Flying Blind! Creating music for an unseen Corporate Video

buzzsmith · Post by **buzzsmith** » Thu Oct 18, 2007 6:25 am

Hi, guys...

Just thought I'd share this compositional experience (ongoing)

Had a call a few weeks ago about supplying some music for an "upscale consumer oriented" video that's being produced in house by one of the major oil companies.

My only input from the director...

••• A short (:30) sample clip of a piece of music from Studio Cutz to demonstrate feel
••• Target audience: opinionated, influential, affluent policy makers in the 35-50 demographic
••• 2 sections of music...about 1.5 minute open with ending and about 3.5 minutes to conclude with ending.
••• "upbeat and positive"
••• "for the public and the web"
••• 8-16 measure intro with build to music to go under voice-over
••• very short intro for section 2 with "finish"

Even though I suggested that I would sign a confidentiality agreement, he was still hesitant to tell me what product or service the music is for. (I still don't know)

I have not (and probably won't) see the actual video.

Talk about working completely blind!

Anyway, (while down with the "stomach flu"), I created Section 1 similar in feel to the sample clip that he had furnished and added a little light Pan Flute melody (again not knowing if Pan Flute would fit the visuals at all!)

Kept the same bpm and key (for his editing), and created section 2.

Hired a guitarist to come by and lay down a feel, licks and some power chords (again, no visual cues to know if this was "right" or not)

Mixed both and sent 256 kbs mp3s for his demo presentation to his superiors, I'm assuming.

Got word back that Section 2 will probably work as is with tweaking, and some discussion forthcoming for Section 1.

So, I guess we're going in the right direction, anyway!

Maybe when it gets past the "presentation" side, I'll get to see the video and hone in on the correct treatment.

Or maybe, he'll just come by my place and we'll refine based on his input.

Kind of a difficult way to work...creating music for a video but you can't see the video!

Anyone else have similar stories?

Buzz

mhschmieder · Post by **mhschmieder** » Thu Oct 18, 2007 3:00 pm

Um, that is the ONLY experience I have EVER had regarding jingles, corporate videos, and movies/trailers. I thought it was the norm -- at least until later stages of production.

But as I am independent and currently do this stuff pro bono or only for small fees (at least until I build up my rep), I have not yet had to deal with stuff like frame-syncing so have been able to focus on the creative end as well as the audio production end of the job. As long as this is the case for you as well, it should not be of extreme concern that you don't have access to the visuals (which likely are not completely settled yet anyway).

Its all about communication, at both ends. I have recently completed a third pass on a proposed symphonic theme for a local CATV news programme. As their ideas for change involve visuals as well as music, it is likely that what I do may help them fine-tune their final visual concepts, but of course it was done based on their description of what they were aiming for combined with a few snippets they showed me of what they like about what similar programs have done in recent years with their format.

So hopefully you can get enough descriptive information, as it seems that you already have, perhaps in combination with a portfolio of visual ideas that may have inspired their production.

I still have not seen one of the movies I did a soundtrack for, due to having worked through an intermediary who is a total flake. It bothers me because I can't put it in my portfolio as a result, but most of the other stuff required confidentiality and so also can't be shown to others.

At least doing music to accompany Flash in websites (a more recent endeavour) generally has the visuals come first and can also be used to show others what you can do, making for a more confident agreement.

As your contract is with a major oil company, I'm guessing that you are at a much more advanced level than I am, or at least a known quantity vs. a local rising talent, so I may be the wrong person to be offering input into your dilemma. There's a lot of REAL pros on this forum, so they'll probably chime in soon

.

Good luck, at any rate, and I hope you get paid whether they use what you do or not (this is supposed to be standard policy in a contract, as many firms hedge their bets but people should still be paid for their work even if they don't benefit from the equivalent of royalties for air time).

buzzsmith · Post by **buzzsmith** » Thu Oct 18, 2007 3:36 pm

Thanks, MH.

I don't do as much work in music for video or jingles as I used to, but this "blind work" is a first for me!

I appreciate all your comments, though!...sounds like you're doin' OK!

I'm not too worried (at least, yet) about the $$$. They've been pretty upfront about all that.

Buzz

YouTube · Post by **James Steele** » Thu Oct 18, 2007 5:02 pm

I was going to say, it seems like par for the course. It's funny just how little input you will get sometimes and interpreting the vagaries of clients is tough. Be glad they gave you a temp track sort of example to go on. A lot of times, they become "in love" with the temp track and your best bet is to just give them something VERY similar, but not so similar you're infringing.

buzzsmith · Post by **buzzsmith** » Sat Oct 20, 2007 7:35 am

James Steele wrote:A lot of times, they become "in love" with the temp track and your best bet is to just give them something VERY similar, but not no similar you're infringing.

Very true, or they fall in love with the rough demo, and don't like the final as well as the rough!

Buzz

MIDI Life Crisis · Post by **MIDI Life Crisis** » Sat Oct 20, 2007 9:21 am

Working "in the dark" is certainly possible if you are good at telling a story with your music alone. Many editors want temp tracks "before the fact" but without a storyboard or timeline of some sort, you are creating the structure. If they're OK with that, then fine, but it seems a little paranoid to keep your production team in the dark as to what the product and message is.

I've done entire dances and theater pieces "in the dark" (no pun intended) with little more than an instruction to compose: about 3 minutes of slow movement; 2 minutes of 'lunging' movement and 3 minutes of sweeping movement. Sometimes accompanied by (in those days) a fax with a general floor plan of dancer direction of movement. Other times a director would sit next to me while I was composing and make comments (general and other times very specific).

I wrote a commercial last week (:30) with nothing to go on but a couple of stills from the shoot. The editor created the commercial around my music for the most part and I tweaked a bit to make the hits work more precisely with my phrasing.

But I do think that the best work is done when all the collaborators are on the same page and are trusted with the project at all levels. Keeping someone ignorant of key information is a paranoid way of working. I accept that some people feel they need to protect their ideas, but at some point, if you don't have informed collaborators your message can suffer and insights an experienced creator can bring are lost - sometimes to the detriment of the message. That is quite different from just not having a structure and asking for a temp track to make thing go fasted in post.

ps- There was a movie (no names) that I scored in 2000 that used my music to edit. The director/producer was fired after the film was edited and everyone he hired (regardless of their contribution or contract) was not used. A spite thing on the part of the bonding company I guess.

Anyway, the movie was cut to my score and the poor "new" composer had to score to my rhythms. I had a case against them but let it go - the point being I watch the movie now and hear my score with every cut. Just a side story...

buzzsmith · Post by **buzzsmith** » Sat Oct 20, 2007 12:00 pm

MIDI Life Crisis wrote:ps- There was a movie (no names) that I scored in 2000 that used my music to edit. The director/producer was fired after the film was edited and everyone he hired (regardless of their contribution or contract) was not used. A spite thing on the part of the bonding company I guess.

Anyway, the movie was cut to my score and the poor "new" composer had to score to my rhythms. I had a case against them but let it go - the point being I watch the movie now and hear my score with every cut. Just a side story...

Cool story, MLC.

I bet the "new" composer hated the rhythmic entrapments imposed on him, even though you were blameless!

Buzz

MIDI Life Crisis · Post by **MIDI Life Crisis** » Sat Oct 20, 2007 12:35 pm

buzzsmith wrote:
I bet the "new" composer hated the rhythmic entrapments imposed on him, even though you were blameless!

Buzz

He never complained. I actually went to his mixing session as there was no bad blood between he and I. The flick, BTW, was a total dog and has basically a "C" horror rating at this point. I'm really relieved my name was not attached to it in any way.

YouTube · Post by **James Steele** » Sat Oct 20, 2007 12:55 pm

LOL... Michael... you need one of those alternate names like some directors. When they think the movie might suck they use the other name.

There's a horror guy I've heard of that does that.

MIDI Life Crisis · Post by **MIDI Life Crisis** » Sat Oct 20, 2007 1:00 pm

James Steele wrote:LOL... Michael... you need one of those alternate names like some directors. When they think the movie might suck they use the other name. There's a horror guy I've heard of that does that.

Not to mention scoring porn! (Although I have never done that...)

(Go ahead MonkeyMan... run with it!)

YouTube · Post by **James Steele** » Sat Oct 20, 2007 1:27 pm

MIDI Life Crisis wrote:
James Steele wrote:LOL... Michael... you need one of those alternate names like some directors. When they think the movie might suck they use the other name. There's a horror guy I've heard of that does that.
Not to mention scoring porn! (Although I have never done that...)

(Go ahead MonkeyMan... run with it!)

You know what... I got offered a gig doing that many years ago, when MIDI studios were sort of a new thing. I turned it down flatly. No thanks.

MIDI Life Crisis · Post by **MIDI Life Crisis** » Sat Oct 20, 2007 1:38 pm

If it weren't for the underlying drug and prostitution culture, I'd do it (score it, that is). And I have objection to nudity and romantic scenes or (if the story requires it) various sexual situations. But not at the expense of the actors (or more often, the "actresses.")

YouTube · Post by **James Steele** » Sat Oct 20, 2007 1:43 pm

MIDI Life Crisis wrote:If it weren't for the underlying drug and prostitution culture, I'd do it (score it, that is).

Don't forget there are often organized crime connections as well. Those were pretty much my primary reasons as well. I would end up having to know people I was convinced it would be safer not to know or have any dealings with. Besides if you go by the thing that your porn name is the name of your first pet (first name) and the name of the first street you lived on (last name), "Popo Halemaumau" didn't have the necessary panachÃ©!

Oh yeah... and other reason I turned it down is I didn't have a wah-wah pedal.

MIDI Life Crisis · Post by **MIDI Life Crisis** » Sat Oct 20, 2007 1:59 pm

Being half Sicilian, half Napolitan, I don't discuss family matters, so I didn't mention that.

As for the porn name, I lived in two houses as a child with two "first" pets (mine or my family's. My porn name choices are: Sandy 69 or Lucky Scooter. Both are kind of catchy...

buzzsmith · Post by **buzzsmith** » Sat Oct 20, 2007 2:03 pm

Well my name could have been (we had 3 pets when I was little)...

Rex Thomas
Satin Thomas
Bonnie Thomas

or going back 1 subdivision (still the same pets)...

Rex Lilly
Satin Lilly
Bonnie Lilly

I guess only Rex applies, although I guess I could have pretended to be female!

I needed a "cooler" street name...small town for ya, ehh, Shoosh?

Buzz