* What is “Music on the Spot” (MotS)?
* How does an artist get selected to perform on MotS?
* Is there a specific selection criteria?
* Do I have to be a songwriter? Can I perform a cover song?
* How do I apply to perform on MotS?
* Is there an age limit to being allowed to perform on the Spot?
* I am a touring musician visiting Newcastle. Can I participate?
* Do I have to sign anything?
* What does that clause mean in the Original Composition release mean?
* What does it mean where the release mentions photos taken on the day and still images?
* What happens if I don’t want to sign the release?
* How much does it cost an artist to perform on a MotS video?
* Do you pay artists to perform on MotS?
* Will MotS make any money from my performance?
* What days & times does MotS record on?
* Can I choose a location that is special to me to shoot the video?
* What happens if there is bad weather at the time of my scheduled video shoot?
* How long does a MotS video shoot take?
* What happens if I ‘stuff up’ my take?
* If I do more than one take, will MotS consider editing the best bits from various takes?
* Will I have a chance to view and pre-approve the video before it goes live online?
* If I am not happy with the final product, can I ask for a re-edit?
* Can I self-distribute / upload the video to my own social media channels?
* What do I need to provide to go with my video?
* Can I promote anything during my video?
* Can I perform more than once on MotS?
* How many audio channels are available when recording live on location with MotS?
* What do I need to bring?
* Will MotS require a list of my equipment, personnel and performance specifications beforehand?
* What video and audio equipment does MotS use?
* I’m a representative of >insert company< and we want to help you out / sponsor you / advertise with you. How can we help out?
* I like what you guys do. Can I hire you do my official music video / photography for my new single for me/my band?
What is “Music on the Spot” (MotS)?
Music on the Spot is a showcase of the immense musical talent that performs within the Newcastle Australia live music scene. It provides opportunities to a diverse range of artists to perform music live on location in our beautiful home town. That’s right, live. No pre-recorded tracks from the studio, but authentic, live performances recorded in one take. Each week we will release a free video on our YouTube channel and be sharing this through social media channels, so be sure to follow us on the platform of your choice (or all of them!).
How does an artist get selected to perform on MotS?
Selection can happen in a number of ways. The process is based on recommendations from other artists (word of mouth), recommendations from consumers of local live music, recommendations from people within the local arts community, expressions of interest via our email form, artists of interest in Newcastle or touring artists visiting our fine city. The selection process is mostly organic although we do encourage expressions of interest.
Is there a specific selection criteria?
Our main criteria is ‘proficiency in one’s art form.’ Genre, gender, ethnicity and age are not factors in our selection process. We encourage diversity in all forms. A good degree of experience and ability in one’s art form is important. This can extend to one’s abilities as a vocalist, instrumentalist, songwriter, percussionist, performer or group / ensemble.
Further to that, the ‘live on location’ scenario will not suit all artists / groups. There are limitations that come with MotS’ guerilla-style, ‘set-up and shoot in the great outdoors’ approach. Our selection process will have to take these limitations into account when selecting artists to perform.
Can I perform a cover song?
Yes. You will be required to sign a different release form compared to if you were performing an original composition. You can view it here. Part of this requires you to provide us with the appropriate licensing information (the Title, Original Artist, the Copyright Owner and/or the Publisher). We will include said information in accordance to requirements when we post the video. You should also note that we are at the mercy of said copyright owner/s and we will abide by any takedown demands.
How do I apply to perform on MotS?
Go to our About/Contact page and fill out the appropriate fields. From there we’ll be in touch. Ideally we would like to see or hear something from you to give us a better understanding of what you do.
Is there an age limit to being allowed to perform on the Spot?
Age is not a factor in our decision on featuring you in a video, but please note that artists under 18 years of age will require the written consent of a parent or guardian.
I am a touring musician visiting Newcastle. Can I participate?
Yes. Please send us an expression of interest.
Do I have to sign anything?
Yes. To participate you will be required to sign a release form which will be sent to you directly before the day of recording. Please have a look at the release here and take note of the details you will require.
We have endeavored to answer any query you may have regarding the release form within these FAQs. So please take the time to read through them before contacting us.
If you have any more questions regarding the release form please do not hesitate to contact us here.
What does it mean in the release form where it says that “I grant a perpetual and irrevocable right for Music on the Spot to publish any video of the performance of this composition, filmed on the date above, and grant them exclusive publishing rights to this video performance for six (6) months.”
Basically, what this means, is that a) you allow us to publish any video that we produce from recording your performance, that b) you cannot request we remove this video at any time in the future after we have published it and it will remain in our archives, and that c) we are the only people allowed to publish this video within the first six months.
What does it mean where the release mentions photos taken on the day and still images?
For promotion, be it through our website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or future social media platforms, or even YouTube thumbnail, we need to use still images. On the day of your recording, we may ask you to pose for a photo or we may take a still image from video footage for said use.
What happens if I don’t want to sign the release?
Unfortunately, the release is non-negotiable. Without the release, we are not able to record your performance nor are we allowed to publish and promote your video.
How much does it cost an artist to perform on a MotS video?
Nothing. There is no fee for being involved. It is all about getting the great music of Newcastle out there for more people to discover. If your song is an original composition, all rights, naturally, remain yours (and the co-writers – if any), and we don’t ask for ownership of anything. All we ask is for permission to record and publish this one, exclusive performance on our website, social media and video channels.
Do you pay artists to perform on MotS?
No. Why? MotS is a passion project designed to promote your music and the music of this city. It is definitely not our intention to offend you and all of your hard work by asking you to perform for free. We hope that by offering you a free, high quality video showcase of your performance (as part of a greater series showcasing the local music community) will demonstrate that our hearts are in the right place and that there is value attached to what we are offering here. We are painfully aware of many operators (venues etc.) that expect you to perform for less than you are worth. We believe that what we have to offer you is significantly more valuable than asking you to perform for a few free drinks and a dinner. That is offensive to us. Many cheap operators use the word ‘exposure’ to exploit your value. Yes, you could say that we are pulling out the old ‘exposure’ card here too. But what we offer is a tangible, legitimate opportunity that we, together with you, can exploit locally, nationally and globally, to your own ends, in perpetuity.
Will MotS make any money from my performance?
The video series as a whole will have sponsorship, partnership and potential advertising deals on our website and Facebook page. Your individual performance has the potential to earn a diminutive amount of youtube advertising revenue which, if any, will go towards covering our day to day operating expenses.
Monetary value from sponsors may come in the form of “in kind” contributions. For example, an established entertainment website may provide MotS with an expanded reach / viewership via their channels in return for advertising on our site.
As demonstrated by our very first and totally awesome sponsor, IC12 Led Light Cube, this wonderful company has generously provided MotS with all of our location lighting needs in exchange for advertising on our website and social media channels. We will actively pursue more awesome partners like IC12 across both the music, arts and videography industries.
Other sponsors may simply wish to pay us for advertising on our website and social media channels.
MotS does have a “long game” when it comes to making money from the series. We intend to use the series as a platform to promote our skill sets to the wider arts community with the aim of creating future professional work and income for us outside of the series itself.
What days & times does MotS record on?
We shoot on weekdays in daylight hours pending light and location. If that doesn’t suit, we have a larger window on Mondays and Tuesdays to shoot in the evening. However we really encourage artists to try their best to schedule within our preferred days & times. But it never hurts to ask.
Can I choose a location that is special to me to shoot the video?
Yes, but with a few conditions. The location must be safe for all involved, including the equipment.
It is important to take a few things into consideration when choosing a location. Is there a lot of ambience noise (eg: traffic)? Will there be a lot of people and distractions around? Will it cost you anything to use the location?
What happens if there is bad weather at the time of my scheduled video shoot?
Being a ‘live on location’ project, postponement due to bad weather will occur from time to time. If we have to postpone due to bad weather, we will work with the artist to re-schedule a suitable time for all concerned.
How long does a MotS video shoot take?
The shoot will normally take less than an hour of your time but it would be safe to allocate the whole hour in case of unforeseen, location issues (e.g. a random garbage truck spoiling a take with it’s squeaky brakes and thumps).
Like us, we expect the artist to bring the best game they can. This will contribute to a smooth and time effective video shoot.
What happens if I ‘stuff up’ my take?
We understand that certain performances may not go according to plan. Therefore we have time provisions to do re-takes (within reason) on the day if you are not happy with a performance. At the end of the shoot we will all decide as a group which take will be the one that proceeds to post-production. We hope that this process will minimise any requests for re-edits later on.
If I do more than one take, will MotS consider editing the best bits from various takes?
No. We are all about keeping it LIVE and in one take. For example, if you perform 2 takes of the song, we will then decide, together with you, which take is the best. The best take will then move on to post-production.
Will I have a chance to view and pre-approve the video before it goes live online?
Yes, of course. As a courtesy to all artists involved in MotS, you will be given a chance to pre-approve the final-cut before your video goes live online. We will first upload the video as ‘private’ so you can view it before going public.
It is important to note that every effort is taken to ensure the best quality presentation of the performance. Like us, we expect the artist to bring the best game they can on the day so together we can produce the best possible outcome.
If I am not happy with the final product, can I ask for a re-edit?
We do expect a certain amount of ‘reason’ when it comes to requests for re-edits. At the end of the day, we are offering artists an opportunity have great footage of their performance, for free. We will not go back to a re-edit without an exceptionally good reason, taking into consideration the communication and care already taken on the day to get the best possible outcome.
Can I self-distribute / upload the video to my own social media channels?
No, not initially. The video is yours to share freely from our YouTube channel (by direct link or embedding). In other words you are free to share it on your website and social media channels but we ask you to share the video link from our channel – we do not allow separate uploads of the performance within the first six months of the video going live online. All of this is outlined in the release form that you are required to sign before the commencement of the video shoot. After a six month period, and upon request, we will lovingly send you a copy of the video file for your own self-distribution and use. Your video will perpetually remain on our website archives – as removing it will throw out previous social posts and website links.
What do I need to provide to go with my video?
You will be required to provide us with a short biography (50 words). If you have anything specific / relevant to promote, such as an upcoming show or release that you would like us to help promote and link to, by all means send it through and we’ll spread the word.
We also encourage you to send us all of your relevant links (your website, social media etc.) for inclusion.
Can I promote anything during my video?
No, but we will gladly include any promotional links to your pages, specific event and/or music retailers in the video descriptions and Facebook posts of your video. Just be sure to let us know, and we’ll include it.
Can I perform more than once on MotS?
Yes! We would like to explore and discover all the musical talent that resides and visits this beautiful city, and will do our best to give as many people a chance to perform, but there will be times where we will have opportunity for you to return.
How many audio channels are available when recording live on location with MotS?
Our digital field recorder has 6 channels. 4 of these channels have phantom power available. There are many creative combinations that 6 channels offer us, from the obvious to the imaginative.
There are enough audio channels to accommodate an accompanying musician or small ensemble with your performance if your song requires an extra instrument or vocal (or both). For example, two guitars and two vocals.
However being on location, all instruments will need to be either acoustic by nature or self-powered. No power outlets will be available. In certain cases, instrument leads (1/4 inch jack plugs) may be used – but we prefer to use our condenser microphones for most recordings. Battery powered amps, keyboards etc. are welcome.
What do I need to bring?
Whatever you require to perform your song – guitars, personnel, a great attitude, batteries if you need to power stuff – the list will be individual in every case. We trust you know what you need to bring.
Will MotS require a list of my equipment, personnel and performance specifications beforehand?
Yes, definitely. To ensure a smooth and time effective shoot you will be required to send us your specs ahead of the day. For example: 1 x Vocal / 2 x Acoustic Guitars / 1 x Self-powered Keyboard
What video and audio equipment does MotS use?
For video we use Canon 5d MkIII and MkII DSLR cameras and lenses with associated accessories and mounts.
For lighting we use an array of IC12 LED Light Cubes with associated mounts.
For audio recording we use a Zoom H6 Digital Handy Recorder along with a selection of Rode, Shure, Zoom and Giant Squid condenser microphones with associated mounts, cabling and connectors.
For audio post production and mixing we use Pro Tools 8.
For video post production we use Final Cut Pro 7.
I’m a representative of >insert company< and we want to help you out / sponsor you / advertise with you. How can we help out?
That is awesome! Please shoot us an email via our contact page and we can discuss things further.
I like what you guys do. Can I hire you do my official music video / photography for my new single for me/my band?
We would love to be of service to you. Get in touch with us and we will be happy to discuss your plans, budget and timeframe.