Clean Cuts Music & Sound Design provided original scoring for “Be That Woman,” a PSA produced by RP3 Agency and launched online as the initial element of the Washington Area Women’s Foundation’s (WAWF) “Be That Woman” social media campaign that RP3 is rolling out to inspire women to use their unique professional gifts to help other women.
Supported by an emotionally powerful score, the PSA tells the story of one woman’s journey from a position of weakness to one of strength employing an elegantly simple animation style, created by Sherbert, London. Jim Lansbury, RP3’s creative director felt that simple, stick figure animation would give permission to each individual viewer to “see” herself as “that woman” in her life, e.g. the woman has extended a helping hand. The device of the drawn lines changing from pencil to pen, used throughout the piece, would demonstrate her transformation from weakness to strength.
Lansbury called on Clean Cuts to compose an original score that would most effectively support the animation. “In our initial creative meeting,” said Clean Cuts composer Chris Kennedy, “Jim explained that the story they wanted to tell used only music and animation, with no voice-over. We were immediately excited about the idea of creating a piece of music that could be the voice of the story.”
Sound mixer Rich Isaac added that in the recording and mixing, he wanted to make sure they didn’t lose the sincerity and the emotional arc of the spot by doing any kind of “overly elaborate production.”
“It needed to be real and honest in order to have the impact intended,” he said. “Luckily, here in the Baltimore/Washington DC area, we have access to some of the finest musicians available. It makes my job a lot easier when we start with great performance.”
“I wanted the music to reflect how the woman was feeling in the story,” said Kennedy. “I really tried to let the music build from hopeless to hopeful. Also, because the story and images were strong on their own, I wanted to avoid having the music be too overbearing. I did this by using some repeating piano figures and gentle string layers, but letting the piece slowly build and blossom toward the end before returning to the simpler roots.”
“The music was highly cinematic and packed a real emotional wallop,” said Lansbury. “It elevated the piece and made you feel connected to the woman in the story. It really brings a tear to the eye. In fact, at its debut before a group of 1500 WAWF members there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.”
Credits
Animation: Sherbert
Music: Clean Cuts
Composer: Chris Kennedy
Mixer: Rich Isaac
Tools
Cubase 4
VST instruments
ProTools HD, with Control 24 control surfaces
Royer R121 Ribbon mics
API 512c microphone pre-amps.
About Clean Cuts
Clean Cuts is an original music and sound design company that understand how to impact an audience through the emotive power of music and sound. Clean Cuts is a market leader in creating unique and distinctive sound environments for television, advertising, film/documentaries, games and the web. Combine some of the most talented composers and sound designers in the industry, the latest technology and impeccable client service… the result is an exciting creative experience in a relaxed atmosphere.
