Carmin Gregor's games

Once upon a time there was a little introverted mixed race kid who was struggling to fit in and be accepted. He wanted to become a professional artist and express his potential to the world and he promised himself that one day everyone would see what he was truly capable of. So he would spend his after school evenings in his room, writing songs and performing them to his invisible audience, pretending that the remote control was a microphone. And then he would create and play stories and characters, drawing ideas on his notebook and recording them with his camera. Two big dark eyes observing those famous tv and movie stars on the screen and wishing to be one of them and live that fantasy. And he always knew that his art was the key to joining the team but little did he know that it wasn’t about escaping from himself and turning into someone else but finding and loving himself instead. That was the real game, the most beautiful and difficult journey he was going to make.

And here I am today. My name is Carmine Giangregorio, known artistically as Carmin Gregor, 24 years old. Let me tell you a bit about myself. I was born in Rome, the beautiful Caput Mundi, where I first started studying acting and singing. After getting some professional experiences in the field, I decided to move to London in 2018 to chase my dreams and expand my training. Hard times would wait for me but also great opportunities on the horizon. Here, as well as continuing to write, record and publish my music online, I managed to win a full time scholarship for the Atlantic acting school.

As an unrepresented actor and songwriter who never seemed to fit any standards for show business, I never accepted that the level of success of my own career would be based on other people’s criteria and not on what I actually have to showcase. I always believed in my talent and never gave up on myself even when the odds were against me. And today, I can safely say that this is the biggest reason why people see me as a source of inspiration and self motivation. For so long I looked at my differences as limitations…. until I flipped the coin and began to look at them for what they actually are: gifts. I say all this because, listen up, it is the same for you! No one but you will be the best agent for yourself. No one but you will express your true colours. Like Natasha Bedingfield said in one of her songs, you have to feel the rain in your skin, no one else can feel it for you. Only you can let it in. We have more power than what we think. Especially nowadays, creating your own stardom and reaching people has never been easier. Art is a tremendously powerful form of expression that we human beings possess. It entertains us but at the same time it helps us grasp the essence of our existence so that we can expand our horizons.

Now, I always loved to help people find themselves through art because there’s nothing more rewarding than seeing big dreamers realise this is possible. The best part is when they actually take those steps and I can see that it’s changed their life. But show business can be a hard place to step into if you don't have the right tools or the right contacts. I also always wanted to have my own production company where I could give voice to artists and be able at the same time to put content out there and share my art to the world.

So what to do next, I asked myself, in order for me to create something that will bring all of that to life? And it was at that point that “Carmin Gregor’s games” was born.

There is an Italian poem that I always loved. It is called “Gabbiani” which means “Seagulls” by Vincenzo Cardarelli. The poet compares himself to the seagulls because just like them he is always in perpetual flight, touching life for a brief moment like they touch water to catch food and then ready to fly in the storm, with no specific place for their nest. I immediately pictured Gregor’s games as a future nest for all the seagulls out there who don’t seem to find a place for their own nest to fully express who they are. Their wings are golden and they are meant to shine. Not only will my platform allow artists out there to have the opportunity to showcase their talent and challenge themselves, but it will also provide them with online visibility, an always growing fan base and cash prizes to reward their talent. Yes, you heard me well! I would have never been able to attend my studies if it hadn’t been for my scholarship and I believe that a difficult financial situation should never be a reason to stop someone from chasing their passions and getting the training they need. I like to dream big and I know that my new-born baby will soon become a very influential phenomenon on the net and hopefully a platform to reach the entertaining business and open doors to all the seagulls out there. This is the ultimate goal in the long run. And this is how it will be structured:

Carmin Gregor’s games will be an online competition platform.

From the main website the artists will be able to audition for the challenges of a given competition, paying a fixed participation fee according to the number of challenges they wish to apply for.

Auditions will open 2 weeks prior to the beginning of the competition and will close 48 hours before.

People will be able to upload a video on their YouTube channel, introducing themselves and their audition piece(s). A list of the successful candidates will be posted on the website and social media.

Each competition will form a season which will last for a two-week period. YouTube will be the channel where videos from the seasons will be uploaded and people will be able to follow the competition.

Now, there will be four different Categories in a given competition:

-the acting challenge,

-the singing/rapping challenge,

-the dancing challenge

- the filmmaking challenge.

In the first week the categories are open and a theme will be assigned to each challenge. A group of external judges will be chosen each season to join me in the judging panel of the competition. This is not only to help me judge the competition more fairly but, in the interest of both parties, they will be able to promote their services and web sites to all the followers and participants of the competition and I will benefit from their sponsorship to expand my platform and audience.

At the end of the first week, the judges' critiques will determine who made it to the following one. In the second and final week, the contestants will be asked to create and perform content based on my music and my writings. At the end of last week, the grand finale will reveal and reward the four winners.

Memberful will play an important role as it will be used to manage the subscription plan. Four subscription options will be available:

-The £5 option is called “quick race”. The contestant can apply for only one of the 4 challenges available.

-The £7 is the “double combo”. The contestant can apply for 2 of the 4 challenges.

-The £9 option, named “triple kill”, allows participants to apply for 3 of the 4 challenges

-The £10 option, the “assassin mode”, allows participants to audition for all 4 challenges.

My plan is to start with a £100 cash prize per category plus a spot in the website with the picture of the winner. I am confident that with time, as the popularity of the platform increases and more people subscribe, I will be able to increase the rewards as well.

It goes without saying that winning this competition on Vocal is the essential step to start the engines of the whole situation as it will provide me with the funds I need to cover the costs for the website, its sponsorship and the cash prizes. I have a team of people, video makers, writers, and skilful artists who are going to help me with the most technical stuff and who believe in my project. This is how I would turn my passion into a business. Now it is your Turn Vocal. Join the team and make a big dream come true :D <3