Enter Your Music Video Into The International Songwriting Competition (ISC)

Entering your music video into the International Songwriting Competition is easy – it’s just a click away on Sonicbids. If you’re looking for exposure for your music, this is an excellent opportunity to get your video into the hands of the people who make the decisions at MTV, VH1, and record labels. ISC accepts videos of original songs only. Videos can be any style, including live performance. All genres of music are accepted. There are two ways to enter your video on Sonicbids: either upload it to your Sonicbids Supersonic EPK or put on the entry form the URL where it can be viewed (you don’t even need to upload it!).

ISC awards over $150,000 in cash and prizes, including a $25,000 cash prize to the Overall Grand Prize winner – the largest cash Grand Prize in any songwriting competition.

ISC has some of the most prestigious judges of any songwriting contest, so you also have the chance to have your music heard by some of the most high-profile and influential figures in the music industry. Judges for 2009 include: Amy Doyle (Sr. VP of Music and Talent, MTV), Rick Krim (Executive VP Talent and Music Programming, VH1); Monte Lipman (President, Universal Records), Seymour Stein (Chairman/CEO, Sire Records); Amanda Ghost (President, Epic Records); James Diener (President, A&M/Octone Records) and well-known recording artists such as: Tom Waits; Robert Smith (The Cure); Kings of Leon; Steve Winwood; Rob Thomas (Matchbox 20); Journey; McCoy Tyner, Wynonna; Timbaland; Jeff Beck; Adele; and many more.

Last year was ISC’s inaugural year for the Music Video category. Candace Avery, the Founder/Director of ISC, states, “Introducing a Music Video category last year was really exciting for ISC. We received so many great videos ranging from high-quality, professionally produced videos to more organic, indie videos. I was extremely impressed with the creativity, artistry, and originality exhibited in the videos.”

The First Place winner last year was the impressive animated video “Overexposed” from the South African band The Parlotones. Known for their cutting edge and creative videos, The Parlotones are one of South Africa’s best-known rock bands. Kahn Morbee, the lead singer and songwriter of the winning song, talks about the video and winning ISC.  ”Winning a competition is always a great honour no matter the size of the competition. The fact that this is an international contest with entrants from around the world makes it just a little bit sweeter. The music video was pretty easy to make. We took photos of ourselves from back, front, left and right and then each of us was filmed with a static shot performing the song once. These images were then sent to the animators who did the rest of the work….easiest video we’ve ever done.”  Go to www.sonicbids.com/TheParlotones to view “Overexposed.”

To enter ISC, go to www.sonicbids.com/ISC.

The Calendar is the most popular section of the EPK and the most underused – how can both be true?

Most artists are extremely diligent about keeping their EPK calendars current with the latest updates. Artists with the most verifiable bookings are listed in the Sonicbids charts. But we still consider it underutilized because the importance of adding upcoming performance dates to the EPK is still overlooked by some. In truth, a complete and up-to-date calendar is one of the most useful things in your EPK. Here’s why: (more…)

Sometimes overlooked, your photo is what a lot of promoters use to judge what level you are at in your career. Displaying professionally done photos can show that you are serious about your craft. Hiring a professional is a great way to make sure your band looks their best. However you might have to do some research to make sure their art complements your art, and that they have experience working with bands. It is also a good idea to know what you are looking for when choosing the right photographer.

Here are some tips- (more…)

“Two turntables and a microphone” sounds catchy, but you’ll need something to plug them into. Don’t skimp on the Basic Requirements section of your EPK. Promoters want to see that you’ve put some thought into a comprehensive list of requirements, if for no other reason than because it reflects your professionalism and experience. They may not be able to supply everything, but they’re concerned (just like you) about putting on the best show they can. (more…)

All Supersonic members have the option to upload a video to their EPK. The video has the ability to showcase just how good your act is.

Many artists use their video to show a single song or a clip of a song being played live. This is a good indicator of what a promoter can expect to see if they book you for a live show at their venue. Other artists use a montage of video clips from different performances to get across the notion that they have not only talent, but also consistency. (more…)

It’s all about presentation and conveying who you are as an artist. Choosing a good color combination for your EPK is worth spending some time on: After all, you want people to read it, and the wrong combination of colors can make that painful – sometimes physically. We don’t expect you to go to art school just to learn color theory for your EPK, but be sure to find something that’s easy to look at, while also being distinctive. (more…)

The Set List section of your EPK is the best place to show the versatility and breadth of your work. For performers, speakers and songwriters alike, this area is highly valuable. Have a repertoire of over 350 jazz standards? Talk about it here. You can play every B-side that Journey has ever released? That’s noteworthy. And if you’re a bar band, be sure to let everyone know you can knock out “Freebird” every time it gets shouted out. (more…)