IMAC FUN#4 · It's in My Nature

Date: 2026-05-16 Categories: Contest

Preface

When music, visuals, and emotion come together, creativity often emerges unexpectedly—it is not the result of planning, but rather an extension of instinct.
It is precisely from this starting point that IMAC FUN#4 · By Nature (formerly known as IMAC), organized by Funai and co-hosted by InFInite Team and MAD Producer Studio, will kick off from May 16 to August 15, 2026. The event is hosted by Ruo Qin and NaKa.
With the theme “Own Your Instinct,” participants in this year’s competition will create works centered on the keyword “restlessness.”
“Restlessness”It is not a formal requirement, but rather aCreative State. It can come fromMusic,Emotions,Scene或Narrative...or it might just be an irrepressible urge to express yourself. This year's IMAC FUN has no restrictions“Dryness”This approach doesn't require speed, intensity, or a specific style. You canWarm, orRestraint; it can beThe Energy of Music,Image Noise,The Frenzy of the Beat, or even a subtext hidden within the narrativeMood Swings. It doesn't have to be a "romance" or "battle" MAD in the traditional sense; it can also be a clip ofA Lyrical Story——As long as it exists“Spice It Up”, that isRestlessness.
“It's just the way I am”, meaning that the expression is not deliberately crafted but occurs naturally; whereas “Own Your Instinct”...takes it a step further—acknowledging your instincts and taking responsibility for them.
Here, what we value isn’t a mere accumulation of techniques, but whether the style holds up and whether the creativity is genuine. As long as you’re truly driven by something,“Restlessness”It will happen naturally.

Contact Information

If you have any questions during the competition or would like more information about the event, please feel free to contact us using the methods listed below. We also invite you to join our official group chat to interact with other participants, discuss the competition, and stay updated on the latest news and announcements.
Official Tournament Group: 1038521846
https://qm.qq.com/q/h3FTXJ6VeU
Organizer Contact Information:
  • Ru Qin: 197854078
  • Naka: 2129894942
If you have any questions regarding registration, the rules, or other related matters, please feel free to contact the organizer directly. We will do our best to provide you with assistance and support.

Event Schedule

Competition Date (Submission Deadline):
From the publication of this column until August 15, 2026, at 23:59 (Beijing Time, CST / GMT+8)
Expected time for the announcement of the shortlist for the live-streaming script reading competition:About one week after the submission deadline
Expected date for the announcement of results: September 25, 2026, 19 (Beijing Time CST / GMT+8)
Prizes and awards will be distributed gradually within one month after the results are announced.For specific arrangements, please check the announcements in the official tournament group.
Note: Due to unforeseen circumstances, the overall schedule of the event may be subject to adjustments, and the relevant timetable may change. Specific details regarding any adjustments will be announced in subsequent official announcements and notifications within the event group chat. We ask all participants to stay informed.

Contest Rules

  1. Entry Requirements
    1. Anyone may enter the competition, except for judges, organizers, and other relevant personnel.
    2. We accept individual entries, collaborations (Collab), and multi-player collaborations (MEP). For collaborative entries, please come up with your own team nickname.
    3. Participants may submit no more than one entry, and each participant may receive the shortlist award only once.
    4. Works that have already been made public (including publicly available source files) will not be accepted. Entries may not be submitted to any other contest.
  2. Submission Guidelines
    1. Entries must be original works. Creative tributes (parodies) are permitted, but exact replicas are prohibited.
    2. ACG-related materials such as anime, manga, and game CG (excluding 2D games) may be used; real-world materials must not exceed 10% of the total runtime of the work.
    3. All submitted materials must be legal and comply with the review requirements. Entries containing prohibited content (such as pornography, gambling, drugs, excessive violence or nudity, or illegal material) will be disqualified.
    4. Loops are prohibited.
    5. The use of AI or AI-assisted creation is prohibited.
    6. Entries must be complete, finished works; drafts or unfinished works will not be accepted.
    7. Entries must include the competition logo or opening sequence; the format is unrestricted. The logo file is available in the event group’s file folder; please download and use it as needed.
  3. Ratings and Rankings
    1. Entries will be scored based on quality. After being shortlisted, they will enter the ranking phase, and tied scores will be considered the same rank.
    2. Each participant may receive a reward only once (excluding individual awards); if multiple works are shortlisted, the highest ranking will be used as the basis for determination.
    3. Collaborative works are considered a single entry and are eligible for only one award (excluding individual awards), which shall be distributed at the discretion of the lead organizer of the collaborative team.
  4. Handling of Violations
    1. Entries that violate the above rules will be immediately disqualified.
    2. Contestants who engage in inappropriate behavior, such as insulting or verbally abusing judges or event organizers, will be disqualified; the organizers will recover any related prize money and prizes.
    3. For participants who have violated the rules and have already received cash prizes or other awards, the organizers reserve the right to reclaim the relevant rewards.
    4. The organizer will determine how to handle any recovered prize money and prizes.

Submission Guidelines

Submission Instructions: Entries for this competition will only be accepted via the online submission form. Please visit the link below to submit your work and related information:
https://s.mad.org.cn/imacfun4
Submission Requirements:
This competition accepts entries such as animation-based AMVs, still-image MADs, and stylized MADs that meet the MAD definition. Pure montage, tokusatsu, and ASMV entries are not accepted at this time.
Deadlines for Submissions:
Animation Department AMV: Between 2 and 5 minutes
Inertial Frame MAD: Between 1 minute and 30 seconds and 5 minutes
Style-based and Other MADs: Between 35 seconds and 3 minutes
Video Format and Size:
Please keep the video size under 1GiB.
Recommended encoding methods are H.264 / H.265 / x264 / x265, and video formats can be MP4 / MKV / MOV.
For audio, please use MP3 / M4A / WAV / AAC.
Cover Requirements:
Please prepare a cover image for your work. The cover will be used for the compilation of shortlisted works, so the dimensions must be 1920×1080, and the format must be PNG or JPG. Covers that do not meet the requirements will be cropped or converted.
Confirmation After Submission:
After submitting the form, we will send you an email to confirm whether your submission has passed the basic review (which only checks compliance with the submission rules). If you do not receive any email within 48 hours, please contact us promptly.
Results and Notifications: All judging results will be sent to the email address you provided on the form. We will also use this email address to contact you regarding shortlisting and prize collection; please ensure that the email address is correct and that you can receive emails from us.
Special Note: During the contest production phase (i.e., before the deadline), please do not upload your work to any streaming platform to ensure the fairness of the contest.

Judges

1. Paper

UP
2. Fedori

UP
3. Surface, surface, surface

UP
4. Makiu

UP
5. The Sleep Potion Well

UP
6. The Moon Sets Over the City

UP
7. Red Moon Wound

UP
8.ZeroWY

UP
9. PikaPika

UP

Prizes and Awards

First Place: 6,600 RMB + one 1-gram gold commemorative note (valued at approximately 1,500 RMB) + one commemorative holographic ticket
Second Place: 3,600 RMB + one commemorative laser-etched ticket
Third Place: 2,000 RMB + one commemorative holographic ticket
Best Animation Program: 200 RMB
Best Static System: 200 RMB
Best Creative Award: 300 RMB
Best Visual Effects and Compositing Award: 200 RMB
Award for Hardest Worker: 200 RMB
Honorable Mention (30 winners): 200 RMB + one commemorative laser ticket per person
Note:
  1. The aforementioned “Best in Category” awards may be awarded cumulatively; that is, if a single entry meets the judging criteria, it may receive multiple awards simultaneously.
  2. Finalist awards may be received in addition to Best-in-Category awards and the top three prizes.
  3. Depending on the number of final submissions, the number of honorable mentions may be increased accordingly.

Finally:

When creativity returns to its instinctive roots, the things that truly move people often don’t need to be defined.
IMAC FUN#4 · By its very nature, it does not attempt to establish a single standard for what constitutes a “good work.” What we look forward to seeing most is that irrepressible urge to express yourself—the natural impulses and responses that arise when music, visuals, and emotion converge. Whether it’s a fiery rhythm, a restrained narrative, or a fleeting yet unforgettable emotional moment, as long as it’s genuine, it holds its own unique meaning.
We would like to thank every creator who chose to participate in this year’s competition, as well as all our friends who have followed and supported IMAC FUN. It is precisely because of the passion and dedication of so many people that the MAD·AMV genre continues to thrive, giving rise to new possibilities with each new creation.
I hope that this summer, you’ll find your own way to leave behind a unique “spark.”
Own Your Instinct.

Special Thanks

Organized by: Funai
Co-organized by:InFInite Team,MAD Producer Studio, Easy Revenge
Organizer:ruoqin, NaKa
Column Written by:ruoqin
Technical Assistance:Imahara
Graphic Design:Imahara, NaKa
Sponsored by: Funai,Asuka_Yui
Publicity Support:The Immovable ACG Library,纸
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