Video Programming

All video the convention shows is licensed in the US. We receive permission from those licensors to show the video during the convention.

Basic Procedure

1. Develop a list of Anime we might want to run. Overreach on this, we have a lot of time to fill and permissions can be denied or ignored.
2. Determine what companies own the anime on the list.
3. Reach out to each company for permissions for the list of anime (this includes the hentai list).
4. Poke companies until we have final decisions on what we can and can't show.
5. Develop the schedule for the year based on what we do have permissions for.
6. Using the VP drives, put together MKV files of schedule blocks for minions to run.
7. Make sure everything runs smoothly during con.

Step 1 – Develop a List of Anime

Until June/July, the Video Programming Department will need to collect a list of anime they want to ask permissions for. We need anime within our theme, popular anime, and new anime. VP can add in whatever else anyone wants to add (personal favorites, etc). Keep in mind you have 3 days and two rooms to fill, plus some time on main stage - so you need a lot (last estimate was approximately 150 hours).

A great thing to do is post on our FB and forums asking for suggestions. Anyone can post to our forums, but for Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, etc., the best thing to do is ask our Social Media Director to do it for you and relay back the suggestions.

The reason it pushes into July is because we tend to do Hentai in July, so after Hentai is when the final permission requests go out. You can start requesting permissions before this, but I wouldn't send out any requests before mid-June personally. Several main-stream anime companies have smaller companies they own which license the hentai, so it’s all one email to get permission. For example, I think Critical Mass is the same as RightStuf.

FYI – Google Docs is a GREAT way to develop a list because it allows several people to work on the document all at one time. When everything is finished, move it to dropbox, but for serious work being done by a bunch of people at one time, this is totally the way to go. Some people can be adding to the list while others are looking up licensers, while others still are looking up rating info, episode counts, etc.

Step 2 – Find the Licensing Company

Once you have that list, you need to organize it by who licenses it (Funimation, Right Stuf, etc.), and send each list to the companies to ask for permissions. I've always used Anime News Network in the past, but with ADV going under, their database doesn't seem to be up to date anymore. They are still a great resource, but RightStuf has a search engine which will most clearly figure out who owns what, and what else they own.

Here is our list of Video_Distributors and how we contact them.

Read this really useful link on how to request permissions. It includes some contact info which may or may not be accurate. [1]

While you are figuring out who owns what, look at other things they also license and add to your list. Try to look for newer releases over old ones unless you have a reason or a personal preference to the older items.

Step 3 – Ask Permission

Some companies require 3 months out to get screeners. Keep this in mind when determining when to contact them. At the time of this writing we do not have a list of screeners – this will be remedied in the future. Do not ask for screeners if we already have it! However, if there is any question about whether or not we have a screener - ask for the screener!

Step 4 – Poke the Company

After your first email, most likely no one will get back to you, or you'll only get automated responses. Some will ask for more information or send you a contract to sign, but this seems to be a game of poking the company. If no one gets back within a week or two, resend the email and state that you sent it on X date. In 2012 it took 3 of us to get a hold of Funimation. They had something go wrong in their email system and we FINALLY got them by posting to their forum.

If you don't receive responses within a couple of weeks, get creative. Look for phone numbers, fan forums, a facebook page. . . anything. (Thomas once called the CEO of Bandai. He was nice but not super helpful.)

Step 5 – Schedule the Anime

Once we have a list of anime we have permissions for (hopefully by September sometime), then the scheduling begins. Scheduling video is pretty much up to the VP dept. The video room can be scheduled completely, but you will need to wait for the panels and main stage to be scheduled before you can fill in what we need in between. Don't do it too early, programming will pretty much tell you when they're good to be filled.

Step 6 – Make the MKVs

Before con, the VPD will need to have all the video on hard drives (we provide them; we already own them). Keep in mind that we will still need a disc on site for some of the anime. Part of the terms from some companies is that we only show their anime from a licensed disc.

The best thing would be to have MKV blocks which don't list the anime in the title, just the time. Make a 4 hour block and it's like "Video Main, Saturday, 12pm – 4pm.mkv" and there will be no question what needs to run when. The only reason I don't want super-long blocks is because what if it starts late . . . then it will be off all day. Additionally, we've determined that separate anime don't group into an MKV very well, but the same rips will group fine.

Filler can be added to the end of a block to fill the time slot so the volunteer watching the equip doesn't have to hunt for filler. Also after blocks are good spots for sponsor commercials if we ever have any.

Step 7 – Make Sure Everything Runs

At-Con VP and VP minions will need to make sure the anime is running on time and that any volunteers know what to do to keep the video running. VP does not need to be watching the rooms the entire time but if something's wrong, the staff will be looking for you. Having everything on external hard drives will help a lot in keeping the rooms running smoothly. Having the items scheduled into files should also make this a pretty brainless operation.

Fansubs

The convention is willing to show fansubs which are not licensed in the US only if one of the following occurs:

• We do not have permission for enough US-licensed anime to fill our schedule.
• We have permission from the Japanese copyright holder to show the fansubs.

As of this writing, we have not shown fansubs as part of our video programming.

The convention will never show anime (fansubbed or otherwise) which is licensed in the US without permission from the licensor.

If we write Japan and ask permission, we can get it and then there will be no more gray area. I would love to have someone dedicated to fansub programming, but I want it to be 100% legal with no possible gray area. When you get technical – fansubs are illegal and are the same as showing any video without permission . . . unless we get permission.

Screener Discs

The convention owns some screeners and our staff supply the rest. See the List

Defense Against the Dark Arts

In 2010, Aaron, a friend of a high-level staff member, was given the position of Video Programming Director. At the last minute when we checked on his progress he told us that he had no idea what he was doing and stepped down. The chairs had to fill in his role right before the convention.

In 2011, Max, another friend of a different high-level staff member, offered to take up the position of VPD. He also told us that he had no idea what he was doing. When he was given instructions he told the convention that since we knew what we were doing we obviously didn't need him and he stepped down, leaving us again to handle the role. The day of the convention itself, Tori (A.K.A. Girly), another friend, received a field promotion and took on the VP department. She did wonderfully at taking our schedule and making sure the anime ran where and when it was supposed to. She impressed several people and was named VPD.

In 2012 Tori managed to do the pre-con job acceptably with frequent prodding from the chairs. She imploded during the con itself and has not come back to the convention since.

In 2013, Nikki, a new staff member in the programming department, took up the responsibilities of VP without taking on the title. She was assisted by Ryan, the head of Programming.

In 2014 Nikki continued to do a wonderful job handling video. Her official position is general programming staff.

We refuse to give Nikki the title because we worry that she might go poof.