Hugh Hancock no longer a board member of AMAS
This isn't directly related to recent decisions around the Festival, although that did act as a catalyst. I've been considering this move for a long while, since before the last Festival.
Two things really prompted the decision.
First, that as a non-US member of the Academy, the major work of which is to organise the US-based Machinima Film Festival, I've barely been involved with the Academy at all over the last few years. That's not anyone's fault but mine - I've simply been too busy, and other things have taken priority. It's not fair for me to continue taking the credit for other people's hard work, nor is it reasonable for me to represent myself as a spokesperson for an organisation with which I'm not really involved.
Secondly, I feel very strongly that the Machinima world is in need of more high-profile people who aren't tied to any of the nascent Machinima festival or tool organisations, and as such can report on them. There's just no-one in a position to independently report on the Machinima film festivals that are happening this year, as 95% of the people who might do so are either running one, financially tied to one, or very close to the people who are running one! I'm intending to get back to one of the things I do best, and that's reporting, as independently as I can, on a world I deeply care about.
I originally suggested that I resign from the Academy a few months ago, but that, for various reasons, was put off. Now, I feel it's important to leave so that I can comment from the outside.
I wish the rest of the Academy - Paul Marino, Frank Dellario and Friedrich Kirscher, plus the various staff of the Festival - the best of luck.