Anime Expo 2012 AMV Contest Thread - WINNERS ANNOUNCED!!!

[Cyrix]

but it almost feels like putting in any amount of old school sources into my video is a complete turn off to the judges unless I jungle in some super crazy effects with a kick ass anime that isn't more than 3-4 years old (no offense).

Yeah, I get that feeling too. It's hard to put old school 640*480 videos against all the new widescreen HD series with gradients and bloom all over the place. All of the winners from last year were fairly new, but Rider won drama with the original FMA two years ago so it's not impossible (I can't find the full winner list for 2010 though).

You should feel lucky you get comments on your videos. I rarely get any feedback at all

[Radical_Yue]

but it almost feels like putting in any amount of old school sources into my video is a complete turn off to the judges unless I jungle in some super crazy effects with a kick ass anime that isn't more than 3-4 years old (no offense).

Yeah, I get that feeling too. It's hard to put old school 640*480 videos against all the new widescreen HD series with gradients and bloom all over the place. All of the winners from last year were fairly new, but Rider won drama with the original FMA two years ago so it's not impossible (I can't find the full winner list for 2010 though).

You should feel lucky you get comments on your videos. I rarely get any feedback at all

If the judges are taking source selection into account, they're biased judges and shouldn't be used.

And as long as you properly clean your standard definition footage you'll be fine. Just because it's big and shiny doesn't mean it's not a terrible video.


If you're saying the judges aren't giving credit where credit is due, find a new contest. Otherwise, don't make excuses for not making it in. "My source wasn't popular and it's not HD so I don't have a chance." is BS. Try harder.

[Castor Troy]

..why are people thinking having an HD source automatically makes your video good?

[Radical_Yue]

..why are people thinking having an HD source automatically makes your video good?

I think it's one of two things.

1) The youtube mentality: They openly advertise that their videos are HD like it should score them extra points. This of course is simply as stupid as a fast food place making one of their main selling points that they have restrooms. It's nice that little Jimmy can up the size at which he watches his video while he's taking a poop in McDonalds, but it's nowhere near a dealbreaker.

2) Excuses: It's a age old excuse of "Well, I edit with what I love and because what I love isn't what everyone else is crazy about, I get shunned!" But like I said above, if you honestly think that editing with older/non super popular sources is causing you to not make it into contests then you need to take another look at things. Is it the judges? Because that's the only thing that could stop you, biased judges. And if it's a biased, terrible contest, why would you want to compete in it?
Otherwise, it's just a excuse we've seen since the dawn of editing. It's just as idiotic as "I dunno how to do efx s0 ppl dun liek my vidz."


EDIT: Now that I think about it, it's also pretty insulting to people that made it in since you're saying that the only way to make it into a contest is to use popular/fan-pandering sources and make it HD. So you're basically saying that the finalists, some of which are actually your friends, only made it in because of those reasons and not skill? That's pretty freakin' mean.

[Sephiroth]

I cleared out anime Next with multiple sources from the 80s 90s and few 2000s. SO you can use older soures (Captain Tylor) And win.

[Rider4Z]

my experience with AX tells me that the judges (don't know who they are) are interested in originality and creativity in the video/audio combo (less common the better but not to the point of making them go "huh?") more so than shiny editing skills. that's why you'll see simply edited videos, like , get in over more complex AND efforted videos like . not saying i necessarily agree with this technique of judging and i'm still surprised over this ^.... this is all just my opinion tho, i could be completely off base.

i realize not making finals can be really discouraging. but just remember why you make amvs in the first place. if you can't be happy and proud of your work then you're just setting yourself up for disappointment

Yeah, I get that feeling too. It's hard to put old school 640*480 videos against all the new widescreen HD series with gradients and bloom all over the place. All of the winners from last year were fairly new, but Rider won drama with the original FMA two years ago so it's not impossible (I can't find the full winner list for 2010 though).

i'm pretty good at this...

Drama - Alchanum
Action - Spinning Infinity
Comedy & Best of Show - Now a Word From Our Sponsors
AmTVPro - This is Halloween

staff, creators' and judges i don't remember off the top of my head.

[Castor Troy]

Simply put, the judges will choose what they like. It doesn't matter how many effects, how much time was spent, etc. All they have to care about is the end product and whether it was entertaining or not.

You can put all the effort in the world but if your video puts the judges to sleep, they ain't voting for it.

Remember, there's other contests outside the AX bubble.

[Rider4Z]

Simply put, the judges will choose what they like. It doesn't matter how many effects, how much time was spent, etc. All they have to care about is the end product and whether it was entertaining or not.

You can put all the effort in the world but if your video puts the judges to sleep, they ain't voting for it.

^yeah that

[TrufflePigStudios]

but it almost feels like putting in any amount of old school sources into my video is a complete turn off to the judges unless I jungle in some super crazy effects with a kick ass anime that isn't more than 3-4 years old (no offense).

I don't think that's necessarily true. I know a lot of people who are turned off by the style of older anime. One of my close friends really dislikes that older style to the point where she usually won't watch any older anime and on a regular basis wouldn't look twice at an amv with older footage- HOWEVER- she LOVED Rider's Arsene of the Crime Video from AX last year, which style-wise is pretty old looking. She also despises Michael Jackson I might add- but that amv made her like both the song and think twice about an aesthetic she's not particularly fond of. My point- even if the judges were biased (which I dont' think they are, especially considering that Yue's "Dreamer" vid is in the finals, and it uses an older anime. I'm sure there are other examples as well that I can't think of right now)...but even if they WERE biased against older anime, a really solid vid can still make them turn their head and enjoy it. Soooo keep editing with what ya like, and just cuz it doesn't get into AX, doesn't mean it won't get in in other cons!

[Cyrix]

Well my comment was an offhand comment, I did not intend to say that the finalists are poor editors nor that sources matter more than editing. My observation that none of the winners from last year were old animes is true, at any rate, but that doesn't necessarily mean anything. I have a lot of trouble getting my friends together to watch anime, so we're yeeeaaars behind and I haven't even heard of many of the new series that play in the contest. Personally I sometimes feel daunted when I see the visual quality of new series compared to the old stuff I usually poke around with. I've never thought "damn these people blinding the audience with their gradients", I think "I should really stop making Elfen Lied videos (I did!) and watch something made in the last six years".

..why are people thinking having an HD source automatically makes your video good?

Nobody said that at all. "Old animes are possibly less likely to make finals" <> "HD = automatic good"

EDIT: Now that I think about it, it's also pretty insulting to people that made it in since you're saying that the only way to make it into a contest is to use popular/fan-pandering sources and make it HD. So you're basically saying that the finalists, some of which are actually your friends, only made it in because of those reasons and not skill? That's pretty freakin' mean.

And yet you're saying anyone who speculates on whether the age of an anime affects the judging of the video must suck at editing and are looking for excuses? You don't need to bite people's heads off because they wonder what the best strategy for making it to finals are. Nobody personally attacked you.

Whatever. Maybe you meant that at him more than me, but you quoted me as well so I felt targeted. I obviously am not good at conversing with people in general, so back to lurking.