i just finished reading the SPI2010 guidelines at:

http://www.smallpressidol.com/2010/start.htm#Guidelines

(sheesh..that's a lotta text..i think one of my eyes fell out...)

There seems to be no mention of any distinction between hand-drawn art and computer-generated art - digital artists are only mentioned in passing, in regards to the image stipulations for Round one.

i just was wondering if my amateur 3D comic (created with Poser/Bryce/Photoshop) would even be considered for competition since practically every SPI entry from earlier competitions i have checked out is, at least in some fashion or portion, drawn/lined. I still have to create characters, color/texture them, create scenes and composites and such but the process is way different. i was wondering if i would be permitted to participate..

Also - i was an active voter in last year's SPI and became a member to vote. i still get the newsletter but was informed by automationwhen i tried to login and learn about this year's competition that i no longer existed and had to re-create my login from scratch - was there a silent reaping?

Thanks for any info you can impart..

sparkyjones

Allow me to point out the operative wording:
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ROUND ONE: The Basic Premise/Talent.

Deadline for the round:
All submissions for this round will be accepted from February 8th - March 22nd

We will be posting ALL submissions on a page in the Dimestore website, which we will link to from the forum. Submissions will be posted in the order they are received and judged in turn the same way. Submissions will be judged by IDOL JUDGES for their potential, giving publisher/host Ian Shires recommendations. Ian will make the final decision on which projects will proceed into the next round, based on those recommendations. All comments will be posted for all to read on the forum, at which point public comment will commenced.

Image requirements: One digital cover image, with a canvas size of 6.875 inches wide by 10.5 inches tall set up at full bleed, 300 dpi, grayscaled tiff file format. (If you have questions about bleed or do not know how to set up a standard comic book cover, use our How To section to ask your questions.) This is the ONLY B+W image we will have in the contest. This image is considered to be the ROUGH of the COVER of your ORIGIN or #0 issue of your comic. Please note that "ROUGH" means NOT INKED, and not colored at this stage. We WANT to see how you sketch, and otherwise design covers. You will be able to use the advice given this round to adjust for the Final Round/MVA appearance if you make it. If you are a digital artist, we ask that you do not embellish the artwork with shadings or colors, just give us a black and white flat image. NO LOGOS. Please do NOT place a logo on your art, do not pencil it in, nothing. We do want to see SPACE left for the logo, but we do not want to see the logo this round.

Along with your Cover Rough, we need a Basic Series Pitch. This can be one or two sentences, up to a couple paragraphs. The pitch is part of the contest and as such needs to be interesting so as to catch the attention of the judges. Use as many words as you think necessary, without saying too much! You're pitching a project not telling us the story at this stage.

Please include with your submission the following:

Name, Snail Mail Address, and an E-Mail address.

Images and pitch need to be sent in to IDOL@dimestoreproductions.com. Please use www.yousendit.com to send large files to that e-mail address. All Projects that are voted into Round 2 will see print in some form from Dimestore, and be eligible for profits from those appearances, from an appearance in the regular series, special issue, or a Cover Feature, or a #0 issue of your own if you make it all the way to round 4. All final work this year is to be turned in in Full Color, and will be printed in Color, and we expect all appearances to have larger audience moving forward.
-----------------------------------------

if you have further question, let us know!

ps - when we reformatted the websites, we rebooted the membership.

Thanks for the quick reply - 'Preciate it!

i did get the gist of the stipulations and requirements for the image submissions from any digital artists - i even referenced the quote you highlighted, but i guess i was unclear as to what i was actually wanting to know..

i don't wanna drop a $25 pre-registration entry fee to compete in a contest when it's kinda unclear as to whether my style of webcomic would be predisqualified, categorized as inadmissable, create a no-win controversy situation or whatever - the reason i was wondering as to the admissability of a 3D webcomic into competition for the SPI2010 contest is because i haven't been able to find any 3D comics as an entry in any of the previous contests archives. Lots of DRAWN stuff - sweet work too - but no purely 3D CGI comics that i could find, so that's what i was wondering - can a purely 3D CGI webcomic secure proper admission to the SPI contest?

We've had 3D artists in the contest before. I dont think in the last 2 years, but I remember at least one in the past 7 years…there were probably more…

The image requirements of what you turn in each round, sizes and file formats, is pretty clear. We don't care HOW you make your images…we care how good they convey your ideas, and connect with your audience.

Thank You..

Let's see if we can't change that trend and maybe get some 3D stuff back in the fray..

:)

I'm having trouble signing up.  I clicked the "sign up here" link  in the guidelines and it said I wasn't allowed to view that page.  Any help?

Um, if you already have an account - which you do - then your can't register again. ALL the sites use the same member base…sorry if that wasn't clear, I'll make it clearer ASAP.

When the 10% finders fee is applied to everyone who reaches round 2... how is that applied? For the life of the property?

I'm looking to enter but that's a little niggle (as of course Hollywood will snap my idea up! )

as it is written, we only apply any hold on the property if the terms of the contest are not met, so if we are not given 12 pages in the time frame of the contest, and do not otherwise release you from the contest, we have no hold. At a point where you have met the terms, and we have interest in maintaining a relationship with you, it would be stated such, and we would ask to "meet or beat" any offers you get. If we cant, you are released free and clear. The 10% rider is solely to protect ourselves from someone being offered a juicy deal to steal them out of the contest before they complete the work they agreed to complete for the contest. Which has happened in the past, and made us add that in.

We're basically asking for proper professional communication, and if there is an offer layed on your desk, while you are involved with the show, we want due course to keep you in our camp.

Sounds fair to me.

I'll be getting my shizzle together in the coming week.

Thanks for the prompt answer.

Barri

no prob, good luck in the show! It's gonna be a HOT year…

What's the deal with the 'points' thing on this forum? What are they used for?

right now, nothing, actually…we might do something with it later, it's just kinda there right now….

Ahh...Hahaha...good enough, then!

Me again!  

Is the issue 0 in addition to the 4 part we'll be expected to produce if we win?

i.e will the winner be expected to produce 5 issues (issue 0 being 12 pages)

Barri Lang said

Me again!  

Is the issue 0 in addition to the 4 part we'll be expected to produce if we win?

i.e will the winner be expected to produce 5 issues (issue 0 being 12 pages)

Barri,

You'll produce a 12 page "zero" story for the contest. If you win, you'll then get the 4 issue publishing deal. So yeah, in essence you'll end up with 5 issues total including the 12 page zero issue. It'll be more than 12 pages though because it's also going to include a bunch of stuff from the early rounds of the contest. We'll be showing off your initial submission, as well as highlighting the journey to getting to the purchase round.

Thanks man.

Posts from this topic have been moved by members. 2 posts have been transferred to topicview.

Cary said

Barri Lang said

Is the issue 0 in addition to the 4 part we'll be expected to produce if we win?

You'll produce a 12 page "zero" story for the contest. If you win, you'll then get the 4 issue publishing deal. So yeah, in essence you'll end up with 5 issues total including the 12 page zero issue. It'll be more than 12 pages though because it's also going to include a bunch of stuff from the early rounds of the contest. We'll be showing off your initial submission, as well as highlighting the journey to getting to the purchase round.

Keep in mind, too, that if you are doing well with the book at DimeStoreProductions.com, it could very well be in your best interest to keep things here, too… As Cary mentioned in another forum, a lot of the co-brands have come from former contestants and winners from the contest. The reason? Those who believe in it, those who have passion for it, etc… we want them on board to help further the cause.