About Little Weeds
You are never going to get the surf job you want. You are destined for failure. You will wake up every morning at 6:30, get in your Korean import, commute, do something, eat something, go home and love something. If you’re lucky. Or do you think you’re hot shit? That your natural talent will take you to the top? It won’t, honey, but if you become one of Stab and Billabong’s Little Weeds it just might.
The Little Weed Project exists to free you from the mundane. To set you on the righteous path. This is your best and last chance to live a surf-based dream in one of five ways: as surfer, writer, model, photographer or filmmaker. Stab and Billabong are providing you with a platform in which you will compete against fellow dreamers by tossing your wares on the internet. There will be three six-week heats where the online community votes for your product, be it a quality backside gouge or a hot little pose or a stellar photograph or an interesting turn of phrase. Better kill it!
Major prizes include the cover of Stab, a sponsorship with Billabong, the editor's keys to Stab for an issue and heaps of other cool crap. Dive in.
How's it work? (FAQs)
Little Weeds is a series of three five-to-six week heats. It's an online competition where you create a profile and upload photos and video of yourself. Those entries are then voted on by the public. There are five categories: modelling, surfing, writing, photography and videography. The three winners of the three heats (ultimately chosen by mentors after considering all votes and comments) of all five categories will be flown to an undisclosed location in July to compete against other Little Weeds. From here (and sponsorship proposals willing), we'll take all five winners to another undisclosed location (okay, Bali) and create an entire issue of Stab (or Spit x Stab) on-location created by and featuring Little Weeds winners.
When do the heats run?
Heat one starts March 12 and runs through to April 23, heat two runs from April 24 to June 5 and heat three runs from June 6 through to July 19. The final is tentatively being run from July 22 to July 24.
Who's eligible to enter Little Weeds?
Little Weeds is open to anyone of any age*, however our age bracket only goes to 59. If you're 60 or over but have something to dazzle us with, drop us a line.
*Girls must be 13 or older to enter the modelling section and must have parental consent. The winning model must be an Australian citizen and all other winners must be from Australia or New Zealand.
What can I do to create some hype?
After your upload your work, it's a continual work in progress. To get noticed, an active page works best. Add more photos, trick up your profile shots, or dial your friends in on it and lift its vote count. Similarly, as a Little Weed, you've now got the ability to create entries in the Little Weeds Showroom that will appear on your page as well. Like, you got a site you want to turn us onto? Tell us why it works and why it appeals to you. You snapped a photo this morning the world has to see? Upload it and tell us about it. Our plan is to find motivated weeds. Like, remember how Taylor Steele and his unknown buddies (Shane Dorian, Kelly Slater, Rob Machado) lifted all of their profiles together with the film Momentum? We want to do the same. Ultimately, we'd love to see you hook up with Little Weeds in your area and work on shooting together. The perfect scenario is finding winners of two (or even three) divisions who worked together to grow and stand out from the pack.
I live in the US, can I still enter?
Yep we'd love to use some international flavour but unfortunately we can't afford to fly you out if you were to win. We're hoping to go bigger with the event next year and look into an international platform. And sorry, we can't send you a tee and book, either.
What if I lose in one round, can I re-enter in a later round?
If you lose in one of the heats, you're welcome to re-enter in the following heats. We'd suggest reinventing your profile with new material and text, though. Your profile will still sit on the page but it will be inactive until you re-fire up your profile.
I'm a sponsored surfer but still want to be a part of it?
Sure thing. If it all goes to plan (see the question below), the winner of the surfing will feature on the cover of Stab, cop a financial deal from Billabong and they'll go on to carve a niche as a surfer which has never previously existed before them. Thing is, a lot of good surfers are already sponsored. That's cool, too. The competition is open to absolutely anyone, sponsored or otherwise. If you capture the heart of a nation with your charisma, wit and high-fidelity surfing and you take out the competition and your board is covered in stickers, that's fine. You don't have to accept the deal from Billabong. You'll still feature on the cover of Stab. If you're already sponsored by Billabong but want to enter, that's fine, too. Maybe you're possessing a skill they're not seeing and you want to shine on the world stage. You're still eligible for the surf trip with Taj and the cover of Stab. Also, there's a function where you can go upload your photos as a spectator but you're not vying for the prize. The gallery feature is a real good way to showcase some of the shots sitting in your iphoto or to get some exposure for some of your best clips.
Can girls enter any categories other than modelling?
Females can enter and win any division alongside the males.
Two winners get a cover of Stab? F'real?
Yup, we're trying to get the winners of the modelling division and the surfing divisions covers of the mag. The modelling winner will appear on the style section while the surfing winner will feature on the surfing end of the mag. We are all-but-guaranteeing a cover but nature can also play a role in this. Obviously, if a cyclone blankets the sky for a week, or there's not a ripple in the ocean or you choke in front of the cameras during our shooting period, then it's gonna be tough. We'll have our A-team on hand to make it all happen, though. Taj will coach you through it and our photogs will show you how to surf for the camera.
If I win the photography division, will I shoot the cover?
That's also the plan but you'll be shooting alongside (well, shooting the same location) as our mentor, Dustin Humphrey, so you'll need to be on your game.
I shoot photos, I don't do words. There are too many questions and captions.
None of the fields are mandatory and you don't have to fill em in. It is good to see your background and find out some of your inspiration though. A guide for photos is to include the who, what, where, how of it all. Y'know, who took it, who's in it, where it was and when it was taken.
I'm an aspiring male model, can I enter the modelling section?
Sorry, we're only looking to find a new female model this time round. Put your clothes back on, cowboy.
I'm a writer, how do I enter photos in the gallery? Or video, even?
A suggestion would be to run a photo of some of your reading list: whether it be book covers or album covers or magazine covers. Also, photos that inspire your writing also works. The video piece is there if you want to do a piece to camera to introduce yourself to the world, however, ultimately you'll be judged on your writing. The same goes with modelling, however, photos are essential for the modelling section (check Luci's tips for entry on her profile page)
Can I win a division as a surfer with only video footage or only photos?
They sure can but the more we can see about how you surf, the better.
Can I win the film division with just still photos?
Ah, no.
I live in the US, can I still enter?
Yep we'd love to use some international flavour but unfortunately we can't afford to fly you out if you were to win. We're hoping to go bigger with the event next year and look into an international platform. And sorry, we can't send you a tee and book, either.
I've uploaded a song without music clearance, can I get in trouble for this?
Music clearance is your own responsibility. Once your clip is placed on Vimeo, it's open to all publishing and licensing laws set by the artist and publisher. Little Weeds takes no responsibility but can pull down materials at any time if there are issues with what you’ve posted . If it breaches copyright laws and it's pulled down, so is your video entry on Little Weeds. We'll have a list of tracks you can use without charge or infringement.
Can the same entry be placed in two divisions?
Yep, the same clip can be entered in two divisions, say modelling and film. Likewise, the same photo can be placed in photography and the surfing divisions and so on.
I want to communicate with my mentor, can you send me their number?
You can write to your mentor via their comments wall.
What if I don't win the final prize, is there anything else I can win?
During the event, we're hoping to run a series of challenges to entries that pique our mentor's interest.
I want to communicate with my mentor, can you send me their number?
You can write to your mentor via their comments wall.
What if I don't win the final prize, is there anything else I can win?
During the event, we're hoping to run a series of challenges to entries that pique our mentor's interest.
I live eight hours from my nearest capital city, if I'm invited can you guys pay for a cab to the airport for me?
We'll pick up the tab from the airport in your capital city and beyond. If you can't get to the airport, you might have to give up your spot. Sorry.
What happens during the final?
During the final, the Weeds will take place in a series of challenges. Each day these challenges will be uploaded. Readers will then vote on their favourite entries. At the completion of the event, the mentors will study the voting results and most popular entries. They will then decide who will be our first Little Weeds.
Some of the fine print. (see Legal Stuff for more details).
The dates for shooting cannot be changed. If you're not available for the dates because of prior work or school commitments, then you must forfeit your place. If you are selected for the final, you'll need to find your way to your nearest capital city and we'll fly you to the final from there.
Entries can be taken from anywhere in the world, however, winners can only be found from Australia and New Zealand.
An entry can be placed in two divisions. Like, a video can be entered for the surfing for the surfer and the same video can be used in filmography.
I'm trying to vote for the first time from my computer but it's saying I've already voted. What's wrong?
Someone using your net connection is sitting on the same IP as you. Someone on the same network has already voted on that item. We needed to do this so votes weren't fabricated.
I signed up to be a spectator but can't find my profile.
Sorry, small glitch. We're working on making spectator profiles open for viewing within the next few days. Here you can play a part in Little Weeds without actually entering.
Modelling fine print.
Entry is open to Australian residents over the age of 13. An entrant is ineligible, if at the time of entry they are either represented by a model agency or have performed in any professional modelling capacity. Further, an entrant may be disqualified by the promoter if after entry and before selection as either a finalist or the national winner they are represented by a model agency or engage in professional modelling work without the promoter’s consent. In particular the promoter’s decision in relation to ineligibility and the granting or withholding of consent with respect to modelling engagements or model agency representations will be absolute and final. Promoters, their employees, immediate agencies and agencies associated with this promotion cannot enter. Winners are chosen on skill, chance plays no part in the competition and no correspondence will be entered into. Winners will be flown to the Gold Coast from their closest capital city in each state to participate in the next phase of the competition and publicity for Little Weeds promotion. Trip includes return economy airfares, 3 night’s accommodation and all meals. All other costs are the responsibility of the winners. The overall winner will receive (prizes details yet to be confirmed) and 12 month representation by Chic or Scoop Management, the start date of the agreement to be agreed between winner and agency. The prizes are not transferable or exchangeable and cannot be taken in cash. The promoter shall not be liable for any loss or damage whatsoever suffered (including but not limited to direct consequential loss) or personal injury suffered or sustained as a result of participation in this promotion. Winners must be given consent to the use of names and photographs for publicity purposes. Each heat winner must agree to sign a release form for their continuation in this competition. Chic may also use substitute mentor model should Luci Taffs not be available. The promoter of this competition is Stab Magazine/Little Weeds Level 1, 158 Bondi Road, Bondi NSW 2026.
