Famecast Looks for Military Shooting Stars

May 31,2007

When it comes time to lock and load, roll out and do their duty as America’s first line of defense, we all know that the scores of brave soldiers and officers in the U.S. military have talent to spare. But, amid the “shock and awe” of ongoing warfare, the rest of us might lose sight of the art that these gifted individuals are really capable of creating. The Army soldier patrolling neighborhoods in Iraq might write the most melodic yet rocking song about his experiences; the Naval aviator screaming across the sky might be constantly cracking up his co-pilot with hilariously original jokes; an Air Force radar op might use her keen eye to shoot an exciting, groundbreaking film by night; and a hard-chargin’ Marine might pen a country song to get all the gals teary-eyed.

The question is: how do the rest of us tap into all this unseen and unheard artistic brilliance? FameCast (www.famecast.com), billed as the first online artist discovery competition and entertainment community, has the answer. The voter-supported online competition, designed to find America’s best new talent, has bolstered its already-impressive Season Two with an Armed Forces “digital stage,” devoted solely to talented U.S. military personnel and beginning, appropriately, this past Memorial Day.

“We’re honored to support the troops in the best way we know how, which is to give them an exciting platform to display the wealth of diverse talent that exists in their ranks,” says Kent Savage, Founder and CEO of FameCast.

Since its inception, FameCast has been hailed as an innovative platform for artists to gain exposure in the new Internet-driven marketplace, combining the self-sufficiency, economic potential and networking capabilities of sites like MySpace, iTunes and YouTube, all under one exciting, fan-generated contest.

FameCast was founded by Savage, a 20-year veteran entrepreneur in the internet and digital media space, and includes an Advisory Board with a stellar lineup of entertainment experts, including Charles Attal of Charles Attal Presents and C3 Management and Promotions; Paul Korzilius, manager of superstar rock group Bon Jovi; and Randy Phillips, President & CEO of AEG Live.

As in each of FameCast’s additional 12 categories, which encompass Pop, Rock, Hip-Hop, R&B, Country, Metal, Singer-Songwriter, Spoken Word, Comedy, Dance, Short Film and Animation, contestants battle for a lucrative $10,000 grand prize and the international exposure that comes with being a FameCast “Fēnom.” Fans around the world are part of the action too, as they track their favorite performers’ progress in each round and vote for the winners. Starting now, anyone currently serving in any branch of the U.S. Armed Forces can log on to www.famecast.com and upload videos of their work, whether that means a live music performance, stand-up comedy, a dance routine or a short film.

The contest’s non-military Season One has already crowned six lucky and grateful FameCast Fēnoms who are heading for stardom with $10,000 helping them along to the top. Season One R&B Fēnom Melissa Suzanne was selected to appear on Sony BMG’s Popkomm 2007 compilation, from the prestigious music conference in Berlin. Season One comedy winner Stuart Swanson made his gratitude for FameCast apparent as well, in an e-mail to FameCast founder Kent Savage. “I just want to say once again, ‘thank you,’” said the young comedian upon being crowned the champ. “The prize money will not be going towards expensive restaurants, nice clothes, or fast cars -- it will be helping me get to a better future. I think you will enjoy seeing just how far your first comedy winner will go, in both the near and distant future.”

Another group that has already seen success, thanks to FameCast, is up-and-coming hip-hop collective Round Table Union. The group’s five members are all active duty Air Force personnel, hailing from states as diverse as New York and Mississippi but united by their shared passion for music. Round Table Union won the $10,000 Hip-Hop stage and the title of Fēnom for Season One.

More excitement is in store for the soon-to-be-announced winners of FameCast’s Season Two Short Film and Animation Fēnoms, who will be featured in a screening at the renowned L.A. International Shorts Festival this September.

Says Savage, “Lack of exposure is what keeps some of our best artists in the shadows, we aim to shine the spotlight on those that have what it takes, but have lacked the breaks.”