Animaga Cosplay Event Rules
Event Rules
Thank you for your interest in the Stage Cosplay Events at Animaga. We hope to see you on stage, however in the interests of fairness and safety there is a small but important set of rules we need you to follow. Most of the following are common sense and will be familiar to cosplayers who attend other events but nonetheless please do read them carefully to ensure you are complying with any Animaga specific rules.
Stage Cosplay Rules
- Participants require Animaga entry for the day they are competing – Entering the competition does not grant you entry to Animaga, you must be in receipt of a ticket for the specific day or weekend you are attending.
- Late arrival to the stage is grounds for disqualification – To ensure the event runs to time and to avoid inconveniencing others all participants are required to be at the stage by the assigned time, participants who are late risk disqualification at the cosplay/stage team’s discretion.
- Costumes must be Family Friendly – Animaga is a family event and we require all costumes and performances to remain within the bounds of what would at most earn a PG rating.
- No Naked Flames or Debris – Appearances and performances on the stage cannot include the use of flames or any items such as party poppers or similar that will leave detritus on the stage, this ensures the safety of other guests and participants who may have limited mobility or vision.
- Oversized Props are at the Discretion of Animaga – It is possible some props may be considered for stage use but not allowed on the floor. These must be checked in with the Cosplay Team and will be returned to you in the queueing area before you go on stage. Please see the prop policy at: https://animaga.com.au/animaga-code-of-conduct/
- You must attend your assigned Pre-Judging slot – you must arrive at pre-judging at least 5 minutes before your assigned starting time. Failure to do so may lead to disqualification. Competitors (Parade and Cosplay Competition) will only be considered for Craftsmanship awards if they attend their Pre-Judging Slot
- Participants must be present at the end of the stage event to qualify for prizes – Participants who leave the event early may not be eligible to receive prizes.
- Participants must confirm presence – Entrants to any stage event must confirm their presence at the cosplay desk prior to judging or two hours prior to the stage call for performances. Failure to present at the cosplay desk can be taken as an intent to withdraw from the event.
- Lighting is managed by the stage team – We regret that Animaga is unable to take requests for particular lighting or lighting changes during your stage appearance.
- Requesting Assistance – Staff and Volunteers will do our best to help you where possible. Requests for companions/helpers must be either noted on your application form or submitted to the Cosplay team in advance via cosplay@animaga.com.au – please note all ticketing rules for Animaga are applicable to companions/helpers. The Cosplay Team will do their utmost to support you but may be restricted due to venue or Animaga requirements.
Competition Rules
- Costumes must be at least 75% handmade –You are not expected to make your wigs or shoes, and items such as plain leather belts or t-shirts etc may be worn with elements constructed by the wearer. All items not made by the entrant must be disclosed in your Application (and in your optional Build Book – see Build Book guide).
- All Assistance must be disclosed on you application – Any items you did not hand make must be reported on you application and disclosed to the judges during the judging slots. You should also include any help that you have received from friends and family including any 3D printing files not modelled by you, purchased Cosplay specific patterns etc (general commercial patterns by Simplicity etc are fine, but it is best practice to include information about which patterns you have used). Purchased items will not be judged for Craftmanship but may contribute to the overall appearance of your cosplay costume.
- Costumes Must not be Repeat Winners – If a costume has won an award at another event or competition it is ineligible for prizing at Animaga. If you are unsure, please contact the Cosplay Team via cosplay@animaga.com.au
Performance Rules
- Performances can be by an individual or group
- Performances must be in cosplay and relevant to the costume
- A maximum of 5 minutes is available for performances – Performances that run over 5 minutes will be cut off, note that we recommend keeping performances to 3 minutes or below.
- Audio files must be submitted in advance – If you are using a song, background music, prerecorded audio or anything else it must be sent to the Cosplay team in mp3 format by one week prior to the convention.
- Audio must be a single file – The cosplay team cannot fade, mix or otherwise change the audio, it will be played exactly as is.
- Generative AI is Not Allowed – In keeping with Animaga’s values, on the importance of creativity and celebration of artistry of all kinds, the use of Generative AI of any kind to create a script, voice over or musical score for performances is grounds for disqualification.
- As on the Stage guidelines, we reiterate that naked flames, fireworks, liquids and other items that create mess or residue are not allowed.
General Rules
- Respect Staff and Attendees – Failure to behave in a respectful manner will not be tolerated and can result in removal from the venue.
- Exceptions are at the discretion of Animaga – At times there may be exceptions made to these rules to make allowances for unforeseen circumstances such as Stage delays, extreme weather etc. Such exceptions are at the discretion of Animaga Management and the Cosplay Coordinators and will be addressed solely on a case by case basis.
- Feedback, Suggestions and Concerns – Please address any feedback or concerns to cosplay@animaga.com.au using a clear title that will ensure the Cosplay Coordinators are aware what your email relates to. We do read all such feedback and concerns and try to do our best for the Cosplay community.
Thank you for being a part of the Animaga Cosplay Community! We love every one of our cosplayers no matter how new or experienced, young or old, we hope you have a wonderful time at Animaga and look forward to hosting and celebrating you again and again!
