The competition is open to all aspiring performance artists, video-makers and photographers from roughly 50 miles radius of Findhorn in Moray, and aged over 16 (no upper age limit!). It is important that the chosen acts are able to come to the Universal Hall in Findhorn, not only for the final performance but also for the technical rehearsals. Hence  the reason behind the geographical limit – we want performers who are within an easy day of travel to the Universal Hall (there and back).

Those wanting to get involved simply need to film an audition-style performance/showpiece of up to 3 minutes length and submit it by uploading to YouTube and emailing the url link of your video to showofferup@gmail.com. You can also use this email for enquires or questions. (Please note that this competition is not sponsored, endorsed, affiliated with or administered by YouTube.)

The competition is open from 15th Feb 2021 – 15th March 2021. Winners will be selected by the judging panel. We are looking for performances that are creative, unique and showcase your talents and will make an impact as part of a bigger show.

Performances can be in any form; from music and dance, to physical theatre, comedy, acting and mime. In addition, we are looking for photography entries in the form of a slide show with soundtrack, and creative video entries from video-makers. Again the maximum length is 3 minutes.

Chosen winners will be notified by Fri 19th March via the email address you use to submit. Winning entries will each receive mentoring from a professional artist and be encouraged to create a brand-new piece for inclusion in a live stage show. Due to the uncertainty of the Covid situation, the live stage show may have to be delayed until Covid restrictions are lifted. In this case the promoter will consider a streamed show available by online subscription. However, a live show will be staged as soon as possible after that. Video makers and photographers please note: the Universal Hall is well equipped for multi-media shows and we will mix in your work with the live performances using our cinema size screen.

poster photo: Dominik Kielbasa

How to enter

1: What are you going to present on your video?

From music, dance, theatre, mime, comedy, poetry and acting, you can choose any type of artistic performance that will best show off your talents. Just remember your performance can’t be longer than three minutes but can be less. Photographers and video makers will have the same three-minute constraint, but the quality of the video and images will be judged as your entry (and you do not have to appear in the content). However, for performers who are featured in their own video (singers, bands, actors, dancers etc), the technical quality of the video isn’t so important so long as judges can get a clear idea of your work. Musicians and singers are advised to use a microphone separate from their recording device to give better quality audio, but performers are not going to be judged on technical quality of the video. Bands – please remember that your entry may be part of a more complex show so your sound mix needs to be simple to set up in advance – you may need to strip down your sound into the basics.

2: How to shoot it?

Think about where to shoot your content. Consider using interesting locations to form your backdrop and add a style and flair to your performance. Please observe Covid rules as they apply and film with masks and social distancing or with members of your own household or extended household. A simple method would be to film on a phone or tablet (and remember you can get attachments to mount your phone on a tripod). More sophisticated methods using video cameras with separate microphones will help if you have access and know how to use them. What is more important though (with the exception of video makers and photographers) is to give a fresh and lively performance no matter how you record it. There are a number of helpful videos available with tips on how to create your video. We like these:

How to create youtube channel on a computer
 
How to create youtube channel if you only have a phone.
 
How to film on Android phone
 
How to film on iphone
 
3: Music and Video Material

If your performance includes music, please compose your own soundtrack or use royalty free music to set your performance to and enhance your entry.  

Please do not use a commercial or copyrighted track, there are plenty of royalty-free online music libraries for you to choose from, giving you access to a wide variety of genres – some example sites include:

When using video material please use only original footage shot by you (no mash-ups!)

4: Share it

Upload your entry video on YouTube and then email the url link to the video to showofferup@gmail.com for your chance to win. Remember the competition is open between 15th Feb 2021 – 15th March 2021.

This contest is supported by Creative Scotland:

 

 

 

Meet the Mentors

Hi, my name is Tim Flood. I have been making films for over two decades. I also teach filmmaking and film analysis and you can find out about the work that I do here. I would be delighted to work with anyone who is interested in moving images. That includes drama, documentary, self-portrait, artistic visual interpretation, animation (both PC based and stop-motion) and music videos. I love film. My favourite directors are David Lynch and Nic Roeg. That fact may inform you that I like my films like ska music – off beat! I do a lot of editing and have been instrumental in setting up Moving Picts. Somehow, we recently completed a film in lockdown which we will shortly enter into competitions. Good luck in your application to Show Off.

Heather Hatch is a renowned singer, performer, teacher and joy bringer, with raging pink hair and the voice of an angel that’s got some real deep psychedelic soul!  Heather has a degree in drama from Northumbria University and has worked in theatre for many years. She teaches drama and LAMDA exams at Inverness Stagecoach Theatre. She also teaches singing lessons and has a local youth group called ‘Rising Stars’.  Heather has sung in many acapella groups, including ‘Too Many Kooks’ which appeared on the BBC’s Choir show ‘The Best in Britain’, with Gareth Malone. She continues to teach and inspire our youngsters in Moray and the Highlands, using her incredible gift to raise their voices, their confidence and discover their extraordinary talents. “As your Mentor I will help you to develop your skills through a variety of exercises that will maximise your performance. I will also share my knowledge in the hope that it inspires your creativity and enhances your confidence.”

Hi! I am Laura Pasetti, a theatre director, dramaturg and acting coach working in the theatrical field for the last 30 years. I run a theatre company based in Edinburgh called Charioteer Theatre, specialising in work for 13+ and cross-cultural projects with artists of different nationalities:  I have been teaching professional actors at the National Theatre of Italy for 10 years and I run regular workshops and courses for professional and non professional performing artists both in the UK and in Italy. In the last 3 years I have re-located to Moray and developed several pieces of work combining theatre and nature. I love driving the van on tour, writing monologues, and giraffes, not necessarily in this order, but my deep main passion is helping others to explore their artistic talents.

I’m Mark Richards and I am a professional photographer or ‘ffotographer’, as I hail from wild west Wales. Having worked in commercial photography, mainly in advertising, PR, tourism, industrial, marine and construction progress, I think I’ve covered most areas open to me. Now I have returned to my first love of documentary, capturing community events and local artists at work. Hopefully I have enough experience and skills in the craft to guide any enthusiastic image makers to hone their work successfully. So looking forward to working with anyone who has the energy and inspiration to create imagery that tells their story, shares their truth, the way they see the world….. You can visit my website here and my local imaging FaceBook page is here.

Tom Richardson is a guitarist and composer. He is the recipient of 2 Danny Awards at ‘Celtic Connections’ and has also composed two New Voices commissions for the same festival. Tom has toured and recorded with the Phamie Gow band performing with them in Scotland, Spain and Italy. He has played on Radio Scotland’s Travelling Folk and Global Gathering shows and has also performed at the Lorient International music festival in France. Tom has three books of self penned fiddle tunes published and has recently recorded his first solo album called ‘Beatrice by the Spey’.

 

 

Full competition T&Cs can be found below:

Terms and Conditions: Show Off Competition

By entering this competition described below (the “Competition”) you (the “Participant”) agree to be bound by these terms and conditions (the “Terms and Conditions”). Any information or instructions published by the Promoter about the Competition form part of these Terms and Conditions.

The Promoter:

1.The Promoter of this Competition is Universal Hall Promotions, The Park, Findhorn, Moray IV36 3TZ.

Eligibility:

  1. The Competition is open to residents aged 16 and over who live within 50 miles of Findhorn.
  2. Employees or agents of the Promoter or their families or households or anyone professionally connected to this Competition are not eligible to enter.
  3. No purchase is necessary to enter.

Competition Period:

  1. The Competition will open on 15th Feb 2021 and close on 15th March 2021(“the Competition Period”).

Prize:

  1. Winners will be chosen for mentoring from a team of professional artists and will then create a new work intended as part of a live theatre show.
  2. The Promoter reserves all rights to disqualify Participants if their conduct or content is defamatory, offensive or contrary to the spirit or intention of the prize competition.

Entry:

  1. To enter, Participants must post a film of their own original work and composition of up to 3 minutes length via a YouTube video in order to showcase their artistic talent (e.g., dance, dramatic performance or singing). The url link to the video must then be sent by email to showofferup@gmail.com. Entries may be shot on any device. Participants must be available after the middle of March for professional mentoring (by Zoom, if restrictions are still in place – in person if not).
  2. Each Participant may submit a maximum of one (1) video entry. If multiple entries are received, all additional entries will be disregarded.
  3. The criteria for determining chosen entries is:  artistic performance, with an emphasis on creativity, uniqueness, and talent (the “Winning Criteria”). For photographers and video makers the artistic and technical quality of submitted pieces will be the criteria.
  4. Any text, videos, images or any other content (the “Content”) which are submitted by the Participant as part of the Entry must adhere strictly to the following content guidelines (the “Content Guidelines”) for the Competition:
    1. The Content must not display the image or likeness of any person or any information about any person unless the Participant has obtained that person’s permission.
    2. The Content must not display any cruelty to any animal or person.
    3. The Content must not infringe any third-party intellectual property (including music copyright).
    4. The Content must not infringe the rights of or be defamatory or libellous about any person.
    5. The Content must be suitable for a person of any age to view and must fully comply with the law and all regulations.
    6. The Content must not contain or display any words or images which are considered, at the Promoter’s sole discretion, to be offensive, sexually explicit, rude, disparaging or otherwise inappropriate.
  5. FOR SAFETY REASONS it is important that Participants do not include or reveal any personal information (e.g. name, contact details, etc.) in any video. These can be included in the email at your discretion. The promoter will use the email the video is sent from to contact the winners
  6. Entries containing any Content that does not comply with the Content Guidelines will not be entered into the Competition and the associated submission will be deemed invalid.
  7. Entries that are incomplete or damaged will be deemed invalid. No responsibility is accepted by the Promoter for lost, delayed or damaged data which occurs during any communication or transmission of Entries.
  8. The Promoter reserves the right at its absolute discretion to disqualify Entries which it considers do not comply with these terms and conditions or any Participant who it reasonably believes has interfered with the fair running of this Competition.
  9. The Promoter shall have the right, where necessary, to undertake all such action as is reasonable to protect itself against fraudulent or invalid claims including, without limitation, to require further verification as to the identity, age, and other relevant details of a Participant.
  10. Entries must be made by the Participant and must not be made through agents or third parties.
  11. Fully completed Entries must be sent to be received no later than the end of the Competition Period. Entries received after the Competition Period will not be eligible for Selection
  12. Following the end of the Competition, Entries will be reviewed and shortlisted by the Promoter team and a panel of professional judges. The panel of judges shall review the Entries to determine the entries which, in the panel of judges’ view, best meet the chosen criteria.
  13. The decision of the judges shall be final. No correspondence or negotiation will be entered into by the Promoter concerning either the decision or the result.
  14. The chosen entries will be notified by Fri 19th March 2021 via the email address used to send the video link.
  15. Winners will have three (3) days from the date of notification to acknowledge their winning status and to agree to the next phase of the project.
  16. Winners names, and their entries will be published in order to show a valid award took place.
  17. In the event a winner is unreachable or fails to permit for content to be reshot in order to claim the Prize in the time required, the winner shall forfeit their Prize and it will be awarded to a substitute winner, selected in accordance with these Terms and Conditions.

Use of the Entries / Content by the Promoter:

  1. The Promoter may, but is not required to, publish Content produced by the winners and any and all Content received by it in connection with this Competition at any time and for any reason on its website www.universalhall.co.uk, across its social media channels including YouTube, newsletter, for internal use, public relations and editorial reporting of the Show Off campaign, and any other media, whether now known or invented in the future, and in connection with any publicity of the Competition.
  2. By submitting your competition entry and any accompanying material, you agree to:
    1. Provide the Promoter with a non-exclusive, irrevocable, worldwide, perpetual, transferable licence to use display, publish, transit, store, re-format and sub-licence your Entry and all your intellectual property rights contained therein for any purpose, including without limitation for promotional use of the competition and to showcase your talent; and
    2. waive all moral rights, in and to your competition entry and otherwise arising in connection with your entry to which you may now or at any time in the future be entitled under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 as amended from time to time and under all similar legislation from time to time in force anywhere in the world.
  3. Each Participant warrants that they are the person who created the Content submitted to this Competition and that all Content adheres to the Content Guidelines. The Participant shall indemnify the Promoter and hold it harmless from and against any losses, damages, liabilities, obligations, claims, actions and demands, including without limitation reasonable legal fees, arising directly or indirectly from any breach of warranty set out in this clause.
  4. The Promoter may stage a live or online show of winning entries and box office takings will be used to subsidise the project. The Promoter is a not-for-profit social enterprise and will not use box office income for any projects outside of this contest. Entrants will not be offered a share of the box office for their entry.

Privacy and Data Protection:

  1. Other than as set out in these Terms and Conditions or for the purposes of operating the Promotion, the details and information provided by the Participant when entering the Competition or claiming the Prize will not be used for any promotional purpose, nor shall they be passed to any third party.
  2. The Participant hereby consents to such personal information being used for this purpose and confirms they agree with the Promoter’s privacy policy available at www.universalhall.co.uk. The Participant may withdraw consent to such use of personal information by writing to the Promoter or by using the opt-out process outlined in the privacy policy.

General:

  1. Insofar as is permitted by law, the Promoter, its agents or distributors will not in any circumstances be responsible or liable to compensate the winner or accept any liability for any loss, damage, personal injury or death occurring as a result of taking part in the competition or taking up the prize except where it is caused by the negligence of the Promoter, its agents or distributors or that of their employees. Your statutory rights are not affected.
  2. The Promoter will not be responsible or liable for:
    1. any failure to receive Entries due to transmission failures and other conditions beyond its reasonable control;
    2. any late, lost, misrouted, or damaged transmissions or entries;
    3. any computer or communications related malfunctions or failures;
    4. any disruptions, losses or damages caused by events beyond the control of the Promoter; or (e) any printing or typographical errors in any materials associated with the Prize Draw.
  3. The Promoter shall not be liable for any interruption to this Prize Draw whether due to force majeure or other factors beyond the Promoter’s control.
  4. Entry into the Competition signifies acceptance of these Terms and Conditions.
  5. The Promoter reserves the right, acting reasonably and in accordance with all relevant legislation and codes of practice, to amend the Terms and Conditions at any time.
  6. This Competition will be governed by Scottish law.