Auckland MovieMakers offers plenty of friendly competition to stimulate those who wish to take up the challenge. 

Throughout  the year club members are encouraged to bring their videos, finished or still a work in progress, along to Club night to share with us all.

The Auckland MovieMakers Competition 2008

Definitions and guidelines

A novice is deemed a member of the Auckland MovieMakers who has not previously received an award in an Auckland Video Camera Club / Auckland MovieMakers Annual Awards.

The same video may be entered into one or more categories from Categories 1 to 5. Videos entered in the General Category (6) may not be entered into any other category.

(In all categories, videos can not be longer than 20 minutes however, they can be shorter. Novices must achieve at least 50% and open competitors must achieve at least 60% to be awarded a certificate.)

1.  Documentary

 Videos in the documentary category should communicate information and ideas. The images and audio should be complimentary. It may be possible to produce an effective documentary without the spoken word, however competitors are reminded that it is often the commentary / dialogue / interview that focuses the attention and / or interprets the images for the audience.

2. Drama

 Videos in the Drama Category should show the creative world of visual narrative. An effective drama should have a "hook" to capture the audience and a good story line. The script should supply important characters with a motivation or a goal to justify their actions. There should be conflicts, confrontations and obstacles for the protagonists to overcome. In conclusion, there should be a resolution to the conflict that may or may not be happy or predictable. (NB Drama does not necessarily mean, "action packed thriller". It could be a comedy, a satire or even a monologue. It's up to you.)

3. Performance

 Videos in the Performance Category should focus on the performers and the performance as in a ballet, jazz band or gymnastic display, etc. The spectators should only be incidental to the main event and only be used as cutaways. The video should focus on the skill, the artistry, the agility, the dexterity etc of the performers (even if they are only five-year-olds at the Play centre). This could be a collaborative effort between several members. One camera videoing the wide angle shot of the whole performance while the other camera videos the close up shots of the performers.

4. People and Places

 Videos in the "People and Places Category" should focus on people interacting with one another and with their surroundings. The camera should capture the emotion of the moment, such as exhaustion, happiness, disgust etc in the faces of the people. Organized events such as car rallies, opera in the park, cultural festivals etc would fit into this category.

5. Holiday and Travel

 Videos in the "Holiday and Travel Category" should capture the essence of the place visited. The viewer should be able to experience the location by proxy, smell the smells, hear the sounds and taste the exotic flavours. The video should be capable of influencing the future holiday plans of the audience.

6. General Category

 This is a "catchall" Category and only videos that do not easily fit into the other major categories should be entered in this section. Videos in this category can not be entered into any other category. Competitors who wish to enter their videos in this category may find that, with some "fine tuning", their video can be placed into one of the major categories (1 to 5).

7. Experimental

 Something different!! It could be entirely computer generated, an animation or a mixed media production. Let your imagination and technical skill rise to the challenge but remember not to sacrifice quality for innovation.

The following awards are also made:

 The Innes Sound Trophy

This is awarded to the video with the best audio and may come from any video entered in the competition. The judges will consider such things as sound quality, sound balance, continuity and look at the contribution the sound makes to the effectiveness of the video. All these factors will be judged in context. The judges will take into consideration any creative effects intended by the video maker.

The Best Overall Video Visuals

This is awarded to the video with the best video visuals. The judges will consider such elements as focus, framing, composition, steadiness of the camera and the quality of the visuals in relation to the conditions at the time of filming. All these factors will be judged in context and the judges will take into consideration any creative effects intended by the video maker.

The Best Story / Script

This is awarded to the video with the best Story / Script and may come from any video entered in the competition. The judges will be looking for a script
that makes the most effective contribution to the success of a particular video.

The Ron Bannister Trophy

This is awarded to the best production by a group of club members. It may come from any video entered in the competition provided there are at least three current financial members involved in the areas of Producer/ Director, camera, editing, sound and lighting. Group member’s names must be included in the end credits.

The Best Overall Video (Nicholas Memorial Cup)

The best video as assessed by the external judges (see notes of judging process)

ADDITIONAL AWARDS

The judges may also award certificates to recognise excellence in the fields of computer graphics, special effects or titles.

The President's Award

The President decides the recipient of this award. The award is made in recognition of effort or contribution to the club during the year in any endeavour or may be awarded to a particular member for a video produced and shown on a club night. This award is left entirely to the discretion of the President.

 Judging

All videos will be assessed and scored by an AMM "in house" judging panel and those entries that achieve certificate level will be forwarded to external judges for independent assessment. The external judges will assess them with reference to these guidelines but without reference to the AMM score sheets. The external judges will allocate the final awards.

Although the Judges do not claim to be infallible, the responsibility for making the decisions has been given to them and therefore their decisions are final.

IMPORTANT conditions of entry

Copyright clearance of all visuals and sound recorded is the absolute responsibility of the entrant and the signatory on the entry form.

Films with the following content will not be accepted: Pornographic, exceedingly vulgar, exceedingly offensive/obscene and/or third party copyrighted material.

Auckland MovieMakers Inc will have final and binding decision as to what is deemed ‘acceptable content’

1.       Entries must be no longer than 20 minutes, including titles and credits. They may be shorter than fifteen minutes.

2       The competition is open to all Club members with paid up membership.

3.       All the work must be that of the entrant / group.

4.       One entry per DVD submitted. 

5.      A separate DVD is required for each category entered.

6.       Each DVD case or container must be marked with the producer's name, address, title of the video, running time and the category into which it is to be entered.

7.       Each entry must be accompanied by an entry form. (original or photocopy}.

8.       Consistent with the clubs objectives, only videos made for no commercial reward are eligible for entry.

9     In order to facilitate the compilation, judging and presentation
while retaining the original fidelity as much as possible, the conveners
require entries in the following format :
    10.1     Submission on 4.7GB DVD+-R media.
    10.2     Presentation aspect as PAL normal (4:3) or PAL wide screen (16:9).
    10.3    Entry copied onto the DVD media as either :
          10.3.1 A Microsoft PAL DV AVI 720x576 25fps 48KHz 16bit, stereo, PCM uncompressed file; or
          10.3.2 A Quick time PAL DV MOV 720x576 25fps 48KHz 16bit, stereo, PCM uncompressed file.

 The closing date for the 2008 AMM competition is 31^st August 2008.

ENTRY FORM

AUCKLAND MOVIE MAKERS ANNUAL AWARDS

Name of entrant (s)_____________________________

Postal Address  _______________________________

_____________________________________________

Phone No    _______________Email____________________

Status  (please circle)  Novice           or        Open

Sound Track Format  (please circle)  Mono       or                  Stereo

CATEGORY (please circle)    1.  Documentary        2. Drama

3.   Performance        4. People and Places         5. Holiday/Travel

 Title of Video__________________________________

 Running Time_________________________________

Brief description of entry for publication and presentation 

_____________________________________________

 _____________________________________________

 _____________________________________________

I have read the conditions of entry and accept them as specified:

 Signed______________________________Date____

A sheet similar to this is supplied to each judge. Each element can score a maximum of 20 points

Judging Notes- The subheadings listed above are for the guidance of exhibitors.  The judges however will judge each category as a whole looking especially at the overall effectiveness and impact of the video.  Inclusion of an item does not infer that it should be included. E.g. a scene change may be a "straight cut" with no "fancy" transition, The subheadings will be assessed in the context of the production e.g. a shot out of focus may be a deliberate artistic effect and as such, will be judged accordingly.  The judge's decision is final and is not subject to discussion or appeal.