As I wrap up the series on the WonderCon 2008 Masquerade, I am reminded that at WonderCon this year, there were some fabulous costumes walking around the convention center, even if they didn't participate in the contest. Many of those did come and watch and show support for those brave enough to perform in front of the large audience.
This is WonderCon 2008's Best in Show:
At the very least, the bad performances and displays during the show serve as a reminder of what a good performance has that the bad ones lack, and quite simply it comes down to these few things:
- A good skit should be funny, but not obscurely so. If you need to explain to another person why it's funny, it's obscure.
- A good costume needn't be overly sexy; that being said, the costume should reflect the general physique of the character.
- Dance numbers. Generally, I don't like them for showcasing a costume; the requirements for making a costume that one can dance in is different from one that looks good on stage; unless your costume is a recreation of a character in a musical, dancing just doesn't occur that often. Also, the choreography involved is very tricky stuff, unless the members of your group have had dance training, don't expect synchronicity
- Don't just walk on stage and pose. Even though there are tons of cameras pointed at you, this isn't a photoshoot, and the audience members (and the judges) probably find it incredibly boring.
- Katas. These are solo performances in which a person plays with their weapons. While definitely a step up from posing, the problem here is that people familiar with the kata are too busy subconsciously evaluating form, while those without training can't understand what they are seeing. In most cases, the eyes are not on your costume, so much as being focused on your movements.
- I have mixed feelings about costume accuracy -- within practical workability is my general guideline; what we see in comics and manga is a stylized version of things -- the use of costumes don't aim for photorealism, and much of the time, things like wrinkles, creases, zippers and buttons and seams aren't drawn because it moves away from fantasy and into reality (as well as add a whole load of work to the artist). The clothing material in comic books and manga is rarely explicitly noted; Batman's armor is made out of Kevlar, but in the movies, the look is approximated by latex and rubber.
- Entertain us. The reason attendees go to the Masquerade is to see the costumes, but also to be entertained. Many of us have seen the costumes walking around the convention center all day, so what everyone wants to see is how you bring that character to life.
- Woman in Pink Dress
- Deedlit and Pirotess
- Mojo Jojo and Lobsterwoman
- Dorothy and Scarecrow
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