I just wanted to chime back in here, a few days in to the contest, and my mild rants of earlier have changed a bit.
First, I discovered why my videos from YouTube were not showing up: your videos must be public, so there is that.
I still have some reservations about the technical aspects of the video submission, et al. But after speaking with Patrice a bit, and understanding a bit more the whole picture of AES and the contest, I'd like to apologize about giving you guys such a hard time. I still think that for a contest, the guidelines and constraints are a bit fierce (your footage essentially must be submitted for distribution), but that is not my call to make, and within the scope of those guidelines, everything else is above board. I was just being a bit a whining brat, is all... Hey, self awareness... ;-)
It's a contest, of course there are going to be guidelines, its just that the underlying guidelines of stock and resale, for some of us newbs, eh, I got a bit bum hurt.
Its actually a brilliant business move, and you don't actually have to sell your work, so you don't have to really commit. It's all good.
Some tips for people interested in entering:
1. The footage MUST be edited, first and foremost. Simply transitioning raw recordings together will not make the cut. You really should be slicing a bunch of footage apart, and picking just the best bits.
2. Try not to include move changes, including speed and direction adjustments (note, not just "changes" but adjustments, you want the footage to be as smooth as possible).
3. If you aren't paying attention to your exposure settings, you are probably missing something.
4. ALSO, if you don't re-do shots (perform a movement, reset, and perform it again) you are probably not capturing the quality required to be approved/win.
5. As for subjects, as broad as possible. Judging by current content, they are really looking more for atmospherics. If you have subjects in your shot, they should be part of a greater whole. A soccer game, as whole, would not be appropriate. Rock climbers? Maybe if the primary subject is the mountain, sure. A motorboat? If the primary subject is a particular coast or the sea, yes. A soccer game would fit if the broad subject was a town (note, not a school). BIG subjects, details are good, but big and broad subjects I think are going to fit their kind of theme. Although, with their clientele, a Hotel would probably fit as a broad subject.
6. Do yourself a favor and just avoid the slop. If the craft comes in to the picture anywhere, just cut that footage out. Masking the slop out is far more effort than it is worth, unless it really is the money maker shot (that's why you move, reset, move).
Yeah, those are just the pointers I am keeping in mind as I prepare. They may not be the end all be all, but I thought I would throw some pointers in to see if I could help other fresh blood like myself. If anyone has more, let us know.
Also, Patrice, were would we see the accepted entries? Are they on the site?
