Discussion: Matrix Machinima Contest

mmmm, skittles.

Finally got an answer from GameTrailers about using voice actors.

I sent:

I am using several voice actors for my contest submission video, and I am obtaining Performance Releases from each of them which gives me total and unrestricted rights to their performances. Although they are credited for their performance, I own the rights.

I know this is legally in compliance with the contest rules, but I wanted to get that straight with you guys before submitting my entry. The last thing I want is to get disqualified because somebody thinks it is a "group" entry. Do I need to make any special notation to make sure there are no misunderstandings?


Their reply:

This would fall under "group" entry, and if you wants his entry to not be disqualified, he needs to be designatd the entrant by the other members of the group. If you can submit the releases from the voice actors, then we can evaluate and determine whether he is the "group designate". If he does not want to risk disqualification, he should consider doing all the voice overs himself.

Fax releases to this number: (310) 907-2458

Well that isn't good for me.

*Waves hello to the disqualification bin*

Good luck to the rest of you.

Oh this just keeps getting better and better... That number isn't even in service. I've emailed asking for another number, but if it takes another week to get a reply, then I've just wasted an entire month.

If they don't reply in time, send in the video and if they disqualify you, you have the right to argue it because they did not give you a working means to send your releases.

This whole thing kinda reminds me of something like this:

Here is a Box
We want you to make something cool with this box.

But you can't paint the box
You can't move the box
You can't touch the box
You can't cover the box
You can't wet the box
You can't dry the box
You can't put things on the box
You can;t decorate the area around the box
You can't look at the box from another angle
You can't have other people do any of these things to the box

BUT BE CREATIVE WITH IT!



Oh, and if you have any questions, we'll be out of state, our phone number is 53pjwonka. Yes, that is a real phone number, don't question me.

Let me close the box a little tighter. Try to follow this sequence of events.

I emailed them 2 weeks ago....then about a week ago....then this morning. I finally got a response. Get this...they responded to my morning email...with the answers to questions I sent 2 weeks ago. Yeah, it was a fun read.

Anyhow....to the point...the very sharp point...here's their reply:

1. Confirming that the NCSoft Logo is ok to use in the movie. YES

2. Confirming that it's ok to have other people help record voices in the movie (so that all the voices don't sound like versions of the same person). NO- one person

3. Confirming that it's ok to have "title graphics", "extra animations", "extra FXs" as long as they were all
created totally by me. YES

4. Question/Confirmation that a 720x480 dimension .avi or .mpg that has a file size of under 200M would be fine as a submission. YES

5. Confirming that it IS ok to have....stuff blowing up...
destruction/violence (no blood), as long as it is within the realm of the City of Heroes/Villains game. YES

6. Quesiton, are credits ok...for the voice actors etc as long we're not listing a commercial entity/company. YES

Yeah, so.....wow. I'm currently in a replanning phase. The NO to voice actors...is...huh....interesting. Dang it, and I had good folks too.

Hmmmmm......a bit wheels off here. Less than a week to go and we could be back to the drawing board.

I wonder if those "machinima experts" they speak of in the rules are the same people giving support?

Todd

This may explain why there's only been one entry so far. There may have been dozens that have been submitted and only that one made it past the legal section.

LOL. Gotta laugh or I'll cry...

UPDATE: Next # to try is (310) 907-2219

EDIT: My fax did go through to that #. Now we wait...

Already tried the phone numbers from the website...one number goes directly to a voicemail that basically doesn't exist..."the member is no longer a subscriber". The other is leave a voice mail only.

This is starting to raise up higher and higher on the "suck-o-meter".

I wonder how many people from outside of the City Of community are going to enter and how many that are not active here.

I am finally making some progress on mine with about 2 minutes of video done and still some piece together.

If I get approved, I'll pass along the form I used for my Performance Release.

[ QUOTE ]
This may explain why there's only been one entry so far. There may have been dozens that have been submitted and only that one made it past the legal section.

[/ QUOTE ]

I was over there today to read rules again and I found 2 other entries but they aren't listed under the submission area. Not sure what that means??

Where did you find them?

EDIT: There is a second one ("Understanding The Council") now listed.

Well, I usually come here and link to the rules page but I just opened a browser and typed in gametrailers.com and went to their main page. I didn't see the car ad to click on like in the link page here so I typed in "matrix contest" and searched their site and BAM! 3 came up.

[ QUOTE ]
If I get approved, I'll pass along the form I used for my Performance Release.

[/ QUOTE ]

According to the reply they sent me...getting approved isn't even an option.

It was about as straight forward as you can get.

Looks like 4 total so far but there might be more.

Matrix Wireless by GrandConjurer

Greed by BlueGorgon

Super Luv Matrix by cjbranden

Understanding the Council by TyconFaust

That puts me out of the race then, since my entire concept was wound around my voice actors.

*Heavy Sigh*

Good luck to the rest of you, though.

Don't give up yet, Ash.

[ QUOTE ]
That puts me out of the race then, since my entire concept was wound around my voice actors.

*Heavy Sigh*

Good luck to the rest of you, though.

[/ QUOTE ]

well, chances are that if anyone with voice actors is a finalist, they would ask for the release forms from your actors giving all right to you...at least that is the way the rules read to me. They would have to send you release forms to sign your submission over to them and that would probably be when you would submit them as there is no mention in the rules giving email addresses, phone #s, etc. to send them to with a submission.

[ QUOTE ]
well, chances are that if anyone with voice actors is a finalist, they would ask for the release forms from your actors giving all right to you...

[/ QUOTE ]

The Official response I got, was a very clear no other voice actors, they must all be done by the person creating the movie.

In regards to the other posted 'entries'. It might be worth noting that only 2 of the 4 or 5 are listed on the contest page. The others (not listed) have the following 'problems' if you want to call it that....

One very clearly has 2 voices...a guy and a girl. And another has the Nokia ringtone which is definately copyrighted...and an external sound FX (not found in CoX). That could be the reason they never made it to the contest page as an entry.

...and the 2 that made it to the contest page are both voiced with one voice...and a computer generated (not modified) voice. Of course that brings up another question...does a computer generated voice count as an external SFX? Heck who the @#$% knows.

LOL if you REAALLY wanted to get stupid about the rules. One of the entries....the Matrix Wireless one...is all out company promotion. Seems there's a cellphone wireless company called "Matrix Wireless" in India.......I hate lawyers.

Heck....the way entries are going...they may not need to NARROW down to 5 finalists....they may be lucky to get 5 qualified entries.

Todd

Well 8baller, I would say still enter even if it is not accepted.

I wonder if recording the Microsoft Sam voice and modifying it would be against the rules. Was thinking about using that for a quick scene where I thought of having a couple robots talk.

hello all you probably remember my demoediting question i sent to gametrailers .which i got an answer saying yes it is allowed .well i just recieved this email from gametraSubject: RE: macinima contest coh
Date: Mon, 4 Aug 2008 16:10:31 -0700
From: trailers@gametrailers.com
To: ruffturbo996@hotmail.com


Can you briefly explain demoediting for the people that enforce the rules please?

Keep in mind that getting too technical may confuse them.

OK WTF im almost done with video and dont have time to make another one without demoediting .OMFG somebody shoot me .I replied saying that it is an in game gameplay capturing and that 95% of people making these videos are using it so we will see what they say .


ilers

oh and is it ok to use my voice and change it using audacity or something imma sound like a transvestite woman argg