MOMIJI’S CHALLENGE 2008

Our mascot sure loves a technical challenge! Recently, she was shocked to learn that the animation she loves so much is made up of sequences of cell frames, creating the illusion of motion. She wants to study the kinetics of stillness. This year's challenge is to create an animated music video using nothing but still images and special effects. Possible sources include manga, wallpapers and still frames. Please refrain from submitting slideshows; your video must feel animated in some way. Due to the painstaking nature of this challenge and the lack of time left in which to complete it, we are lifting the minimum length restriction. This year, Challenge videos may be less than one minute in length. Otherwise, all other standard judging criteria apply, soplease try to conform to our quality guidelines. The winner will receive the Momiji's Challenge Award.

Good luck!

2008 General Information:
The Anime North Music Video Competition is open to everyone except AN MVC staff and judges. Music videos can be submitted for any category. A total of one Competition (Novice or Open) and one Exhibition or Challenge entry per individual entrant will be accepted. Competition entries must have premiered no earlier than November 1st, 2007. A video is considered premiered once it has been uploaded to a website or shown publicly.

All entries must be postmarked no later than Tuesday April 1st 2008 and received no later than Friday April 4th 2008. (All entries sent via email, must be received by April 1.)

The mailing address for DVDs/CD-ROMs:
                        Anime North Music Video Competition
                        c/o MVC Coordinator
                              22 Havenridge Dr
                              Toronto, Ontario, CANADA
                              M9P 3M4

For links sent over the Internet, the email address is:
                       video@animenorth.com

                        Subject: AN2008 Music Video Entry - <video title here>

Please include all the required entry form information in the body of the email or attach a completed entry form as a word document or .pdf file. These conditions must be met in order for your video to qualify for this year’s competition. Please do not send video files directly. Provide us with a link from which we can download your video file. YouTube is not an acceptable video link host site.

entry form: | PDF

PLEASE NOTE: All qualifying videos will be shown at the convention. However, qualifying videos that have been deemed ineligible to compete will not be eligible for award consideration and may be given Exhibition status. Disqualified videos will not be shown at the convention. See regulations below for eligibility requirements. Contestants will be notified of their status before the convention.

Technical Formats:

DO NOT SEND ORIGINALS. Send copies only. DVDs and CD-ROMs cannot be returned and become the property of Anime North. All discs must be clearly labeled with the real name, e-mail address, mailing address and phone number of the entrant. Each entry must include a title, source of music, source of video clips, class, entry category, and a brief statement (maximum 50 words) outlining the artistic vision/intent of the video. The giving of false information or the failure to provide any required information will result in a disqualification.

PLEASE NOTE: Videos that are drawn from poor source material or poorly reproduced may be subject to disqualification.

This year we are continuing to accept electronic entries. Entries can be sent on discs that can be read on a PC or by emailing a link to a file hosted on the Internet*, but they must still conform to technical requirements.

The following container formats are not allowed and anything in these formats will be disqualified:

 .mp4: The existence of two different file extensions for naming audio-only MP4 files has been a source of confusion among users and multimedia playback software. Since MPEG-4 is a container format, MP4 files may contain any number of audio, video, and even subtitle streams, making it impossible to determine the type of streams in an MP4 file using its filename extension alone. While the only official file extension defined by the standard is .mp4, various file extensions are commonly used to indicate intended content:  Audio-only MP4 files generally have an .m4a extension. MP4 files with audio streams are sold through iTunes using the .m4p extension.  To avoid this confusion and possible time wasted, we will only accept MPEG-4 file formatted videos.

.mov: Presentations with a .mov extension are best viewed with QuickTime. Windows Media Player may also support this file type. However, Mov files are notorious for having video conversion issues such as no video, no audio, choppy, distorted or dark shades and are not allowed in this contest.

.wmv: This is Microsoft's family of video codec designs including WMV 7, WMV 8, and WMV 9. It doesn’t always convert well to another format so, unfortunately, it’s not allowed.

These formats are allowed:

MPEG-2 (a common-text standard with H.262): Used on DVD, SuperVCD, and in most digital video broadcasting and cable distribution systems.

MPEG-4 (first version H.263): An MPEG standard that can be used for internet, broadcast, and on storage media like CD & DVD.  

AVI(Audio/Video/Interleaved): A container format for organizing audio and video data, but is not itself a form of audio or video compression.  Use at your own discretion.

.vob
 A VOB file (Video Object) is a container format contained in DVD-Videomedia. It contains the actual Video, Audio, Subtitle (VobSubs) and Menu contents in stream form. In order to burn the VOB files to a DVD±R disc, other standard DVD-Video files are needed as well, including IFO and BUP files. This is how we transfer your videos to DVD, so if you have no other way to send us a file, a .vob format file will be fine.

DivX: Video encoded with the DivX codec is an MPEG-4 video stream. In much the same way that media formats such as DVD specify MPEG-2 video as a part of their specification, the DivX Media Format specifies MPEG-4-compatible video as a part of its specification. Do not use the .divx extension, however. Make sure you try to remove the DivX logo.
 
Please ensure that your entry matches the NTSC frame-rate of 29.97 frames/second with a minimum resolution of 640x480 pixels and a preferred resolution of 720x480 pixels. We would also ask that 3 sec of black space be added to the beginning and end of your video. Non-compliance may lead to your video being ineligible to compete. We do not take responsibility for any degradation in video quality that occurs due to the transfer process.

We are only accepting videos with one audio stream. If you are using multiple audio sources, you must put them onto one audio track. We cannot convert multiple audio tracks for you.

*Please do not send links to videos posted on YouTube or similar sites; we need to be able to download your video file onto our computers so that they can be processed onto disc.

Entry Processing:

Each entry will be prescreened based on the judging criteria noted below. All qualifying videos entered will be shown at Anime North. However, videos that fail to meet our specified standards will be disqualified and will not be shown this year. Awards will be decided from among the competitive finalist videos reviewed by the full judging panel. These awards will be presented immediately following the viewing of these finalist entries. Every effort will be made to show every qualifying video submitted at least once in convention function space.

Judging Criteria:

Competition entries must use music as the main soundtrack. Vocal and instrumental music from any genre and language is acceptable. Entries must be no shorter than 1 minute and no longer than 6 minutes. At least two thirds of the footage must be from Japanese Animation. The remainder may be provided from other sources such as Live Action or North American animation. ONLY 5% OF AUDIO MAY COME FROM THE SAME VIDEO SOURCE MATERIAL. (This is a new rule designed to restrict submission of fanvid trailers/commercials and videos using OST – without preventing people from using the odd piece of dialogue or music for artistic purposes. Fan-made trailers are still welcome as long as they conform to this rule.) Eroticism, sensuality (ecchi, lemon), violent action and ludicrous over-the-top cartoon violence are acceptable. Coarse language in song lyrics should conform to that which is acceptable on Canadian radio or in a PG-13 film.

Videos that do not meet the above requirements will be ineligible to compete. Videos that include graphic sex, extreme violence, very coarse language and sexual violence (hentai), corporate logos or a length over 8 min will be disqualified.

WARNING: Videos that use footage from other Anime Music Videos must have written consent from the original creator of the source video (along with original creator contact information) or else the video will be disqualified.

Music videos will be judged based on the following criteria:

Editing:  This includes the technical aspects of the AMV, including technical execution of special effects, cutting, fading and pacing of the images to the music. (35% of the objective mark)

Cinematography:  This includes the overall quality of the AMV visual and audio components. This also includeshow special effects enhance or detract from the video. (25% of the objective mark)

Originality:  This includes the creative use of footage and music to make the video into something unique. (20% of the objective mark)

Artistic Vision:  Based on the boldness of vision and adherence to the statement of artistic vision/intention. It also includes the mood and atmosphere created by the audio and visual selections and the visceral impact it has on the audience, good or bad. (20% of the objective mark)

Judges’ Impression:  This is the most subjective of the criteria - how well the judges like the video. (Not included in the objective mark)

Categories:

There will be four categories for entrants this year. They are:
Open:   This category is open to any and all AMV creators in anime fandom who wants to pit his or her entry against some of the best in the business. The winner of this category will receive the Northern Lights Award.

Novice:   This category is for entrants who do not feel comfortable entering the Open category. These neophytes have never won an award or prize for their work. In the spirit of fairness, you should consider entering the Open category if you have made more than 10 videos. The winner of this category will receive the Newbie Award and a promotion to the Open category next year.

Exhibition:   This category is not judged and is open to anyone who wishes to submit a video for the general viewing pleasure of the convention attendees. As an exception to the general rules, the AMVs in this category are exempt from our premiere date restriction.

Momiji's Challenge:   This year’s challenge is to create an animated video using nothing but still images and special effects. Possible sources include manga, wallpapers and still frames. Please refrain from submitting slideshows; your video must feel animated in some way. Due to the painstaking nature of this challenge and the lack of time left in which to complete it, we are lifting the minimum length restriction. This year, Challenge videos may be less than one minute in length. Otherwise, all other standard judging criteria apply, but due to our dual entry policy Challenge videos are ineligible to win other awards. The winner will receive the Momiji’s Challenge Award.
           
Entries from the Open and Novice categories will be eligible for the four Criterion Awards and the Momiji no Video Award.

Awards:

Anime North awards the venerable Inukshuks for creative excellence. Winners will have their name and video title engraved on trophies to be presented during the convention.
The Music Video Competition awards include:

Some videos will merit Honourable Mention Medals.

If anyone requires further clarification, please contact the Anime Music Video Competition Coordinator at video@animenorth.com.