How does the event work?
On Friday, June 7th, At an undisclosed location in SF at 7:30 pm, we’ll match up 20 musical acts with 20 filmmakers. Each pairing will create a music video that weekend, finishing up by Sunday night at 8 PM.

 

So if I email you, am I automatically in?
No mam/sir. We are going through a ton of submissions every day. We’ll send you an official invite email if you’re selected to participate. Thanks for your patience. Due to the high number of submissions, we may not be able to respond to all emails.

 

I think my company would be a great partner or sponsor.
Nice! Send an email to friendswithbenefits@musicvideorace.com and we’ll talk.

 

Does the song we make a video for have to be recorded already?
No, but keep in mind that audio quality is a very important factor in your video.

 

Is there a time limit on the songs?
So glad you asked! Yes, songs must be under five minutes.

 

Is there an entry fee?
Yes, it’s $100/$75 for bands/filmmakers to reserve your space in Music Video Race, but we’ll only charge you if you’re chosen to participate.

 

Where is the video drop-off?
It’ll be in San Francisco, location TBA.

 

What are some of the prizes?
We’re confirming more prizes all the time, but right now we can announce a multiday recording session at Studio SQ, a gear package from DTC Lighting and Grip, a class at TechShop, and some Pro accounts from Vimeo! We really want to help you complete your own projects!

 

Who are the judges?
Some of the judges we can annouce right now are:
Video Judge: Katie Gillum, Managing Director of the Disposable Film Fest
Video Judge: Allen Cordell, director of videos for Beach House, Waters, and Cloud Nothings
Music Judge: A panel from Noise Pop will select the Best Song.

 

 

I’m in a band, and I know some of the filmmakers taking part. Can we pick who we get to collaborate with?
Nope. Serendipity is your friend. Once we know all the bands, we ask the filmmakers who they’d like to work with, and we do our best to accomodate those wishes.

 

Why did you put this event together?
We have so much love for the music and filmmaking communities in San Francisco, and we wanted to help facilitate some collaborative projects to help showcase the area’s talent. And because it ruled last year.

 

Do I need a Location Release to shoot on public property?
No, but you may need a permit. We do not require you to prove to us that you received a permit, but you may be stopped from shooting or even fined if you do not have one. Please check with your local film commissioner.

 

Can we do an animated video?
Definitely! You know that’s gonna take a while though, right? And you just have the one weekend.

 

Does our band or film team have to be from the Bay Area to take part?
Technically, no. But you do technically have to have a team representative at the kick-off and drop-off event. And it would be pretty silly if you couldn’t make it to the screening.

 

Do the musicians have to appear in the videos?
That’s up to you. But they have to be around to be part of the process. Collaboration is key here.

 

What are the technical specs?
We’ll announce this soon, thanks for asking.

 

I’d like to help make a video, but I don’t know any other filmmakers. What should I do?
We’re going to have a few meet-and-greet events in San Francisco as we get closer to the Music Video Race. Come to one of those and we’ll keep you posted! Those will be covered in our email updates and announced on Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter.

 

So who pays for making the video and stuff?
We’re assuming if you’re signing up as a filmmaker you have a camera or access to one. In terms of any costs associated with creating the video, we definitely encourage resourcefulness to keep costs down or non-existent. What Music Video Race is doing here is providing a platform for collaboration among wildly creative individuals. Since we can’t manage any financial matters, we assume that as totally mature adults the collaborators can come up with something that works for everyone involved.

 

I’d love to volunteer. Do you have any openings?
Totally. Holler at info@musicvideorace.com

 

I like your graphics a lot. Who did the design?
andy-baron.com

 

I like the button-feel of your site. Who built this thing?
squonkstudios.com

 

I still don’t know what’s going on.
It’s cool. Just visit the contact page and send an email to the appropriate party.