MY European AMV Experience!

[Vlad G Pohnert]

I thought I'd share briefly some of my experiences I had going to a European Convention related to AMVs.

I had the opportunity to go to a European Anime Convention as a Guest several weeks ago. The Con, AnimeFest, which takes place in Brno in the Czech Republic (my Birth Country) had 3500 people last year and was aiming for about 4000 this year. I must point out they really take good care of all their guests and I was honored to be so awesomely treated all weekend long (you guys Rock!)

I did not really know what to expect in terms of AMV related programming. I was scheduled to do two panels, one on North American cons and fandom, and the other one of my Interactive blocks I do here in AMV rooms called "AMV Mortal Combat". AnimeFest also runs a small AMV contest as well so I was curious to see how many attend the contest.

So as far as the contest goes, there were about 23ish entries in total, and about 17 were shown in a one hour block as finalists. Now, the contest was played three times at the start of the con (6:00 pm) on Friday, about 11:00 pm on Saturday and 9:00 am on Sunday... They were held on Friday and Saturday in the largest video/panel room. All three times, the room was Packed well over capacity at many times! So it seems even the Europeans loves AMVs just as much as we do I was happy to find. There were not title cards, intros, etc., the AMV coordinator, who goes by ""Manta", would introduce each video and say something funny too that got the audience all psyched up so they had a great time and enjoyed the show a LOT. Milian even took a picture of the full room each time to show the event organizers they need a bigger room (like maybe MAIN Events! - Sound familiar!). All in all that was a lot of fun (you can see me in the front row left side in Friday's Picture below Manta took).

As for the panels I did , they quite Full and very well received. AMV Mortal Combat was against Cosplay on Saturday and almost all the seats (about 220) were taken. I was told the audience might be a bit conservative, but within 10 minutes in I got them cheering at each video so they has a Ton of Fun. It's so nice to find that even in Europe, AMVs and AMV interactive programming is liked and enjoyed. In fact, several AMV creators that run programming at other European cons wanted to know more about interactive AMV blocks from me and were impressed.

I also had dinner and discussions with many creators and we had a great time. It's truly amazing that they know of a lot of the videos and editors of North America as well so it just goes to show that the AMV community truly does not have any borders!

All in all, the Con was in my ways similar to what we do here and in other ways different! I was truly honored to be a guest and to get a chance to meet with the Czech AMV community (you guys are AWESOME and AMAZING) and I hope to possibly attend other Con in Europe in the future.

AMV Contest showing Packed on Friday, Saturday, then Sunday (As taken by the AMV Coordinator):




The AMV Cordinator, "Manta", introducing a video during the contest:


AMV Mortal Combat during the playing of a video:

[Shui]

Thanks for sharing your experience. Yes, AMVs are popular here too. I've experienced AMV related things in Czech too, aswell as in Germany and Switzerland.
The biggest one I've been to is Connichi, and the attendance to the AMV-Show and Contest is always so full the organizers don't let more people into the room.
This year they've moved the AMV Show from the 2nd biggest Room into the Main Hall, the only Picture I could find is this:


And I'm sure the room will be full since the AMV Contest fills the Main Hall too

In Prague the AMV screening was also full of people, similar to what you posted.

In Switzerland we just have a small con and the AMV stuff sucks, they just show the 3 Winners at the closing Event.
I intend to get involved and change that for next year.

[Vlad G Pohnert]

I would love to do more AMV interactive events in Europe.. We'll see how things go...

Vlad

[Shui]

Did you do this AMV Mortal Combat thing in english? What is it anyways?
The only interactive AMV I know of is Senpai Says.

[Vlad G Pohnert]

It's more then just watching AMVs, Interactive AMV blocks use AMVs and the host interacts with the audience... In AMV Mortal Combat the audience gets to pick and decide things relative to what AMVs are played and win.. It basically brings in the audience into the whole experience which is something they cannot do at home.

Vlad

[seasons]

Vlad that sounds fantastic. Feel sorry for whoever had to sit behind that column.

Shui already asked about the language barrier but I'm curious too. Or perhaps that's not a problem for you.

Thanks for sharing your experience. Yes, AMVs are popular here too. I've experienced AMV related things in Czech too, aswell as in Germany and Switzerland.
The biggest one I've been to is Connichi, and the attendance to the AMV-Show and Contest is always so full the organizers don't let more people into the room.
This year they've moved the AMV Show from the 2nd biggest Room into the Main Hall, the only Picture I could find is this:
Quoted Image converted to link:
http://www.pantsu.jp/wp-content/uploads ... 28x351.jpg

This is like a real theater, wow. If there's been a grander presentation of AMVs ever, I'd like to know what it was.

[Gene Starwind 21122]

Wow that sounds like an amazing experience. I would love to go overseas one day and go to a convention. Money, money, and money...that seems to be the issue though lol. Well AWA hopefully some of them will come over here to meet.

[FarmXD]

Whoa...amazing. Never come here xD In the biggest con in Chile (Fanviña..it's completely free),
an AMV contest was premiered. Only 5 people joined...only 12 guys were in the room...2 of them
making out and most of them looking at the phone. Nobody knew what the hell were those
weird videos. The sad thing is I won (Hearts on fire vid) and they didn't give me my prize because
they were "out of stock" so they gave me a diploma but they "didn't have time to write my name"
so they gave me a pen an said "you, write whatever you want..oh and congratulations, now get the
fuck out, we have to close". So...I would really like to go to one of those, seems completely awesome.-

[Vlad G Pohnert]

I can speak Czech, but not that well to do a presentation so it was in English, but almost all the audience understands English...

ALSO, the chairs were arranged also no one had the posts cut off the screen...

Vlad

[TritioAFB]

one day, just one day we will go there...