Hey guys,
We are brand new at animation this year and my kids (and mentors for that matter) want to get an idea of what they’re aiming for. Does anyone have a copy of last year’s winning animation from Championships? Thanks!
No one really know for sure but here is my guess. (Keep in mind this is after you follow the rules that are for the AVA award of concept, creativity, and technical execution):
Regional Level: This animation is normally the jaw dropping, “how-did-they-do-that!” kind. It normally doesn’t need a good story or a good message, but just look really really cool. This is normally graded by peers and it seems they mostly go with the most spectacular looking one. Really good character animation and lighting will most likely earn you a trophy at this level.
National Level: Ah, the big mystery. If only one knew what the Judges at National were looking for! I have studied the winners of 2004, 2005, and 2006. I have compared the winners of that year to their competitors and I am still puzzled. I think the Judges are looking for the deepness of your message that lays within the entry and how well your animation gets that message across. How great the animation looks is apparently not a factor for this level of judging. Think of something very philosophical and you may have a shot;) .
However, last year at nationals when they were announcing who the winners were, they made a specific point that all of these winners used Inventor to make some of their models. Apparently the judges love the idea that students are using other autodesk programs make the entry. So when you are making the animation for this year and you happen to have another student working on the Autodesk Inventor award this year, make sure import the file that he is working on into 3ds max.
Problem with this year: Yes there is a problem, apparently Autodesk is NOT going to hand out a Regional Autodesk Visualization Award, but instead they are just going to hand out a single Autodesk Visualization Award at Atlanta. Yup, No rising star award. I don’t like this change because It will disable the other animators from seeing other teams work.
And for the link to last years animation…looks on website 
I don’t know why autodesk has not hosted it yet. Here is the link to the page anyway http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/item?siteID=123112&id=5678046
If you wish to look at any of the animations simply look on FIRST’s website, under the chapter for Awards, you will find a link to download streamline, from there you can download any video you like from the last 2 years.
You can find it on google video if you search for “Gunn 192” (without quotes)