Where to submit a video

[outlawed]

Don't get me wrong this has nothing to do with ego and expo; quite the opposite really, it's more my lack of confidence in entering masters

I just felt Masters/Pro were perceived as more competitive and with more competent entries submitted (although recently some have knocked Pro for lacking). I wouldn't say Masters has much to do with editing style though. A lot of their winners seemed picked more on conceptual or total package level as opposed to mad editing skillz. I can't think of one that was heavily reliant on fancy editing actually.

I think entering Masters should be about wanting to compete for that coveted position. To me the fact that you would even ask where to enter indicates you've already lost. This is about ego. You need some if you are going to want to compete. There needs to be some some level of desire or need to compete.

Also I didn't think they showed all the Masters entries during the awards block at AWA. At least the one year I attended (2007) I don't remember all of them being shown (maybe that was due to content though forget). Also keep in mind even if your video doesn't win it might be good enough to be shown at another time during the con.

AWA probably shouldn't show all the Masters entries during the awards show anyway cause I remember thinking the block was way to long that time I attended. Since there is no restriction on previous awards this year for Masters they may get flooded with a lot of entries. Who is to say they can show them all?

I say enter to compete. Isn't AWA still considered Mecca for competitive AMV creators? The showing of the video will take care of itself if it's good. Don't forget you have more exposure options now than in the past so even if your entry doesn't pan out it's not limiting as before.

[mexicanjunior]

Submit to Masters...they usually a majority of the vids submitted at the awards ceremony. Also, they usually have a Masters showing of everything submitted in the VAT. Expo is a crapshoot, there is no guarantee your vid gets an award or shown during a time you are attending the VAT.

[Radical_Yue]

I'm about to go on a rant here so be a ready....


To start off with, to enter a competition with the hopes or goals or winning is totally fine and healthy. You should want your work to do well and if you honestly have faith in it, then shoot for the stars! To ask around to find out which competition would be easiest to win because you're so set on a prize makes me literally sick to my stomach. If you're only submitting to the con in hopes of winning shiny prizes and making the crowds love you then I'd like to offer a loving middle finger.

Personally, when I enter any kind of contest these are the things that run through my mind.

Is this a con I plan on attending? I refuse to be a troll and send out to every major con out there in hopes to accumulate awards and recognition. If I'm going to attend the con and there is a chance of me making finals or it getting shown, even in overflow, I'll enter. I worked hard on it, might as well. It's always fun to see your video played on the big screen.

Another sub-question with answers branching off of the previous statement:
If it's a con that I'll more than likely never attend, why am I submitting to it?
1) Someone I know is running it and/or going to attend and they personally asked me to enter in order to support the contest or they just want my video to be there also.
2)The contest hasn't been receiving a lot of attention or they wish to gain more recognition but require more entries. And even then, only if I have something that hasn't been sent around to every other con and the circuit and has officially become a troll will I send them a video.
3) For the competition! There are certain cons that I submit to just because they were the first I had ever competed in. Not with the hopes of winning something or lots of people looooooooving me but with "I hope I do well and I hope people enjoy this a lot. If I win that's just a plus! " on my mind.

Now for the lovely topic of trolling~
I understand that if your video is bowling people over at contests and hell, let's go ahead and even say that I was taking a jab at "Ouran High School Never Ends" with that last bit, it's NOT a good idea to send your video to any and every con you can.
It's great if people enjoy your video and kudos if you win, but in the end, I want you to think of the competition and the crowd when you submit a video that's just rolling in awards due to sending it out on massive level.
If you know you've got a trump card video that's been lapping up awards like malnourished kitten with a bowl of grade A milk then what's the point in competing? Congratulations, with your attention whore video that you just sent to a con that you'll never even think about attending just knocked out the hopeful kid who put his heart into a vid he made specifically for that con.
Ever have your heart crushed by a heavy hitter that boggles your mind by the fact that the editor even thought about submitting to this random con? I have, it's not fun.

Another reason not to troll, consider the audience man! I know quite a few people who attend multiple cons over the year and seeing the EXACT SAME MOTHER FUCKING VIDEOS in the contest gets old REALLY quickly. You should be wanting to give the audience something new to get excited about or inspire them! Not showing them that as long as you know how to send to enough places you'll do well in life.

All of this can also lead to the question, why edit? While everyone has their own specific reasons, I've recently heard a few men at a panel I attended at AX say that their biggest motivator was that there were cons to enter and win. I never really thought people had that as their main mindset and it honestly made me want to vomit right there on the spot. Whatever your reasons for editing, if fame and fortune is your main and only goal then I think you're in for the wrong reason.

But then again, everything I just said is all personal opinion and based off of what I think is just plain ol' good morals

Now to answer your other question of which to enter, Masters or Expo...
How good is your video?
If it's something you really worked hard on and honestly have 100% faith in and believe it'll do well, I say Masters.

If it's something you made in an after noon with shit problems and a jumping aspect ratio of wide to full screen, fuckin' expo.

Masters is supposed to be the top contest while expo is "for everything else."


So yeah, those are my thoughts. No one here will change my mind.

Screw you guys, I'm outta here.
/takes off to go make dinner.

[BasharOfTheAges]

Yue, your entitled to your opinions, but you do realize that the vast majority of con goers (the other 90% of the people in the audience that don't go on forums, don't participate in many events outside of the main events rooms, and don't even commit to money-saving pre-registration) do not attend multiple cons, right? They don't know that the video that entertained them has been around more than the STD-ridden catgirl in row 8 and THEY DON'T CARE. It entertained them.

[Radical_Yue]

Yue, your entitled to your opinions, but you do realize that the vast majority of con goers (the other 90% of the people in the audience that don't go on forums, don't participate in many events outside of the main events rooms, and don't even commit to money-saving pre-registration) do not attend multiple cons, right? They don't know that the video that entertained them has been around more than the STD-ridden catgirl in row 8 and THEY DON'T CARE. It entertained them.

Even so, I've heard MANY accounts of contests with no anti-trolling rules having repeat entries and videos that slip through the net of what they're able to catch. How would you like to go to a con 2 years in row just to see the same damn videos?

While your percentages are small, why not do it for that 10%? Or is that fucking fucking hard to pull originality out of your ass to entertain?

[Radical_Yue]

Yue, your entitled to your opinions, but you do realize that the vast majority of con goers (the other 90% of the people in the audience that don't go on forums, don't participate in many events outside of the main events rooms, and don't even commit to money-saving pre-registration) do not attend multiple cons, right? They don't know that the video that entertained them has been around more than the STD-ridden catgirl in row 8 and THEY DON'T CARE. It entertained them.

Even so, I've heard MANY accounts of contests with no anti-trolling rules having repeat entries and videos that slip through the net of what they're able to catch. How would you like to go to a con 2 years in row just to see the same damn videos?

While your percentages are small, why not do it for that 10%? Or is that fucking hard to pull originality out of your ass to entertain?

Also, while I'm amazing at typing, given the examples above.
There are still other reasons that I stated in avocation of anti-trolling.

I also wanted to clarify, by originality, I didn't mean something new to shock and awe the world, I just meant something new IN GENERAL.

[Kitsuner]

I also wanted to clarify, by originality, I didn't mean something new to shock and awe the world, I just meant something new IN GENERAL.

Edit more, edit faster.

[Onibakun]

I was actually pondering this topic before submitting as well.

when it all comes down to it, here's what I think (short & concise)

If you want know how the general public thinks of your amvs (which is very important if you want to improve on your skills) then enter Expo

If you want to know how your fellow editors think of you amvs (which should be 2nd priority before the public) then enter Pro

If you're uber confident in yourself and have been in the amv "business" for quite a long enough time and you want the Title MASTER on your amv. Then join Masters.

Having said this, I've entered my newer videos in Expo. I'd want the public's opinion before I enter them in the BIGGER cons like Sakura and Anime Boston.

[Onibakun]

Yue, your entitled to your opinions, but you do realize that the vast majority of con goers (the other 90% of the people in the audience that don't go on forums, don't participate in many events outside of the main events rooms, and don't even commit to money-saving pre-registration) do not attend multiple cons, right? They don't know that the video that entertained them has been around more than the STD-ridden catgirl in row 8 and THEY DON'T CARE. It entertained them.

I'd have to agree with Bashar here. Us Amv creators are here to entertain the masses of fanboys, fangirls, otakus, and whatnot. My personal view is that if it entertained people at say.... Sakuracon. Then why keep it from entertaining the other cons? It's all about screening. If you're video hasn't been screened at a convention. And if people at other conventions enjoyed it. Then by all means... enter away. (Unless the Contest director has a problem with it, the audience won't)

[Radical_Yue]

Yue, your entitled to your opinions, but you do realize that the vast majority of con goers (the other 90% of the people in the audience that don't go on forums, don't participate in many events outside of the main events rooms, and don't even commit to money-saving pre-registration) do not attend multiple cons, right? They don't know that the video that entertained them has been around more than the STD-ridden catgirl in row 8 and THEY DON'T CARE. It entertained them.

I'd have to agree with Bashar here. Us Amv creators are here to entertain the masses of fanboys, fangirls, otakus, and whatnot. My personal view is that if it entertained people at say.... Sakuracon. Then why keep it from entertaining the other cons? It's all about screening. If you're video hasn't been screened at a convention. And if people at other conventions enjoyed it. Then by all means... enter away. (Unless the Contest director has a problem with it, the audience won't)

Sorry, I edit for myself
And once again, while the fanboys might enjoy it, if you can, remember the other reason I listed. Do it for the rest of the competition. If your video has been sweeping every con around because it's a fan-pandering mega hit and you know it'll win at the next 20 cons you're going to submit it to, what kind of chance does everyone else have? Does it matter that their videos might be better even though they didn't create it with the purpose of pleasing your average fanboy mouthbreather?