You’ve seen the clips a thousand times. A toddler mistakes a birthday cake for a pillow, a golden retriever decides to "help" with the laundry by dragging it through the mud, or a groom loses his pants mid-vow. It’s the DNA of American television. Since 1989, AFV—or America’s Funniest Home Videos for the traditionalists—has been the ultimate goal for anyone with a smartphone and a lucky sense of timing. But honestly, most people mess up their America's Funniest Videos submission before they even finish the upload. They think it's just about the "ouch" factor. It's not.
Getting on the show is actually a weirdly specific science.
Back in the day, you had to mail in a physical VHS tape. Can you imagine? You’d record your cousin falling off a porch, put that chunky plastic brick in a padded envelope, and hope the USPS didn’t melt it. Today, the process is digital, but the gatekeeping is just as intense. The producers at Vin Di Bona Productions aren't just looking for a laugh; they’re looking for a narrative. They want a beginning, a middle, and a catastrophic (but safe) end.
What Really Happens After You Hit Send
The journey of an America's Funniest Videos submission is longer than you’d think. It doesn’t just pop up on a screen in front of Alfonso Ribeiro five minutes after you upload it. Every single week, the show receives thousands of clips. A team of researchers and screeners sits in a dark room—probably with a lot of coffee—and watches every single one. They aren't just looking for "funny." They're looking for "broadcast quality."
If your video is blurry, if the camera is shaking so hard it looks like an earthquake, or if the audio is just wind noise, it’s going in the digital trash bin. They need to see the expression on the face of the guy who just realized he’s holding a live snake. That's the money shot.
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Also, there’s the legal stuff. It’s boring, but it’s the number one reason clips get rejected. When you submit, you are essentially signing away the rights to that clip for a specific period. If you’ve already posted it on a dozen "fail" accounts on Instagram or sold the rights to a viral licensing agency like Jukin Media, AFV might pass. They want exclusivity. They want to be the ones to "discover" your grandma’s hilarious reaction to a VR headset.
Why Your America's Funniest Videos Submission Got Ignored
Let’s be real. Your video might be funny to your family group chat, but that doesn't mean it's TV-ready. There are specific "buckets" that the show loves to fill. Think about the classic tropes:
- The "I'm Not Asleep" Grandpa
- The Wedding Disaster (usually involving a cake or a ring bearer)
- The Pet Who Thinks He's Human
- The "Wait For It" Toddler
If your video doesn’t fit a recognizable theme, it’s harder to edit into a montage. AFV thrives on montages. If they’re doing a segment on "Dads vs. Trampolines," and you have a clip of a dad doing a backflip into a bush, you’re in. If your clip is just a weirdly long video of a bird chirping at a mirror with no payoff? Forget it.
Another huge mistake? The "Fake" Fail. Producers have been doing this for over thirty years. They can spot a staged fall from a mile away. If it looks like you told your kid to "run into that wall so we can win ten grand," you aren't getting on. The show relies on the raw, unscripted chaos of real life. Authenticity is the only currency that matters here.
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The $10,000 Question: Is It Safe?
Safety is a massive deal for the network. ABC is owned by Disney. They have very strict standards. If a video looks like someone actually got seriously hurt—think broken bones, lots of blood, or genuine peril—it’s a hard "no." The humor in an America's Funniest Videos submission has to be "cartoon violence." It’s the "boink" on the head, not the "trip to the ER." If the person in the video doesn't get up and laugh (or at least look okay) at the end, the audience won't laugh either. They'll just feel bad.
How to Actually Win the Money
Winning the $10,000 or the $100,000 grand prize isn't just about the clip; it’s about the audience's reaction in the studio. Once your clip is chosen to be one of the three finalists in an episode, it’s all up to the people sitting in those chairs in Hollywood.
People think there’s a secret trick to winning. There isn't. But there is a pattern. Usually, the "aww" factor beats the "ouch" factor. A baby doing something incredibly clever or a dog doing something heartbreakingly silly often beats out the guy getting hit in the groin with a baseball. Why? Because it’s relatable. Everyone has a dog or a kid. Not everyone gets hit with a baseball.
The Submission Logistics (The Boring Part)
If you’re serious about this, go to the official AFV website or use their app. Don’t try to tag them on Twitter and think that counts. You have to fill out the form. You have to provide your contact info. You have to be over 13 (or have a parent do it).
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Keep the original file. Don’t send a version you downloaded from your own Facebook page that has been compressed five times. They need the high-resolution, raw file. If they like your clip, they will contact you to sign a formal release. Do not ignore that email! People lose out on thousands of dollars because they thought the producer’s email was spam.
Final Pro-Tips for the Aspiring Viral Star
Stop narrating. Seriously. If you’re filming and you’re laughing louder than the actual event, it ruins the clip. The editors want the sound of the action, not your "Oh my god, wait for it, wait for it!" If you must talk, keep it quiet.
Also, film in landscape. Hold your phone sideways. Television screens are wide, not tall. While AFV has started using vertical video because that’s how everyone films now, the high-quality, landscape shots still look better on a 65-inch 4K TV. It gives the editors more room to zoom in on the funny faces.
Lastly, keep it short. Most clips used on the show are between 5 and 15 seconds long. If you have a two-minute video, make sure the "funny" part happens quickly. Don't make the producers hunt for the joke.
Next Steps for Your Submission
- Check Your Background: Ensure there are no copyrighted songs playing on the radio or TV in the background. If "Uptown Funk" is playing while your cat dances, the show can't use it without paying a fortune in music rights. They’ll just toss the clip.
- Verify the Release: Ensure everyone in the video is okay with being on national TV. If you submit a video of your brother-in-law and he hates it, legal headaches will kill the deal.
- Upload Directly: Use the official AFV upload tool. It’s the only way to ensure your metadata stays intact and the producers get the highest quality version of your file.
- Watch Your Email: If you see an email from "Vin Di Bona Productions" or "ABC/AFV," respond immediately. They work on tight production schedules and will move on to the next clip if you don't answer within a few days.