Submissions close at 11:59 PM 9/9/2021

Rules

Video & Audio Content

1. The contest is PG-13 (video & audio). Subtitles and watermarks will result in disqualification. Video length must be between 30 seconds and 6 minutes.

At least 75% of each entry must be set to music.
At least 75% of each entry must contain moving footage. Still images or text set to music are not permissible.
Entries must not be shorter than 30 seconds or longer than 6 minutes in length.
Your entry must be your own work and no one else's. Anonymous submissions cannot be accepted.
The Connecticon Music Video Contest is rated PG-13. As such, all entries will be expected to follow the official MPAA ratings guidelines which define PG-13 as follows:
- PG-13 is thus a sterner warning to parents, particularly when deciding which movies are not suitable for younger children. Parents, by the rating, are alerted to be very careful about the attendance of their under-teenage children. A PG-13 film is one which, in the view of the Rating Board, leaps beyond the boundaries of the PG rating in theme, violence, nudity, sensuality, language, or other contents, but does not quite fit within the restricted R category. Any drug use content will initially require at least a PG-13 rating. In effect, the PG-13 cautions parents with more stringency than usual to give special attention to this film before they allow their 12-year-olds and younger to attend. If nudity is sexually oriented, the film will generally not be found in the PG-13 category. If violence is too rough or persistent, the film goes into the R (restricted) rating. A film's single use of one of the harsher sexually derived words, though only as an expletive, shall initially require the Rating Board to issue that film at least a PG-13 rating. More than one such expletive must lead the Rating Board to issue a film an R rating, as must even one of these words used in a sexual context. These films can be rated less severely, however, if by a special vote, the Rating Board feels that a lesser rating would more responsibly reflect the opinion of American parents.
Please be aware that profanity in your music will result in your video's disqualification. "Profane" language is defined by the FCC as:
- Words that do not "describe or depict" a sexual or excretory activity may be profane, even if they are not indecent. Profanity is: a "personally reviling" epithet "so grossly offensive to members of the public who actually hear it as to amount to a nuisance." Profanity consists of "the most offensive words in the English language, the broadcast of which are likely to shock the viewer and disturb the peace of the home." The profanity standard is a return to the idea that some words, such as the "S-Word," and the "F-Word," are presumptively prohibited. They have been excused only in news actualities and war movies.
You may not use obviously pirated video footage, such as video where the subtitles or watermarks are visible, or a movie recorded from the screen of a movie theater. We often have industry guests from anime and film in attendance, and we do not want them to assume that the convention as a whole condones piracy.
- You are free to add your own subtitles where appropriate. Be warned, many people find subtitled text distracting and it may dramatically lower your chances of making it to the finals.
- Watermarks and other similar video artifacts will result in the disqualification of your video. Watermarks are the little emblem in the corner of the video, often found on footage taped from TV or on fansubs. They could be XviD logos, TV station logos, or any other indication that the video source was not obtained legally.
"Borrowing" clips from other fan-made music videos may result in the disqualification of your video. Utilizing uncut clips may be acceptable, but using footage which has been heavily edited or utilizes multiple special effects (without the permission of the creator) is very bad form and will result in disqualification from the contest.
Inflammatory or questionable content (such as obscene violence or swastikas) MAY result in us not being able to show your video. This will be decided on a case-by-case basis and all situations will be assessed by the FMV Coordinator, staff, and the convention chairman.
DO NOT include any title screens, logos, credits, or introductions before and/or after the actual video. All title screens, logos, credits, or introductions before and/or after the actual video will be cut from the screening and replaced with Connecticon's standard title screen.

2. Your video must have been completed in the last 2 years. Videos submitted to previous ConnectiCon FMV Contests are ineligible to compete. ConnectiCon does not have an "anti-trolling" policy.

In order to keep the contest fresh, entries must be less than two years old as of the convention.
Videos which have previously been submitted to Connecticon are ineligible.
"Remastered" versions of videos which have previously been submitted to Connecticon are ineligible.
An "anti-trolling policy" is a rule enforced by some conventions that prevents editors from submitting videos that have won prizes at larger conventions, or won a prize at any other convention at all. ConnectiCon does not choose to enforce this particular rule, but if your video has already won a prize at a larger convention(s), it may reflect poorly in your scoring by the judges.

Video Submission Format & Deadline

The deadline for all submissions is 11:59pm September 9th, 2021. All entries MUST be in our hands by that date.

1. Accepted Formats

Videos can be submitted in any format supported by VLC Media Player, see http://www.videolan.org for more information.

2. You may submit three videos to the contest.

If you worked with someone else in the creation of a video, that video counts as one entry for all people involved (although you only have to submit it once). For example, if you submit three videos that you created on your own to the MV contest and someone else submits a fourth video that you helped to create, that would count as a fourth entry from you for that specific contest and violate these rules.
You may not submit videos under false names to circumvent our entry limit. Doing so will result in possible disqualification from this and all future Connecticon FMV contests.
If you submit more than three entries, we will only view the first three entries.

Categories & Prizes

1. Explanations of the 6 Categories

The music video contest coordinator reserves the right to change a video category if it is judged that the video would fit better in a different category than the one intended by the creator. In such an instance the creator will be contacted in advance.
On your submission form, you will be asked to choose your Category. If you're unsure of which category your video belongs in, select "I don't know" and our judges will decide for you. The categories are as follows: (descriptions courtesy of the A-M-V.org VCA awards)

Romance - This video best employs both audio and visual aspects in order to create a romantic mood. The end result is a video that tugs at the heart strings and leaves feelings of happiness, sadness, or any others, but above all, a feeling of romance that the viewer experiences.
Drama - Some videos are out there for the purposes of making you laugh, others are out there to give you an extra jolt of adrenaline, but there are also videos that will make you cry, or feel things you don't on an everyday basis. Drama is an important part of what makes music videos truly a form of art. This category is for videos that have captured a feeling or an emotion and conveyed it extremely well.
Action - This video is adrenaline... excitement... suspense... This video is a roller-coaster ride. It might involve fighting, flying, playing tennis or anything you can think of - but if this video captivates you and gets your blood pumping then it is the best action video.
Comedy - Comedy is possibly the most difficult genre to master. What is funny to one person may be just plain stupid to another. The Best Comedy award goes to the video which made the best jokes or comical situations. It's the video that made you laugh the most but it's also the video that made you laugh not just because of the song or anime used but of the clever way they are put together and presented.
Upbeat/Fun/Other - This category is for videos that don't fit into the rest of the categories. Videos that make you want to get up and dance, movie trailers, horror, experimental videos, they all go here.

2. Explanations of the 4 "Technical Categories" (aka Judged Awards)

Best Editing - A nice visual effect is something, but a nice integration is another thing. Editing matched to perfection with the flow of the video, playing in accordance to the music, note by note, image by image, fused to the music video with harmony and integrity. Something that if misplaced or done incorrectly would have made the video forgettable, but because it was done with perfect accordance it became unforgettable. The music video which exemplifies this deserves the Best Editing award.
Best Concept - The things that never happen, the story that never exists, the point of view that you've never met before. Something that makes you imagine things. Alternative ways of thinking, imagining and creating. Alternative stories, relationships and concepts. An elusive something that makes a video different and stands out will earn the Best Concept award.
Coordinator's Choice – It's a tough job, going through all these videos! This award is for that one video which put a smile on my face everytime I had to watch it - once when I got it, once for the re-encode, once for the staff pre-screening, three or four times during the course of the convention..... You get the idea. If I had to watch it that many times, and still loved it and wanted to watch it again, you deserve this award.
Staff Choice – Competition is by nature survival of the fittest. This award is for that special video that astonishes us with imagination and creativity that we want to recognize, that may end up being overlooked otherwise.

3. Audience Choice Voting system & Prizes

The audience will be voting for "Best Romance", "Best Drama", "Best Action", "Best Comedy", “Best Fun/Upbeat/Other”, and "Best of Show" out of the entire field of finalist entries.
A video is eligible for only one audience choice award. If a video is selected to win 2 awards, (say Best Action and Best of Show), the video will be awarded the higher award (Best in Show) and the runner up will be awarded the category award (Best Action).
A video may win both an audience choice award and a judged award, for instance, Best Action & Best Editing.
Winners of the 5 Audience Choice Categories will receive $100 gift cards in the mail, by December 31, 2021.
Winners of all categories will receive an award certificate.
Winner of Best in Show will receive a $150 gift card and trophy in the mall by December 31, 2021.

The Tiny Type (ie, Legal Concerns)

By submitting an entry, each contestant agrees: they have read, understand and will comply with these official rules; and, or to the extent permitted by law, consent to the use of the entrant's name, likeness and/or biographical data for purposes of advertising and promotion by Connecticon, without further consent, compensation or approval.
Submitted materials become the property of Connecticon and will not be returned. By submitting a video to Connecticon, the video creator grants Connecticon non-revocable permission to exhibit that video. The video creator otherwise retains all rights and responsibilities relating to its creation.
The prizes being awarded may constitute income under applicable federal, state and local tax laws and winners shall be solely responsible for payment of any and all taxes, which may be due with respect to the acceptance of the prize.
We cannot be held responsible for lost or misdirected entries.
Do not submit anyone's videos other than your own or your group.
No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law.
We reserve the right to modify these rules at any time without notice.

Acceptable Footage

As a multi-genre convention, Connecticon's FMV contest allows footage from many different genres. Please see the list below to determine if your video would be acceptable for our contest…

(The list below is just to give you an idea, it is by no means an all-encompassing list. Feel free to contact me using the link above with questions regarding the acceptability of your footage - the general rule of thumb is, if you think the ConnectiCon audience would like it, we'll probably accept it.)

Anime

Def: Any animation originating in Japan.

AstroBoy, Speed Racer, Dragon Ball Z, Attack on Titan, Cowboy Bebop, Fullmetal Alchemist, Bleach, Naruto, etc….

Live-Action Anime / Japanese Cinema Please note that live action anime movies need not originate in Japan, such as Speed Racer, Astro Boy or (god forbid) Dragonball Evolution.

Speed Racer, Death Note, Azumi, Ringu, Ju-On, Versus, etc....

Other Animation

Def: Animation originating anywhere but Japan - but please keep in mind that cartoons aimed at younger audiences, such as SpongeBob Squarepants, may be disqualified if they are deemed by the judging staff to hold no relevance or interest for the convention attendees.

Avatar: The Last Airbender, Justice League, Batman, Teen Titans, Thundercats, Transformers, He-Man, Freakazoid, Futurama, etc…

Video Games

Do you really need a definition for this?

Any Final Fantasy; Kingdom Hearts, CoM; Legend of Zelda; World of Warcraft, (please see limitations on online games in the FAQ); Left 4 Dead, Team Fortress, Resident Evil, Skyrim, Fallout, etc....

SciFi

Def: a form of fiction that draws imaginatively on scientific knowledge and speculation in its plot, setting, theme, etc.

Star Wars, Star Trek, Firefly, The Fifth Element, Dune, Lost, Stargate, The X-Files, MCU, DCEU, etc…

Fantasy

Def: an imaginative or fanciful work, esp. one dealing with supernatural or unnatural events or characters; or set in a different or alternative world

Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Legend, The Princess Bride, Labyrinth, The Dark Crystal, A Game of Thrones, etc…

Horror *PLEASE NOTE the PG-13 rating of this contest. We realize this will be very limiting in an attempt to create a horror video, but try to keep the gore to an acceptable level or you risk being disqualified.

Def: a genre of fiction intended to scare, unsettle and horrify the audience.

28 Days Later, Resident Evil, Silent Hill, Army of Darkness, The Grudge, The Ring, Halloween, Chucky, Nightmare on Elm St., Sweeney Todd, etc…

Kung Fu / Martial Arts

Enter the Dragon, Legend of Drunken Master, Iron Monkey, etc....

Comic Book Adaptations: TV or Film

V for Vendetta, Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, Superman, Thor, Watchmen, HellBoy, etc…

Comic Books / Manga *PLEASE NOTE the limitations on still images in the FAQ.

Def: a magazine made up of narrative artwork, often accompanied by dialog (usually in word balloons, emblematic of the comic book artform) and often including brief descriptive prose.

Fairy Tale, Green Lantern Corps, InuYasha, The Amazing Spider-man, etc…..

Webcomics *PLEASE NOTE the limitations on still images in the FAQ.

Def: comics published on a website, often exclusively, providing easy access to an audience, though some are published in books and newspapers but maintain a web archive.

Ctrl Alt Del, 8-Bit Theater, Star Power, Sinfest, Diesel Sweeties, etc…

Other

Video footage which doesn't really belong in any of the above categories, but which would be acceptable for this contest…

Dr. Horrible's Sing-A-Long-Blog, The Nightmare Before Christmas

Original Animation Original Animation (ie, a video comprised entirely of animation you drew yourself) is admissible to this contest. If deemed to be on a more "professional" level (ie, L33t Steet Boys, Monty Oum's "Dead Fantasy" Films) you may be asked to air your video in the non-competing category so as to not unbalance the contest.

FMV FAQs

Q: When's the deadline?

A. 11:59pm September 9th, 2021

Q: What are the prizes?

A: Winners of Technical Categories will receive an award certificate mailed by December 31st,, 2021. First place winners in each video category* will receive a $100 gift card, and award certificate mailed by December 31. Winner of Best in Show will receive a trophy & $150 gift card mailed by December 31.

*Fun/Upbeat and Other are judged together.

Q: How many videos can I submit?

A. Three

Q: You say that I can use webcomics and graphic novels, but in the rules it says no still images. What gives?

A: Motion can be applied to still images to wonderful effect.

Q: Can I submit a WoW (or any other MMORPG) video?

A: Yes. However, please note that status & action bars (HP indicators, spell sets, etc), macros, and name tags will count as watermarks and will result in your video being disqualified.

Q: Can I use live-action footage I filmed myself?

A: As long as it is only 25% of the video, and directly relates to a pre-established anime, tv show, movie, etc… (Example: Footage of someone cosplaying as Naruto dancing, or two of your friends having a lightsaber duel, would be acceptable. Footage of your Mom baking a cake, or your puppy playing with a chew toy, would not.)

Q: Can I use footage I animated myself?

A: Sure. However, if your video is deemed to be more "professional" (like Monty Oum's Dead Fantasy films, or the LeetStreet Boys), we may ask you if we can move it to the non-competing category, so as to not un-balance the rest of the contest.

Q: Can I use footage from ______?

A: Check the "Acceptable Footage" list. The general rule of thumb is, if you think that the convention audience will enjoy it, it should probably be ok. Most of our audience are anime, scifi, fantasy, webcomic, video game and comic book fans, so use your best judgment.

Q: For my audio, can I use spoken dialogue instead of music, like from an SNL skit?

A: "I'll take S words for 500, Alex." In all seriousness, only if it is less than 25% of the video. HOWEVER, if we receive a truly amazing video utilizing only dialogue, we may make an exception.

Q: Can I use fanart in my video?

A: If it is your own work, or you have the permission of the artist, yes. However, we recommend that you keep the usage of fanart to a minimum and remember the "no-still images" rule - if you include fanart, it must incorporate movement!

Q: Why are Fun/Upbeat and Other judged together but shown separately?

A: We judge these two categories as one because while we get excellent submissions for these two categories we normally don't have enough to fill both fields.