Otakon 2005 Finalists (unofficial)

[ryoneko]

Didn't make it in, but as it was my first try, I didn't expect to. XP I would however -really- like to know which overflow room I will be in. The best part of creation is watching other's reactions to your hard work.

[Pwolf]

This is the most messed up list I've seen because serval other great videos that should have been in there and I'm not talking about my video.

have you even watched all the other videos on this list? i think thats fucking bullshit... no video "should've" made the finals in any contest... they are voted in by popular vote... unless the cooridnator is changing the votes then you can say "should've". no offense to the other editors but some videos/editors people are saying "should've" made the contest, i don't think are that great. thats my oppinion and apparently those who voted think so too... not to mention the votes could've been close... not like those editors or videos got shut out... can't anyone just accept the results and let the contest go on? maybe next year we can all just accept the results and not bitch about them?

Pwolf

[JMI]

This is only my second contest, haha, I have been nevous as hell waitng for he final list. I am still surprised I made it over some other videos. I could care less if I win or anything, by the sheer fact I made the finals, I might need to change my pants like twelve times.

Even though I am surprised I made it, it would still be a let down if I didn't make it in and the lsit is wrong.

[Skyshroud]

I certainly hope this isn’t the finalized list... To say that this is troubling would be an understatement. This is the second time that I've been left to wonder what happened at the screenings (especially since I was there for all of them). Even more worrisome is the fact that I keep seeing a lot of the same people who were there before this trend of good videos getting the axe began. Let's review... Last year many people commented not just on the bad tech support, but more importantly that a fair amount of good vids were left only to the overflow screenings, and I can't help but agree with them. The romance vid I thought was the best there (namely the conjure one video done to kare Kano) was cut, and even though the first overflow screening I went to suffered a catastrophic tech failure and had to be stopped after only three videos, these three were ALL on par with what I saw in the finals and could have easily replaced some of them. Even so, last year's contest still had plenty of gems and was, despite the lapses in tech. support still decent for what we'd expect from a con of Otakon's standing (video-wise). Now we come to this year's results. First off, at out of about 110 videos only 25 were admitted into the finals, as opposed to last year's stats at 183 submissions and 33 videos. Now at first I thought it was just a percentage thing, namely that the coordinators didn't want just about every vid in the contest and therefore were trying to keep the number of finalists to within a certain percentage and by the stats it is close, last year 18% to this year's 23%. But whatever the case, the fact remains that we (as many have said already) have for the first time in a long time had ONLY 5 finalists in each category, even though we still have plenty of vids to work with, so why lessen the selection? This just doesn't make sense. Look at what's been canned this year, in action (a category that was, to me anyway, noticeably smaller than last year) the 9th best video on the ORG. is nowhere to be found even though a Linking Park vid (which in and of itself isn't automatically damming) with not much editing done to the same anime gets in. In upbeat rhythm Waka Laka, the vid I would've placed as one of the best of the submissions in any category is gone and in Dramatic/Serious (which I agree, was quite hard to judge if from nothing else than the enormous amout of vids submitted to this category, of similar skill) the videos "Choices" and "Take Me Away", that I thought were a much needed contrast to the slue of Saikano and FLCL vids, and probably two if the best in the category were cut. Sorry if I sound like I'm "bitching" Pwolf, but taking a position of complete or nearly complete subjectivity not only automatically validates whatever videos are chosen, it defeats the purpose of having any AMV contest at all, as the purpose is to reward and recognize those that are above the rest. I have the utmost respect for all who made it into the contest for whatever reason, you could all assuredly outdo me any day of the week, I'll be the first to say it. I wish you the best of luck. But I can't help but agree with some that there does seem to be a decline in the quality of the AMV contests at Otakon, one of the largest and well respected in the nation, and I'm concerned for its reputation and the impression it gives to those new to anime and conventions in general. I hope I'm wrong, but this looks like it's shaping up to be another year that some of the best vids are left out of competition.

[dwchang]

First off, PLEASE learn to make paragraphs. It was pretty difficult to read all that and I found myself continually reading the same line over and over again b/c of the lack of spacing...

Look at what's been canned this year, in action (a category that was, to me anyway, noticeably smaller than last year) the 9th best video on the ORG. is nowhere to be found even though a Linking Park vid (which in and of itself isn't automatically damming) with not much editing done to the same anime gets in.

OK I'm gonna comment on this.

The Linkin Park/Naruto video is DAMN good. If you're "damning" it b/c of the source then that's quite childish of you. The video was done by (imo) one of the best action editors in the entire community (Senta Miller who if I remember correctly, *won* the action cateogry last year at Otakon hmmmmmm) and I DO agree that it deserves to be in the contest. Hell, I gave it a 5 out of 5 and I'm sure other editors did as well since it was a well-edited, well-paced and well-done video. Regardless of the source.

Off-topic, but yes, I *do* believe Senta Miller is one of the best action editors out there with Fluxmeister. I think Fluxy is a better "beat" and "fast-paced" editor while Senta has a better grasp of "flow" and "pacing" which was demonstrated in his Naruto/Linkin Park video.

Now I was surprised Phenomenom did not make the finals (as I stated earlier), but I'm certainly not going to go about questioning the entire administration and call "shenanigans" or "conspiracy" b/c of it. Do I wish the final list was a bit different? Sure, but well..I'm not everyone. Obviously people didn't agree with what I thought and in turn, I had my one vote to cast at the prescreenings to let my voice be heard and I did.

You move on.

in Dramatic/Serious (which I agree, was quite hard to judge if from nothing else than the enormous amout of vids submitted to this category, of similar skill) the videos "Choices" and "Take Me Away", that I thought were a much needed contrast to the slue of Saikano and FLCL vids, and probably two if the best in the category were cut.

As I just stated, pepple have different opinions. To be honest (and I don't mean to insult anyone's video), but I don't even remember those two videos from the contest and at the same time, I *do* remember what 6 videos I gave 5's to and only 2 of them made the finals in Drama. That tells me that I probably didn't enjoy either of the two drama videos you are referring to which furthers my point that everyone has a different opinion. Obviously some people agreed with me and thus the vids being omitted.

Does it 100% say a video is "good" or "bad?" No. It means that the particular subset of an audience/fans liked a different video more and scored it higher. That's it.

Now again, perhaps I sound hypocritical given my first post and how I *am* surprised a few vids didn't get in, but let's please not turn this into a huge argument about things that quite frankly, are subjective. The Otakon ML threads are getting QUITE ridiculous.

[ANTDrakko]

Blah blah blah blah

"shenanigans"

Blah blah blah blah.

Greatest. Word. Ever.


~Seen

[anneke]

Just so people know I'm not upset about making the finals (I'm happier to hear that people liked it). I just figure my video was the 6th one. (Even if it wasn't). Kind of nice to think your video came in 6th place vs 11th or whatever. As for only 5 videos in each category this year...I figure that's due to the videos being longer then normal, or that the contest went long last time so they had to cut back, etc... It's a timing issue usually, and not usually anything the AMV coordinator has any say over. (For some reason AMV Coordinators get the short end of the stick at Anime Conventions...other then AWA).

I've been making videos so long that I'm just happy my videos get shown. I however have noticed that the audience...is usually on crack, or something else when picking finalist or even the winners of contests. (shrugs) You get use to it. If your only making videos to win awards your in the wrong hobby. Make videos that you enjoy to make. Be happy when you make the finals, but be gracious when you don't. The coordinators get enough grief as it is.

-Anneke

[Kusoyaro]

As for only 5 videos in each category this year...I figure that's due to the videos being longer then normal, or that the contest went long last time so they had to cut back, etc...

I wonder if it has anything to do with the fact that the main screening of the contest got pushed back to 11 PM this year. Really, how many major con events generally run until 2-2:30 AM?

[Brad]

*BITCH MOAN WHINE THROW-THINGS BLAH BLAH*


Oh wait.... this is a HOBBY


My bad.



Yeah. Calm down everybody. Just a contest. Making it in won't make you a better person, and not making it in doesn't make you a horrible editor.

[MousePotato]

Try submitting a banner that says that this is only a hobby.....