2013 Cel Awards: A tentative start

[sensei]

With due respect to Cutiebunny and Quacker, I'm going to make an administrative call on the new categories, mainly because the site is being set up and tested, and it would be discourteous to zerospace, who is already putting effort above and beyond the expected, to keep making small changes as the arguments over these categories proceed.

I'm going to rule that both be included as presently defined -- recognizing that whether they in fact do work in the contest remains to be seen. If they don't, sensei is to blame! The organizer of the 2013 sketch contest and the 2014 cel contest (let's be optimistic about the future of both! ) can look at how they played out in the next weeks and decide to eliminate or restructure both of these. And others that don't draw strong entries and/or provoke controversy over the results can be reconsidered at this time.

With regard to OP/ED/Eyecatch, I think it will be enjoyable to see a significant number of these cels together in a lineup, and it may tell us something about the different ways in which animators highlight characters or underline series themes. There was an interesting panel at AnimeNext that was essentially a screening of OP segments from a wide variety of series, new and old, action and comic. It was, above all else, entertaining. If this category draws good entries and engages voters, then it's served its purpose.

Anyhow, the issue of vague standards is the same to greater or lesser degree with all categories, some more so than others. I know how I judge the OP/ED/Eyecatch cels that I own in these categories and those I see in galleries I admire, but won't presume to instruct others to do the same. (And while award organizers are allowed to enter in the contest, I am voluntarily sitting out this time.)

Concerning "Novel set-up," I'd rather leave the wording as is: a cel or cels with an UNMATCHING background, rather than muddle the matter by suggesting that it can include a mix of cels from two different series. It's an optional category, after all. So if it doesn't suggest an item in your collection in which the combination of cel(s) and non-matching bg is dramatic or apt enough to earn admiration, then a Beta member need not enter in this category. And (it being optional) if you don't enter it, you need not view the entries or vote.

Consider it as parallel to hentai: if you don't like the category, act as if it does not exist. If too many Betarians do so, the category will tank and won't be picked up in the next contest. (Ditto with other "random" categories.)

But it might be fun for those hardy enough to enter it. Let's see what happens.

[star-phoenix]

I totally agree with Sensei's decision. Also, we need to get moving on this as a timeline has been set.

[zerospace]

OK folks, since the start of that timeline is rapidly approaching, I think an official post needs to be made and stickied that has the complete, official contest rules AND clear category list, so there's no confusion! I will get a few minor changes made to the site's category list, too -- I realized I never got that done, even though sensei gave me the info .

[klet]

Could we get a listing of the all award sites that are still up so we can see which cels of ours have won? My mind is like a sieve, I tell ya . . .

[BuraddoRun]

Could we get a listing of the all award sites that are still up so we can see which cels of ours have won? My mind is like a sieve, I tell ya . . .

I just posted them in the Official 2013 topic.