AMV Contest

Policies and Conditions

1. Any physical media you submit to us will not be returned.
2. You grant us unconditional, irrevocable, and eternal permission to use your submission(s) in any way, which includes (but is not limited to) copying, sharing, and exhibiting, as well as any purposes and usages that may be unrelated to this event.
3. The coordinators and judges may, at their discretion, re-categorize any entry they deem unsuited for the category specified by the entrant.
4. The coordinators and judges have the right to disqualify any submission for any fair and justifiable reason not foreseen in these rules.
5. All judgments and decisions are final.

"Disqualification" Rules: (Submission declined, but complementary AMV tickets granted)

1. Video/Audio Quality
   There cannot be severe video artifacts, macro-blocks, or severe interlacing, and the audio must sound clean and undistorted.
2. Maximum Submissions
   An entrant may submit a maximum of three AMVs plus one Trailer/Parody entry. No two AMVs may be for the same category.
3. Intros, closings, and identifiers.
   Entries are screened anonymously. Therefore, videos should not contain any identifying information such as intros, closings, logos, slates, or credits of any kind.NOTE: Trailer parodies are an exception and may use studio-style slates or logos where customary, provided that they are completely original.
4. Studio Trademarks
   Entries may not use studio trademarks (e.g. Paramount, Dreamworks, WB logos, etc.), nor contain a genuine MPAA greenband or red-band. Trailer entries may use modified green/red bands that do not mention the MPAA or its trademarked ratings.
5. Inappropriate Content
   Entries that contain excessive content unsuitable for an age 13+ audience as determined by the coordinators and/or judges may be disqualified. Context and severity shall be taken under consideration.
6. Non-Music Content
   The audio content of all AMV entries must primarily be music. Entries with excessive non-musical dialogue as determined by the judges and/or coordinators may be disqualified or re-categorized.NOTE: Trailer/Parody category entries are exempt from this rule.
7. Non-Anime Content
   The visual content of your entry should consist of at least 70% anime-styled, manga-styled, or Japanese CG game content. The judges reserve the right to accept or reject entries based on whether, in their opinion, an entry fits the spirit of an Anime Music Video event.

"Rejection" Rules: (Submission declined, complementary AMV tickets denied.)

1. No “Troll” Submissions
   Troll submissions are considered to be any of the following:
   1. “Minimal Edit” entries. These are entries that exhibit little to no editorial effort, such as an entry that contains large chunks of unmodified/uncut/unaltered video footage.
   2. Entries ostensibly submitted merely to gain premium passes to the AMV competition.
2. Freshness Requirement
   Any video prior to July 3rd, 2012* that was ever publicly accessible online or has ever participated in any competition and/or exhibition prior to that date shall be deemed “stale” and ineligible to compete.(*) FYI: The freshness period may be shortened in future convention years.
   
3. Video Length
   AMV entries must be between one and a half minutes (1min 30sec) and seven minutes (7min). Trailer/Parody entries have no minimum duration.
4. Watermarks and Logos
   Entries must not substantially contain watermarks such as network logos, network “bugs,” or trademark overlays. This includes NHK, Adult Swim, Divx, and website logos.**
5. Subtitles
   Entries must not contain subtitles.**

(**) Exceptions: Such rules will be waived for entries that use a logo, watermark, or subtitle in an intentional manner that is clearly relevant to the video’s concept.

"Inexcusable" Rules: (On penalty of ejection or banishment from the contest.)

1. Malicious Participation (Penalty variable based on severity)
   Participants who maliciously engage in a manner that causes grief, harm, or dishonor to others or to the event may be reprimanded. This includes intentional rule violations and unsportsmanlike behavior.
2. Dishonesty (Penalty variable based on severity)
   Participants who willfully provide false, incomplete, or misrepresented information on their entry form may be reprimanded. This includes the part where you affirm that you’ve read and understood all rules.
3. Plagiarism (Penalty of permanent banishment from all SPJA conventions.)
   Do not submit someone else’s AMV as if it were your own. Do not submit an “improved” version of someone else’s AMV unless you have the original creator’s explicit permission to do so. Each person involved in a submission’s creation must be identified on the entry form and must explicitly grant permission to participate in this event.

NOTE: Before an “Inexcusable” violation is declared, the entrant will be contacted and provided an opportunity to address and/or dispute the issue.

Prizes

The pride of our event are our special director’s chairs awarded to each winner. Each chair is a genuine Gold Metal ® "Original Director’s Chair" and are the same brand and type frequently used on Hollywood movie sets.

Each Best of Category winner shall receive an 18"H chair with black canvas bearing the awarded category and Anime Expo logo and commemoration of their achievement.

The Best of Show winner shall receive a 30"H chair with exclusive red canvas bearing the Anime Expo logo and commemoration of their victory.

Shipping

Shipping of prizes to out-of-state winners shall be provided at no charge to winners located within the 48 contiguous United States. Winners residing elsewhere shall be provided a $25 shipping expense per award and must make arrangements for any difference in shipping and customs expenses.

Arrangements to ship or retrieve each awarded prize must be made by its winner or designated proxy by no later than three months from the event.

Third parties are welcomed to offer an award of their own with awarding criteria of their choosing, pending approval of the coordinators. If you are interested in doing so, contact the event coordinators for details.