This is not a tutorial I thought I’d be writing, but here we are. With the surge of new events that host cosplay competitions, I am disappointed. Massively.
Why? Because they claim to be “beginner-friendly”. And why do they claim that? Because they have no rules. And let me tell you: that’s not the way to make it beginner-friendly.
If you agree, skip this part. I’m going to explain/rant why this is untrue.
Let’s grab an example. Since I am Dutch, I’ll use kid’s football to help me explain. If you are a child and your parents decide that you are going to play football, you’ll be put in a children’s tournament group. You’ll play against others your age. This is a true beginner’s competiton:
- People with the same amount of experience play against each other. These are children with no “real” soccer experience. Maybe they kicked the ball in the garden with their dad, but probably not much more.
- There are basic rules, but they still resemble soccer: smaller playing field and less play time to accomodate the children. However the same rules on how to win the game apply. They have a goal (Ha! No, okay, this is a bad joke.) to work towards to and can get advice on how to get there.
- The rules also help to shut up over-excited parents who think their kid is the next van Basten. We all hate to see those people.
So for a beginner cosplay competition, I’d go for something with those points in mind. Hypothetically something like this:
- People with the same amount of experience: 1 to 5 years of cosplay making experience. If working with textiles or in a workshop, they maybe should give a heads-up. Then the organiser has the choice to bump them up a level due to experience.
- Be very clear with the rules. It will be multiple pages, probably. But since this is crafting, you’ll need to consider a lot. Eg:
Will you add in pattern making as a skill to be judged? Or can the contestants buy sewing patterns without a deduction? Same goes for armor patterns, .stl files, machine embroidery files, hobby plotter files, silicone molds, etc.
How do you count 80% self-made versus 20% bought? Do alterations adjust these percentages? What parts MUST be self-made? Is underwear and/or other understructures included in this? And if a cosplayer made more than 80% themselves, do they get more points and if so, how many? Or would that bump them up to a different category? - The rules can now also be used as a “shut up” to the over-excited internet audience who was cheering for their fav cosplayer who didn’t win. You don’t have to show the scores. Just point them to the rules and that the judges decided on those. There was thought and deliberation in the judging process and that the winner simply scored more points based on the rules. We all hate to see those people.
There is no use for a creative person to enter in a competition with no rules. For a child playing soccer, this doesn’t matter much. It’s likely the parents that chose a hobby for them. But the rules are a framework. Something that can be used for judging and feedback! If you want to grow, which SHOULD BE THE POINT of beginner-friendly competitions, you NEED RULES. Judges can’t decide a real winner, if there are no rules. They can only say someone’s vibes were the best that day. Hooray! They won! And learned nothing… A waste of time. (And even worse for those who entered, but didn’t win. They lost time that they could have used networking, enjoying the event or taking pictures.) By making the rules extremely clear, the feedback quality gets better and contestants can improve!
You might think: “Amirine, you have been cosplaying for years and entered competitions often. Why is this a big deal to you?” Multiple reasons.
I am a crafter, it is a passion. And one I would like to share. But finding new crafting cosplayers is difficult and bad competitions are part of the problem. Beginner crafters lose to a bought costume, or someone who just was funny and then get no feedback on what they could have done differently to grow. There is no feedback and they just leave.
But I also have a degree in Event management and Communication/Marketing. AND HOO BOY. It is a bad look to be like “Join the competition, it’s beginner-friendly!” and then reading there are no rules. What can beginners expect? They are new! They are nervous! They NEED INFORMATION. And what is information? Rules! The framework of your competition. Don’t go crying on socials or extend your entry period for the competition multiple times, if you don’t provide information to would-be participants for a competition. It’s Communication!
Okay, rant over (I hope, I’ll try my best!)
So what does a beginner cosplay competition need?
- Rules: on all kinds of things. Self-made outfits only? What sources are allowed? How much has to be self-made? How to prove a participant made their outfit? This is the framework for any entry in a competition.
- Information on side-requirements: are build-books a must? If you want participants to submit audio, how long should it be? Do they need to refrain from certain things? Are stage props allowed and if so, what are the limitations? Do participants have to submit a lightplan? And if so, in what way? How much time does everyone get on the stage?
- A schedule: if you want participants to actually show up, make sure they know when and where they have to be. And let them know even before they sign-up. This is a way to reduce sign-ups of people who can’t make it in the end.
- What will the event provide: will there be back-stage snacks and water to make sure participants don’t faint? What does the stage look like? Is there a back-stage area and what facilities does it have?
- Feedback: and it’d be best to have the participants sit down with the judges after the competition to talk about their entry and have the judges give feedback in person. If participants have to chase the judges online, feedback gets lost. (I have had this happen, multiple times and I wanna grow, so this sucks.) I know this is an annoyance for the judges, but in person feedback is easier to handle than written (online) feedback, because people look each other in the eye and can provide useful pointers to help each other grow. If there truly is no option for in person feedback, make sure to have judging forms that are uniform across your competition and give the judges a bit of time to write down useful feedback for the participants.
Look, these are all points I have seen MISSED in the years I have been cosplaying. When I organised competitions I made sure everyone knew all these points. If you REALLY want to go no-rules, don’t complain about low attandance. You can try making up categories, so people have an idea of why they won something, but that still says nothing much.
And no, I did not mention prizes for a reason. A title and feedback that helps a beginner grow are PLENTY for a beginner competition. Of course, it’s better to also provide them with a gift card or some materials to try their feedback on. But those go to waste without good feedback.
Amirine rant over. Please, if you organise a competition, take these words to heart. Or shoot me a message for help. I might even help you for free. Yes, that’s how annoyed I am.