Costume Contest

Events Schedule >  Costume Contest

2010 METROCON Costume Contest

Thank you for showing interest in the 2010 METROCON Costume Contest! For the second year in a row we are excited to return as hosts to the Yume Cosplay Prize Regional Competition in partnership with New York Anime Festival and New York Comic Con! Here is everything you will need to know in order to qualify and compete.

Sign Up:

[Click here to download a Costume Contest entry form!]

*You will need a PDF reader such as Adobe Acrobat or CutePDF to fill it out as a form.

You may print one out and fill it out before hand, or pick one up at the convention. Online sign ups will be accepted by email starting June 1^st. Any entries sent in before that time will not be valid. Simply email your entry form to the Cosplay Events Coordinator at cosplay@animemetro.com with “2010 Metrocon Costume Contest Registration” as the subject. You will then be given an entry number, pre-judging time, and instructions for checking in at the convention.

At the convention, registration and signups for the Costume Contest will occur at the Cosplay Booth located upstairs. You may sign up on Friday from 10am to 6pm and Saturday from 10am to 5pm. (Or until we reach 75 entries)

Hours of Operation:

• Friday: 10am – 6pm

• Saturday: 10am – 5pm

There is a strict cap of 75 entries. After turning in your form, you will receive a number and a time to return for prejudging. Make arrangements to be on time accordingly. The earlier you register, the earlier your time will be.

IMPORTANT: You must arrive half an hour before the contest starts to lineup for the competition in the main events room. (At 3:00pm Sunday) The Costume Contest will take place on Sunday at 3:30pm.

Prejudging:

Saturday 10:00am - 2:00pm Panel Room 1-2
Sunday 10:00am - 2:00pm Panel Room 21

There are three judges at METROCON’s Costume Contest that will be examining your costume(s) up close and personal while comparing it to the reference photos you have available. You will also be asked a few questions about your costume.
Due to our limited time schedule we have a 3-minute time limit for prejudging. Our judges and staff will strictly enforce this. Planning out exactly what you want to say about your costume in advance can really help you during judging. If you’re worried about forgetting something or running out of time then a bulleted list of costume details that you can reference while being judged might be a good idea – and it can be left behind for the judges!

Costumes are judged by:

• Craftsmanship

• Cleanliness

• Creativity

• Accuracy

• Technical achievements

Reference and In Progress Photos:

These are not required but Highly Suggested. These will help the judges see the work you put into making your costume.
Props:
Props may be entered with your costume. You must present progress photos AND reference photos for your prop to qualify for an award.
Skill Levels: At METROCON these are how we divide skill levels.

• Youth: ages 12 and under.

• Novice: less than 2 Major awards. Honorable mentions and Judges awards don't count.

• Journeyman: 2-5 Major awards. Never received a Best In Show or Best Journeyman award at METROCON.

• Masters: 5+ Major awards or has received a Best In Show or Best Journeyman award at METROCON.

If you are unsure of your skill level feel free to ask a member of Cosplay Staff at the Cosplay Booth when you sign up and they can help you figure out what level you should enter at! Or send an email to the Cosplay Events Coordinator prior to the convention.

Models:
If you are using a model for your costume, you and your model must be present for the prejudging. However, you do not have to walk on stage with your model during the catwalk style presentation.

Handlers:
You may use handlers for your costume if it is too big or cumbersome to walk on stage with. If you do not have a handler, we may be able to provide one for you. Please let us know when you register if a handler is needed, as well as the name of your handler so they may be allowed back stage and through pre-judging with you.

Stage Presentation:
You will have 15 seconds on stage. We have a catwalk style stage so prepare your best Runway strut. Make sure to do one or two quick poses before you leave the stage so everyone can see your costume!

Awards will be given in the following categories:

• BEST IN SHOW

• BEST MASTERS

• BEST JOURNEYMAN

• BEST NOVICE

• BEST GROUP

• BEST PROP

• BEST CRAFTSMANSHIP/TECHNICAL

• BEST CHARACTER LIKENESS

• BEST JUNIOR (kids 12 and under)

• JUDGES AWARDS

In addition, one team of two cosplayers will be chosen as the Yume Cosplay Prize Regional Winners!
Yume Cosplay Prize Regional Competition Information:

By entering the 2010 METROCON Costume Contest you also have a chance to compete in teams of two for the Yume Cosplay Prize Regional Competition! Only 30 pairs get to go to the finals in New York City, and only one dynamic duo of those 30 will be chosen at METROCON! If you are chosen as METROCON's winner, your airfare and hotel to New York Anime Festival will be provided by METROCON.

If you wish to compete, simply mark it on your entry form!
Eligibility Requirements:

1. Costumes MUST be made by the wearer or a member of their group.

2. Contestants MUST enter as teams of two.*

3. Contestants MUST be 18 or older as of October 9, 2010.

4. Contestants MUST be citizens or legal residents of the US or Canada.

5. Contestants MUST have valid Passports.

6. Contestants MUST be available to travel to NYC from Oct. 8-10, 2010.

7. Contestants MUST be available to travel to Japan in March 2011.

*You may enter as a larger group but only two members can win the Yume Cosplay Prize Regional. You'd definitely want to designate which two people ahead of time, then just make a note of it on your entry form and also inform the judges during prejudging. If the winning team is chosen from your group then it wont disqualify you from winning other awards and vice versa. So for example if the judges decide your group should win something like Best Craftsmanship then your designated team can still win the Yume Prize.

What is the Yume Cosplay Prize?

The Yume Cosplay Prize is a competition that judges stage performance and craftsmanship. "Yume" is the Japanese word for "dream," it is surely a dream come true, as the grand prize is a week-long trip to Japan! This includes: two economy-class tickets to and from Japan, a five-night stay in a double room at a Tokyo hotel, two VIP tickets to Japan's Anime Fair's Public Days, and $1,000 spending money! A cosplayer's dream come true, indeed!

It is an honor for METROCON to play host for this Regional Competition, and it is a testament of the caliber of cosplayers that attend METROCON are of the best quality! For more information about the Yume Cosplay Prize and New York Anime Festival please visit their website: http://www.newyorkanimefestival.com/en/Events/Masquerade/

*In the New York City Finals, all osplay teams are judged in the following categories - Craftsmanship (10 points), Stage Performance (10 points), Professionalism (5 points).

If you have any questions feel free to email the Cosplay Events Coordinator at cosplay@animemetro.com!

Rules and Regulations:

1. All costumes cannot exceed a PG13 rating. This is a family convention.

2. Weapons and props must follow METROCON’s weapon policy.

3. Please bring reference photos to show the judges. They are not required to participate but are strongly encouraged, especially for obscure costumes.

4. Please bring at least 1 in progress photo to show the judges.† They are not required but are strongly encouraged.

5. Props MUST have in progress photos and reference images in order to be registered and judged.

6. You must have made at least 75% of your costume to compete. In groups, all costumes must be at least 50% made by one or more of the members in the group.

7. Group limit is 15. No exceptions.

8. The cap off for contestants will be 75 entries.

9. Anyone ages 12 and under will be judged as a junior, unless they’re part of a group.

10. The judges’ decisions are final.

11. Do not lie to or mislead the judges. If you are caught lying to the judges for any reason, you will be disqualified.

12. You can only enter ONE costume and/or prop (and the prop must be part of the entered costume). If you want to enter as Edward Elric but you made your friend a staff for their Sailor Pluto costume, they cannot have the prop judged. If you want to enter in your Sora costume but also want to enter your Cloud costume, you cannot have someone else model the Cloud costume. The only exception to this is if you’re all entered in a group. If, for instance, you made all 5 sailor scout uniforms and you and your friends entered as a group that would be allowed.

FAQs:

I want to do backflips and stuff on stage! It would be cool!
NO. All that is done during the presentation is walking and posing.

Even with a handler, I can’t go up stairs with my costume or because of other reasons. What do I do?/em>
If this is the case, you will be allowed to walk in front of the stage or next to it.

My reference photo/in progress photo is on my cell phone, is that okay?
As long as you have it ready for the judges and it is a clear photo, it’s okay. Figures, manga, playing cards, etc. are also acceptable. Also, color images are preferred for accuracy judging.

I’m late for my time block, so can I go in now that I’m here?
No, you must wait until the LAST 30 minutes of prejudging to be judged. This also goes for groups-the ENTIRE group must be present at the time block.

I was judged, but I missed line up and the stage presentation began. Can I still go on?/em>
If you miss lineup, you’re disqualified. We cannot hold off the show or rearrange entries due to one late entry. Also all members of a group must be present.

Our group was judged, but we found two more people and want them in our group!
Once you’re group is judged, you cannot add or subtract members.

Someone got the MC Award and another award! That’s not fair!/em>
Actually, it is. The winner of the MC Award is chosen by the MC of the costume contest and has no affiliation with the judges’ decisions.

I’m going to enter my prop and get it approved by the con later./em>
Unless you prop is registered, it cannot be entered, even if you have in progress photos. You must have a registration sticker on your prop. If you need your prop registered, please take it to the registration area and they will take care of it for you.

I don’t have my badge yet. I’ll get it after prejudging./em>
Unless you have your official METROCON badge on your person, you cannot register. This also goes for group entries, handlers, and models. Every person involved in the contest must have a badge.

I found a handler after I was judged. Can they come with me to the stage presentation?
Yes. Please inform the members of the costume contest IMMEDIATELY if you do.

I’m wearing a few costumes this weekend, and I don’t know which to compete!/em>
TThis year, choose your favorite or the one you’re most proud of for the contest.

I want to throw some really cool stuff out into the audience or to the guests.
We do not allow object to be thrown from the stage.† This includes anything that might hurt people or damage the stage or carpeting: liquids, silly string, hard candies, and other cosplayers.There was only a limited amount of people who could participate in the Costume Contest at TROCON and I didn't get signed up in time at the convention. What can I do?
We're sorry, but there’s a limit to the amount of contestants we can have in the contest as in we have a limited amount of time. If you didn't get in, please try again next year or sign up to perform you skit at another convention.