By ANDREW KNOX
MUSIC IS ONE OF THE MOST important components of commercials today; especially any project dealing with the intention of attracting the viewer. Why do many producers wait until the absolute last second to find music? They get the picture, the voiceover is nice and edited and then slam! Oh… what about the music? Trying to squeeze a piece of music into a spot after its already edited is a nightmare for music directors because they have to try and find the exact piece of music to fit the picture. It has to be fast and happy, then suddenly sad and slow, then conclude with a big crash bang. Also it has to be 30 seconds long because we dont have any money left to spend in the studio for editing.
We all know that budgets can be tight and not every project allows music to be composed for the spot. That is why library music is such a great tool for producers because it is very affordable and there is a lot of great music to choose from. But, producers must be flexible and able to work with the music. They should find the right piece of music first before they go into the studio and start recording and editing, because music is used to drive the spot.
This does not mean you go into the local record store, pick out your favorite Top 40 piece, and try to cut to it. You have to license that music too and most budgets dont allow for the cost of the licensing fee even if the publisher allows use of the piece. All of a sudden youre stuck with a piece of music that youve cut to but cant license, and now you ask a music director to find an exact match. Then, after spending hours searching the libraries for the perfect match, the producer gets upset because the music director cant find a piece of music that is exactly the same. Why not sit down with a music director and find a piece of library music before you start editing?
Heres a little story that might inspire you to try music first. I was working with a client who wanted a contemporary, upbeat piece of music for a helicopter aerial montage over New York. I gave him several selections, and a couple of days later asked him how it turned out. The music he chose inspired him so much that he took it into the helicopter for his aerial shot and played the music while filming. He timed his zoom into a specific feature in the city with a whoosh effect in the music.
The final video was great, even the voiceover for the video was in time with the music. Everything synchronized perfectly. The music wasnt chopped up to fit the picture. It flowed throughout from frame to frame. I am not saying that you need to carry a boom box to every shoot, but it certainly could help. Its the same kind of logic you could use for working with radio spots. Have your voiceover talent read to the rhythm of the music. It will make your life a lot easier.
Remember this saying and I am sure it will save you thousands of dollars, time, and make for a better spot. Music first … edit later.
Damon Wayans and Damon Wayans Jr. Explore Generations, Old School vs. New School, In “Poppa’s House”
Boundaries between work and family don't just blur in the new CBS sitcom "Poppa's House" starring father-and-son comedy duo Damon Wayans and Damon Wayans Jr. They shatter.
"It's wonderful to come to work every day and see him and some of his kids and my sister and my brother and nieces and nephews. They all work on this show. They all contribute," says the senior Wayans. "I don't think there are words to express how joyful I am."
Wayans plays the titular Poppa, a curmudgeonly radio DJ who's more than comfortable doing it his way, while Wayans Jr. plays his son, Damon, a budding filmmaker who's stuck in a job he hates.
"My character, Pop, is just an old school guy who's kind of stuck in his ways," says Wayans, who starred in "In Living Color" and "My Wife and Kids."
Pop yearns for the days when a handshake was a binding contract and Michael Jordan didn't complain if he got fouled on the court. Pop laughs at the younger generation's participation trophies.
"It's old school versus new school and them teaching each other lessons from both sides," says Wayans Jr., who played Coach in the Fox sitcom "New Girl."
"They (the characters) bring the best out in each other and they're resistant initially. But then throughout the episode they have revelations and these revelations help them become better people," he adds.
The two have worked together before — dad made an appearance on son's "Happy Endings" and "Happy Together," while son was a writer and guest star on dad's "My Wife and Kids." But this is the first time they have headlined a series together.
The half-hour comedy — premiering Monday and co-starring Essence Atkins and Tetona Jackson — smartly leaves places in the script where father and son can let... Read More