Cosplay Competition
Cosplay is a contraction of the words costume and play. Dressing up as your favourite character is a great way to show love and enhance your experience at an event. If you want to take it one step further and put your crafting skills to the test, AVCon presents the 2024 Cosplay Competition!
For the AVCon 2024 Cosplay Competition, you may dress up as your favourite character from any franchise, be it from an anime, video game, fantasy novel, sci-fi movie or even your own unique creation! In each potential category, cosplayers will get the chance to go on stage and present their work to a packed house of cosplay fans and be judged by our special guest judges, with plenty of awesome prizes on offer.
This year, AVCon will feature multiple divisions to cater to all experience levels of cosplayers. Each will have different requirements and is meant to allow anyone of any skill or experience level to be part of AVCon and learn about the aspects of higher-level cosplay competitions as they go.
Please note: All contestants in all AVCon divisions must be 15+ years of age on or before June 29, 2024. Any cosplayer younger than that is welcome to apply for the Kids Cosplay Competition – applications open here!
Want to showcase your cosplay without the competition? Check out our Cosplay Parade, which runs on Saturday and Sunday of the weekend!
Divisions
For every division, the applicant will go on stage to show their costume off to the audience for a maximum of 2 minutes. For those looking to add an acting element to their work, we have a skit category. All skit content and dialogue must be rated as family-friendly (no swearing, no adult themes). All skits must have the basic premise and dialogue vetted before the performance. Cosplayers can only be part of one division, so please read through the descriptions and requirements of the divisions below and make your choice based on your skill level, experience, and the costumes you plan to wear for the AVCon weekend!
Not sure about what division you fit in? Feel free to send us a message at cosplay@avcon.org.au!
| NOVICE | ✦ This division is for anyone new to cosplay in general who wants to try out the competitive scene or who has been in a competition before but has not placed or won in any categories. ✦ At least 20% of the cosplay must be made or altered by the applicant. ✦ Build Books are not required but are encouraged. |
| INTERMEDIATE | ✦ Contestants in this division may have previously participated in cosplay competitions and are gaining confidence in their work. ✦ At least 50% of the cosplay must be made or altered by the applicant. ✦ Build Books are not required but are encouraged. |
| GROUP | ✦ Marked with the rule set of the Intermediate division only. Any rules for Intermediate apply to the Group Division. ✦ Any cosplayer entering as part of a group will not be allowed to also compete as an individual in a solo division. All applicants must choose either solo or group. ✦ Group entries are limited to 5 people. ✦ Any persons involved in a group are limited to one group only. No cosplayer can be part of more than one group. ✦ Only one group member needs to complete the application form but must be able to submit basic information (names, etc) of everyone in the group. ✦ Groups are judged on their collective efforts, not individually. This means the cosplays can be worked on by all members of the group together or by a single member for the whole group. ✦ At least 50% of EACH cosplay must be made or altered by the applicant(s). ✦ Build Books are not required but are encouraged. |
| MASTER | ✦ This division is for cosplayers who are of a higher level of skill, will be judged more thoroughly, will need to provide more evidence, but will have a greater level of reward. ✦ This division is not based on previous experience or whether you have won a cosplay competition previously but on the applicant’s own desire to prove themselves in a higher level of competition and obtain more comprehensive feedback from the judges. ✦ Build books are required and must be presented in pre-judging with the ability to explain and discuss the content with the judges. ✦ At least 80% of the cosplay must be made or altered by the applicant. |
| COSPLAY SKIT | ✦ The Cosplay Skit division is for performing a skit either solo or in a group based on your character, the anime they are from or your own unique creation. ✦ While all other divisions feature the 2-minute walk-on, the Cosplay Skit division is a separate competition that will judge an applicant solely on their ability to perform. ✦ This division is not concerned with the craft of a costume; it can be 100% handmade or 100% bought. As long as the applicant is in a costume. ✦ Applicants can be solo or in a group. Group entries are limited to 10 people. ✦ No applicant can be in multiple entries. You cannot perform solo and then be part of another group, nor be part of multiple groups. ✦ Only one group member needs to complete the application form and must be able to submit basic information (names, etc) of everyone in the group. ✦ All skits have a 5-minute time limit. ✦ You may use audio and video as background elements of your skit as long as they stay within the time limit. Files must be submitted in MP3/MP4 format by June 17th. ✦ Performers will have access to a microphone to read lines live if they want; if not, audio files of their lines must be provided by June 17th. ✦ All video and audio aspects must be included in one file. Please do not submit a background video in MP4 and then a separate MP3 for audio. ✦ All skit content and dialogue must be rated as family-friendly (no swearing, no adult themes). The basic premise and dialogue must be vetted before the performance. This must be provided in a Word document by June 17th. ✦ All skits must follow the same safety guidelines in the cosplay rules. If you have any questions about your performance, please don’t hesitate to contact us at cosplay@avcon.org.au. |
Application Information and Key Dates
Applications are now closed for the AVCon 2024 Cosplay Competition. Participation in the AVCon 2024 Cosplay Competition is via pre-registration only!
- All scripts, videos, images and audio must be emailed to cosplay@avcon.org.au by the 17th of June.
- The Novice, Intermediate, Group, and Skit divisions will compete on the Saturday of AVCon (June 29th).
- Masters will compete on the Sunday of AVCon (June 30th).
- Unless you are competing in the skit division, it is a requirement to come to a prejudging appointment on the day your division is running. The appointment will be at a time and place during AVCon that will be relayed to you closer to the event.
- If you do not attend your prejudging appointment OR are not dressed in your full cosplay during your appointment time, you will be disqualified from the competition. Please don’t be late!
- All contestants in all AVCon divisions must be 15+ years of age on or before June 29, 2024. Any cosplayer younger than that is welcome to apply for the Kids Cosplay Competition; applications are open here!
- Please make sure you have purchased a valid AVCon day pass for the day your division competition is running (Novice, Intermediate, group and Skit divisions will compete on Saturday, while Masters will compete on Sunday). An AVCon weekend pass is also acceptable.
If you have any questions about your cosplay, the cosplay competition or the application – feel free to send us a message at cosplay@avcon.org.au!
Apply For the Cosplay Competition
Applications for the AVCon 2024 Cosplay Competition are now closed. However, registration is still live for the Kids Cosplay Competition and the Cosplay Parade, so please check them out! See you at AVCon 2024!