What's the worst that could  happen?  You enter, win and can "only" claim having won a creature building contest with the Henson Company.  I'd still enter just for that. Though, I'd also enter just to get my work in front of someone at Henson. Not that I'm encouraging more competition for my entry.....

What's the worst that could  happen?  You enter, win and can "only" claim having won a creature building contest with the Henson Company.  I'd still enter just for that. Though, I'd also enter just to get my work in front of someone at Henson. Not that I'm encouraging more competition for my entry.....

Oh, I'm not disagreeing with that. I just think that as prizes go it's a little unfair to those residing outside the American continents. $500 might be, for example, half of a one-way plane ticket for anyone in my area. If you're going to open the contest to an international audience and have a prize to encourage people to travel to the opening, then you should make sure it fairly covers people not in your half of the hemisphere.

I think for anyone winning at all will be the prize and the trip is a bonus. It's just less of a bonus for some of us. Ie. $2-3k return tickets from me plus hotel accommodation, food and currency exchange; vs a couple of hundred or less for anyone within US plus maybe staying with friends... It's a huge cost difference, and that's the only real thing I take issue with.

If you want to motivate your winner to attend the opening, post viral photos/video of you at the opening with relevant Hollywood stars, and do some of your marketing for you, best make sure that person has as much motivation as possible to attend. As I said above, what it means is you reduce your chances of having non-American (continent) people/non-pros applying.

Actually I just remembered something I read.  And again NOT to increase my competition, the rules do say this: if the Grand Prize winner unable to travel to New York, New York on the dates specified by sponsor or wishes to receive cash instead of the elements of the Grand Prize listed above, then
the Grand Prize winner my elect to receive us $1000 in lieu of the Grand Prize

Actually, $500 wouldn't cover my full airfare from Texas.  Unless I went value airlines.  Definitely doesn't cover extra transportation, food, or any sight seeing.  I think the sole purpose of this contest is bragging rights.

Actually I just remembered something I read.  And again NOT to increase my competition, the rules do say this: if the Grand Prize winner unable to travel to New York, New York on the dates specified by sponsor or wishes to receive cash instead of the elements of the Grand Prize listed above, then
the Grand Prize winner my elect to receive us $1000 in lieu of the Grand Prize

You are right, I missed that bit. I am also stupid: I forgot they included hotel accommodation in the prize as well as the dollar amount.

I am totally doing this. Got my creature in the making now, I'm playing with latex molds

Im considering entering as well