Otakon 2009 Hall Costume Contest Rules and Regulations

1. All participants must have an Otakon member badge (this includes Associate, Dealer, Press, and other specialty badges). Current members of Otakon staff are ineligible to compete in the Hall Costume Contest.
2. There will be no pre-registration for the 2009 contest. There will be 50 adult slots and 10 youth slots for each day's contest. All judging time slots will be available on a first come, first served basis until all slots are claimed.
3. You may not register for or check-in for Saturday's contest on Friday.
4. Entries will be separated into four categories:
   • Youth - individual or group consisting primarily of children 13 years of age and under, as well as their parents, guardians, or other individuals deemed appropriate by the Hall Costume Contest Coordinator
   • Novice - contestants who have won zero major cosplay awards at any convention
   • Journeyman - contestants who have won less than four major cosplay awards at any convention
   • Craftsman - contestants who have won four or more major cosplay awards at any convention
5. Costumes that have won any major awards at any convention may not be entered in the Hall Costume Contest. Awards of ranking, including but not limited to "Best in Show," "Best in Division," "Best Performance," or "First Place," "Second Place," etc. in any type of cosplay competition are considered major cosplay awards. "Honorable Mentions," "Judges' Awards," and similar forms of recognition are not considered major awards.
6. Each entry's appropriate category will be determined by its participant with the highest number of cosplay awards won out of the group. For example, an entry consisting of 3 participants with zero major awards won and 1 participant with 2 major awards won will be placed in the Journeyman category.
7. Children 13 years and younger will be judged separately in the Youth category.
8. Entries which include participants who do not qualify for the youth category, such as parents or guardians, in addition to qualifying youth participants may request to be judged in the youth category, at the sole discretion of the Hall Costume Contest Coordinator.
9. All participants will be required to sign a permission/release/waiver form to participate in the contest. Minors under 18 years of age may participate in the Hall Costume Contests only if a permission/release form signed by the minor's legal guardian is provided. Forms are available at the contest registration desk.
10. All costumes must pertain in some way to a character, object, or otherwise, that is depicted in Japanese anime, manga, anime-style video games, or some other facet of East Asian culture. Original costumes will not be permitted, as the accuracy of the costume is impossible to judge.
11. All costumes must abide by the rules of the convention. If a costume is deemed acceptable for the convention by Special Operations staffers according to established policies, then it will be allowed in the Hall Costume Contest. Please review the dress code, weapons policy, and other important rules. If a policy violation is discovered by Special Operations in a costume competing in the Hall Costume Contest, that entry will be disqualified.
12. No glitter, confetti, pyrotechnics, live flame, or smoke generators of any kind are allowed in the Baltimore Convention Center.
13. Purchased, professionally made, or rented costumes are prohibited. Costumes consisting mostly or entirely of store bought items are also ineligible. Participants should be prepared to briefly explain the process through which their costume was created.
14. No electrical power connections will be provided. If your costume requires power it must be part of your costume design.
15. Registered participants will be scheduled for judging upon check-in. Once you are registered, you will receive a special Hall Costume Contest badge with your entry number and judging time on the back. Please be on time for judging! If you miss your time, we will drop your entry from the Hall Costume Contest. After judging, the Photo Suite in rooms 304-306 is open to participants for photographs.
16. Each contestant may present (wear) one and only one costume, or a group of people may wear one costume at the same time (i.e., a large costume that requires several people inside to move it). The same costume may not be entered in both the Masquerade and the Hall Costume Contest. One or more designers may design and construct costumes for an individual or for a group who serve as model/models. The group will be considered as one entry. The designer(s) must be present at the judging to explain the construction techniques used. If this is a group presentation, the designer(s) may also wear a costume.
17. Costumes will be judged on a variety of criteria, including craftsmanship and overall effect. The winners of both contests will be announced during the Masquerade Awards Ceremony.
18. All entries are strongly encouraged to bring reference material for their costume(s). While we will not turn away entries that do not bring reference material, the absence of reference material could greatly affect your final score. Not all judges know all characters, so it is in everyone's best interest to bring a color picture (or several) if at all possible. The reference should depict the details of the costume you are presenting.
19. Hall Costume Contest judging is not open to the public. Only entrants, designers, and parents or children will be allowed inside the judging room.
20. Costumers may enter only one Hall Costume Contest during the entire weekend. Friday's Hall Costume Contest contestants are permitted to enter the Masquerade (the Saturday hall costume contest conflicts with Masquerade rehearsals).
21. All Costume Contest participants will have the option to take part in the Hall Costume Contest Fashion Show during the Masquerade intermission.
22. Any participant who will be participating in the Hall Costume Contest Fashion Show must adhere to additional rules:
    • You must be present for a brief Hall Costume Contest Fashion Show rehearsal, to be held prior to the Masquerade. Details will be given at check-in.
    • Your costume must allow you freedom of movement so that you can go up steps. Make certain your costume allows you to do this unassisted. For liability reasons, Otakon staff will not assist costumers onto or off of the stage.
    • You must remain with the Hall Costuming group for the entirety of the Masquerade.
    • Parents/legal guardians are required to accompany children 13 years and younger during the Hall Costume Contest Fashion Show.
23. The Hall Costume Contest Coordinator has the full authority to request a change to a costume for any reason. Refusal to make the requested change will disqualify the person or group from the competition.
24. All decisions of the Hall Costume Contest Coordinator are final.
25. While no changes to these rules are foreseen, certain circumstances may require that the rules be changed. Any changes to the rules will be noted in bold red print on this page. A complete set of current rules will be posted at the Hall Costume Contest check-in tables at all times on Friday and Saturday.

Please post any questions or comments in the Masquerade and Costume Contest's section of the Otakon BBS, or email them to the Hall Costume Contest Coordinator using the Otakon Contact Form.