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Paper Faces on Parade: Masquerade Survival Guide

Paper Faces on Parade: Masquerade Survival Guide

 

Article by: Geek Girl Lily Spitfyre
Not everyone wants their time in the limelight, but cosplayers tend to be an attention-seeking bunch. After all, they put weeks (months, in some cases) worth of work into their costumes and enjoy showing them off. For the most hardcore, there are Masquerades, or cosplay competitions. Entries range from novice to master, but even first time entrants can produce astounding work.

So you think you want to try your hand at competing? Here are the top ten baby steps to get you through that nerve-wracking experience!

10) Plan your outfit – Many costumes that are excellent for walking around the hall simply don’t have enough “wow” to enter competitions. Now’s the time to bring out that outfit with the large, complicated props or the incredibly detailed armor. You want to showcase your talent and blow people away. Will you enter by yourself, or will you have a group of friends? Now’s the time to decide, get organized and get crafting.

Masquerade Survival Guide
Costume Contest at Wizard World 2012 (Iron Man won Best in Show)

9) Plan your entry – Many first-time entrants feel most comfortable (and less like a beauty pageant doll) simply doing a walk-on performance. This includes simply walking onstage, striking a few in-character poses, and walking off. Some people like to go all out however and include dancing, singing, acting or elaborate skits either alone or in a group. If you choose to go the latter route, make sure you finalize and prerecord any audio you may use during your performance. Most competitions don’t give out microphones, and it could be hard for the audience to hear you, so be prepared with any dialogue/singing prerecorded on an audio CD.

8) Sign up – Once you arrive at the convention, make sure you sign up as soon as possible! Many conventions have limited slots available for contestants, and they can fill up fast. Don’t forget to bring your prerecorded CD!

7) Bring your “cosplay emergency kit” – Murphy’s Law: If anything CAN go wrong, it WILL. Bring duct tape, double-sided tape, needles and thread, a hairbrush, hand mirror, makeup for touchups, water, snacks and something to amuse yourself like a book or handheld game. Generally, most backstage areas (called “green rooms”) will have a table stocked with emergency repair supplies. Don’t rely on those entirely however, they might lack exactly the right colour of thread or someone could make off with the only roll of tape!

6) Make sure you know where you’re going – If you have an assigned waiting area (or “den” as they’re usually called), make sure you know where it is! Talk to the staff and make sure you’ve been signed in properly. Usually that includes getting your entry number, checking into a den and getting a judges’ photo taken. If you want to enter your costume for workmanship judging, now is the time to track down the judges and wow them with the sturdiness and detailing that went into your hard-earned outfit.

Masquerade Survival Guide
Performance at Fan Expo 2011

5) Make DOUBLE sure every bit of your performance will go as planned – Got music? Make sure it will play properly. Have a few lines of dialogue before your go on? Make sure the master of ceremonies can pronounce your name! Check, double check and triple check everything that will be going on in your performance, even if you’re just doing a walk-on. Performance at Fan Expo 2011

4) Get to know your fellow competitors – After spending a whole day with friends and people you know well enough to literally glue you into your armor, it’s always exciting to get to know the other performers around you who you likely will have never met before. Usually, I’m the only one in my party to enter competitions, so I end up with 2+ hours waiting backstage without my friends. Now’s your chance to network, share “trade secrets” and make new friends!

3) Practice! – If there is time/room backstage, walk through your choreography or practice your dialogue a few times. It helps with nerves and you can get some good pointers from your fellow participants.

2) Get into character – About ten minutes before you’re slated to go up, take a moment to get into character. Recite some dialogue from your source material; listen to music that can get you in the mood to act possibly very far out of your normal comfort zone. It sounds corny now, but top entries all over North America not only look like their characters through hard work, but seem to embody them entirely.

Masquerade Survival Guide
Backstage at Anime North 2012

1) Relax and kick some butt! – Take a few deep breaths. Wish everyone luck, step into the limelight and enjoy the culmination of all your hard work! Everyone has a first time; so don’t worry how everyone else will fare. Just enjoy your night and make the most out of your masquerade experience.

- Geek Girl Lily Spitfyre - facebook

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June 27 2012



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