Another Musicbed Challenge is officially in the books—and this year?
Electric.
The submissions pushed creative boundaries, and we couldn’t be more inspired! Huge thanks to everyone who showed up and made something truly unforgettable.
Now, it’s time to reveal this year’s winners for Best Spec Ad, Best Narrative, Best Documentary, and People’s Choice, who will be taking home their share of over $75K in grants and gear.
MUSICBED CHALLENGE 2025 WINNERS
BEST SPEC AD: DEARLOVE | LONDON
FEATURED MUSICBED MUSIC
CREW
Director: Ben Kadie
Choreographers / Dancers: JA Collective
Cinematographer: Matt Burke
JUDGES’ FEEDBACK
From music supervisor Anita Grigore | Marvel, Amazon, FX/Hulu, Spinmaster, Paramount, Lionsgate
I loved that you really pulled out all the stops creatively here. The combination of choreography and score was mesmerizing—almost trance-like. I really commend you for the intentional pauses between the song, sound effects, and score; it kept everything from feeling too repetitive. What really sold me was the repetition of the zoomed-in shoes running and the accompanying sound—it was so meditative and immersive.
You did an excellent job finding the balance between the trippy visuals and the grounded moments that showcased the brand. I also appreciated all the thoughtful little details, from the color scheme to the rain scene that really highlighted the versatility of the clothes.
This ad really made me want to buy the product. It captured the essence of the brand in a way that felt fresh and cool. Thank you for putting so much intention into this, it really shows!
From CD/co-founder at Guesthouse Wes Whitener | Magic Spoon, Every Man Jack, Coca-Cola, Travelocity, Goodyear, Adult Swim
So fun to watch! I love how you’ve taken a mundane setting and made it into a fashion show, a choreographed dance. It really told me the brand is bringing fashion into the everyday, without spelling it out overtly or painfully.
It was a joy to see the dance choreography and edit work seamlessly with the music. The flash to the logo in the middle of the dance was inspired. It was really, really well done.
From freelance creative director Ian Liu | Ford, Oakley, NBA, MLB, MLS, adidas, Whoop, Nike
The creative was fun. Taking a moment like waiting for the train and transforming it into an active and engaging performance. The story itself was entertaining, two characters trying to out-perform each other, but yet they were synced up and aligned on something.
The production itself was done really well, and the VFX was top-notch. It wasn’t just that two characters were duplicated visually; it was that in the wide or ultra-wide angles, both characters’ positions and proportions looked like they were different characters spread across the frame.
The music was fun and supported the quirkiness of the idea. However, some progression throughout could have helped drive the buildup to the ending.
From executive producer at Whirlpool Wow Studios Jonathan Desir | JennAir, KitchenAid, JBL, McDonald’s, Olive Garden
This was super fun with a clear message. I loved the choreography, and it fit the music perfectly. Conceptually, I have seen similar things, but I see why they chose to go this route, and it worked.
Some twist to set it apart would have helped. But overall, it was a really great piece.
SPEC AD FINALISTS
Sprint Union – Never Run Alone
BEST NARRATIVE: WHAT IF WE LIVED?
FEATURED MUSICBED MUSIC
CREW
Director/Writer: Teri Moran-Dawson
DOP/Editor: Michael Moran-Dawson
1st AC: Mike Smith
Actor (Moira): Laura Rosana Yates
Actor (Felix): Christopher Everett
JUDGES’ FEEDBACK
From director at Hungry Man Iqbal Ahmed | Nike, adidas, Google, Pinterest, Microsoft, Snapchat, Spotify
This film establishes a premise—the impending end of the world—and then maximizes it emotionally. By setting the stage and the initial stakes clearly, I was along for the ride thereafter. I think the production values were strong from a lighting and camera perspective, and there was a nice balance between patient and active moments. There was also very effective use of VFX with the meteors in the sky, which served as a payoff of sorts.
That said, I think the performances could have been a little stronger, particularly for the male hero. But even those performances were forgiven because of the execution of the setup and then the various emotional vignettes. A little more contrast in those moments would have been useful—perhaps the couple fights. Perhaps they indulge in intense passion. I think the second act struggled with emotional turns and scope; it felt hazy and dreamy for stretches that felt a bit too long. As such, I think several minutes could be trimmed from the runtime, which would only make the core story stronger.
The scope of this story is large while being purposefully grounded through the eyes of this couple. I’d like to see what this filmmaker can do with a larger budget and stronger actors.
From music supervisor at Format Entertainment Christian Zabala | Marvel Studios, ABC, Netflix, Warner Bros., The CW
Love the deeper meaning of this story and the different emotions that the characters experience throughout the film. Around 1:37, feel like there could be more music here to help drive the emotion and sadness she’s feeling.
Great work on the music and montage sequence in 2:35! I think the sequence in 4:09 might be nice if it was a little longer and had some score playing underneath as it’s the one time we see his character vulnerable.
Overall, great job!
From SVP, DoP at Rise & Run Brian Gonsar | Bank of America, GE, PepsiCo, Dunkin’, Cadillac, Ad Council, Novartis
Really great emotion, tension, and suspense. Even in the happy moments, you get a sense of a ticking time bomb.
The acting was good and the cinematography was beautiful. Good use of sound design as well. I think the middle section could have been trimmed a bit, but overall, a compelling film.
NARRATIVE FINALISTS
Mis Últimos Recuerdos (My Last Memories)
BEST DOCUMENTARY: A BRIGHT IDEA
FEATURED MUSICBED MUSIC
CREW
Writer: Justin Lovett
Director: Justin Lovett
Cinematographer: Justin Lovett
Editor: Justin Lovett
Camera Assistant: Koheun Lee
JUDGES’ FEEDBACK
From founder of Blue Ox Films Taylor Kavanaugh | Nike, Jordan, Redbull, NBA, Samsung, Peloton, Whoop, Netflix, HBO
Love the slaps.
Love the lips shot.
Great use of humor.
Feels social inspired, but done better than most other creators. Well crafted.
Like the interaction with camera. Works here.
Well-paced crayon shot.
Nice editing and creative angles in the build montage
Like the eyeball shot coming through a pinhole.
Wondering where in the middle why you are building it, hoping for an answer here soon and a deeper purpose / resolution.
I like the turn of making a giant one.
I usually don’t like self-filmed, character films, channels, etc., but you brought something unique here. Nice work!
Macro shots and angles were all really well done.
From executive producer at Blue Chalk Media Jesse Crowell | Nike, Airbnb, The Washington Post, Food Network, Magnolia, Stanley Black & Decker
I really loved this piece—so unexpected and creative. The tactile, textured, almost-uncomfortably-close feeling was especially well done. The cinematography was inventive, and the editing had such a great rhythm. Quick but never rushed. The sound design was excellent and helped pull me into your world.
The humor and sarcastically dramatic tone were endearing. The music cues complemented that well, enhancing the mood and adding depth. I really appreciated the way you drew me into your space—fun, engaging, and full of personality. It’s clear there’s a lot of thoughtful craft behind it, and I was totally pulled in.
The only quibble I have is that it felt abrupt in closing. We get to see the outcome, which is what you set out to do, but I didn’t quite get a strong sense of your reaction to it. Are you satisfied? Still curious? What questions did this bring up? A bit more insight or reflection into how you processed the project would have added nicely to the curious arc.
All in all, so good. Made me want to pick up a camera and film things or shoot stills, which is one of the best feelings after watching something. Bravo.
From director & cinematographer at kold Sam Kolder | OnePlus, Black Magic, DJI, Insta360, Four Seasons, Canon
A Bright Idea was easily one of my favorite films so far. From start to finish, it was engaging, creative, and really well executed. The storytelling was sharp, the pacing flowed beautifully, and the humor at the beginning set the tone in such a fun, unexpected way—it had me hooked right away.
On a technical level, everything felt dialed in. The cinematography, editing, and color grading were all on point, and there was a clear creative vision driving it all. It’s rare to see something that feels this polished while still being playful and inventive.
If I had one small note, it would be about the ending. I was left a little unsure about the resolution—it felt like it was building toward something, and I expected to see the pinhole camera actually used to take a photo. That moment of payoff would’ve really brought it full circle.
That said, it’s a standout piece, and Justin clearly has a ton of potential. This film was a joy to watch—big congrats to you!
From director at The Art of Documentary Mark Bone | Mercedes-Benz, Nike, MBW, Sony
This was fun. Bravo. Your creativity and execution of a simple idea was tremendous. The shots you came up with, the lighting and pacing were fantastic. An incredible display of filmmaking talent!
It’s tough to critique this as a traditional documentary, but if I were to apply some of those principles to the storytelling, then my main feedback is that there was a minimal struggle for your main character.
It would have helped to see you overcome more obstacles in order to achieve this goal of creating the camera obscura. It was just too easy for you throughout the film to achieve your goal. Because of this, the payoff at the end wasn’t as strong as it perhaps could have been.
NARRATIVE FINALISTS
Human Stories Bold Solutions: Bar Midland
PEOPLE’S CHOICE: 28 DAYS
FEATURED MUSICBED MUSIC
CREW
Lead Actor: Hannah Marie Davis
Director: Jack Craggs
Writers: Hannah Marie Davis & Jack Craggs
DOP: Jack Craggs
Editor: Jack Craggs
Colorist: Jack Craggs
Creative Director: Hannah Marie Davis
Gaffer: Jack Craggs
Audio Mixer: Jack Craggs
Music: Tall Heights, Clarence Murray, Jack Craggs
A special thanks to all who submitted their films, our panel of judges for their time and feedback, and our sponsors and partners. We look forward to next year’s competition!
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