Otakon 2006 Contest Finalists!

downwithpants · Post by **downwithpants** » Sun Jul 16, 2006 11:37 am

grts all, wish i could go see the contest.

anneke · Post by **anneke** » Sun Jul 16, 2006 11:37 am

ReligionX wrote: I actually thought it was quite good. I don’t remember any actual syntax or editing problems. I had no idea what to make of it, but about a minute into it, I finally understood where it was going. I had this sudden realization that, “this is brilliant—awesome!” Unfortunately I guess it was a little unorthodox for the rest of the crowd. I can give you a critique if you’d like.

Thanks. I figured people didn't understand it.

-Anneke

Scintilla · Post by **Scintilla** » Sun Jul 16, 2006 12:19 pm

Mroni wrote:I don't like the way otakon is judged. You can stack an audience at a prescreening. An Ideal way to do it would take all of the previous years finalist and send them the contest vids and have them judge them.

From what I understand, Otakon does things this way (audience voting) because they like to keep things fan-centric... BUT in the past two years, they've also been looking out for possible prescreening stacking to make sure it doesn't happen. I believe.

ReligionX wrote:This competition is just for fun! It’s not like anyone gets anything for winning these competitions.

Whatchu talkin' 'bout? The prize package I got in 2005 was quite nice: a few DVDs, a soundtrack CD, a shirt, a cap, and of course a trophy... though as far as I'm concerned, just winning a contest like Otakon is reward enough. I mean, personally, I still consider the Otakon contest to be a very big deal, and the one I care more about winning than any other.

dwchang · Post by **dwchang** » Sun Jul 16, 2006 1:04 pm

ReligionX wrote:The decision was made by 52 people? Over the course of 3 screenings, I don’t think anything was stacked.

I'm not saying this year was stacked, but in the past, I know of at least two such incidents so it's not entirely unfeasible nor that difficult.

At the same time, I do not have an alternative suggestion since as Scintilla says, they want to keep it fan-centric and *for the most part* things end up fine int he end.

But yes, whenever there is ANY sort of contest based on votes, the possibility of cheating and stacking is always possible. Some people just take it that seriously. No matter the prize or lackthereof. The a-m-v.org VCAs are a perfect example.

downwithpants wrote:grts all, wish i could go see the contest.

Wait you won't be at Otakon?! This is like the first time in years I won't get to harass teh pants?! :O

hackerzc · Post by **hackerzc** » Sun Jul 16, 2006 1:19 pm

Scintilla wrote: From what I understand, Otakon does things this way (audience voting) because they like to keep things fan-centric... BUT in the past two years, they've also been looking out for possible prescreening stacking to make sure it doesn't happen. I believe.

You're correct on both counts.
It used to be that the coordinator himself would watch everything and then decide who got in and who didn't. Eventually though the contest got too large for that so prescreenings were started in order to get the impressions of a much broader fan base.

For those who have not been to a prescreening, they are blind (ie: no creator names are used on the slates or review forms). We also keep an eye on how the results compare to one another. Even though different locations vote somewhat differently, in the end the results tend to be the same, and we watch for that. If the results from a location are too far off from everywhere else it does raise a red flag for us.
In fact one location did get our attention this year, but it was decided it was within limits as they were consistent with every video.
If we feel anyone was stacking results we will simply throw out the results from that location, no questions asked.
In the end the coordinator makes the final call on who makes the contest and who does not. The prescreening results really are meant to be a guideline for us to go by when picking finalist (the coordinator CAN choose to ignore results if he wishes), but so far the finalists have always been taken right from the results we get.
(I know everyone thinks '04 was rigged by the coordinator. I've been told it wasn't and as I never saw the results I have to go by that. But even if it WAS... it was his choice AS coordinator.)

The point is, no matter HOW you decide the finalists there is the possibility of people trying to "rig" the thing. You really can't get around it. At least you can try to avoid it, and so far this system seems to work the best and it keeps you guys involved in the process (which is the main reason we do it). It really would be so much easier to have contest staff sit in a room one day and go through and decide who makes it, but even then there would be accusations of the staff "rigging it".
This sorta thing usually comes from those who didn't make the contest or because a video got in that someone gave a 0.... so they think everyone else voted the same.

Oh and ReligionX.... this year was a small year for prescreenings. In the past we've had more.

ReligionX · Post by **ReligionX** » Sun Jul 16, 2006 4:24 pm

Scintilla wrote:Whatchu talkin' 'bout? The prize package I got in 2005 was quite nice: a few DVDs, a soundtrack CD, a shirt, a cap, and of course a trophy... though as far as I'm concerned, just winning a contest like Otakon is reward enough. I mean, personally, I still consider the Otakon contest to be a very big deal, and the one I care more about winning than any other.

Your Jedi mind tricks will not work on me. I see no mention of any sort of prize package for the AMV contest. You could easily have gotten all of that in the dealer's room. Besides the trophy. I haven't seen any pictures of a "trophy." ...dangit.

Can't anything just be for fun anymore?

Well... since they can't... what did you get?

BasharOfTheAges · Post by **BasharOfTheAges** » Sun Jul 16, 2006 5:23 pm

Uh... how would blind judging help if the people in question would have seen the video before so they knew what to vote for? I'm sure any rigging of the vote wouldn't be that obvious. Seperate cars, little communication between those involved, non-obvious invflation/deflation. If you really wanted to, i don't think it would be that hard to make it all seem normal and not suspicious in any way.

::tinfoil::

hackerzc · Post by **hackerzc** » Sun Jul 16, 2006 5:33 pm

BasharOfTheAges wrote:Uh... how would blind judging help if the people in question would have seen the video before so they knew what to vote for? I'm sure any rigging of the vote wouldn't be that obvious. Seperate cars, little communication between those involved, non-obvious invflation/deflation. If you really wanted to, i don't think it would be that hard to make it all seem normal and not suspicious in any way.

::tinfoil::

If you've seen the video before there is nothing we can do about that.
We try to make it as fair as it can possibly be.
The sheer number of prescreeners pretty much ensures that people can't coordinate some sort of tactical strike against other creators. People talk and it would somehow get back to staff...
Plus I seriously doubt anyone would take the time to do that.... but if they would and we find out about it, ban for life.

In the end there are two choices... prescreenings or staff decides. Which do you prefer?
*thinks most will choose prescreenings*
But if everyone really does want 2 or 3 people to decide who gets in say so... and we can do that. It would even allow us to move the deadline even later than we are currently planning.

ReligionX · Post by **ReligionX** » Sun Jul 16, 2006 6:25 pm

To vote to vote on voting, or to not vote to vote on voting and vote for others to vote for us? One vote, two vote, and three votes for the result? Or five screenings or more?

We will not be held hostage by other's right to vote! End suffrage while you still can! Let it be. Let the bosses do their job. I like the screenings. I like the nice, big, climate controlled rooms where anime music videos are the topic of discussion and focal point, the activity, and the purpose for gathering.

I will rally to keep these pre-screenings like I rallied to keep Y100.3. That was a doomed cause--but I rallied. And I will do it again. Who's with me?! Who likes hop-scotch!? Amen.

(I suffering from 'AMV editor's block' right now. Don't mind me.)

hackerzc · Post by **hackerzc** » Sun Jul 16, 2006 7:04 pm

ReligionX wrote:To vote to vote on voting, or to not vote to vote on voting and vote for others to vote for us? One vote, two vote, and three votes for the result? Or five screenings or more?

We will not be held hostage by other's right to vote! End suffrage while you still can! Let it be. Let the bosses do their job. I like the screenings. I like the nice, big, climate controlled rooms where anime music videos are the topic of discussion and focal point, the activity, and the purpose for gathering.

I will rally to keep these pre-screenings like I rallied to keep Y100.3. That was a doomed cause--but I rallied. And I will do it again. Who's with me?! Who likes hop-scotch!? Amen.

(I suffering from 'AMV editor's block' right now. Don't mind me.)

LOL..... thank you I needed a good laugh and that was just... that helped thanks ^_^