Plot

Is there a set path to glory? Or does it all come down to luck and coincidence, charisma and talent? Based on numerous interviews the music documentation Welcome to the Machine traces the inner workings of the global music business.

The 12 Commandments of music business brought together in one film. The secret of success, the purpose of music awards, the whole truth about recording contracts and nine other monstrosities. "Welcome to the Machine" is not just a rockumentary, but also uncovers the whole truth! Not always dead serious, but most definitely pitiless - after all it's just about this one big question: Is there one right way to Fame?—Anonymous

Welcome to the Machine reveals the core of the music business machine. By Doing that, the film doesnt care about genres or categorization. There are thousands of different music worlds but only one business. The Austrian micro cosmos is being explored, as well as the global music scene in New York or London, Helsinki or Tel Aviv. Not always serious but self-critical and above all ruthless after all it is only about one thing: music. Although ..

Welcome to the Machine is a documentary analysis of the functionality in music business. This automatically makes the film a 100% documentary with comedy and drama, as well as 100% semi-investigative. In 12 chapters we're trying to answer the question what the every day work life of a music star looks like. What do you have to consider when starting a band? What is a manager actually doing? How do music media, band contests and other promotion strategies work? But most of all: Is there a formula for success? The film gives a clear answer to that, although that is to say that there are as many formulas for success as there are artists/bands. This is clearly shown in all the interviews, which have been taken with national and international stars during the production of Welcome to the Machine.

From star sopranist Natalia Ushakova to former Modern Talking singer Thomas Anders, from Cypress Hill and One Republic & MTV legend Ray Cokes to the rockers from Nazareth, more than 100 artists let us be part of their - not always pleasant - experiences. In a pointed and amusing way they talk about their own mistakes that got them noticed in the music business. Out of their own experiences they explain why it worked out or why, according to them, it can also not work out. Not just the artists get a say in "Welcome to the Machine", but also music journalists, label operators, promoters, concert hosts and many more, all who are active parts of that "machine".

But that is not enough. The young and ambitious band "The New Vitamin" tried putting all of these "tips & tricks" from the above stars into practise. The young viennese electro rockers test the professionals experience for its compliancy of becoming a star. Doing that theyre filmed in the recording studio, while arguing during rehearsals and band contests.

The different chapters form an independent unity, held by it's own line of action. The various topics are processed informative and humorously by using different methods. A diverse panorama of an omnipresent but mostly hidden working industry is the result. Diverting and understandably narrated. Also because of that "Welcome to the Machine" definitely isn't just a film for experts, but mainly great entertainment for everyone who is mad about music. Most of all though "Welcome to the Machine" is a must for prospective musicians, no matter what genre they intend to work in.

Is there a secret recipe for success? How did the established bands make it to where they are, and how on earth does one get a record deal? There are a limited number of steps a young band will have to take in order to even get noticed. First off - start a band! Easiest thing in the world, or is it? Do you have to be able to play an instrument or is it sufficient to be an asshole in front of the camera in order to make it into the next Hall of Fame? What are the other bands doing differently and why does it work better? These and many more questions are usually what aspiring musicians ask themselves on their way to stardom. Not always dead serious, but most definitely pitiless - after all its just about this one big question: Is there one right way to Fame?

Featuring: Adam Green (US), A.F.I. (US), The Album Leaf (US), Amorphis (FL), Asaf Avidan & The Mojos (IL), John B (UK), Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (US), Bloodhound Gang (US), Blood Red Shoes (UK), Blumentopf (DE), Wallis Bird (IE), Buckcherry (US), Bullet For My Valentine (UK), Bunny Lake (AT), Chilly Gonzalez (CA), Coldcut (UK), Gabriella Cilmi (AU), Cypress Hill (US), Dälek (US), Danko Jones (CA), Disturbed (US), Donots (DE), Eight Legs (UK), Eliza Doolittle (UK), Fatboy Slim (UK), Fehlfarben (DE), Fettes Brot (DE), Flogging Molly (US), Gentleman (DE), Glenn Hughes (UK), Die Goldenen Zitronen (DE), Halestorm (US), The Heavy (UK), Helen Feng (CN), Helloween (DE), The Hidden Cameras (CA), HIM (FL), Infected Mushrooms (IL), Jan Vogler (DE), Japanese Popstars (IE), Kim Wilde (UK), Kool And The Gang (US), Lacuna Coil (IT), Lydia Lunch (US), Louie Austen (AT), Marina and the Diamonds (UK), Maximilian Hecker (DE), Melissa auf der Maur (CA), Nada Surf (US), Natalia Ushakova (AT), Nazareth (UK), New Model Army (UK), New Young Pony Club (UK), One Republic (US), Oomph! (DE), Otis Taylor (US), Papa Roach (US), The Parlotones (ZA), Peaches (CA), Das Pop (BE), Otis Taylor (US), Shantel (DE), Sonic Syndicate (SE), Die Sterne (DE), Sunrise Avenue (FI), Suzie Quatro (US), Texas Terri Bomb (US), Therapy (US), Thomas Anders (DE), Timid Tiger (DE), The Reverend Dayton´s´Big Damn Band (US), TV Buddhas (IL), Uriah Heep (UK), White Lies (UK), You Love Her Coz She´s Dead (UK), Xiu Xiu (US), Yaron Herman (IL), The New Vitamin (AT)

Anton Corbijn (Director), Ray Cokes (MTV,VH1,BBC), Marie Clausen (Senior Product Manager K7 Records NY), Rupert Hine (Producer), Thorsten Schliesche (Napster Vice President Sales & Marketing Europe), Jim Mahoney (Vice President American Association of Independent Music), Prof. Felix Oberholzer-Gee (Harvard Business School), Hannes Eder (General Manager Universal Music Austria), Joachim Hentschel (Editor-in-charge Rolling Stone Magazine), Mag. Thomas Böhm (Amadeus Awards), Prof. Stan J. Liebowitz (School of Management University of Texas), Georg Spatt (Head Of Radio Station Ö3), Jörg Timp (Manager Starkult Promotion Berlin), Sasha Saedi (Senior A&R Manager, Universal), Klaus Totzler (Musicjournalist, ORF), Andreas Wenden (Popjuristen Sweden), Thomas Rabitsch (Produzent), Walter Gröbchen (Monkey Music), Christian Lakatos (Organizer, Urban Art Forms Festival), Josef Schartner (PR), Anna Katzdobler (PR), Michael Gaissmeier (PR), Martin Kvam (Press Manager Karisma / Dark Essence Records Norway