When will I know if I made it past the “Online Submission” portion of the contest?
We will notify EVERYONE who registered for the event via email at least one week before the contest.
I didn’t make it past the “Online Submission” but can I still show off my cosplay onstage at FanX?
Yes! Everyone who registers for the contest will have the opportunity to show off their cosplay on our stage the night of the contest. Keep in mind, only those who make it past the “Online Submission” will still be in the running for prizes.
Will the judges move me into another category?
No, if you fit the criteria for your category then that is where you will stay.
Are some contestants going to be cut after being seen in person by the judging panel?
No. All contestants that make it past the online submission phase will be able to be seen in person by the judging panel as well as being able to showcase their cosplay onstage as part of the contest.
How many cuts will be made?
We will only be making one cut of contestants for the contest which is during the online submission process.
Why can’t everyone move past the online submission process in the contest?
We are super fortunate and excited to have hundreds of entries each year, but because we are only given a certain amount of time in the Grand Ballroom during the event we need to make sure that we stay within a certain time frame.
When will the online submissions be looked at and scored?
Our judging panel will start looking over all submissions the day after our registration for the contest closes on August 19th at 11:59 p.m.
When will we be contacted to know if we have moved past the online submission part of the contest?
Our judging panel works super hard to give each and every submission the proper attention it deserves. With that being said, we are unable to give a concrete date and time when all contestants will be notified, BUT the latest that everyone will be contacted is a week before the actual event.
Do I have to be present to win?
Yes, you must be present at the contest to win.
Can I enter multiple cosplays?
During the online submission, you can enter as many cosplays as you want BUT only one cosplay per contestant is allowed to move past the online submission phase unless you are entering in a group and as a solo cosplayer.
Commissioned cosplays and cosplay models:
- Commissions – You are able to have up to 30% of your cosplay commissioned, the rest must be made by the registered contestant
- Models – If you are the model for someone else’s cosplay and wish to enter the cosplay in our contest, the creator of the cosplay must do at least one of the following:
- Be present for “In Person” judging.
- Write up a written account for what they created for you, how they created it.
- Documentation of the creation process.
- Provide proof that they were the creators.
What criteria are the judges using to score the cosplays?
- During the “In Person” phase our judging panel will score off of the following:
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- Craftsmanship – Clean and straight seams, no glue marks, rough or mirror smooth, basically how well your cosplay is made.
- Originality/Accuracy – If the cosplay is original or a mashup you’ll be judged on originality. If you are recreating a character we will look at how close you recreated the character.
- Level of Difficulty – This is based on the number of and difficulty of techniques used to create the cosplay
- During the “Onstage” portion of the contest, we will be judging based on:
- Performance – We feel that a large portion of the artform of cosplay is embracing the essence of the character/personality that you are cosplaying as. Every contestant that qualifies for the “Onstage” portion of the contest will have up to 1 min to showcase this part of their cosplay talent in our Grand Ballroom. You can use this time as you wish, it can be to strike different poses to show off all of the parts of your cosplay or even do some pre-planned choreography. We expect to notify all qualified contestants with as least a week of anticipation before the contest so that they can have something prepared in time. Remember that you have up to 1 min onstage so please use as much of that time as possible.
- Stage Appearance – How does the cosplay look onstage? How does the cosplayer show off their cosplay? Does the cosplayer look confident showcasing their creation? (unless of course the character they are portraying is a nervous mess and that’s how the cosplayer should seem)
Are some music tracks not accepted in the cosplay contest?
Yes. Music or Audio tracks submitted cannot have explicit lyrics. If it does contain explicit lyrics, your audio track will not be used. We will do our best to give you an advanced warning but cannot guarantee it. Salt Lake Comic Con is a family-friendly event and we want all ages to be able to attend.
What if I do not create an online photo gallery?
If we do NOT have a link to a photo/video gallery in your registration account by the deadline we will consider your registration incomplete and will, unfortunately, have to pass on your registration into the contest. The judges need to see what you are submitting and they cannot do so without the gallery.
Can I enter into the contest if I live out of state or country?
Yes! The way our contest is set up you don’t have to be present for the “Online Submission” portion. If you advance in the contest, our judging panel will see you in person the morning of the contest and you will be able to take to the stage later that night during the “Onstage” portion of the contest as well.
