AWA Pro - It's a shutout

[Brakus]

Please indulge me...

Sadly my AMV I submitted for AWA Pro did not make any cuts for the final listings for any of the categories I nominated my video in.

I go into more detail on my LJ (it's a locked entry, only certain people will see it), but the gist of it is:

To be an effective AMV creator and competitor, you have to know how to use AfterEffects. The top 4 nominated videos all use AfterEffects to some degree.

My peers seem to have lumped me in with the other AMV creators that shouldn't have been in the Pro contest but entered anyway. It seems I got passed over for other crappy videos that somehow made the final cut. I followed the rules, used quality source footage, and made a great entry to me... and I still feel like a total loser.

What good is making AMVs for yourself when you don't even make the final cut for a contest? My entry at Katsucon didn't make the final cut, and now my entry for AWA Pro didn't make the final cut either. If it really isn't about the prizes or recognition, then why do I still feel crappy about not being in the final list of candidates for the categories?

I wonder if any of you out there can give encouragement for those of us that didn't make the final nominations lists for AWA Pro... things that happen like this really tend to discourage me from making more AMVs.... how can I keep myself motivated to making AMVs and competing on the same level as the heavy-hitting power-editors?

Thanks for your indulgence.

[AbsoluteDestiny]

So you weren't in the best 4 videos in any of the categories...

Well here's a fact for you - neither was Tim "DokiDoki" Park. Does that put things into perspective for you?

Not getting in the finals does not make you a bad editor or a loser, so stop beating yourself up about it.

[AbsoluteDestiny]

Oh and... making AMVs isnt about winning, it's about having fun making things you like in your spare time. If you are only making amvs for the glory then you should probably stop now. The only person you need to please is yourself - anyone else is just a bonus.

[norskotaku]

I can't speak specifically here to give you my thoughts as to why your video didn't make the final cut, but if you want some honest feedback I'll check out your video once it's online.

I do know how you're feeling, though. my most recent video on the org (i.e. the most recent one that can be made public at the moment) took a week of nonstop work and stress, putting my heart into a video in a way I had never done before. I sent it to a few cons that were in different parts of the country since the deadlines were all together, and was quite surprised to see it didn't make the cut at Fanime.

I shouldn't have cared really, since the video was so important to me personally and recognition shouldn't matter, but I still did, and I believe most of us experience that feeling at some point. while we may make amvs for ourselves first, there is still a part of every video that we're making for others. if that part wasn't there, then this site probably wouldn't exist, cause nobody would feel the need to share amvs with eachother.

no matter your current setback, keep improving yourself and don't give up. a good writer will slave for years on a book and take it to many publishers in many forms before they find their place. look inside yourself and think about why you make amvs and what they are to you, and try to keep that in mind as you create. you'll find it will only push you to keep exploring new ideas and making each video stronger than the last.

[BogoSort]

To be an effective AMV creator and competitor, you have to know how to use AfterEffects. The top 4 nominated videos all use AfterEffects to some degree.

Funny, I'd like to think that I've been successful as both an AMV creator and competitor(though many would say too successful) with my videos even though I don't use any After Effects whatsoever. I'm still of the opinion that concept is far more important than OMG TEH FLASHY FX!!!11ONE

I wonder if any of you out there can give encouragement for those of us that didn't make the final nominations lists for AWA Pro... things that happen like this really tend to discourage me from making more AMVs.... how can I keep myself motivated to making AMVs and competing on the same level as the heavy-hitting power-editors?

Granted I'm not the best one to talk since I've been less and less motivated to work on amvs(cause of various other things eating away at my time). If you're desire is to win awards and recognition, then it's going to be very hard to produce videos that do well in contests. Your own passion in the creation of the work itself will show through to the judges of contests.

[DrngdKreationz]

Please indulge me...
To be an effective AMV creator and competitor, you have to know how to use AfterEffects.

THATS RIGHT!!! AND DON'T EVER FORGET THAT!!!


... as for the rest of your post, Yeah Listen to Norsotaku and AD, Even I go through this nonsense of not liking to lose or make the cut... but It's natural. It's your video, your "product" and if you put it out and put it next to others, you want to see yours do well.. If you like making AMVs because its fun then keep at it. and someone on this site will most likely like it.. remember someone might see it as garbage someone might see it as gold. its kinda what happens when you put your work out infront of so many different people.

or something like that.

[trythil]

To be an effective AMV creator and competitor, you have to know how to use AfterEffects. The top 4 nominated videos all use AfterEffects to some degree.

Actually, you just have to know how to communicate visually. However you do that is up to you.

[godix]

To be an effective AMV creator and competitor, you have to know how to use AfterEffects.

This is just wrong and I have a 'best technical achievement' trophy for a video that used NO AfterEffects to prove it. Gee-whiz type flash isn't required and even if you decide to do it then it doesn't automatically require AE.

I followed the rules, used quality source footage, and made a great entry to me... and I still feel like a total loser.

You aren't going to win, or even be a finalist, in everything you submit to. No one is. If that's a problem then perhaps you should not enter contests. I'm not being sarcastic here, if not ranking high in contests seriously bothers you this much then you really should just skip contests altogether.

I wonder if any of you out there can give encouragement for those of us that didn't make the final nominations lists for AWA Pro... things that happen like this really tend to discourage me from making more AMVs.... how can I keep myself motivated to making AMVs and competing on the same level as the heavy-hitting power-editors?

Well if your want encouragement based on contests, in 2003 I was justifiably cut from even being shown at Acens contest. 2004 I won best technical at Acens contest. That wouldn't have happened if I got discouraged and quit. Past performance is apparently not indicitive of future results.

If you want encouragement in general, my personal favorite amoung the stuff I've created is amoung my least downloaded and is basically average in stars and only has a couple ops. I submitted it to AWA Expo but I strongly suspect no one will remember it 5 minutes after it plays, assuming it plays at all. This may not sound encouraging but keep in mind, I know what others think about it and I'm still happy I spent the time to create it and I still like how it turned out. My own opinion is more important than what others think, at least in this regard.

[Brakus]

So you weren't in the best 4 videos in any of the categories...

Well here's a fact for you - neither was Tim "DokiDoki" Park. Does that put things into perspective for you?

Not getting in the finals does not make you a bad editor or a loser, so stop beating yourself up about it.

Thanks. I know it's discouraging to have 40 out of 58 videos to be nominated for at least 1 award, but my video isn't one of the 40. I'm glad that most editors don't have a big ego about their work.

I know this feeling will go away by the time I arrive in Atlanta next week. It's just post-nomination depression, I guess...

[SSJVegita0609]

Please indulge me...
To be an effective AMV creator and competitor, you have to know how to use AfterEffects.

THATS RIGHT!!! AND DON'T EVER FORGET THAT!!!