Submit Your Demo

Tag: Demo Factor

  • Christian Sayers – Winner 2022

    Christian Sayers – Winner 2022

    Christian Sayers, 2022 Winner comes to meet the judges.

    After two years of virtual events from the Judges kitchens, Demo Factor 2022 returned LIVE and in person to SRACon’s first evening at Northern Stage, Newcastle University with host station NSR. It was also a second appearance in Newcastle for Demo Factor after we rolled up in 2014.

    2008 first time Demo Factor winner and now Absolute Radio presenter, Ben Burrell, returned for his fifth time to host the stage and keep the judges in check. That panel was made up of Julie Cullen (BBC 5Live), Pandora (Heart), Aled Haydn-Jones (BBC Radio 1), Paul Sylvester (Absolute Radio) and returning head judge, Chris North (North Media Talent).

    Being back in one space, listening to the demos in front of each other and to hear live and in person feedback was exhilarating for all. Most of the delegates had never seen the show live but they came and uploaded their demos. It’s fair to say the room was a mixture of nerves and anticipation, and that was just from the Judges!

    (L-R) Paul Sylvester, Pandora, Ben Burrell (Host), Chris North, Julie Cullen, Aled Haydn-Jones

    2022 introduced the Demo Factor 1-2-1, a demo clinic to conference. This was the first-time delegates got to play their demo to a guest industry judge earlier that afternoon and get feedback on what they could work on to improve. With a queue down the corridor, it proved so popular that it’s become a regular fixture!

    Five Golden Buzzers were handed out to a fantastic set of students:

    Martha Owen, Scratch Radio (Paul),

    Imogen Brewer, Fly Live (Aled),

    Christian Sayers, Insanity Radio (Pandora),

    Astrid MacQuillin, LSR, Leeds Student Radio (Julie)

    William King, URY, University Radio York (Chris, who controversially retro-buzzed)

    It was Christian Sayers from Insanity Radio (Royal Holloway) who however was chosen by the judges as the best demo of the night and winner of the 2022 Demo Factor.

    Demo Factor Winner 2022, Christian Sayers with Judges & Host

    Hear Christian’s winning demo below:

    Demo Factor 2022 @ NSR, Newcastle University

  • SAM & DANNI – HOSTS 2024

    SAM & DANNI – HOSTS 2024

    We’re very pleased to welcome Student Radio Alumni, and presenters of BBC Radio 1’s Weekend Breakfast, Sam & Danni as the hosts of the 2024 DemoFactor hosted by LSR, Leeds Student Radio.

    “We’re so gassed to be hosting Demofactor 2024! It’s one of THE best events in the student radio calendar full of drama and fun and we can’t wait to be there with you to guide you though the night!

    Only a few years back were nervously waiting for our demos to pop up at this very event. If you’re umm’ing and ahh’ing about putting a demo in, just do it! This could be a potentially career changing opportunity with so many valuable lessons can be learnt & great industry contacts to be made..!

    Let’s all have a laugh ‘eh – bring on Monday night!!”

    Sam MacGregor & Danni Diston are leading Radio Presenters who began their career together on their University Radio Station. After winning a range of awards including “Best Entertainment Show” and Sam going on to win “Best Male Radio Presenter” at the Student Radio Awards in 2019, the pair continued to present together after graduating, landing their BBC Radio 1 debut only a year later.

    In December 2020, Sam & Danni hosted Radio 1’s Life Hacks and The Official Chart: First Look as part of BBC Radio 1’s Christmas Takeover Scheme. Since then, the pair have gone on to present a wide range of shows across the BBC Radio network, resulting in them being the most used cover presenters on Radio 1 throughout 2021.

    After solidifying their names as prominent leading figures on the station, September 2023 saw Sam and Danni launch a brand new BBC Radio 1 Weekend Breakfast show which broadcasts from Cardiff.

  • You can’t keep a good thing down!

    You can’t keep a good thing down!

    As promised we’re bringing Demo Factor back for 2020, but this year, virtually! We may be socially distanced but we’re going to bring the show and our BIG GOLD LETTERS to you so you won’t have to walk very far to grab a drink! Sadly we can’t bring you a glitter cannon, smoke machine or an ice sculpture due to logistics.

    Our very own first time winner of Demo Factor, Ben Burrell from Absolute Radio returns as our Virtual Host and will try and keep the five judges in check. As is tradition, those entered, who will be picked out at random, will get the chance to join Ben and the judges virtually to hear their feedback.

    The show will be recorded ‘as live’ on the evening of Friday May 22nd, and will be broadcast on the evening of Monday 25th in all its glory! The team will be in touch with everyone who’s uploaded a demo. Oh, and there may also be a few surprises thrown into the show, as is our way! Remember, you have to be in it to win it, and it could change your life, forever. Seriously!

    Deadline to upload your demo is 2pm Monday May 4th 2020 at demofactor.com

  • You have to be in it to win it! 2019 Winner, Finlay Panting explains all.

    You have to be in it to win it! 2019 Winner, Finlay Panting explains all.

    I still look back at Demo Factor last year and have to pinch myself at what happened that night. I entered this having never played my demo to anyone in industry, simply looking for feedback on what I could do better yet there I was in a room with some of the best voices in student radio, with judges I’ve idolised growing up, having just won Demo Factor 2019!

    It’s embarrassing to admit, but at the point of entering I thought it was just about the buzzers, the judges and the tension of the night, I didn’t even realise there was an overall ‘winner’! Although that’s kind of the point, no matter whether you’re lucky enough to get a golden buzzer, or the dreaded 5 red buzzers on the night, you’ll gain that valuable feedback that you need to hear to push your presenting style forward, additionally you get the opportunity to be inspired by what other students are adding into their demos. From that night, I fortunately got to meet with some incredible people like Aled Haydn Jones (Head of Programmes for BBC Radio 1), Chris North (Agent & Founder of North Media Talent), Paul Sylvester (Content Director for Absolute Radio) and Ben Burrell (2008 Demo Factor winner, now Absolute Radio presenter), but importantly it also gave me so much more confidence and excitement to go back to my own student station and put everything into practice for a future in radio.

    This year there’s even less to lose from submitting your demo, as not only can you do it from the comfort of your home, you don’t have to live through that torturous experience of standing in a room of about 200 people as your demo is played out loud over the speakers! It’s even a chance to get creative – with lots of Unis unfortunately now closed, there’s a chance to set up a mini-studio in your own bedroom & take the opportunity to practice different styles.

    So if I could simply recommend one thing, find some clips that are authentically you and show off your best qualities on radio, do a bit of cut & paste into 2-3 minutes of audio and send it off to Demo Factor. The worst thing you’ll get back is constructive feedback that you need to hear & you truly never know, you might just win the thing!

    Have fun & best of luck!

    Finlay Panting
    DemoFactor Winner 2019

  • Never done a demo before?

    Never done a demo before?

    In the current circumstances DemoFactor will obviously be slightly different this time around. However it doesn’t mean that the feedback you get from a judge won’t be anything other than their honest opinion (maybe good or bad) and it will still be constructive and hopefully as helpful as usual! A demo should be up to 3 minutes long with your best bit at the start. Make the first minute impress us.


    With a lot of you not being at your station at the moment we thought we’d also let you know that we appreciate that editing your demo might be more complicated than usual. Please remember that it’s your content / best links that represent you as a presenter that we’re judging you on so a rough cut or edit won’t count against you – this year!

    You may know most of this but if you’re new to making a demo from home here’s some editing suggestions in case you need them.

    Audacity is the first audio editor you’ll probably stumble upon through Google, and it’s perfectly adequate, runs on Windows or MAC and supports a massive number of file types including MP3 or WAV. You can record straight into the App, or edit existing files. There’s an enormous number of effects you can use, and a multitrack editor for tweaking that running order and ensuring you’ve got the most impactful stuff in the right places (i.e the first 30 seconds to a minute!). 

    https://www.audacityteam.org

    Remember to save your sessions regularly, and put the best stuff at the start, and make sure you name the file too! Once you’re happy with your demo, upload it at demofactor.com. What could be simpler? 

    Good luck!

    Virtual DemoFactor 2020

  • The show must go on, right?

    The show must go on, right?

    With SRACon postponed until 2021, in these rather bonkers but difficult times we at DemoFactor have decided that our show will go on. Somehow!

    It might not be the live first night of conference we were hoping you’d be part of in Salford, but the whole team, along with the SRA Officers felt you should still get the chance to submit a demo, via demofactor.com as usual and get some feedback from at least one judge. (We’re just working out the finer details as the days go by.)

    What I would love you to do is get a demo made, around 3 mins long but don’t stress about that or how slick it is as there are other, more important things to worry about. Make the first minute count to grab the judges’ attention. Upload it to demofactor.com and await the feedback. Just do it. Don’t be worried about it. Celebrate all the great radio you’ve done and the great times you had doing it.

    Each judge, as is usual, will get one ‘Big Gold Buzzer’ for someone they’re impressed with – then all the judges will listen to them again to help chose a winner.  We will publish all those in the buzzer shortlist.

    You have until 2pm on Monday May 4th to upload the demo. You or your station should be a paid up member of the SRA to enter.

    We will announce when you’re to get the feedback in the next few weeks and the judges will be announced in the next few days! Things are changing fast so we will keep you updated on any additional information about this years’ virtual DemoFactor.

    Good luck, and get making that demo.

    Remember, again, you have that first minute to impress – a minute to win it. We look forward to hearing you. Any questions please message us.

    Now wash your hands again.

    Chris North

    Head Judge, Virtual DemoFactor 2020

  • Be Demo Factor’s Class of 2019!

    Be Demo Factor’s Class of 2019!

    I can still remember sitting in that room terrified that I was next. I knew my demo faded in on the end of a Sugababes track (that dates it an embarrassing amount) and the moment I heard it ring round the room at Bath Uni I knew I was about to hear myself do my opening link.

    What I didn’t know is that that day would change my life. In that afternoon (it was an afternoon back then, it was much less showbiz in those days…) I would meet the person who would become my agent, I’d meet a future boss and a really good friend who has offered endless advice, all on the judging panel. 

    So while the whole experience has a side order of absolute terror it is actually worth it, the success rate of past winners going into the industry is very high, but not even that, you’re getting feedback from some of the best in the industry tailored specifically to you. And it might not seem it at the time even if the feedback isn’t good but it will help, believe me. Sometimes bad feedback is better than good.

    Working in radio really is one of the best jobs in the world, there’s nothing quite like it. If that’s what you want to do then Demo Factor really can open the right doors for you. So make sure you get to SRACon in Swansea and become the class of 2019, and I look forward meeting you!

    Best of luck! 

  • Should you enter? Of course you should!

    I still remember being sat in that room in Bath, the faint smell of snakebite wafting from the bar and a sticky floor beneath my feet, I prayed they wouldn’t play my demo because at that stage I was sure it was the worst thing ever confined to a CD (yes a CD – it was ages ago).

    Then the closing bars to a Sugerbabes song rang round the room (a current hit at the time – like I said…ages ago) I knew I was about to hear myself doing a link…..What I didn’t know was that single moment would be the basis for my career, I’d meet my agent, we’d talk about my dream to work at Absolute Radio, he’d introduce me to the boss of that station blah blah blah.

    I could go on but it’s about 8 years in all so I’ll stop banging on about myself. Point being I can’t think of another forum where you can gain face to face access with industry leaders who give you direct feedback on what you’re doing. Also you’re literally in a bar with them afterwards so you can have a more friendly informal chat, it’s perfect if you’re thinking radio is the next step after uni.

    Go for it you won’t regret it!

    Ben Burrell, Demo Factor Host 2018