Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Tips for a Good Masquerade Walk-on

Anime Boston 2010
For those who want to enter the masquerade but don't have the time, resources, or desire to perform a whole skit, the “walk-on” competition is a great alternative. As a walk-on, your craftsmanship still gets judged, but all you have to do in the show is just walk across the stage...well sort of. You see, contrary to popular belief there is a little more involved in a good walk-on than just walking across the stage with a quick glance at the audience as you go. You need to take the time to show off your costume so the audience can really see and appreciate it for all the hard work you've done.

Especially if you are nervous, being on stage will likely alter your perception of time making things seem to happen slower than they actually do. Take a deep breath before you go out on stage and keep calm. Walk slowly and when you get to the center of the stage pose so that the audience can admire your work. Most conventions will allow up to 30 seconds for a walk-on presentation, which is actually a lot more time than you'd think. If you can, come up with a brief pantomime that embodies your character's personality while showing off your costume. This will give you something to think about and focus on and might calm your nerves a bit. Don't forget to show all angles of your costume. Remember to smile for the audience and try to stay in character if possible. If the convention allows, select a character or series related musical track to play as background music and practice walking and posing to it ahead of time without the bright lights and audience. Finally, as always, have fun with what you're doing. If you're enjoying yourself the audience will enjoy your presentation as well.