The 2014 Prop Acceptability Checklist

[TheRabbi]

Hello, forumites! We have had some changes in the prop rules recently, so I'm starting a new topic for this. Just like in past years, this is the exact same checklist that we give our ops to judge your props, and it's an easy way to double-check if your prop fits within the rules of Anime Central. However, this year, pay special attention to the new gun prop rules.

 

As always, if you have any questions about props, post them in the forums; do not PM me (or anyone else) personally. That way, everyone can see and benefit from the answer.

 

The Prop Acceptability Checklist

If you can answer yes to any of the following questions, the prop is not allowed.

• Is the prop longer than the congoer's height when carried, if the congoer is at least 4 feet tall?
• Is the prop longer than 4 feet when carried, if the congoer is less than 4 feet tall?
• Is the prop made of live steel?
• Is the prop a real firearm?
• If the prop is a gun-like prop, does it lack an orange tip?
• If the prop is an gun-like prop, is it not disabled and unloaded?
• Are there projectiles loaded or nocked into the prop or easily accessible on the prop's carrier?
• If the prop is a water gun, is there water in the reservoir?
• If the prop is a bow or other stringed weapon, is it tightly strung?
• Are there any loose arrows or bolts with the costume or prop?
• If the prop is a sword-like prop, is it being carried in a dangerous manner?

The Costume Acceptability Checklist

If you can answer yes to any of the following questions, the costume is not allowed.

• Does the costume have dangerous protrusions?
• Does the costume break the 6-inch zone?
• Does the costume severely obstruct mobility or line-of-sight for the wearer?
• Does the costume violate local decency laws?
• Does the costume have offensive speech in any language on it?
• Is the congoer wearing or holding a sign that is not part of the costume?

---

 

The big thing to note is that gun-like props are no longer required to not be realistic. We only require three things of a gun-like prop:

• It must have an orange tip.
• It must be disabled.
• It must be unloaded.

Well, there you go. Of course, the rules will be in the program book and on the website, but this is the list of things IRT will be checking against. We apologize for the late rules change, but it took a little bit to put it together, so I hope you guys will be happy with the loosening of the rules!

[Kamen Rider Gumo]

So, if I read this correctly, the old rules about not having battery-operated sounds, etc. in a gun prop have been lifted?

Edited February 14, 2013 by Kamen Rider Gumo

[TheRabbi]

I... actually don't recall us having a firm ruling about sounds, but if I'm misremembering it or if it was a judgement by someone here, then: yes, that rule is lifted.

 

That said, please please please don't be the one to make us have to have a rule about sounds...

[KungPowKirby]

Question I was actually meaning to ask has just been answered in part- as I dont have to worry about it looking to realistic. Yay! However- What if my gun doesnt have a "tip" per say- could I do something similar to this or should i paint a wide line across the top of the width barrel that way I wouldnt have to paint the whole end orange?

[TheRabbi]

Sorry, but once we get into variations, things start being subjective, and we'd like to keep them as objective as possible. That gun looks somewhat like a P-90, though, and P-90s do have tips, just small ones.

[KungPowKirby]

Ok - well i guess I can add a small round tip to paint orange. I was planning on doing it out of foamboard and just having the end flat but whatever. lol

[Valkyrie]

I do have a question for you, Rabbi! (Since I'm getting the same one at home.)

 

As far as machine gun props (such as M-16s), is it okay to have magazines attached for photos, then take them off directly afterwards? Or should they remain off altogether?

[TheRabbi]

I think we can allow magazines for photos only. But they must be empty.

[Valkyrie]

Alrighty then! Thankee-sai!

[Alcatraz]

I take it that this means yes to my questions in the The 2011 Costume & Prop Checklist topic? I just want be really sure before i decide to paint my props. Valkyrie knows which one's im talking about. (hopefully)

[Valkyrie]

Since those guns can't fire anything (thus disabled) and will remain unloaded, as long as they still have orange tips once the paint job is done, they'll be fine.

[Alcatraz]

Ok. Thanks! :D

[rondo]

This is good info, as always. It may not be necessary, but I believe this thread is sticky worthy.

[Sir Gibby]

Does this mean airsofts are back in?

[Valkyrie]

Yes. All we require is that they follow the Three Rules In Blue. :)

[TheRabbi]

As long as they follow the stated guidelines, yes, they are.

[Kamen Rider Gumo]

Okay; this is something I bought at Tsubasacon from their dealer's room for a different cosplay, but it may be an option for what I'm working on depending on what else I can buy/scrounge up/cobble together. It is a non-firing blunderbuss pistol replica made of wood and pewter with an "antiqued" finish.

 

http://www.mysteriouspast.com/images/replicas/flintlock-replica-22-1031-G.jpg

 

What, if anything, would need to be done to this to make it acceptable? If an orange tip is all that's needed, I could probably do something like paint a poker chip orange and stick it over the barrel.

[Valkyrie]

That would be fine. The chip would have to be firmly secured onto the barrel, so it remains visible and can't just pop off. (You might also want to tie back the trigger just to be safe.)

[waltzofthemoon]

I have a question regarding live steel. My boyfriend is cosplaying Captain America, would he be able to carry a metal shield?

[Valkyrie]

I'm double-checking on that right now for you, but I'm also curious: will he have the old-school shield, or the circular version?

[waltzofthemoon]

It would be the newer round shield, we're doing a full group from The Avengers movie-verse.

[TheRabbi]

It would be the newer round shield, we're doing a full group from The Avengers movie-verse.

 

As long as there are no edges anywhere (and no points, but there shouldn't be, because it's round), you'll be fine. This includes, e.g., if you were going to do a raised star, you shouldn't, because sharp points.

[waltzofthemoon]

As long as there are no edges anywhere (and no points, but there shouldn't be, because it's round), you'll be fine. This includes, e.g., if you were going to do a raised star, you shouldn't, because sharp points.

 

Good to know, thank you!

[Amikyo]

This is probably a pointless question, but I need to ask anyways. Last year you could have foam-tipped arrows loose on your costume. Is this no longer the case? All arrows need to be fastened/secured in some way?

 

Also, are large props (taller/extending out further than alloted) still acceptable if they can be broken down and carried inside the six inches allotted? I am assuming they are, but I don't want to put hours of time into my prop just to find out I can't actually use it. Specifically, I am looking at makeing a large scythe.

 

The entire thing, when assembled, would be just over my height (six feet) and the blade, which would be wood or plastic, would extend quite a bit further than six inches out. The head/blade segment would be able to be unscrewed from the staff for transport, and I would construct a sling to carry it on my back, flat against my body. The staff then would be under the height requirements and the entire thing would basically not extend at all.

 

Sorry for the repetitive questions! I just want to be safe and avoid a hassle at the con itself (which I'm sure would be a pain for IRT as well as me!)

[Kamen Rider Gumo]

Okay, in terms of non-weapon props, would something like, say, a tobacco pipe be allowed? I don't smoke, but my Dad used to and I think he still has the old pipe somewhere, and since I'm cosplaying a Red Ribbon general I got the notion to use the pipe as part of my costume after seeing some old photos of General George S. Patton smoking a pipe during World War II, but I've not seen any rules that say I can or can't use it. I know there are anti-smoking rules in general, but would the use of a real pipe be an infraction?

[TheRabbi]

This is probably a pointless question, but I need to ask anyways. Last year you could have foam-tipped arrows loose on your costume. Is this no longer the case? All arrows need to be fastened/secured in some way?

 

Also, are large props (taller/extending out further than alloted) still acceptable if they can be broken down and carried inside the six inches allotted? I am assuming they are, but I don't want to put hours of time into my prop just to find out I can't actually use it. Specifically, I am looking at makeing a large scythe.

 

The entire thing, when assembled, would be just over my height (six feet) and the blade, which would be wood or plastic, would extend quite a bit further than six inches out. The head/blade segment would be able to be unscrewed from the staff for transport, and I would construct a sling to carry it on my back, flat against my body. The staff then would be under the height requirements and the entire thing would basically not extend at all.

 

Sorry for the repetitive questions! I just want to be safe and avoid a hassle at the con itself (which I'm sure would be a pain for IRT as well as me!)

 

Our rules about having arrows with your costume haven't changed from last year. We don't need them to be bound flat to your costume, but we would like them in a quiver or something like that.

 

Your plan for your scythe seems to be perfectly fine.

 

Okay, in terms of non-weapon props, would something like, say, a tobacco pipe be allowed? I don't smoke, but my Dad used to and I think he still has the old pipe somewhere, and since I'm cosplaying a Red Ribbon general I got the notion to use the pipe as part of my costume after seeing some old photos of General George S. Patton smoking a pipe during World War II, but I've not seen any rules that say I can or can't use it. I know there are anti-smoking rules in general, but would the use of a real pipe be an infraction?

 

As long as you aren't smoking the pipe indoors, we have no issues with you carrying a pipe.

[Sayuri-chan]

With something like this: (scroll down to the bottom to see a full picture of the finished product)

http://www.teamblasecosplay.com/tutorials/evoker-tutorial-persona-3

 

Would I still need to orange tip the end? Or would it be okay if I just had it holstered on my costume and only pulled it out for photos? Just wanting to know so I know what to let my commissioner know. (That's a mouthful. x.x)

[Valkyrie]

Yes, it will still need an orange tip on the end, and that would need to be visible when holstered.

[Sayuri-chan]

An additional question; would I be able to make some sort of cover for the end that's orange? I kind of hate to ruin the color of the evoker by painting orange on the end, so if I could have something that slips over the end of the prop instead, is that acceptable? (I'm imagining something like a cap that covers the barrel part that is protruding from the main portion of the evoker; I could remove it for photos, but otherwise keep it contained and marked clearly as a "prop". There are no working mechanisms on this prop - it's just layers of foam board. Does this make sense? I do apologize for rather noob questions; this is the first year that I'm actually going to have made props for a costume so I want to make sure that it's all okay.

[TheRabbi]

An additional question; would I be able to make some sort of cover for the end that's orange? I kind of hate to ruin the color of the evoker by painting orange on the end, so if I could have something that slips over the end of the prop instead, is that acceptable? (I'm imagining something like a cap that covers the barrel part that is protruding from the main portion of the evoker; I could remove it for photos, but otherwise keep it contained and marked clearly as a "prop". There are no working mechanisms on this prop - it's just layers of foam board. Does this make sense? I do apologize for rather noob questions; this is the first year that I'm actually going to have made props for a costume so I want to make sure that it's all okay.

 

Noob questions are the reason for this thread! We'd rather have you ask us than guess and have us have to deprive you of your prop at the con.

 

That cap seems to be a fine idea to me.