Author Topic: AMV Contest Suggestions  (Read 4293 times)

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Offline 13Joe

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AMV Contest Suggestions
« on: September 20, 2015, 05:27:55 pm »

Howdy y'all,

Since our 2015 Contest was just a few weeks ago, I thought now would be a good time to start a thread where people can give their input on what they liked, would like to see in the future or didn't like while it's still fresh in some of our brains.

Please, keep in mind that not all suggestions can be accommodated, for a multitude of reasons but all input is considered and appreciated.

Also, keep in mind that constructive criticism is fine but try to keep the constructive part when criticizing so that we can all get the most out of this thread.

Cheers,

Joe
« Last Edit: December 07, 2016, 05:33:26 pm by 13Joe »
--something profound--

Joe Mason
2017 AMV Coordinator
2016 AMV Coordinator
2015 AMV Coordinator

amv13joe@gmail.com

Offline 13Joe

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Re: 2016 AMV Contest Suggestions
« Reply #1 on: September 20, 2015, 05:30:54 pm »
I'll start it off with a tip for Editors:

Submitting videos to more then one category will greatly increase your chances of one of those videos winning.

That could also lead to you winning more then one category by pure chance if there are only a few videos in a given category and they may not be great videos, thus giving you a MUCH better chance then sending in say 4 AMVs and asking for them all to be put in "Comedy" as an example.

If you submit multiple Vids to the same category you have a better chance of getting on the playlist using math but you may have unknowingly entered into a category that had dozens of submissions and do not get on the playlist at all.

Just some food for thought. ;)
--something profound--

Joe Mason
2017 AMV Coordinator
2016 AMV Coordinator
2015 AMV Coordinator

amv13joe@gmail.com

Offline jeffry_fisher

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Re: 2016 AMV Contest Suggestions
« Reply #2 on: December 27, 2015, 02:06:03 pm »
First, my tips for editors (from the point of view of someone who was a screening judge several times in the dim and distant past):

* The contest can draw 7-8 HOURS of AMV entries that must be sorted and filtered by a committee in a single day  that can easily run over 12 hours long in high summer heat. It is not possible to watch every entry in its entirety, so first impressions matter a LOT. Hook your audience early (in the first few seconds) in order to have your whole AMV viewed.

* Read the contest rules and obey them. If in doubt, ask. With the judges under pressure to cut the raw entry bulk down to a contest quota, rules infractions become an easy way out of making hard decisions on the margins. Don't be that pretty-good AMV cut for pushing the PG-13 envelope, displaying a network logo in the corner, allowing fansubs to leak into your source video etc.

* As mentioned many times recently, brevity is the soul of wit. The less time you attempt to claim in the program, the easier it is to grant it. Be willing to edit your source audio, especially repetitive parts, especially if they're leading you to repetitive (redundant) video. If you hunt, you may even be able to find short mixes of songs you want to use.

* Your audience can't read your mind, so if the meaning of your audio and video is not blatantly obvious, then the AMV that moves you (the artist) to tears of joy may move judges or contest audience to yawns. There are several approaches to elevate meaning to clarity. You can choose audio with articulate wording (stand-up comedy, movie trailer etc.). You can add your own text (or symbols) to your video (there are artful ways to do that -- discuss amongst yourselves). You may think of yet another way, just don't rely on telepathy. Note: if you add words that look like they could be subtitles from source video, then include a note with your entry explaining that they are yours.

* Comedy: It seems like cheating, but using source audio that's already funny gives you a big head start. It may not win the category, but cleverly illustrating a polished routine can get your AMV into the contest (and entertain the crowd, our ultimate goal) with a lot less sweat than when you struggle to invent your own schtick and master the comedic timing yourself. YMMV.

* Music: While you can't please all of the people all of the time, choosing an "acquired taste" (e.g. death metal) may alienate some of your audience, starting with the judges. That's not to say that death metal can't get through (it does, much to my chagrin), but know that you're climbing up hill (especially if the words are not intelligible). The same, possibly double, goes for the opposite extreme (e.g. "elevator music"). You must be true to your inner muse of course, but you help your chances by aiming to be interesting without assaulting the ears.

* Warning against overused source material: Once upon a time, judges were told to allow only one AMV per category that primarily used any particular source. It meant that if two or more Naruto AMVs came into the intensity category, then only one could survive (there can be only one!). Same for audio (e.g. popular movie trailers). I don't know if that filter still exists (times change), but to improve your chances of getting in, you may want to avoid the usual suspects.

* On the other hand, the contest audience tends to lap up those hyper-popular sources, so you might deliberately pander to them. Just make sure that your AMV is the best so that somebody else's gets bumped.
"People who beat their swords into plowshares will plow for those who don't"

Offline Prinz Eugen

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Re: 2016 AMV Contest Suggestions
« Reply #3 on: February 13, 2016, 08:44:53 am »
Oddly enough, one source of crisp pronunciation in lyrics is foreign bands whose native language is not English, but the native language has a similar total number of syllables in its entire lexicon. Japanese has only 42 syllables, which is why two of their writing systems are syllabaries, not alphabets. English has about 15,000 possible syllables, but that figure includes non-used syllables (like "flurb" or "threlf.") English uses about 4400 spoken syllables. French uses over 13,000 distinct spoken syllables.

Most foreign speakers of a language are taught by formal instruction somewhere along the way, and formal instructors tend to teach more 'proper,' or strict pronouncuations and grammar. Teachers will tell students not to use 'ain't, or write 'wanna,' so the students doesn't learn certain acceptable slangs and drgraded pronounciations. As a re.sult, they.'re more like.ly to pro.noun.ce each word more crisp.ly and pre.cise.ly than your typical half-stoned thrasher, or boozed out blues singer drawling along.

So although using metal-esque examples, groups like Nightwish and Sabaton sing English more understandably than many American bands of the similar style.

An editor relying on lyrics, rather than the mere sound or power of a song, may be able to tie imags to lyrics easier if the lyrics are more cleanly understandable.

But as above, YMMV.
« Last Edit: February 13, 2016, 02:37:32 pm by Prinz Eugen »

Offline Prinz Eugen

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Re: 2016 AMV Contest Suggestions
« Reply #4 on: February 13, 2016, 03:18:06 pm »
Also the "grab 'em by the nose in the first 10 seconds" criterion sometimes misses a few gems that lull you into a 'oh, it's just a drama,' mode and you're just about to walk out for a bathroom break (the Drama category is usually the bathroom break...) but then SOMETHING twists: either it becomes a compelling mystery/horror thing or BAM - NOW the editor just dropped a nuke on your head - but you needed the idyllic context to appreciate the full impact.

There is another member on the forum who has critiqued my running of Kumoricon in public and in private and I have honored and appreciated that person's feedback. (I'm running a different AMV contest now.) One point made elsewhere was that the "slap 'em hard right out of the gate" style may appeal disproportionately to men, just like in real life there are *almost* no women involved in *professional* pyrotechnics. It just so happens that a large majority of humans who get a real thrill out of colorful explosions and get into the details of chemical reactions** which create these and other effects - tend to be men.

**hmm - grinding up PVC pipe can add a darker, velvety color to red flame. It's the chlorine in the PVC.

So if the audience is becoming more balanced (as certainly more women are trying their hand at AMV editing too) you may need to instruct the judges to evaluate using other criteria, or best yet - try to ensure that the judges' panel reflects the anticipated audience demographics as closely as is possible.
« Last Edit: February 13, 2016, 03:21:51 pm by Prinz Eugen »

Offline 13Joe

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Re: 2016 AMV Contest Suggestions
« Reply #5 on: February 17, 2016, 04:41:40 pm »
Thanks for all of the feedback.

This years rules are in the spelling/grammar checking stage and will be posted soon.

I have a very talented assistant Coordinator working with me for 2016 (I'll let her introduce herself when she can) and have access to a wide variety of judges to choose from this year covering a majority if not all of the contest goers.

Stay tuned for more 2016 info!!!
--something profound--

Joe Mason
2017 AMV Coordinator
2016 AMV Coordinator
2015 AMV Coordinator

amv13joe@gmail.com

Offline jeffry_fisher

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Re: 2017 AMV Contest Suggestions
« Reply #6 on: December 06, 2016, 01:15:23 pm »
Are we ready for 2017 suggestions yet? Would you like a new thread for a new year, or would you like to edit the year off of this one and make it sticky?

I write because I just discovered a new AMV category online: AMV Deconstruction (An AMV about AMV editing).

Would our audience enjoy seeing a few AMVs featuring circles and arrows and text (set to music of course) that explain how another AMV (or an effect therein) is made? If created, I'd put the deconstruction  category at #1. Then our viewers might better appreciate the AMVs to come... or they might be bored out of their skulls while a handful of tech nerds like me are staring in wide-eyed fascination.

And, if an editor happened to submit both a great AMV and an excellent companion deconstruction AMV for it, then some interesting contest dynamics could develop (if they're both good enough to reach the con).
"People who beat their swords into plowshares will plow for those who don't"

Offline 13Joe

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Re: 2016 AMV Contest Suggestions
« Reply #7 on: December 07, 2016, 05:32:49 pm »
We might be able to build a panel around that concept but we will have the 2017 rules and categories finished here in 2 weeks or so.

Good idea  8)
--something profound--

Joe Mason
2017 AMV Coordinator
2016 AMV Coordinator
2015 AMV Coordinator

amv13joe@gmail.com