AMV Contest 2007 !!!

[Geirr]

Yes, the wheel turns again!

Right now, I'd like to throw out some questions as we plan the next AMV bash...

1) What NEW CATEGORY would you like to see, that you have NEVER heard of happening at other AMV contests?

2) What was your favorite category this last time, or in K-2005?

3) What categories have your heard of running in OTHER AMV contest, that you think we should try at K-2007?

Answer any or all, or none - I'm always interested in as many opinions & suggestions as possible...

- G

[sassy_lassy]

1) Fanservice Category. Where people try and serve the fans with popular series/characters. Such as Host Club or Just a whole music video dedicated to characters like Cloud and other pretty boys like that (girls will work too I guess)

2) I actually enjoyed Japanese Music a lot. The upbeat ones were really nice to listen and watch.

3) Splitting Drama away from Romance so we have a Drama/Serious category and a Romance/Sentimental category. And having an upbeat category inbetween those too so people don't get bored.

[Pie Row Maniac]

1) Unsure

2) The Action section

3) The Masters contest at AWA was pretty cool until they stopped it this year

[TomtheFanboy]

I hope that someday the convention will have the resources on hand to do an Iron Chef competion! some of my favorites have come from those!

[Geirr]

First - I found out (at work) that there's a chance that I'lll be visiting a place called Ras Laffan soon. It's one of the biggest LNG** ports in the Middle East. (*Liquefied Natural Gas) But as anime fans you all just KNOW I'll be thinking of RaXephon most of the time I'm there! (If I truly have to go..) WISH ME LUCK OVER THEN NEXT 2 MONTHS. THIS COULD REALLY SUCK IF I GOT MY HEAD SAWN OFF LIKE NICK BERG.

I have a hunch that calling a category 'Fan Service' will result in me receiving a bunch of videos of the format [My Favorite Anime] + [My Favorite Music,] which usually is a suckky combo, but worse: most of the projects would end up being about Gland Suspension Tests. (Did anyone look closely at the example ballot after the contest?)

So, do we want to have a category called 'Bishie Dudes & Girls We love to Just Watch, As Applied to Random Music? ' Or can we settle on a more coherent category definition?

Next, I once read a study about how certain one-liners people get from their parents often become guidelines they apply in their own lives - for good or for bad. One of my dad's lines was 'Business before Pleasure,' and that meant things like 'Finish your homework before you get to work on the plastic model kit,' and also why I eat all the green veggies (yuck) on my plate first before tucking in to the good stuff (steak,lobster etc.**) Get the skud-work out of the way first, then enjoy the fun stuff So, I tend to apply that to the category order: Start with Drama/Romance, then plod through the other non-Action categories (like Japanese Music) then accelerate with Comedy, Action, and other Short-But-Intense categories, like Movie Trailers. (Trailers are rarely over 2min 30 sec.)

In other words get all the S-L-O-W / emo-stuff out if the way first, clear all decks for action, so that people can show up late and check in for a solid block of all faster, upbeat stuff all in one accelerating set.

This has seemed to work in the past. Any comments?

- G

** I will even eat a slice of cake by first eating out all the 'bread' part first, leaving an 'E' or "F' shape of straight frosting for last, then indulging in the mega-sugar blast of all-frosting for last. YUM!

[superjaz]

i dont know what it would be called but one for emotioaly charged amvs that almost make you cry, like "heres your heat (crusheses it) you wont be needing that!"
like when i saw a amv featureing wolf wood and him dieing set to die in a blaze of glory, some people dont realize amvs can be moving too
ps i loved the amv you showed with the song white eyes by gackt it was really weel done, and i really liked seeing a good translation of the lyrics

[Sinaj]

A catagory with Bishonen in it?! Woo Hoo! That's what life is all about!!! ^.^

Seriously though, I did like the fact that we had a Japanese Music catagory this year. I would really like to see that become a permanent catagory is possible.  It is always a great idea to introduce people to the fantastic variety of Japanese musical artists.

[kylite]

small request: Can we get each of the entries for the AMV contest uploaded to an account at http://www.youtube.com/

Note: non director accounts are limited to under 10 minutes per addition but I figured as AMV's done seperately they are all well under the limit.

[sassy_lassy]

I have a hunch that calling a category 'Fan Service' will result in me receiving a bunch of videos of the format [My Favorite Anime] + [My Favorite Music,] which usually is a suckky combo, but worse: most of the projects would end up being about Gland Suspension Tests. (Did anyone look closely at the example ballot after the contest?)

So, do we want to have a category called 'Bishie Dudes & Girls We love to Just Watch, As Applied to Random Music? ' Or can we settle on a more coherent category definition?

Next, I once read a study about how certain one-liners people get from their parents often become guidelines they apply in their own lives - for good or for bad. One of my dad's lines was 'Business before Pleasure,' and that meant things like 'Finish your homework before you get to work on the plastic model kit,' and also why I eat all the green veggies (yuck) on my plate first before tucking in to the good stuff (steak,lobster etc.**) Get the skud-work out of the way first, then enjoy the fun stuff So, I tend to apply that to the category order: Start with Drama/Romance, then plod through the other non-Action categories (like Japanese Music) then accelerate with Comedy, Action, and other Short-But-Intense categories, like Movie Trailers. (Trailers are rarely over 2min 30 sec.)

In other words get all the S-L-O-W / emo-stuff out if the way first, clear all decks for action, so that people can show up late and check in for a solid block of all faster, upbeat stuff all in one accelerating set.

Well, sorry for suggesting stuff like you asked people to do. I didn't know I would have to defend my ideas.

I really don't care what your dad taught you. I just find having to judge between a dramatic bloody AMV against a heart-breaking romance AMV is hard to decide since techinically they are about different genres.

And instead of just slapping away the Fanservice idea and asking others for a more coherent idea, you couldn't have thought about some ideas yourself and brought those up instead of just ripping the suggestion apart?

If you're afraid for a 'favorite anime' + 'favorite music' combination, have one of the rules set that creators have to use 'popular anime' for one (not just their favorite, so it's kind of opposite of the NEW anime rule) That they have to use three different pop. animes as well so it's a mixed music video. Because after all, it's Fanservice. The whole point isn't for the creator's favorite things put in but for the creator to try and guess what the audience will like. An audience pleaser.

Yet it doesn't seem that fine-tuning the category really matters, because you don't want to take suggestions into real consideration instead you prefer to just explain why you won't consider the suggestions.

[Sinaj]

That really is the main issue with AMV contests in my opinion - the struggle between creative works using unique combinations of music and anime, and those that use very well known music and anime.

On one hand, you have the creator who tries to do something that hasn't been done yet. Most often they go for an obscure anime that few have seen, or a favorite anime of their's that is outside of the mainstream that they hope to share with people to draw more fans to that anime.

On the other hand, you have creators that are caught up in the moment with popular titles and want to share their excitement with the mass of other fans who are likewise excited about the popular title.

Neither creative process is better than the other, but for a contest it's hard to find catagories and rules that please everyone.

For instance, I entered both the Ouran HS amv and the Ceres amv. I have been extremely excited about the Ouran series and was lucky enough to get a hold of unsubbed, clean episodes. I made it because I was/am Ouran crazy right now, and I wanted to share it with other and hopefully encourage more anime fans to check out the series and manga.

My Ceres video was created totally different. Because it was a Japanese music catagory, I wanted the music to be the center. I wanted to use the music of my favorite jrock band.  The song is dark and moody, and the lyrics are about love, death, and pain which fit Ayashi no Ceres perfectly. By staying true to the anime and the music I chose, I knew it wasn't going to be a crowd pleaser at all, and that it would more likely freak people out, but that was the way I wanted to make it.

So contests have the tough job of chosing which amvs to show and what catagories to have. There are crowd pleasers using popular titles that everyone knows and will react to, and then there are obscure titles creators want to share but some people might find too deep. I don't know, it's almost like those two could have their own catagories, lol! Popular and Obscure.

wow, didn't mean to type so much lol

[superjaz]

you did a great job! i'd never heard of the ouran host club, i got my boyfriend downloding it and i (impatient because its going at no speed) have watch 6 episodes on youtube

[kylite]

Actually sakuracon had the answer to this particular issue.  In the game room they ran a projector with amv's strung back to back from con start to finish.  its not exactly a contest as much as the AMV contest is but the contest portion of this needs to have limits not just due to content but also length. We can only have so many in the contest or we run way over our alloted room budget/time.

hint: saying you dont care about someones advice is usually a bad idea especially when thats what the forums are for. Advice.

[Sinaj]

That would be a cool idea kylite. I wonder if they would just run all the contest entries ( and some other anime videos ) in a viewing room during the con. It could be on a constant loop of how many videos they want to show.

Maybe flash an image to denote which videos were entries before they are shown. Something like "2007 Kumoricon Entrant" and then show the vid... etc...

If the contest is on a Saturday again, the viewing room could be running all day Sunday or part of Sunday.

[HaSanGo]

I have a hunch that calling a category 'Fan Service' will result in me receiving a bunch of videos of the format [My Favorite Anime] + [My Favorite Music,] which usually is a suckky combo, but worse.

I believe this is a misconception on what is 'Fan Service'. There is a lot more to fan service than just 'Favorite Anime' as the most commonly used terms tend to be sexual or inneudo's. However like all categories I would think there would be guidelines.

As a rule though what you believe is a sucky combo or worse doesn't matter. You aren't the person who votes on what they enjoy or decides the winners. You might be one of the people that decides that gets to be shown but the audience decides what they want. Believe it or not popular animes are popular for a reason, their favorites are made into AMV's for various reasons but usually because they like as do the people who view them. There is also more to AMVs than just what is action or fast paced or has flashy effects. I know quite a few AMVs that have won awards that I personally don't like, doesn't mean they are bad because the audience liked them. Just like some people like Sci-Fi while others prefer romance or comedy movies, the same goes for AMVs.

One of my dad's lines was 'Business before Pleasure,' ... So, I tend to apply that to the category order: Start with Drama/Romance, then plod through the other non-Action categories (like Japanese Music) then accelerate with Comedy, Action, and other Short-But-Intense categories, like Movie Trailers. (Trailers are rarely over 2min 30 sec.)

Just because you consider Drama/Romance business doesn't mean that everyone else views it that way. Any anime that emotionally moves me wether to cry, be sad, be upbeat or happy are good because it takes more than just music to do that... it is music combined with visual imagery. I've seen too many action AMV's that are basically just [upbeat tempo music] + [fight scene] and they all it action and none of it goes together, the music doesn't match the scene, nor do the lyrics to the song (if there are even any lyrics).

Honestly the category with the most entries should be first. No matter what the category will be, if it has the most entries then it will take the longest to go through. Which means we are focused on one genre and if the point of keeping things mixed up, then you'll want that out of the way first. If it happens to be Drama, great, but if it happens to be action then by all means. If you feel there is a slow section you use something to break it up, comedy or trailers (usually trailers since they are short, typically funny) which can be used to transition from drama to action or from japanese music to comedy, etc.

Not all Drama means tear jerkers or slow music either, it is dramatic. When we did theatre, usually called drama in High School, most professionals cringe when people say drama. It isn't drama, it is theatre and there is a big difference.

[Emi]

I would like to see a pure technical category or perhaps a "dance" group?  
A trailer group would be fun too

[Geirr]

Well, sorry for suggesting stuff like you asked people to do. I didn't know I would have to defend my ideas.

No, It is I who humbly apologize to you and to all - I didn't intend to put ANYONE on the defensive - I am sorry that what I wished to elicit isn't the way you and others interpreted what I wrote.

So, if we have TWO drama-type categories: people seem to be interested in a 'Serious Story' type, and "[]" (= 'to be determined')
Would 'Famous Faces' work? (note: no restrictions on music or series.)

Other than that, it sounds like people liked a Trailer category, and an Action (or, Action/Effects) Those also don't necessarily have to have a plot or a story.

No one has mentioned Comedy yet, but since this year's Best in Show was a comedy entry, I think we can run that again.

Also, last year or the year before, we ran a Dance category and that had seemed to work well.

HanSango also made some great points. I really like the idea that whichever category has the most number of entries runs first. It turns out that that was the way this contest ran this year - the first category had 6 entries and each of the four categories which followed had fewer.

Also, I convene a group of judges and I do -NOT- participate in their deliberations - thus insulating the way the show ends up running from any of my own personal favorite anime, AMV styles, likes & dislikes, etc.

One of H/S/G's other points about balloted audience voting: I follow the audience votes for all but one award (Judges' Choice) and I don't even vote in THAT. I also use ballots rather than a loud-o-meter because I think that's a more accurate gauge of what people liked. Last year at another con's contest, a judges panel over-rode the audience favorite - it caused quite a stir and I don't think that's a winning idea for Kumoricon.

"I wonder if they would just run all the contest entries ( and some other anime videos"

- this time we actually DID do that - stuff that came in late I ran in the pre-show, so it turns out that everything that came in did indeed make it up onto the screen.

- G

[Kimiski]

Yes, the wheel turns again!

Right now, I'd like to throw out some questions as we plan the next AMV bash...

1) What NEW CATEGORY would you like to see, that you have NEVER heard of happening at other AMV contests?

2) What was your favorite category this last time, or in K-2005?

3) What categories have your heard of running in OTHER AMV contest, that you think we should try at K-2007?

Answer any or all, or none - I'm always interested in as many opinions & suggestions as possible...

- G

1) I think something like JAPANESE LIVE ACTION, even though they are not really AMV's then. Like making music videos to live japanese dramas and what not. Or live musicals of anime. I kinda think that Romance and Drama should be two differnt categories.

2)I still like the romance/drama the best. Then comedy and special effects.

3) No idea.


Also, do you ANY CLUE at all, just the most out there guess at how long AMV's can be for next years event. Im a newbie at AMV's and I wanna make one way out of my league for JAPANESE MUSIC that will have all sorts of kewl effetcs, so I wanna start know. BUt I need to know where to cut the song since its around 5 min.

[Geirr]

Also, [...] how long AMV's can be for next years event. Im a newbie at AMV's and I wanna make one way out of my league for JAPANESE MUSIC that will have all sorts of kewl effetcs, so I wanna start know. But I need to know where to cut the song since its around 5 min.

I was thinking about asking members of former judges panels about some way to determine if a longer work is holding audience attention thoughout (note how I am not including my OWN opinion) and -not- slamming down hard on the x-minutes, y-seconds guidleine we have seen on previous rules pages. Kinda like when you're playing a game and if you do EXCEPTIONALLY WELL in the player round you get EXTENDED PLAY.

For those on AMV.org, here's a link to a project that's about 30% live action footage: http://www.animemusicvideos.org/members/members_videoinfo.php?v=112565

FWIW I usually get allocated 3hrs for the whole deal: pre-show, contest, & show.

I expect to be able to post a Temporary Scratchwork Categories Page in about six weeks, so we have planty of time to bat around a lot of ideas, and even after that we'll have a decent interval of tme to dscuss the categopries & rules as written.

Next, a few months ago I got both my main computers (running Win2k) and my wife's laptop (XP) to handle the h264 codec decently, so for this year I will be adding that codec to the list of usable formats.

I also have one FUN annoucement which should be coming out over this weekend ...

- G

[HaSanGo]

Kinda like when you're playing a game and if you do EXCEPTIONALLY WELL in the player round you get EXTENDED PLAY.

I don't believe any AMVer should get extended playing time. Honestly what one person determines is exceptional another may not and there is no way to really get a gauge of the audience's opinion. Not to mention when making choices based on an audience an extended play could waiver votes towards that but at the same time might move votes away from it.

FWIW I usually get allocated 3hrs for the whole deal: pre-show, contest, & show.

I would suggest the Pre-Show not be 30-60 minutes long. It should only be 15 minutes. Provides time to get people seated, allows for late arrivals and gets people in the mood. The majority of people are there to see the Contest. I noticed quite a few groups left in the middle of the contest, some because of how long it was into it and others because of work schedules. Then afterwards use whatever time is left for anything else.

I would also recommend similar to having a viewing room for Anime and Live Action.. they have a viewing room for AMV's. The contest entries as well as other AMVs can be playing in a 6 hour block or something like that. You can even break the blocks up into categories, 1 hour of trailers, 1 hour of comedy, etc just to provide something else for people to view. (not sure how popular it would be but I know quite a few people that would rather kill time waiting for panels in there) Or even better if there was a room to do like a Anime Cafe. They don't really serve room but tables where people can eat, relax while AMV's are playing in the background.

Next, a few months ago I got both my main computers (running Win2k) and my wife's laptop (XP)

There is the problem... your using Windows. ^_^ (I'm kidding... slightly... a little :p)


Categories I enjoyed was the Traditional Japanese category we had the year before. I also enjoyed the Japanese Music category, it is always nice to listen to JRock... although personally I thought there was too much DDR  but that is just me.

Something might be interesting is a Mecha category. AMV's centered around mecha anime's. There are quite a lot of them out there and can provide anything from comedy to drama to action.

[Sinaj]

Was just thinking here and was wondering what people would think about having a theme for each contest? Like Mecha one year, ancient japan the next year, Schools/Academies, etc...

All videos entered should have something to do with the theme. There are literally hundreds+ animes for each of the catagories above, and hundreds more for things I didn't mention.

This idea might seem to constrained to some, but it would be interesting.

[Pie Row Maniac]

Was just thinking here and was wondering what people would think about having a theme for each contest? Like Mecha one year, ancient japan the next year, Schools/Academies, etc...

All videos entered should have something to do with the theme. There are literally hundreds+ animes for each of the catagories above, and hundreds more for things I didn't mention.

This idea might seem to constrained to some, but it would be interesting.

I'd rather that be a whole seperate contest from the main one. I don't want editors to have to feel forced into doing only a certain type of video because the contest wouldn't allow anything else. Don't get me wrong though, it's a good idea but what you said is true: it's constraining.

[ambergen87]

*pipes up from the background* I liked Instrumentals from Kcon2005.

How about we make Drama/Romance two seperate categories?

[princessfrodo]

I'm with ambergen87 on this one, Drama and Romance need to be seperate catagories.  While drama can be romantic, and vice versa, it can also be completely seperate.