Saatchi & Saatchi has announced a Music Video Challenge with Grammy award-winning American band OK Go. In a unique collaboration, OK Go are inviting young filmmakers to make a video for their brand new track I’m Not Through. The track is a taster from OK Go’s forthcoming fourth album, and the band have taken the unprecedented step of offering filmmakers free access to the track to create a music video for the Music Video Challenge.

The OK Go Saatchi & Saatchi Music Video Challenge 2013 is in partnership with global creative platform Talenthouse, and renowned music video curators BUG, and is the 3rd in a series of successful Saatchi & Saatchi competitions aimed at giving young filmmakers the opportunity to create a video for a high profile musician or band: in 2011 Saatchi & Saatchi collaborated with international recording artist Moby, and in 2012 with the Estate of James Brown, and are thrilled to be partnering with OK Go in 2013.

Known as innovators and admired for their collaborations with visual artists, OK Go are looking forward to uncovering some exciting directorial talents of the future. This is an incredible opportunity to create a groundbreaking piece of work for a global band, and to take the medium of music video to a whole new level. A special note to new directors out there: OK Go won a total of 7 Lions at the 2012 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, including 3 gold and 1 silver Lion for the music video All Is Not Lost, and 2 bronze Lions for the music video Needing/Getting. Needing/Getting debuted during last year’s Super Bowl, and to date has more than 24.5 million hits on YouTube. So, no pressure.

Of all the superlatives ever thrown at OK Go, “world’s most creative band” might fit best. Theirs is a project of the modern age, defined by vision as opposed to boundaries. It starts with a growing canon of infectious songs, and explodes out from there into a million creative endeavors: their videos are art projects that the whole world sees; their live shows are immersive and surprising; their free time is invested in apps and op-eds and a host of other experiments that all fall under fun, ambitious, or just really cool to try.

Damian Kulash of OK Go commented: “I'm really excited to see what people come up with for the Saatchi & Saatchi Music Video Challenge. Clearly, making videos is a pretty big part of our lives, but while we're in the studio finishing our new record, our heads are exclusively focussed on the songs. So, it feels right to let other people into the playroom while we're not using it. It's a good way to encourage people to go forth and make. A great idea is a great idea. You don't need us standing in front of your camera to make a great video.”

A specially chosen judging panel headed up by OK Go’s lead singer Damian Kulash – himself an award-winning film director as well as high profile musician - will comprise members of the Saatchi & Saatchi Worldwide Creative Board and BUG. First, from all eligible submissions received, 10 finalists will be selected by the judging panel, and announced on the Talenthouse site at the end of May.

From the 10 finalists, the judges will select the Grand Prize Winner. The Grand Prize Winner will be invited to a full week at Cannes Lions in June this year, where the winner’s film will be screened and winner announced at the Saatchi & Saatchi New Directors’ Showcase.

There will also be a People’s Choice Winner, based on the highest voted by public vote. The highest voted filmmaker will enjoy promotion and recognition across the Talenthouse site as well as on OK Go’s own website, and will also receive a special gift from the band.

For more details on the competition, and how to enter go to:
http://www.talenthouse.com/saatchi-and-saatchi-ok-go-video-challenge

Amos Prizzey, Founder/President of Talenthouse, said: "OK Go exemplify all that is great about free creative expression while Saatchi & Saatchi are one of the leading creative agency's in the world. At Talenthouse our mission is to help liberate all artists by creating life changing opportunities for the next generation of talent worldwide. With the OK Go /Saatchi & Saatchi Creative Invite a new talent will be discovered and invited to Cannes and introduced to the world. This is an amazing opportunity and Talenthouse is proud to be a part of it.”

Tom Eslinger, Saatchi & Saatchi Worldwide Digital Creative Director added: “I met Damian when I chaired YouTube’s Branded Content panel at Cannes Lions last year, and have been looking for an opportunity to work with Damian and OK Go ever since. Working with OK Go gives the Music Video Challenge a fresh direction: we’ve got a great new song from an innovative band who are inspiring creative people all over the world. Add in a creative platform and lovely bunch of folks over at Talenthouse. Then, on top of that, Damian and the band are involved in the process and selection at a level we’ve not had before. It makes my head hurt in a good way thinking about the results.”