AV News 197 - August 2014
Then there are the Special Awards. Many competitions have a 'best
photography,' a 'best soundtrack' and a 'best dissolves' award. This is where the
fun really starts. It is entirely possible that the best photography is in an entry
which is not even a sequence - merely a random collection of superb images
stuck together any-old-how with no thought about structure and no concept of
what an AV sequence IS. To reward such a 'non-sequence' in any way sends out
completely the wrong message, but judges may feel duty-bound to do so as
'photography' has been specifically singled out in isolation.
On the other hand it is also entirely possible that the sequence placed first also
has the best photography, best soundtrack and best dissolves. Four prizes for
one sequence, possibly five if there are category prizes too, is a bit disheartening
to other entrants who may feel that, since they'll never be able to reach that level,
they won't bother to enter next time. Since award winning authors are often
judges in other competitions, the impression can be created of an incestuous
clique rewarding each other with prizes. I firmly believe that this is not the case,
but I can understand how the perception arises.
In an attempt to minimise such problems, many organisers and/or judges have
a policy of spreading the prizes as widely as possible - no sequence gaining more
than one award. This sends as many people as possible