I've had issues myself when submitting things to cons in the pasts. Some times you just don't know what to submit to.ReligionX wrote:Cross genre eh? I'm not being critical or anything, I just suddenly have a question. There are a lot of interesting and valid points on this thread.
Here is how the AMV submission form goes for AMV editors to submit to Otakon 2006"
I understand that these are "general" guidlines for how AMV creators should categorize their own videos. I was in particular confused as to whether I should go into Serous/Dramatic or Action, just based on the wording here. I whole heartedly feel that my video is more Serious/Dramatic than it is Action, in any sense of those words. So, because I felt that my video had the qualities, "Grand Scale, Abstractions, Personal Conflict, Dark, Adrenaline," I submitted under Uncertain or Clueless. I honestly don't know what "Grand Scale" means, but I'd like to think my video has it.Otakon 2006 AMV Submission Form wrote:Romantic/Sentimental {Love, Affection, Nostalgia, Heartbreak}
Serious/Dramatic {Character Study, Grand Scale, Abstractions}
Action {Personal Conflict, Fast, Dark, Heavy, Adrenaline}
Upbeat/Rhythm {Dance, Lighter Action, Fun but not Funny}
Humorous/Satirical {Funny, Silly, Teasing, Making Light Of}
Uncertain or Clueless: please choose one for me.
I'm not saying that I should have won, or anything. That's not why I'm posting right now. I'm not complaining. I just went with everyone's best judgement. I'm perfectly excited that I even made it into the Otakon contest. Take me through the process.
My question is: How did my video get placed into Action?
And while I'm at it, is there some sort of mutual exclusiveness for these categories? It doesn't make sense that there would be, because it's all subjective, but are there boundaries that should not be crossed? There's all sorts of "romance" and "sentiments" in the world, which are not limited to but include "serious," "drama," "action," "upbeat," and, "humor."
This seems like it should be common sense, but maybe it isn't. No, it isn't common sense. It is subjective. So, as long as it's got some sort of overwhelming romance or sentiments, it should go there, instead of other genres. Wait, didn't I just say that this was subjective?
The examples listed for each category really aren't supposed to define EVERYTHING that the category is but merely give examples.
In fact for Upbeat I'm seriously thinking of getting rid of the "fun but not funny" since they can indeed be funny (upbeat was originally a spin off of Action, however it has evolved to cover the entire range between Action and Comedy... so you can have your very actiony upbeat or your very funny upbeat).
Grand Scale means things like "the end of the world" or large world/universe altering events (Think of it as an AMV in God mode, where the scale is so out there it's ridiculous). There was an Eva video in overflows this year which pretty much oozed of the whole "Grand Scale" idea. Wish I could remember the name right now.
Your video got put into Action because the majority of the suggestions for your video said "Action". When you submit as uncertain, the prescreeners get to say "hey I think this should go into..." whatever they think.
That reminds me, Illia Sadri was saying that "not everyone or even a majority will state something". Actually when it comes to categorizing uncertain videos almost everyone says something (there are always a couple who don't say anything for some reason), but like 90-98% of the prescreeners do. That's how we know the majority system works ^_^.
Mutual exclusiveness? Not really. From reading the posts people have made and comments I have received about how a certain video should or shouldn't be where it is (I've had people say a video was GREAT in the category it was in, and others ask WTF we were smoking letting it be in the category that it was) I've learned that everyones idea of "what makes this a X or a Y video" is totally subjective. Generally there ARE guide lines that most people can agree upon, but lately not so much.
(note: I've been up for like 30 hours at this point so there is a chance that nothing I am saying makes any sense, if not then sorry).
But anyway you see why it's complicated. Which is why we first go by what the creator says, then take into account what the prescreeners say.
And honestly, after viewing 80-180 entries (depending on the year ^_^) about 30 times each, my brain tends to turn to mush and I have no idea WHAT I think about an entry anymore (my opinion on an entry will change several times over the course of putting the contest together) which is why the creator and prescreener opinions mean so much.
oh well, I need sleep before I die and stuff.
. In any case, with that particular instance, and I believe other prescreeners talked to antonion in PMs, I thought upbeat shouldn't have even existed with so few submissions and the "strong" one being a comedy imo. I realize not having a category is pretty bad, but *I* felt that having a weak category with a comedy winning it kinda cheapens the award, but what's done is done and you guys felt otherwise.
