AMV Contest

So, you want to submit your AMV to Otakon 2024? Who doesn't?! 

Please see the sections below containing the submission rules and formats.

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General Rules

• Each entrant is allowed to submit one (1) submission to the OTAKON AMV Contest. Users found creating multiple studios with the intent of circumventing the submission limit will have all of their entries disqualified.
  • If you are submitting a solo project but also want collaboration credit on someone else's video, or if you were a part of multiple collaborations, please contact vboruta@otakorp.org for details on how to do this.
• We will accept submissions sent to us via the following methods:
  • Mail: Removable storage/media sent to our physical PO box
  • FTP: Videos uploaded to our FTP server
  • Download: If a DOWNLOAD link is provided on the submission form, we will download your video.  Please be sure that your link goes to a DOWNLOADABLE (non-streaming) copy of your video, and that your video is ready for download at the time your submission form is completed.
• The OTAKON AMV Contest will accept entries in virtually any file format using almost any form of compression, at any framerate and any resolution. The more popular the codec, the better the chances are of us handling your video properly. If we can't convert your video, we will let you know. 
• The OTAKON AMV contest is screened at 1080p60.  OTAKON staff will handle all of the necessary video conversions so that your entry plays correctly.  Please refrain from letterboxing (black bars on top and bottom) or pillarboxing (black bars on the sides) your video if at all possible so that we can work with the full resolution copy of your video.  Bottom line, send us what looks right to you.
• Do not include studio bumpers or video credits. Any lead-in/lead-out that we cannot remove could be grounds for disqualification.
  • We create custom, uniform title cards for every entry, finalist or not. Adding bumpers/credits on top of that just uses more screen time than is necessary.
• Your entry must be “anime-enough” to be culturally relevant to an anime/video game appreciating
  audience.
  • What is “anime-enough”?: In recent years, massive industry shifts have significantly changed the definition of anime. OTAKON® has always been a celebration of anime/otaku culture, but has also featured programming that celebrates anime-adjacent material. Therefore, we aren't asking “is this anime?” but rather “Is there a valid argument that this could be anime?”
    • Entries can be placed into a non-finalist status if enough prescreening judges determine that the entry has nothing to do with anime/video games. We want to showcase as many videos as we can!
• Your entry should not contain unaltered video, taken from your audio source's official music video or trailer.
  • If we play your AMV side-by-side against your song's official music video/trailer, and there are sequences where both videos are identical (or even nearly identical), then your video may be disqualified at the director's discretion.
• Your entry's audio must be primarily music. Excessive narration/dialog may be grounds for disqualification.
  • This rule does not apply to entries that are sent to the "Trailer/Parody" category.
• Your entry may not contain any audio taken from a commercial English dub, but may contain dialog that you record yourself.
• Your entry may not contain any commercial studio logos or TV station watermarks. This includes DivX and website watermarks.
  • Including a TV station or website watermark on your footage, even for just one scene, is the easiest way to get yourself DISQUALIFIED really fast.
  • Parody logos and trademarks may be accepted. However, trademarks and logos that have been modified are also NOT OK. If you wish to parody a logo, you cannot use the original logo as a base.
  • Submissions to the "Trailer/Parody" category which contain the popular green approval screen beforehand may NOT contain any mention of the MPAA. 
• Your entry will be disqualified if your footage contains visible subtitles or karaoke lyrics that you did not add yourself.
• Your entry must be longer than 30 seconds in running time. There is no maximum length.
• Submissions with nudity, offensive language, and/or excessive violence may be disqualified at the coordinator's discretion. 
  • The contest screening will be open to the general public, and thus the content must be appropriate for the general public. 
  • Entries disqualified under this rule will very likely not be screened at the OTAKON convention.
• Convention attendance is not required to enter. Attending the convention will not boost your chances of winning and/or making the final cut. 
  • The checkbox on the submission form asking whether or not you will be attending is purely for informational purposes.
• Anti-Trolling Policy: If your entry has won a major categorical award, First Place or Best in Show at any convention that has screened their contest before June 13^th 2024 (yes, this is a Thursday), then your entry will be automatically entered into the OTAKON AMV Contest as a "non-finalist" (this is different than being disqualified!). 
  • Awards issued by contests that were presented as “online only” are EXEMPT from this policy.  This includes online contests that were held by conventions that would normally have a live, in-person screening, but could not do so due to…reasons.
  • Second Place, Runner-Up, Judge's Choice, narrowly focused superlatives, etc. all DO NOT count for this rule and you may submit any entry that has won any of these awards without penalty.  Qualifying awards are up to the OTAKON AMV Contest coordinator’s discretion.
  • Entries that were featured in the final AMV contest at any previous OTAKON convention will be disqualified.
    • The OTAKON VEGAS convention is not the same thing as the OTAKON convention.  This rule only applies to videos entered at a prior OTAKON® convention.
  • Entries that have been screened as an OTAKON AMV Contest non-finalist for 2 or more years will be disqualified.  If at first you don’t succeed, try again.  If you don’t succeed the second time around, maybe send us something else…
• The better quality video that you send us, the better it will look. Visual anomalies from poor compression will be enlarged as our screen is bigger than your computer monitor. 
• The OTAKON 2024 AMV Contest will accept submissions from anyone except for OTAKON staffers/gofers who participate in the ballot counting process.
• The AMV Contest Coordinator reserves the right to reject any video on any grounds.

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