Archived founding campaign rules

Earlier September 16 scope, retained for campaigns that accepted this version. Read the current rules.

Clear briefs.
Fair opportunities.

Founding model · September 16, 2026 · Version 2026-09-16.1

1. Who can take part

Creators and community accounts must be 18 or older. Each campaign publishes its supported countries and regions, creative requirements, availability and payment eligibility before entries open. Creators declare their contribution, asset permissions and location. Declarations are not identity verification. Secure identity, tax and payout checks and signed creator terms must be complete before new work begins. Do not upload identity, tax or banking documents to a profile, entry or ordinary delivery link.

2. Apply with existing work

Submit work you already made and have permission to share. DebutYou and the named studio may review it to select the Stage. With the entry permission, a selected example and chosen display name can appear on the campaign Stage. Applying does not grant studio advertising rights, transfer copyright or require new promotional work. Your accepted rules and campaign scope are recorded with your entry. Campaign display ends 30 calendar days after confirmed results, or earlier following an approved withdrawal; a separate Core remains controlled by its own visibility setting.

3. A carefully selected Stage

The standard paid Stage has ten creators. More than ten may express interest. DebutYou reviews existing work against the published craft, creative approach, brief-fit and availability requirements. We seek complementary strengths that suit the game. Follower counts do not determine Stage selection. When creators are similarly suited, we give preference to those without a recent Stage opportunity. This is a judgment-based review, not a guarantee of selection or a random draw.

DebutYou records reasons and obtains studio approval of the group before the Stage begins. We do not fill places with unsuitable work to meet a number. A larger or smaller format needs its own funded scope, selection terms and approval before entries open. If the agreed format cannot be filled, extend or cancel and resolve obligations; do not silently change it after entry.

4. Briefs and studio collaboration

The founding package covers one agreed short edit from each Stage creator and one further short edit from each of the four trial creators. Durations, vertical or landscape formats, approved source assets, one consolidated revision round per piece, posting expectations, permissions and dates are defined in the signed campaign brief. Plan roughly three to four weeks; actual campaign dates control. Additional requests require agreement and funding. Stage creators can discuss direction with the studio, but conversation does not create an unlimited production obligation.

All creator agreements, onboarding and approved assets must be ready before written kickoff. Only publish campaign work when you have explicit permission, including footage and music, and any required promotional disclosures. Private delivery links are visible only to the creator, assigned studio reviewers and DebutYou. A public Stage link is optional and requires separate publishing permission.

5. Earned pay and review

The studio funds the campaign before entries open. No creator advance is promised. At the end of the Stage, each creator who completes the agreed requirements earns $100, regardless of whether they receive a Door. The studio has three business days after the later of delivery or Stage closing to approve or identify a specific material requirement needing correction. A reasonable correction window is agreed; requests outside the signed brief need new scope and pay.

Silence or a dispute goes to DebutYou for review against the brief. Minor preferences, low views or a decision not to publish are not reasons to withhold earned pay. Approved Stage work is paid within seven calendar days of approval, subject to any earlier legally required deadline. The additional $200 is payable within seven calendar days of accepted trial delivery; the same review and correction process applies. Completing both briefs earns $300 total. Payment never depends on selection, later hiring or another studio payment. The site records completed transfers; it does not itself transfer money.

Withdrawal, cancellation or non-delivery is resolved under the signed agreements, documenting work completed, earned pay, creator notice, authorized costs and unused funds. Give creators a reasonable opportunity to correct disputed requirements. Resolve Stage pay or a documented settlement before confirming the four trial opportunities. There is no creative-preference veto over a valid Community Door.

6. Iris and the four doors

Each community account receives three free Iris for the entire campaign support period. Allocate them to one, two or three creators, and change or remove them until support closes. Iris cannot be purchased, transferred between campaigns or refilled daily. No self-support, duplicate accounts, automated support, paid support or rewards for votes. Sponsoring-studio personnel and the organizer may not support their own campaign. Individual allocations and live rankings stay private.

There is no separate Final Ten round. Once work and eligibility are reviewed, the two highest validated Iris totals among eligible Stage creators receive Community Doors. The studio chooses two different creators from the remaining eligible Stage. Both routes lead to the additional paid trial. Ties use distinct valid supporters, then a recorded random tie-break. Discovery order varies, but equal exposure and equal chances are not guaranteed; existing audiences can influence community support.

Selections stay private while agreements, eligibility and any corrections are checked. Allow a three-business-day response and correction window, with documented extensions where appropriate. A Community Door replacement follows the remaining validated support order; a Studio Door replacement comes from the remaining eligible Stage. Resolve existing obligations before replacement. A separately funded Fifth Door may add another eligible Stage creator without reducing the four standard places.

7. Rights and what comes next

Creators retain copyright in their original contributions; studios retain their source assets. After accepted delivery and full payment, a written rights release starts a 90-day window for new organic posts on named studio accounts. Approved posts can remain unchanged afterward with agreed credit. That window is a usage license, not an internship. Ads, boosts, re-edits, extra formats or wider licensing require separately agreed permission and pay. Creator-channel posting is limited to what the brief expressly includes.

The paid trial provides direct collaboration and feedback. Further commissions, internships or employment are optional, agreed directly with the studio and governed by their own terms and applicable obligations. DebutYou does not guarantee hiring. Your Core and community participation remain available regardless of selection.

8. Questions, integrity and earlier terms

Report manipulation, rights concerns or a disputed decision to hello@debutyouhq.com. DebutYou records and reviews decisions. Private practice creates no paid work or real payment; all milestones are fictional. Earlier accepted campaigns keep their recorded scope and terms: view the September 12 rules. Current signed creator and studio agreements must match each campaign’s published scope before work starts.