Since 1994, AMCP has sponsored video competitions to recognize outstanding work in the video production field.  In our early days, most of the entries were submitted on VHS tape… some were on Beta, BetaSP or 3/4 in. tape.

Most of the entries were 30-second commercials, 30-minute documentaries, 15-minute company overviews or hour-long training sessions. Projects tended to be single purpose with a well-defined audience. There was not much integration with print materials and back then, the web was little more than a handful of computers connecting a few mad technologists.

In the mid 90s, as Avid’s non-linear editing became popular, the ability to quickly change or copy a shot or segment and to do so without compromising quality, opened up a whole new world for video applications. Digital eventually replaced tape and found itself  in other mediums like audio, photography and electronic text. Finally, the web provided a way for multiple media to work together to enhance the speed and flow of information. Now the creative convergence of digital arts, technology and information is changing the way we market, communicate and socially interact.

It has been interesting to watch many of our early entrants reinvent themselves. Many quickly embraced new technology, the internet and the interactivity of various media. I know a number of video producers and cameramen that were at the forefront of web development and social media.

The lines are now blurred between video, print and audio.  Most magazines and newspapers have online editions that feature video and animation. Websites, twitter and other social media are important communication tools for television stations.  Most professional communicators are expected to be proficient in all forms of media and communication.

New AVA Categories, New Logo, New Statuette

Ava Awards began as a celebration of the audio-visual arts.  Today, it also recognizes the evolving role that digital is playing in the transfer of information through text, graphics, animation, video, audio, etc. Our categories now include audio and video production; websites that present interactive components such as video, animation, blogs, and podcasts; and interactive social media sites and other forms of user-generated communication.

In addition, we changed our logo to reflect the evolution of digital in the communication world. The old reel that represented film and tape, now morphs into an array of cubes representing digital interactivity. Winners of our web categories will be eligible for a new award that features this new design.