F4YL Soundtrack Contest

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What’s up musicians, bands and producers!?  We’re looking for 15-20 awesome tracks for the official Fight 4 Your Life soundtrack.  Here are the guidelines:

 

 


What’s This All About?  And What’s In It for YOU:

one studios™ is looking for ORIGINAL music for inclusion in the Fight 4 Your Life music soundtrack.  By original, we mean YOU have created it from scratch and you can prove it, making YOU its owner.  Music made by other people will not be accepted unless the actual creator(s) of the music also give(s) the OK and signs off on it.  This goes for music made with samples from other artist’s music as well.

You must have documentation proving you have the right to sample another artist’s music, no matter how unrecognizable you’ve made it in your track.  We’re all for making dope beats through sampling.  But we also believe in music / artist rights.  So, please use sound judgement and get the proper documents before entering your music for consideration.

If you are a manager, agency, etc., please let us know.  We prefer to work with independent artists for this project.  But we are open to everyone!  Just note we want to communicate with the artist(s), no matter how great of a manager you might be.  😉

Please do not try to pass off music that is not your own as your own.  Be honest friends!  We will find out.

one studios is all about collaborating with its fellow artists in the creative community, whether in filmmaking, music production, animation or anything else under the sun.  As we dove into the process of making Fight 4 Your Life a reality, we realized pretty early on that music was to be a huge part of this film’s style.  We brainstormed for days as to how we wanted to incorporate the music of F4YL.  And then it came to us…  Why not continue on the path of the experimental / collaborative spirit of F4YL and ask our fellow creatives to contribute!?

This is a COLLABORATIVE project.  It’s not about use and abuse.  Fight 4 Your Life has been about collaboration from the start, with over 250 people having been a legitimate part of this project as of October 2015.  Just take some time and read up on its origins here to find out more.

This collaborative mindset is the same for this soundtrack contest.  Our goal is for musicians, bands and producers to use this contest as not only a way to add their talents and work to the film in order to create an awesome soundtrack for F4YL, helping to make this film jam and be the best it can possibly be, but also as a way to get their music heard.  We are providing musicians, bands and producers a viable outlet for exposure and networking as Fight 4 Your Life’s reach and popularity continues to grow.

On top of this, nearly all of any proceeds raised from the sale and/or advertisement/marketing of the Fight 4 Your Life soundtrack will be GIVEN TO THE WINNERS/ARTISTS OF THE FIGHT 4 YOUR LIFE SOUNDTRACK, as it should be.  As creatives ourselves, we here at one studios believe in collaboration for a common goal, but we also believe in creatives getting rightly paid for their hard work.  Sometimes there are projects we do that are on a volunteer basis, with no pay.  But we always are honest about this ahead of time so our colleagues can make an accurate decision to join up or not.  If we can pay we always do.

Please read below under Entry Process, Rules & Further Info for more details on how any money made from the soundtrack of F4YL soundtrack will go back to the winners/artists aside from some minimal/mandatory handling percentages on our end so we can actually make all this happen in the first place.

one studios isn’t going to use and abuse our fellow creatives.  We never have and never will.  We are working with them, for both of our benefit.  It sucks that artists nowadays always have to be looking over their shoulders to keep from getting scammed.  We all take our licks and learn.  We’ve been there too….oh boy have we.  Again, it sucks.

This is one of the big reasons why our approach to this project has been so important from the start, with us being totally up front and honest from the beginning with everyone involved.  Sure, our approach isn’t anything special.  It’s how it should be!  But even people with the best intentions can often go down the wrong path and begin to make promises of money and such out of the hunger to get a project done.  We’re not going to do that.  We refuse to let that monster take hold.

This project is about a community of people coming together to show how a large scale production can be accomplished when they unite for a common goal and are willing to put in some time, skill and effort, in addition to using determination, resourcefulness, understanding and a whole lot of love!  This is the world we live in….one of social communication, technology and innovation.  It’s a collaboration!

You can question, “Why should I give my time, hard earned skill and art to this project?”  “What is the difference between Fight 4 Your Life and any other production?”  After all, you can give your time, skills and music to any project under the sun.  Why this one?  Well, that’s for you to figure out.  But we believe F4YL is a production worth jumping on…..and so do the nearly 300 people that are associated with this film.

We invite you to research about F4YL on this site.  Take your time.  There is PLENTY to check out.  Some good starting points are the plot, media, cast, crew and contributors pages, as well as the page which talks about the journey of Fight 4 Your Life.  And if that’s not enough, send us a message with your questions.  We’re here to give you any info you need.

Ultimately, it’s your call.  All we can continue to say is that we believe in this project.  And a supporting community of thousands to date do too.  So, it must be pretty cool….  Our question to you is, “Why not have your music in Fight 4 Your Life?”

You get notoriety.  You get networking.  You get the doe that your music earns.  You get to be a part of a kick ass independent production with great people behind it THAT’S ACTUALLY HAPPENING, having already been shot and now in post production.  ANNNND you get to be a part of the one studios Family.  What’s there to lose?  NOTHING.

What do we get?  We get you and your music to help make Fight 4 Your Life all it can be.  No strings.  No gimmicks.  No hidden agendas or sleazy lies.  We’re just pushing to make this project all it can be.  And we need your art, your music, to do it!

Stand out from the crowd.  Show us your best.  You’ll find Fight 4 Your Life is well worthy of your work.  And, let’s be real, when is getting your music heard ever a bad thing?

Do you have the fight in you?  Musicians, bands, composers, singers, producers, let’s hear what you got.  Don’t let this opportunity pass you by…..  JOIN THE FIGHT!

 


The Feel We’re Going for:

Fight 4 Your Life is a fast paced action fantasy film with sci-fi elements.  It’s gritty and relentless.  But there are most definitely lighthearted moments and plenty of dramatic sequences as well.  It can be dark and even scary at times for some viewers.  But it is also inspirational and uplifting.  Overall, the tone we are going for is FUN.  There are serious moments, but we aren’t aiming for the film to take itself over-the-top serious.  Think back to fun films like Big Trouble in Little China and The Warriors.  Then mix in elements of films like Rocky, The Karate Kid, Scott Pilgrim vs The World and Alice in Wonderland.  BOOM!!!  Now you have Fight 4 Your Life.

Sound intense?  Well, it is!!!  And we need it to sound intense too….hehe.

Much of the film takes place at night, as the protagonist navigates through his challenges, which are filled with a plethora of supporting characters, each with their own unique environment.  We would like for each of these challenge segments in the film to have its own sound and flavor, which are further backed by independent color schemes for the picture.  There are day scenes too, which tend to correlate to a more safe place for the main character.

Although we aren’t trying to go overboard just because we can, we also are not holding back when it comes to being real with the content, meaning we aren’t going to sensor things like language.  This includes the language used in the film, as well as your lyrics!  But note we don’t want more than a R rating!

Overall, the film is viewable for a wide range of audiences.  And we aim to keep it that way.  There is action, drama, comedy and suspense.  So, think of these elements as you think about the music you are going to send us.  And we urge you to also consider the playability of your music for mass audiences.  We aren’t going to censor you, but others may.  So, be prepared to give us a clean version of your music too, if necessary.  We’re going to be pushing hard to get your music heard.  And we want to make sure we are prepared for any media outlet that comes our way.  THINK BIG!

We are looking for soundtrack scores as well as original songs and beats.

Do you make cinematic scores?  Great!  Fight 4 Your Life is of the epic quality.  So, think powerful music mixed with a more urban and modern flavor.  Reference the soundtracks of films like The Warriors, Gladiator, Blade, Rocky, Big Trouble in Little China, NWA, The Last Dragon and Scott Pilgrim vs The World for influence.  TV shows like Empire and Power also offer cool reference material.  But don’t limit yourself to these films and shows for examples!

Also know that the suspense of Fight 4 Your Life plays a huge part in the film.  And there are definitely some dark and creepy moments mixed in there!  The opening theme music of The Walking Dead on AMC is a great example of what we’re looking for on that end.

Ultimately, we need for the film’s score and its soundtrack to have a connection to the content on screen, as well as have a sort of overall commonality throughout the film.  This broad connection of the music of F4YL will keep to the film’s continuity and themes, but shouldn’t be so strong that it becomes repetitive or takes away from the individual flare of the various segments.  The music needs to play into the various scenes as separate entities as much as it does to the entire film as a whole.

The various scenes generally represent the various challenges.  And the challenges are all different with their own unique styles and feels, as touched upon earlier.  So, to be clear, we want the music for the individual scenes and challenges to be unique but also keep to an overall theme that can pull these separate segments together for the unity of the film as a whole.  Make sense?  If not just let us know!

Whether you want to send us music you already have, or, create totally new music made specifically for Fight 4 Your Life, please don’t hesitate to contact us and ask us questions so that you are on the same page with us and what we are looking for.  This way your time and efforts are best spent, providing you with the best chances at getting chosen for the soundtrack!  Communication is always key.  And if you’re willing to collaborate and put in the work we’re totally ready to help you in any way we can.  So, talk to us!

 


Types of Music We’re Looking for:

  • Rock
  • Hard Rock
  • Hip-Hop
  • EDM
  • RnB
  • Dubsteb
  • Latin Ballroom Dancing Type Music….think Salsa dancing, etc.
  • Pop….shouldn’t be too kiddy or kiss kissy.
  • Dark Classical
  • World Music
  • Epic Style Scores
  • Whimsical
  • Surprise us!

 


Entry Process, Rules & Further Info:

  • Please send a link to the track(s) you are entering, or an actual file(s) if you desire to do so, to SoundtrackContest@F4YLMovie.com.  We will not hold any sort of rights to your music by you doing this!  We have to hear what you got though!  This is simply the review stage.  If we were to take your music, not only would that make us unforgivable bastards, but you could also sue the pants off of us!  We don’t want that!

So, get us your track(s) in whatever way you feel most comfortable, whether via listenable link, downloadable link or actual track sent.  Full tracks are preferred in this stage, but we will consider track previews as well.  If you decide to send us a file, please make sure it is in .mp3 or .wav format.

Also, be sure to include all information regarding the song/track, including your name, band’s name, band members’ names, the song’s/track’s writer and/or producer, who does what on the song/track, a working phone number you can be reach at, a working email address you can be reached at, the song’s/track’s name and any other relevant info you think we should have.  If you are chosen as a winner, we will ask you for more info down the line, such as a bio and story about what inspired the song/track.

 

  • If you want to first talk to us so you have a better idea of what to send us, or create for the soundtrack, please do so!  You may not have anything that we can use in your banks.  But that doesn’t mean we won’t work with you to help you create something tailored to this film!

 

  • one studios will accept up to 2 individual tracks for consideration by a single individual or group.  We want to only hear your best.  If you can do multiple styles and genres of music, great!  But if you are really good at a specific type of music that’s probably your best bet.  If you have 2 tracks that are legitimately from different genres, and you feel each is up to a high level, then please feel free to send in both for consideration.This shouldn’t be too much of a mind bender for you.  If you have any doubts it’s best to just pick your best track.  If pop is really your thing, but you have an OK dance track you’ve been working on too, don’t just send in the dance track to have a second song submitted.  It will bring down the quality of the better pop track because we might listen to the dance track first and get a bad taste in our mouths.We’re pretty open-minded folks here.  And we most definitely appreciate all submissions and all efforts.  We don’t want to appear without thanks for the music people will submit.  WE’RE VERY THANKFUL FOR EVERY SUBMISSION!  But we are looking to produce a great soundtrack for an awesome movie.  So, we have to keep to certain standards.  Makes sense, right?Rome wasn’t built in a day.  Trust us when we say we know what it’s like to keep chipping away at a project and still not getting what we really want.  Art is a process.  It’s a journey.  And we constantly create material that we know needs to be more refined and crafted, that we don’t feel is good enough.  One thing in the creative world is you have to know how to judge your own work to a certain degree.  Then you have to understand that everyone else will do the rest of the judging for you….and it’s neverending.  :)We’re all learning and growing.  And we support YOU!  We just have to keep to our experienced eyes and ears.  Cool?  Put your best foot forward amigos!

 

  • ALL ENTRIES submitted must be received by us here at one studios by Friday, March 3, 2017.

 

  • ALL FINALISTS will be announced by Friday, March 10, 2017.

 

  • ALL WINNERS will be announced on Friday, March 17, 2017…..we hope the luck of the Irish is in your favor!

 

 

  • It’s to your advantage to get your entries in sooner than later.  All tracks submitted will be considered.  But if you get us your track(s) and/or contact us earlier it gives us more time to communicate with you and give you feedback.  This ups your time to tailor a track for Fight 4 Your Life, as well as make any tweaks to your music to better refine it.  All in all it gives you a better chance to get chosen as a SOUNDTRACK FINALIST and WINNER!

 

  • Winners of the Fight 4 Your Life Soundtrack Contest will be notified via email and phone.  The winners will also then be announced publicly on the F4YL website, Facebook page and Twitter page, as well as on the one studios website and its wide array of social media pages.

 

  • IF YOUR TRACK IS CHOSEN AS A WINNER YOU WILL THEN BE PROVIDED THE PROPER DOCUMENTS TO FILL OUT AND SIGN allowing one studios the rights to use your track(s)/song(s) for the Fight 4 Your Life feature film and its soundtrack, in addition to Fight 4 Your Life‘s marketing/advertisement and the additional media/events associated with Fight 4 Your Life.  This way you can no longer sue us! 😉  Your rights as creator and owner of your song(s)/track(s) WILL NOT be taken away via this process.  Please understand we are working WITH YOU for mutual benefit.  The last thing we want to do is take and use your music, abusing our fellow artists.  This is a collaborative effort!

 

  • The majority of the earnings from the sales of the Fight 4 Your Life soundtrack and its associated music, aka the artists’/winners’ music, will go to the artists/winners associated with the Fight 4 Your Life soundtrack, whether the earnings come via electronic download, marketing/advertisement use or hard copy CD/DVD/Blu-Ray.  one studios will keep a certain percentage of the proceeds associated with the Fight 4 Your Life soundtrack to cover the hard work, materials and marketing/advertisement costs the one studios crew puts forth throughout this process.

Understand that we want our artists/winners to reap whatever financial benefits come from the Fight 4 Your Life soundtrack.  It’s YOUR MUSIC after all.  But work, materials and advertisement/marketing on our end must be provided to make this thing happen.  And the costs associated with such work, materials and advertisement/marketing must be covered.  The percentage of proceeds from the Fight 4 Your Life soundtrack one studios must obtain to cover the explained costs will be thoroughly described to all winners/artists of the Fight 4 Your Life Soundtrack Contest upon the winners/artists being contacted and provided all proper documentation to be filled out and signed, which will issue one studios certain rights to the artists’/winners’ provided/winning music.  These “certain rights” WILL NOT mean we own your music in any way.  They will just mean we can use your music for the above mention reasons and you agree to that with no obligation by us.

We promise EVERYTHING will be explained clearly and accurately within the provided documents so you know all the little ins and outs of the process.  one studios is not asking for much to cover the said costs.  We want our artists to get the profits.  But if you, the artist/winner, still do not like what we’re cooking at the time everything is explained in detail you, the artist/winner, always will have the option to pull your winning music from the Fight 4 Your Life Soundtrack contest at that time.  Once everything is filled out and signed though it’s a done deal, of course.

An estimate to the percentage we’ll need to cover advertisement and such will likely be no more than 10-15% of the revenue acquired from sales and such, if that.  We’re working hard to make sure our bases are covered so when the time comes to sign any paperwork we know exactly what we are working with and what is needed and that way we can relay that info to YOU.  We will not be surprising you with some outrageous figures.  You have our word on that….and it will be proven in writing as well.

We pride ourselves on making a dime into a dollar.  And the same principle will be honored in how we get this soundtrack out to the world.  Again, we want YOU to reap any financial rewards from YOUR MUSIC.  Remember though, your music is just one piece of the puzzle here.  We understand how protective people can be of their hard work, their art.  We’re the same way.  But this is a TEAM EFFORT.  We urge you to think like a team member when you enter your music into this contest because that’s what you’re joining, a team.

Fight 4 Your Life has depended on a community of dedicated people from the start.  And that’s how it will stay.  Your song/track is just one of many that make up the whole.  No favorites will be had by us here at one studios.  All tracks/songs are equal in our eyes and ears once on the soundtrack.  This means that even if you become a winner and have a song on the soundtrack and it is also included in the film you will not earn anything more than another soundtrack winner who’s work is not included in the film, only on the soundtrack itself.  We’ll leave the popularity of songs/tracks to the public to decide.  And, NO, if you’re song becomes a huge hit by being a part of this soundtrack as a whole you will not get more money either, that is unless we’re talking individual sales (read below).  Remember, all are equal amigos.

All songs/tracks on the Fight 4 Your Life soundtrack will earn equal shares of any profits made from the the soundtrack as a whole.  This means all artists who own the songs/tracks that make up the soundtrack will be paid equally from any profits made, splitting any profits from the whole soundtrack, minus the small percent that goes to one studios, into equal amounts per song/track.  So, for example, if there ends up being 15 songs on the soundtrack, each time the soundtrack is sold the money made will have the percentage for one studios’ tasks first subtracted, then would be divided by 15.  The 1/15th share would then go to each soundtrack artist.

If one studios chooses to put the songs/tracks that makeup the Fight 4 Your Life Soundtrack up for individual sale via download, etc., and an individual song/track sells then all money made, minus one studios’ percentage, goes to the artist(s)/owner(s) of that individual song ONLY.  This means the profits from individual song/track sales, etc. will not be divided by the total number of soundtrack members.  In this way you can make more money than some of your peers on the soundtrack, as is only fair.  But we are looking to promote the entire soundtrack so everyone on it can get profits.  Nevertheless, if the people want it the people want it and we are here to help get it to them.  We want nothing but YOU to find SUCCESS!

Also, it’s VERY important to note no profits are promised to you for your music being a part of the Fight 4 Your Life Soundtrack.  one studios is not paying you for your music or your music production services.  We will not be obligated to pay you any sort of minimal fee for your music being on the Fight 4 Your Life Soundtrack.  If we make money by way of sales, marketing/advertisement, etc. from the soundtrack then you get paid!  If we don’t make anything from the soundtrack, well, we have nothing to give.  So, we’ll need your help to keep pumping the soundtrack and film out to the world for people to hear and see.  But don’t worry, we’re going to be hard at it with an intelligent mindset and are very confident some awesome things will happen with this soundtrack.

Regardless of any sort of money, you will still gain exposure.  And no matter what you will still hold the creative rights to your music.  So, please be clear on that.  It’s not like you will be giving up your baby.  YOUR MUSIC WILL STILL BE YOURS to do whatever you want with it.  Think of this soundtrack as basically a FREE way to get YOUR MUSIC HEARD and possibly make some cash.  Plus, you’ll be an official part of a great project.  What’s wrong with that?  NOTHING!!!

We have a strong belief sales will be present.  We will be doing all we can to make this soundtrack fly high!  But we will not be making any false promises of grandeur.  We hope you appreciate our honesty.  Now, let’s build a trusting relationship guys and gals.  You won’t be disappointed!

 

  • Music that makes up the F4YL soundtrack will likely be heard in the film, but this is not guaranteed.  All artists that make up the soundtrack will be named in the soundtrack and have their track(s) on the soundtrack.  But not all songs on the soundtrack will be used in the film.  Artists that will have their song(s) in the film will be notified of such.   All songs that make up the soundtrack will be listed in the film’s end credits, along with the artists/creators of the music.

 

  • Each entry will be reviewed, respected and considered by the one studios crew.  We thank you for your hard work and putting yourself and your art on the line for Fight 4 Your Life!  Only so many can make the soundtrack though.  So, give us your best and good luck!

 

Thanks for your time everyone. We can’t wait to hear your awesome music!

JOIN THE FIGHT!

 

– The one studios crew