Cosplay Contest 101
It’s May again and my home town convention — MegaCon — is right around the corner. Typically I attend MegaCon with the sole purpose of competing in the cosplay contest. The Slytherin in me finds a thrill in being on stage and showing off the hard work I put into my costume. And as the proud holder of the title “Best in Show” for both 2017 and 2018 at MegaCon, it’s time to attend for a different reason. Instead of competing this year, I have the honor of judging the Master of Cosplay Grand Prix’s Southeast Qualifier. 🙀🙀🙀
This will be my first time in the judges’ seat at a cosplay contest. I don’t know what to expect as a judge, but I am excited none the less. Usually I spend my time before a con putting finishing touches on my costume, so it’s strange not to be in crunch-mode right now! Since I have some extra time on my hands, I thought I’d use it to share the low-down on what to expect if it’s your first time competing in a cosplay contest.
Note: My competitive experience is with cosplay contests focused on the construction of your costume. So I’ll be focused on “craftsmanship” contests for this article.
Entering a Cosplay Contest
Typically, in order to enter a cosplay contest you’ll need to register in advance of the convention. Registration is commonly done with an online form, and well in advance of the con. Oftentimes there will be a cap on the number of entrants, so try to register early to secure your spot. Any rules or additional information you’ll need to know are usually on the page where you register. Each contest is a little different, so definitely read through all the posted information.
I’ve included some links to recommended contests you can apply to below!
Contests are often split by experience level. Youth, Novice, Journeyman, and Master are all common cosplay contest divisions, but each contest creates their own rules and requirements for each division. No matter which division you’re comfortable entering, your peers will have a similar level of experience costuming as you.
Documenting Your Costume Process
You should always document your build process on a costume. Take photos of key steps in the process, and save your paint swatches, notes, and patterns. When you document your process, it helps you save time on future builds. More importantly, craftsmanship contests require you to have documentation for prejudging. Your documentation serves as proof of work, and lets judges understand the ins and outs of your costume as well as you do. It’s especially helpful to point out places where you were resourceful, or overcame any mistakes you’ve since corrected.
My first sets of costume documentation were organized like mini-manuals—my Diablo 3 Crusader took up fifty-six pages! Yikes. I since learned to air on the side of simplicity. An overview of your character, summary of your construction process, a list of techniques used (especially any first-time techniques you used), and a set of key progress photos is perfect. Judges will typically use your prejudging first, and documentation as a second, supplemental reminder of what they saw in-person.
Here are some other things to consider including as you prepare your costume documentation:
- A photo of the original character/costume
- A full list of materials
- A list of techniques — especially any you used for the first time
- A short description of how you made key pieces
- How much time you spent on the build
- Mistakes you made along the way (and what you learned)
- Photos of your finished piece, when possible
- A copy of your initial registration answers
- Any notes or comments on your build
Prejudging
Prejudging is where the bulk of the scoring takes place for a cosplay contest. You’ll be given a designated time to arrive in person, and in costume, to meet with the judges. This is your chance to show off your work up-close. Judges will sometimes inspect specific pieces, and will ask any questions they have about your costume. During past prejudging, I’ve been quizzed on materials, asked to hand over props for inspection, or been asked nothing at all! What judges will need depends on documentation, the length of prejudging, and the complexity of your build.
No matter what happens during your prejudging, just be yourself and have fun with it. Really show off your costume and be proud of all the work you put in!
Walking the Stage & Announcing Winners
When you’re done with prejudging, it’s time for the show to begin! All the contestants parade across the stage, one at a time, sometimes stopping to answer a question in character or perform a short skit. What you may not realize, is while one person is walking the stage, everyone backstage is just waiting. This can mean being on your feet for long periods of time with nowhere to go. So make sure take a bathroom break beforehand, and try to bring some water with you.
Luckily, all the other contestants will be backstage with you, so you won’t be alone! Use the time to shake your nerves by meeting someone new and talking about your builds. There’s always so many amazing costumes, you’ll have no shortage of topics to broach while you wait your turn.
Walking the stage is usually done by division, with youth going first, and masters or professionals walking last. Once all the contestants have had their moment on stage, it’s time to announce the winners. Awards are given out starting with honorable mentions or judges’ choice first, followed by division awards from novice through master. The ceremony culminates with the award for “Best in Show,” which can go to a participant in any division, so stick around until the end, would ya?!
Take a Bow!
There you have it: all the basics you need to know for participating in a cosplay contest. After five years of competing, the excitement of participating hasn’t dwindled one bit. I have so much fun, meet new people, and learn something new with every competition. Okay okay, and getting an award every now and then is pretty cool, too!
I can’t wait to see everyone’s creations this year at MegaCon 2019. I’ll be at the con Friday (5/17) and Saturday (5/18), walking the floor and inspecting costumes alongside LeeLee the Bunny and BD Character Lab. I hope to see you there!
To everyone gearing up to compete this year, good luck, and HAVE FUN!
Looking to Enter a Cosplay Contest this year?
If you’re on the hunt for some upcoming cosplay contests, check out these upcoming convention competitions! ** Updated December 2023 **
ReedPop’s Cosplay Crown Championships
Arguably the most well known cosplay contest is ReedPop’s Crown Championships of Cosplay. Four cosplay competitions held at conventions across the US act as regional Qualifiers for the Cosplay Crown Championship. You can enter at Emerald City ComicCon, SuperCon, New York City ComicCon, or C2E2. The final winner of the US championship is typically announced at C2E2 each year, directly after the announcement of the Qualifying winner from C2E2. f you’re looking to enter one of these qualifiers, be sure to do so early! Entrants for these qualifying contests are juried in order to give each contestant the time they deserve both back- and on-stage, as well as ensuring a high quality level of craftsmanship and competition.
I had the honor to participate as the Southeast Representative at C2E2 2023. I personally found ReedPop to be one of the most top-notch organizers I had ever worked with, with each step of the process being clear and timely. The contest ran smoothly, the judges were top-notch, and so was my competition!
FanExpo’s Masters of Cosplay GrandPrix
FanExpo has been expanding their list of shows across the US and Canada since I last participated as a contestant—which means the level of competition and their prize pool has been growing as well! Each qualifying “Best in Show” winner from across the country is flown to Toronto for the Masters of Cosplay Grand Prix Finals. Contests are held at MegaCon, Calgary Expo, FanExpo Dallas, FanExpo Boston, FanExpo Philadelphia, and FanExpo Canada. Be sure to apply in advance of the convention, as spaces in each of these competitive cosplay contests do fill up!
There is also a kids-only contest, the “Cosplay Craftsmanship Cup,” held during FanExpo San Francisco.
DragonCon, in Atlanta, Georgia
DragonCon hosts a wide range of costume contests throughout their infamous four-day “cosplay party” convention. You can take your pick to sign up for any of of their many contests, including the Friday Night Costume Contest, their famous DragonCon Masquerade, a contest specifically for Bunny Hutch cosplays, and even a contest held at the Georgia Aquarium! DragonCon takes place every Labor Day weekend in Atlanta, and contest registrations open around June each year.