- Nov 24, 2001
- 2,127
- 3
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Since I've seen the new Marillion album get a few mentions on here by now, some of you may already be aware of the contest they're running to create a video for their track, "Whatever Is Wrong With You". Basically there's ten grand up for grabs, split between the qualifying clip that has the highest number of views on YouTube as at 1st December, and the band's own personal favourite - if the two aren't one and the same.
Marillion have become quite well known for their novel methods of generating publicity and funding in recent years - special editions of the albums with YOUR name in the credits (along with several thousand others), remix contests, fan events, deluxe inflatable Steve Hogarth dolls... but I find this particular concept to be simply outstanding, and think it would be absolutely fantastic if Threshold were to do something along similar lines.
It's the sort of exposure that money just can't buy - or at least certainly not a "mere" ten grand, which is peanuts in the world of advertising. Assuming that they actually use the winning video(s) for (LOL) MTV and stuff, that's also incredibly cheap compared to what a standard clip can easily rack up in production costs.
And of course, it gets people very actively trying to spread the word - showing their movie to their friends, family, pets, colleagues, hairy men on scary internet forums and complete strangers in the street, all to try and get more hits in the hope of winning a "fortune". Most importantly, though, it gets people to be creative. That's a precious gift in itself!
Personally I'd be happy enough if Threshold did a remix contest - I've been pestering the guys for their source tapes to no avail for years now
- but creating a video is something open to far more people than the making of a musical masterpiece - most of us have at least some form of video camera by now, and there's various flavours of editing software all over the shop these days.
So what do people think? I would guess that (sadly) Threshold have a bit of a smaller fan-base than Marillion, but that's beside the point for something like this - you can bet that half the people entering the current competition had never heard of the band until news of the contest winged their way. I also recognise that it might be seen to be "copying Marillion" - but so what? If everyone limited themselves to ideas that had never been done before, we'd do.... practically nothing....
Would you be interested in making a Threshold video?
I know at least one of you would Here's her entry to the Marillion contest - posted with her permission, because she's too damn shy to show it off herself No need to be though, I think it's really rather bloody good, especially as a first ever attempt at video editing, and with only a crappy laptop webcam to film with. Go on, give her a few more views - only another.....110,000 to go..... !
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWQheBMOvtc
Marillion have become quite well known for their novel methods of generating publicity and funding in recent years - special editions of the albums with YOUR name in the credits (along with several thousand others), remix contests, fan events, deluxe inflatable Steve Hogarth dolls... but I find this particular concept to be simply outstanding, and think it would be absolutely fantastic if Threshold were to do something along similar lines.
It's the sort of exposure that money just can't buy - or at least certainly not a "mere" ten grand, which is peanuts in the world of advertising. Assuming that they actually use the winning video(s) for (LOL) MTV and stuff, that's also incredibly cheap compared to what a standard clip can easily rack up in production costs.
And of course, it gets people very actively trying to spread the word - showing their movie to their friends, family, pets, colleagues, hairy men on scary internet forums and complete strangers in the street, all to try and get more hits in the hope of winning a "fortune". Most importantly, though, it gets people to be creative. That's a precious gift in itself!
Personally I'd be happy enough if Threshold did a remix contest - I've been pestering the guys for their source tapes to no avail for years now
- but creating a video is something open to far more people than the making of a musical masterpiece - most of us have at least some form of video camera by now, and there's various flavours of editing software all over the shop these days.So what do people think? I would guess that (sadly) Threshold have a bit of a smaller fan-base than Marillion, but that's beside the point for something like this - you can bet that half the people entering the current competition had never heard of the band until news of the contest winged their way. I also recognise that it might be seen to be "copying Marillion" - but so what? If everyone limited themselves to ideas that had never been done before, we'd do.... practically nothing....
Would you be interested in making a Threshold video?
I know at least one of you would
Here's her entry to the Marillion contest - posted with her permission, because she's too damn shy to show it off herself No need to be though, I think it's really rather bloody good, especially as a first ever attempt at video editing, and with only a crappy laptop webcam to film with. Go on, give her a few more views - only another.....110,000 to go..... ! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWQheBMOvtc
