I) Prejudging: For the most efficient use of time, all Craftsmanship Contestants are required to sign up for a five (5) minute pre-judging time slot online or during the convention.
- Time slots are limited, and will be distributed on a “first come, first serve” basis. Reasonable efforts will be made to accommodate your schedule and any special needs, but an acceptable compromise is not guaranteed. Please plan accordingly.
- If you are late or otherwise miss your judging slot, reasonable efforts will be made to accommodate or reschedule your time slot. However, because of the limited nature of these slots, there is no guarantee a new slot can be found. Please plan accordingly.
- Cosplays must represent specific characters or designs from the chosen fandom. Generic characters or uniforms, such as Storm Troopers or an Agent of Shield, satisfy this condition. OC’s (Original Characters) may participate as an Exhibition entry, but are not eligible for official scores.
- Crossover cosplays (ex. Transformers Sailor Moon, Ninja Harry Potter), and “AU” cosplays (ex. genderbent characters), are discouraged but will be considered for eligibility on a case by case basis at the discretion of the judges. Please contact the Cosplay Coordinator(s) or a Staff member at Cosplay Info with questions or concerns.
- You must provide reference pictures for the judges of the character or design you are cosplaying. This best allows the judges to critique the accuracy of your cosplay. These pictures may be submitted on your entry form, but it is always a good idea to bring a hard copy backup to your judging time just in case.
- Interference with the judging process, or the judges themselves is strictly prohibited. Any such interference or harassment of the judges will result in disqualification and further action as necessary.
- Please check in at the Cosplay Info for Prejudging. The cosplay that is prejudged must be the same one presented in the Cosplay Masquerade.
II) Costume Eligibility: Craftsmanship is defined as “the skill and techniques used to make the cosplay.” Therefore, costumes that are mostly bought or ordered and unmodified ARE NOT eligible for this contest. Extensively modifying store bought or ordered material is permissible.
- If you were not involved in the creation of your costume, (i.e. a seamstress made it for you or you ordered it online), then your costume is NOT eligible for the contest. However, someone helping you or teaching you to make the costume is permissible.
- If you have someone extensively help you (e.g. made 50% or more of the costume), please have them present at the pre-judging so that they are present to discuss the costume as well.
- If your Costume was designed and made by someone else, and they would like to enter it with you being the model that is permissible as well. Should this entry win an award, the designer will get the prize.
- Failure to maintain complete honesty in how the costume was made, even in a previous contest, will result in your immediate disqualification from the contest, prohibition from entry in any future Genericon Cosplay Contests, and further action as necessary.
III) Judging Process: The judging process will be as follows.
- A panel of three judges who have extensive experience in Cosplay shall be chosen by the Cosplay Coordinator(s). The Cosplay Contest Coordinator, should one exist, will be one of the three judges.
- You will be allowed to present and discuss your cosplay (e.g. favorite part, most difficult part, techniques used, design choices/modifications, etc.) and the judges will ask any questions they deem relevant to judging.
- The judges will remain unbiased when judging cosplays. If, for any reason, a judge feels unable judge a cosplay in a fair and unbiased manner (e.g. because of a current or former relationship, or they helped to make the cosplay, etc.), they are expected to voluntarily abstain from the judging process for that cosplay.
- If a judge abstains from the judging process for this reason, they may not comment or ask questions or in any other meaningful way participate in the judging of that cosplay.
- In this case, the average score for each category of the other judges will be entered in place of the abstaining judge’s score.
- After the contestant presents the cosplay, and leaves the judging room, the Judges will have up to five (5) minutes to discuss the cosplay. Each Judge will then independently award points for the cosplay without further input from the other Judges.
IV) Judging Criteria: The criteria for the Craftsmanship Contest is as follows.
- Judging will be divided into four categories: Quality, Accuracy, Creativity/Artistry, and Prop/Weapon (if applicable).
- Quality refers to how well crafted and put together the cosplay is. This includes things like quality of materials used (paper mache vs worbla plastic), the overall appearance (Spiderman suit before and after Iron man’s modifications), neatness of stitchwork/seams, etc. Bonus points may be awarded for exceptional craftsmanship.
- Accuracy refers to how faithfully you have reproduced the character in real life based of the reference pictures provided. This takes into consideration makeup, hair, props/weapons, overall appearance, etc. Bonus points may be awarded for being “in character” and presenting/acting as if that character would.
- Creativity/Artistry refers to how innovatively and artistically various techniques were incorporated into the cosplay. This takes into account how the cosplay was made, which techniques were used to make the cosplay, and how innovatively they were integrated into the finished product. Bonus points may be awarded for exceptional creativity and/or exceptionally difficult/impressive techniques.
- Prop/Weapon (if applicable) refers to the quality, accuracy, creativity, and artistry of the prop or weapon. Bonus points may be awarded for exceptional props/weapons. This category will not be included in the overall score and is only used to determine the winner of the “Best Prop/Weapon” Prize. However, if you bring a prop/weapon, it may be considered when scoring points for the other three categories.
- Points for Quality, Accuracy, Creativity/Artistry: Each Judge may independently award up to ten (10) points for the categories of Quality, Accuracy, and Creativity/Artistry for a total of thirty (30) points.
- The total overall score will be the total summation of each judge’s scores for the categories of Quality, Accuracy, and Creativity/Artistry for a total of ninety (90) points.
- After all Craftsmanship entries have been judged, the judges will review all entries and by unanimous consensus, may then award up to ten (10) bonus points to exceptional cosplays for a maximum total overall score of one hundred (100) points.
- All judges must agree to award bonus points or no bonus points will be awarded.
- All judges must agree to the amount of bonus points to award, not to exceed ten (10) points, or no bonus points will be awarded.
- If a judge abstained from judging a cosplay, the remaining judges will determine how many bonus points, if any, to award.
- Points for Prop/Weapon (if applicable): Each Judge may independently award up to fifteen (15) points for this category, which will NOT be included in the overall total.
- The total overall score for this category will be the total summation of each judge’s scores for the category for a total of forty-five (45) points.
- After all Craftsmanship entries have been judged, the judges will review all entries and by unanimous consensus, may then award up to five (5) bonus points to exceptional props/weapons for a maximum total overall score of fifty (50) points.
- All judges must agree to award bonus points or no bonus points will be awarded .
- All judges must agree to the amount of bonus points to award, not to exceed five (5) points, or no bonus points will be awarded.
- If a judge abstained from judging a cosplay, the remaining judges will determine how many bonus points, if any, to award.
- These points/scores will be recorded and compiled along with any notes and critiques the judges have for you. If you wish to receive your compiled overall score and any comments, please see a Staff member at Cosplay Info before the end of the Convention on Sunday. We cannot guarantee the return of these scores and comments after the convention has ended. Please plan accordingly.
V) Selection of Craftsmanship Winners: Depending on the number of entrants in each Division, there will be nine (9) prizes for the Craftsmanship Contest: Best in Division (Youth, Novice, Journeyman, Master), Best in Show, 3x Judge’s Choice, and Best Prop/Weapon. The number of prizes available may change dependent on the number of contestants in each division. Winners for these prizes shall be selected as follows.
- The entry with the highest total overall score within each Division shall win first place in that Division. If there is a tie, the judges shall discuss and make a determination. This decision is FINAL.
- The “Best in Show” winner shall be selected among the the top five (5) highest-scoring entries in each division. The judges shall discuss and make a determination. This decision is FINAL.
- Each Judge will choose their favorite Craftsmanship entry for their “Judge’s Choice” prize.
- The “Best Prop/Weapon” winner shall be selected among the the top five (5) highest-scoring entries in each Division for this category. The judges shall discuss and make a determination. This decision is FINAL.
- Prizes MUST be claimed in person at the Awards Ceremony following the Cosplay Masquerade.
- A single contestant may not win more than one (1) prize for the Cosplay Craftsmanship Contest. The judges will discuss any ambiguous situations and make a determination. That decision is FINAL.
- Runner-ups may be chosen and announced, but are not guaranteed prizes.
If you have any further questions, please see a staff member at Cosplay Info or contact the Cosplay Coordinators. Thank you for your cooperation, and we hope you enjoy Genericon!!!