Skip to main content
No Film School
Login
No Film School
  • Popular
    • 1. 10 Essential Directing Lessons From Legendary Filmmaker Akira Kurosawa +4,890 views
    • 2. Is Open Source the Future? These Amazing Filmmaking Tools Say Yes +1,933 views
    • 3. Why Ben Affleck Won't Direct Anything for James Gunn’s DCEU +920 views
    • 4. Can't Find a Real Location? Film on an AI Background Instead +6,357 views
    • 5. The State of the Entertainment Industry Explained by the WGA +800 views
  • Topics
    • Newest in Screenwriting Did the WGA Really Authorize AI to Write Screenplays?
    • Newest in Directing Advice That Ben Affleck Recommends Filmmakers Don’t Take
    • Newest in Distribution & Marketing Are True Sequels Dead? The Answer Is Complicated
    • Newest in Movies & TV The Rock’s Ambitions with ‘Black Adam’ Backfired on Him and DC
    • Newest in Marketplace & Deals Apple Silicon M2 Is a Power House—Don’t Let These 3 Options Slip Past
  • Grants, Contests, & Awards

The Musicbed Challenge Returns to Empowering the Creative Community

  •   Shares
Credit: Musicbed
By Sponsored Content
March 1, 2023
Ready for your next creative breakthrough? The Musicbed Challenge is here to offer creatives $100K in grants and gear.

If you’ve never heard of Musicbed, then you either know what a TPS report is or live under a rock. 

For the latter, we welcome you back to civilization with some news to get your creative juices (and careers) flowing with inspiration from the filmmaking industry’s premium music licensing platform.

The Musicbed Challenge, an annual short-film competition, is now open once again to give creatives an opportunity to show off their talent. But this year will be one to remember. 

Create, Compete, Celebrate

Beginning today, March 1st, 2023, filmmakers will have 30 days to create a film using music from a pre-selected Musicbed playlist that fits into one of three categories: Narrative, Spec Ad, or Documentary. Do you have a film that you've been dying to make? This is your sign to go out and make it.

You can get the starter kit right now, or read on to see who will judge this year's competition and what you can win.

The Musicbed Challenge 2023 awards
Credit: Musicbed

For each category, the top winners will receive a $10K grant and the tools necessary to succeed on their next project. Awards will be given for Best Narrative, Best Spec Ad, and Best Documentary. 

CATEGORY WINNER RECEIVES

  • A $10,000 Grant
  • Freefly Camera
    • Narrative/Documentary: Wave Freefly Camera
    • Spec-ad: Ember Freefly Camera
  • BOOM ONE Annual Subscription
  • Assemble Annual Subscription
  • ACIDBITE Complete Acid Collection
  • AbelCine $1K in Certifications
  • Small HD $500 Credit
  • Teradek $500 Credit
  • Wooden Camera $500 Credit
  • Musicbed $500 License Credit
  • Filmsupply $500 License Credit

But as with all art, the people will also have a say! A People’s Choice winner will also be selected from the submissions.

PEOPLE’S CHOICE WINNER RECEIVES

  •     BOOM ONE Annual Subscription
  •     Assemble Annual Subscription
  •     ACIDBITE Complete Acid Collection
  •     AbelCine $1K in Certifications
  •     Musicbed $500 License Credit
  •     Filmsupply $500 License Credit

Industry-Leading Judges

This year, filmmakers will have to focus on not only creativity and craft but storytelling and song. And impressing these judges won’t be an easy task. 

Musicbed Challenge 2023 Judges
Some of the Judges for this year's competitionCredit: Musicbed

These creatives have spearheaded projects like Avatar and Black Bird, as well as commercials for Apple and Nike, making them some of the most innovative directors, cinematographers, executives, and reps in the industry.

2023 MUSICBED CHALLENGE JUDGES

  • Rob Legato, ASC
    • VFX Supervisor/Director of Photography—Titanic, Avatar, The Jungle Book, Hugo
  • Rayka Zehtabchi
    • Director—Period, A Woman’s Place
  • Donnie Bauer
    • Director/Creative Director—Starbucks, AT&T, McDonald’s
  • Natalie Kingston
    • Cinematographer—Black Bird, The Wolf of Snow Hollow
  • Camila Cornelsen
    • Director/Cinematographer—Nike, Taco Bell, Apple
  • Aisha Jamal
    • Documentary Filmmaker/Film Programmer—How We Die, A Kandahar Away
  • Lloyd Lee Choi 
    • Director—Closing Dynasty, Google, Chevy
  • Marley Hansen
    • Directors Representative
  • Rand Getlin
    • Director/Executive Producer—Nike, Adidas, EA FIFA
  • Tamer Shaaban
    • Director—Microsoft, Audi, Dove
  • Samantha Stamler
    • Executive Producer—CNN, ABC, Fuse, CBS, The Brave
  • Dumas Haddad
    • Director—Fathers, Flowers, The Gift
  • Sam Davis
    • Cinematographer—Yoruga, A Woman's Place, Long Line of Ladies
  • Victor Velasco
    • Writer/Director—2022 Narrative Winner
  • Melle Branson
    • Director—2022 Spec-ad Winner
  • Jiakai Lou
    • Filmmaker—2022 Documentary Winner

Empowering the Creative Community

The creative community is all about giving. We create not only entertainment but stories that bring us all together. Giving back to this community so that it may continue to flourish is fundamental to the growth of our medium, which is why The Musicbed Challenge is such a unique event. Filmmakers are asked to think on their feet and create from the heart while also receiving the tools they need to succeed in the future. 

So what are you waiting for? Your next creative breakthrough could be around the bend. Get the starter kit right now and prepare to make the project that will change your life. 

2023 submissions for The Musicbed Challenge open today, March 1st, and close on March 31st, 2023. Finalists will be published on the Musicbed Challenge website, and voting for People’s Choice will run from April 11 until April 21. All category winners will be announced on April 28.

Last year’s challenge received over 900 submissions and brought about some of the coolest projects we’ve ever seen. Will you be one of these projects come next April?     

musicbed
Musicbed Challenge
short film competition
narrative
spec ads
documentary

You Might Also Like

Movies & TV
Is Open Source the Future? These Amazing Filmmaking Tools Say Yes
Directing
10 Essential Directing Lessons From Legendary Filmmaker Akira Kurosawa
Movies & TV
What Are Steven Spielberg's Favorite Movies?

Read More

Directing
Everything you need to know about Tarantino's final film 'The Movie Critic'

Everything We Know About Quentin Tarantino’s Final Film, ‘The Movie Critic’

Cinematography & Cameras
How to shoot on AI generated backdrops

Can't Find a Real Location? Film on an AI Background Instead

Screenwriting
Read and Download the 'Everything Everywhere All At Once' screenplay pdf

Read and Download the 'Everything Everywhere All At Once' Screenplay PDF

More inGrants, Contests, & Awards

Daniels and Paul Rogers breakdown their work on 'EEAAO'

Oscar-Winning Daniels and Paul Rogers on 'Everything Everywhere All At Once'

The Women Write Now fellowship gives advice to young women of color writers in film and TV

Women Write Now Fellows Dish on the Art of Comedy

Your Comment

How to Make Money as a Cinematographer

How to Make Money as a Cinematographer

Take your career — and your day rate — to the next level. How to Make Money as a Cinematographer is a new in-depth online course from No Film School, available now. Watch the Trailer Here!

No Film School

  • About
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Community Guidelines
  • Terms
  • Privacy
  • DMCA Takedown Notice

Sections

  • Gear Guides
  • Podcasts
  • Popular
  • Topics
  • Pitch to us
  • Boards

Follow NFS

  • circle Facebook
  • circle Twitter
  • circle YouTube
  • circle RSS
© 2023 NONETWORK, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
No Film School