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NEWS: No Grand Prize Winners, Honorable Mentions Announced for 7th Kyoto Animation Awards

It's sadly interpreted as "IT'S A SCAM!" from the second post because there's a cultural sentiment of "THERE MUST BE A WINNER!" ignoring that many other contests in Japan (from publishers like Kadokawa, Ascii Media Works, Shueisha, etc) have situations where no one wins a grand prize.

#844903 wrote:

I will quote what ultimatemegax said. Argue with him instead because he seems to have the one who has more knowledge.

Sadly there is no use arguing. It's sadly interpreted as "IT'S A SCAM!" from the second post because there's a cultural sentiment of "THERE MUST BE A WINNER!" ignoring that many other contests in Japan (from publishers like Kadokawa, Ascii Media Works, Shueisha, etc) have situations where no one wins a grand prize. Yet those don't get reported in English, so people blame KyoAni when they follow suit.
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So what you're saying is that this type of thing has been done with other prominent publishers on a regular basis, right? Hmm, that puts things into perspective.

I wonder why you are obsessed on feedback. Feedback are only given to the works who have a potential to become better. But with one exception. All bad works are also given feedback, not to the work but to the author himself. The feedback is "rewrite".

I suppose technically, it is feedback, but it's not feedback that can be used to improve anybody's work.

Writing contests held by movie or TV studios have a reputation of "SCAM!" when it comes to Hollywood, which I'm certain is the root of why this contest is being accused of such. I can't say anything more on the Kyoto Animation Awards as I don't have any proof one way or another, but I can say that, having worked as an assistant to an executive in Hollywood, he told me story ideas are stolen from writers all the time, especially from rookies who haven't yet acquired the experience to legally protect their works or the clout to take legal action. What they'll do is hear a good pitch or get a good script and turn the person down, but remember the pitch or keep the script and relay it to one of their in-house writers to re-interpret.

Maybe it's a difference in mindset. It seems that Kyoto Animation will always find something to adapt (if I'm interpreting people familiar with this contest correctly), even if it doesn't always win an award. I've entered some screenwriting contests where it's the opposite: They always give out an award to the best entries (but usually just one), but the companies that run these contests don't necessary adapt anything from a particular contest.

In both cases, what is awarded and what is adapted is unrelated (or so it seems), but what is considered the standard of quality is in the opposite thing. In a way, the difference is the competition: You're competing with other writers for the contests I've entered, but you're competing with Kyoto Animation for their contest.

Writing contests held by movie or TV studios have a reputation of "SCAM!" when it comes to Hollywood, which I'm certain is the root of why this contest is being accused of such. I can't say anything more on the Kyoto Animation Awards as I don't have any proof one way or another, but I can say that, having worked as an assistant to an executive in Hollywood, he told me story ideas are stolen from writers all the time, especially from rookies who haven't yet acquired the experience to legally protect their works (I register all of mine with WGA specifically to prevent this) or the clout to take legal action. What they'll do is hear a good pitch or get a good script and turn the person down, but remember the pitch or keep the script and relay it to one of their in-house writers to re-interpret. (He himself finds this practice abhorrent and does not do it himself, but he's seen plenty of his peers do it.)

and we've seen some authors submit works to different contests; Evergarden was a runner-up elsewhere before announced as the Grand Prize winner)

I feel bad for them. Really bad. I now understand why some people scream SCAM. But I believe KyoAni Awards is honest enough because I think Japanese are not as gullible as Americans in terms of IP rights and Japan is more strict in implementing IP rights. Also, they add more minor awards to award those who have nice ideas even though the work in general sucks. Why add minor awards when you can just steal the ideas? Also, I believe Japanese especially those who don't live very big cities are more selfless and respectful than big city-living Americans. I remembered during the tsunami crisis, people didn't attempt to steal even though it's easy to steal. (But it's media, but still) I also believe Japanese are strict against plagiarism and is copying the style of critiquing scientific journals.
I don't know how Hollywood runs contests. Do they award the best or the great?

KyoAni rules also say: 受賞された場合、作品の著作権(出版権、映像化権、ゲーム化権ほか作品から派生する副次的な商品化権)は 株式会社京都アニメーションに帰属します。

That seems to mean that if you win KyoAni gets all IP. Sounds like a good deal to KyoAni, they get all rights for about 900 bucks of prize money.

KyoAni rules also say: 受賞された場合、作品の著作権(出版権、映像化権、ゲーム化権ほか作品から派生する副次的な商品化権)は 株式会社京都アニメーションに帰属します。
That seems to mean that if you win KyoAni gets all IP. Sounds like a good deal to KyoAni, they get all rights for about 900 bucks of prize money.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but Kyoto Animation almost always finds at least one thing to adapt? (Or do they just dig elsewhere if there are no winners? I'm not entirely clear on this.) Whereas with these competitions, they always give a winner but don't always adapt something.

If you don't get an award, can you still submit your story to another contest?

KyoAni rules also say: 受賞された場合、作品の著作権(出版権、映像化権、ゲーム化権ほか作品から派生する副次的な商品化権)は 株式会社京都アニメーションに帰属します。

That seems to mean that if you win KyoAni gets all IP. Sounds like a good deal to KyoAni, they get all rights for about 900 bucks of prize money.

1. All amateur literary works can be improved into professional quality through feedback.
I don't think so.

Others could become much better (or perhaps great) writers if they knew what their failings are, and that would only come up through feedback.

#844903 wrote:

1. All amateur literary works can be improved into professional quality through feedback. I don't think so.

At no time did I say anything about feedback would improve a amateur literary work into one of professional quality.
I don't appreciate words being put into my mouth.