Costume Submission

Costume submissions should happen between the (prospective) member and the Local Costume Consular from the temple that covers their area.

In the case that an active temple is not available, the submission will start at the Global level.

This guide will help members and Consular staff understand the requirements for successful submissions.

Photo Guidelines

The photo area should be well lit, but avoid direct sunlight. If inside, ensure it is well-lit. Avoid having the member under partial or inconsistent shade/shadows. Don’t let the lightsaber or any ambient lighting do all the work. The GCCs need to be able to see all details. Photos should be taken in hi resolution (between 5-8 megapixels in quality – higher is fine if your camera’s default megapixel setting is greater than 8) to ensure the ability for GCCs to zoom in to see details.

Preferably with a digital camera as opposed to a mobile device. A digital camera will have better light gathering and a higher quality lens. Ensure that the settings on the camera capture the colors in as close a manner as possible to the actual colors of the costume. REVIEW the photos to ensure this before submitting the photos. Best practice is to review the photos if possible while the applicant/member is still in costume, so as to conveniently reshoot if necessary.

Submissions with poor resolution photos will be returned to the LCC or temple representative. Only submit pictures of the member alone against a plain background (a blank wall, hang a sheet, or use a green screen). Ensure that the photos are all full body shots at the member’s chest level, with at least 75% body-to- background ratio to maximize resolution. Please do not crop photos you have already taken for the belt, boot, or any photo needed for a specific part of your costume; take a separate close- up photo for each. Photos of any armor, helmet, or mask should have photos taken with these items, both, on and off (if applicable).

Necessary Photos

Please group all of the photos into one album and share the link to the album in the application. The required photos are listed below.

For a detailed guide on how to take appropriate submission photos, please see How to Take Submission Photos

Main Shots

Action Shot (This is the photo used for the website. The costume should be presented in a way that highlights the costume)

Front (both arms out to the side pointing down at a 45-degree angle, arms straight, elbows not bent.)

Back (both arms out to the side pointing down at a 45-degree angle, arms straight, elbows not bent.)

Left side (both arms straight out at the shoulders so not to block view of the belt)

Right side (both arms straight out at the shoulders so not to block view of the belt)

Shoes/Footwear (two shots that show all sides of the shoes - one shoe front and second shoe side; then shoot from behind - one shoe back and second shoe side).

Belt (laid out neatly on the floor with all accessories attached in the appropriate areas or close-up on body that captures all pieces). This can, of course, be excluded for face characters that don’t wear belts.

Lightsaber (Lit and laid down on its switch/kill key side up). Please note that all saber guild submissions are required to have a lightsaber, even if they are face characters submitted under a 501st CRL/RL standard where the saber is listed as optional.

Additional Shots

Cloaks (4 shots are required; 2 with hood down front and back, with both arms out to the side pointing down at a 45-degree angle; 2 with hood up front and back).

Armor, Masks, and Eye coverings

4 shots required - close up front, left, right, and back shots with the armor/mask/blindfold on. NOTE: Armor and low vision inducing costume elements *will* be judged as Trooping Only unless a video is submitted of the applicant and a fight partner demonstrating that the costume element will not fly off, and that applicant has adequate field of view while wearing said costume element. (for a detailed guide on how to film an appropriate choreo approval video, please see: How to Take Submission Photos

Wigs, Lekku, Montrails, and Horns

4 shots required - close up front, left, right, and back shots with wig/lekku/montrails/horns on. NOTE: costume elements *will* be judged as Trooping Only unless a video is submitted of the applicant and a fight partner demonstrating that the costume element will not fly off, and that applicant has adequate field of view and mobility while wearing said costume element. (for a detailed guide on how to film an appropriate wig and/or choreo approval video, please see How to Take Submission Photos

Makeup and Prosthetics

Close-up photos must be sent of the costume makeup to fairly judge the quality, material, shading, and texture. Additional comments may be made by the applicant about the makeup/prosthetics in the additional comments area.

Additional Elements

Any other required costume elements that are not visible in other photos. For example, a face character with multiple required layers should ensure that each layer which is not clearly visible in the main photos is included in the additional shots.

Reference Photos

In the case where the costume diverges from the standard it is being submitted under, or where no published standard exists, reference pictures should be submitted to reference your design.

GENERAL APPEARANCE


As a LucasFilm Limited (LFL)/Disney preferred organization who has done, do, and shall continue to do much in the way of creating millions of smiles through charitable work, we must all do our best to present ourselves in a professional manner. The costume submission is the applicants first step into our organization. We endeavor to uphold the standards entrusted to us by LFL. This submission should be treated as a portfolio showcasing the applicants hard work. Therefore, the costume photos should reflect the quality of its components, construction, and appearance. We consider the costume submissions as a representation of how the applicants will be appearing on behalf of Disney/LFL and Saber Guild. A disheveled, unkempt appearance is not what should be presented within the submission photos. Additionally, it may hinder the GCCs ability to judge the costume fairly.

To avoid applicant disappointment and LCC frustrations, we suggest the following pre-photo guide :

How to Take Submission Photos

Greetings from the Saber Guild Costume Consulars! 

We’re excited to see the new costumes that you have been making. In order to make sure we see your costume at its best, we’ve made this guide to help you take the perfect photos for submitting your costume. 

May the Force be with you!

Thank you to Rain Borges, SG-393, for the photos used in this guide!

Para instrucciones en Español

Submission Photo Set

Photo Requirements

Example Photos

Head to toe photos from the front, left, back, and right

Image description: A person in a Jedi costume, facing forward, with their arms extended down and to the sides /end description
 Image description: A person in a Jedi costume, facing towards the left, with their arms extended behind them. /end description
 Image description: A person in a Jedi costume, facing backwards, with their arms extended down and to the sides /end description
 Image description: A person in a Jedi costume, facing towards the right, with their arms extended behind them. /end description

Close-ups of the belt, from the front and back

Close-ups of the saber on the ground, lit and unlit

Close-ups of the boots, front and back

Finally, an action shot for the website, saber off

Additional Photos / Videos

If your costume has armor, blindfolds, sfx makeup, wig, and/or prosthetics, you will also need close up shots of those costume elements from the left, right, front, and back. Additionally if your costume element could impact your mobility, field of view, or saber handling ability we will need a choreo video. 

Wig/Prosthetics Video

take a short video of you shaking your head vigorously in both the “Yes” and “No” directions. Video shouldn’t be much longer than 10 seconds. If your costume element could potentially impact your mobility, field of view, or saber handling ability, you will also need to submit a choreo video.

Choreo Video

Take a short video of yourself and a fight partner doing a saber choreography. In it you should demonstrate that you can both attack and defend wearing the costume element in question without your mobility, field of view, or saber handling ability being affected. Video shouldn’t be much longer than 15 seconds. 

Common Issues with Videos

Wig/Prosthetics video does not show enough vigorous head movement

This video is to prove to the judges that your wig/prosthetic will not fall off mid choreography on stage. Think of this as the “blade check” of wigs. 

Choreo Video doesn't show the applicant moving

If you stand still, we cannot determine if your field of vision or mobility is being affected by the costume element, and will ask you to refilm or judge the costume element as “Trooping Only” 

Email Format for Submission

To assist the GCCs with efficiently evaluating the many submissions from across our organization, there is a need for uniformity in the costume submissions.

Each costume submission, whether it is a first time submission, current member, costume upgrade, or Saber Guild leadership, will follow the outlined process and contain the information included below:

Email Subject

Each submission will have one of the following three subject lines listed below based on the submission category:

  1. For a NEW MEMBER SUBMISSION, the Subject Line should be completed as:
    1. MM/DD/YYYY||NEW Member [Username: Forum User Name] Standard Name
  2. For an EXISTING MEMBER requesting an additional costume, the Subject Line should be completed as: 
    1. MM/DD/YYYY Additional Costume [Username: Forum User Name] Standard Name
  3. For COSTUME UPGRADES/species changes/etc, the Subject Line should be completed as:
    1. MM/DD/YYYY Costume Upgrades [Username: Forum User name] Standard Name
  4. For all Face Characters please use the Standard Name that will be judged. Example: New Hope Luke, Ahsoka Series ben Kenobi, etc.

Once a submission is approved, the word Pending will be changed to APPROVED, the date of approval and have the Members’ SG-# after that (so APPROVED 02/16/2017 SG-###), then submission will be sent to the Temples’ archives.

Submission Template

Please include the following information on the member’s application based on the kind of character being submitted.

For a GENERIC CHARACTER submission

For a FACE CHARACTER submission

Note: If no published standard exists, the applicant may either link to a draft standard on the forums of the applicable club (preferred) or include a full gallery of reference images showing the full back, front, and sides of the costume from head to toe. Applicants who choose to go the reference gallery route may also include a mockup of a draft standard, if none exists in other clubs. We recommend that applicants planning to submit costumes for which no standard exists confer with the GCCs on the level of accuracy which will be required before costume construction begins.

Once you have submitted a costume for approval, please announce it in the LCC chat on Facebook.

Appendix - LCC Procedures

As Saber Guild Global Costuming Consulars (GCCs), we endeavor to ensure the quality of Saber Guild costumes and that the costume standards are met, upheld, and modified. Saber Guild has been growing quickly. To assist in facilitating this growth, the GCCs of Saber Guild are clarifying the procedures for costume submissions as a standard to be followed. Before an applicant submits their costume, they should have discussed their costume designs with their Local Costume Consular (LCC) to verify that they are in accordance with our costume standards (colors/fabrics/styles). If the costume fits within our standards, then the applicant may create/purchase the costume.

If the costume is outside our traditional standards, then the design must be sent to the GCCs for a consultation on the design. Once the design is approved, construction can commence. Once all components of the costume are ready, the member writes up the application, the LCC should review the costume to ensure that it is in compliance with current costume standards. If it does not meet standards, the LCC should work with the applicant/member to bring the costume into compliance. Once the costume is ready, the LCC takes the photos, and then submits the application to the appropriate Temple Costume Submission Thread. If the costume is a canon (or face) character, do not wear any non-canon accessories or add-ons that do not apply to your canon costume. LCCs are responsible for submitting costumes to the GCCs for consideration and approval. LCCs must ensure that costumes are photographed in a performance ready condition (e.g. all components present, acceptable colors and fabrics, ironed) and attached to the submission.

ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE FOR SUBMISSIONS

The Global Costume Team follows a 30 day, start-to- finish submission process. Once we receive a submission, the initial review will be completed within 10 calendar days. At that time, the costume will either be approved or an email request to the LCC and member will be issued for clarifying information and/or photos.

The email the member and LCC will receive will have a due date with the remainder of the 30 calendar days from the date of submission. The LCC will have to re-submit the required corrected information and/or photos on the submission thread by the due date. If the information is not provided by the due date within the email, the submission will be denied. A denial email will be sent to the member and the LCC and the thread will be archived. A complete re-submittal will be required for future consideration. We anticipate that this will alleviate the backlog of costume submissions and make this process consistent and efficient.

Notes On Submissions

**Turnaround time for submissions (Official Standard)** Once your LCC posts your costume, you should expect an initial response within 10 days. Additionally, if you are attempting to get a costume approved for an upcoming show, the latest you should submit that costume is one month before the show date. This should allow for enough time for you to address any minor corrections and give the GCCs enough time to make your deadline. Additional submission guidelines are available to the LCCs on the forum under Official Member Submissions in the Topics section.

Also, as a standard rule, if you have had your costume denied for specific reasons and in you re-submission, you have fixed all the notes that were given to you, you are to be judged on those corrections only. A second denial cannot be based on something you were not asked to fix in the first submission (i.e. if you were asked to fix your obi in your original, you cannot be denied approval based off anything but the obi). Ensure your
 
costume is presented with all components present and in show- ready appearance in any re-shoots (i.e., ironed, all food capsules present, saber clip, etc). This does NOT apply if your second submission is wrinkled, missing parts of the costume or the costume is worn incorrectly. This also does NOT apply if your original submission had poor quality photos (low res, blurry, or bad lighting) or your costume was worn in a way that hid the imperfections.

Costume Upgrade Procedures

Some parts of the costume do not need to be submitted to the Global Costume Consulars. Local Costume Consulars may locally approved some limited changes, provided that the no more than 25% of the costume is approved locally in a 6 month period. Changes are considered to be cumulative – a 10% change one month and a 15% change the next are permitted, but any changes after that must be submitted to the GCCs for upgrade.

Note: For the purpose of approval, any change in species is considered to be new special effects makeup.

Any additions of prosthetics, combinations of prosthetics and makeup, and masks must be resubmitted. Addition of armor must be resubmitted.

Once 25% worth of updates are made, further changes cannot be made within six months.

If further changes are desired before six months is up, they must be submitted to the Global Costuming Consulars. This does not apply to costume repairs, such as fixing rips and tears.

Costume repairs or replacements that do not change the fabric, color, fit, or construction of the original garment do not need to be submitted to the Global Costume Consulars; they may instead be locally approved by the temple’s Local Costume Consulars, and do not count towards the 25% costume upgrade allowance.

LCCs may also locally approve a member swapping costume elements between globally approved generic costumes of the same faction without submitting the changes to global, providing the worn costume still meets the current standards. All swapped elements should be previously approved on the member requesting the swap. Such swaps would not count towards the cumulative costume change percent.

If Global Costume Consulars, the Costume Director, or the Global Council see a change that a Local Director/LCC has approved and disagrees with the quality, then they have a right to require a submission, evaluation and any modifications. If this happens three times within one year within a temple, the temple will lose their local costume upgrade approval privileges.

When an upgrade is sent in for review, the costume MUST MEET current standards. If the costume does not meet the latest published standards, the Global Costume Team has the authority to require the costume be brought into compliance with current standards in addition to judging the upgrade.

If you are deviating from our costume standards or going for something out-of- the box (i.e. designs on tabards), you should still have your LCCs check with the Global Costuming Consulars before moving forward.

Face Character upgrades: Any changes to the costume of a face character, ie: A known, named character with a costume specific to that character, must be presented to the Global Costume Consulars for Review.

Process for Resubmission

For COSTUME UPGRADES/species changes/etc, the Subject Line to the forum post should be completed as:

MM/DD/YYYY Costume Upgrades [Username: Forum User name] Standard Name

Send clear, full body shot and close-up shots of additions/upgrades (front, back, and both sides) to LCC, who will post on forum thread if they feel the changes are ready to be approved. Remember to include updated information in the post including the bio if updated from original. Note: Global Costuming Consulars will be evaluating upgrades/additions only.

Appeals

Sometimes despite your LCC’s best intentions your member’s costume may not get approved. If a submission is denied and you wholeheartedly believe that it met all the criteria mentioned on our website and within this amendment, you have the right to appeal the decision to the Global Council. This should be done in a formal, well-thought- out letter written by your Local Director (or by the applicant if not attached to a Temple) to GlobalCouncil@saberguild.org. The letter should contain at least three visual references and justification as to how the costume fits within standards. Informal PMs on Facebook will not be accepted as a formal appeal. For clarification on anything in this document, please feel free to contact any of the GCCs via the LCC Facebook Chat or email at costuming@saberguild.org and we will be happy to assist you