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All About Judging Craftsmanship and Cosplay at Nan Desu Kan.

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Storm:
Judging is not simple. The judges are comparing apples to rocks to eggs to jellyfish to determine the best. We have therefore come up with scoring systems that allow us to assign numbers and compare those. The scores are not based on a comparison with other contestants but with an ideal of highest quality. Each costumer starts with an assumed score of 100 for craftsmanship and another 100 for presentation and points are taken from those scores.
Those competing in the Masters Category are required to participate in Craftsmanship.
(Please carefully and completely read the Cosplay Rules and information for details as well as the NDK Weapons Policy as it applies to the Cosplay as well.)

Craftsmanship is as much of a competition as the Cosplay Costume Contest. There is no 10 foot rule in craftsmanship. You may have spent many hours painting, sewing, building, cutting, shaping, gluing and embellishing but you are going up against others who have also put in a lot of effort. In the end, there will be a best costume and in a descending scale, all of the rest.

In an effort to keep it as fair and objective as possible, we have three judges (who do NOT consult with each other except in matters of expertise) and five categories totaling 100 points. A fourth person totals the scores and the judges do not see the totals. The categories are weighted in points by importance to the overall craftsmanship competition.

The first category is Documentation for 10 points.

Especially if you are doing a reproduction, we score for graphics from the show with as many useful views as you can find although drawings are also acceptable. We will also accept drawings if yours is an original design based on more than one appearance of a character or an original based on historical sources. A list of sources is most helpful.
When we ask for a list of materials, we are looking for how much is done from raw materials and how much is purchased and modified and how much is off the shelf. (Check the Rules for how this affects the Division you enter.) We would also like to see a brief and succinct description and picture of any part that you think is especially noteworthy.
We ask for documentation when you sign up online to give us time to read it and take notes on what we would either like to look at in particular or to ask questions about. With only 5-10 minutes per person we don't have time to do more than skim during the judging. (Just FYI, last year there were approximately 60 people who participated in craftsmanship. The average page count for each person was 15. That's 900 pages of documentation Yes, the judges want documentation the day of judgment, but mostly to remind them of what they have already read.)

The second category is Accuracy for 20 points.

This is where we look at your pictures and compare them with what you have created. How close did you get to the original picture overall? This includes accuracy of scale, colors, proportion, and fit. (scale and fit refer to making an outfit that is correct to the model wearing it even if the original was designed for a much different body type. Parody costumes are judged by the same criteria but take into account the exaggerations for effect. Please check the Rules about how much a costume must cover and what to do if the original does not. The judges will not mark you down if you must add modesty layers or use more opaque material.

The third category is Complexity for 25 points.

We are looking for how much and what kind of work went into it. Did you do the equivalent of: using a commercial pattern for simple pants and a sleeveless shirt and just put it together with no embellishment or did you recreate a 14th century hand painted and embroidered court kimono with all of the proper traditional layers based on your own research?

The fourth category is Details for 15 points.

This is where we look at accessories and certain kinds of embellishments as well as hair and make-up. This includes but is not limited to: jewelry, belts, pouches, hats, scarves, sashes, tassels, weapons, baldrics, fans and other props, make-up for face and body, hair styling or a wig, gloves, footgear, and all the other bits and pieces that are not part of the main body of the costume. (please see the Rules about bare feet. We do not mark you down for footwear if the character is supposed to be barefoot but we appreciate an attempt to create foot coverings appropriate to the character.

The fifth category is Finish for 30 points.

This is the Grand Finale of Craftsmanship. This is where we score you for what you were attempting and how close you came to achieving it. We look for loose threads, wobbly seams, sloppy glue, drippy paint, raw cuts on wood, metal, plastic and glass, loose connections, fraying edges, splinters and chips and all the other not quite wonderful bits. Yes, we do check seams and other inside parts, especially if it seems to affect the drape or the fit or will be visible when you are on stage.

Remember there are strict rules about minimal body coverings and foot gear. Please read the Cosplay Rules and information for more details about requirements and limitations.

Please feel free to contact any of the judges or Katie if you have any questions, suggestions or comments.



Judging the Cosplay

Cosplay is also for 100 points and although the judges look for specifics such as entrance, stage presence, timing, quality and exit, the judges give just the one overall score. They do not consult with each other and scores are totaled automatically on a separate computer.

A hint to the cosplayers. By the rules you have 45 seconds on stage. It may seem like an eternity but if you take too little time, the judges won't have time to watch and score you. You don't have to take the full time but 25 seconds is a recommended minimum. The judges have a list in order of presentation but not everyone shows up and the judges might need a few seconds to make sure that they are scoring the correct entrant. This is especially critical for group presentations. Choreograph and practice (a lot) your presentation with a timer or even better, with a timed piece of music. At the very least, stop and take a turn at each corner of the stage and one more in the middle.



Please carefully read the Cosplay Rules and information for more details about requirements and limitations. http://ndkdenver.org/activities/cosplay/contest-rules

Please also read the NDK Weapons Policy as it applies to the Cosplay Contest as well.
http://ndkdenver.org/info/rules/weapons-policy

shanihime:
This is REALLY helpful.  Thank you!!!

YazooAirspace:
*raises hand*

On the judging questionnaire, 'Creator(s)' means the name of the person who's filling out the form, right?

I'll stop asking dumb questions eventually...

Storm:
The only dumb question is the one that gets you bitten in the fundament because you didn't ask it.

The answer is: the Creator is the one who actually made the outfit(s). It is allowed that the creator has the outfit worn for the cosplay by a model.

Quoting from the rules:
"Commissioned/Modeled Costumes: Modeled costumes are permitted only with prior consent given directly from the costume maker to the masquerade area heads. Costumes must be one of a kind costume created for the model, in other words no mass-produced costumes, Ebay or otherwise, will be allowed. Wigs and props are exceptions; however, credit must be given where credit is due. Any prizes won will go to the creator of the costume, not the model."

I do know that the person going up on stage has to sign forms but I've never paid attention to exactly how the creator vs. model paperwork functions. I suggest you get in touch with Katie and get more specific information from her.

pasnraine:
thank you!

I think it is really cool of you guys to post this, it makes it much easier to know what to expect

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