Best New Creator

[Castor Troy]

Judging by all these responses, do you really want to win this award now Ashton?

Even if you do win, will it really mean anything? Most people won't recognize you in the most positive way even if you win.

Imagine winning an award and you have to get up on stage only to have the crowd boo you and throw flaming dirty diapers your way.

[EarthCurrent]

Imagine winning an award and you have to get up on stage only to have the crowd boo you and throw flaming dirty diapers your way.

Why would a crowd want to carry around flaming dirty diapers? What sort of awards ceremony is this?

[Ashyukun]

I think Ashton needs some AWA9 time. Meeting alot of your piers can really change your opinions about alot of things

They have docks in Atlanta? Sorry Machine, sometimes it's just too hard to resist poking fun at spelling.

Personally, I think if you're only creating AMVs for the awards and the praise, you're doing something wrong. There are roughtly 15,000 videos listed here on the 'org alone, with just shy of 5,000 creators/editors (according to the site info), and while I know it's pretty darn close, not everyone's videos are entered nor is every AMV creator registered here. That's a hell of a lot of people competing for probably around a hundred awards or so given out per year. Even assuming nobody won more than one award (which is generally not the case) and two-thirds of the editors aren't actively competing , that's still only about 6% of creators/editors who will win an award. Those aren't very good odds... I think if you go into making a video expecting it to win an award, you stand a very large chance of a big letdown. It's just my opinion, but I think videos should be made because you simply can't hold the idea back and it demands to become a reality. I think everyone should be happy just to have accomplished making something like an AMV, even if it sucks ass through a swizzle-stick. Other people enjoying it and winning awards should be secondary to your enjoyment of it, and 15-20 years down the road you should be able to dig that ancient VHS tape/CD-Rom/DVD-R off the shelf and smile as you watch your works. I certainly wouldn't want to be watching one of my videos and thinking, "Dammit, I made this to win XXXX and it lost." Of course, I'm also operating on a good bit less sleep than usual, and could be in sappy rabu-rabu mode and may be making about as much sense as the Afro Ken video.

As for the voting on this- I'm going to do my best to ignore this whole thread when voting, and judge the competitors by the merits of their skills, not their desire to win. Now if only I could track down a copy of Shameless Rock Video...

[BishounenStalker]

Ashton:

For one thing, quit yer bitchin'. Just because you didn't get nominated for the award you wanted, it's no reason to whine like a ten-year-old. Try for another award next year and cut your losses. There are other, far more fair contests besides the VCAs anyway. It isn't the End of Evangelion if you didn't get into this one.

Hell, I was hoping for the "Best First Video" award, too. I didn't get nominated, either. Am I bitching? No. Because considering the sheer number of videos I was up against, I figured there wasn't a chance in hell. Yes, I believe I lost to some inferior vids. But c'es la vivre.

The reason I'm so blasé about it? I put little to zero stock in the VCAs anyway.

They aren't the be-all-end-all award. It's a frellin' popularity contest. Unless your vid has been downloaded a few thousand times or hyped worse than The Blair Witch Project, you really don't have a chance of getting in.

And Kwasek is SO right. It's the opinions of people who gave a damn enough to leave you tangible feedback that really matter. Numbers in the ballot box hold no importance for me. It's those individuals who liked it and actually told me to my face who are important. Hell, when the CRAPPY version of my first video was stil being hosted at FilePlanet, I was psyched by getting one E-mail from a random person who downloaded it telling me how good they thought it was.

Heck, I'm still psyched about MegaCon this weekend. Yes, I'm hoping to win some kind of award, but I'm not expecting one. Nor will I be terribly sore if I don't (unless I lose to a LinkinBallZ vid). Just seeing my vids up on that big Con screen with the audience's reaction is plenty for me.

[Kusoyaro]

Hehe, I bet even Hsien and Will Milberry still remember when I wrote to them about inpiration almost 3 years ago.

Hell, I still remember when Corbo first emailed me years ago...he was all polite and stuff. Now he tells me to go fuck a goat without even blinking

[Corran]

If I entered I would be more than happy to make it as far as you have..

[paizuri]

Hehe, I bet even Hsien and Will Milberry still remember when I wrote to them about inpiration almost 3 years ago.

Hell, I still remember when Corbo first emailed me years ago...he was all polite and stuff. Now he tells me to go fuck a goat without even blinking

Well, unless you have the stamina of a fruitfly, that's pretty tough! I mean, you have to keep your eyes open the entire time???

[jonmartensen]

I suggest you use some visine... and lube.

[MistyCaldwell]

Now is the time to that everyone is viewing those that were nominated that they may have never seen before. I know I've started to see some good videos I never saw before. This is the best part about the VCA's, in my opinion, because everyone has an opportunity to watch them all.

That's a good way of looking at it. Perhaps releasing a list of the runner up nominees (non voting list) could extend that use further. I know a lot of people tend to complain they don't know what vids are good other than the top 10 and so on....so it could be useful. 'Course they may have to be in a non specific order but I think that could be a nice addition. Lesse...how to summon Phade....perhaps writing his name is enough

[Ashton]

AMV contest I believe are the most fun when you competeing along with your piers. AnimeFEST this year was great when Wonka, Julian, MJ and I were all there together seeing who would reign. Then we took victory pictures together (even though I Lost ).


Even I will admit, when I first started almost 3 years ago editing, I thought the Ashton did. If I didn't win anything, no one woudl know who I am and I wouldn't get the chance to meet or talk to anyone because I was no good. Completely the opposite. If anything, I found out winning wasnt everything. There would be times where I wouldn't win anything yet the crowd reaction was just so great that I didn't need an award.

I even learned alot from Vlad when I frist met him at AX 2002. He told me "Never expect anything in AMV contests." Indeed he was very right and since then, I've actually enjoyed my AMV making to its fullest extent.


And ashton, YOU WILL REMEMBER THE EMAILS. I still remember getting emails from AKUMA, Darkeye Studios, and Fallen Angel Studios a while back telling me how my work has inspired them to create their own works of AMVS (others as well but naming what I know off the top of my head).


Those emails are probably the best reward of all.


Hehe, I bet even Hsien and Will Milberry still remember when I wrote to them about inpiration almost 3 years ago.


I think Ashton needs some AWA9 time. Meeting alot of your piers can really change your opinions about alot of things

I suppose that you've hit it on the head there: I don't know anyone in this comunity. I've been to one convention, and it's before I knew enough to meet anyone. I have every intention of not only entering, but attending AX 2003, and there I will find out whether or not the audience likes it (even though my vids have seen over 10 contests total, I have never been present for a showing before.) It's much harder to celebrate with somebody you thought of as "the enemy" when you can't see his face.