EDIT: Due to circumstances, the new deadline for this contest has been pushed back to November 28, 2008.

Prompt

Gather up your things! It is time to make it big or go home. For this contest, you will take the reigns as a soundtrack composer to make the soundtrack to a short movie clip. Your prompt is as follows



August 14, 2008

In regards to: “Garden of Sinners” Soundtrack Composer

CERTIFIED MAIL


Mr./Mrs. Composer
999 Strawberry Drive
P.O. BOX 123 Nowhere, PA 15210

Dear Sir or Madam:

We have noticed that you have expressed an interest in our soundtrack position. There has been a number of applicants for this position, but we only have one to fill. To ensure that we obtain the best staff for this project, we are requesting a sample of your work in action.

Enclosed is a short clip from one of our parent company’s latest production entitled “Garden of Sinners”. We want you to submit a sample of your composing abilities synced to the clip. Please be sure that the music lines up with the video. Also, make certain that the music is not overpowering during times when dialog takes place between the characters. Please only submit your final product in the form of an MP3 or MIDI file. Feel free to exercise your own creative talents in scoring and instrumentation choice.

Submissions will be accepted up to November 28, 2008 and no later so please be timely in submitting your work. For organizational purposes, we will only be accepting your first submission, so be certain that you have edited it to your own standard. Each entry will be both reviewed by our board of trustees and by fans online, and a final decision will be reached by these two groups on who will receive the position. Good luck and happy composing!

Ichigo's Animation Studios

Here is the video you should compose to... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTh4EJwinTg
The movie clip is available for download here... http://www.zshare.net/video/17182715e82ad1f3/


Guidelines


Submit your work as an MP3 or MIDI file
Watch the volume in places where there appears to be dialog
You may only submit ONCE to the competition
You must submit your entry no later than November 28, 2008
Make sure that your music is telling the story (AKA the music follows events that are in the movie clip)
Submit your entry in this thread
The work the entrant submits must reflect the work of the entirety of the entrant
In the words of Noir7, "anything else thought of later..." :lol:


Scoring


Public Poll Voting

A new thread will be opened once the submission deadline has passed and a public poll to decide the winner will accompany the new thread. Each place in this will receive a specified number of points. Every member of Ichigo's forum will have the opportunity to vote and may only vote once. Each entrant will NOT be allowed to vote for themselves.

Judge Voting

Three judges have already been selected and will remain anonymous.The information for this section of voting is forthcoming, but the judges should come to some kind of consensus of a place order and points will be awarded for each place.

The two scores will be averaged out to determine the winner. In case this results in a tie for first place, a new public poll will be opened to vote between the tied entries. The entry with the highest number of votes in this case will be declared the winner.

The Prize

The prize for coming in first place is to have the winning composition featured on the main website. http://www.ichigos.com/contests


Good Luck to all who participate! ^_^

Awesome, I'm looking forward to this! >:-D

Is there a way for me to download the video? It would make it easier to sync with music if I had the video file readily available.

Is there a way for me to download the video? It would make it easier to sync with music if I had the video file readily available.

Same here.

What they said.

EDIT: Oops! Sorry, wrong format. Use the link HollowRiku posted. I'll update the link in all other posts.

http://www.zshare.net/video/17182715e82ad1f3/


There. :P

For anyone who wants the video in AVI: http://www.zshare.net/video/17182715e82ad1f3/

Bye~ :3

I hope many people participate! Will be interesting to see the different ideas people will have for the same clip.

Apart of the mp3/midi, can we submit a youtube link with the music and the clip already synchronized?

No. MP3 or MIDI only.

For anyone who wants the video in AVI: http://www.zshare.net/video/17182715e82ad1f3/

Bye~ :3

What on earth? That link is identical to PorcheGTIII's...

What on earth? That link is identical to PorcheGTIII's...

Well, he obviously edited his post to change his link, which provided the video in flv format xD

Oh, duh, I feel dumb. I saw it when he posted it before, and so I didn't pay attention to his edit note :P.

okay, making sure here... when the judges listen to the soundtrack, do they start it at
a) the beginning of the video
b) the "Begin music sync on mark" screen
c) the "Pictures Start" screen
d) after the beep (the 2)

Nice, some KnK footage heh - This ought to be an yield some interesting results, though the length might be somewhat of a hurdle for short-breathed composers (like myself :P). But a bit more concerning is the emphasis on leaving room for the voices, when there's no actual reference in the given video. I know vocal extraction is probably not a practical option, but I certainly hope this aspect won't be judged too harshly. Similarly, the lack of sound effects might make it harder to sync up the music for those dramatic hits, but this is probably less of a concern if the composer chooses a more passive interpretation.

Also, we are able to use some more soundscapish/experimental effects elements within the score, right? The art style and direction would certainly ompliment such, in my opinion.

I wanted to ask if are we allowed to use sound effects? (I mean effects like steps, wind, etc and effects that interact with the music too). And I want to ask too if the piece will be just judge as background music or will be also judge as a stand alone piece?

okay, making sure here... when the judges listen to the soundtrack, do they start it at
a) the beginning of the video
b) the "Begin music sync on mark" screen
c) the "Pictures Start" screen
d) after the beep (the 2)

Where the animation begins.


Nice, some KnK footage heh - This ought to be an yield some interesting results, though the length might be somewhat of a hurdle for short-breathed composers (like myself :P). But a bit more concerning is the emphasis on leaving room for the voices, when there's no actual reference in the given video. I know vocal extraction is probably not a practical option, but I certainly hope this aspect won't be judged too harshly. Similarly, the lack of sound effects might make it harder to sync up the music for those dramatic hits, but this is probably less of a concern if the composer chooses a more passive interpretation.

Also, we are able to use some more soundscapish/experimental effects elements within the score, right? The art style and direction would certainly ompliment such, in my opinion.

1. Of course the vocal aspect won't be judged harshly. You don't have that audio to work with. I would frown though if you have an epic fanfare where you can blatantly see a mouth moving somewhere in the footage that could be someone talking.

2. Yes, use any sounds you can think of if you like.


I wanted to ask if are we allowed to use sound effects? (I mean effects like steps, wind, etc and effects that interact with the music too). And I want to ask too if the piece will be just judge as background music or will be also judge as a stand alone piece?

1. Yes, please feel free to use whatever sounds you wish. Remember any sound or silence can be considered music. I can remember playing a band piece that required a car brake drum. Use your imagination.

2. The piece should be judged on how your piece of music interacts with the movie clip. Sure, background music with cool different sounds is neat, but it is my personal opinion that if you can write a piece that can also stand alone and accent the movie clip, THAT would be the ideal entry. Again, that's my opinion. How the judges view this may be totally different.

This looks very, very promising-- thanks to everyone who helped put it together. I might participate in this competition, but that same factor comes into play... as it did the past two years for me... the lovely essence of time! XD

Just another question, is the only sound in the video just the beep in the beginning? I want to make sure, JUST IN CASE my audio messed up at all. Thanks =)

For me, yes. That is the only sound I hear in the clip.

To submit, we just send in an mp3 or midi. It doesn't have to be with the actual video file, correct?

Right. Rules say only MIDI or MP3 will be excepted.

Right. Rules say only MIDI or MP3 will be excepted.

Thank you

I started college classes again and got hit once again with lots of projects. I hope I won't end doing this in a rush the day before deadline as always happen to me. :<

At least I have sketches done and the structure I am going to follow! No idea about the approach of genre that I will do.

If it really comes down to it, we can extend the deadline to some later date in this year only if there is a great majority of people who are interested in participating but won't make the current deadline. As of now though, the contest is on schedule to end October 10, 2008.

I always make "miracles" in last moments. However there is a long month to go. For those people really busy what they(I) can do is to work by short periods on the days they get free time. So, slowly will have the track ready. Otherwise, somewhat I love rushes and deadlines and this is being like working for a client wanting your work on an precise time. Fun. :> But at the same time, "ahh". :<

So when we do finish, we may submit it in this thread, right?

Right.

Isn't five and a half minutes kind...really long for a trailer?
Besides that, really cool idea for a contest. I approve. =D
I imagined up a pretty nice song to go along with the clip while I watched it, but I'm nowhere near skilled enough to actually write it down, so I doubt I'll be entering this contest. Maybe though!

Also, the clip you've chosen seems to be kind of oddly paced for a song...I think the clip is going to greatly favor more mellow "backgroundish" types of music. I don't know if that's a good or a bad thing, but background music has never been very interesting to listen to for me. Maybe with sound effects, the clip has a more fast paced/climactic feel to it, but...

Thanks, but no one asked for your criticism on the clip. The point of it was not to pick an excellent clip, but to pick a clip that would challenge the people writing music for it.

Thanks, but no one asked for your criticism on the clip. The point of it was not to pick an excellent clip, but to pick a clip that would challenge the people writing music for it.
Well yeah, but 5 minutes is still a freaking long score to write when you consider perhaps only a couple of us around here have composed any one piece over 4 minutes in length...


Additional questions from me:
1) Can we get the name of the anime the clip is from?
2) Does the whole thing have to be scored? Will we be penalized if there's silence at times? (like splitting up the clip into two "tracks" rather that one long piece)

1. Not 'til after the contest if you don't know it already.

2. You can have any kind of sound or absence of sound in there you like. Just so it's your own original work and you submit one (1) MP3 OR MIDI file.

Thanks, but no one asked for your criticism on the clip.
Hah, like I care. I'd lead a pretty pathetic life if I only criticized things when people asked me to. And thanks for pointing out the obvious, but I didn't ask for that either.

The point of it was not to pick an excellent clip, but to pick a clip that would challenge the people writing music for it.
Mm, again, I know. Being challenging and being a clip that simply isn't very good to put music to are two different things. Like I already said, the pacing of the clip was very odd. It seems to me that we'll either have a bunch of very weird (read: ugly) songs, or we'll have a bunch of backgroundish tunes that could just kind of fit in with anything you put them with. Neither situation seems ideal to me. = \

Anyway, I still think it's a good contest. Cheers to anyone who enters. =D

I really don't see the clip to be hard to score, nor a bad choice. The clip is long and that give space to the music to flow and to be developed without much problem of have abrupt changes in the music. Also in that clip actually I see it as three events. There is A) Introduction, B) Battle C) Climax. And that can be perfect for have a nice piece. But that will depend of what approach the composer will want to do. And there are three approach the composer can do with the video: 1) Background music 2) Stand alone piece 3) Music video.

Maybe background music would not be so catchy, but it is doing its own purpose which is to interact with the visuals, dialogues and moods happening in a scene/event.

At least this video is not as problematic as would be a shorter one with various events happening constantly and the music having abrupt changes. That is more challenging than one that will stay with an event longer having little or no changes in the moods.

Well yeah, but 5 minutes is still a freaking long score to write when you consider perhaps only a couple of us around here have composed any one piece over 4 minutes in length...

No one said there has to be clear points of movement in the music, or there needs to be a strong theme like you need in listening music. The music could be utter chaos, or it could be the next LSO piece.

All that matters is that the music satisfies the moment.

How is going everybody here with the entry? I have no had time to open my file. Lol -_-"

Same here really - I haven't even had time to go through the whole video, and things don't look to get any less busier. I still hope I can find time for this contest, but the chances of that are dwindling more and moreso.

Would anyone like to make a motion to move the end date of the contest to November 28, 2008?

November it is. Then it gives us marching band people some time

EDIT
5 - For
0 - Against

I second!

I edited my last post. If I get 5 for, then I'll change the date.

Hear Hear. I've got so much shit happening in September it's not funny. (Like meeting Tony Oliver to work in a studio! =O )

November's better. I'l give my hand a try at this... but it's gonna take a while.

Uh, wow, I searched his name(Tony Oliver) And got the surprise he was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Lol. First voice actor from this island that I see that have worked in Animes.

Two more people.

Deadline extension? Hell yes!

Take that silly obstacles! Procrastination has an ally!

One more.

So Yeah.... someone speak up... because I'm about to pull out some cans and whoop some ass >_> ... because slow creative process is SLOW.

Ok, I am the Number five. I would have liked to have the early deadline. But if that will cause various people to not participate, then not much fun. :< Otherwise I am so busy with work after work! So tiring.

That's the five needed votes. The new deadline is...

November 28, 2008

Tomorrow would have been the due date before the date was changed. How is everyone coming along with their entries?

I think "not at all" sums up my progress. =/

Same here - at this rate, it's probably going to end up a rush entry done during Thanksgiving break for me :P.

Same with me, and that is normal with me. And I don't want to miss this. ;)

I have a general idea of what I would write out as music for this clip, but I haven't taken the time to write it down...

4.5 week notice! ^_^

hey, this looks fun...I am thinking of submitting my composition as a movie on youtube, is that ok as well?

No. MP3 or MIDI only.

2 weeks - 2 days 'til D-day.

10 Days. :\

wooo dropping out of the race.

Dude, 10 days is plenty of time. Just do it!

How many people are really going to participate here?

Wow, I was busy with exams when the contest was announced and I'm still busy with exams today. I thought there would be some entries submitted already... last minute entries for everyone I guess.

Hmm...
We have a problem.
We have a contest that has ended with no entries. :-/
Can't really have a contest without entries.
What do people want to do?

42


...oh sorry... Umm...

The same thing we do every night, Pinky.

Perhaps this was too much of an undertaking for this group given school work, other obligations, and just plain laziness. Try again with a less time consuming challenge? *shrug*
*Goes back to working on his septet*

I didn't bother to work it because I did not see people here motivate enough to submit. And I did not want to be the only one competing against... ...no one. >_>

Wait... does that mean if I submit something, I'll win by default regardless of quality? =D

^ I see what you did there.

That would almost be as awesome as that time Rick Astley rick-rolled the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. [/Peter Griffon]

So was the prompt just a little too much or something else?

Feedback people! This is our competition so it can fit our needs.

Personally, for me, I don't have the time or resources to sync the music with the video. I know what to write down for this particular contest (which I have yet to do), but to actually go through playing through the movie itself and Finale at once is something impossible for me to do, considering that my computer is quite slow and the Movie Window will not work with Finale for me; it crashes every time I try to load up a file onto it. On top of that, I would have to sync Finale with the movie itself even if the Movie Window did work.

I'm still interested in entering this contest; I just haven't found the time to do so, and the programs, in my case, not working doesn't help at all.

It's a feature of Sibelius 4 and 5. To synch video with the actual composition (rather your composing with the video). But yes, that's a frakking difficult thing to do.

Ok, so how about we...


Scrap - the requirement that the music must align with the clip
Scrap - that the music must be as long as the clip
Add - Compose something that conveys the general idea of the clip
Add - No length requirement

Hmm...what if everyone got to pick their own anime/game/whatever video to compose for? Just throwing a neat idea out there. XD

Nah, gotta have a single clip to keep things even. Maybe another contest though. ;)

so will there be a new college-friendly deadline for the contest, after said adjustments?

cos I can *bodge together some past ideas into something that works after finals week... may take a few weeks to do tho.

(* - woot Junkyard Wars terminology)

You guys...! This is not how a contest should end up, what happened? If I'd still be a moderator here I would tidy this section up for good!

Honestly, I haven't had time to write any music this semester (save for a few orchestration/arrangment assignments for class), but I'm still interested if you are willing to extend the deadline some more. I actually like the idea of synching with the video, but as some have mentioned it's impossible (or at least rather difficult) for those without the proper software, so I'm up for just relaxing the requirements.

Nah, gotta have a single clip to keep things even. Maybe another contest though. ;)

Oh. I was just saying, because it might be easier for people to compose to something they choose. :P

Ok, so how about we...


Scrap - the requirement that the music must align with the clip
Scrap - that the music must be as long as the clip
Add - Compose something that conveys the general idea of the clip
Add - No length requirement


OK. So lets make these changes and the contest will now end Jan 16, 2009.

EDIT: Oh, wow; teachers have decided to bombard me with homework right before the winter break. :/ I'll try to get something written...

So yeah, when we're given a second chance on this thing my computer fried itself just before Christmas. I've only just got it back, thank God nothing's been lost.

Yup, I'll try to submit something, but it's not anything near what I had planned.

Something is always better than nothing.

10 days of work to go.

Wait, this is a competition you have going...?

Hmm, yes. One where participants are needed.

Wait, this is a competition you have going...?

Yeah, the contest was proposed here... http://forums.ichigos.com/showthread.php?t=12555

...and decided here... http://forums.ichigos.com/showthread.php?t=12579

but people didn't have a chance to write something for the original deadline, so a new one was set.

*notices tomorrow is the deadline*

Did anyone even participate in this? :P

I did a little something. Though i do not expect to win, I only made it for the sh**s and giggles ya know? because i actually made it somewhat reflect the movie clip, making it the same length and suspenseful and all.

Well you won't have much trouble fighting off the competition.

I hope not! and if so that is sad. People should be more active in there forum community! This is the first online forum i have been in, so its all new too me. Anyways i hope at least a few people enter, I am VERY curious to see how people reacted to the clip in there music :O?

I would like to officially say that I've got a piece. I'll submit it later "today" (after I go to sleep XD)

Well, anyone has until the last milliseconds of today in EST to submit an entry. I can only hope there will be enough for a competition. :\

Do we just... post em here? ...or is there an email? .... never done this before >_>

Yeah, i was wondering the same exact thing ::huh: so i was going to wait for someone else to post it first, if thats what you do

Post here.

alrighty... not exactly what I wanted to do, but seeing as how my computer was in the shop all break this is what I managed to accomplish. Pardon my crude volume levels with the MIDI, I just discovered how to control dynamics in Sibelius MIDI @_@ About bloody time!




BigZenigata's Contest Submission::
= STRAIGHT TO HELL =

The few who have nothing to fear
They who are on a Holy mission
To exterminate those who shouldn't be here...
...Straight to Hell.

I hope Aaron come and post his entry, so you will can have a competition, and not win straight for to be the only one. -_^

I left mines getting dust all unfinished... ._.

Let there be competition. Though mine is just an uninspired piece of crap repetitive edm thing. But, you must watch the movie clip with it!

Three hours 'til the official close.

It's kinda sad how about twenty people voted to have this specific contest and only two people actually enter it. :(

I think it was bad timing, but then again you had it moved to this date from like mid november i think

An entire 6 months was bad timing? o.o;;

i guess, but it looks like we're the only entries O.o

Straight to Hell: I think this piece is missing the "fight moment". It have a nice introduction creating the mood but a big part of the piece is based on this that for me it seem to be the build-up for give the start to the battle. At 0:51 it looks like jumped from the build-up to a climax and a conclusion. The material is simple and is working very well and the orchestration also is doing its job very well. But where is the fight event!? Also the ending reminded me to some old American cartoons that close an episode with something like that.


Rut: I did listen to the piece whiles watching the video, and I see you did match your track with the video. However, I think the piece did not transmit what the visual was telling. The introduction was the better one that created an atmosphere connected with the visual. But when the fight started, I found it too "happy" for what was going on in the scenes. Judging by the character's mood, and the atmosphere around, the scenes were screaming for music more serious in character and darker. About the production of the track, well, good job there as always, the mix is nice, the choice of synth, etc. The chords are repeated a lot in the track, but they are chewable and can hold the attention without bother.

Both piece can stand by their own in my opinion, but to fit them with the short clip or transmit the general idea of the clip, I think is not working very well. I also heard in the past the original music by Yuki Kajiura if I am not wrong and I did not find it to be fitting the events so good too. And I am not saying the music was not good, but for the events was not working 100%.

Not too sure if I'm allowed to comment on comments after a contest has ended (or even if this contest is continuing)...


Straight to Hell: I think this piece is missing the "fight moment". It have a nice introduction creating the mood but a big part of the piece is based on this that for me it seem to be the build-up for give the start to the battle. At 0:51 it looks like jumped from the build-up to a climax and a conclusion. The material is simple and is working very well and the orchestration also is doing its job very well. But where is the fight event!? Also the ending reminded me to some old American cartoons that close an episode with something like that.
You're free to interpret the piece as you wish, of course... but for the the moment the viola/bassoon come in is when the fight "starts" for me. It doesn't time up with the clip (as per the new contest rules), but there's a bit of a "intro" setting the motif, then the development of that motif (or rather stacking into a cacaphony) is the intense fight, with the final standoff being the slower section. I can't say whether or not you'll think the way I did on first run-through, but it may help a bit >.>

Thanks for the comment tho, I'll take that into consideration for the next time.


also heard in the past the original music by Yuki Kajiura if I am not wrong and I did not find it to be fitting the events so good too.
I've noticed that with some Anime soundtracks as well... rather than use a piece that seems to follow the action or support it, they go for something in the background that's just... well... out of place.