Website, Membership and Downloads
What is this site all about?
This web site is to create a place where people who enjoy and create anime music videos can get together, share ideas, learn from one another, and ultimately have everyone creating and enjoying better videos.
The ultimate goal of the website is to make a database of every Anime Music Video ever made.
Where are the videos?
You can search for videos using the Search for AMVs link on the menu. Some of these will be downloadable but some may not.It is a creator's choice to make their video obtainable.
I can't download any videos, why not?
This could be for a number of reasons. Local videos are only downloadable by users who are members (and who have not defaulted on a pledge by forgetting to make the donation). Direct and Indirect links to videos are not maintained by this website and are the responsibility of the creator to keep their links working. If you can't get a video they are lining to, e-mail them.
If you think you should be able to download local videos but can't then this might be a problem with the software you are using. Many download manager programs do not work well with local downloads and old browsers have difficulty also. Try and disable download managers and use a popular browser. If you have continuing difficulty, search the Site Help forum to see if your problem has been answered before and if not make a new topic about it. There are a number of solutions other people have had success with.
The pages don't look right, what's going on?
This website uses many new programming specifications that some (particularly older) browsers may have trouble with. You should upgrade your browser software and, if possible, avoid using proprietary software such as AOL. Recommended browsers for this website are
Mozilla, Mozilla Firefox, and Internet Explorer 6+. If you have any specific difficulties with your browser, please post the details on the Site Help forum.
Why should I register to become a member?
Registering will make you into a member. Non-members can view the database and also download both direct and indirect videos, but local video downloads are available only once you are a member. As soon as you become a member, you will also be able to have your videos listed on the database, or upload videos you've made to the local server. Members also get a few other neat things, such as participation in the Viewer�s Choice Awards, the forums, and so on. Donation is not at all necessary for membership (although it is of course appreciated and will accelerate when you can download local videos).
For more information about member benefits,
see the Member Signup Page
I've forgotten my password, how do I find it out?
Enter your correct username and e-mail address on this password mailout page and we will send you a new password to the e-mail address that you specified when you first created the account. If this isn't working for some reason, e-mail the admin e-mail account, admin@animemusicvideos.org
My account is inactive?
All accounts are inactive until they have been activated using the link that is sent out in the welcome email. If you did not get this email and need to be activated, please e-mail admin@animemusicvideos.org and include your username and the email address you signed up with and we will sort this out for you.
I can't log in; my browser takes me back to the login page...
Try clearing your cookies and cache in your web browser and try again. This solves the problem 99% of the time.
Can I change the e-mail address in my profile?
Your e-mail address can be changed after 21 days of joining. This measure is to combat possible abuse of membership privileges.
I signed up but I didn't get an e-mail. What happened?
Most likely one of three things happened. Either you typed in your e-mail address wrong, there has been a delay in delivering your message at some point along the path in the Internet, or your account/server filters out Hotmail e-mail messages. Check your spam filters, if you have any. If you typed in your email address incorrectly, contact us at admin@animemusicvideos.org and we will correct it for you.
If you don't get an e-mail within a day then contact admin@animemusicvideos.org with your username.
I don't like my username - can I change it?
Usernames cannot be changed by members. This measure is to combat possible abuse by impersonation. If you really really REALLY want to change your username, you can make a request on this forum thread and we'll see what we can do.
Donations
Why does the website need donations?
The site has a local server (The Golden Donut) that members can host their videos on, and download other people�s videos from. The Donut�s bandwidth traffic use is extremely expensive - thousands of dollars a month - and the bill for this is supported entirely by the users of the site. Without donations, we'd lose the Donut and you'd lose access to all those videos.
What benefits can be gained by donating?
Most importantly by donating, you help assure that the site will be around next month. You also gain a few refinements to the website, such as additional search options (sort by star average and so on) and other privileges (exactly what you get changes as new things are added to the site). You also get the warm fluffy feeling of helping out the community.
How can I donate?
The member�s page links to the Make a Pledge page, which includes detailed information about how different donation types work, and the difference between a pledge and a donation. Note that you must be a member to donate and you must provide your username when leaving a donation. Actual donations can be done via check, money order, bank check, cash, or via Paypal with a credit card.
What happens if I make a pledge and I don't pay?
You'll get a reminder two weeks after, and if you still haven't actually donated three weeks after, your donation status will set to �default�. You will not be able to download local videos for a year after the pledge or until your pledge is met, whichever is the sooner.
Is the donation status permanent?
No, it expires after one year.
I paid but the org doesn't think so - what can I do?
It takes a little while to register your donation, but if you're not listed as a donator after a while, contact admin@animemusicvideos.org. Note that your donation status will only show up on your site profile/forum posts if you have asked for it to be shown.
I want to increase my pledge - is that possible?
Of course. e-mail admin@animemusicvideos.org with your username and the amount you would like the pledge to be and we will be happy to increase it for you.
Video
Database: Entering and Uploading videos
How do I enter my video onto the database?
This one is easy. Once you have become a member, go to the Members Main Page and click the "Enter New Video" link.
This will allow you to enter the information that is required for your video. Some of this information can only be edited until two weeks after the video's premiere date so be careful with what information you put in and make sure it is all correct. Once created it is difficult to remove an entry so please only add real video entries.
What kind of videos can I put on the database?
The simple answer is �anime music videos that you have made�. If the source footage is entirely made up of non-anime sources, then it doesn't belong here. �Anime� here is essentially defined as Japanese animation, including things like cutscenes from Final Fantasy games and so on. Non-Japanese animation and non-animated source are not allowed although we are lenient with anime-inspired original animated or drawn creations that the members have made.
Any videos that break any of the site rules (including but not limited to abuse of other members) are not allowed. Videos that contain pornographic footage of any kind cannot have a direct download link on the database. All such videos should be indirect and have an advisory warning before downloading the video. Further information about requirements can be read on the "Enter a New Video" page.
If you are not sure whether your video meets these criteria, do not enter the video. Instead ask in the forums (in Site Help), giving a rough account of what your video contains. The administration withhold the right to remove any videos deemed inappropriate for this site.
How do I upload a video to the site?
Once you have entered a video into the database, you can request that the video be uploaded to the org server. This upload is done via FTP (File Transfer Protocol) and you will need an FTP client program to upload the file. You will be given a login and password to use with this FTP client. You should not lose this password as you may need it if you are disconnected.
For more information about how to upload, see the Upload Video page and also this forum thread.
What limitations are there on what I can upload?
Upload the video file, not a compressed version (zip, rar and so on); it should be of no more than 150MB in size (300MB if you donate at least $12 in a 12 month period). Video should be anime music videos as per the description above. Also, you are not allowed to upload anything containing sexual nudity or excessive, graphic violence. For a discussion on what this means,see this forum thread.
If you are uncertain about the acceptability of the content in your video, do not upload it. Instead ask in the forums (in Site Help), giving a rough account of what your video contains or try asking one of the admins to proof the video for you.
I want to change information on the video - how do I do that?
From the member main page, there is a link to �edit my videos�. You should be able to do it from there. If the video has premiered more than a week ago, some of the information may be locked. To request changes in this information, please use the link at the top of your Edit My Videos page
Can I delete a video entry?
You can request a deletion but requests are only deleted in certain circumstances. Moderators can accept the deletion request, but only for the right reasons. The database is intended to be a complete record of all anime music videos. If you've uploaded something that isn't supposed to be there (all non-anime source, duplicate entry etc), then we can get rid of that if you tell us. To request for one of your video entries to be deleted, use the Request Video Deletion link on your Edit My Videos page.
Note that we can delete the video file (but not the database entry) if it didn't upload correctly, uploaded something unplayable, or if you are replacing it with a higher quality version.
I want to upload a better version of my video file, what do I do?
This is actually two separate issues: remasters and remakes.
A remaster is where you take an old video and redo it with better quality video/audio source (for instance if you were to replace a video made with poor quality footage with DVD footage). This kind of thing you should file a delete request for the original video FILE (not the database entry), and then replace.
A remake is where you go back to the same concept as an old video ofyours and redo it with different edits. So, if you use the same idea, but make a new video out of it, then that's a remake. This kind of thing you should create a new, separate database entry for.
Video making
How do I make AMVs? What hardware or software do I need?
OK, back up one second. You don't want to rush into this stuff, so take it step by step.
There are a lot of guides and information on the site about how to make videos. The first thing you will want to do is read Phade's Guide to Good AMVs. This is a general overview that will give you and idea of the creation process.
The next thing you will want to do is have a look at this forum thread about making videosandthis forum thread about what software is available.
Finally, you will want to check out the Video Tech guides for a detailed introduction to the technical issues you will come across when making music videos.
How do I get footage from DVDs?
Check out this guide. It goes into great detail about the technique.
Where can I download footage?
This is a forbidden question. If you want to make anime music videos you should pay for your source footage. Do not ask this question on the forums, as your account may be suspended or banned.
Where can I download (expensive program) or where can I find a crack/serial/patch?
This is also a forbidden question. You should pay for the programs you use. Do not ask this question on the forums, as your account may be suspended or banned.
OK... what programs are free?
There are a lot of good free or very cheap programs out there. Check out this Software List on the forum for a rundown of different programs. Free programs include MovieXOne for windows and Cinelerra for Liunx.
How do I remove subtitles from my footage?
Check out this guide by Zarxrax.
How do I rip footage from video games?
First of all read Quu's guide to video game footage.
This guide is a little out of date, however, so you will want to supplement this knowledge by looking at this sticky thread about PS2 footage in the General Video forum.
Video Opinions and Reviews
There is a video I like, how do I leave a review?
Only members can submit opinions. Find the information for the video using the Search function and click �Submit Opinion�, below the opinion information. See this guide for more information on giving opinions.
Someone left me a review for my video, how do I see it?
Firstly, there should be a tab at the bottom of the member�s main page called �New/Updated Opinions�. Click on it, then the title of the video.
Otherwise, go to the �My Opinions Recvd' link on the member�s main page and click the title of the video that you want to view opinions for.
Someone left me a nasty review, what can I do about it?
Firstly, bear in mind that these are opinions. People are allowed to dislike what you've made, and that�s something you may just have to
live with.
If someone has left you a malicious, inflammatory or unfair opinion, however, we can remove it. Examples of a malicious opinion is someone leaving a bad opinion to reduce the success of a video or in response to a critical review on their own work. An example of an inflammatory opinion is one that includes insults directed at you. An example of an unfair opinion is one where the person wasn't able to watch the video for whatever reason and left a bad review because of this.
If any of these situations occur then the correct response is to first of all contact the person who left you this review asking them to correct it. If they fail to do so or refuse to, please email your username, your video title and the username of the person who left the opinion to admin@animemusicvideos.org., telling us everything that has happened and we will look into it.
What is the Star Scale?
The Star Scale is a rating from 1 to 5 (with 5 being best) that people leave on videos they have downloaded from the local server. Star scale rankings are compulsory and an average of these ranks is listed on a member's video profile.
The video is broken - what star do I give it?
It is possible that you do not have the codecs or software required to watch the video on your computer - first check the video information page to see if the creator instructs you how to watch the video. If you have difficulty then read this guide about how to watch the videos. Otherwise, the best thing to do here is to contact the creator to inform them that their video is broken and give the video a 3. It is possible that they might fix the video and you can get it again later and give it a more accurate rating.
Contacting other members and problems with other members
How can I contact the creators of these videos?
Many creators leave some contact details on their member page. To reach this from a video�s information page, click the creator�s
name. From the forums, the profile button with the anime eye/music note symbol will get it.
Other than this method, you can leave the creator a private message (�PM�) on the forums about their video. Bear in mind that they might not use the forums, so it might be worth checking to see if they've made any recent posts first.
Some creators also have messenger program information listed on their forum accounts.
Someone is harassing me, what can I do?
This is a problem entirely dependant on how they are harassing you. If it is a site member harassing you via e-mail or messenger programs, there really isn't much we can or should do. If they're being nasty on the forums or via opinions etc, try not to rise to their challenges and they might well cool off. If they persist, make an e-mail report with evidence something to admin@animemusicvideos.org.
Someone has stolen my video, what should I do?
First of all you should contact the member about it. Quite often videos are "stolen" unintentionally by members who do not understand how the site works and enter videos that they have seen rather than ones they have made. If contacted then they may remove the video themselves.
If however, the user is unresponsive or worse you should provide detailed information about the nature of this in e-mail to admin@animemusicvideos.org.
Someone has stolen footage that is obviously from my video, what should I do?
This is a more difficult situation and there are many different ideas about how to handle this. On the Org, using someone else's pre-edited footage without acknowledgement is considered rude. You should contact the video creator and ask that you be properly credited for the editing work you did on the source material.
If however, the user does not want to credit your work, please give full details of the video, the alleged stolen source and your e-mail contact to admin@animemusicvideos.org and the issue will be looked into. Decisions will be made on a per-video basis. If someone has actually taken your entire viedo (or at least the majority of it) and is claiming it as their own then contact us at admin@animemusicvideos.org with all the details and we will see about having the offending video removed.
Someone has entered a video that isn't allowed on AnimeMusicVideos.org - how did this happen?
There is no actual system in place to prevent people from entering non-anime videos to the database. These entries are not recommended however and users with non-anime videos will be disqualified from many org events such as the Viewers Choice Awards. Also, it is no longer possible to upload these videos to the local server unless the falsify the content on the database. If you find a video that matches this criteria then please contact us at admin@animemusicvideos.org and we will remove the video.
Someone is selling AMVs for profit, is this allowed?
There are two kinds of people who try to sell anime music videos. The first is the guy motivated by kindness. What this person does is say, "If you send me the money to cover the cost of a CD and postage, I'll mail you a CD with a bunch of videos on it." The guy's intentions are sincere, but the method is not so good. What you can do here is let the guy know that the "Blanks and postage" method is much better in the eyes of all. Blanks and postage works like this, "Send me one or more blank CDs in a reusable postage container and the amount of return postage and I'll burn the videos to CD and return them to you." This method gets the job done without money changing hands.
The second and vastly unpopular is the guy motivated by profit. They basically want to make money by selling CDs, VCDs, DVD, whatever that contain anime music videos. If you see someone doing this, write them a note saying that what they are doing is not appreciated and should be stopped immediately. Also let us know by posting a message on the forum with the person's information so that the rest of us can also take actions to stop this person.
Contests
What AMV contests are there?
There is a link on the main menu to a calendar of AMV contests, and many contest organizers post information about their contests in the contest forum. You may also find that some anime conventions and events have amv contests that are not listed here, so you should check the convention websites of any conventions you are interested in attending.
How do I enter an AMV contest?
Check out the information about that particular contest to see the specific details. Each contest has its own requirements that should be read carefully. Things to consider include deadlines, what formats they accept, what kinds of videos, whether or not you are allowed �bumpers�, deadlines, and what method of getting your video to the contest organizers. If you have any questions about a specific contest, please contact the contest organiser.
The information on the contest page is different from the convention website, which is correct?
The conventions website should always be presumed to be the official information about any contest, not the contest list on the org. The information on the org is not verified and may have inaccuracies. Please check the website rules for specifics for each convention, please.
