Whether you’re joining us for MegaCon Live London this weekend or just planning in advance for your next competition, the time you spend in pre-judging is just as important as your stage time, if not more! Make sure you’re prepared for the first judged part of your competition day.
What is pre-judging?
In any competition that involves a craftsmanship element, before you step on stage, you’ll show your costumes to the judges in a private space. You’ll have a set amount of time, usually 3-5 minutes, to talk through your craftsmanship and inspirations, show the judges all the exciting things you can’t see just from a quick look at your costume, and tell them all about the work that went into it. The judges may ask to touch your costume, ask questions about different construction techniques, and make notes during this time.
Pre-judging can sound scary, but it’s actually an incredibly positive environment: you made this costume, and no one else knows it or can talk about it like you. You’re literally the best person for the job! The judges are excited and interested in your work; they want to know what you have to say about it. You have a captive audience, and you get to talk about your beautiful creation with no interruptions! Try to enjoy it!
Before pre-judging
- Double-check how long you have for pre-judging so you can practice keeping to time. Pre-judging is timed to the second to ensure that everyone can make it through before the show, so you might be stopped mid-sentence if you overrun.
- Prepare what you’re going to say in advance and rehearse it like a script:
- You don’t need to go into specifics, eg. exactly what milimetre foam you used. ‘I used EVA foam is enough’, unless there’s a really specific reason for the detail, eg. for depth and dimension.
- Similarly, you don’t need to tell the judges how long each piece took – each person works at a different pace, so number of hours spent doesn’t really mean anything, and wastes precious time.
- Remember to break down all of your techniques, eg. embroidery isn’t just ’embroidery’, it’s a combination of stitches and materials.
- When putting together your progress book, use a full-page reference photo as the cover or the first page. Walk into the judging room with that reference presented, and hand it to the judges, so they can immediately look at your accuracy.
Guild tip: Every competition will have multiple judges, but you only need to bring one copy of your progress book. The judges will keep hold of this and refer to it during their judging period.
During pre-judging
- The judges want to touch your costume, to flip your hems, and see the underside of pieces. They will not touch your body, only your costume, but if you’re uncomfortable with that, please communicate it.
- Speak slowly and clearly. When you’re excited and knowledgable about something it’s very easy to rush your words. You don’t want the judges to miss a thing, so be sure to speak at a measured pace for the duration of the judging session.
- Some judges will put on a blank face and give you no expression to suggest how they feel; others will smile their way through prejudging. Every judge is different, so don’t be thrown if their approach is different to what you’re used to or expecting.
- Try to leave 30 seconds at the end of your session to answer any questions the judges may want to ask.
Guild tip: If you struggle, or forget your words, during pre-judging, think ‘Heads, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes’, and talk about your costume starting from the top and working your way down – it’s a good way to catch everything, and gives you a visual stimulus. Talk about what you’re looking at!
After pre-judging
- It’s completely normal to leave the room and immediately remember something that you forgot to mention. Try not to kick yourself about it, everyone does it.
- Double-check with the competition administrators what time and where you need to be back to line up for the stage portion of the show.
- Listen to your performance audio again, but only once; think of it as a final reminder of the next thing you need to do in that costume, not as a chance to rehearse.
- Take a deep breath, have a drink and a sit down – you’ve earned it!
Guild tip: What happens in pre-judging is confidential, and will never be shared outside the judging room. You can ask for feedback on your work and your performance, but you won’t receive your specific ‘points’ score.
Good luck with your pre-judging session – then we’ll see you on stage!
