Contest Final experiences What were some like?

[Gene Starwind 21122]

I remember my first contest finals was Anime USA 2003. I just made Shrine of the Goddess with my friend Corey aka Jim Hawkings 21122, we both lived in the same town at the time hence the 21122 part, anyways I was at the convention and I could feel the butterflies in my stomach. It was one of the most nervous moments I have felt in a while. Once the video played all the way through and the audience responded, it felt great. I was not sure what to expect. It was great seeing a video you put together on the big screen and having it played for a room full of people.

Then there was Otakon 2004. I ended up somehow making the finals in the Romance category. Don't know how that happen, but I did. I remember feeling extremely nervous for this one just because it was OTAKON. We had the editor dinner before hand on Thursday night. It was cool meeting all of the editors there. Then the contest came Friday, they had special reserved seating for the editors and I ended up sitting by the previous years winner of the Romance category Dwchang. I remember waiting anxiously for my video to start, when it finally did I heard the reaction from the audience when they saw it was Slayers. Then the middle/ towards the end of the video the music dies out and goes acapella with the band clapping. Soon there after the whole audience followed a long with it. I remembered being a little embarassed when it happen. However it was cool none the less.

Then the last one is about winning my first award live at a convention. Anime Festival Orlando 2005. I was down at the convention for my birthday, and I made the finals with my video Back To Paradise. I was at the contest screening on Sunday where they showed all the videos that made the finals. There was no audience voting, all the winners were decided by judges. So they played all the videos that didn't win the categories first. I saw one of my videos that didn't win. Then they paused and said we will now show the runners-up and the winners of the contest. They played the runner-up for action and it was not my video. The only thing I was thinking is maybe they forgot my video or there was something wrong with it. Then they played the winner for the category and it came up. I remember nearly passing out to the floor, I actually started crying a little from being so happy.

Now here I am 7 years later making amv's again. I'm looking forward to more convention experiences and sharing my videos with everyone. I've had my time in the contests, it would be nice to make the finals again. If not I have enough memories to last me. I hope other editors can experience what I did. Enjoy those moments.

More importantly have fun making the videos and don't push yourself too hard where you drive yourself away.

Gene Starwind 21122