Please read thoroughly as information from prior years have changed.
The following are the contractual rules for the Middle Tennessee Anime Convention (MTAC) Anime Music Video Contest. All videos submitted for the purpose of entry into the contest are subject to the following terms and conditions.
Please be aware that these terms and conditions may change with or without public notice.
Following is a list of all the possible categories for the MTAC: Super (2026) AMV Contest:
Following is a list of all the possible categories for the MTAC: Super (2026) Extreme AMV Contest:
Once videos are received, the final selection of the video categories for the AMV Contest is at the discretion of the AMV Contest Coordinator.
For awards this year, the following will be awarded in the AMV Contest:
If the overall submissions’ play time is larger than can fit in the appropriate contest time slot, cuts will unfortunately be made. Keep in mind that video selection for the finals will be determined on qualities such as technical aspects, effectiveness of the video, and general execution.
Please note that you do not need to attend the MTAC Convention to enter the contest, however it is highly encouraged.
The AMV Contest is an all-ages audience showing. A good general rule for content is that if the song cannot be played on the radio without edits (bleeps or omission of certain words), contains sexual genitalia (no hentai) or has extreme violence, then it’s not acceptable for the main contest. Note that the MTAC Convention Administration and MTAC AMV Events Coordinators’ reserve the right to determine what constitutes “extreme” content.
The submission cut-off for MTAC: Super (2026) AMV Contest is 11:59pm Arizona Standard Time on March 1, 2026. The video files must be in our hands by 11:59pm Arizona Standard Time on March 1, 2026. Any video entry still not received by the cut off date and time unless approved by the AMV Events Coordinators’ will be considered disqualified.
The video file must be submitted as a Google Drive, One Drive, DropBox or any other links with a preview video option hyperlink, with the submission filename “[Your Name/Studio Name] – [Video Name]”. For example, “AMVEditorPerson-MyVideoRules.mp4”. Any other links must be emailed prior to submitting and must be approved directly to the Coordinators’ (mainevents@mtac.net) for further review. (i.e. YouTube, MediaFire, etc).
Please keep in mind when you submit a music video to our contest that you are submitting to a Japanese anime/culture convention. We prefer, but do not require, that you consider submitting videos with the following:
Japanese or Korean Anime (i.e Naruto, Sailor Moon, My Hero Academia, Studio Ghibli)
Live-Action Video, preferably of Japanese or Korean origin or centered around Japan or Korea ( i.e Kill Bill, True Beauty, Godzilla)
Western Animation in a Japanese or Korean anime style (i.e. RWBY, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Voltron: Legendary Defender, Stitch!, Marvel Disk Wars: The Avengers, RoboDz Kazagumo Hen)
Video Game Footage, preferably of Japanese origin (Kingdom Hearts, Zelda, Final Fantasy, Persona)
With the exception of Movie Trailer Parody and TV Commercial Parody AMVs, at least 80% of the submission’s audio must be a continuous song or music track. Spoken openings or endings are allowed, but overlaying Japanese or English audio track(s) that are not a part of the original song/music track(s) is not allowed.
Qualifying AMV Contest video entries must have been created within three (3) years of the MTAC: Super (2026) Convention start date (after March 1, 2026), have not been previously submitted to any past MTAC AMV contests, and have not won a combination of two (2) or more “Best In Show” or “Best in (specific category, i.e. Drama, Action, etc.)” at any other convention contest during that period.
There is a time limit of (1) one minute and (30) thirty seconds minimum and (5) five minutes and (30) thirty seconds maximum per video. Any music video entry beyond that may be acceptable at the AMV Events Coordinators’ discretion. Please send an inquiry to the AMV Events Coordinators’ (mainevents@mtac.net).
You may submit a maximum of three (3) video entries. You may submit a fourth (4th) if it is the convention theme (2026: Heroes). Each video entry should have separate and distinct category tags if possible. Don’t try to make a video entry fit a category it is not suited for (for example, a purely “Action” video in the “Drama” category), please try to select choices that provide the best match for the video content. Please note that, should you have more than one qualifying entry that fit only one of the categories selected for the main contest, you will be notified and must select which video entry will compete in the contest. If you need assistance with categorization, please send an inquiry to the AMV Events Coordinators’ (mainevents@mtac.net).
The Extreme AMV Contest is not an all-ages audience showing. It is an 18+ ID required event. A person must be 18+ to submit an entry. Songs within the AMVs will not require any bleeps or omission of certain words, can contain sexual genitalia (i.e. Hentai) and extreme violence. This stated no racial or sexual slurs will be tolerated. These videos are not suited for general audience, viewer discretion advised. Note that the MTAC Convention Administration and MTAC AMV Events Coordinators’ reserve the right to determine what constitutes “extreme” content.
All submissions must be accompanied with the Contest Waiver form. Your entry will not be considered valid until this form is also received by AMV Events Coordinators’.
The submission cut-off for MTAC: Super (2026) AMV Contest is 11:59pm Arizona Standard Time on March 1, 2026. The video files and accompanied waivers must be in our hands by 11:59pm Arizona Standard Time on March 1, 2026. Any video entry still not received by the cut-off date and time unless approved by the AMV Events Coordinators’ will be considered disqualified.
The video file must be submitted as a Google Drive, One Drive, DropBox or any other links with a preview video option hyperlink, with the submission filename “[Your Name/Studio Name] – [Video Name]”. For example, “AMVEditorPerson-MyVideoRules.mp4”. Any other links must be emailed prior to submitting and must be approved directly to the Coordinators’ (mainevents@mtac.net) for further review. (i.e. YouTube, MediaFire, etc).
Please keep in mind when you submit a music video to our contest that you are submitting to a Japanese anime/culture convention. We prefer, but do not require, that you consider submitting videos with the following:
Japanese or Korean Anime (i.e Blood -C, Gushing Over Magical Girls, Euphoria)
Live-Action Video, preferably of Japanese or Korean origin or centered around Japan or Korea ( i.e Ichi the Killer, Audition, Godzilla, Alice in Borderland, Sweet Home)
Western Animation in a Japanese anime style (i.e. Disenchanted, Hazbin Hotel, Rick and Morty)
Video Game Footage, preferably of Japanese origin (Devil May Cry, Resident Evil, Outlast, Five Nights)
With the exception of Movie Trailer Parody, Comedy Show Audio Overlay, and TV Commercial Parody AMVs, at least 80% of the submission’s audio must be a continuous song or music track. Spoken openings or endings are allowed, but overlaying Japanese or English audio track(s) that are not a part of the original song/music track(s) is allowed only in limitation. AMV Event coordinators, and judges, can deem what is over 20% of non song/music track(s) usage.
Qualifying AMV Contest video entries must have been created within three (3) years of the MTAC: Super (2026) Convention start date (after March 1, 2026), have not been previously submitted to any past MTAC AMV contests, and have not won a combination of two (2) or more “Best In Show” or “Best in (specific category, i.e. Horror, Erotica, etc.)” at any other convention contest during that period.
There is a time limit of (1) one minute minimum and (4) four minutes and (30) thirty seconds maximum per video. Any music video entry beyond that may be acceptable at the AMV Events Coordinators’ discretion. Please send an inquiry to the AMV Events Coordinators’ (mainevents@mtac.net).
You may submit a maximum of one (1) video entry per category. Each video entry should have separate and distinct category tags if possible. Don’t try to make a video entry fit a category it is not suited for (for example, a purely “Horror” video in the “Comedy” category), please try to select choices that provide the best match for the video content. Please note that, should you have more than one qualifying entry that fit only one of the categories selected for the Extreme Contest, you will be notified and must select which video entry will compete in the contest. If you need assistance with categorization, please send an inquiry to the AMV Events Coordinators’ (mainevents@mtac.net).
– No watermarks or logo overlays in the video source(s) will be allowed. This includes, but is not limited to, the DivX logo, any television station identification, production company logo, video editing software logos, streaming site bugs & logos, AMV studio logos, and so on. The video will be immediately disqualified without notice.
– No video will be accepted with “hard subtitles” (subtitles permanently overlaid on video), nor will we accept videos from obviously bootlegged or fan-subbed releases with these subtitles. The only EXCEPTION to this rule is if you create your own subtitles as an actual part of the anime music video. Please let the Coordinators’ know of any added creator-added subtitles in the Additional Notes section of the entry form.
– Plagiarism of other AMVs (in whole or in part) will result in being banned from future MTAC AMV Contests.
– Because of the nature of the video judging, MTAC Convention Staff and Volunteers are allowed to enter their own qualifying video entries, unless they are actively participating in the coordination or judging of the AMV contest.
The following video formats are the only formats that will be accepted for submission to the contest, in order from most preferred to least:
– AVC/H.264 in an MPEG-4 container (.mp4)
– HEVC/H.265 in an MPEG-4 Container (.mp4) (acceptable, but will be converted to AVC/H.264 [See Above])
– UTCodec or Lagarith Lossless Codec encoded AVI (.avi)
Any file format not mentioned above will not be considered immediately disqualified. This includes Windows Movie Video (.wmv), MPEG-1, Real Media, or the use of any video codec in a video file other than DivX, Lagarith, UTCodec, H.264/H.265 standard, or XviD. All video submissions not in AVC/H.264 format will be converted to that format for playback at the convention, so we encourage all entrants to use one of the top two video formats on the list if at all possible. If you need assistance with the technical requirements, please contact the AMV Event Coordinators’ (mainevents@mtac.net), and we can try to work out an acceptable solution.
As we use HDMI projectors, acceptable frame rates for your videos are 23.976fps, 29.97fps, and 60fps. Any other frame rates will be converted to fit one of these frame rates.
Any video entry that does not follow these AMV Contest rules WILL BE CONSIDERED DISQUALIFIED AND WILL NOT BE ENTERED INTO THE CONTEST. All submissions are subject to the MTAC AMV Events Coordinators’ review and approval. MTAC’s AMV Events Coordinators’, MTAC’s Convention Administration Staff, and the Southeast Pop Arts & Culture (SEPOP) Board of Directors reserve the right to prohibit from convention viewing any video submission entered into the contest for any reason. By submitting your video entry for review, you agree that all decisions made by the MTAC AMV Events Coordinators’, the MTAC Convention Administration, and the AMV Contest Judges about your video are FINAL.
All submissions become the property of the (MTAC) Middle Tennessee’s Anime Convention, SEPOP, and/or their assigns, and will not be returned to the submitter. Please do not send in your only copy of your video submission.
All submissions received may be used for convention display and promotional purposes. All videos entered will be considered to be cleared for this purpose.
USPS Mailing Decisions: Due to international shipping complications and logistical challenges, entrees are limited to United States addresses only.