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    • FOR CREATORS

    How to make
    Unbranded Content™

    Our marketplace welcomes stories of all kinds. Do you make content that companies might connect to and purchase? X4Y is the place for it.

    Table of Contents

    1. What types of content can I submit?
    2. The dos and don’ts of unbranded content
    3. Pro tips for producing X4Y content
    4. Set Up Your Account
    X4Y Creators Example Content

    MAKING GREAT X4Y CONTENT

    X4Y content is unbranded commercials, short films, documentaries, and more.

    X4Y powers story, discovery, and connection. We’re a marketplace for creators to showcase their content, collaborate and connect with brands seeking better stories and talent.

    Which types of content can I submit?

    Unbranded Commercial

    Unbranded Commercial

    An X4Y commercial has no brand references and has themes that can suit multiple brands. Once a company buys or licenses your spot, it’ll be customized to their needs.

    Social Content

    Social Content

    Submit unposted and unbranded videos that could work for different types of brands. It’s also the perfect way to showcase yourself to brands who want to commission more work.

    Short Film

    Short Film

    Brands are hungry for great stories that connect with their audiences. Submit your short films for brands who connect with your storytelling.

    Animation

    Animation

    Animation submissions can be unbranded commercials, short films, social-first content, documentaries, or any other X4Y content format.

    Documentary

    Documentary

    What’s more powerful than a true story? Feature-length, short-form, and docu-series all have a home with X4Y.

    Podcast

    Podcast

    Share a podcast video trailer or clip that best showcases your podcast and X4Y can help find you the right brand partner. Your submissions should be a video representation or trailer of your podcast.

    Series (Coming Soon)

    Series (Coming Soon)

    Developing a series? X4Y will connect you to brands interested in narrative, unscripted, or documentary series.

    Footage (Coming Soon)

    Footage (Coming Soon)

    Don’t let your beautiful clips go to waste. X4Y will soon let you submit your footage for sale while our AI will assist with organizing your content for greater discoverability.

    When making X4Y Content Do:

    Make it unbranded.

    Make it unbranded.

    Shoot or edit your work so it doesn’t have brand references like logos or product shots, but includes themes that could work for multiple brands. Once a brand buys or licenses your work it’ll be customized to their particular needs.

    Have the rights.

    Have the rights.

    You can’t sell what you’re not allowed to use. Make sure you have the rights to all your content, including footage, talent, and music, before submitting it to X4Y. Got a question about ownership or need help replacing music? Just ask.

    Put story first.

    Put story first.

    Great Unbranded Content starts with a great story. Build your content around the story, and it’ll be easier to get a brand on board.

    Think about format.

    Think about format.

    Most ads are six, 15, 30, or 60 seconds long, but content can be just about any length to work online. Also, while it’s not always possible, ideally your spot can be formatted to fit all standard aspect ratios (1:1, 16:9, 9:16) for all types of distribution.

    When making X4Y Content Do Not:

    Don’t feature specific brands or products.

    Don’t feature specific brands or products.

    If there’s a #1 rule of X4Y, this is it. A brand logo or product onscreen means only one brand can buy it! Edit out product shots and branding before uploading your content to X4Y.

    Don’t use footage from past for-hire projects.

    Don’t use footage from past for-hire projects.

    If you include leftover footage from a past gig, chances are the client owns it. Unfortunately, it can’t be sold through X4Y without the client’s permission.

    Don’t share content that’s gone viral.

    Don’t share content that’s gone viral.

    Anything that has already gotten a lot of visibility is unlikely to work for brands. Visit our FAQ for more details on content exclusivity.

    Don’t hesitate to reach out with questions!

    Don’t hesitate to reach out with questions!

    We want you to succeed. Period. So if you have any questions along the way, please ping us and we’ll get right back to you!

    Pro Tips for Producing X4Y Content:

    As you plan to shoot future unbranded content, keep these tips in mind:

    Turn to your community.

    Turn to your community.

    Your friends and the X4Y community are fantastic resources that can help keep production costs low. Next time they need a boom operator or a key grip, you can return the favor!

    Hook the viewer early.

    Hook the viewer early.

    We all know how easy it is to mute or swipe through an ad, so it’s vital to grab the viewer’s attention in the first few seconds! This can be a captivating visual or fun, engaging audio.

    Think (way) outside of the box.

    Think (way) outside of the box.

    Original ideas and styles stand out from the crowd. Do your best to be unique and there’s a good chance you’ll get noticed.

    Raid your RAID drives.

    Raid your RAID drives.

    Revisit past work to see if your older projects can be turned into branded content, from music videos and social videos to pitches companies may want to fund. You may be surprised at how much good content you already own.

    Get Early Access

    Create your account now to get on the waitlist. We’re activating more creators every day!

    Have a friend’s invite code? Skip the waitlist.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What is spec content?
    A spec (short for speculative) is content that creators produce themselves to showcase their skills. These can be commercials, scripts, songs, or other forms of content. Too often, a spec is thought of as something to get a creator their next job. But what if a creator had the perfect place to sell it? That’s X4Y.
    What is Ready-to-Brand content?
    Ready-to-brand content is video that features no logos or brand references of any kind but has themes that would suit multiple brands. Once a brand buys a spec, it can then customize the branding to its particular needs, most often in post-production.
    Who can create X4Y content?
    Any director, scriptwriter, videographer, or other creator types, from emerging amateur to seasoned veteran, with a good idea and the skills and vision to see it through.
    Who wants to buy Ready-to-Brand content?
    Businesses of all shapes and sizes recognize the benefits of buying high-quality video to help expand their audiences. We directly harness our creator community's talent and vision to deliver content to companies they couldn't otherwise get on their own.
    What types of content formats are best?
    Ready-to-brand videos. The ideal lengths for videos are 6, 15, 30, or 60 seconds, or even several minutes depending on the brand’s use case. Also, we know it’s not always possible, but ideally, your spec can be formatted to all standard aspect ratios (1:1, 16:9, 9:16) to work for all types of distribution. We're also accepting commercial scripts that can be easily rewritten for a variety of brands.
    Do I have to pay to be an X4Y Creator?
    Nope! We’re happy to say that X4Y is currently free to all creators.
    Why should I join X4Y?
    X4Y gives creators the freedom to make what they want, the power to set their own price, and the chance to be discovered and hired by thousands of brands and other creatives along the way. Get started
    I’m in! How do I get started?
    We expect to begin inviting creators to our beta this fall in preparation for the full marketplace launch in early 2022.
    I have specs to share. Can you give me more information?
    Once you’ve signed up for X4Y, you will be prompted right away with a spec-submission link that has more details. If you do have additional questions, you can message us at anytime at hi@x4y.com!