We are trying something new this year for volunteer sign-ups – using SignUpGenius.com.

Check it out on the Programming page.

Visit the contest page for rules and PDF copies of the selections.

All shirts will be shipped to the convention for pickup at registration.

LAST DAY TO ORDER: April 21, 2019.

The Silly Hat Liberation Society wants you to enter a fascinator you have created in the style of Ivy Hisslepenny, the best friend of Alexia, the protagonist of the Parasol Protectorate series. Ivy is infamous for her lively taste in strangely decorated hats in eye-searing colors. Fascinators can also be inspired by other characters or anything else in the books. Entertain us by including the story of your inspiration!

We’re going with fascinators rather than full hats as most of us mere mortals do not have Ivy’s panache. Making a fascinator is easier and requires less time and materials than a full hat. Full size hats and other headgear will also be accepted. Fascinator making was a DemiCon Lite at Summer SACC.

Post a photo of your fascinator on this offical facebook group page (https://www.facebook.com/groups/595313880926285/) by April 15, 2019 before DemiCon. Judging is being done by photo in case your creation has too much Ivy-style panache for you to wear in public. There will be a popular vote as well as judging.

Please create a fascinator in a style similar to Ivy’s hats or even re-create one of Ivy’s fashion faux paus in fascinator style. If you are recreating one of Ivy’s hats, please reference which book it is from. Even better, include the description from the book.

We look forward to having our eyes seared!

Please see the registration page for the Dealers’ Room Rules & Guidelines and then submit your application.

Starting April 1 the membership rate increases to the at-the-door price of $25 for children and $65 for adults.

Online registration is open through the end of the day, US Central Time, on April 20, 2019. If you miss the chance to register online there will be at-the-door registration available at the convention.

What are you waiting for? Go register right now!

New this year! When your register you can pre-order your con t-shirt in purple or black.  You will pick it up at DemiCon 30 at the DMSFS Table that will be located in Registration. Just follow the registration form and the option will pop up.

1. Entries are to be in the style of movie trailers (not entire short movies), 1 minute to 3 minutes in length.
2. Entries are to parody/mimic a trailer for a science fiction, fantasy, superhero, or horror movie. This is to be done without the use of professional costuming or special effects. The more low-budget, the better.
3. All entries must be original work by person(s) submitting the entry.
4. Entries must meet the criteria for previews approved for General Audiences.
5. Credits are not to be on the video entered. (This is a blind judging). When submitting entries, provide all credit information in an e-mail.
6. If an entry wins a prize, the prize will go to all individuals identified as Entrants, so be sure to specify Entrants in addition to any credit information in the submission e-mail.
7. A panel of local experts will judge the entries before DemiCon 30. Judging will be based on entertainment value, successful parody/homage to the movie’s genre, being low- (or no-) budget, and creativity. (E.g., does the trailer make a good “advertisement” for the movie?)
8. Judges’ Choice and Fans’ Choice are to be awarded. (Fans’ Choice will be voted on during DemiCon 30.)
9. A maximum of three entries per person/group is permitted. All entries must be made separately.
10. Entries must be in MP4 format. Files are to be no larger than 500 MB.
11. Entries will be shown at DemiCon 30, possibly on the DemiCon Channel.
12. Deadline for entries is April 21, 2019. A confirmation will be sent when the entry is received.
13. Submit entries and any questions to Robert Uy at scrooge313@aol.com. You may send a link to the file on Google Drive or Dropbox.

As with all DemiCon contests, this video contest is about having fun, trying something new in an encouraging environment, and exploring creativity. In other words, no experience necessary!

If you are not sure what a Sweded Movie Trailer would be, “Be Kind Rewind” is a good movie to see for ideas. Also check out last year’s DemiCon Sweded promo programming trailer below. YouTube is also a good source for Sweded trailers. Good luck, filmmakers!

MASQUERADE AND COSPLAY COMPETITION

Part of the fun of any con is the freedom to dress up as your favorite character, or archetype, or as some completely unique and original concept spawned from your own very creative brain. We at DemiCon like to encourage that freedom further by offering you the chance to show off your clever ideas and talented handiwork through our costume contest events.

On Saturday, the mainstage masquerade and cosplay event lets you thrill our audience with not only your spectacular costume creations, but your skilled (or not-so-skilled – we don’t care, we love just watching everyone try!) mini-performance.

SO WHAT HAPPENS?

Unlike the Friday night “Hall Costume” contest, the Saturday evening event gives you a chance to strut your clever and cunningly-crafted attire in front of a captive (although voluntarily so) audience. Prizes will be awarded for the costumes deemed by our judges to be the best of the best.

If you’ve participated in masquerades before, then you’re already familiar with the thrill of hearing the “oooohs” and “aaaahs” of an audience eager to appreciate your handiwork and presentation skills. If you’ve NOT tried your hand as a contestant in the past, then get ready for one of the biggest endorphin rushes one can experience at an SF con. Once you’ve walked across that stage in your jaw-dropping Renaissance garb, or Steampunk finery, or as your favorite anime character, or wherever your creative muse has taken you, you’ll be hooked — we promise!

STUFF TO KNOW (aka Rules and Procedures)

• The masquerade will be held at 8 p.m. Saturday evening. Adult participants should report to the green room (Ballroom D) by 7:15; junior participants (ages 13 and under) should report to the green room by no later than 7:30. [Times subject to change]
• You must have a DemiCon 30 membership to take part in the Masquerade and Cosplay. If you have not registered for DemiCon 30 yet, please visit the Registration page.
• There is no private dressing facility in the green room — so if modesty is an issue, you’ll need to don at least your lowest layer either in your hotel room, or in the nearby hotel restroom facility, before reporting in.
• DemiCon recognizes three entry categories: Apprentice (a.k.a. Junior — for contestants aged 13 years and younger), Artisan (ages 14 and up), and Exhibition (for show only; not entered for judging consideration). There will be “Best of Apprentice” and “Best of Artisan” awards presented, as well as a “Best of Show” that can be selected from either category. In addition, the judges will be given leeway to present a few “honorable mention” awards, which may include things such as: Best Presentation, Best Media Recreation, Best Use of Materials — or whatever else they deem fit in order to recognize our contestants’ outstanding work. There will also be a “Best Workmanship” award bestowed by a separate panel of judges, who will examine costumes up close and personal in the greenroom area. The workmanship judges may also elect to give out some honorable mention awards for special detail work, as they deem appropriate.
• For those opting to avail themselves of a tech rehearsal, you will be granted a 10-minute slot to practice with the emcee and tech crew on Saturday afternoon. You can sign up for your tech rehearsal time when you submit your entry paperwork — but in order to be granted tech rehearsal time, we will need your paperwork no later than noon on Saturday. (Remember: if you like being super-efficient, you can get your “paperwork” to us in advance by including it in your Masquerade and Cosplay registration.) It is not necessary to come to your rehearsal in your full costume — but for best results, we do recommend bringing along any special props, headgear, and/or footwear that are part of your ensemble, as those are the items most likely to cause unexpected challenges during a presentation.
• Persons scheduling a tech rehearsal should bring any special music or audio files with them if the presentation requires it. Preferred format is .mp3 or .aif files on a flash drive or CD. Our sound crew may or may not be able to accommodate other formats, so deviate from these guidelines at your own risk. With or without a tech rehearsal, however, we can provide you with some kick-ass background music if you need it. Just let us know the general type of mood you want to set, and we’ll select something great for you accordingly.
• We will have a photographer available to take studio-quality pictures of you in your masquerade garb. You should plan to be prepared for your photo shoot during the pre-event green room time, although our photographer MAY be available for a brief period after the conclusion of the masquerade if you don’t get around to having your portrait snapped earlier.
• After your time on stage, we recommend that you remain in costume until all entries have been presented (although you can certainly temporarily remove pieces if some “breathing time” is required), so that you may participate in the post-masquerade “photo run” across the stage for the photographers in our audience. This is optional — but after having gone to all that hard work to make the costume, don’t you want to give everyone else as much opportunity as possible to enjoy it?
• After the photo run (or sooner, for those who opt not to do the “catwalk” thing), participants may remove any or all portions of their costume, and are invited to sit in the audience to enjoy the halftime show, and to be present when the judges return from deliberation to announce the awards.

NEED MORE INFORMATION?

Questions? Suggestions? The sooner you contact us, the better. Please direct all masquerade-related correspondence to Jeannette Roth — your humble DemiCon 30 masquerade/cosplay director — at masquerade@demicon.org.

And once again, if you’ve decided to join us with an onstage presentation – and we hope you have – you can help yourself and help us to make things run more smoothly and efficiently by registering online.

For latest news and announcements please join our Facebook Group at https://www.facebook.com/demiconmasqueradeandcosplay/.