First a quote by myself from Sep 17th 2009 in http://forum.whatthemovie.com/comments.php?DiscussionID=493 :
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1st = 15 awesome uploads
2nd = 10 awesome uploads
3rd = 5 awesome uploads
4th and 5th = 2 awesome uploads
6th till 10th = 1 awesome upload

I think this is a good way to reward the uploaders. There will always be other users in the top 10 and if a not-so-active user makes an awesome shot with good ratings, he earns > awesome uploads for this. Also, if you finish on a high position with uploads in the contest, you proved to know what a good shot is all about and deserve those uploads.

I think it's different for the solvers though. People with a huge movie knowledge will always end high in those contests and it will be the same 30/40 people over and over again. Example: CW ended the first three contests first, fifth and fourth. In the new contest she's on third position. I now presume she stays third in this contest. This means she would earn 24 awesome uploads with those four contests (if the reward system was already in use). Next contest she'll probably end high again, this way she can upload whatever she wants, because she will get more and more awesome uploads over and over again.

@CW, no offence to you, you're just an example here.
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My only concern back then was some people would get way too many awesome uploads, because they have the most movieknowledge and/or solving-skills and therefore always end high.

But now in the last contest it seems some people are asking everyone to get hints for shots they can't solve and even delete these hints afterwards on their profile, so other people won't get any profit (have not yet seen this myself, but i've seen some shouts from several users underlining this). I think it's awesome we have a social and helpful community on wtm, but it seems some people are trying to (ab)use this only for their own benefit. Also I don't think asking a hint for a single shot must be that much of a problem (for example when you can't stand that you can't find a certain shot you just know you've seen), but asking for every single shot you can't solve tends to cheating (of course this is only an opinion, but that's my way of seeing it)

Well, to get back where I started: Awesome Uploads for top solvers
I think one of the reasons some users ask everyone for (private) hints, is because they want to win those awesome uploads and getting in top solvers is the easiest way to get this. Of course exchanging titles and hints can't be stopped by the moderating team, because people will always find other ways to let each other know (e-mail and the future PM-system for example). Also, if there's something to win, there will always be people trying to cheat. (too bad, but it's a fact)

Conclusion: I think giving away so many awesome uploads for top solvers is a too high reward.

Sorry for this long post, but I wanted to write down all my recent complaints about this subject :p

maybe just erase the top solver list and make a top 20 best rated shots. that would certainly encourage uploading good shots
on the other hand, people just might not be as much competative, which is in some ways good.

Maybe add some more trophees? Smaller gloves, or just add to the profile if you managed top 10 solver?