How to be a good cosplay judge (Tutorial)
See original version on Instagram, and PDF version here!
You’ve booked your first judging gig -- congratulations! What now???
hi, I’m Lulu!
...and I’ve been on all sides of the judging table.
I’ve been cosplaying and competing for 16 years, and judging for over a decade. I was also a juror and the Chief of Staff for Crunchyroll-Hime’s Cosplay Cup.
When I was younger, I wanted to break into judging so badly because it seemed so mysterious. I never found any resources that detailed what it was like or what you were expected to do.
Judging is still something you’ll still learn about best by doing it. There are many nuances to discover, and no two experiences will be the same. I hope this guide helps you take the first steps of your judging journey!
Be on time
Masquerades can take hours or even days, but they run on tight schedules. Delays mean longer days for you, the staff, and the contestants – don’t be the reason that happens!
Here are my tips for being on time:
Have multiple copies of the schedule on my phone, in my notebook, etc. and check them often because I have anxiety
Scope out the venue ahead of time so I know where to go and how to get there.
Aim to arrive earlier than needed. “If you’re on time, you’re late”!
Have coffee and breakfast on hand in my hotel room.
Set multiple alarms on multiple devices (phone, tablet, etc.) to make sure I wake up on time.
2. Dress the part
I’ve seen it said that judges shouldn’t wear anything that would outshine or intimidate the contestants. My take is that you have every right to show why you were chosen to judge – as long as it also fits the following criteria:
1. Be presentable.
You don’t have to cosplay, but you should dress nice (business casual for pre-judging, more formal for the show). It’s a job, after all!
2. Be comfortable.
It’s a long day! And if you have sensory issues like me, being uncomfortable can affect your ability to concentrate.
3. Be safe and mobile.
You’ll be dashing back and forth between the contestant and the judging table, navigating a dark and cramped backstage area, zooming to the bathroom, etc. Don’t let your own costume slow you down!
3. …but bring slippers
It’s going to be a long day -- or several long days! Don’t neglect your health, safety, and comfort.
Be prepared with your own snacks and water. You might find out that the provided food is something you can’t eat, and worst case, you might not be fed at all.
Ask for accommodations if you need them.
Breaks between pre-judging slots are great for reviewing build books and conferring with other judges, but make sure you’re also refilling your water bottle and going to the bathroom.
“But the slippers, Lulu???” The best advice I ever got was to wear slippers during pre-judging, and now I pass it on to you.
4. Bring a notebook
Judging can melt your brain. You’re getting a lot of information and not a lot of time to process it.
You should be given a way to record your notes and/or scores (score sheets in a binder, a laptop with a scoring program, etc). I still recommend bringing a notebook, especially a smaller one that you can easily hold while flipping seams, handling props, and taking notes. And if you aren’t given scoring sheets, then you’ll be glad you brought something to write on! You probably won’t get to keep your scoring sheets, so having your own notes to refer back to also helps with giving contestants feedback after the show.
5. Inspect and ask questions
It’s expected that you inspect the contestant’s work closely during prejudging. Ask for consent before touching a contestant or any part of their costume. If they say yes, feel free to flip hems and look for safety pins. If they say no, ask them to show what you’d like to see. Never punish a contestant for declining to have their costume touched.
Pre-judging can be hectic; there’s a lot of information to share and not a lot of time to do it in. Let the contestant speak and try to only interrupt with clarifying questions. If they’re finished or unsure what to say, ask about anything they haven’t covered. The other judges will do the same, so everyone will get interrupted or spoken over at some point – don’t beat yourself up for it, and don’t take it personally.
Keep a question like “What’s your favorite part?” in your back pocket. It’s great to ask if the contestant isn’t sure how to begin or to help them remember anything they forgot to cover. It can also put them more at ease and help them focus on the positives.
6a. Keep your scores consistent
Many contests will provide scoring sheets, where each contestant earns points in specific categories like complexity or cleanliness for craftsmanship, and acting or choreography for performance.
Scores can make deliberations easier, as you can look at the top scores and decide awards from there. However, scores can get more and more skewed throughout the day. Judging is less like grading a test and more like making a tier list, which is hard to do accurately when you don’t have all the information in front of you. You might give a perfect score to the first costume you see, but what do you do when even better costumes come in later?
I account for this is by going over each entry and adjusting scores as needed based on how I scored the entries that came after them. If you’re judging across multiple days, I recommend doing this at the end of each day while everything’s fresh in your mind.
Deciding on a score shouldn’t mean picking a random number, but what separates a 14 out of 20 costume from a 16 out of 20? Hopefully, you’ll be given a rubric that lays out the criteria for each score, but if you don’t...
6b. Convert scores to a letter grade
I know I said judging isn’t like grading a test, but it helps me to associate point amounts with letter grades, which are more universally understandable.
Here’s how that maths out if the scores are out of 10:
Grade A: 9-10 points.
Exceeds expectations for their level.
Novice/Journeyman: ready to advance to the next level.
Grade B: 8 points.
Some aspects exceed expectations for their level, others meet expectations.
Grade C: 7 points.
A passing grade; most if not all aspects meet the expectations for their skill level.
Grade D: 6 points.
Some aspects meet expectations for their level, others fall below.
Grade F: 5 or fewer points.
Journeyman/Masters: Contestant is in wrong skill level.
Novice: Contestant is not up to par with other Novices.
7. Make the most of your breaks
Breaks are precious during pre-judging. Here are my tips for breakmaxxing:
Use the bathroom, get a snack, hydrate!!
Review your scores and adjust if necessary.
Look through build books (this might be the only chance you get!)
Confer with the other judges – what do they think of the entries you’ve just judged? Did they see something you didn’t?
If it’s getting close to the end of pre-judging, discuss your picks for craftsmanship awards with the other judges. It’s unlikely the stage show will change your decisions, and you’ll save a lot of time in deliberations.
8. Dealing with deliberations
In my experience, this is the hardest part of the process. It can be very tense and very fast.
Here’s how I’ve learned to navigate it:
Come prepared with your picks. As I said before, lock in craftsmanship awards as much as possible before the show. During performance judging, keep a list of the awards handy and write down your picks for each.
Know who’s in charge. A staff member should be writing down the awards; hopefully they’ll also moderate the deliberation.
Debate, then move on. If the decision is split, call for a tiebreaker vote. If you’re the only one who disagrees, let it go. Your opinion isn’t the only one that matters, and you don’t have time to argue.
9. Be fucking kind
This is just as important as your skills and expertise.
Competing is a very vulnerable thing. Contestants will be nervous, stressed, intimidated, scared. And if they don’t place, they’ll probably discouraged at best and heartbroken at worst. Part of your job is to not make this worse.
Be engaged, encouraging, excited, and empathetic.
Don’t be the reason a contestant decides never to compete again.
You can have the best intentions and still upset a contestant. If this happens, apologize, reflect, and see if there’s anything you can do better or differently next time. Judging is something you really only learn by doing, so make sure you’re learning every time.
10. Decide if judging is for you
Judging is a tough job. I love it, but you might not. It’s not for everyone, and that’s okay!
If you didn’t enjoy your experience, think about why. Competitions are as different as they are similar, so you may find you prefer judging certain kinds of contests. If you don’t like the long hours, try costume contests with no prejudging. If you don’t like judging performance, see if you can just judge craftsmanship. And if you find you don’t like judging at all, seek out cons that hire cosplay guests separately from their judges.
Being asked to judge is an honor. It’s also pretty rare. Even experienced judges may struggle to land gigs, and breaking into judging can be even harder. If you're offered a gig you don't want or can’t take, you have a great opportunity to pull someone else up the ladder. Decline gratefully and graciously, and recommend a qualified, deserving replacement instead (fellow white girls, this is an excellent time to recommend a BIPOC judge).
Judging isn’t the only way to leave a positive impact on the community (or get invited to conventions).
Thanks for reading! For more advice on all things competing, head to my Resources page!
