Vol. 01
A music video-making competition. Any instrument. Your performance at the centre.
About
Play something. Then make it look the way it sounds.
MOO CUTS is built on one idea: a performance becomes something bigger when you give it a visual language.
You play. You conceptualise. You shoot. You edit. You direct.
A guitar riff filmed in your bedroom. A piano piece lit like a film scene. A drum solo shot somewhere nobody expected. Every instrument has a sound. We want to see what it looks like.
Cameras and budgets aren’t the point. A simple idea, done exceptionally well, beats an elaborate production that isn’t.
Your music. Your vision. Your cut.
The challenge
Don’t just record it. Direct it.
Your instrument and your playing are the foundation. The framing, the light, the movement, the edit and the atmosphere are part of the piece too.
It’s a solo competition. You bring it all together:
- Your musical performance
- Your creative concept
- Your footage and cinematography
- Your editing
- Your visual direction
Questions worth asking before you shoot:
- How can visuals lift a performance?
- How can editing change the way a song is felt?
- What would a recognisable look for your instrument be?
There doesn’t need to be a story. There does need to be intent. Abstract and experimental films are welcome, and we reward the unexpected over the safe.
How to enter
Four steps. One cut.
Join the waitlist
Add your name, Instagram handle and instrument. We’ll message you the moment registration opens.
Register and get the brief
Once registration opens, waitlist members hear first. You’ll then receive the official brief and submission guidelines.
Make it
Build your music video around your own performance, on any instrument.
Submit
Send your final entry through the official submission channel and get confirmation that it’s in.
Instagram is where we share the cuts. It isn’t how you enter. Full submission guidelines come with the brief.
How it’s judged
1Instrument performance /20Timing, technique, tone and control.
How tight and in time is the playing? How clean and confident is the technique, and how good does the instrument sound with the player firmly in control of it? This is the biggest slice of the score, and it’s judged against the instrument you chose, so a drummer is never measured against a violinist.
2Aesthetics and visual quality /10Lighting, framing, composition, movement, shot selection.
How the video looks. Is the lighting deliberate, the framing and composition considered, the camera movement and shot choices purposeful? A phone with strong decisions beats an expensive camera used carelessly.
3Editing and execution /10Pacing, sync with the music, transitions, colour, polish.
How it all comes together. Does the cut move with the music, do the transitions and colour feel intentional, and does the final video feel finished and cohesive from first frame to last?
4Creativity and originality /10Video concept, experimentation, unexpected choices, personal style.
What only you would have made. A clear concept, a willingness to experiment, choices nobody saw coming, and a style that’s recognisably yours. No story required: an abstract film can score as high as a narrative one.
* Judged relative to your instrument. Gear doesn’t earn points, choices do. Audio is judged inside Performance and Editing. No story required.
The panel
Different eyes. Different disciplines.
Kaustubh
Guitarist / Filmmaker
@kaus_go_moo1.8K followers
Devwiththestrat
Guitar / Harmonium · Fusion covers
@devwiththestrat14.5K followers
Sanatan Drums
Drummer · Hard rock / nu metal
@sanatan.drums35.8K followers
Dhairya
Guitarist
@dhairya_music34.4K followers
Tejas Joshi
4th Generation Tabla Player
@tejass.musicc88.8K followersMusic is one part of a great music video. So the panel isn’t only musicians. Each judge looks through a different lens, and together they see the whole cut.
The panel is being finalised. Names will be announced here and on Instagram.
Made to be seen
Judged live. Watch it happen.
MOO CUTS is meant to be watched, not just entered. Judging takes place live on Discord and YouTube, so you can follow the entries and the panel as it happens.
Live session dates are announced with the timeline.
Dates
Dates drop here first.
Registration, deadline, judging, results. Each date appears the moment it’s confirmed.
Showcase
The first cuts will appear here. Vol. 01 entries, finalists and winners will be screened on this page.
Questions
Which instruments are allowed?
Any. Guitar, piano, drums, bass, violin, keyboard or something else entirely.
Do I need professional gear?
No. We judge creative intent and execution, not the price of your camera. The competition is for people at every level of equipment and experience.
I’m a musician, not a filmmaker. Can I still enter?
Yes, that’s partly the point. You shoot and edit it yourself, however you like. Phones are fine.
Can I enter as a team?
Not for Vol. 01. It’s a solo competition.
Does my video need a story?
No. Abstract and experimental videos can score highly. It just needs to communicate a clear idea, mood or experience.
How do I enter?
Registration isn’t open yet. Join the waitlist in How to enter and we’ll message you first when it opens. After that you get the brief and submit your final cut through the official channel.
How does judging work?
Judging happens live on Discord and YouTube. Scoring is four categories, 50 points in total.
When’s the deadline?
Announced here and on Instagram with the dates.
Moo Club
The community behind the cuts.
MOO CLUB is a space for musicians, filmmakers, editors, photographers, designers and anyone curious about making things. Share work, find collaborators, learn, experiment. MOO CUTS is its flagship initiative.