“Who’s zoomin’ who?” – The rise of online nationwide choirs

ABBA once had visions of a time where “Every neighbour is a friend“, but now the reverse has become true!

When you think of a community choir, what comes to mind? Town halls? Neighbours and people that only know each other from that? People awkwardly crowding together for a promotional photo?

Image: Members of Superchoir.

Not anymore! COVID-19 has meant that everything has moved online, including community choirs!

Across the country, many of these virtual community choirs have arisen and given opportunities for members to make friends all across the country, and even the world! Gone are the days of walking to choir with your next door neighbour, these are the days of saying hola to your choir friend in Spain.

We’ll be exploring what the rise of these community choirs mean in terms of content creation, who are the new creatives, and how the extended use of the internet during the COVID-19 outbreak has given rise to amateur creativity.

Image: Taken from Superchoir

Rise of the Amateur

The COVID-19 outbreak has meant that the commercialisation of music and other creative industries has been reduced, and more and more people are taking part in these community choirs to spread positivity.

What programmes are used?

Live participation in these commercial choirs has been primarily done through Zoom, which has the advantage of seeing multiple choir members at once but the disadvantage of having to be muted due to the time delay of the call. However, what is becoming increasingly common for virtual choirs is Virtual Recordings, using various programmes on either PCs or Macs to record a vocal part for the choir. This is where the consumers of professional music start to become producers, and the rise of amateur and semi-professional choirs is on the rise.

Image: “Man singing into a microphone” taken from the Public Domain

From consumer to producer

Professionally, A Cappella choirs have to record their parts one at a time, which can be incredibly expensive for the choirs to make. While traditional choirs with backing tracks do not have this same restriction, it would still be an expensive endevour.

However, using backing tracks with metronomes, and any basic recording device, choir members can now record their track for absolutely free. As long as the choir mixer has a programme such as Garageband or Audacity, this can very easily be achieved!

Generally, this rise of online choirs has meant that the joy of creating art without the profitability aspect has returned, which could be argued is bringing art back to its original purpose.

The images used in this blog are Fair Use under Teaching

Covid-19: A New Creative Industry For Film?

Credit: Pexels

One of the most monumental events in current history, Covid-19 has left the creative economy at a standstill. One of the most notable industries hit is the film economy. Leaving a whirlwind of insecurities for all working in the film sector.  

As an avid cinema devotee, myself. It is sad upcoming blockbusters, including my most anticipated- A quiet place two and Marvel franchise prequel Black Widow- move to a halt. 

It seems hopes of a tango ice blast and popcorn will have to wait. 

Credit: GIPHY

From jobs in production to distribution. All areas of the film industry will be vastly effected until the near-future. The recent crisis for the film creative industries have promoted issue letters to be written to the government in a call to protect the creative industries: 

“We cannot allow the UK to lose half of its creative businesses and become a cultural wasteland’

Funding Issues for those on the sector has been the biggest constraint covid-19 has brought to film since the introduction of the internet.   As a public good, funding film creative hubs is essential for production success. Funders like the British film commission, have furloughed their staff; including all areas of operation. Without the funds, people to create, act and function the set, the film industry is left at stall for now.

Image: Pexels

It’s not all bad news though…

During the coronavirus pandemic, lockdown activities have boosted the amount of time consumers spend watching film and TV. A Rakuten survey found: 38% of people in the UK are spending more than three hours a day watching video on demand alone.

With streaming platforms like YouTube, Netflix and recent contender Disney Plus are experiencing a flux in costumers. We can all enjoy a taste of back catalogues and new releases.

Blockbusters due to be released in cinemas around the time of lockdown have been shown on paid streaming services. The family-friendly animation Trolls World Tour destined for April release premiered on streaming platform. Achieving £80 million sales in three weeks.

Trolls Word Tour Trailer- Credit You Tube

If you are sold by the trailer here is a link to the family fun

Is Streaming the new answer? 

During the lockdown period, creative interest has ignited. Sparking innovations in the film industry. The digital has come to play a significant part in the success of the industry in the new ecosystem. 

I have enjoyed casually watching the revival of the YouTube prosumer. Inventing the enhanced remix culture for amateur film creators. Independent film Exposed, produced a short film during lockdown that enabled fans to watch part two in an innovative style.

Exposed Part Two: Credit You Tube

However, does this ultimately mean the film industry business model will change?

UK Lionsgate executive Zigy Kamsa says: ‘I don’t think that [cinema] will ever go away but it will change… It may be that more films go straight to streaming and you just rent it…It would be a shame if cinemas suffer because of home entertainment, they should be able to sit side by side.”

We Can Help!

Despite the halt of motion picture cinema releases and funding in the creative sector. Lockdown has opened opportunities for the film industry to innovate.

 ‘We Are One: A Global Film Festival’ streaming on YouTube from May 29^th for ten days. Marks a transformation for the independent film industry. The festival involves feature motion pictures from global festivals including: The Sundance Film Festival and Animation Film Festival. 

Not only can we keep connected through cinematic experience at home. The film festival donations will be aided toward WHO.

We Are One Film Festival: Credit You Tube

I know myself as a fan of independent films will be joining.

Entering lockdown, I was apprehensive of how the film industry would cope. Due to my love of the social experience of cinema, I appreciate how much effort is put into motion pictures. However, despite the lack of popcorn and friends I’ve found myself enjoying the creative alternatives the industry is manufacturing.

In a time of uncertainty, it is scary and exciting to see what changes the pandemic will bring about to cinema. As an industry that hasn’t had too many disruptions, this time will certainly impact the film economy for years to come.  

Go to a gig: the importance of supporting a local music scene

Recently, Cardiff has been heralded as one of the UK’s leading “music cities”. In a report by Sound Diplomacy, the cities music sector could see some big changes including: “The creation of a major international signature event/festival and artist showcase, the establishment of a Music Board for the city to represent and champion Cardiff as the UK’s first Music City, and a masterplan for Castle Quarter which highlights its unique position within Cardiff’s music scene”. Now, this is obviously great news for Cardiff residents, creatives, and South Wales music fans alike. However, this show of progress isn’t entirely apparent within the music scene.

Womanby Street, the heart of Cardiff’s music scene. Photograph: Wikimedia Commons

Sadly, the beloved music venue Gwdihiw had to shut its doors at the beginning of the year due to the landlords wishes to demolish Guildford Crescent. Following this, the Buffalo bar venue also had to close because of a huge increase in business rates.

This closing down of venues mirrors what is happening throughout the UK. In a Guardian article by Dominic Penna, music venues that are forced to call it a day are highlighted in an almost pandemic manner. The Harley in Sheffield which hosted early gigs from Arctic Monkeys and The XX is the most intensely felt loss in the series of British venues to close, followed by The Maze in Nottingham and The Victoria Inn in Derby. According to the article “mounting financial pressures” were the cause of the closure, but it goes on to mention club owners claiming more social reasons that contribute to the closure of venues, namely the lack of support from the local community; “People don’t seem to want to pay for music. There’s no openings and a lot of bands are young ones that never really got any support.”

Scenes from the march to save Guildford Crescent. Photograph: Izzy Boulton

This sentiment seems to be the same across the country: young people aren’t as interested in going to gigs anymore. Perhaps it’s the cause of the new technological age where everything seems to be at your fingertips. Streaming services allow for countless hours of music to be heard at any time and live shows of your favourite artists are uploaded to YouTube within a moment’s notice; what’s the point in going to a gig?

From personal experience, actually going to a gig can be a life changing experience. As someone who is and has been in bands, it’s a really good opportunity to learn from your favourite acts how to up your stage presence and general performance ability during a show. One of the strongest memories I have from a gig is seeing one of my favourite bands, Iceage, at Clwb Ifor Bach. The energy was electrifying, and the event changed everything I knew and thought about performing on stage and putting on a good show for people. It made me see that anyone could do it if they put their mind to it and were dedicated enough to the craft and lifestyle of being in a band. Much like punk music did for kids in the 70’s, it gave me permission to go out and try to do it myself.

Cardiff’s music scene is great despite its recent venue losses, but it needs the support of its local community if it is going to thrive. Cardiff citizens should be proud of their scene and want to watch local bands flourish into respected acts.  This then, is my call to action: whoever you are, young or old, make the effort to go to more gigs! To echo Daniel Minty’s words from The Guardian article, “We’re just going to be full of Prets and Greggs” and who the hell wants that!?

Coworking spaces and my visit to Space 2B

An example of a Coworking space. Flickr, 2007.

Coworking: It feels like one of those buzz words that you feel like you’ve heard a thousand times, but still have no idea what it means. Breaking it down, “Coworking is the use of an office or other working environment by people who are self-employed or working for different employers, typically so as to share equipment, ideas, and knowledge”. Coworking spaces are a great opportunity for creative people that are starting businesses to get more out of an office space. They are diverse, cost effective, and flexible, which suits the needs of an entrepreneur just starting a new business. These spaces are also so much more than an office space, they create a small sense of community that helps breed and nurture business and sometimes even personal relationships.

A Coworking space provides the chance for a creative entrepreneur to make sure they stay productive, instead of working from home where they may not get as much work done. The Harvard Business Review points out that the spaces provide the chance for more job control while also being a space that promotes work progression, “Coworking spaces are normally accessible 24/7. People can decide whether to put in a long day when they have a deadline or want to show progress… They can choose whether they want to work in a quiet space so they can focus, or in a more collaborative space with shared tables where interaction is encouraged”. The accessibility factor is also a plus when considering that sometimes, real life happens, and you need to be somewhere quickly. Say (God forbid!) that your pet is ill or family member has suddenly been rushed to hospital, a Coworking space isn’t going to turn its back on you when you need to leave and you can return to your work whenever you please.

Recently I had the opportunity to visit one of Cardiff’s Coworking spaces to get a sense of how they operate and the atmosphere of a bustling space. The space I visited was Space 2B at the old maltings buildings, just a ten-minute drive from Cardiff bay. The malting factories were initially built in 1887 as Wales’ largest malting factory. The buildings were later converted into office spaces in the 1980’s. The buildings history is worked into the design aspect with its red bricked walls and metal spiral stairways. This is a refreshing take on a Coworking space, the combination of old and contemporary creates a cosy aspect while still promoting a productive atmosphere and the incorporation of the buildings older qualities shows a respect for the history and heritage of Wales’ capital.

Collaboration: An important aspect of the Coworking space. Wikipedia, 2018

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During my visit I was given a booklet which contained information about the spaces they have to offer and the price range available. This information is also available on their website. The space boasts whole floors dedicated to different spaces, including breakout areas and even a sun deck if it all gets a bit too much!

The biggest business that Space 2B provide for is a DNA agency named Lextox, which takes up the entire first floor and half of the 4^th floor of the building, employing over 100 staff. The space also provides a free cycle to work scheme and there is a free shuttle bus service for workers to access.

When I was shown through the building, I got a real sense of the importance of the space to its workers and a great sense of constant community growth was felt throughout. This is the real advantage and attracting quality of a Coworking space; it has a one-up over normal office spaces as it provides a comfortable atmosphere with the opportunity meet anyone you need to help your business grow. If you are a young entrepreneur looking to start a new business, I highly recommend you seek out a Coworking space and watch your idea flourish.