The Millennium Philcon®August 30, 2001 - September 3, 2001
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The Millennium Philcon - Masquerade
Vicki Warren - Masquerade Director masquerade@milphil.org
Masquerade Rules
If you have any questions, please ask them. The only dumb question is the one you don't ask.
The Millennium Philcon Masquerade is run generally according to International Costumer's Guild Classes and Divisions. Contestants will be registered according to the following Classes and Divisions:
Divisions:
Junior Costumer - Any Contestant under thirteen years of age at the time of the convention. There will be two types of awards: Adult Made and Contestant Made.
Novice - An individual who has never won a major prize in a Worldcon or Costume-Con masquerade, other than as a Junior Costumer. A major prize is considered a 'Best........ Most...', 'Judges' Choice', etc., but not 'Honorable Mention', 'Honored for Excellence', and similar awards. If in doubt, ask the Masquerade Director.
Journeyman - An individual who has won at a Worldcon or Costume-Con Masquerade previously, but has won no more than three times as a Journeyman, and does not qualify as a Junior Costumer.
Master - An individual who has won more than three times in the Journeyman Division at Worldcon or Costume-Con Masquerades or is a professional. A professional is making 50% or more of their income from a costuming skill.
Note - A Novice may compete in the Novice, Journeyman, or Master Divisions at his or her option. A Journeyman may, likewise, compete as a Journeyman or Master. A Master must compete in the Master Division.
Classes (within a division):
Recreation - A costume copied directly (or with minor modifications) from a live action or animated motion picture, a television production, a stage presentation, a comic book or strip, or a book cover. In short, from any source other than an original design, in which one or more views of the particular costume are shown.
Original - Other than the above.
Within the divisions, judges are free to award as many or as few prizes as they see fit.
Before the Masquerade starts, we will assemble the contestants in the Masquerade Green Room, and bring the contestants to the stage from there. Also, official photographs will be taken before the Masquerade, so please allow sufficient time to have your photograph taken. After a contestant's appearance on stage, he or she will go to the fan photography area. We will do our best to keep waiting time in both photography areas to a minimum.
Junior Costumers will appear first, and other groups with children in them may request an early appearance by special request to the Masquerade Director at the time of registration.
The staff reserves the right to change the order of appearance of any contestant if necessary. If you are part of a group costume, only one registration and tech form are required for the entire group, and the group will be given a single entrant number. We will, however, require the names and signatures of all members of the group. Also, a group costume, will compete at the division level of the highest ranked group member, unless special arrangements are made with the Director and the classes of each person in the entry are clearly noted.
If you wish a special introduction, please have it typed (double spaced) or printed clearly. Alternatively, you may record your introduction and/or any music and/or sound effects. The following are acceptable media that the technical staff will be able to handle.
Standard cassette tape (Dolby B and C noise reduction accepted). The sound must start immediately after the "leader" of the cassette. This is the point to which the tape will be reset after rehersals, etc. Please indicate the type of noise reduction, if any, on the tape and tech form. Please use a clean fresh tape, and record your material at the beginning of both sides of the tape. Please bring two copies of the tape in case one is unusable for whatever reason.
CD. The technical staff can cue a cd to the beginning of a particular track. There is not enough time during the masquerade to cue within a track. Please write the track number legibly on the CD. If you record your material on a CD, please make sure it is a standard audio CD. Please only burn one track and make two copies of your material.
Minidisc. The same rules apply as with cassettes. Use the first track and make sure the sounds starts immediately. Please bring two minidiscs with your material.
If the sound runs longer than your presentation (i.e. a commercial CD), or must be cut on cue, please be -very- specific as to when to cut. The usual cue is to fade the sound as the entrant leaves the stage. It is best, when you want the sound to end at a specific point on a CD, to record the material you want onto a recordable medium, such as a cassette or minidisc.
We have an excellent sound system and wonderful Tech personnel, but they cannot read minds. Please work with them. All sound media must be turned in before the close of Masquerade Registration.
Please notify us of any extra large or awkward props so we can find a parking spot for them. Do not expect us to store the prop for the entire convention as other events, such as the Hugo's, will be using the space. Also let us know of anything that will need to be placed on stage or will be left on stage after you exit. We need to know to remove the victim's remains.
There will be no live microphones for contestant use. You may not speak directly to the audience. Please realize that only the first five or ten rows will be able to hear you. You will be disqualified if you speak to the audience.
The weapons policy of the convention must be strictly adhered to. Weapons that are part of the costume may be displayed only on stage and only in a safe manner. All weapons must be sheathed when you exit the stage. Due to hotel fire regulations, no fire, open flame, flash powder, or flash paper may be used. Sealed electronic flashes are permitted for the contestants only. The Masquerade Director or someone she designates must see the weapon and what is to be done with it during the presentation, or the weapon will not be allowed on stage.
Nudity - Here is our policy:
While our feeling is that if you are comfortable with your skin, we should be too, sadly the City of Philadelphia is not so accomodating. Local ordinances do not allow nudity. And remember that no costume is no costume and won't win any prizes unless you consider an obscene proposition a prize. Also, God/goddess would have to get a design credit. The judges are usually of both sexes, and they are judging costumes, not bodies. Also, please remember that children and mundanes may be present.
This is important - if you have questions, please ask your Masquerade Director
No flash pictures will be permitted in the Masquerade hall during the Masquerade. We will have a photo area set up where you can take flash pictures. Contestants - you will make the photographers very happy if you stay in your costume for pictures.
Each person may appear only once in the Masquerade. Designers may have multiple entries in the Masquerade, but they must all be on different bodies.
Please be on time. If you have a good reason for going on early or late, please tell us when you register, and we will try to accommodate you. If you arrive after your entry number has been called to go on stage, you may not go on.
The Masquerade Director and staff have full authority to eliminate anyone from competition on the basis of taste, danger to the audience or other contestants, or for any other reason deemed sufficient. There will be a technical rehearsal on Friday and part of Saturday. You must show up at your scheduled time. This is when we will review your tech form and the MC will learn to pronounce your name.
Time Limits:
Groups of one to four contestants will be permitted a maximum of one minute (60 seconds) on stage. Groups of five to eight will have one and one half minutes (90 seconds) and groups of nine or more will have two minutes (120 seconds). No entry is permitted more than two minutes unless you can justify this to the Masquerade Director.
Registrations for the Masquerade will be accepted until 4:00 p.m. on Friday; none will be accepted after that time. There are no exceptions! The Masquerade will be Saturday evening. Please check with the Masquerade Director or staff when you register to learn reporting time and the Green Room location.
Your Masquerade Director is Vicki Warren, masquerade@milphil.org.