
one thing i've noticed about competing videos for previous AX years (and this is just my personal observation) is that AX judges tend to go for originality. very few videos that are mere eye-candy or an otakufest make the final cut. i think for the size and stature of this competition, that's a very daring but wise method. it really represents the par that AX has set for editors.... i have a scramble of thoughts in my head i'm trying to put into english...
i guess from my experience, the AX amv competition tries to avoid the squee fan-boyish/girlish reactions that unfairly influence votes. example, at Otafest i entered It's Tough to be a Host and there it went over really well... because of all the fan girls squealing everytime the hitachiin twins came on screen (so they say on bootube). and i'm certain that's one of the things AX judges are immune to. now granted i didn't make It's Tough to be pure eye-candy, i actually tried to make a comedy vid. but yes, Host Club well made it's mark in the AX competition a couple years ago.
i'm gonna pic on nic here for a second, last year in the action category i thought Baccano Swing was a very simply edited video compared to many of the other complex vids. but it wasn't his editing style that drew in the judges (i'm sure). it was his original choice of song and anime that turned into a brilliant combination. (i love Baccano Swing, nic. i want that song.)
i don't really know where i was going with all this, it's early and i just had a bunch of thoughts spinning...