Meet the NMA Finalists for Best Online Video
A new category for this year’s National Magazine Awards, the award for Online Video will go to the best production by a magazine website or tablet magazine. This year there are 5 finalists, and the Gold and Silver winners will be revealed at the 36th NMA gala on June 7. [INFO & TICKETS]
And the nominees are:
1. “Condo Balcony Makeover” (Canadian House & Home):
What the judges said: “The perfect example of a how-to video. The hosts are casual and comfortable in their narration/explanation of the makeover. Visuals showing before and after are used to great effect. Strong editing and camera work carry this well-paced video that doesn’t leave out details and offers solutions in under three minutes.”
2. “Les coulisses du reportage mode Icônes” (ELLE Québec)
What the judges said: “Excellent use of interviews interspersed with behind-the-scenes footage to highlight this unique fashion shoot. The editing keeps the pace moving along quickly and the interview subjects are dynamic and interesting. It’s journalism with style.”
3. “Pagelicker 01: Irvine Welsh” (Hazlitt)
What the judges said: “A video that captures a moment and holds you there through intimate camera work, a contemplative soundtrack, and a sense of honesty fuelled by humour and one nervous-yet-together host, who draws out kernels of information a conventional interview would miss. Creative, quirky and excellent production quality.”
4. “Reboot on Life” (Ottawa Citizen Style)
What the judges said: “The pace of this short video is spot on, and the illustrator does a great job of moving the piece along to the voices of the narrators. Excellent sound quality. The overall communication is clear and well paced. Perfect length. Effective and memorable.”
5. “Toronto’s National Anthem” (The Grid)
What the judges said: “A strong example of what web video should be. Simple, clean, short, and communicates everything it needs to in under two minutes. This playful, well composed song’s apathetic tone is matched by playful visuals and packaged in a solid edit. A catchy tune that captures the spirit of the city.”
Congratulations to all the nominees in Online Video. The Gold and Silver winners will be revealed at the 36th annual National Magazine Awards gala on June 7 at The Carlu in Toronto. [INFO & TICKETS]
Meet the NMA Finalists for:
Art Direction for an Entire Issue
Photojournalism & Photo Essay
Best New Magazine Writer
Illustration
Magazine Covers
A Brief Guide to entering Digital Content in the National Magazine Awards
The National Magazine Awards are open to content from all Canadian consumer magazines, whether they are published in print, online or in a tablet edition.
[Version française ici]
Where previously we distinguished between Print and Digital Magazines, this year we are further clarifying the difference between three types of magazine publishing:
- Print Magazine
- Magazine Website (companion site or online-only magazine)
- Tablet Magazine
Most categories are open to content from any of these types, though specific categories have certain restrictions. For all clarifications, see the list of categories and rules and eligibility.
There is now a Special Award for each of these three types:
- Magazine of the Year
- Magazine Website of the Year
- Tablet Magazine of the Year
A single publication may enter any and all of these 3 special categories if they meet the eligibility and category criteria.
CATEGORIES EXCLUSIVELY FOR DIGITAL CREATIONS
There are six categories open exclusively to content from either Magazine Websites or Tablet Magazines, or both:
Blogs: This written category is open to a regular series of original written content produced by a Magazine Website that has a recognizable unifying voice or theme. Entries may consist of up to ten (10) blog posts by one or more authors.
Online Video: This integrated category is open to a single video produced by a Magazine Website or Tablet Magazine.
Magazine Website Design (formerly Best Digital Design): This visual category will reward a Magazine Website with the most successful and original overall combination of visual and graphic design elements with functionality and user experience.
Editorial Package—Web (formerly Best Multimedia Feature): This integrated category is open to any original package of related or thematic editorial content produced by a Magazine Website that best serves its intended audience by maximizing the potential of web-based publishing, and that reflects collaboration by editors and content creators. Elements may include but are not limited to written content, blogs, video, photography, data visualization, illustration, social media and user-generated content.
Tablet Magazine of the Year: This special category is open to any single issue of a Tablet Magazine that successfully fulfills its editorial mission by representing the highest journalistic standards and effectively serving its intended audience by maximizing the possibilities afforded by the medium of tablet publishing.
Magazine Website of the Year: This special category is open to any Magazine Website that successfully fulfills its editorial mission by representing the highest journalistic standards and effectively serving its intended audience by maximizing the possibilities afforded by the medium of web-based publishing.
ENTERING DIGITAL CONTENT IN OTHER CATEGORIES
Except where noted in specific category restrictions, content from Magazine Websites and Tablet Magazines is eligible in all National Magazine Awards categories.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Check out our Digital FAQ for more information about how we define digital magazines, how to submit content from tablet editions, how the judging process works, and more.
ABOUT THE PROCESS
Each year the National Magazine Awards Foundation conducts surveys, solicits feedback and hosts round-table discussions with key stakeholders in order to ensure that our awards program is in tune with developments in the Canadian magazine industry.
Any changes that are made to the program reflect the consideration of numerous experts from relevant fields as well as the Judging Committee and Board of Directors of the NMAF.
The NMAF is grateful to those who volunteered their time to provide us with feedback and sit on our 2012 Digital Round Table and other committees.
With any additional questions please feel free to contact us.
Visit magazine-awards.com to submit. The deadline is January 16, 2013.
What’s New This Year at the National Magazine Awards
Each year the National Magazine Awards Foundation conducts surveys, solicits feedback and hosts round-table discussions with key stakeholders in order to ensure that our awards program is in tune with developments in the Canadian magazine industry. Any changes that are made to the program reflect the consideration of numerous experts from relevant fields as well as the Judging Committee and Board of Directors of the NMAF. The NMAF is grateful to those who volunteered their time to provide us with feedback and sit on our 2012 Digital Round Table and other committees.
The following changes have been approved by the NMAF Board of Directors for the 2012 awards year. [Version française ici]
1. NEW CATEGORIES
- Blogs: This written category is open to a regular series of original written content produced by a Magazine Website that has a recognizable unifying voice or theme. Entries may consist of up to ten (10) blog posts by one or more authors.
- Online Video: This integrated category is open to a single video produced by a Magazine Website or Tablet Magazine.
- Tablet Magazine of the Year: This special category is open to any single issue of a Tablet Magazine that successfully fulfills its editorial mission by representing the highest journalistic standards and effectively serving its intended audience by maximizing the possibilities afforded by the medium of tablet publishing.
2. MODIFIED CATEGORIES
Magazine of the Year—Digital is now known as Magazine Website of the Year. [Read definition]
Best Digital Design is now known as Magazine Website Design. [Read definition]
Best Multimedia Feature has been reconfigured as Editorial Package—Web. This award is open to any original package of related or thematic editorial content produced by a Magazine Website that best serves its intended audience by maximizing the potential of web-based publishing, and that reflects collaboration by editors and content creators. Elements may include but are not limited to written content, blogs, video, photography, data visualization, illustration, social media and user-generated content.
3. CLARIFICATION OF TERMINOLOGY
Generally speaking the National Magazine Awards are open to content from all Canadian consumer magazines, whether they are published in print, online or in a tablet edition. Where previously we distinguished between Print and Digital Magazines, this year we are further clarifying the difference between three types of magazine publishing:
- Print Magazine
- Magazine Website (companion site or online-only magazine)
- Tablet Magazine
Most categories are open to content from any of these types, though specific categories have certain restrictions. For all clarifications, see the list of categories, rules and eligibility, and frequently asked questions.
There is now a Special Award for each of these three types:
- Magazine of the Year
- Magazine Website of the Year
- Tablet Magazine of the Year
A single publication may enter any and all of these categories if they meet the eligibility and category criteria.
4. HALF THE PHOTOCOPIES
This year, submissions in Written Categories require only 3 sets of photocopies (plus 1 set of original tear sheets) instead of 6. As usual all entries require a PDF version of the submission in addition to hard copies.
5. NEW ADDRESS
For the past 10 years you’ve sent your NMA submissions hard copies to us at Adelaide Street in Toronto. But this year we have a new address, so be sure to note it before you send in your submissions:
National Magazine Awards Foundation
2 Bloor Street East, Suite 3500
Toronto, ON, M4W 1A8
Canadian Online Publishing Awards announce nominees
Last week the finalists for the 4th annual Canadian Online Publishing Awards (COPAs) were announced. Among Canadian magazines competing in the Red (consumer mag) division, Canadian Living‘s companion site canadianliving.com led all publications with 7 nominations, followed by Canadian Art (5) and Maclean’s (4).
The Red division consists of 15 categories including Best Overall Companion Site, Best Design, Best News Coverage, Best Blog, Best Use of Social Media, Best Smartphone App and Best Tablet Edition. There are similar divisions for newspapers and daily news sites (Green) and trade publications (Blue).
The awards presentation will be held on Monday, October 22nd at The Hoxton in Toronto’s King West district, and tickets are on sale now ($25 in advance; $40 at the door). The event will be emcee’d by TV personality Amber Mac.
New eBook by NMA winner Russell Smith takes publishing to new frontiers
Novelist, journalist and National Magazine Award-winning writer Russell Smith is the first author to publish an eBook via a new venture of the venerable agency Canadian Writers Group (CWG).
In December CWG announced plans to develop new frontiers for its writers — who between them possess more National Magazine Awards than even we can count — through digital self-publishing of eBooks, long-form journalism articles and story bundles.
Smith’s new book Blindsided, adapted from a Toronto Life personal essay, is being distributed via Kobo for just $1.99 and, within 48 hours of its launch, reached #11 on Kobo’s Top 50 eBooks list.
CWG promises readers at least five more eBooks this spring from its writers and will expand its digital reach to include Kindle and iBook readers as well.
Russell Smith won a National Magazine Award in 1997 for his fiction in The New Quarterly, and has been nominated a total of six times for his work in Toronto Life, Chatelaine, enRoute and Flare.
(Tip ‘o the hat to Canadian Magazines blog.)
