Otakon Fan Parodies

[Cybermat]

Sorry to keep you waiting, but here are the rules that will be posted on the Otakon web site soon.

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OTAKON 2005 FAN-PRODUCED VIDEO SCREENINGS

OTAKON 2005 (August 19th - 21st in Baltimore, MD) will have
screenings for fan-produced video productions such as fan parodies,
movie trailers, and original films and animations at the convention.

Depending on the volume of submissions, some submissions may not be
screened at OTAKON 2005. Since these will just be screenings -- not a
competition -- there will be no prizes given or awards presented.

(Submission Guidelines are subject to change at any time. Version
2005.06.09)

I - SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

01. MAIL IN YOUR SUBMISSION

All submissions must be made by mail, and sent to the address listed
below. We accept submissions on CD-ROM or DVD-ROM computer disc and VHS
or S-VHS videotape.

OTAKON 2005
c/o Matt Pyson
915 Haws Avenue
Norristown, PA 19401-3737

If mailing from outside the U.S. add "United States" or "United States
of America" at the bottom of the mailing address.

All submissions must be RECEIVED by Monday, July 18th, 2005. OTAKON is
not responsible for submissions delayed or lost in the mail.

If you want us to let you know when we have received your submission,
include your complete e-mail address on your submission form (or include
a stamped, self-addressed postcard or envelope). The closer to the
deadline you send in your submission, the longer it will take for us to
let you know we got it (like up to three weeks).

02. LABELING YOUR TAPE OR DISC

Label your submission videotape or disc(s) with (at the very least) your
REAL name, mailing address, and telephone number.

If you're sending in a videotape, use the face label instead of the
spine label for this information because we usually need to use the
spine label for our own notes.

If you're sending in CD-R/CD+R or DVD-R/DVD+R disc(s), use a Sharpie(R)
marker to write on the top side of the disc instead of putting an
adhesive label on it. If you need to use multiple discs, don't forget
to mark each one with your identifying information.

03. NUMBER OF SUBMISSIONS

There is no limit to number of fan-produced videos that may be
submitted. Each video submitted must be accompanied by a completed and
signed printout of the submission form.

04. SUBMITTING ON VIDEOTAPE

Remember to put one minute of black leader before & after your video and
to always record at SP (Standard Play) speed for best quality. Recording
at LP, SLP, or EP speed will sound like chipmunks when played back on
our VCRs.

After recording your production on videotape, check the sound level of
the recording by comparing it to the sound level on a typical pre-
recorded videotape. Play the pre-recorded tape at a normal volume for
comfortable listening. Then play the tape of your parody on the same VCR
afterwards without changing the volume on the TV set. Listen and ask
yourself if it's too soft, too loud, or about the same. Record your tape
so the sound levels are about the same.

Submission media -- the tapes and discs -- become the property of OTAKON
and can't be returned, so DON'T send in your only master tape: send a
first-generation copy of the master tape instead.

05. SUBMITTING ON CD-R/CD+R or DVD-R/DVD+R DISC

We accept submissions on CD-R/CD+R (Compact Disc Recordable) or
DVD-R/DVD+R (Digital Versatile Disc Recordable) discs. Because of
continuing compatibility issues with "playable" DVDs and image quality
limitations of VCDs, we request that submissions be in the form of high-
resolution data files on computer-formatted discs (i.e. discs not
intended to be played in a DVD Player).

MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 are the preferable formats to submit in, as other
formats will have to be converted to MPEG-2 format for tape mastering.

If you are using a Windows PC there is a program called Tsunami MPEG
Encoder that we use. For other operating systems there are MPEG encoders
available. Tsunami is cheap for a high quality MPEG-2 encoder, has a
30-day trial, and is available at http://www.tmpgenc.net

The TMPGEnc 2.X profiles that we use are the same as the ones that Otaku
Video uses for conversions, and are available at their web site at
http://www.otakuvideo.com/files/mpegprofiles.zip

We prefer videos to be 720x480 pixels in size and a frame rate of 29.97
fps (NTSC "drop frame"). If the video's vertical resolution is 480,
encode your video as interlaced instead of progressive. We'll scale
smaller frame sizes up to 720x480, so anything encoded smaller than that
will look pixelated afterward.

We suggest using Variable Bit Rate for MPEG-2 files with 12 megabits per
second as the maximum. If you want to use Two-Pass VBR, set 2 megabits
as the minimum, 8 megabits as the average, and 12 megabits as the
maximum; otherwise simply use constant quality VBR and leave the quality
setting at maximum with the maximum bit rate at 12 megabits per second.

If you use MPEG-1 either create a VCD spec file (at the very least) or
set the bit rate to 1.5 megabits per second. Using the highest bit rate
allowed (within reason) will increase quality. MPEG-2 will, however,
encode a 352x240 file better than MPEG-1 can at the same bit rate. Your
choice.

For audio use layer-II audio at 224 kilobits per second or better, and
choose stereo (not "joint stereo"). We recommend using the highest bit
rate for maximum quality sound. Don't use layer-III or MP3, as our
hardware cannot decode this.

An inexpensive (less than US$50) MPEG-2 playback card that you can use
to output MPEG files to a VCR and/or television is the Hollywood+. (The
hardware that Otaku Video used to use at conventions -- a Netstream 2000
-- is based on the same technology as this card.) Caveat: if you do get
a Hollywood+ do not trust its VGA output, only its TV output.

If a file is too large to fit on a single media disc -- such as a 1.2 GB
AVI file on a 700 MB CD-R -- you may span it across multiple discs. Use
ZIP (WinZip) to break the file into manageable parts and burn those to
the discs, clearly labeling each of them as part of a set: "Disc 1 of
3", "Disc 2 of 3" etc.

When you submit your video in digital format, we encourage you to
include -- in the same package with your disc -- a recording of your
video submission on videotape. If we are unable to use the video file on
your disc then we'll use the version on the tape. If we're unable to use
the video recorded on the tape too, you're just out of luck.

In addition to the paper version of your submission form, include a
plain text file named README.TXT on each CD-R or DVD-R with the same
information as your paper submission form, along with any technical
information we'll need to know to sucessfully convert and play your
video file.

Submission media -- the tapes and discs -- become the property of OTAKON
and can't be returned, so DON'T send in your only master tape: send a
first-generation copy of the master tape instead.

06. SUBMITTING ONLINE

We are not currently accepting online submissions for fan-produced video
productions. Videotape or computer disc is the preferred format.

07. FILLING OUT THE SUBMISSION FORM

All video submissions, whether on tape or disc, must be accompanied by a
filled-out copy of the submission form. You don't have to send in a
printed copy of the submission guidelines... we already have plenty.

Anonymous submissions, or submissions without a real name, cannot be
accepted.

Your video submission must be your own work and no one else's. You must
identify the artist & title of any music used in your video as well as
the title or titles of any anime footage used. If you know the original
Japanese title of the anime used, please include it on the form. We
think that's cool.

You must fill out the part where you give OTAKON permission to use your
video. If you don't give us permission, then we'll have to skip over
your submission. Really.

If you forget to include the submission form when you send in your
submission, send it in as soon as you remember that you forgot.

When you submit your video on disc remember to include a README.TXT file
of the filled out submission form in addition to the printed copy.

II - FORM OF PRODUCTIONS

01. ACCEPTABLE TYPES OF FAN-PRODUCTIONS

Pretty much anything is submit-able via this method: fan-parodies,
original animations, re-edited movie trailers, live action film
projects. It just has to have some obvious connection with anime/manga
or fandom of anime/manga.

02. LENGTH OF SUBMISSIONS

No upper or lower time limit.

03. AGE OF SUBMISSIONS

No upper or lower age limit.

04. REPEAT SUBMISSIONS

If we get good feedback on your fan-parody, we'll be more than happy to
accept an improved version of it for repeat showings at future cons.

05. OBJECTIONABLE CONTENT

Material that is considered objectionable for reasons of language,
violence, sex, or just outrageously bad taste will be screened late at
night in a feeble effort to protect convention-going housepets and
adults under the age of adulthood from its objectionable-ness.

06. RESPEC' MAH AUTHORITAH!

We reserve the right to reject any video for any reason (or no reason)
at any time or place, throughout the universe, forever.

* * *

For further information e-mail Matt Pyson at "mpyson aht shell dawt
uslec dawt net". Please be patient awaiting a reply: the day job,
eating, and sleeping are pernicious distractions from fandom for me,
from whose thrall I cannot easily escape.

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[Cybermat]

And here's the submission form: (it lines up properly if you paste it into an editor & change to a monspaced font before printing)

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OTAKON 2005 FAN-PRODUCED VIDEO SCREENINGS SUBMISSION FORM

Please print your information clearly (we actually do use it all). Do
not fill out the form in crayon. Crayons are meant to be eaten and then
thrown up, not used to fill out forms.

Submitter's Real Name (add additional lines if needed for more than one
person):

Real Name: ____________________________________________________________

Street Address: _______________________________________________________

City: _______________________________ State/Province: ________________

Zip/Postal Code: ___________________ Country: ________________________

Evening (or Weekend) Phone Number: _____ -- _____ -- _______

Complete E-mail Address (only one e-mail address per person; add
additional lines if needed for more than one person):

E-mail: _______________________________________________________________


INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR FAN-PRODUCED VIDEO...

Name of Producer (or Producing Group):

________________________________________________________________________

Title of Production:

________________________________________________________________________

What kind of Fan-Production is it (check what applies):

|__| Dubbed Fan Parody - (__) Anime or (__) Live Action

|__| Subtitled Fan Parody - (__) Anime or (__) Live Action

|__| Re-edited/Original Movie Trailer - (__) Anime or (__) Live Action

|__| Re-edited/Original Commercial - (__) Anime or (__) Live Action

|__| Re-edited/Original Eyecatch - (__) Anime or (__) Live Action

|__| Original Animation - (__) Cel or (__) Computer-Generated

|__| Original Live Action Video - (__) Fiction or (__) Non-Fiction


How long is it? (in minutes): _______

Video Footage From (list as many sources as possible; add additional
lines if needed):

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

What's it about?: _____________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________


AUTHORIZATIONS

I/We hereby certify that the Fan-Produced video I/We have submitted is
my/our own work, or that I am an authorized agent of a third party
submitting on behalf of said party. (Add additional lines if needed for
more than one person.)

Signature: ______________________________________ Date: ______________

I/We grant OTAKON permission to show my/our Fan-Produced video. (Add
additional lines if needed for more than one person.)

Signature: ______________________________________ Date: ______________

I/We additionally grant OTAKON permission to copy our Fan-Produced video
for distribution on videotape or CD/DVD disc with the stipulation that
no fee is to be charged for the copies. |__| Yes |__| No

Submissions received after Monday, July 18th, 2005 cannot be accepted.

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[Castor Troy]

Looks like I'll try to send mpeg2 files of the Retro Video Game project 2004 soon

[Altecha]

Many thanks! Time to finish up on the 7 different trailers I have...