Post
by DriftRoot » Wed Mar 21, 2012 7:27 pm
I feel compelled to weigh in on the original topic, since what I've got to say is basically a rehash of comments I've made aside in my journal. Expecting judges - or anyone - to be at their best when put through a lengthy and (by many accounts) unpleasant, torturous AMV marathon is asking a little much. Regardless of whether this is the norm for other contests as well, that is a LOT to expect of someone. If every screener/judge is as attentive, objective and serious about the task at hand at AMV 5 as they are at AMV 155 after 10+ hours of AMV watching, they are pretty exceptional people...but I find it hard to believe that this is what's going on, it's just not realistic.
Clearly people keep stepping up to the plate to do the job, however, not only at AB but at other cons, but here's one difference with AB: anyone who frequents the con community can get more than the usual amount of information about what's going on behind the scenes. Doesn't mean it's accurate, doesn't mean it represents the experiences or views of everyone, doesn't mean we all get the same information or information in the same ways, but we do get it and therefore - good or bad - we wind up forming opinions about it.
Fortunately this isn't a one-way street, which for me helps a lot when it comes to formulating an opinion on the state of affairs at AB. The AMV contest coordinator (that would be Adam) has always come across as very open and willing to listen and answer people's concerns, as he has done in this instance. Adam's made it clear that he has a big contest to run, that he's doing his best, and that he values and encourages feedback even though he can't possibly please everyone. Whether that feedback has actually fundamentally changed anything over the years is up for debate (and not by me), but hey: if someone truly doesn't like how a contest is run, they can take their support for that contest elsewhere, right? People who do support it will either take their place or leave it vacant, but AB certainly doesn't seem to be experiencing vacancies. Enough people make a fuss over something, though, and sometimes change does happen. Having someone running an event like this who IS open to change is a pretty awesome thing, but that change probably won't happen if people don't share their opinions.
