There apparently have been misgiving about the administration. We've been accused of not taking anything some of you have said seriously. Let me tell you that we are taking everything seriously and that we are working to try and make things better.
We know all about the website's technical issues, but there's not much we can do right now. It was created a long time ago and the design has been limiting the administration from doing what it can to improve. Rest assured that we have been addressing your feedback about the technical side of things by working on what will eventually amount to a website reboot. Once completed, it will make things easier for us to do, which in turn will allow us to have the website address the needs of the community better. The project is being worked on by our staff in their free time, however, so we also ask for patience in its completion.
One of the goals we have set has been promoting the website and community at conventions. To that end, I've been handing out business cards at Anime Central and Anime Weekend Atlanta, two of the biggest venues for AMVs, in an effort to get more people to check out the site. This stemmed from questions about where to find AMVs that play in the convention rooms, and I feel that this is a positive first step we've taken in getting our existence back out into the public mind.
To complement our website promotion, we will need the community's help, as well. When you go to your local convention, bring along your laptop, notebook, or smartphone--start showing people our art rather than expecting people to know about it. Show them the website and the many different things it offers. Volunteer to staff your nearest convention's video room (or AMV room, if they have one). Meet and greet with other AMV fans and editors out there and invite them to come here if they are not a member.
To sum it up, we are doing what we can do to make the site a better place to visit. The administration is made up of fans and editors just like all of you. We may act like we are silent on many things, but we are certainly taking your words to heart and working towards the future of the community.
Now it's time to reiterate the harsh reality. The site owner, Phade, has said almost four years ago now that with the advent of YouTube, the hobby's days are numbered. Things in the industries certainly have gotten worse for AMVs. The Japanese animation industry isn't doing so well, with loss in revenue and the closure or restructuring of many productions and publishing companies both in Japan and internationally. The music industry has begun "fingerprinting" and cracking down on AMVs and other fan music videos on YouTube by disabling the music output. The trends for our hobby are even more working against us, rather than for us. What may happen is always going to be on the minds of those in the community, and in the administration. We will be keeping a close eye on the industries and should let you know if any major shifts occur that may affect our hobby.
Finally, let me assure you that, no matter what happens, we will continue to be a repository of AMV knowledge and a community portal for a long time to come. We do welcome new people into the community, and we are always sad when someone announces their retirement from it (even though they do tend to come back eventually
). The reception received from the passing of Justin Rollins has shown us that the community does care about the connections we make in the creation and propagation of our art. The community is here because we all like our art, and we're all willing to share it together.If you have any questions for myself about the administration of the Org, now's the time to ask. Don't worry if I don't get back to you right away, but I will get back to you.
