AWA 2005 Pro Contest Discussion Thread

Therax · Post by **Therax** » Sun Aug 28, 2005 11:14 pm

I could really stand to see the category list filtered down some. As of the present moment there are 36 entries on the list.

As written, I can't figure out any difference between "Best Crossover" and "Best multiple source video."

Nor do I see the need for "Best Angst," since it doesn't seem well defined to me, and most videos I can think of fitting into that category would fit equally well into "Best Character Profile," "Best Drama," or similar depending on the type of angst portrayed.

Echuir · Post by **Echuir** » Sun Aug 28, 2005 11:44 pm

The background was the first one in my list of backgrounds. The music was simi-random from what I had on the HDD. I wanted to have an AWA logo for the background but could not get one ready in time. The menu music will always be mostly random unless AWA gets theme music.

Lord Rae · Post by **Lord Rae** » Sun Aug 28, 2005 11:49 pm

See before someone added best Angst I was hoping for that catagory... cause some are more angsty than about romance or drama... I dunno it seemed to work really well as a catagory last year and several fit into it this year that don't fit under Romance or drama.

aoi_neko · Post by **aoi_neko** » Mon Aug 29, 2005 12:23 am

I'm reasonably sure from the comments earlier in the thread that the categories are going to get thinned out to reasonable number before the voting, so it doesn't bother me all that much to see a ridiculous number of them now.

So far as categories like "best angst" go, I think that what's going on here is a desire to sort of even things out a bit. [Disclaimer: none of the new category nominations are mine -- the two or three I thought of adding someone else got around to first, so, I'm just guessing at what's in people's heads.] Sure, an "angst" video is, by definition, a "drama" video. But I imagine that people are trying to break it up a little, so that we don't have a situation where a "best drama" or "best comedy" video has to be the best video out of two dozen in order to be recognized, while a "best romance" or "best non-anime" has to be the best out of four or five to be recognized.

My personal idea of "problem" categories are things like "best concept" or "best professional endeavor" where one can just about guarantee that any video winning it will be getting its second or third, or even fourth award. What's the point? I really hate the idea of seeing the same 6 videos as the nominees in every single category -- even if they were to be MY top 6, and don't think we really need more places to nominate them.

Kwasek · Post by **Kwasek** » Mon Aug 29, 2005 1:01 am

Best Original Concept, Best Romance, and Best Fun/Upbeat/Dance (yes I am combining two of them) are the only editor made categories that deserve to last.

I've never cared too much for Sentimental or Tech.

Everyother category is either not supported by enough videos or is stretching to just give out awards. That's something I don't think we really need to do.

Maybe it's because I've been at this soo long, but I have become less and less impressed with these videos. I'd rather see a healthy compitition amoung fewer categories than to know which video is going to win what sub award.

Shouldn't we grow outta these Footage/song themed categories? Didn't the novelty of lipsync die out 3-4 years ago? Shouldn't the video that wins a category also be technically acceptable?

Shouldn't we be combining Dance with Fun/Upbeat, also Parody with Trailer? Maybe then you have good nominations. Horror and Instrumental are just too low to justify.

I just say fewer categories. Make it interesting, more prestigious possibly. Easier for the awards ceremony to run within it's allowed time. Good luck and have fun with it.

StudioKZ · Post by **StudioKZ** » Mon Aug 29, 2005 1:23 am

Kwasek wrote:Best Original Concept, Best Romance, and Best Fun/Upbeat/Dance (yes I am combining two of them) are the only editor made categories that deserve to last.

I've never cared too much for Sentimental or Tech.

Everyother category is either not supported by enough videos or is stretching to just give out awards. That's something I don't think we really need to do.

Sentimental I thought was another variant of Romance or Drama, but I agree, not much need for such a thing if there's already a romance and a drama category. As for Tech, if something is technically beautiful and obtains on repeat viewings, but is beaten by a less technically flashy vid in all the other categories, I'd consider the tech award, but that's the only case. I agree, they ought to be technically proficient enough if they're in that tech isn't really a consideration.

Maybe it's because I've been at this soo long, but I have become less and less impressed with these videos. I'd rather see a healthy compitition amoung fewer categories than to know which video is going to win what sub award.

Ditto, but I have to say the videos are still a cut or three above most of the other contests out there for the last year or two.

Shouldn't we grow outta these Footage/song themed categories? Didn't the novelty of lipsync die out 3-4 years ago? Shouldn't the video that wins a category also be technically acceptable?

But Pirates and Ninjas! (No, that wasn't my nominated category)

Shouldn't we be combining Dance with Fun/Upbeat, also Parody with Trailer? Maybe then you have good nominations. Horror and Instrumental are just too low to justify.

I agree, Trailers are Parodies, that was the whole point of doing AMV Trailers. It always has been.

I just say fewer categories.

I agree, again. Just because there is a novel category, it doesn't mean you have to strain to nominate enough videos to keep it, folks. Just because you think a video is deserving doesn't mean you should create a category that you think it ought to fit in. Categories are getting out of hand. Best Angst? Why not best Naruto or best One Piece? Best Compositing? WTHF? why is this even a consideration? Can't the video compete in other categories without pointing out its creator's E-penis?

AquaSky · Post by **AquaSky** » Mon Aug 29, 2005 5:41 am

Therax wrote:As written, I can't figure out any difference between "Best Crossover" and "Best multiple source video."

"Best Crossover" is a video that, more or less, superimposes one character into a different series or otherwise tries to manipulate the footage to have two (or occasionally more) series appear to interact with each other. "Best multiple-source" is simply a video that uses multiple series. As it is, however, I don't really see the need for "Best Crossover" - there are perhaps two videos that could legitimately compete in that.

WalterScott · Post by **WalterScott** » Mon Aug 29, 2005 11:58 am

As far as additional award categories go, it shouldn't be hard to cull the list. Something like: count the number of videos that are nominated to the category by a majority of reviewers. Rank the categories accordingly. Then only add X additional categories, whichever ones had the most videos nominated.

I think Sentimental is a good category to preserve because in my mind it's distinct from both Romance and Drama.

A lot of the categories suggested seem to fit just a couple of videos: Pets, Foreign Language, Crossover, Dance. "Oldschool" is marginal: the KOR and Maison Ikkoku vids fit, as does Astro Boy (mostly), Lupin, Laputa, parts of others. "Traditional" is an interesting idea but I think that outside of action videos I don't think a lack of effects really works against you.

As far as shounen / shoujo ai goes, that is already well represented in Romance but doesn't seem to have enough entries on its own.

Don't forget that there's always the panelists awards as consolation to deserving videos that don't make the cut otherwise.

Scintilla · Post by **Scintilla** » Mon Aug 29, 2005 12:07 pm

StudioKZ wrote:
Shouldn't we be combining Dance with Fun/Upbeat, also Parody with Trailer? Maybe then you have good nominations. Horror and Instrumental are just too low to justify.
I agree, Trailers are Parodies, that was the whole point of doing AMV Trailers. It always has been.

Kusoyaro · Post by **Kusoyaro** » Mon Aug 29, 2005 12:20 pm

Kwasek wrote:I've never cared too much for Sentimental or Tech.

"Best Technical" and "Best Editing" used to be synonymous..but nowadays that's definitely no longer true, and I'm a little surprised that no one's made a Best Editing category yet. I was thinking about doing it myself, but I didn't feel up to writing out a description. IMO, "Best Technical" tends to translate to "Most Technical" in a lot of cases...