NEW: Video auditions are closed; thank you for entering!
This year we’re holding the first-ever audition for TED Talks. It will take place in New York in front of a live audience made up of TED staff and members of the TED community. The audition will be recorded, and the best talks could either be posted on TED.com or win an invitation for a full-on mainstage presentation at TED2012 in California early next year. Make a one-minute video to qualify for this audition. Video deadline is April 25, 2011.
We’re holding this audition to give a chance to the undiscovered talent we know is out there — and especially talent that can help us continue to reinvent the ancient art of the spoken word. At TED2012, our whole theme will be devoted to this. We’re calling it “Full Spectrum” — the rich use of technologies, formats and styles to make an impact on an audience. And that’s what we’ll be looking for in this audition.
Imagine:
– a ‘slide-blizzard,’ a presentation containing more images than words
– a talk accompanied by an imaginative soundtrack
– a talk given in front of a custom-animated movie
– clever ‘choreography’ between a speaker’s words and what we see on-screen
– improv / audience interaction
– intense campfire-style storytelling
– a brilliant performance (music, spoken-word, dance … surprise us!)
– a rant delivered at blitzkrieg pace, an intelligent comic routine, a mystery
– a remarkable new invention
– or… just an amazingly good classic TED talk with an ingenious ‘idea worth spreading’
We’d like to test some of these presentation formats and get exposed to any other innovations that may be lurking out there in how to impact an audience.
(Please note, if you submit a standard pitch for a company, concept or cause, you have zero chance of being picked.)
If you’d like to try your hand, here’s what you need to do:
1. Create a one-minute video to indicate your idea for a Full Spectrum presentation, using any of the above techniques or something brand-new. Tell us what you’ll talk about, and then show us how you’ll do it in Full Spectrum style. We’re looking for powerful presentation ideas — the video itself doesn’t need to be polished, it’s only for our internal review. It just needs to give us a sense of you and demonstrate that your presentation could have impact.
2. Upload your video to YouTube or Vimeo.
3. Then fill out this online entry form and give us your details, including a link to the video. IMPORTANT: Forms are due April 25, 2011, at 11:59pm Eastern time.
A judging panel will select the most compelling presentation ideas from your video submissions. We’ll invite those finalists to audition their Full Spectrum talks live at in New York on May 24, in front of the TED curation team and an invited audience. The actual audition itself will range from 3 to 6 minutes, so you’ll need to pick a subject that can be managed in that time frame.
We’re excited to see what you have to offer!
Important dates:
Deadline for submitting your one-minute video and online entry form: Monday, April 25, 2011, at 11:59pm Eastern time.
Finalists will be contacted by Monday, May 9, 2011.
Finalists are responsible for their own travel to New York and accomodation.
Finalist presentations in New York: Tuesday, May 24, 2011, in the evening. More details TBD.
TED2012: Full Spectrum happens February 27-March 2, 2012, in California.
Questions? Write to fullspectrum@ted.com, or post to the Full Spectrum open thread on TED Conversations.
NEW: Read our FAQ >>
— The TED team
Comments (57)
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David Pennington commented on Apr 18 2011
In theory, great idea. But wouldn’t we rather have ingenious ideas and empowering projects presented, rather than a flashy presentation that would wow anyone?
I like TED because it would bring to the stage the passionate projects and research people had been working on for ages. Projects they worked on because they knew they had to be done, not because they wanted to show off and rub elbows with people at TED. The idea of this network is to promote “ideas worth spreading”, an idea worth spreading shouldn’t need an audition. The idea and the outcome of the idea should speak for itself.
If I wanted to watch a bunch of videos of people presenting their random ideas I’d spend more time on YouTube.
jason recino commented on Aug 11 2012
where do all the projects start from, ideas. and there are many people who have wonderfull ideas but no were to start from. whether be funding, knowing the right people, ext… these awedetions i think are a great idea. you dont have to be a genius to have a great idea, just an outlet, and some others that might here the idea, and even if they dont agree, or want to help ur cause, might spark ideas in them worth spreading. to me ideas are alive. no matter how mundane, or movement inspireing you tell someone somthing and it sparks talk. and if people are just going to rub elboes, they are there for the wrong reasons. ted has inspierd me, a 10th grade dropout to try and do something local to start change in thinking. and if i can reach one person and they reach one person and it spreads. you sound like educated person,so im surprized, u think an uneducated person cant have a world changing view. i can agree, some talks arent the most interesting, but thats the beauty of a mouse, point, clik, next topic, next speaker. id rather sift threw inspiering thing of people trying to make a difference in our world, than people video taping them selves doing 190 on highways with a $5000 turbo on a $1200 car, or back yard wreaseling…but thats just me…uneducated in pennsultucky
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Jeremiah Stanghini commented on Apr 18 2011
I think this is awesome! It’s like TED is having their very own American Idol! :-)
With Love and Gratitude,
Jeremiah
ed whyman commented on Apr 17 2011
This sounds great. How is it best for TED to help sustainably encourage and reward idea generation and production in the most beneficial ways for everyone (open source & run in open minded ways)? Can we help you help creatively EG auto video embed to help everyone (so everyone can share their knowledge in a grass roots ground up way? http://www.webiversity.org More details at http://whymandesign.posterous.com/what-do-humans-need-in-life-happiness-webiver EG can we work with you to help ehnace http://www.DRUMbeat.org & http://opensource.appleseedproject.org/ @whymandesign
Miryr commented on Apr 16 2011
Awww, wish I loved anywhere near New York. Oh well, I’ll have to wait until I get invited to TED.
Some day TED, some day I’ll be a part of you…
Nick Weinberg commented on Apr 23 2011
Hi Miryr, if you have a great idea, make a video anyway and enter. We’re watching all the videos that are submitted, and if we love your idea but you can’t get to New York, we’ll figure something out. One goal of this contest is to make the world aware of TED’s openness to seeing new speakers and new ideas, whether through the May 24 audition or anytime via our online Suggest-a-Speaker form (www.ted.com/nominate/speaker). You’re always encouraged to dream up new ways to share your ideas with the world. We always review every submission that comes in, and if it looks like a great fit, we certainly won’t let it pass us by.
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Amir Elion commented on Apr 16 2011
Unfortunately I cannot attend the audition myself. I am leading the Learning Solutions Bar at the annual Israeli Learning conference. Hopefully there will be other opportunities in the future.
However, some of you may find my creative presentation ideas book help. It has just the type of ideas mentioned in this post. See it on http://www.best100idess.com/ideas01.shtml
Nick Weinberg commented on Apr 23 2011
Amir, if you have a great idea, make a video anyway and enter. We’re watching all the videos that are submitted, and if we love your idea but you can’t get to New York, we’ll figure something out. One goal of this contest is to make the world aware of TED’s openness to seeing new speakers and new ideas, whether through the May 24 audition or anytime via our online Suggest-a-Speaker form (www.ted.com/nominate/speaker). You’re always encouraged to dream up new ways to share your ideas with the world. We always review every submission that comes in, and if it looks like a great fit, we certainly won’t let it pass us by.
Lior Zoref commented on Apr 16 2011
This is so exiting…. Couldn’t sleep last night as I’m thinking about my idea
Nick Weinberg commented on Apr 23 2011
We’re excited to review your submission!
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