Anime Music Video Contest FAQ

Below you'll find some of the most frequently asked questions about the Anime Music Video Contest at Anime Boston. If you don't see the answer to your question, feel free to ask us on the Anime Music Video Forums.

  1. Why do I have to be 13 years old to enter?
  2. Can I really be disqualified for failing to follow the content rules?
  3. Who are the AMV contest pre-screeners? Can I become one?
  4. I submitted my video a week ago and I haven't gotten a response. Did you get it yet?
  5. What file formats are acceptable?
  6. What file formats do you recommend?
  7. Can I send a CD or DVD with my videos on it?
  8. The rules state that we can't have inappropriate content. Is underwear inappropriate?
  9. What about violent scenes?
  10. Can I use video game footage?
  11. So can I use footage from series like She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, Voltron: Legendary Defender, or Avatar: The Last Airbender?
  12. Can I use live action footage?
  13. Can I use footage I recorded off TV?
  14. If I'm not a finalist, will you still show my video?
  15. Do I have to go to Anime Boston to enter the contest?
  16. When will you announce the results?
  17. Can you send me a copy of the contest?
  18. What's a MD5 Checksum? Why is it used when uploading entry files?

1. Why do I have to be 13 years old to enter?
We need to comply with COPPA regulations, which are federal laws that restrict collecting personal information of people under 13 years old (like name and email) that we need to contact entrants for the running of the contest. If you are under 13 years old, you can have a parent or guardian submit on your behalf, using their information as the contact person. You can still put your name or editor handle in the “Name for Credits” field on the form, so you get the credit.

2. Can I really be disqualified for failing to follow the content rules?
Yes. The AMV Contest pre-screeners determine which videos will make it to the finals. Several videos each year are disqualified for failing to follow the content rules. If any of the pre-screeners detect an infraction of the content rules, the video will be checked to review the offense. Confirmation results in immediate disqualification. This can happen no matter how well-made your entry is. Our eagle-eyed pre-screeners have disqualified otherwise excellent videos for a single frame of a partial watermark in years past.

We will make every effort to catch rule violations before the pre-screening and notify the editor so that violations can be corrected before the deadline, but the closer to the deadline you submit, the more difficult this becomes.

3. Who are the AMV contest pre-screeners? Can I become one?
The AMV Contest pre-screeners are mostly veteran Anime Boston staffers. Most of them have been doing it for years and are familiar with the AMV Contest. Individuals who submit entries for the contest are not allowed to attend the pre-screening. The pre-screening itself is an invite-only event that usually takes 12 to 14 hours.

4. I submitted my video a week ago and I haven't gotten a response. Did you get it yet? We check the upload form regularly, and more frequently as the deadline approaches. If you do not hear from us after two weeks, or within two days after the deadline, please contact the AMV Contest Coordinator.

5. What file formats are acceptable?
Most common file formats are acceptable: AVI, MKV, MP4, MPEG, QuickTime, WMV, etc. Sometimes if a format is too new or obscure, our encoder may not support it and we may ask you to resubmit in a more widely accepted format.

The online file upload form will accept the following file extensions: avi, m2t, mkv, mov, mp4, mpg, mpeg, and wmv.

6. What file formats do you recommend?
We recommend submitting a file using 8-bit H264 video, AAC or FLAC audio, and either MP4 or MKV as the container. More specific recommendations are in the technical rules section.

7. Can I send a CD or DVD with my videos on it?
We’d prefer that you use our electronic submission form to submit your videos. If you have internet issues that prevent you from using it, please contact the AMV Contest Coordinator to arrange an alternate solution.

8. The rules state that we can't have inappropriate content. Is underwear inappropriate?
Underwear is generally fine for the AMV Contest. There should, however, be no sexually-oriented nudity. Please keep in mind that the AMV Contest screenings do occur Saturday morning and are a PG-13 rated event.

9. What about violent scenes?
Please use your best judgement and refer to the PG-13 guidelines quoted in the rules. Violence should not be excessive, gratuitous, or constant. If your AMV resembles a Quentin Tarantino movie, then it will not meet the PG-13 guidelines.

10. Can I use video game footage?
Footage from video game cutscenes produced by Japanese developers or that have significant anime influences is acceptable. Video games like the Final Fantasy series and Kingdom Hearts are good examples that would fall under that provision. Western video games such as Call of Duty, Portal, and World of Warcraft would not.

Footage of active game play where the game interface is visible is also not acceptable.

11. So can I use footage from series like She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, Voltron: Legendary Defender, or Avatar: The Last Airbender?
Animated shows that originate from Japan, are directly based on properties originating from Japan (e.g. Voltron: Legendary Defender), or have a significant influence from anime (e.g. Avatar: The Last Airbender) are acceptable to be submitted to the contest. Shows that do not originate from Japan are evaluated on a case-by-case basis, so if you have questions about whether a particular show is acceptable, please contact the Contest Coordinator.

At least 75% of your video must consist of sources of this sort; 25% of your video may consist of shows that do not meet this criteria.

12. Can I use live action footage?
No. Live action footage of any kind is not acceptable. However, it may be used as part of the 25% allotment for non-animated sources.

13. Can I use footage I recorded off TV?
You may attempt to, but footage recorded off the TV does not usually have the same quality as DVD or Blu-Ray rips. TV footage also frequently has watermarks, which will automatically disqualify your video.

14. If I'm not a finalist, will you still show my video?
There is an overflow screening scheduled in the Fan Creations Track all day on Sunday of the convention where we will show most of the videos that did not make the finals. If there are more videos than can be shown, we will show as many videos as time allows and send our apologies to those creators whose videos we were unable to show. If you are attending the convention and would like to see your video played, speak to a staff member at the tech table in the room to have your video moved up in the queue.

15. Do I have to go to Anime Boston to enter the contest?
No. You do not need to attend the convention to enter the contest. Attendance has no effect whatsoever on the determination of finalists. But we highly encourage finalists to attend in order to accept any trophies they may win and to participate in the selection of Editors’ Choice.

16. When will you announce the results?
We will not announce finalist videos until the convention itself. However, we will contact finalists to inform them that their videos have been selected as finalists, and will post a list of finalist editors once the list has been determined. A list of the finalist videos and winners will be posted online within a few days after the convention.

17. Can you send me a copy of the contest?
Anime Boston does not provide copies of the AMV Contest to anyone. However, many editors post their own videos on the internet, both on Youtube and at A-M-V.org.

18. What's a MD5 Checksum? Why is it used when uploading entry files?
A MD5 Checksum is like a fingerprint of a file. Based on the content of the file, a 32-character value is determined. When transmitting large files online, the MD5 Checksum of the original and destination files can be compared. If the MD5 Checksums are identical, then the file was transmitted successfully. When you upload an AMV file for submission, an MD5 Checksum value is given to you, so you can confirm your file was uploaded correctly, without any corruption. This is the only way to verify the file's integrity yourself, as you cannot re-download the file due to our storage method. You may, however, contact the AMV Contest Coordinator to have them test the video.

There are several utilities for getting the MD5 Checksum of a file. For Windows computers, we recommend FastSum. For a Mac computer, check this page.