I agree, but the releases forum (and the directory) definitely needs an update... Maybe a new rating system:
http://www.bricksinmotion.com/forums/to … ng-system/

I think the staff reviews (and ratings) were a good and powerful motivator too. Back in 2010 I was waiting for the "official review'' of my new brickfilm and I was really excited about that, no joke.

/ Youtube / Cinematography Challenge

I don't want to pull this too far off-topic, but I do agree that some changes to the rating system could be beneficial. Particularly I would like to see the anonymity done away with. Looking over film ratings, it quickly becomes obvious that the members doing the majority of the brick-rating never seem leave any sort of comment. I haven't spoken with the staff about it recently, but I'd imagine part of the problem with a rating system overhaul is the same problem preventing us from doing staff reviews: we just don't have enough people capable or willing enough to do it.

Yes, anonymity needs to go. I think that if your brickfilm gets a rating of 1 brick out of 5 then you at least deserve to hear the opinion of that person and the argument for such a rating. My brickfilms get 2-3 bricks all the time, I'm not saying they are all great, but I'd love to hear criticism then, instead I end up with a brickfilm that was rated by 9 people on average with 3 bricks and I get one or two comments at most. It's not fair. Plus it's pretty obvious that some people here suffer from the "Angry noob" syndrome.

I say the new system should force those who want to rate the video post a comment as well and vice-versa.

This. IMO whoever gets the "Best Brickfilm" award is already the best brickfilmer, so there's no need to have too many categories. It would be illogical if the animator who made the "Best Brickfilm" of the year didn't get the "Best Brickfilmer" award. Ridiculous

I was thinking more along the lines of someone who's just made a lot of nice brickfilms through the year, but nothing really big that would get any other award.
Someone more like Spider or LGFB

Rather than someone who releases just a one or two really nicely executed polished off brickfilms which would probably get awards like best brickfilm or best animation, like Nick Durron or MindGame.

All the nominations get done in the deep-dark depths of the secret chat rooms that only the inner-circle of elitists know about. The process of getting into that circle involves reciting many ancient brickfilmer rituals, passing many booby-traps, defeating an army of ninja-trolls, watching every single MLP episode in a row, paying Smeagol a nice handsome fee and many other trials that make getting on the old review panel look easy. Then, and only then, do you get access into the most secret, protected and utterly cunning discussions that wield the power of yea/nay on the nominations.

The only thing that us normal members do is pick the "Viewer's Choice" film from a list previously conceived by "The Integrated Ones."

So no, there's no way you can nominate them. Although bribing one of the "The Unmentionable Ones" may help.