English edition note: This announcement was originally published on 4 October 2019. Its dates and contact details are retained as historical information.
I. Introduction
Lab on Roof × ZERO MAD TEAM.
Through this festival, Lab on Roof and ZERO MAD TEAM hope to provide a good forum for exchange around still-image MAD,1 create opportunities for collaboration and discussion among its makers, and offer viewers an approach to appreciating the work with a distinctly Lab on Roof flavour.
The important part first: we do not require participants to submit their work to us; we do not require works to be released together through our official account after the festival; we do not require participants to put any festival-related symbols or labels in their titles or on screen; and we do not require creators to join the event chat.
II. Festival Rules
-
Theme: No restrictions on subject matter. In form, works must fall within the still-image category, including still-image MAD, PV and MG.2
-
Eligibility: Open to anyone. Simply mention Lab on Roof’s account (@屋顶现视研) in a Bilibili feed post to indicate that you are voluntarily entering the festival; your work will then be considered for awards. Those with a record of plagiarism, unauthorized appropriation, using other creators’ MADs as source material or similar misconduct are excluded.
-
Source material: Works should primarily use material from non-photographic art forms, such as anime and manga images, or character sprites and backgrounds from galgames. A small amount of photographic or live-action material is permitted.
Prohibitions
- Previously published works, complete imitations, clearly unfinished works and works containing commercial advertising placements will not be accepted.
- Content should not include disturbing, illegal material involving pornography, gambling, drugs, excessive violence or gore.
- Unauthorized appropriation, using other creators’ MADs as source material and other breaches of creators’ basic ethics are strictly prohibited.
-
Other requirements:
- Works must run between 40 seconds and 10 minutes.
- Winners must repost the wrap-up article published after the festival, which will contain information about the winning works, commentary and reflections.
- Participants do not have to join the event chat. However, if they wish to exercise their right to score one another’s work, they must join the chat for discussion and submit their scores to the lead organizer.
- As far as our festival is concerned, we welcome works taking part in other events to enter here as well, unless those events explicitly prohibit it. Please understand that we cannot check every entry against the rules of every other event. If such a conflict comes to light, we will obtain the creator’s consent before withdrawing the work’s eligibility for this festival.
That’s it. In plain language: you’re free to publish your work independently; mention @屋顶现视研 in a feed post to show that you want to enter. Join the chat if you want to score one another’s work; not feeling like tagging us? No pressure. Winners need to repost the wrap-up article containing information about the winning works.
-
Festival schedule:
- Entry deadline: 1 March 2020, 23:59.
- The festival wrap-up article is expected in April 2020.
-
Prizes
- First prize: 1,000 yuan.
- Second prize: two awards of 450 yuan each.
- Third prize: three awards of 300 yuan each.
- Director’s Choice Award: 250 yuan.
- Most Popular Award: 250 yuan.
Each of these prizes also comes with one book, chosen by the winner from four titles recommended by Lab on Roof.
And every creator who comes to this festival with a valid entry will receive one of the four books recommended by Lab on Roof, chosen by the winner.3
(To find out how we’ll get it to you, just join the chat or send Lab on Roof a private message!)
-
The sole official event discussion group, which is also Lab on Roof’s video-making discussion group:
Rooftop Piano Factory (屋顶钢琴制造厂), 293608304.
III. Judging Criteria
Lab on Roof, the still-image MAD judging panel and participating creators will assess each work in four areas:
- Thought and poetic quality.
- Visual aesthetics.
- Integration of sound and image.
- Creativity in special effects.
Each assessor will award up to 100 points in each area and add these scores together. Total scores will first be averaged within each group. These group averages will then be weighted in the ratio Lab on Roof : still-image MAD judging panel : participant peer scoring = 4 : 4 : 2 to produce the final total score.
For example, if work A receives average totals of 300, 320 and 280 from Lab on Roof’s members, the still-image MAD judging panel and participant peer scoring respectively, its final weighted average will be:
300 × 40% + 320 × 40% + 280 × 20% = 304.
As this is our first time organizing a still-image MAD festival, we lack experience and ability. We are therefore selecting the still-image MAD judging panel by invitation, with room to expand it: as the festival progresses, we will invite additional still-image MAD judges. The judges we can announce at present are:
- 柏吃支醉
- 风月酱
- 鸬鹚
- …
We will prepare a special thank-you gift for the judges in appreciation of their efforts and their participation in the judging.
The panel and Lab on Roof’s members will write commentaries of some length on the winning works.
The judging criteria may change later. We reserve the right to interpret and amend the judging procedures, and ask for your understanding.
IV. About Concrete Arcade, Lab on Roof and ZERO MAD TEAM
“Concrete Arcade” is the event’s slogan; the event itself is a still-image MAD festival.4
Concrete: a building material, but also the specific, that which is given tangible form.
Concrete, a symbol of the metropolis, still lines,
Concrete and arcades condense the contradictions of modern society and give rise to superhuman fantasies.
Lab on Roof: A rooftop society for the study of modern audiovisual arts, offering ACGN arts criticism focused on animation, comics and games.5 We hope to bring readers more residual categories and insights, while remaining humble.6 Discussion group: 785985052 (not the event discussion group; see the QR code above for that).
ZERO MAD TEAM: A MAD group focused on developing story- and emotion-centred works and alternate-story edits (误解系).7 The team champions the importance of insights from life and experience of the arts in creative work.
Our heartfelt thanks to ZERO MAD TEAM for helping Lab on Roof in so many ways when we had no experience of organizing a MAD event!
In short, everyone is welcome to bring their work, watch and enjoy the festival together! We hope to bring you some smiles!