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Questions can also be directed to video@animenorth.com.

1. Black space is suggested, but not required. It's good to have a buffer, so that your video isn't accidentally clipped when put on DVD.

2. One competitive video (Novice or Open) and one non-competitive video (Challenge or Exhibition) -- the Challenge is actually competitive, but since it is ineligible for Criterion awards, it is in this category.

MEPs can only be entered in Exhibition (they are ineligible to compete); the entry form must contain a disclaimer for the consent of all contributors; it counts as a submission for all creators -- so they cannot enter another Exhibition or Challenge video; the MEP must still meet all qualifying rules and can be disqualified for not conforming to them.

To understand the difference between qualification and eligibility, please read the rules again.

3. We mail out awards to non-attendees. That's why we require a mailing address on your entry form.

Wow, we all answered at once. We've had an MEP in each of the previous 2 cons. But since Exhibitions were shown on Thursday and Sunday, many creators would've missed them. I'm hoping to move them to Friday this year.

NB. The MEP from 2006 would be disqualified for length if entered new in 2008. Our current DQ rules date from 2007.

I'm sorry you felt the need to change your credits. It was unnecessary.

Many creators like to maintain their anonymity. So of course you can use your alias in your video credits. Your real name must appear on your entry form, but it does not need to be anywhere on your video. In fact, I would advise against putting your real name in your credits. But that's up to you. It's not our concern.

The inclusion of credits is up to the individual entrant. We neither request them, nor forbid them. They are considered part of your video in terms of running time, but they are not judged (so make sure your credits do not push your video over the 6 min. mark). Black space does not count toward your running time, so don't fill a short video with a lot of black space hoping that it will count toward the 1 min. minimum running time. So there is a difference between credits and black space. They are not interchangeable. Even with credits, you should have black space. However, you won't be DQ'd for not including it, so if you're willing to risk clipping your credits instead, that's up to you.

DV-AVI is not mentioned in the rules list.

This year, I hoped to make things easier by restricting codecs. I asked the tech for a codec list, and I posted to the rules what I received. You're right; it's not really a codec list. The acceptable codecs listed are H.262, H.263 and DivX. The acceptable formats are MPEG2 and MPEG4. So I know that H.264 and Xvid are also acceptable codecs. But we are probably not accepting HuffyUV since we don't want files larger than 400MB (also not mentioned in the rules, so we can't really DQ if you do ^_~ -- though we do reserve the right not to play videos we can't convert to DVD).

The rules do however restrict containers.

We allow: .vob, .avi, .mpg, .mpeg

We don't allow: .mov, .mp4 and .wmv

Though while we allow the DivX codec, please don't use .divx container.

As for DV, I don't know whether we can accept this codec, but I have referred your question to the tech. To be safe, don't use it.