AWA Professional Awards 2017 Category Selection

[MaboroshiStudio]

I think the value of the stream is to get anonymous criticism from people who might not be bold enough to tell you it directly, so I don't want the stream to get too comfortable safe-space fluffy.

I do feel bad that there were people upset by the contents of the stream this year. However, knowing a lot of the people involved and how critical they are of videos privately, I will say there was a lot of effort made to keep the comments constructive.

It's hard to agree to compromise when there aren't a lot of concrete suggestions being made. So in addition to Ileia's idea (which I fully support ), here are a couple:

1: Just agree
One issue with the stream is that a lot of people took the time to basically reiterate previous comments. If there was a rule to just say "agreed" for something like that, it would cut down on the time, and might make people feel a bit less hounded by criticisms, since they'd only have to hear critique once. It might also reduce bias toward videos that got a lot of stream time worth of praise.

2: Know when to opt out
I know one person who made some great videos and participated in the stream, but didn't feel prepared to hear the critiques. That person just muted the stream after their videos played. I think highlighting this option to people might help. Especially if a moderator was available to give an overview after, if it was wanted.

Not bad suggestions

[jingoro]

I like kireblue's suggestion for the category selection process. All except for one small flaw:

If you don't feel that there should be a XYZ category a particular year, you can vote "no" for it, and still nominate videos for it just in case.

You should own your decision. If you don't think a category belongs that year then you shouldn't nominate videos for it. Why not instead do it in reverse? Everyone nominate videos into the categories you suggested, and then the categories that took (with at least 5 or 6 solid entry nominations each) are kept.

This is, in fact, how it is done now. If you don't like a category because you feel nothing fits it, abstain. If I can't get a good slate of 4 or 5 videos I'll drop the category from final voting. It just has never happened so far. I also debate its validity. For example, assume it is a comedy light year. Everything is a downtempo drama. No upbeat. No comedy. Except...for...that...one. One funny upbeat video in 70 entries. Not enough for either category, but after 70 depressing dramatic slog your way through videos, it's even a contender for Best Video. Now... do I or y'all drop the two under represented categories? What if it loses in best video to a really strong drama that made it look trite and thus the best comedy in pro for years doesn't even screen at the awards show?

This is the type of shit I'm considering here while y'all argue and threaten to quit. It's not all about you. I do have an event to run and if the contest fucks with the the fun, you get something like the Orange Apron to fix it.

[jingoro]

$1

[Shin-AMV]

If this discussion is annoying or an inconvenience for the pro stream / discussion people then I question the usage of the word community by those people. When the subject of influence was brought up I honestly was shocked some people did not have an issue with this. When I brought up I question the integrity of the Pro contest this is what I am talking about. I get it some people might not find it an issue... but some people do and to say this is all about the community while ignoring people's concerns I find the usage of the word to be disingenuous.

Do you see how it looks to someone on the outside? My point about the influence is not illusory and it doesn't pass the smell test for me... and even if you might not agree with the issues / feelings people have I feel the pro stream / discussion camp should be trying to make some sort of attempt to quell these feelings / fears. Simply put I don't feel any attempt has been made and concerns by people are usually dismissed out of hand. Note: this is just how it appears to me and my opinion...

You know what. I'm tired of sidestepping things and trying to be polite or trying to be reasonable if all it seems I get back is that the pro-stream/discussion people are a bunch of disingenuous liars not willing to compromise because the only real reason anyone could ever possibly want a discussion on the videos is to manipulate the god damn vote. Stop fucking projecting. If anything is disingenuous that is. We all want the contest to be fair and enjoyable. We've offered up plenty of ways to make sure everything is more accessible in the future for everyone and ways for it all to be more 'official' with moderators/Jingoro being present etc etc.

Just because you have concerns or opinions based on 'feelings' and rumor-mongoring doesn't make them factual or true. We can all pretend that just because no one said any names that they're in the clear of being accusatory or that their conscience is clear because they didn't out someone on rumors and hearsay, but the implication was strong enough we know who people are suggesting and referring to (even before Jingoro said anything about pixelblended). Your words fucking matter people, so if you're going to suggest foul play and issues of integrity, even if you don't name names, the blame still gets ascribed and it literally feels like a shit storm raining on me for no god damned reason. Thats why we're asking where you see the issue happening or what its affecting, because right now its literally just conjecture, but all this conjecture is getting peddled like facts and by not being specific or concrete it enables rumors and bullshit to spread and ends up just feeling like personal attacks in my direction under the guise of 'plausible concerns'. So sorry if I might have trouble seeing it from the outside when the windows are currently getting smeared with shit and baseless accusations.

Its a reoccurring theme seemingly every year and I'm tired of feeling like I have to defend myself because these insinuations end up pointing directly at me all the time. I get it, some editors look up to me, I can't control what they do or say or who they even are, the most I ever advise anyone on what to vote for is that they should vote for themselves if they make finals because if they got enough votes to make finals they shouldn't feel ashamed for voting for themselves or skip their own video because of self-doubt issues and that they should be proud and embrace it. Most of the discussion is just an opportunity to weeb out and talk to other human beings about something we enjoy and not feel fucking empty and alone about it like the rest of our fucking day. Sorry if that doesn't smell good to you, but it doesn't add up to the accusations being made here.

And these so called concerns and rumor mongoring are taking its fucking toll on me. I'm tired of being in this role of the heel or the fucking scapegoat because god forbid someone didn't like someone's video so it must be that someone else is at fault. I'm fucking tired of losing sleep at night cause I'm worried about stupid shit like this and how it reflects on me as a fucking human being. Do I really seem that petty to people? Is it really that much of a stretch for someone to enjoy something as much as remixing cartoon visuals to pop music that they would want to discuss with others the qualities of them on what makes them good or bad? Should I be ashamed that I like AMVs and editing as much as I do? Do people think I'm so machiavellian that I'd orchestrate something just so I could win or get an advantage? Jesus Christ people, I'm the most awkward and shyest fucking person ever, I would have stumbled long ago if I ever dared try something so dastardly. My first AWA I showed up in a suit and sat alone in the goddamned corner and 5 years later somehow I'm basically at the center of this shitparade suggesting that I'm using my position to influence people in my favor, sometimes with the caveat or 'best case scenario' that even if I am doing it its done unintentionally. Well GEEZ, that sure makes me feel a lot better that I'm a scumbag but at least I'm not intentionally a scumbag.

Do you guys even know what you're implying and who you're accusing when you raise these concerns? Do you guys know the consequences of making allegations and accusations like this and justify them by mere feeling alone? All I hear from people griping about this is 'people are saying this and that, but I'm not saying it, but people are saying it' with a lot of vagueries so I end up literally having no idea what people are actual saying and only get the impression that people are just concluding that I'm a fucking terrible person by implication because something must be going on. This year all this seemed to pop up well before the voting was even done. Before winners were even announced the legitmacy was already called into question and to be honest winning this year felt empty as fuck not because of anything I did or didn't do but because there were bullshit rumors spread beforehand that people just embraced as fact before the winners were even announced. That is unprofessional and quite frankly shameful. This isn't the 6th grade where gossip passes off as reliable source of information. We're god damned adults and we should conduct ourselves as such and instead we sound like the cast of mean girls suggesting that the Prom Queen only won cause she's a slut and we should invest in virgin test kits out of concern for future prom queen elections.

I was made to feel ashamed because by the mere act of sharing opinions somehow got blown out of proportion into an act of subversively manipulating people or as bullying noobies. Like seriously guys? The level of accrimination here is just way out of proportion and the rumors are out of hand. In previous years I've felt like I've dealt with this kind of rumor mongoring fine but this year just went to levels of ridiculous that its literally unbearable and I can't just shrug off as just something that comes with the nature of the contest and if this is an indicator for future years, makes entering less and less desireable not just for me but anyone who wants to feel some sense of pride that they won without having to check their fucking shoulder for people ready to say 'rigged', 'undeserved', or 'unfair'. Nothing dubious or shady took place and all this feels fucking demoralizing and the biggest rain on any parade I've ever experienced and has been throwing me down an ever spiraling ring of depression. Thanks fam!

You say I'm being dismissive, I'm saying if you're going to make an accusation that something smells funny, back it up. Yeah I'm fucking mad. I'll probably regret posting this later, but fuck it I feel like I need to fucking say it cause I'm tired of pretending that I'm not a fucking target here and how all this has been twisted into something more than it actually is. If you all want to be salty at me, be salty at me. If you wanna keep tearing me down, go for it. If it saves anyone's ego by throwing me under the bus, throw me under that god damn bus. I'm just done shrugging off this bullshit and onslaught of attacks pretending that just because we don't name names that it isn't affecting anyone personally and that we aren't literally tearing someone down without any evidence or facts to push out new rules and restrictions to address a 'concern' that no one can demonstrably state and show is actually taking place but 'feel it in their gut.' All this conjecture affects people's reputations and self-esteem, so stop tenuously framing those who support discussions as either self-interested assholes or as weak-willed minions. Base your concerns on facts and the truth, not conjecture and hyperbole.

[MaboroshiStudio]

come on man I posted caillou...

[Shin-AMV]

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come on man I posted caillou...

Given my tirade, I wasn't expecting this response which I actually think is pretty funny. Well played sir, well played.

[ngsilver]

It's times like these I just sit back and say, " Nick Nolte "

[MaboroshiStudio]

Quoted Image converted to link:
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come on man I posted caillou...

Given my tirade, I wasn't expecting this response which I actually think is pretty funny. Well played sir, well played.

ok kids nothing to see here... move along. Shin and I had a good chat offline. He honestly made me smile with his angry Hulk post... ahhh made me think of the good old days.

Lets not throw more wood on the fire...

[Kireblue]

Lets not throw more wood on the fire...

[Shin-AMV]

Don't worry I had a snickers and I'm back to myself again.