THE OFFICIAL RULEBOOK OF CREE INGLES' IDOL SEARCH  

CONTESTANT RULES & RESPONSIBILITIES     
 

• There are no age requirements or limitations in Idol Search.
• If you are a minor wanting to enter the competition, please get approval from your parent/guardian before submitting an audition.
• Idol Search is open to United States and Canadian residents only.
• You MUST have a YouTube account to enter Idol Search.
• Understand Idol Search takes up a lot of time, but can be very rewarding. Do not enter if your lifestyle does not have room for you to meet the requirements of Idol Search.
• Previous Idol Search WINNERS may not audition for Idol Search. Second place and on may audition every season if they so desire.

• By entering Idol Search, you are giving consent to your image being used in a Voting Video, should you make the Top 14.
• Voting videos are for VOTING only. Please DO NOT converse on voting videos.Text votes must say something to the effect of "I vote for _____", for the vote to be permissible.
• Any text post not clearly stating a vote will be deleted and not counted towards the contestants final tallies.
• If you accidentally vote on the wrong video, your votes will not be counted. Votes must be on the correct voting video.
• No video votes may be posted from the account/screen name you entered the contest with.
• You may not text vote for yourself from the account you entered the contest with.
• Video votes must be a new video for that week. You can not reuse old videos.
• You must CLEARLY show your face in your voting videos.
• Animals are cute, but they can not be used to cast a video vote with.
• Only one video vote per user will count.
• Judges are not permitted to video vote.
• Video votes must be recorded from a home setting.
• You may text vote as many times as you'd like, for as many finalists as you like.
• You may rate videos for as many finalists as you'd like.
• There are several aspects of Public Voting.
• Each text vote (vote comment on the correct voting video) is worth 200 points.
• Any video rating (on a voting video) is worth 200 points.
• Each valid video vote is worth 200 points.
• For every judge that DOES NOT vote for the contestant to be eliminated, another 200 points is earned.
• Public voting spread is different each round. For detailed Public Voting information read the description box of Voting Videos.
• All public voting scores are added to the judges tallies to come up with the contestants final ranking.
• If ever you question the final rankings, speak to the Administrators.
• You may not offer cash, prizes, or promise monetary gain for voting for you. Bribery of any sort will result in an immediate disqualification.
  
•  It is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED you vote from an account that is NOT your primary account on YouTube!!

• Your screenname may not change during the duration of the competition.
• If you place first or second in Idol Search, you agree to give the Administrator of Idol Search your mailing address (in order for your prizes to be mailed.) Your address will not be shared with any other party.
• There may be a time when the Administrator of Idol Search will need your phone number. If such an occurance happens during the season, you will be contacted via e-mail.
• Your e-mail address will be needed, in case of YouTube email failures.

• No uses of dynamic, headset, and condenser microphones.
• Your web cam, digital camera, or camcorder must have a built in mic.
• No headset mics permitted under any circumstances.
• No use of fake microphones in your videos.
• The only microphone that is permissible is the microphone pre-installed internally into your webcam, digital camera, or camcorder.   

• All contestants must meet the deadlines of sending in video submissions of either performance or question videos (Question videos start at Top 10 and on). No exceptions. Failure to do so will result in disqualification.
• Meeting your song choice deadline is highly recommended.
• Sooner is ALWAYS better than later to upload your entries AND attach them to the current round.
• YouTube Maintenance is NOT a justifiable excuse for not uploading your videos.
• Prepare for YouTube glitches if you choose to upload your entries on the Sunday your entries are due.
• Deadlines for uploading AND attaching your entries WILL be enforced.
• Song choices are to be submitted no later then Wed. 4PM Pacific.
  

• You are not required BEFORE THE TOP 10 to call into the Results Show, however, it is highly recommended.
• If there is ever a time a TOP 10 finalist can not call into the results show, they must appoint a representative to call in for them to get their results.
• An administrator, judge, or contestant can not be a representative.
• Appointed representatives names must be given to the Administrators by the Monday before the results show.
• Results shows are for Idol Search contestants and delivering results. Other callers, please do not expect to be put on the line during the show. If you are unmuted, your time on the show will be brief.

• In videos asking for your song choices, it is first come, first serve.
• You cannot ask another contestant to give up the song they chose.
• You can not ask a judge or the Administrators to make contestants give up their songs.
• You can only post ONE song choice. Once you post, it is your song choice permanently regardless of ANY situation.
• You must post and have approved your song choice before uploading your video.
  

• Title of video must include "Idol Search Season ___"
• Video intros are not to be over 20 seconds. It is best to put any added information in the description box, foregoing the video into.
• You must be visible in your video with you actually singing.
• Your video/singing is a one-taker in the video. You cannot film multiple takes and compile all those takes into one video. 
• Once you submit a video - it must permanently stay there - you cannot delete regardless of ANY situation. If you delete, it is automatic action of your withdrawal from the competition.
• You cannot edit your audio whatsoever - no reverb, echo, equalizer, and/or any other effects.
• Top 10 and on: You are required to do a question video.
• Special effects should be limited.
• If your video looks like you are lip-synching in any way, you will be asked to provide the raw file of you singing without the effects.
• Others may be in your video with you. You may have backup dancers, singers, or use instruments.
• The important thing to remember is your vocal must be clearly you, with no lip-synching to YOUR OWN VOICE OR ANYONE ELSE'S.
• Think of your videos as an American Idol audition. Simply stand there and impress us with your vocal talent.

• It is an option to sing with an instrumental, acapella, or sing it along with the original CD recording. Instrumental is recommended.
• Use YouTube.com, SingSnap.com, or find mp3s of instrumentals. You may use Audacity (Google Audacity) to change the instrumental's key to accommodate your voice.
• You may use instruments to accompany your videos.

• Look at the videos on YouTube.com/CreeIngles to see all the updates to keep up with the show. Remember, this competition is orientated around YouTube. Watch the videos on Cree Ingles' YouTube channel concerning Idol Search to get all updates.
• Read the description box of ALL Idol Search videos frequently and carefully.
• Once you are eliminated from Idol Search, you may not continue to post videos to the competition.
• First and Second place finalists agree to appear on ChiLLin With Cree within two weeks after the season ends.
• If you have a vacation scheduled during Idol Search, reconsider auditioning.
• NO SPECIAL FAVORS will be made to accommodate your vacations.

• You may not ask the Administrators or any of the judges for special favors whatsoever.

• If you do have a question, ask by posting a comment in the video with the most current genre.
• Judges are great resources, but the Administrators of Idol Search have the final say in all Idol Search decisions.

• You must follow the rules. Period.
• If there IS ever a life situation, talk to the Administrator of Idol Search, Cree Ingles.  She will work with you the best she can, while keeping the rules and other contestants in mind.

DRAMA

JUDGE RULES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Once you have voted for eliminations, you may not change your vote.
• Judges may converse about the contest of course, HOWEVER, judges may not ask other judges who they voted for eliminations on ANY week of Idol Search.
• Judges many not ask Administrators about their knowledge of who was voted out.
• Judges may not ask administrators for "inside" information in the contest.
• Genres are chosen at the Administrators discretion. Do not ask if you may create a genre for any round of Idol Search.
• RUMORS will not get a judge released from duties. Rumors will get the judge in question spoken to by the Administrators. It will then be up to the Administrators whether or not the judge will be released from judging duties.
• Judges are to help contestants in any way that they can. Any judge found to be hindering ANY contestant will be released from Idol Search judging duties immediately.
• Judges may have opinions that differ from the Administrators, however, judges are not allowed to demean the competition, contestants, or the Administrators in a public forum, including text comments on YouTube videos.
• Judges may not CONSPIRE to get ANY contestant voted off. PROOF of conspiring will get the judge in question released from the competition immediately. No questions asked.
• If a judge suspects any wrong doing by contestants or other judges, they are to speak to the Administrators immediately.
• Judges are not required to call into the results shows or the performance shows. If their schedule permits, we encourage all judges to call in.
• Judges are REQUIRED to e-mail their elimination vote to x72438@yahoo.com  between 4 pm and 8 pm PST on the Sundays videos are due.
• Judges are REQUIRED to post a video stating who they eliminated between 4 pm and 8 pm PST on  Tuesday results days.
• Judges are REQUIRED to show their face in the elimination videos.
• TEXT ELIMINATION VIDEOS ARE NOT PERMITTED!
• In judge elimination videos explanations of who you voted for and why are not required.
• If a situation occurs where a judges computer went down or they will be out of town, please make arrangements with the Administrators for your elimination video.
• Computers going down OR vacations is not a reason for judges to not vote for eliminations.