contestants may enter as individuals or as part of a group, but can only be part of one contest entry. Groups can contain no more than 6 contestants unless specifically cleared by the cosplay director. Please reach out to us if you need an exception!  

• Contestants that are 12 years old or under must be accompanied by an adult. 

• The audience will include attendees of all ages, and so we ask that performances maintain something of a “PG-rated” level of appropriateness. This means no profanity that would warrant a higher rating, no excessive violence/gore, and no overtly sexual themes or nudity. (Remember, body paint does not constitute body covering – if your costume doesn’t cover enough to be allowed at a public pool, you will not be allowed on stage. We also ask that you protect yourself and the audience from potential wardrobe malfunctions by ensuring your costume is sturdily constructed and properly secured to your body. You may be asked to reinforce your costume before going on stage if we have reason to worry it may not stay on.)
• If you have any concerns regarding whether your performance or costume meets these criteria, please reach out to us and ask! We are very flexible and are happy to work with you.

• Please provide an accurate and detailed description of what you will do on stage. Surprises are for the audience, not the cosplay director or our staff! If your plans change, be sure to let us know via email so that we can update our notes and prevent any disqualification.

• If you bring it on the stage, you must be able to take it off with you when you are done.  That means no feathers, confetti, glitter, powders, etc.  We are all sharing this stage, and need it to remain as safe and clean as possible. As always, please reach out if you are unsure if your plans meet this criteria! 
• No pyrotechnics, no live steel/real weapons, and no real combat. (Staged strikes only – please don’t actually hit each other!)

AUDIO REQUIREMENTS:

• We will accept audio in MP3 format only
• The file must be clearly labeled with the name of the group/contestant.
• Your audio track can be as short as you want it to be, but it cannot exceed 2 minutes. (If you need an exception, contact us – we will handle these on a case by case basis.)
• If you don’t send us an audio track by August 8th, we will provide a generic one for you.  It will not be personalized, and you will not be able to hear it until the contest itself, so we highly suggest sending us in audio if you can.

Audio files should be mailed to Cosplay@UtahHachiCon.com, with your entry name and “contest audio” in the subject line. 

CATEGORIES AND DIVISIONS

Awards for this contest are based on craftsmanship and performance. You may choose to be judged on only one of these by indicating on the sign-up form that you would like your entry to be “performance only” or “craftsmanship only.” However, this will disqualify you for certain awards, as the Best in Division and Best In Show Awards take both categories into account.

Division Guidelines:

• Beginner Division: No more than 2 individual craftsmanship or performance wins.

• Intermediate Division: 3-5 individual craftsmanship or performance wins, or any win in an Intermediate division.

• Masters Division: more than 5 individual craftsmanship or performance wins, or any win in a Masters division.

Groups will be placed in the division consistent with their highest ranked member. 

If you are unsure what division you should be in, please reach out to us! We can help place you. You can also make us aware of any special circumstances – for example, if you feel you are a beginner in craft, but intermediate in performance, based on awards you have received. 

CRAFTSMANSHIP JUDGING

Craftsmanship judging will take place at the convention, with spots available on Friday evening and Saturday before the contest. Slots for judging will be 5 minutes long – if you have a large group and are worried about time, please e-mail us and we will make arrangements with you. 

Sign-ups for craftsmanship judging spots will open up a bit closer to the convention itself, so please keep an eye on your e-mail for more details once you have been accepted!

We do not have a specific percentage requirement for costume construction – we simply ask that you fully disclose what you did and did not make if you are being judged for craftsmanship. The judges will weigh this information accordingly while making their decisions. (Those who sign up for performance only are not required to make their costumes and construction is not factored into their score.)

Documentation

Progress pictures and documentation are not factored into your score, but are strongly encouraged as a way to demonstrate your creation process for the judges. We accept both physical documentation, in the form of a build book brought to the judging session, and digital forms of documentation. 

There are two ways we can accept digital documentation for this contest. The first is a QR code, which you can bring to your judging time – the judges can then pull it up from Google Drive on their tablets or phones. If you choose this method, please be aware that the time it takes to pull up the documentation or troubleshoot issues will count towards your time in front of the judges. 

You also have the choice of submitting your digital documentation early via e-mail. More details regarding this option will be provided to contestants when craftsmanship judging spots open for reservation.  

Any digital documentation must be in the format of a PDF or a slideshow – we cannot accept links to folders full of images, and do require the process to be consolidated and organized into some kind of document.

COMPANION WRISTBANDS

Due to the positive response we received last year, we are bringing back the companion wristband system!

Any contestant can purchase up to 2 companion wristbands for 5 dollars each. This wristband will grant access to the cosplay contest only. It cannot be used to access the majority of the convention. 

Any minor contestant will receive one wristband free of charge. This will allow their companion access to the cosplay contest and craftsmanship judging only. 

 

ADDITIONAL SIGN UP INFO

We will be accepting entries until July 31st, or until our roster is full – whichever comes first.

A limited number of on-site sign ups will be available at the convention if you do miss the cut-off. These will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis at the Cosplay Check-In table, starting on Friday.