When was the last time you did something for yourself? When was the last time you took a risk? Sony Talent League by THU is your chance to step out of your comfort zone and muster your  courage. Let go of thoughts that hold you back. You are enough just as you are! More than enough, actually! Your ideas are unique and worthwhile. 

The good thing is, you don’t have to jump off the deep end. We’ve got your back. See below for five steps to make the submission process as smooth as possible. So go forth, time to get cracking and live up to your full potential!


1 - Read All The Things
First, start by reading everything there is to know about the challenge. Being prepared will help give you a clearer picture of the requirements, which lessens any early pressure you might be feeling. For a great overview, check out the Sony Talent League page and the Rules & Criteria page, where you can find info on the concept, prizes, timeline, and last year’s Project Diaries (which provide a weekly play-by-play of the experience from the mentee perspective). And be sure to tune in to the online info sessions where you can ask questions and get clarifications. We'll be announcing dates for this soon, so sign up to the THU newsletter and follow us on Social Media to be the first to hear more.

2 - Find your Team
Now it’s time to decide whether you want to submit alone, or as a group (with a maximum of 4 people per team). If you prefer going solo, no need to feel lonely. Our Tribe Care team is always here for you at [email protected] or Discord if you ever need anything. On the other hand, if you want to go the collaborative route, this is an excellent opportunity to develop teamwork skills and learn from each other. We have a few initiatives in the works to help you find partners-in-creativity. Click here to match with fellow creators from different areas who are eager to join forces!

3 - Brainstorm
Like Han Solo would say: “this is where the fun begins.” Do you already have an idea? Cool! Then start talking about it with people you trust so you can get a sense for what areas might still need work. Then you can hone your idea and make it even better. Not sure what you want to submit? That’s fine too, do some freeform brainstorming to limber up your mind and get those creative juices flowing. Remember, there are no boundaries when it comes to brainstorming. Criticism and judgment (especially your own!) have no place in the process. In that early stage, encourage every idea, no matter how eccentric. While it might not pan out, staying open early on can spark innovation and solutions you hadn’t thought of before.

4 - Hone that idea!
You've gone through the pie-in-the-sky phase and now it's time to hone that brilliant project idea. Who's your audience, what can you actually get done (alone, or in a team) in 10 weeks, and what do you want to walk away with at the end? Granted, it would be awesome to have a fully fleshed out VR game complete by the end of the mentorship...but chances are that might not be quite doable. But creating one level, or a prototype with key innovative gameplay might be. The clearer you are with your goals and pitch, the easier it will be moving forward. Think it over, be realistic in terms of scope, time and resources and remember to keep the excitement going. You're getting closer to making this all real. Just one more step to go! 

5 - Type, type, type & send
All right, it's time. Your idea is ready to go and you've pep-talked yourself for this very moment. Open the submission form and start typing. Fill in all those important spaces and include all the materials that will best showcase your project's potential. You can save and return to a partially filled application, but we won't be able to accept anything but fully complete entries. So be sure to keep an eye on the submissions deadline (November 14, 23:59 WEST). And once you're ready, do one last sanity check, reading over your entry, and hit that submit button. Done! Take a moment to really appreciate what you've just accomplished. You did it. You overcame any hurdles and got it done! Now sit back, relax, and let the juries get to work. Good luck!