Otakon Results

[jbone]

I think we can all agree that the Otakon AMV contest coordinator(s)/assistants do not appear to take all feedback into consideration.

I think we can also agree that it's a problem when people don't take feedback into consideration, since we obviously all agree that there are issues with the way the contest is run.

[hackerzc]

And I agree with you DW... there ARE people saying this or that is a problem (even I think there are issues, but I'm also not the department head, so things do not automatically happen because I say so).
The thing the contest staff has to decide is which is the lesser of two evils. Will more people be upset if a particular thing stays the same, or will it be worse if that thing is changed. And really there is a LOT of guess work that goes into it because you just don't KNOW what will happen until you try something.

There is a lot of compromise involved in Otakon's contest. It's not just a matter of what you guys (creators) think, but also what the general membership thinks (including that 12 year old kid who thinks Naruto is "the shit" and everything else blows), what other departments at the con have to say (departments that decide when and where the contest is, and how many showings it gets), etc, etc.
Everyone is trying to run the contest their way, telling us how to do this and that.... and in the end we are left with over 10 different ways of doing ONE THING. The idea is to mix and match in order to please as many as possible...
Yes when you do that you run the risk of upsetting the people who couldn't have everything the way they wanted it, but that sort of thing is an acceptable risk.


jBone, we do take everything into consideration (I see what everyone is saying and I make sure Antonio knows about it... no one is ignorant or ignoring what gets said), staff just does not always agree (or maybe we just can't do it that way for whatever reason).

Yes you(the creators) make the videos for the contest, and without those videos there is no contest. However, the thing ALL creators need to understand is that the creators are not the only group that the contest is for anymore. Contest staff needs to consider everyone elses feedback as well.
Even if we DID just listen to creators you would still say there are issues because not even all the creators here on the org can decide on the same thing (just look around and read some topics). So the question becomes WHO do we listen to.... you? DW? ReligionX?
I hope you understand the point I'm trying to make.

In the end it's the staffs job to take EVERYTHING and do what we can with it. It's not perfect (it never will be). Even staff are not 100% happy with it and we run the damn thing.
Oh well, I'm just waisting my time saying any of this. Those who think we don't listen or want things their way will continue to think like that until they are 100% satisfied, and realistically that will ever happen.

*EDIT*
Oh and in a futile attempt to try and please everyone.... we're looking into having the contest in the Arena next year. No promises, but it's a serious possibility.
And with that I'm done... see ya next year.

[Illia Sadri]

Well, in all honesty, the average attendee at an amv contest cares little beyond seeing good videos. Biggest complaint I get at tekko is that not every category is peppered with comedy and comedy being weak. There's little you can do in that case.

However, it wouldn't hurt to conisder that a good deal of the creators who frequent here have issues. Giving lip service and pushing the issue out of sight and out of mind doesn't help matters which has been Otakon for a few years now. We care a bit on which category videos should go into since well, creators know how the audience will vote. It simply is not fair to videos in one category to compete to something that since it made the audience laugh will win by default. If the editors get tired of seeing a vid heavy on comedy win half the categories, then they will stop submitting or won't care about rushing a deadline for their vid to premiere at the second largest con in the country.

But if the fans are largely content, then it might help to throw a bone to the editors and not dismiss everything you say. You say that a majority do make notes but admit there are problems and the editors are saying the same thing. I've seen the videos and yes, I certainly agree that some videos were not in the proper category.

Here's a suggestion? be open to the concerns, particularly when they are wide spread. Hell, talk with other contest corridnators. I speak with Vlad from most of the canadian cons and Julius from Acen regularly and we toss ideas around at times and compare things. Everyone has thier own quirks and eah con is different. But I personally enjoy hearing the differences in how things are run elsewhere and its a learning experience. I speak with other con staff on programming things just to get ideas floating around as it pertains to my job at acen in the panel department. It is never a bad idea.

[ReligionX]

Everyone is trying to run the contest their way, telling us how to do this and that.... and in the end we are left with over 10 different ways of doing ONE THING. The idea is to mix and match in order to please as many as possible...

Even if we DID just listen to creators you would still say there are issues because not even all the creators here on the org can decide on the same thing (just look around and read some topics). So the question becomes WHO do we listen to.... you? DW? ReligionX?

In the end it's the staffs job to take EVERYTHING and do what we can with it. It's not perfect (it never will be). Even staff are not 100% happy with it and we run the damn thing.

[dwchang]

Don't get me wrong John I am not saying Otakon isn't listening at all. Obviously you're reading these very posts and responding which is a lot more than say...two years ago.

I am however glad to see Lynn's post since it really means I don't need to say as much anymore . Basically like her, I feel the attendees are happy regardless of what is where. They just wanna see good videos. The actual *contest* part, where the creators are involved, is where things like what goes where, what gives what an adv. etc come into account. And thus since it affects the creators, I feel their opinion should be given some weight.

Don't get me wrong, I TOTALLY agree that the actual even, the showing, is for the attendees who FAR outnumber a few measly editors, however as Lynn suggested, they are happy as long as there is a good showing with good videos. The stuff we are griping about probably doesn't affect them or how they feel, while it does affect how the creators perceive the contest and the staff.

[N30 Z3R0]

So, anyone find "Stop Watching Anime and Go Outside" for public DL yet? Anyone? *Sigh*

... And it was so funny, too...

[Adv1sor]

So the question becomes WHO do we listen to.... you? DW? ReligionX?

The answer is simple.

Listen to me!




Thanks again for a great show this year! The arena would be awesome.