NEW YORK & PALO ALTO, CA. (Top40 Charts/ Metacafe/ MTV Networks) - MTV Networks Emmy-nominated Virtual Worlds and Metacafe, whose more than 27 million unique viewers each month make it the leading independent video entertainment site,1 are teaming up to give virtual world fans the tools to showcase their creativity and directorial savvy with the first-ever 'MTV's Virtual Worlds Virtual
Music Video Contest (https://www.metacafe.com/virtualworlds).'
Music fans and aspiring directors will get their creative juices flowing as they use audio tracks from some of the hottest up-and-coming bands, video clips and online editing tools � supplied by MTV and Metacafe � to direct and film their own virtual music video (https://www.metacafe.com/virtualworlds) in one of MTV Networks' seven virtual worlds and submit it for the chance to win a Sony Vegas Pro 8 professional video/audio editing and DVD creation software package. In addition to submitting music videos, fans can go to the MTV's Virtual Worlds channel on Metacafe to check out and vote for their favorites.
Featured artists and songs include: Saves the Day � 'Can't Stay the Same,' A Cursive Memory � 'Everything,' Dannel Vonn Dillon � 'Worn and of Plastic,' Dr. Manhattan � 'Big Chomper,' Grayskul � 'Us.'
'Virtual Worlds serve as an untapped incubator for young talent who love music and technology, and their desire to combine those two passions into a professionally developed final product,' said Matt Bostwick, Senior Vice President of Franchise Development for MTV Networks Music & Logo Group. 'Music plays an integral part in our virtual worlds, and we can't think of a better platform than Metacafe to give fans the chance to launch a career based on their virtual life that could one day cross-over to their real life.'
Contest submissions can be uploaded to Metacafe from now until December 4, 2007. Entries will initially be evaluated using Metacafe's VideoRankTM system, which gauges each viewer's reaction to every video and automatically exposes audience favorites. The top 10 finalists will be evaluated by a panel of MTV judges on creativity and originality, technical execution and overall impression. In addition to the grand-prize winner, two first-place winners will receive $2,000 virtual MTV bucks.
'Providing music fans with a fun and easy way to make and distribute their own virtual music video is a great example of the power of online video entertainment,' said Erick Hachenburg, CEO of Metacafe. 'Metacafe is an exceptionally interactive environment, and we're pleased to team with MTV to enable aspiring video creators to bring their vision to life and reach a large and global audience.'
Additional information, sample virtual music videos and complete contest details are available at https://www.metacafe.com/virtualworlds and https://www.vmtv.com.
Music fans in MTV Networks' Virtual Kaya can also put their powers of persuasion to the test this month as they become promoters for six up and coming bands competing in MTV Networks' Virtual Worlds' 'Virtual Kaya Battle of the Bands' contest. Fans will ultimately determine which band and promoter will come out on top by campaigning for their favorite competing band and duke it out with other promoters in promo missions to see who can get the most fans out to their favorite band's party, and vie for a slew of prizes including MTV virtual bucks and bragging rights.
The competing bands include: 'The Hot Toddies' vs. 'Sick of Sarah' (Oct. 24th � Nov. 7th), 'Carmen and Camille' vs. 'Lovers Electric' (Nov. 8th � Nov. 21st), 'Valora' vs. 'Waiting 4 Wyatt' (Nov. 22nd � Dec. 5th).
MTV Networks currently boasts seven virtual worlds, including Virtual Laguna Beach, Virtual Hills, Virtual Pimp My Ride, Virtual Real World, Virtual Newport Harbor, Virtual VMAs and Virtual Kaya. For more information on all of MTV Networks virtual worlds, visit https://www.vmtv.com.
The announcement follows several recent digital highlights and milestones reached across MTV Networks. In September, MTVN attracted nearly 45 million unique visitors in the U.S., and nearly 92 million worldwide, across its online portfolio, according to comScore Media Metrix. The company recently unveiled plans to roll out Flux, a next-generation social media platform that will grow to span the company's young-adult and adult-directed websites and be open across the Internet. MTVN also has announced a development slate of two dozen targeted websites that will bring the company's global website portfolio to more than 300 sites by year's end. In August, the company announced that it will invest more than $500 million over the next two years in the development and distribution of its gaming business, to deeper serve and drive engagement among its core demographic audiences.
