Making your Artificer, Adventurer, or Bard application shine.

With experience classes being introduced to the MegaCon Live Masquerades, we wanted to go over how to make your Artificer, Adventurer, or Bard application stand out!

If you want to learn more about why we’ve introduced experience classes to the competition, and what the three experience classes are, check out these two posts!

A strong application is important if you want to compete; the stronger your application, the more likely you are to secure a spot, even if the class is over-subscribed.

General advice.

Before we dive into the nitty-gritty of what to expect on the application, we’ve got a couple of nuggets of general advice. If you don’t plan on reading the whole blog, read this section at least!

Details are the key to a complete application. We only know what you tell us, so please tell us everything you can think of relating to your cosplay and masquerade entry. Be personal, thorough, and informative in your application.

Applications are reviewed as a batch after the closing date, not as they come in, so take your time with the application. After you submit your application, you’ll get an email with a link that will allow you to make edits to your application up until the form closes.

Applications are open for a set period and will be reviewed in batches. Once closed, applications will move to waitlist mode and spots from the waitlist will be given out as they become available.

Eligibility Questions

First, let’s cover classes. At the start of the application, there will be some questions to help figure out which class suits you best. We’ve introduced experience classes to help entrants compete against cosplayers at a similar level to themselves, so entering in the right class is important.

We’ll want to know how much of your cosplay you’ve made (check out this blog to learn more about calculating percent made), your age range, and which class you feel suits you best.

Beyond the base requirements for each class, you’ll also want to consider your experience to figure out which class suits you best. There will be a selection of tick boxes where you’ll pick the statements that apply best to you.

If you have won a major cosplay award before, or have professional experience in training, costuming or performance, you’ll need to fill in a box explaining in more detail why you have selected those boxes.

Guild tip: ‘Professional experience’ can have many definitions. If you accept commissions, have a degree related to costuming, or have worked professionally as a costumer, then you should definitely be entering in the Artificer class.

A note on Performance

While the Bard class is specifically designed around the performance aspect of Masquerades, Artificer and Adventurer do both take performance into account for the scoring of the Best in Show and Best Adventurer awards. All entrants are encouraged to plan a performance to go along with their entry.

Artificers and Adventurers may enter with a walk-on style performance for the stage element of the show. Bard class entrants are required to have a performance plan that goes beyond a walk-on style entry, and this class is specifically reserved for cosplayers who have not made 50% or more of their cosplay. If you have made 50% or more of your cosplay, you should enter in the Adventurer or Artificer class. This is because our Bard class fills up quickly and has limited spots.

Guild tip: The Cosplay Showcase is a non-competitive showcase that is a walk-on style event. You can sign up on the day! If you’re interested in performing but don’t want to compete, or want more than 2 minutes on stage, then a performance spot at the Performance Square may be the best fit! Applications for the Performance Square are handled by the MegaCon content department.

About You

The next section will cover information about you and the character you are cosplaying. Make sure the information in this section is correct, especially your email address, as this is how we will contact you about your application.

We’ll want to know your preferred name, the character your cosplaying, and what series or media the cosplay is from. Original characters, concepts, and designs are welcome, and we’ll ask if your cosplay is an original concept/design, a gijinka, or a human representation of a non-human character. Cosplays that fit any of those are typically judged on creativity rather than accuracy.

Bard class isn’t a pre-judged class, so you’ll be solely judged on Performance and how your performance relates to the character you are cosplaying.

If you are entering as a group, you’ll need to make sure you have someone in the group designated as the main point of contact. That point of contact person should fill out their information first and then each of the group members in the appropriate boxes. Group entries only fill out one application for the entire group.

About your Cosplay

For Artificers and Adventurers (Bards, feel free to skip this section, we just need a breakdown of what has been made, modified or bought from Bards!), we’ll also need to know about your cosplay. This is arguably the most important aspect of your application so take your time, and be thorough. You’ll be needing to link a folder that has WIP photos and references in this section, as well as write about the cosplay you are entering.

For reference photos, you’ll need to upload a minimum of three and a maximum of 6. These should be high quality and in colour, and ideally show the front, back and side(s) of the costume If you are cosplaying an original character, concept, or design, please upload concept sketches or images of what inspired the cosplay. Check out this Behind the Curtain column about original characters for some more ideas on references.

We’ll also want to see five work in progress (WIP) photos of the cosplay you are entering. This is so we know roughly were you are at in the build. You don’t have to be 100% done with the build at the time of applying. If it’s complete at the time of applying (and bravo if it is! That is some seriously impressive planning) then upload some WIP photos from the build process. As with the reference photos, ideally these photos should show the front, back and side(s) of the cosplay.

These WIP photos and Reference photos should be shared via an online drive with view permissions turned on, such as Google Drive, One Drive, or another online folder-sharing system that doesn’t require our team to download files. Below is an example of the structure this folder should follow, and you can find more detailed instructions and an example folder here!

You can take photos of the cosplay on you, a helper or a mannequin. Try and make these high-quality photos and if a friend can help you take the photos that might be helpful.

We recommend being about 60%-70% done with your cosplay by the time you apply. If your class is over-subscribed, we will be select the applications that are most complete, including whose cosplays are closet to done.

Next, you should be ready to list the items making up your cosplay, and which pieces are made, bought and modified. Remember, Artificers must have made at least 80% of their cosplay to qualify for this category. This section is to help us confirm that you have made at least 80% of the cosplay. Be honest and straightforward about what you have and haven’t made – remember, our judges can always tell.

If you’re struggling to figure out what percent you made, check out this blog about determining how much is made.

Groups will need to upload references and WIP photos for each person in the group, and separate the WIP and Reference photos by person within the shared drive.

We’ll also want to know about the inspiration behind your costumes and why you’ve chosen to build this cosplay. This is a chance for you to connect with the judges before the day, and share your passion for the cosplay you are entering. Groups should answer this question together.

If you haven’t finished your cosplay by the time you are applying, we’ll also be asking you what you have left to complete. This question not only helps us select applications in case there are not enough spots for the number of entries, but is a good prompt for you to pause and consider if you can finish your cosplay build before the competition.

It doesn’t help anyone for you to enter a cosplay that you’ve had to rush, so if you have a lot left to do, really consider if you’ll be able to complete the cosplay by the time of the competition when you are applying.

About Your Performance

The MegaCon Live masquerades weighs performance at 30% for the Best in Show award, and Best Bard is 100% performance, so you should be thinking carefully about what you’re going to do on stage.

Think about what kind of performance you’re doing, and how it fits into one of the following categories:

• Walk on + pose or choreographed walk on (30 second time limit)
• Recreating a dramatic scene
• Singing or lip-syncing a song
• A short comical performance or ‘skit’
• A choreographed fight scene
• A dance routine or movement piece
• A skill or costume driven performance

If you want to learn more about different types of cosplay performances check out our blog here! Remember that Bards cannot enter with a walk on style performance.

Even if you exact audio isn’t ready yet, we still need to know the approximate duration of your planned performance. The maximum limit is 2 minutes, with 30 seconds for walk-ons. Remember, 2 minutes is the limit not the goal. The sweet spot for performances tend to be around 90 seconds long.

When describing your stage performance, give us as much detail as possible. Tell us if you’ll begin by walking on stage, or already in position on stage. Do you plan to use any stage props or set pieces? Will you be using a stage ninja in your performance? Talk about how your performance relates to your character, and any other information that would be useful for us to know.

Think of it like a pitch, the more info we have about your performance the more complete your application is considered.

Guild tip: Are you planning a walk-on performance? Make sure your performance description is still detailed. Instead of ‘I’ll walk across the stage and do a handful of character poses.’ Try something like ‘I’ll spend 30 seconds onstage, and have 3 character poses planned. My first pose demonstrates the character’s action side, with my gun pointed to the audience. The second pose shares the character’s vulnerability, and the third pose is a cocky dance move. I’ll fluidly move between the poses, staying in character as I make my way across the stage.’ You can even go into detail about why you selected the audio, and how it fits with the themes or narrative of your character.

Curious about what stage ninjas are and how you can utilize one? Check out this blog post!

There will also be an option to upload sample audio work (you don’t have to have your finished audio ready to go just yet!), and link to stage plans, blocking diagrams, examples of previous performances, or the script for your audio. This is a great way to give us even more info about your performance.

During pre-check we’ll have more questions about your tech requests, but keep the following technical limitations in mind when planning your performance:

• Up to two live microphones are available, but we don’t have mic stands
• We cannot provide props or set elements, but you are able to bring set elements and store them in the cosplay cloak room free of charge.
• Light requests can be put in, but are not guaranteed, typically we have the ability to control the lighting levels but not much else. Colored lighting, spotlights, and flashing or strobing effects are not an option.
• There is a screen that can be utilized, at our London, Dublin and Birmingham shows these screens are to the side of the stage, but at the Manchester show the screen is behind the stage.
  • At pre-check if you want to utilize the screen you’ll need to upload an MP4 file, recommended dimensions are 1920×1080 pixels.
  • You will still need to upload an audio file as an MP3 to be used as a back-up in case there is an issue with the screen. This MP3 can be a different audio than the MP4 if the audio requirements are different depending on screen availability.

For more tips on audio editing, read our blog post here, and to learn the difference between MP3 and MP4 files, read this one.

And finally…

Don’t let the application process scare you! We are so excited to see all of our entrants this year, and can’t wait to learn all about your proposed entry. Be thorough, informative, and show us how much you care about your character and your performance. You’ll be able to edit and add to your application all the way up to your application being approved – so take your time!

As always – if you have any questions, please do email us at guildofnerdscosplay@gmail.com