Lucy Bailey
The X-Factor is back on our screens. Love it or hate it, you can’t deny that it is a great platform for people looking for a break, but it got me thinking. Surely there must be other (less painful?) ways to share your talent with others? There is! I came across this gem of a website. Cleverly titled The Talent Bank, that is exactly what it does – provides a place to submit the results of your creativity and have it reviewed by others.
If good enough, the material is submitted to the right people who can help make it happen. Unlike the X-Factor, The Talent Bank is not just about music or, rather, the singer. I like the concept that it is a portal for all genres of talent, including photography, comedy, film and even design.
I didn’t have anything to upload, yet, a couple of hours later, I was still browsing. My attention was drawn to The Talent Bank’s charts pages. Each category has a chart, which has been compiled based on visitor reviews. What a great way to keep in touch with fresh ideas, whether you’re looking for new music or fresh jokes. On top of these specific charts, The Talent Bank has its own list of the highest rated submissions.
The highest rated submissions are put in front of experts to review and, if the work impresses, the site sends them on to a top organization within that industry who has agreed to evaluate the category. Not bad at all, a clear process rather than a drop in a black hole.
If you’re a little sceptical about the site’s influence in the grand scheme of things, you only need to look at the list of its agents. These are professionals from top organizations in each of the categories. Agents have partnered with the site, knowing that not only will they be the first to have sight of new talent, but if there is something in particular they are looking for, they also have a ready pool of talent to source from.
The site encourages users to create a profile as well as a portfolio of all your work. It’s a great idea to have everything in once place, but as we all know the internet is ready made for plagiarism. I had a look and that’s not an issue with The Talent Bank. On submission of a new piece work, the site dates and logs the input to prevent any copyright violations. By doing so, you can prove you are the original author.
The people behind the site seem like a conscientious bunch. In the unfortunate event that you find yourself in such a predicament, the site can connect you to partners who offer legal advice towards a speedy resolution.
Next time you create something and you want some good feedback and the chance to be noticed by the right people, check out The Talent Bank.
Lucy Bailey
www.thetbank.com
@the_talent_bank
Facebook
Google+
