Bakuretsucon 2007 AMV Contest
My AMV contest review from Bakuretsucon 2007; my full con report will follow soon.
Video 1
Better Days For Another Universe
Better Days by the Goo Goo Dolls
Fushigi Yuugi (TV & OVA)
Created by GloryQuestor
I've seen this vid before, and helped beta it, so I know it pretty well. It's a well-done and interesting video that focuses on the Eikoden OVAs. I'm not sure, but GQ may have gone back and fixed a couple of the little things that bugged me that were even in the Org download version. Even if he didn't, they didn't seem as noticeable on the big screen.
Video 2
Savin' Cloud
Savin' Me by Nickelback
Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children
Created by Vincent of "How Many Peanuts" Productions
I'm getting really tired of AC videos, especially after last year's video by this guy (#23 last year), so I wasn't looking forward to this one at all. It surprised me, though, by being a decent video. There's a number of minor technical quibbles (DivX logo, incorrect AR, orphan frames in cuts), but on the whole, not a bad video. He's definitely improved from last year.
Video 3
Our Story
Yamiyo no Prologue by Yuki Kajiura
The Place Promised in Our Early Days
Created by Brightlight 88
This one doesn't really stick out in my mind, except for the really neat sketch effect near the beginning and its use of text. I remember it was a very nice video, but not many details have stuck, unfortunately.
Video 4
A Lesson in World History
Sink the Bismarck by Jonny Horton
Yamato, Harlock, Read or Die, Eva, Elfen Lied
Crated by DJ Loop's and Hulaloops Studios
This one I'm not sure belonged in Drama; I'd have personally labeled it as Upbeat, given the feel of the song. Still, it was a very interesting video (I haven't seen most of the sources it used) and I'd love to grab a copy when it goes up. The creator's new at this (this was his third video, his first two are also in the contest and are arguably even better), and he's actively interested in getting better. I look forward to seeing what else he comes out with.
Video 5
Interpersonal Communication
Don't Panic by Coldplay
Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha StrikerS
Created by Honou Productions
My video, I won't comment any more.
Video 6
The Death of You
Breath by Breaking Benjamin
Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children
Created by Melichan923
Another Advent Children video (sigh) that uses a lot of the popular scenes (Cloud getting stabbed in the shoulder, Sephiroth with the one black wing, etc, etc, etc), but it's better-done than a lot of the AC videos I've seen. I'm pretty sure the AR was wrong, though (was AC ever released in a 4:3 format, since I see it that way so often?). The opening was quite effectsy and pretty neat, and there was a gorgeously-used mask near the middle, but overall, it didn't really stand out.
Video 7
Tragic Love
Chasing Cars by The Snow
Loveless, Death Note, Sukisyo, Cluster Edge
Created by Amo-Chan
My first thought when this video started was "this seems kinda yaoi." About two-thirds through, my thoughts were "yeah, I was right. This is REALLY yaoi." Yaoi's really not my cup of tea (just my personal tastes, feel free to watch/like it if you want, I prefer not to, thanks all the same), but this video was pretty neat. A little too heavy on the lyric sync (I'm frequently guilty of this too, I admit), it felt too long, and had a little too much lip flap, but still a decent video. The end credits shouldn't be there, though. Not for a convention entry.
Video 8
Angel
Your Guardian Angel by the Red Jumpsuit
AIR the Movie
Created by Radical_Yue
This one really was cool, and I liked it quite a bit, but I think it belonged in Romance, personally, since it feels like a textbook example of that category to me. On the projector, a lot of videos looked a bit washed-out, but this video in particular was blooming white all over the place. Not sure if it was the projector or the source, but something for the creator to look into. Otherwise an excellent video.
Video 9 (Winner: Best Drama)
Lost Dreams
Hand of Sorrow by Within Temptation
Evangelion TV & OVAs
Created by Colin Harvie/Rei Snatcher
This one was a very nice video, and certainly deserved to win. The biggest problem I had with it was the really ugly interlacing issues it had at a lot of points. The pacing was usually pretty strong, though the buildup in the strings segment was a bit long, and the video felt a bit drifty near the end, but came together very strongly at the close. The "bookending" of the beginning and end was especially well-done.
Video 10
A Kanon Carol
The Lost Christmas Eve by TSO
Kanon 2006
Created by Honou Productions
My video, no comments.
ROMANCE
Video 11
All I Can Take
This is How a Heart Breaks by Rob Thomas
Loveless
Created by Amo-Chan
The first thought I had with this video was "god, this is overfiltered," and that continued through the whole video. It almost looked like a watercolor painting. From that and the huge black bars during the "sliding tile" transitions, I'm thinking this used downloaded source footage. I also had difficulty telling this was a romance until nearly halfway through the video, with the kiss. The actual content was very forgettable, but wasn't badly edited.
Video 12
Contagious Hearts
So Contagious by Acceptance
Kingdom Hearts I & II
Created by Atomaru
This was the worst quality footage I've ever seen in a contest. The Tube has better-quality and less blocky footage. This was almost unwatchable, other than noting that it really wasn't a romance - the two characters appear in the same shot twice. Drama, not Romance.
Video 13
I Will Always Be With You
My Heart Will Go On by Celine Dion
Saikano
Created by MAC Nightvision Studios
There were a lot of groans for this video at the title card, and I'll admit I didn't really have very high expectations for it. I was very pleasantly surprised by an excellent romance video that ended up getting my vote in the category. It had a number of technical issues, especially the repeated use of the absolutely godawful rainbow dither dissolve that had me screaming in my head to QUIT USING IT, and issues with lip flap interspersed with a couple scenes of lipsync, and the fades to white covering the letterboxing, but they really don't take away from the fact that it was a very good video that has made me swear to pull out my DVDs of this series and watch them as soon as I can find the time.
Video 14
Squall and Rinoa
Hoshi no Suna by Gackt
Final Fantasy VIII
Created by Donut
The video quality on this one was pretty bad, and I'm not sure if it was cropped or stretched to be widescreen. It was subbed, since the song was in Japanese, which I wasn't sure was a good idea or a bad one, but the subs were out of the main video (so making it widescreen was a good idea for that), and weren't animated or distracting, so it was at least tastefully done. The blur filter used on a few scenes was really a bad call, though. Ugly and didn't serve any purpose. Audio had a couple problems to my ears, too. It sounded like there were a few skips in the sound, but I don't know if they were original to the song or a tech problem, and there was a sound effect near the middle that felt very out of place. I really don't remember most of the content of the video, but it felt very generic.
Video 15
Ah My Goddess Suteki Da Ne
Suteki Da Ne by Nubohiro Watsuki
Ah! My Goddess
Created by Greg Anthony
I don't like being completely negative about videos that get submitted to contests, but there's nothing positive I can say about this guy's three videos except that this was the least bad of the three. There's no timing at all, scenes are there at random, there's orphan frames at nearly every cut, and it has both an intro bumper AND an ending bumper. In my notes, I have "Oh god, please end soon" as one note on this one. Mr. Anthony is a brave man to have submitted something like this.
Video 16
Space and Time (Between Us)
Very Last Moment in Time by L. Lohan
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
Created by Radical_Yue
This video was one of a very few that didn't have any tech issues that I saw (video quality, interlacing, botched AR, bad transitions, etc.). It didn't start off feeling like a romance video, but worked up to it in a rather interesting way. A very nice video, and I really need to sit down and watch this movie.
Video 17 (Winner: Best Romance)
You Can't Escape My Love
Escape by Enrique Iglesias
Ouran High School Host Club
Created by Amo-Chan
I really didn't like this video much. It felt very random (but well-timed randomness), and the dancing lines on almost every diagonal edge gave me a headache. And why does nobody ever obey the "no bumpers" rule? Apparently this won on the strength of the fangirls attending the second contest screening. Curse the fangirl vote.
Video 18
The Way Things Used to Be
It's All Coming Back to Me Now by Celine Dion
Elfen Lied
Created by DJ Loop's+HulaLoop's Studios
This was another interesting vid, and was the creator's second video. I'm pretty sure the AR was wrong, but otherwise was a technically excellent video. It most certainly was NOT PG-13, and had a specific warning to parents announced before it was played. The later half of the video got a few laughs for scenes that felt a bit like pandering to the audience, but the ending was very cute. All in all, a very good video.
ACTION
Video 19 (Winner: Best Action)
Hunters or the Hunted
Decisions by Crimson Orchid (Lyrics by Bran Carmela)
Wolf's Rain, Naruto, Bleach, Samurai X, Escaflowne: the Movie
Created by Gene Starwind 21122
I tend not to like Gene's videos. They're technically excellent and are very well-timed, but feel very random and unfocused, relying on the popularity of the series used and the flash-and-dazzle effects to play to the audience. And this was a textbook example of that. My note was "Meh. Very meh."
Video 20
Ah! My Goddess Mara Tribute
Heart Breaker by Pat Benetar
Ah! My Goddess
Created by Greg Anthony
Another Greg Anthony video, with all of the problems of his earlier one, plus some hideously ugly pixelation in a few shots. I had "kill me now" in my notes for this one.
Video 21
Project Eswat
The Touch by Stan Bush
Appleseed
Created by DJ Loop's and Hulaloops Studios
This video got a big laugh at the beginning (it's a Transformers song), and was a downright FUN video. This was a classic, old-school action video that got my vote for the category. When I heard it was his first video, I couldn't believe it. I got to speak with him during the con, and it turns out he's helped tech judge at cons before, so he already knew a lot of the bad things to avoid when he sat down to make his own videos. Would that more people did that. I look forward to seeing what else he comes up with.
Video 22 (misnumbered as 4)
Ah! My Goddess Urd Tribute
My Wound is Deeper Than Yours by For My Pain
Ah! My Goddess
Created by Greg Anthony
Another video from Mr. Anthony, with all of the same problems. Ugh. Just ugh.
Video 22 (numbered like that)
Reluctant Assassins
No Easy Way Out by Robert Tepper
Phantom of Inferno & Phantom Animation
Created by GloryQuestor
I'm not sure this video belonged in Action. Drama'd have been a better fit, I think. I'm truly intrigued by the video, and need to see the series and game that it used. I'm not sure if the AR is right; it felt like it was stretched too wide. The game footage felt a little repetitive at the beginning, but as the video went on, it felt far better integrated into the flow. An excellent video that would have had my vote if not for Project Eswat.
COMEDY/FUN/UPBEAT/OTHER
Video 23 (Winner: Best of Show)
Code Monkey
Code Monkey by Jonathan Coulton
Legend of Black Heaven
Created by Studio Hybrid
This video is absolutely great. Funny, technically excellent, and timed beautifully. If only it hadn't won at so many places already. Quit trolling the small cons, please?
Video 24
Howl's Holiday
Holiday by Greenday
Howl's Moving Castle
Created by Kathryne P.F. Taylor
This was a very good video, destroyed by technical issues. The pixellation was just awful at points (and came from conversion issues, Adam mentioned after the showing). I'd like to see a clean version to see what I missed.
Video 25
Designs by Daidouji
Step by Step (Lazytown Soundtrack)
Card Captor Sakura
Created by Honou Productions
My video, no comments.
Video 26
Hitachiin Sweat (Winner: Best Comedy/Fun/Upbeat/Other)
Sweat (A lalalalala song) by Inner Circle
Ouran High School Host Club
Created by Amo-Chan
This video had the same problem with dancing edges as their video in Romance, and got a huge laugh at the first few scenes, as soon as people realized what song was used. Yaoi fangirls were laughing at every third scene, and had at least seven shrieks of joy (my ears still hurt). The joke was over pretty quickly, and it really felt like it was dragging on toward the end. It was still cute and amusing, but I really hate fangirling/fanboying for videos because of their source series/music, which is what I think happened with this one.
Overall, not a bad contest. Other than the fangirl votes and Mr. Anthony's videos, not a huge set of problems (despite my nitpicking). Adam continues to run an excellent contest, kudos to him. I've got a number of videos I'd like copies of, there's a new editor entering the fray who seems to have a bright future, and I had fun.
Video 1
Better Days For Another Universe
Better Days by the Goo Goo Dolls
Fushigi Yuugi (TV & OVA)
Created by GloryQuestor
I've seen this vid before, and helped beta it, so I know it pretty well. It's a well-done and interesting video that focuses on the Eikoden OVAs. I'm not sure, but GQ may have gone back and fixed a couple of the little things that bugged me that were even in the Org download version. Even if he didn't, they didn't seem as noticeable on the big screen.
Video 2
Savin' Cloud
Savin' Me by Nickelback
Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children
Created by Vincent of "How Many Peanuts" Productions
I'm getting really tired of AC videos, especially after last year's video by this guy (#23 last year), so I wasn't looking forward to this one at all. It surprised me, though, by being a decent video. There's a number of minor technical quibbles (DivX logo, incorrect AR, orphan frames in cuts), but on the whole, not a bad video. He's definitely improved from last year.
Video 3
Our Story
Yamiyo no Prologue by Yuki Kajiura
The Place Promised in Our Early Days
Created by Brightlight 88
This one doesn't really stick out in my mind, except for the really neat sketch effect near the beginning and its use of text. I remember it was a very nice video, but not many details have stuck, unfortunately.
Video 4
A Lesson in World History
Sink the Bismarck by Jonny Horton
Yamato, Harlock, Read or Die, Eva, Elfen Lied
Crated by DJ Loop's and Hulaloops Studios
This one I'm not sure belonged in Drama; I'd have personally labeled it as Upbeat, given the feel of the song. Still, it was a very interesting video (I haven't seen most of the sources it used) and I'd love to grab a copy when it goes up. The creator's new at this (this was his third video, his first two are also in the contest and are arguably even better), and he's actively interested in getting better. I look forward to seeing what else he comes out with.
Video 5
Interpersonal Communication
Don't Panic by Coldplay
Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha StrikerS
Created by Honou Productions
My video, I won't comment any more.
Video 6
The Death of You
Breath by Breaking Benjamin
Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children
Created by Melichan923
Another Advent Children video (sigh) that uses a lot of the popular scenes (Cloud getting stabbed in the shoulder, Sephiroth with the one black wing, etc, etc, etc), but it's better-done than a lot of the AC videos I've seen. I'm pretty sure the AR was wrong, though (was AC ever released in a 4:3 format, since I see it that way so often?). The opening was quite effectsy and pretty neat, and there was a gorgeously-used mask near the middle, but overall, it didn't really stand out.
Video 7
Tragic Love
Chasing Cars by The Snow
Loveless, Death Note, Sukisyo, Cluster Edge
Created by Amo-Chan
My first thought when this video started was "this seems kinda yaoi." About two-thirds through, my thoughts were "yeah, I was right. This is REALLY yaoi." Yaoi's really not my cup of tea (just my personal tastes, feel free to watch/like it if you want, I prefer not to, thanks all the same), but this video was pretty neat. A little too heavy on the lyric sync (I'm frequently guilty of this too, I admit), it felt too long, and had a little too much lip flap, but still a decent video. The end credits shouldn't be there, though. Not for a convention entry.
Video 8
Angel
Your Guardian Angel by the Red Jumpsuit
AIR the Movie
Created by Radical_Yue
This one really was cool, and I liked it quite a bit, but I think it belonged in Romance, personally, since it feels like a textbook example of that category to me. On the projector, a lot of videos looked a bit washed-out, but this video in particular was blooming white all over the place. Not sure if it was the projector or the source, but something for the creator to look into. Otherwise an excellent video.
Video 9 (Winner: Best Drama)
Lost Dreams
Hand of Sorrow by Within Temptation
Evangelion TV & OVAs
Created by Colin Harvie/Rei Snatcher
This one was a very nice video, and certainly deserved to win. The biggest problem I had with it was the really ugly interlacing issues it had at a lot of points. The pacing was usually pretty strong, though the buildup in the strings segment was a bit long, and the video felt a bit drifty near the end, but came together very strongly at the close. The "bookending" of the beginning and end was especially well-done.
Video 10
A Kanon Carol
The Lost Christmas Eve by TSO
Kanon 2006
Created by Honou Productions
My video, no comments.
ROMANCE
Video 11
All I Can Take
This is How a Heart Breaks by Rob Thomas
Loveless
Created by Amo-Chan
The first thought I had with this video was "god, this is overfiltered," and that continued through the whole video. It almost looked like a watercolor painting. From that and the huge black bars during the "sliding tile" transitions, I'm thinking this used downloaded source footage. I also had difficulty telling this was a romance until nearly halfway through the video, with the kiss. The actual content was very forgettable, but wasn't badly edited.
Video 12
Contagious Hearts
So Contagious by Acceptance
Kingdom Hearts I & II
Created by Atomaru
This was the worst quality footage I've ever seen in a contest. The Tube has better-quality and less blocky footage. This was almost unwatchable, other than noting that it really wasn't a romance - the two characters appear in the same shot twice. Drama, not Romance.
Video 13
I Will Always Be With You
My Heart Will Go On by Celine Dion
Saikano
Created by MAC Nightvision Studios
There were a lot of groans for this video at the title card, and I'll admit I didn't really have very high expectations for it. I was very pleasantly surprised by an excellent romance video that ended up getting my vote in the category. It had a number of technical issues, especially the repeated use of the absolutely godawful rainbow dither dissolve that had me screaming in my head to QUIT USING IT, and issues with lip flap interspersed with a couple scenes of lipsync, and the fades to white covering the letterboxing, but they really don't take away from the fact that it was a very good video that has made me swear to pull out my DVDs of this series and watch them as soon as I can find the time.
Video 14
Squall and Rinoa
Hoshi no Suna by Gackt
Final Fantasy VIII
Created by Donut
The video quality on this one was pretty bad, and I'm not sure if it was cropped or stretched to be widescreen. It was subbed, since the song was in Japanese, which I wasn't sure was a good idea or a bad one, but the subs were out of the main video (so making it widescreen was a good idea for that), and weren't animated or distracting, so it was at least tastefully done. The blur filter used on a few scenes was really a bad call, though. Ugly and didn't serve any purpose. Audio had a couple problems to my ears, too. It sounded like there were a few skips in the sound, but I don't know if they were original to the song or a tech problem, and there was a sound effect near the middle that felt very out of place. I really don't remember most of the content of the video, but it felt very generic.
Video 15
Ah My Goddess Suteki Da Ne
Suteki Da Ne by Nubohiro Watsuki
Ah! My Goddess
Created by Greg Anthony
I don't like being completely negative about videos that get submitted to contests, but there's nothing positive I can say about this guy's three videos except that this was the least bad of the three. There's no timing at all, scenes are there at random, there's orphan frames at nearly every cut, and it has both an intro bumper AND an ending bumper. In my notes, I have "Oh god, please end soon" as one note on this one. Mr. Anthony is a brave man to have submitted something like this.
Video 16
Space and Time (Between Us)
Very Last Moment in Time by L. Lohan
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
Created by Radical_Yue
This video was one of a very few that didn't have any tech issues that I saw (video quality, interlacing, botched AR, bad transitions, etc.). It didn't start off feeling like a romance video, but worked up to it in a rather interesting way. A very nice video, and I really need to sit down and watch this movie.
Video 17 (Winner: Best Romance)
You Can't Escape My Love
Escape by Enrique Iglesias
Ouran High School Host Club
Created by Amo-Chan
I really didn't like this video much. It felt very random (but well-timed randomness), and the dancing lines on almost every diagonal edge gave me a headache. And why does nobody ever obey the "no bumpers" rule? Apparently this won on the strength of the fangirls attending the second contest screening. Curse the fangirl vote.
Video 18
The Way Things Used to Be
It's All Coming Back to Me Now by Celine Dion
Elfen Lied
Created by DJ Loop's+HulaLoop's Studios
This was another interesting vid, and was the creator's second video. I'm pretty sure the AR was wrong, but otherwise was a technically excellent video. It most certainly was NOT PG-13, and had a specific warning to parents announced before it was played. The later half of the video got a few laughs for scenes that felt a bit like pandering to the audience, but the ending was very cute. All in all, a very good video.
ACTION
Video 19 (Winner: Best Action)
Hunters or the Hunted
Decisions by Crimson Orchid (Lyrics by Bran Carmela)
Wolf's Rain, Naruto, Bleach, Samurai X, Escaflowne: the Movie
Created by Gene Starwind 21122
I tend not to like Gene's videos. They're technically excellent and are very well-timed, but feel very random and unfocused, relying on the popularity of the series used and the flash-and-dazzle effects to play to the audience. And this was a textbook example of that. My note was "Meh. Very meh."
Video 20
Ah! My Goddess Mara Tribute
Heart Breaker by Pat Benetar
Ah! My Goddess
Created by Greg Anthony
Another Greg Anthony video, with all of the problems of his earlier one, plus some hideously ugly pixelation in a few shots. I had "kill me now" in my notes for this one.
Video 21
Project Eswat
The Touch by Stan Bush
Appleseed
Created by DJ Loop's and Hulaloops Studios
This video got a big laugh at the beginning (it's a Transformers song), and was a downright FUN video. This was a classic, old-school action video that got my vote for the category. When I heard it was his first video, I couldn't believe it. I got to speak with him during the con, and it turns out he's helped tech judge at cons before, so he already knew a lot of the bad things to avoid when he sat down to make his own videos. Would that more people did that. I look forward to seeing what else he comes up with.
Video 22 (misnumbered as 4)
Ah! My Goddess Urd Tribute
My Wound is Deeper Than Yours by For My Pain
Ah! My Goddess
Created by Greg Anthony
Another video from Mr. Anthony, with all of the same problems. Ugh. Just ugh.
Video 22 (numbered like that)
Reluctant Assassins
No Easy Way Out by Robert Tepper
Phantom of Inferno & Phantom Animation
Created by GloryQuestor
I'm not sure this video belonged in Action. Drama'd have been a better fit, I think. I'm truly intrigued by the video, and need to see the series and game that it used. I'm not sure if the AR is right; it felt like it was stretched too wide. The game footage felt a little repetitive at the beginning, but as the video went on, it felt far better integrated into the flow. An excellent video that would have had my vote if not for Project Eswat.
COMEDY/FUN/UPBEAT/OTHER
Video 23 (Winner: Best of Show)
Code Monkey
Code Monkey by Jonathan Coulton
Legend of Black Heaven
Created by Studio Hybrid
This video is absolutely great. Funny, technically excellent, and timed beautifully. If only it hadn't won at so many places already. Quit trolling the small cons, please?
Video 24
Howl's Holiday
Holiday by Greenday
Howl's Moving Castle
Created by Kathryne P.F. Taylor
This was a very good video, destroyed by technical issues. The pixellation was just awful at points (and came from conversion issues, Adam mentioned after the showing). I'd like to see a clean version to see what I missed.
Video 25
Designs by Daidouji
Step by Step (Lazytown Soundtrack)
Card Captor Sakura
Created by Honou Productions
My video, no comments.
Video 26
Hitachiin Sweat (Winner: Best Comedy/Fun/Upbeat/Other)
Sweat (A lalalalala song) by Inner Circle
Ouran High School Host Club
Created by Amo-Chan
This video had the same problem with dancing edges as their video in Romance, and got a huge laugh at the first few scenes, as soon as people realized what song was used. Yaoi fangirls were laughing at every third scene, and had at least seven shrieks of joy (my ears still hurt). The joke was over pretty quickly, and it really felt like it was dragging on toward the end. It was still cute and amusing, but I really hate fangirling/fanboying for videos because of their source series/music, which is what I think happened with this one.
Overall, not a bad contest. Other than the fangirl votes and Mr. Anthony's videos, not a huge set of problems (despite my nitpicking). Adam continues to run an excellent contest, kudos to him. I've got a number of videos I'd like copies of, there's a new editor entering the fray who seems to have a bright future, and I had fun.