Science Fiction, Fantasy & Fandom Masquerade

“It is known that there are an infinite number of worlds, simply because there is an infinite amount of space for them to be in. However, not every one of them is inhabited. Therefore, there must be a finite number of inhabited worlds. Any finite number divided by infinity is as near to nothing as makes no odds, so the average population of all the planets in the Universe can be said to be zero. From this it follows that the population of the whole Universe is also zero, and that any people you may meet from time to time are merely the products of a deranged imagination.”

Douglas Adams, The Restaurant at the End of the Universe

Video

Videography provided by Eric Cannon of Rare Recorded Videos. Please email rrvorders@yahoo.com for more information and ordering.

Photos

CC42 Official Photography provided by Underhill Imagery. Photos require 3-6 weeks processing time and are estimated to be available late April/early May.

About the SFFF Masquerade…

The rules for the Science Fiction & Fantasy Masquerade generally follow the International Costumers’ Guild Guidelines for Ensuring Fair Competition. While our rules are similar to those for other masquerades, they are not identical. When in doubt, ask the Masquerade Director.

The SFFF Masquerade is a staged show where costume entries are presented before an audience and a panel of judges. These presentations may take the form of fashion walks or brief theatrical vignettes/skits. Costumes may be original designs, or re-creations, or anything in between and beyond. The judges deliberate and then announce awards for the winning entries. Awards may be made for a variety of criteria. The SFFF Masquerade will take place on Saturday, March 30, 2024 at 7pm.

The SFFF Masquerade actively encourages the re-creation of costumes from media and art. Sources may include but are not by any means limited to costumes depicted in television or film (whether live‐action or animated), video games, two‐dimensional art (illustrations, cover‐art, or photographs), or three‐dimensional art (sculpture, existing garments, or even such esoteric sources as toys). Original designs, inspired-by, and replica costumes are all enthusiastically encouraged! Note that creating a costume based on a textual description with no visual representation is considered an original design based on or inspired by a literary work, not a re-creation, as there is no visual reference to recreate.

What does the SFFF look like? Visit the Costume-Con Visual Gallery to browse photos from past Costume-Con Masquerades.

Questions about the SFFF can be sent to the Director, Maral, at scififantasy@costumecon42.org.

Safety & Security Policies

All entrants must possess a CC42 membership valid for DATE to participate.
All entrants must abide by the CC42 and Shiny Garden convention policies while on convention premises. costumecon42.org/policies
Costumes and props must abide by all facility regulations, as well as local and federal laws.
Costumes may not contain or display elements that disparage, harass, or attack any person, gender, gender presentation, pronoun choice, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, ethnicity, national origin, language, culture, religion, age, or affiliation.
Costumes may not represent any national or international tragedies.
Costumes must adhere to local decency laws. In practical terms, this means “bikini areas” must be covered at all times for all genders. Footwear is required on convention premises.
No real weapons (including but not limited to firearms), even if you have a permit or a license, are permitted on convention premises. No live steel (aka blades of metal that can take an edge), projectiles, or realistic-appearing firearms. No liquids, aerosols, Silly String, or projectile foam.
Props resembling futuristic or fantasy weapons, boffers, or oversize objects are allowed provided they are not handled in a careless, threatening, or destructive manner against persons or property.
No pyrotechnics or any other sorts of open flame are allowed, including flash powder or flash paper, nor any potentially dangerous lighting effects such as strobe lights or lasers (including handheld laser pointers). This also includes fog or smoke machines whose effects might cause problems for other contestants or the audience.

Failure to comply with these policies and/or the instructions of staff or security personnel may result in immediate removal from the convention without refund.

Photo & AV Policy

By entering the event premises, you consent to interview(s), photography, audio recording, video recording and its/their release, publication, exhibition, or reproduction to be used for news, web casts, promotional purposes, telecasts, advertising, inclusion on websites, social media, or any other purpose by Shiny Garden and its affiliates and representatives. Images, photos and/or videos may be used to promote similar Shiny Garden events in the future, highlight the event and exhibit the capabilities of Shiny Garden.

By registering for the event, you release Shiny Garden, its officers and employees, and each and all persons involved from any liability connected with the taking, recording, digitizing, or publication and use of interviews, photographs, computer images, video and/or sound recordings. By entering the event premises, you waive all rights you may have to any claims for payment of royalties in connection with any use, exhibition, streaming, webcasting, televising, or other publication of these materials, regardless of the purpose or sponsoring of such use, exhibiting, broadcasting, webcasting, or other publication irrespective of whether a fee for admission or sponsorship is charged. You also waive any right to inspect or approve any photo, video, or audio recording taken by Shiny Garden or the person or entity designated to do so by Shiny Garden.

Review the ICG Masquerade Guidelines for information on skill levels, divisions, and participation.

Eligibility

Purchased “complete” and rented costumes may not be entered. Costumes that have been assembled (i.e. “closet cosplay”) or altered in a significant way may be entered.

A costume may not be entered in competition if it has won “Best in Show” or “Best in Open/Master Division” at another international competition. If that is the case, it may be entered as an Exhibition entry (not eligible for awards).

Each presenter may only appear on stage in a single entry. One body, one presentation.

All unusual parts of your skit (including planned falls, costume changes, empty stage time, or other special effects) must be reviewed with the director before the masquerade desk closes on Saturday. You can surprise the judges and the audience, but don’t surprise the crew.

There are no restrictions against wearing competition costumes in the convention halls before the masquerade, and no entry will be disqualified based on previous wearings nor will the judges provide preferential status pertaining thereto. However, we encourage you to go for the dramatic reveal and wear your costume in the halls only after the show if possible.

Preregistration

All contestants must be members of Costume-Con 42. If the maker and presenter are different people, both must be at least supporting members even if the maker is not present.

Part of the masquerade preregistration will be reserved for in-person registration.

At-Con Check-In & Tech Rehearsal

All entries (or a representative) must drop by the Masquerade Desk to confirm their intent to participate in the Masquerade, review their registration paperwork, submit their audio if desired, and receive the event schedule and instructions before the registration desk closes on Saturday. The Masquerade Registration hours will be announced in early 2024.

Tech rehearsals are available for those who wish and will take place on Saturday from 1-5pm. You will sign up for a time slot when you turn in your forms. If your presentation does not require specific lighting or sound cues and/or complex stagehand assistance, you may not need a rehearsal. If unsure, please contact the director.

For rehearsals, we recommend you bring any large props or costume pieces with you, and wear your costume’s footwear, so there aren’t any surprises trying to get on or off stage. You are not required to be in full costume for your tech rehearsal.

If you do not wish to do a tech rehearsal, you must consult with the tech crew and Master of Ceremonies during check-in to ensure that your information and audio are correct.

After the registration cutoff time indicated above, no more entries will be accepted to allow for proper show preparation.

Presentation

Your presentation may be up to 60 seconds in length. You may use less time, but if you exceed the limit, you will be ineligible for any award. Additional time for large groups or Exhibition entries will be given on a case-by-case basis and require approval from the director.

Audio and Stage Direction

Microphones will not be available for entrants’ use. We strongly encourage entrants to supply pre-recorded audio, including dialogue, sound effects, and/or music. Preferred format is a single-track MP3, edited for your presentation. If you are providing an audio file, please include the name of your contact person and entry name in the filename.

If you need assistance with audio editing, please reach out! All prerecorded audio will be screened. If you do not have your own audio, we can provide some on request.

Volunteer stagehands will be available to guide you on and off the stage safely, and if entries require more in-depth assistance, we encourage them to engage their own handlers as well. Be sure to include them in your preregistration to ensure staging area access. Costumers with limited-visibility, bulky, or any costume that might impede mobility should contact the masquerade director in advance to discuss accommodations.

Please coordinate beforehand with stagehands or handlers for placing and removing large props or set pieces.

Skill Divisions, Judging & Award Structure

Entries will be placed in the Young Fan, Novice, Journeyman, Master, or Exhibition Divisions. A group entry will be placed in the division appropriate for its most experienced member. Any questions about division placement should be brought to the masquerade director for discussion. These divisions are designed to promote fair competition among equals, and (with the exception of Best In Show) judging will be conducted amongst a division’s members, not against all entries in the competition.

For this competition, any adult person who made more than half of their annual income from costuming in any of the last 5 years qualifies as a “professional.” Any competitor may enter in a higher division than they are placed per the guidelines below. Because the skill divisions are designed to protect less experienced contestants from being forced into competition against more experienced competitors before they are ready, these divisions are necessarily described in terms of restrictions.

For the purposes of this competition, Costume-Con, WorldCon, Anime North, and other events such as World Cosplay Summit are considered international competitions. Examples of major regional competitions are San Diego Comic-Con, DragonCon, and SakuraCon. If you’re not sure whether a past competition would be considered a major regional competition, please ask the masquerade director. The size of the event and number of contestants in the competition will be considered.

Master

Any costumer may enter the Master Division.
This is the Division where professional costumers should compete.

Journeyman

Professional costumers may not enter the Journeyman Division.
An entrant who has competed and won in the Master Division in a competition of equal or larger scope may not enter in the Journeyman Division.
An entrant who has won “Best in Show” or “Best Journeyman” in a competition of equal or larger scope may not enter in the Journeyman Division. and should compete in the Master Division.
An entrant who has won more than three major awards in the Journeyman Division in a competition of equal or larger scope may not enter in the Journeyman Division, and should compete in the Master division.
Awards won at competitions of smaller scope may be counted towards Division placement at the discretion of the costumer and the Masquerade Director.
Minor awards (Honorable Mention, etc) may be counted towards placement at the discretion of the costumer.

Novice

Professional costumers may not enter the Novice Division.
An entrant who has competed and won in any division other than Novice in a competition of equal or larger scope may not enter in the Novice Division.
An entrant who has won a competitive award (Best in Show, Best in Division) in a competition of equal or larger scope may not enter in the Novice Division.
An entrant who has won numerous major awards in the Novice Division in competitions of similar scope is encouraged to enter in the Journeyman Division.
Awards won at competitions of smaller scope may be counted towards division placement at the discretion of the costumer and the masquerade director.
Minor awards may be counted towards placement at the discretion of the costumer.

Junior/Youth

A costumer who is under 13 and made, assembled, or designed the costume may compete in the Junior/Youth Division.
Costumes worn by a Youth that are designed and built entirely by an adult should be entered for workmanship judging in the adult’s appropriate skill division, though the entry is still eligible for Junior/Youth presentation awards.

Exhibition

Any presenter may enter the Exhibition Division.
Exhibition entries are not judged for either presentation or workmanship, nor are they eligible for any award. They must still adhere to all rules listed above. Exceptions will be granted on a case-by-case basis at the Director’s discretion and available space in the show.

Competing Up and Other Considerations

Costumers may always choose to compete in a higher (less restricted) division than their previous awards indicate or in which the masquerade director has placed them. They may not choose to compete in a lower (more restricted) Division.

Major awards given in jest are only counted at the discretion of the costumer. Such awards should be counted if the presentation in question was intentionally comedic.

If a costumer has won multiple awards for the same entry, only the highest award should be considered towards placement. For example, if all awards from multiple masquerades won by an entry are minor awards, the entrant should count one minor award. If they have won multiple major awards for that entry, the entrant should count one major award.

Finally, if you are unsure which division you should enter, please contact the director at scififantasy@costumecon42.org.

Workmanship Judging

Workmanship judging is not required, but is highly encouraged. You may elect to have only a part of your costume judged, such as a prop or wig, or members of a group may be judged separately. Workmanship judging will take place in the Masquerade Green Room before the show starts, and may continue during the show depending on number of entries and time restrictions. Workmanship judges will talk to each contestant and will want to see the best parts of your costume, up close and personal. Please let these judges know specifically what you are most proud of in your costume and/or props, and be sure to tell them how you made your costume. (Pro tip: don’t point out the flaws unless you use them as a story of how you overcame an obstacle or technique.) Even if you’re not impressed with the work on your costume or props, the judges may very well be. Leave it to their judgment as to whether your work is special in the context of this competition. If you’re very unsure, an easy method is to start at the head and work your way down.

Documentation

Entrants may present documentation at judging if they choose. Documentation is reference material that the costumer provides to judges that explain aspects of their entry which may not be immediately apparent on visual inspection. Documentation also serves as a visual reference to an existing artwork or garment and is recommended for those entering re-creation costumes.

Documentation may be as simple as copies of photos or artwork that illustrate the source of the costume design, whether for recreation or as inspiration. Please note that judges will probably not have much time to look through your documentation, so please keep it clear and concise.

Documentation may also demonstrate the research done while designing/creating/assembling the costume, or to explain the techniques used in its creation. Please note: We can’t print your documentation for you, so come with your materials ready or check with your hotel to see if they have any facilities. While we will make an effort to return your documentation to you, we are not liable for any reference books or other valuable materials that are not picked up by the end of the convention.

Presentation Judging

The Presentation judges will be looking at your costume from the audience’s point of view. They will look at the costume itself and makeup, in addition to how well it works with the music, script, and blocking or choreography that you use on stage. Even a mediocre costume can win an award if it is presented well, and sometimes a great costume is passed over for lack of a coherent or entertaining presentation.

The Judges may choose not to give out any awards in any category or division, including the Best-in-Show Award, if they do not feel any costumes entered in that division are deserving of an award. They will also be instructed that “excellence deserves award” is their watchword. If any judge thinks a personal or business relationship with a contestant (or vice versa) will make it difficult to be objective in your judging, please talk to the masquerade director about the problem, and we’ll come up with a reasonable course of action. The decisions of the judges are final.

Green Room, Official Photography, and Call Time

Participation in the masquerade can require a commitment of more than four (4) hours including check-in, workmanship judging, queuing, official photography, performance, and awards. Water, snacks, and repair tools will be available. You’ll be assigned to a “den” where a “parent” will be available to assist you and coordinate visits with the official photographer, judges, and MCs as necessary.

While we will do our best to create a safe space, the green room is NOT a secure location; leave belongings AT YOUR OWN RISK. CC42 is not responsible for lost or stolen items.

Green Room check-in will begin at 5pm. If you have not checked in at the green room by 6:30pm, you will not be allowed to perform.

After performing, contestants may return to the Green Room or quietly enter the back of Main Events to watch the rest of the show.

Post-show & Awards

After the show, there will be a halftime during which contestants can pose for photos onstage while judges deliberate. Awards will be presented Saturday night, so contestants are advised to remain close to Main Events, or return after changing for comfort.

Entries in all categories and skill levels will be eligible for Best in Show awards for both presentation and workmanship. “Presentation” and “workmanship” judging are entirely separate. There is a judging panel for presentation and a judging panel for workmanship, each of which selects and gives its own awards. Additionally, individual groups, chapters, and guilds may elect to present their own awards; these are judged separately by the group presenting the award, and these special awards will not affect the masquerade judges’ decisions.

Costume-Con 42 Contacts

Questions about the SFFF can be sent to the Director, Maral, at scififantasy@costumecon42.org.