All posts by Pascal Barrette

Here are the rules for Festival Nadeshicon 2015’s masquerade!

Microphones are not provided. The use of a prerecorded soundtrack is strongly recommended. We also recommend having your audio files in mp3 format. In order to prevent any confusion, please put only one track on your CD or USB flash drive, and make sure it’s working before submitting it to the registration stand. If possible, please write the title of your performance and the track number on your CD. It is also recommended to bring two copies of your CD (two different brands if possible) in case of technical difficulties with one of the copies. Festival Nadeshicon won’t be held responsible for the eventual loss or breakage of your submitted CD, therefore if the music you want to use is from a rare or original CD, it is advised to have an extra copy.

The maximum duration is one minute for groups. While there are no limit to the number of people in a group, a maximum of ten people at a time is allowed on stage. Only 35 places are available, and there won’t be any exceptions.

1. No flame, powder or « flash »paper will be allowed on stage. If you would like to use an electronic flash or any other visual effects, you have to mention it in your registration form, so the host can inform the audience. No laser pointer will be allowed.

2. No hard to clean substance will be allowed on stage. If in doubt, please ask the direction of the masquerade for permission when submitting your registration form. The stage has to be in the same state before and after your performance. If you have to leave objects on stage, they have to be easy to remove by the staff members, otherwise you will have to provide your own ninja.

3. No blatant nudity. The masquerade is rated « General but not recommended for young children ». A work classified as Visa général has only occasional scenes of violence. These are not overly intense and are not condoned. Although there may be some nudity, love scenes  have to remain rather discreet. Depending on the context, some expletives are tolerated. (Régie du Cinéma, Québec https://www.rcq.gouv.qc.ca/en/process.asp#cG)

4. No firearm, firearm imitation or projectile weapon will be allowed on the Laval university campus and during the masquerade. No cold steel weapons with a metal blade, sharpened or not, will be allowed. If your costume requires a bow, the string has to be detached when not on stage. All large accessories, or all accessories that look like a weapon presented in the masquerade have to follow the rules of the festival regarding weapons and be approved by the festival’s « weaponcheck » team. NO EXCEPTION.

5. Each participant cannot appear more than once during the masquerade. However, everyone can feature as many costumes as desired, but each participant has to wear only one. Other costumes have to be featured by other participants (being part of the same group or not).

6. Participants are required to be present in the waiting room at the requested time. For more details, please consult the registration stand of the masquerade. If you are not on time, or are not ready to go on stage when it is your turn, you will be disqualified. Any exception will be decided by the judges and the management of the masquerade.

7. The masquerade is an amateur competition. Costumes bought online or rented are not eligible for prizes, as well as costumes made for professional or theatrical purposes; however, these costumes can be featured on stage in the « non-competition » category. Please note that priority will be granted to costumes that weren’t bought, and costumes conceived by amateurs. Registrations for the non-competition category will only be accepted if all the places aren’t filled.

8. A custom made costume by a third party will ONLY be accepted if the costume designer fills up and signs the registration form. The costume designer does not have to go on stage, but his or her presence in the waiting room is mandatory. Wigs, small accessories and jewelry are exempt from this rule.

9. The judges’ decisions are final. Categories, prize types and mentions are at the discretion of the judges and management.

10. Judgment for workmanship is only mandatory for beginners doing a parade, artisans and masters.

The judges and the management of the masquerade reserve the right to disqualify anyone not following the aforementioned rules.

ANY COSTUME FEATURED AND HAVING WON A PRIZE AT OTHER CONVENTIONS* INCLUDING ANIMENORTH AND OTAKUTHON CANNOT BE FEATURED AT FESTIVAL NADESHICON. THESE COMPETITIONS ARE OF A HIGHER LEVEL (NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL). ANY COSTUME FEATURED WILL BE AUTOMATICALLY DISQUALIFIED.

_{*As to not list all other conventions}

Thank you for your cooperation

Rules adapted from those of Anime North, Otakuthon and G-Anime.

If you have any questions, you may contact the management of the masquerade at [email protected].