Hey GDnet musicians! I am developing a music contest to be announced later this spring, in conjunction with a series of promotions for an upcoming television series (I can't tell you who it's for or where it airs, or the poll will probably be biased). I am doing some research for this contest, and I need your input so that I can present a good strategy to my producer. In addition to the other places it's announced, I'll be posting a notice to this board when the actual contest launches so you can all enter. I've created a poll to do some research to present to my producer. If you take five or ten minutes to take this survey, I'll be able to put a better contest together for you, the musicians. So click here to take the poll. Thanks guys!

I tried to submit poll results, but got an error page when I completed it.

If I understand correctly, the prize in this contest would be having your music aired as part of this television shows broadcast?

If that is the case, and I wouldn't want to discourage anyone from entering, but I wouldn't allow my music to be used in a commercial broadcast without any compensation, particularly if it is "at the producers discretion".

Most of the work that I get operates under basically the same principal, multiple composers submit music and one person (or track) gets the contract, along with payment. If the only prize in the contest is exposure, then I doubt you will get many worthwhile entries.

I apologize if I got the wrong impression from the poll, just a few thoughts.

Quote: If that is the case, and I wouldn't want to discourage anyone from entering, but I wouldn't allow my music to be used in a commercial broadcast without any compensation, particularly if it is "at the producers discretion".

Quote: If the only prize in the contest is exposure, then I doubt you will get many worthwhile entries.

This is a project that would be worth it. For the winner, having this as a credit on their resume would be huge--for example, I have a buddy who's a full-time professional game composer (he has a recent AAA title that is, uh, not ninja-themed) who got extremely excited when I talked to him about this contest, and wants to enter. This contest is affiliated with an organization that is a household name, and has extremely high credibility. As for the producer's discretion bit...that's sort of the whole point of this poll, is to gather data to see what people think of which conditions, so that I can present information to the producers.

Most of you know me, either from this board or from G.A.N.G.--I wouldn't come and spam this board if I didn't think that this would be a good opportunity. I especially wouldn't post the opportunity here (when it's announced) if it was going to be a bad deal for the musicians--I AM a composer, and I don't think it does me any good to lose street cred by screwing my colleagues.

My goal in making this survey is (hopefully) to be able to support my ability to argue for a solution that will be beneficial to both the entrants and to the company running the promotion. I'm willing to fill people in on the details of the company and situation if they're that curious--PM me and I'll let you know. Just take the poll first so it doesn't change your answers :)

I think this is a great idea and have submitted my answers!

My only concerns is this contest not end up like BFI's Create our Tune contest. They pushed the deadline back twice (which is fine, but annoying because you have to wait that much longer for the results) and then they never released the results. If you go to their website: BFI Create our Tune, you'll see that the deadline was March 9th 2007, and the last time that page was updated was August 1st 2007. I've even tried to write BFI a few times to get some kind of heads up on the process and have either heard "we're still judging" or nothing back. To me, this is really unprofessional and unfair to all of those that spent time creating and mixing the music, then spent money to ship their CDs off to London. It kinda feels like a slap in the face to be given no reason or explanation as to what happened and why a winner was never selected. I know I'll probably never do another BFI contest.

Did anyone else try for this contest?

Anyhoo, I digress. Great contest, and you better believe I'll be submitting!

Thanks,

Nathan

500 - Internal Server Error


is what I get when I click your link.

Quote: 500 - Internal Server Error

is what I get when I click your link.

Here's the actual address of the contest:

http://www.misterpoll.com/polls/315693

If that doesn't work, then maybe MisterPoll.com needs some love. Other than that, I'm in the dark.

okay, it works now. I voted, but... um, I honestly had no idea who any of those people were in the last question. <_<

The poll worked for me this time around.

I really didn't intend for the tone of my first post to be at all accusatory, I'm sure that you have the best intentions with your involvement in this contest and the opportunity for the contestants, but without knowing the parties involved, it is difficult to say how enticing the terms laid out in the poll would be.

I just get frustrated seeing professional composers being marginalized by opportunist directors and producers who lure aspiring composers to contribute music with the only compensation being promised "exposure". As a composer, I'm sure that you're aware of how often the term exposure is used as a substitution for payment and how rarely worthwhile or wide the exposure actually is.

That being said, judging by your second post that certainly doesn't seem to be the case here, it was just some of the first thoughts that came to mind. This does sound like a very good, rare opportunity and I look forward to entering.

No worries John, I know what flame posts look like and yours was more of an electric blanket ;) It's a valid concern, to be sure, and I've experienced that myself; "we cant pay u dood but its a kewl thing were going 2 sell it 2 a game company and make tons of money!!"

Anyway, as soon I close this thing down, I'll post back in this thread and let y'all who are curious know who the company is. I promise you won't be disappointed: "Iowa Channel 15 is looking for hot new composers to score its new reality series, 'Cows and Corn'! There will be no payment, but this is a GREAT opportunity to build your resume!"

Nothing like that, I promise. Really.

Quote: Iowa Channel 15 is looking for hot new composers to score its new reality series, 'Cows and Corn'! There will be no payment, but this is a GREAT opportunity to build your resume!

I think I've worked with this producer before.