The UK is a small country- it makes sense that the UK cosplay community is relatively small in size. As such, you might find yourself entering a competition that someone you know is judging (or judging someone you know). What do you do in this situation?
Here’s some helpful tips for having fun and not worrying about your friends in this situation!
As a contestant:
DO post your progress on social media!
- Judges can only judge what is shown to them in pre-judging (in person and/or in a workbook) and on stage. This means that being mutuals with a judge (and them potentially seeing your progress on social media) has no bearing on the competition. This will mean they have to ignore things you forgot to include – don’t take the fact that they know you for granted, and be sure to present your costume as if they have never seen it (as that is how they will be treating the situation!)
- We’re happy for you to post stuff (and tag the @guildofnerds while you are at it!) because it’s fun to see what other people are working on! Cosplay is a community – showing progress and sharing techniques is part of that!
Guild Tip: Sharing your progress online is encouraged! And please tag @guildofnerds. Even if you are friends or mutuals with the judges. It’s the judges responsibility to maintain their own impartiality and that is handled differently by every judge. Trust the judges to regulate what they do and don’t engage with.
DON’T contact the judges about the competition.
- Any questions you have about the competition need to go to the organisers, the judges can’t help you. They are usually brought in just to judge, and don’t know the ins-and-outs of the admin.
- You can’t ask for advice from a judge because you know they’re judging, that’s not playing fair! Of course if you are friends with someone judging and they’ve offered you advice on something prior to them being selected as a judge, then that’s just friends talking and shouldn’t be taken in the same spirit.
Guild Tip: Questions, concerns etc can all be asked of the organisers, not the judges. The competition coordinator is the best point of contact for all queries.
As a judge:
DO remember to be impartial!
- Nothing you know about the costume outside of the judging room and the stage is relevant and therefore cannot be brought up or scored. If you know someone should have said something or shown something but didn’t, it’s now irrelevant. It can definitely be frustrating if your friends don’t do their work justice, but there’s nothing you can do about it except to give them feedback about it after the competition!
- There is no reason to unfollow or hide stories from friends who are entering unless you think you might not be able to recognise subconscious bias. In this case it’s on you as the judge to make sure you don’t see the stories!
DON’T be unfair!
- Ask the same questions of someone you know as someone you don’t know. Without meaning to, we can sometimes put friends at a disadvantage in prejudging because there’s a chance we know how something was made. Even if you know- if it’s a question you’d ask someone you don’t know then you ask it anyway! Your fellow judges probably won’t know as well.
- In the same vein, don’t wingman your friends – if it isn’t a question you’d ask someone you didn’t know, then don’t ask! Don’t bring something up just because you know how intricate it was, and don’t be a prompt machine for them.
For both sides –
DO be proud of your friends!
- For judges – it is possible to be a supportive friend and an impartial judge at the same time, and it is important for you as an individual to work out that balance!
- For contestants – there’s a lot of work involved in being a judge. Be proud of your friends and hype them up! You’re both going to have a good time!
You being judged by a friend is only weird if you make it weird! So relax, and do your best!
How can you support your friends who are judging-
Let me start this off by saying that the onus for impartiality is always on the friend that is judging.
However, there are considerations you can take into account to better support your friend who is judging!
Avoid asking your friend for advice, tips or tricks relating to you cosplay entry when entering a competition. Impartiality includes not giving out advice that could put one competitor above another, and you can support your friend who is judging by not going for them for advice and tips relating to your entry.
Community is an amazing part of Masquerades, and if you’re looking for advice, consider going to other competitors! Guild of Nerds has started running facebook groups for Masquerades we run that are only accessible by entrants and the competition coordinator, and these groups can be a great place to seek advice!
On the day of the competition, the dynamic between yourself and your friend may seem different. Don’t let this get in your head. Cosplay Competition judges have to be impartial, and balance friendliness with fairness. Being a judge also usually equals a busy schedule, so you likely won’t see your friend much outside of official judge-entrant interactions.
If you’re feeling nervous, worried, have stage fright or doubts on the day, your friend who is judging isn’t the best support person. If you don’t have other friends there with you to support you, remember that the non-judge Masquerade team can be a good place to find friendly faces and helpful tips.
While there are many ways to show some consideration to your friend who is judging, remember that each person has a unique judging approach and they know what they need to do to maintain their own impartiality. It’s on the judges to regulate what they engage with or don’t, but these are some small ways you can be considerate of your friend that they may appreciate.
