Frequently Asked Questions

Submission fees fund the infrastructure that allows the Hollywood Music Video Awards to operate at a professional, independent standard. They cover platform costs, screening and review systems, jury administration, category management, and the labor required to fairly evaluate each entry. The fee also protects the integrity of the awards by ensuring serious submissions only, allowing HMVAs to remain creator-focused, juried, and not pay-to-win.

All submissions are reviewed by the HMVAs internal team and curated committees to ensure eligibility, quality, and category placement. From January 27 to February 9, the honorary judging committee conducts the first round of evaluation and selects nominees. Once votes are tallied, official nominees are announced in mid-February. A second round of judging then determines the final winners, which are revealed live at the Hollywood Music Video Awards ceremony on March 27.

No. All submission fees are non-refundable once submitted, including (but not limited to) change of mind, incorrect category selection, ineligibility, or not being selected as a nominee/winner. If you believe you were charged in error (duplicate charge), contact us within 3 days.

There are 4 nominees in all the "Of The Year" categories and 5 nominees in all the general categories: grand craft, cinema style & music genre.

Your submission represents you and your individual contribution. We’re only able to nominate those who either submit themselves or are submitted on someone's behalf. A nomination does not take away from the work of collaborators on the project — it simply means the individual named on the submission is the one recognized and eligible to receive the nomination or award if selected.

Yes, you can. But if your video gets selected, we’ll need the owner’s consent in order to present it on our platform and screen it at the festival.

Sure! You can submit as many videos as you wish. However, two videos from the same artist or filmmaker can’t be in the same category. It is recommended to apply to three categories or more.

No. The judging panel evaluates your entire body of work within the eligibility period. The single video serves as a reference point, but there’s also a required section in the submission form where you can list additional projects, scope of work, and key collaborators to give a full picture of your creative impact.

No. Each category recognizes one individual winner.

This category honors the music video produced with a total budget of $10,000 or less that demonstrates exceptional creativity, execution, and visual impact. It celebrates filmmakers who maximized limited resources through smart decision making, strong concepts, and inventive problem solving, proving that budget constraints can fuel originality rather than limit it.

This category honors music videos filmed entirely on a mobile phone, proving that compelling storytelling, visual intention, and creative execution are not dependent on traditional production scale. It recognizes artists and creators who fully embrace the constraints and advantages of mobile technology. This award celebrates ingenuity over budget, highlighting how DIY production can still achieve cinematic impact, narrative clarity, and strong artistic voice when craft and vision are prioritized.

This category honors the music video or visual moment that achieved massive organic reach and cultural traction across digital platforms. It recognizes work that went beyond views to spark conversation, sharing, and sustained engagement, becoming a true online moment driven by originality, timing, and cultural relevance.

This category honors an emerging director whose work made a clear breakthrough impact within the year. It recognizes a fresh creative voice who delivered standout visuals, a distinct point of view, and undeniable momentum, signaling the arrival of a director poised to shape the future of music videos and visual storytelling.

In collaboration with EyeCandy, the forward-thinking video culture platform, this award honors the boldest, freshest, and most original music video of the year. It recognizes work that refused to play it safe, broke convention, and pushed creative boundaries through daring ideas, unexpected execution, and fearless risk taking.

This category recognizes a music video or visual capture centered on a live performance that delivers exceptional energy, authenticity, and emotional impact. Qualifying entries must feature a real, uninterrupted performance environment and highlight the artist’s presence, musicianship, and connection with the audience, whether staged or documentary in approach. The focus is on capturing the raw power of live music through strong direction, cinematography, and performance, rather than post-production spectacle.

If the video is under 8 minutes, it will be accepted. However, we prefer that each music video is made for a single track. We recommend to divide the tracks and submit them separately.

Not at all! American Music Video Awards is an international festival.

No. All submission fees are non-refundable regardless of nomination status. Fees cover the administrative, screening, and judging costs required to review every entry and are incurred upon submission. This policy is standard across award shows and festivals and applies equally to all entrants.