AV News 187 - February 2012
Mr. Noble states "We feel the pre-selection process didn’t give us that chance".
Emphatically pre-selection was undertaken exactly in accordance with the
rules, it was undertaken fairly, furthermore it was assisted and overseen by
several people, it gave the same chance to everyone irrespective of their
status or intention of attendance. It should be clearly understood that
acceptance at a major event is not an automatic right, it is an honour earned by
submitting material of sufficient standard. This was a National Competition
with high standards where organisers also had a duty to ensure that their
paying audience received the best experience possible. Furthermore, just
because a sequence has been accepted or attained recognition elsewhere
does not mean that it automatically qualifies for acceptance in an
oversubscribed major competition attracting entries from the finest AV workers.
Mr. Noble states that he was promised feedback that has not arrived.
Expecting organisers to supply feedback from 'competitions' is unrealistic,
especially when the rules clearly state: 'The organisers and pre-selection jury
will not enter into dialogue with authors.' Such dialogue easily evolves into
non-productive unpleasantries, is heavily time consuming, and some authors
simply cannot accept any form of explanation, no matter how valid. However in
my effort to be polite and to appease this gentleman he certainly received
several communications including a detailed analysis and reason for nonacceptance, I have an email thanking me for supplying this information, but
also stating that he disagrees!
In respect of the non-refundable fee which added insult to injury. When
entering competitions you accept the published rules all of which exist for very
good reason, the non-refundable fee was made abundantly clear. Yes we know
that pre-selection could have been undertaken by a less expensive approach,
but we insisted on total fairness and transparency. Hence the need for all
involved to assess all sequences under identical conditions at exactly the same
time in the same large venue. This process cost money. In spite of what some
people may think the NAVC committee are not making vast profits from The
National Championships which actually cost thousands of pounds to stage.
With regard to the final n