For video creators, increasing your exposure is a never ending project. We’ve given you pointers on cultivating a social media following and leveraging email marketing, but if you’re looking to make a splash, winning an award will put you in the spotlight. Since Vydia works with artists from 150 countries around the world, we identified a few competitions that have an international presence and are inclusive of all genres of music and themes of videos. If you’re looking for a new way market your video, consider checking out these approaching competitions:

The International Music Video Underground (Deadline: February 27, 2017)

This Los Angeles-based competition encourages musicians from all around the world to share how they’ve transformed their music into a visual experience. The IMVU stresses that they don’t need your music video to be perfect, signed by a label, or even managed by a production company. All that’s required is effort, creativity, and talent. Before you submit your video, make sure you follow these rules:

• Your work has to be independent.
• Your video must be under 10 minutes (documentaries are not accepted).
• Submission costs for deadlines vary from $20 to $30 USD.

Winners for each category will have their video screened in front of a diverse crowd of professionals in the music and media industries who are all seeking new talent. Even if you don’t win, attending the event will give you the opportunity to network with talent agencies, professionals, and other artists who share your passion for music.

Berlin Music Video Awards (Deadline: March 15, 2017 )

The Berlin MVA is an international contest that allows artists around the world to showcase their music video content for a chance to win 3,000 euros ($3,172.89 USD). Participants have the option to compete in different categories but all video submissions will automatically be considered for the ‘Best Music Video’ category. If you decide to attend the actual festival in Berlin, you’ll be able to engage in one of the primary networking events for the music industry in Europe, collaborate with musicians around the world, and partake in professional workshops. The guidelines for the music video competition are as follows:

• The video must have been completed on or after January 1, 2016
• Music videos can’t be longer than 8 minutes.
• Music videos should not contain any [written] production credits at the end of the video (i.e. credit roll).
• Participants submitting videos into the festival must possess all necessary permissions/ rights to submit their video.
• 20 euros ($21.17 USD)  per category submission

Review the general rules and follow the step by step sign up procedure here.

Austin Music Video Festival (Deadline: May 11, 2017)

The Austin Music Video Festival is hosting an open call for music videos around the world, giving artists the chance to win cash prizes, awards, and even the opportunity to showcase their work on the big screens of the Austin Festival this September! The requirements are as follows:

• Video can be any length from any year
• Participants can submit multiple videos for a category
• Winners must be present or send a representative to receive their award
• Regular deadline submission cost varies from $30 to $35 USD

To review specific prizes, different deadlines, or the extensive list of categories, visit the AMVF submission page.

The Ibiza Music Video Festival (Deadline: August 18th, 2017)

The Ibiza Music Video Festival is a global competition and awards ceremony that honors music video production. Although the IMVF focuses less on the musical composition of your music video and more on the production value, this beneficial opportunity gives you the chance to boast your video’s creative concepts, scene designs, or visual effects among a variety of other award categories. This is what you should know about the event:

• Nominees for each award will be notified but the final award presentation will take place in Ibiza.
• Your music video should be less than 5 minutes long
• Submission Cost is 15 euros ($15.89 USD)

Before you submit your video, quickly review these 6 tips to ensure that your production follows the fundamental guidelines that can help your video contend with the competition. By employing our advice and mastering your video production you can increase your chances of winning an award, including one of the latest professional Sony camcorders and other Sony equipment that will aid you in producing your next music video. Aside from the competitive aspect of the festival, IMVF also offers a two-day event which includes guest speaker seminars, Q&A sessions, and video production workshops. For more information on the Ibiza Music Video Festival check out their quick YouTube video, Facebook page, or sign up on their website.

As you’re considering which video(s) to submit to these contests, remember that you can use the Vydia platform to easily manage your video content, compare and contrast the statistics of each one, and determine which ones have performed best to optimize your chances of winning. Think of these contests not only as a chance to win money or prizes but also as a way to strengthen your reputation and market yourself to a completely new audience. Let’s work together to get your best material out to the judges!