music

It is Complete. GOODNIGHT, CLEVELAND! has been recorded to master tape

sonnyboo — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 15:34:45 +0000

The karmic goodness continues! As my Sonnyboo Fan Club of 5-6 readers no doubt already know, the sun is shining in Rossdonia these days. The future looks quite good, both short term and long term. The summer may be coming to a close soon, but the sun continues to shine its golden rays, good guys win, bad guys lose, and your faithful narrator has nothing but exciting news.

Last night at approximately 11:29PM, I put GOODNIGHT, CLEVELAND! to master tape. I finished someone else’s feature film. Even though it’s not mine, a level of satisfaction permeates.

Sadly, Micah Jenkins was not present for the momentous occasion. I would have bought us a bottle of champagne to celebrate. Micah revived this and brought it back to life last year. His interest, more so than my own, got this movie to be finished. Micah has been laboring on the audio fixes for close to a year, one night a week in my basement.

Part of what took so long was that I was only willing or able to donate one night a week to the project with some occasional weekends. Since GOODNIGHT, CLEVELAND! is an ultra low budget movie, there is very little coverage in many scenes, which means awkward pauses, extraneous dialogue, and everything else – you’re stuck with it. Another element, very often overlooked is AUDIO overall. Upon LISTENING to the movie, the audio levels, dialogue tracks, ambient sounds, electricity humming, refrigerators, air conditioners, crown noises, these are all cursed with this movie.

Most people simply do not put the time and effort into editing the audio as much as they do their picture edit. It shows in the work, especially if you’ve ever played your cheap ass audio in a movie theater’s sound system. There have been times where your sound is great on your PC speakers, but put it in a real Dolby rated movie theater and you can hear every single flaw at decibels you didn’t know existed.

With Micah having both finished his audio “fixes”, meaning making it as good as we can without re-recording or spending any real money on it, it was my turn to finish up. I always knew that from the rough cut and even picture lock last year that I wanted to do more music spotting. Spotting is the process of determining where music goes in the movie and “how” it goes in. Will it be ambient music, like a radio or TV in the movie, or the music only montage sound, or will it be layered into the scene’s audio, but still be a main player in the moment.

This past Sunday, because the clock stared me down like a barrel of a shotgun with the screening in less than a month, I dived in headfirst into my job of music. George Caleodis had given me 2-3 CD’s of a band he was in from the 1990’s called THE IDEA and told me I could pretty much use any of it, so I did. Since the film takes place in the 1990’s (since it was shot in 1996-1997 it’s considered a “period piece”).

I’m an amateur sound designer/sound mixer. I am in no way a pro or even necessarily good at it. There are some serious and real people out there, but I have no budget to hire the folks who I normally would use for this job. Micah & I had to do it ourselves with whatever off the shelf software we had available to us.

I put in a few songs to be “ambient”, meaning songs that are coming from unseen TV’s and radios in the scene. To make it sound more “natural”, you don’t just lower the volume or gain on the music. I used an EQ setting where I kill out the bass and it sounds a bit more like a small radio or TV would sound. In one case, I even started the music as “scene music”, meaning the song at full volume, mixed with the sounds of the scene, then slowly EQ’d out the bass to make the same song appear to be on the radio in the next scene. It made a perfect transition. Hopefully no one will even notice it’s there, but I’ll know I did something cool to get us from one scene to the next using audio to smooth it out.

In other scenes, like the “love scene” (if it can be called that), I added a song to it that plays into the moment and lifts the scene up some. Similarly, at a more “action” oriented scene towards the end of the film (it is a film, shot on 16mm), I added an upbeat rockin’ song that also seemed to elevate the tension and excitement whereas before there just wasn’t much there. In other cases, the ambient music just smoothes over the horrendous inconsistencies of regular audio in the scenes.

I had a new mantra with Micah these past few months as the deadline of the COWTOWN FILM SERIES premiere loomed. I said, “We can’t make it good, we can only make it better.” Striving for perfection is not a bad thing. I often do in my own works, as best I can, but with this project we just needed to see it finished. That’s all. It’s been 12 years in the making, 5 of which in my world. I checked my emails looking for end credits info and I saw that my first real emails to Miguel and George about taking on the completion was in summer 2003.

It took until winter 2004 to get the film out of DuArt labs in New York. Then I personally paid for the telecine transfer to digital video. We attempted for several months in 2004 to edit this and just get the audio synch to picture. It failed because schedules and what not didn’t allow anyone from the production to give us some kind of road map to link the sound and picture.

In 2007, Micah pushed to bring it back to life. Micah and I know several of the investors and even though we weren’t involved in the shoot in any way, we felt an obligation to try to give them a finished movie, even if it’s just a DVD. As one of the investors said, it would be “closure” to the whole thing. On September 11th, 2008, we’ll close the book on GOODNIGHT, CLEVELAND! and show people this flawed masterpiece.

I like GOODNIGHT, CLEVELAND! It’s a weird, yet strangely appealing movie. It has warts, like all movies, but I really like it. A charisma of story and character gets to me. I only hope it gets some other people too. I’ll find out September 11th at 7:00PM at the Screens at the Continent.

What a strange feeling this is right now. A giant albatross has been lifted from my neck, albeit a self imposed one. I can’t tell you why, but in the last week or so, I’ve just been getting more Shiite done. Life is setting up the pins, and I’m knocking ‘em down. The stars have just aligned perfectly for me so the next year or so will be BOO TIME.

Peace and Love and Good Happiness Stuff,
Peter John Ross

A Dark And Stormy Song

FableForge — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 22:42:01 +0000

Well, this is one of those ideas where everybody wins.

Here's the setup:

EZ has his movie done as we all know, and Rachel Lynn made a GREAT song for it. I don't say this just for saying it, the song KICKS ass. Look, before we go any further, have a little listen:

See what I mean? Good, now that you're on board, here's the deal:

A KICK-ASS music video MUST be made. It must be as good as the song itself is. In fact, if the music video is good enough, EZ has the connections (and by God, the motivation!) to try to push the song into places like VH1, MTV and the like. This would be incredibly good for everybody. EZ's movie would get a huge publicity boost, Rachel herself would get a music video (in TV, no less!) and you could put that sort of thing in your resume. Worthy careers have gotten a start with music videos, ... just off the top of my head, Tarsem Singh, Spike Jonze (who ironically, was following the steps of Spike Jones), etc. Next thing you know, another music band contacts you cuz they want your skills on their video too?

But music videos are expensive, you say? You don't have cameras you say, you don't have lighting equipment, actors, heck, Rachel Lynn wouldn't even return your phonecalls? Well dear friends, that's where we come in. EZ is prepping up the set, the lights, the cameras, the stormy and Rachel, for a shoot very soon. His goal is to obtain COOL QUALITY FOOTAGE of the muse singing the theme song for his movie. He's gonna post that footage for us to consume, edit, and process as we see fit. You don't need to buy anything, you don't need a budget! All you need is your trusty computer, some editing software and your skills and time.

Rachel herself will judge which video is the winner. And like I said, it goes from there, as its in both the best interest of a well connected filmmaker and a well connected musician, to promote the hell out of YOUR video. Not a bad deal where I'm standing. I'm gonna enter, sure as hell I am.

If I've succesfully sold my case, you're wondering what to do next: post your commitment here. It took me just one weekend to edit my Insane Clown Posse video SEDATIVES, and it's gotten about 20 thousand views in youtube since (more than any other creative work of mine, save the editorials, for comparison).

Those who post here that they're in like Flint, will receive an email from EZ via yousendit.com . That email will have links for you to download the footage he's gonna shoot of Rachel, plus the footage from the movie he's allowing for the music video. High Quality material. And, of course, you can download the song here: http://www.karmacritic.com/files/Dark.mp3 . One week after The Emails are sent, Rachel will come to Karma to see all contestants, and choose the winner, all by herself, no points, no judges, just Rachel.

The prize? Well, best case scenario, you'll get your work on some music video channel, and things go from there. Worst case scenario, it'll be on the movie's DVD, with whatever distribution deal the movie gets. Either way, its worth a weekend's worth of effort in my view. We give you the song, the footage, the distribution opportunity, all you have to do is put'em together.

Feel the love, baby!

So, who's in?

KarmaCritic Illegal Trailers

FableForge — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 12:33:30 +0000

People, I need your feedback on a wild idea I just had.

Its called "KarmaCritic Illegal Trailers".

What it is, is trailers for popular movies made with popular music, neither of which we own. Granted, this is not by far a new idea, or even an ground-shaking idea, but we can nail the implementation and institutionalize it. More after the jump:

So, the concept goes like this: copyright law dictates we may not use materials we don't own for profit, or in a way in which "dillutes" the non-owned brand, where "dillution" means people may look at it and be confused as to whether our product is official or not. The first qualm is easily dismissed, no one makes a dime. The second, we take care of by simply putting our "Illegal Trailers" brand logo at the beginning, that clearly states this is not "official".

I'm not a lawyer, but if those two premises stand, we might be in for some fun before we get the first C&D letter.

So here's how it would work:

Every week we'd start the contest by picking some popular movie. (Oh yeah, we would make this a contest. Pirates are competitive like that). Then each contestant would have a whole week to create a trailer for that movie, using popular music. We put them in youtube all on the same day. One week later, the one with the most views in YouTube wins, honors are earned, cred is gained, and youtubers take notice. The "KarmaCritic Illegal Trailers" brand grows.

Of course, we would have a section here in the site holding all contests and their respective winners, and we'd give special honors to the winners, maybe 100 karma points, etc etc.

You don't really need budget for this, just a good editing software, creativity, editing skills and some time to waste. The potential is some notoriety for yourself and for the site. I wager we'd get some fresh new blood too to join us.

What say you? Anyone interested so far? Is this a good idea?

Credit where Credit is due

veenotph — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 02:18:20 +0000

So I've this question. I've done the music for a few of my shorts. I do it for clients in corporate work, with no worries. I use Sony's (formerly Sonic Foundry's) Acid Loops. I'm using royalty free loops. The thing is, it isn't really making music, so I don't feel comfortable using the credit "Music By."

It isn't as if I have sat down and actually scored the film. I am just using looped audio, that does what I want. It works, and is expedient. In one film, I end up looping a woman's voice, for an eerie effect.

The thing is, how exactly does one credit that kind of work?

Audio media by Acid loops. Credit the actual loops themselves, and throw in the credit of arranged by?

Yeah, yeah, we don't always credit the edit system, although sometimes we see "Camera and Lenses by", heck there is a film that even gave me the credit Hi Speed lenses courtesy of Steven Gladtone, because I rented them a set of ultra fast lenses.

I want to be accurate on the credit issue, it is really important. I don't know anything about Music, or Music theory, Can't play an instrument, can't hold a beat or rhythm, and sing everything too slow. So I wouldn't want to be misleading.

Well anyway that short film will be up on the internet soon, just a short little holiday film. So I'd like to hear what people are doing when "creating music" using Acid Loops or Garage band or whatever. Thanks

Sedatives - by Insane Clown Posse

FableForge — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 11:30:24 +0000

I found some public domain movies saturday, on archive.org, and made them into this video sunday. Used Adobe Elements and some After Effects. The song's by Insane Clown Posse; try to understand the lyrics -I tried to make them match the imagery. Here they are, beware though, they're pretty psycho, pun intended:

-------------------------------

I like to suffocate people and bite their necks!
They got me in a place that ain't like the rest-
And all you gotta do
is try to go for the neck!
And then sedatives... sedatives...
like that slow down..,
colors smear all around-
Weird sounds, you're into the mind of a clown
And the wicked ones somehow spinnin' around
Wheel me down the hallway, arms strapped down-
With sedatives!

Hangin' all out the neck from the IV
Sedatives for the lively study me,
ask me, no answer
I'm cuttin' your neck first chancer'!

White walls, white floors, small rooms!
With the sedatives, they become ballrooms!
Crows fly by my window slow...
Headed that way but lookin' at me though...

Sedatives
Sedatives me
Sedatives
Sedatives me
Sedatives
Sedatives me
Sedatives
Sedatives me

I'm an accident human malfunction at best-
And I'm lookin' at a scalpel sinkin' into your chest-
If I could only move, but them sedatives...
You know, they're saving your life, them sedatives!
Some of these other patients are strong as hell-
Suffocating one creep took me long as hell
But I took his sedatives,
well I thought they were sedatives!
But they were only medatives!

I fake pain, call em' over and play dead-
And yank a fistful of hair out the nurse lady's head-
High on sedatives again, put me in a tiny place-
Chin strap, muzzle over my face
I threw a guy off the roof first day they admitted me
I was sedated but that's when it hit me...
The only time I'm at peace is when I ain't even there-
God tell me why the fuck am I here?!

Want a lobotomy, shock therapy
Come clean me nurse
Take care of me...
I suffocated the last 2 they sent in alone-
They had to stick me in the chest with a shot of methadone-
Recreation time, wheel me to the courtyard-
Four guards in white and they might be important
And the sky is blue and I can watch trees grow
Watch leaves blow, until the sedatives show

Why I even have my very own room these days-
White straight jacket, padded walls and PJ's
But there's so many ways and every stunt I pull
I even slammed my own mouth down on the toilet bowl-
For attention, maybe, not to mention the sedatives!
Heard one guy say "why even let it live?"
There's probably no sedatives in Hell
And that's the only reason I'm alive still!

The witch is everywhere and I can see that y'all
Stabbed one nurse in the neck with a straw
A plastic straw, yeah it's flimsy and weak
But if you cork it with your thumb and hold it right... FEEK!

----------------------------------------

Need some music for your next movie?

DDtMM — Sun, 07 Oct 2007 14:43:44 +0000

Yo! I'm an amateur electronic musician looking to offer my services for those in need. OK, I have no musical training, my mixes sound like crap, but baby, I've got soul.

Anyways I've got a bunch of songs on CTGMusic: (http://www.ctgmusic.com/artist.php?i...). I recommend my lastest, Don't Eat the Meeples (http://www.ctgmusic.com/song.php?id=...) to serve as an example of what I can do.

By the way, you get what you pay for -- I'm free (for now).

My Black Dog

Adam_Y — Sat, 06 Oct 2007 12:52:43 +0000

An animated music video of the song 'My Black Dog' by The Adventures of Loki

At the water cooler

John Whitney — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 20:40:10 +0000

Two unlikely friends make strange slackers.

Episode 5: This One WILL Work....check it out.

STEWIE Mach II — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 20:27:43 +0000

Ok, the first one didnt come up, so I am going to try this again.

This is another little piece featuring music from Special Ed and the Short Bus

dig it

My Prize at LA Short Film Fest

victorpeceno — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 01:14:19 +0000

Hi,

today I have received an e-mail from a person

he is a music composer, and he told me that he saw my short movie at LA Short Film Fest and him would like to work with me in my next project...

well this guy, has made the music for Buffy Caza Vampiros, American Idol, Batman the Revenge (video game), between others...

It is not a Prize???

Pirate´s Life

Long Life to Karma