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‘Bennie and the Jets,’ ‘Rocket Man,’ ‘Tiny Dancer’ and You

By Maya Amoils

Product Marketing Manager, YouTube

Ever wanted to direct a music video? How about a video for some of the most loved songs ever written? And then collaborating on that vision with one of entertainment’s most imaginative minds? Well then step up and see if you can make “The Cut.”

Elton John: The Cut Supported by YouTube” is a global competition to create the official music videos for three of the legendary singer’s most iconic songs—“Bennie and the Jets,” “Rocket Man” and “Tiny Dancer.”

Dreamworks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg (“Shrek,” “Madagascar,” “Kung Fu Panda,” “Monsters vs. Aliens,” “How to Train Your Dragon”) Grammy Award-winning video director Melina Matsoukas (Beyonce’s “Formation”; Rihanna’s “We Found Love”) and Barry Jenkins, writer-director of Golden Globe Best Picture (Drama) “Moonlight,” will serve as judges for the competition that gives aspiring creators from all over the world the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to apply their creative vision to these hits.

Entries officially opened to the public on Jan. 9, 2017, and close on January 23, so now is the time to get started!

Entries will require different artistic elements for each music video entry—submissions for “Rocket Man” should feature animation, “Tiny Dancer” should be live-action, and “Bennie and the Jets” should feature choreography.

Need inspiration?

YouTube creators Kurt Hugo Schneider, PES and Parris Goebel, who will shortlist the entries and present their selections to the judges, will put together some inspirational videos to kick things off.

PES, an Oscar- and Emmy-nominated filmmaker, gives some inspirational examples of how he would apply his unique stop-animation style to “Rocket Man.”

The competition is open to anyone over 16, subject to local terms and conditions. To find out more about “Elton John: The Cut,” supported by YouTube, and how to enter, please visit https://thecut.eltonjohn.com/.

Good luck!

Maya Amoils, Product Marketing Manager, YouTube, recently watched “James Corden Auditions for James Arthur.”
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