Skit Contest

About Otakuthon

Otakuthon is Quebec's largest festival celebrating Japanese animation (anime), graphic novels (manga), related gaming, and pop culture.

More >>

The first of its kind in Montreal, Otakuthon is a full-fledged, fan-run, bilingual anime convention that features a number of special guests as well as many activities and events spotlighting anime, manga, video games, artwork, and Japanese culture.

<< Less

Newsletter

For general inquiries, please contact the Information Desk at info@otakuthon.com.

For all registration questions, please contact registration@otakuthon.com. Pre-registration is closed but weekend and single day badges can be obtained on site during the convention.


Our Partners

Carta Magica

Chibi Yurika

This year, Otakuthon will be hosting a new competition: the Skit Contest.  While it is similar to the Masquerade, it is important to note the difference:   while the Masquerade  is more concerned with the creation of costumes, the Skit Contest is for those who love to perform on stage (lip-syncing, dancing, interpretation, comedy, etc.), which consequently means more time is allocated on stage (up to three (3) minutes).

For the up to fifteen (15) groups composed of up to eight (8) people per group, there will be a time allocation of up to three (3) minutes on stage .  Spaces will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis!

The contest will be held on Friday August 12, 2011 from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm.  After you pre-register, you must register by mail (see the methods of registration below). Contestants must be in the green room between 5:00 pm and 6:00 pm. Any late arrivals will lead to immediate disqualification.

REGULATIONS

  1. Download the registration sheet (.pdf).
  2. All participant names MUST be registered on the sheet.
  3. ALL PARTICIPANTS must sign the registration sheet.
  4. The real names of the participants must be used.
  5. All registrations must be received before August 1, 2011.  All registrations received after will be disqualified.
  6. Received registrations will receive an email confirmation.
  7. All participants must be present at the Green Room on Friday evening between 4pm and 5pm.  Participants MUST be registered and present at 5pm.

*NOTE : All hours are approximate and subject to change.  The final schedule will be confirmed when all Skit Contest participants have registered.

Send your registrations to:

Otakuthon 2011 Skit Contest
575 rue Goyette
Longueuil, Quebec
J4J 2X4

All registrations must be received before MONDAY AUGUST 1, 2011.

All registrations must be signed by ALL members of your group.

We suggest you read the contest rules on the back of the registration sheet.  By sending your completed and signed form, you certify that you have read and agree to comply with the contest rules.  Participants who have not completed and signed the form will not be allowed on stage.

The Standard Division System

The Standard Division System, in accordance with the International Costumers' Guild Guidelines, will be used as follows:

Junior Division 
(Also known as the Young Fan Division)
Any contestant less than 13 years of age at the time of this competition may compete in the Junior Division.

Novice Division
A contestant who has not won a major award at a Masquerade other than as a Junior costumer.

Journeyman Division
A contestant who has won fewer than three awards at Masquerades while competing in the Journeyman Division.

Artisan Division
Any costumer who has won three or more awards; or who wishes to enter this division, provided that they do not belong in a higher division in use in the competition.

Master Division
A contestant who has won more than three times in the Artisan Division, or has won a Master award at a nationally recognized regional anime convention. Also, anyone who is a professional in a costume-related business must compete as a Master. For the purpose of this competition, a professional is defined as making 50% or more of their income in the costuming-related business.

Out-Of-Competition Division
The Skit Contest is an amateur competition. Purchased or rented costumes may not be entered in competition for awards, but may be presented on stage in the Out-Of-Competition Division. Costumes made for business purposes, theatrical and professional events are not eligible for awards but may also be presented in this Division. In addition, anyone who wants to show their costume in this Division may do so.

Note : A contestant may compete in a Division higher than the one they are eligible to enter. Keep in mind that if the contestant wins in this higher Division, they must compete in that Division in future competitions.

Documentation

Documentation can include any pictorial representation of your costume. Provide copies only; do not bring originals. It is strongly recommended that you provide documentation for re-creation costume entries if you feel the judges may not be familiar with a particular anime/manga.

**** Presentation Time Limit ****

The time limit is three (3) minutes per entry.

All entries which exceed the time limit will be disqualified and no longer eligible to receive a prize.

**INTRODUCTION, MUSIC, and SOUND**

If you have a special introduction that you would like the master of ceremonies to read, please write it legibly on your registration form or bring it typed on a computer so that it can be easily read.  Without an introduction, the MC will only state the number, title, and division for your entry.  After your entry is done, general information will be announced.

THERE WILL BE NO MICROPHONES given to the participants.  Addressing the audience directly is STRONGLY discouraged, since the majority will not hear anything and it might distract you from your presentation.  If you have a narration or dialogue, you will want to record it on CD.

If you have an introduction, music, or sound effects, please put them onto a CD.  Do not forget to write your name, entry title, and track number on the CD.

If the audio is much longer than your presentation (ex: a song, a CD commercial, etc.) or must be cut on a certain cue, please be VERY specific about the instant where it should be cut.

We encourage you to send your registration and CD in advance by mail to avoid any electronic problems.  This will allow the contest staff to verify your CD is working and compatible with the equipment which will be used during the event.  All groups will still have the option of bringing their CDs to the staff when they register at the Green Room but run the risk that their CD might not be readable by the equipment.

We do not recommend that you send any valuable or rare CDs.

The CDs used during the Skit Contest will be given back at the Masquerade registration table on Saturday.

*** STAGE ORDER ***

Participants in the Junior category will be presented first.  Other entries which include children may request to be placed next but must be requested during registration.  If there are any other circumstances which can affect stage order (such as catching the bus to go home), please indicate this on your registration when you send it by mail.  We will do our best to accommodate your request, however we can't guarantee your position.

SKIT CONTEST RULES

  1. Use of open flame, fire, flash powder or flash paper is not allowed. Sealed electronic flashes are permitted. If you are using a strobe effect, please note it on your form so the MC may warn the audience. No laser pointers allowed.
  2. No messy substances on stage. If in doubt, ask the contest organizers during registration. The stage must be in as good a condition when you leave as when you entered. If you are leaving something on stage, it must be easily retrievable by the stage crew, or you will be expected to bring your own ninja for that purpose.
  3. No flagrant nudity. The Skit Contest is rated as "13 years and up" and may be viewed by persons 13 years of age or over. Children 12 years of age and under may only be admitted to the show if accompanied by an adult.  Depending on the situation, the use of curse words may be acceptable, however vulgar and degrading language is not permitted. Any presentation that doesn't follow these guidelines will be disqualified on the spot and may be subjected to being cut from the show.  (Régie du cinéma du Québec: http://www.rcq.gouv.qc.ca/en/process.asp#c13)
  4. No real firearms, no realistic copies, and no projectile weapons are allowed.  No metal blades are allowed, regardless if they are dull or live.  If your costume requires a bow, it must be unstrung when you are not on stage. All weapons must follow the Convention's Weapons Policy.  NO EXCEPTIONS WILL BE MADE.
  5. Each person may participate in only ONE entry during the contest. Individuals may enter several costumes into competition, but they can only wear one of them and the others must be worn by other contest contestants.
  6. Contestants must report to the Contest Green Room on time. Report times will be supplied at the convention at the Skit Contest Registration Desk. Failure to appear or to be ready to go on stage may result in disqualification. Note that Acts of God may, to an extent, mitigate this.
  7. The Skit Contest organizers reserve the right to remove anyone from competition based on taste, danger to the audience or other contestants, or for any other reason deemed sufficient.
  8. The decisions of the judges are final.  Other than categories, types of awards will be determined at the discretion of the judges and the contest organizers.

For all questions, please contact the Skit Contest director at: skitcontest@otakuthon.com.

Hope to see you there!