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New Contest Coming Soon!

Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2007 8:26 am
by bupaje
Hi everyone. A recent thread on the forum made me blurt out that maybe it was time for a new contest. Someone replied with interest -what kind? and since I have few days before school starts I decided to set one up to start the ball rolling. Mike reopened the contest forum and we have a prize lined up thanks to Ryan (bluehickey) at cartoonsolutions.

I will have the details worked out and posted by this weekend - trying to get judges and a few final details. It will probably be a simple challenge but I'll try to keep it interesting. I hope good participation will generate sample files and possibly other user created free content (props, backgrounds, etc), a bit of fun for AS fans- and maybe interest by sponsors so we can get prizes for future contests.

Stay tuned.

Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2007 8:08 pm
by bupaje
Ok. So far we have prize, props for the contest and judge lined up. I do have a quick question for your consideration. Assuming a required minimum 30 seconds of animation how many of you would feel confident you would participate if the contest was one week? how about 2 weeks? longer? Want to get the most participation possible.

A good contest turnout means I may be able to get more prizes in the future - I have experience running large contests on my old sites and still have a few contacts.

Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2007 8:57 pm
by rylleman
30 seconds is a shitload of animation in one week...
it would be more realistic with 10-15 sec in 4 weeks time if you want any quality in the submissions. You'll have to keep in mind that most people would create contest material in their spare time.

Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2007 9:28 pm
by Touched
Yeah, I'd like a sort of 10 Second Club amount of work. They gave 1 month to do 10 seconds. It's a shame they're not around anymore, and I'd really like to see something like that get reborn. But what's this you mention about props? Would we have premade stuff to work with?

Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2007 9:32 pm
by J. Baker
30 seconds isn't much if you already have actions for your characters and premade props. Now if starting from scratch, I could do 30 seconds in 2 weeks. Given if I have to think of my own topic or if you create a topic for the contest. Looking forward to it. :wink:

Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2007 9:43 pm
by Touched
Perhaps not, but I myself am still in the slow process of converting my libraries to AS from Flash, and still learning the program in the meantime. I haven't even scratched the surface of the use of Actions -- I've seen indications that it's something that will be very useful to me, but at the moment I'm quite ignorant of how to use them effectively. (That, and that contests must be pursued in my spare time, as rylleman mentioned...)

Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2007 10:09 pm
by heyvern
What about putting in a minimum and maximum length?

This would give some leeway for those who would like to animate something longer and not punish those with limited time?

min: 10 - max: 30 sec

-vern

Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2007 10:18 pm
by bupaje
I was thinking of providing some premade props, using one or more of the premade AS characters, providing a background and maybe a piece of music. You could add additional propls and characters if you want, but would require the use of what I provided. You could rerig the character, or use as is, strip the bones and use point animtion instead. The idea is that if I provide the props and stuff I can be sure that someone didn't just submit something they alread had ready and it will be interesting to see the many solutions using the same basic starting pieces.

Please let me know if you need more info. I'll write all the specs this weekend after I get your feedback.

As a further explanation the props would be some premade art from cartoonsolutions like dynamite, raygun or whatever. I am thinking you could do a gag, a story, animate to the music, use as particles whatever. There will be some a judging rubric which will involve basic animtion principles -some squash and stretch and the like, as well as originality and so on.

All feedback will go into the belnder so please let me know.

Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2007 10:31 pm
by Touched
I'm pretty open, as long as it's character animation. I suppose the way the 10 Second Club determined that it wasn't just some already-made animation was that each month had a different sound clip that needed to be animated to. Sorry if I'm a little hung up on it -- I do dearly miss that contest. ^_^

Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2007 10:47 pm
by J. Baker
Why not just create a topic for the contest like "alien invasion" or something. And a givin due date like 2-1-07 and the animations can be as long as we want. It might be good to have a file size limit though, so all can view. Some might still be on dial-up internet. Just a few suggestions. :wink:

Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2007 11:12 pm
by Hiddicop
I greatly dislike using pre-made content. Having a specific topic to stick to is a lot better.

For 30 seconds I would like to have 2 weeks.

Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2007 11:51 pm
by heyvern
I don't like pre-made content as a requirement. I would be okay if it was optional.

I did a crazy thing a few years ago that was not really a contest but a group project. I condensed the sound track of an old movie down to a few minutes and gave portions to a bunch of people to animate. No one had any idea what any one else was doing so the final result was very... uh... funny.

Anyway, I only had ONE pre-made prop. A mustache for the main character. Whatever style was used that prop had to be on the main character.

This might be a fun way to tie things together. One or two props that must appear in the animation.

-vern

Posted: Sat Jan 06, 2007 1:19 am
by artfx
At first I was GOING to say I don't like the idea of premade content, but when you mention that it would be things like "dynamite" or a "raygun" from Cartoon Solutions I can see that being a good idea.

In the 48 hour film contest, one way they insure the contestants don't use stuff "meaning media" they already had was they give out the topic or genre rightbefore the 48 hours begin. IN advance you know it will be either comedy, action, drama, sci-fi etc. and you can prepare as much as you can, but you don't know which until the last minute.

I agree with J. Baker on giving the topic and due date and letting it be as long as someone wants to make it. Who knows what someone may come up with?

Posted: Sat Jan 06, 2007 1:41 am
by bupaje
Ok, it is starting to take shape. It'll probably run until 2/1/06 as was suggested and I've scraped the require pre-built character. Since I'll be working on my internship tomorrow I'm going to try to get it posted tonight, but may be very late.

Got the prize, judge and props - jump on it after work tonight.

Posted: Sat Jan 06, 2007 3:42 am
by Gnaws
"30 seconds is a ----load of animation in one week... "
Amen, Brother. A decent 10 seconds takes me about 4 days.


And this time I completely agree with Touched...
"I'd like a sort of 10 Second Club amount of work. They gave 1 month to do 10 seconds."
I like 30 days as well. This would give the contestants opportunities to post WIPs too.

@Bup, I hope my suggestions aren't too late. Can't wait to see what develops. Thanks for getting this ball rolling, Bro.