Integrated content production company Pulse Films has been commissioned to produce Red Bull Music Academy London, a 3 x 12′ series for Channel 4 which showcases highlights from this year’s Red Bull Music Academy.
Presented by Alex Zane, the first Red Bull Music Academy London show, titled “London Calling,” looks at how London’s musical heritage and cultural diversity has shaped the city’s eclectic club culture, and features an exclusive performance from Red Bull Music Academy alumnus Mr Hudson and interviews with musicians including Speech Debelle and Goldilocks. The second show, Disco to Dancefloor, follows the progression of dancefloor culture from disco into the rave scene. The final programme, Soundclashes & Samples, enters the world of superstar DJs and famous samples and traces the evolution of sound systems from Notting Hill Carnival’s reggae systems to the drum & bass and dubstep setups of today. It also features live footage from the Red Bull Music Academy Culture Clash @ The Roundhouse, a four-way soundsystem battle featuring Goldie’s Metalheadz, Trojan Soundsystem, Digital Mystikz and Jazzie B’s Soul II Soul. The series will TX weekly from 3 March on Channel 4.
Taking place from 7 February to 12 March, the Red Bull Music Academy brings together 60 diverse musicians, producers and DJs from 32 countries for a unique programme of lecture sessions, workshops, studio time, gigs, club nights and concerts at venues including The Royal Albert Hall, Scala, Fabric, The Roundhouse and the Royal Festival Hall.
Jamie Clark, Head of Music, Pulse Films, says: “We are very pleased to have worked with Red Bull Music Academy and Channel 4 on developing this project. Our expertise in creating integrated content for a variety of platforms, combined with a track record in producing top-quality music-related programming, means that we are best suited to provide the kind of content package that Red Bull’s flagship music event warrants.”
Debbie David, Channel 4 Exec, T4 and Music, says: “Red Bull Music Academy London is a great example of a series that highlights and celebrates the best of the world’s musical innovators, both past, present and future. The programme’s format gives budding and established musicians the platform to showcase their talents, while also celebrating a diverse range of musical styles and genres.”
Red Bull Music Academy London airs at 24:05 tonight, with the second episode airing at 24:00 on 10 March and the third episode airing at 24:25 (tbc) on 17 March.
The TV commission is part of a larger cross-platform content plan that Pulse Films has developed with Red Bull to create UK and worldwide exposure for the Red Bull Music Academy. As well as the TV series, Pulse Films has produced complimentary content for distribution to online media partners including major music websites, music blogs and social networking destinations. The range of content includes short form documentaries on participants and lecturers, acoustic and live performances, academy lectures, bite-size interviews, and larger profile pieces. The online content will be updated throughout the event.
The Red Bull Music Academy TV and online content is series produced by Alison McDonald. It is executive produced by Thomas Benski and Jamie Clark for Pulse Films, and Christie Poulos for Red Bull. The TV shows were commissioned by Catherine Lovesey for Channel 4.
About Pulse Films
Pulse Films is at the heart of an integrated production strategy that creates uniquely adaptable content across different platforms, including Television, Music Content, Advertising, Film and Digital Media.
Music output includes music videos for Franz Ferdinand, Fatboy Slim, Ian Brown and Elbow, live and DVDs for Africa Express, The Good the Bad and the Queen, The White Stripes, Babyshambles, Smashing Pumpkins, the acclaimed online series Oatmeal TV (voted by The Sun and The Guardian website of the month) and several TV series such as the JD Sets for Channel 4 and the BBC’s Electric Proms. Pulse directors are also working on long form documentaries with The Manic Street Preachers, Ian Brown and Richard Hawley amongst others.
In 2009 Pulse TV produced their second BBC4 series Drivetime, following on from Citizen Smith which was voted Best Documentary of 2008 in Time Out. Pulse also produced the official behind-the-scenes documentary of the 2009 British & Irish Lions Tour to South Africa, which was the second most popular product on Amazon across all genres. Other credits include drama-doc History’s Toughest Prisons (Nat Geo), the cross platform odyssey Resist with actor Gael Garcia Bernal, Jonny Congo (C4) and the Grierson short-listed The Gathering (C4).
Digital is not a separate department at Pulse, as it is integrated into everything Pulse produces, benefiting from their in depth understanding of new media from a production perspective which also see them deliver value to all clients as well as creating their own digital IP that they have been monetizing. www.pulsefilms.co.uk
