Otakon AMV Contest Pre-screenings

JudgeHolden · Post by **JudgeHolden** » Wed Jun 28, 2006 12:54 pm

and too much drama before a con ever starts (or after it ends) is also a big turn off ....

MousePotato · Post by **MousePotato** » Wed Jun 28, 2006 12:57 pm

its only drama if you choose to troll related forums

Jnzk · Post by **Jnzk** » Wed Jun 28, 2006 1:01 pm

Otakon drama is a yearly tradition.

JudgeHolden · Post by **JudgeHolden** » Wed Jun 28, 2006 1:02 pm

Ya, I need to stop reading ... Though some of it is funny

hackerzc · Post by **hackerzc** » Wed Jun 28, 2006 1:41 pm

Illia Sadri wrote:Words of advice from someone who has run amv contests for conventions... never bank on one specific piece of equipment. Always have a backup. If you don't plan for it, the worst will happen.

Yeah last year there was also a VHS copy that was playing in tandom. I think it was DSL sound (it may have been tech staff *shrug*) who were keeping track of that and making sure it kept in sync with the computer.
I'm not sure why but I assumed the reason for that was to pickup everything from the tape in case something went wrong.
I really don't know why that didn't happen (or maybe I misunderstood). Either way I wasn't backstage, Antonio was.

Illia Sadri wrote:Prepare for what if the computer running the thing and has the card goes out. What do you do then?

If the directors computer and card fail, I also have a Netstream 2000 in my own desktop, then my mobile desktop/notebook with DVI and S-Video out (with all the same apps on it as my desktop including power DVD which has FAR better deinterlacing than VLC), as well as backups on both double layer and single layer DVD. I can also have S-VHS backups if need be.
Oh yeah and I'll have my 300GB external HDD handy that has absolutely EVERYTHING for the contest on it. Chances are though, the DVD backup is more than enough.

I planned for this, and I WON'T have a repeat of what happened last year.

Illia Sadri wrote:And, yes, having ftp does get you more submissions. Just ask Vlad for Anime Evolution and I can confirm that most of my entries for Tekkoshocon were from ftp.

Even most of Otakon's submissions were coming from FTP the last year we had it. Quu did multiple contests, and whenever someone uploaded to OtakuVideo they had the option to send to multiple cons. This is where we picked up a LOT of our entries, from people who really weren't interested in submitting to Otakon, but when presented with a little check box that said "submit to Otakon" they couldn't pass up the chance.
After Quu left there was no one involved int eh contest who had experience with running a server (let alone the server and equipment, all of which Quu owned and paid for out of his own pocket). That's why we have not had FTP the past two years.
I really have no interest in running an FTP server, but it looks like I'm going to have to learn in order to satisfy everyones expectations (people want more entries and more time to finish stuff... well FTP is how to do that).

Illia Sadri wrote:It says a lot when significantly smaller conventions are getting a great deal of entries because basically the cons like Otakon has screwed up enough times on enough factors.

The year Geoff ran things aside, the only real problem there has been is the tech issue Friday of the con last year.
Everything else is just people complaining that they don't like this or that about the contest, and generally telling the staff how to run things (the input is good, don't get me wrong).

But while the comments are welcome, the staff is aware of everyones concerns. It doesn't really require 5 different people saying to me "ZOMG! Why there so few entries!?!?!? You need to do this and that".
We understand what needs to be fixed.
A few people think that when I reply to a post I'm trying to pick some fight. When all I'm doing is letting everyone know WHY things happened the way they did based on the information staff has been given.
Everyone can disagree all they want, but it does not change the reason WHY things were done.
Just something I wanted to clear up.

I'd say that every con gets this sort of thing, but truth be told none of this sort of talk ever happened when I was doing Nekocon's AMV contest.
Actually I shouldn't say that. There was one person who was giving the contest and the con a hard time, but he ended up getting banned because of it.

JudgeHolden wrote:and too much drama before a con ever starts (or after it ends) is also a big turn off ....

I supose the drama is partly my fault for even responding to posts (you would think I'd learn better after 3 years of this). However the other option is to never hear from any of the contest staff at all and STILL be left with the drama of everyone complaining.
At least this way staff can get a word in edge wise. Then again maybe Antonio has the right idea not to say much.

ReligionX · Post by **ReligionX** » Wed Jun 28, 2006 2:17 pm

hackerzc wrote:But while the comments are welcome, the staff is aware of everyones concerns. It doesn't really require 5 different people saying to me "ZOMG! Why there so few entries!?!?!? You need to do this and that".
We understand what needs to be fixed.
A few people think that when I reply to a post I'm trying to pick some fight. When all I'm doing is letting everyone know WHY things happened the way they did based on the information staff has been given.
Everyone can disagree all they want, but it does not change the reason WHY things were done.
Just something I wanted to clear up.

And you're the better man for it. Because I certainly didn't know anything about behind the scenes AMV screening mechanics, until you posted about it. So, now I know. And other people know now too. And that's a good thing.

If I could borrow you again for some more information... is there some way that I can get a listing of what videos were screened? If not, could you tell me what the name is of the anime used for one particular video that I don't know the name of? There's like... these 4-6 magical girls with these crazy arbitrary volume-spacial-mass weapons, and colorful CG magic circles...?

hackerzc · Post by **hackerzc** » Wed Jun 28, 2006 2:22 pm

ReligionX wrote:
hackerzc wrote:But while the comments are welcome, the staff is aware of everyones concerns. It doesn't really require 5 different people saying to me "ZOMG! Why there so few entries!?!?!? You need to do this and that".
We understand what needs to be fixed.
A few people think that when I reply to a post I'm trying to pick some fight. When all I'm doing is letting everyone know WHY things happened the way they did based on the information staff has been given.
Everyone can disagree all they want, but it does not change the reason WHY things were done.
Just something I wanted to clear up.
And you're the better man for it. Because I certainly didn't know anything about behind the scenes AMV screening mechanics, until you posted about it. So, now I know. And other people know now too. And that's a good thing.

If I could borrow you again for some more information... is there some way that I can get a listing of what videos were screened? If not, could you tell me what the name is of the anime used for one particular video that I don't know the name of? There's like... these 4-6 magical girls with these crazy arbitrary volume-spacial-mass weapons, and colorful CG magic circles...?

lol, you need to be a little more specific hehe.
I'm not even sure what a arbitrary volume-spacial-mass weapon is. >.<
If you could remember anything else it would be helpful.

But perhaps it's "Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha A's"?

ReligionX · Post by **ReligionX** » Wed Jun 28, 2006 6:35 pm

hackerzc wrote:But perhaps it's "Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha A's"?

That is it! That is exactly it! They have weapons that have arbitrary? size? at? will? It looked like. Unless I'm seeing things... You know, like Ruyi, or whatever the Monkey God staff is called.

hackerzc · Post by **hackerzc** » Wed Jun 28, 2006 7:26 pm

ReligionX wrote:
hackerzc wrote:But perhaps it's "Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha A's"?
That is it! That is exactly it! They have weapons that have arbitrary? size? at? will? It looked like. Unless I'm seeing things... You know, like Ruyi, or whatever the Monkey God staff is called.

Yeah I looked through the videos to try and figure out what it was and that seemed to fit.
I watched the video all the way through and you are right, it seems like they can become any size you need. I can see how that would come in handy.

Illia Sadri · Post by **Illia Sadri** » Wed Jun 28, 2006 10:41 pm

hackerzc wrote: If the directors computer and card fail, I also have a Netstream 2000 in my own desktop, then my mobile desktop/notebook with DVI and S-Video out (with all the same apps on it as my desktop including power DVD which has FAR better deinterlacing than VLC), as well as backups on both double layer and single layer DVD. I can also have S-VHS backups if need be.
Oh yeah and I'll have my 300GB external HDD handy that has absolutely EVERYTHING for the contest on it. Chances are though, the DVD backup is more than enough.

I planned for this, and I WON'T have a repeat of what happened last year.

Good. That is reassuring. It just seemed like you were banking too much on the one card. It's rare but trust things to fuck up at the con at the worst moment.

Oh yeah also... I go with 23.976 fps progressive myself to elimiate that. Most animation is done in 24 fps anyways and between vdub filters or outputs in premiere Most of the videos are already deinterlaced be it true or faking it in the fields. It requires a bit more work at times (other times it is no effort at all) but the result was good.