Yes, you read the title correctly, however, I’m okay with this. I’m actually more than okay with this.
For the subject BCM325, I was in the process of creating a podcast called ‘Up Close (From a Distance)’, an interview series with musicians about mental health and showcasing their talent. I was at a point where I believed I could apply for funding which I will not disclose here, which I was unsuccessful for.
This left me extremely disheartened and felt like I was unable to proceed. I set an expectation of myself where I wanted to have this independent idea that could be strong enough to take me into my future path. Instead, I felt like this was a sign that I couldn’t continue this path. However, keeping in mind the uncertainty of post COVID-19 for music and what I do for work, I thought there was a way I could turn this failure into something positive.
In the past, I have run an event on World Music Day, which is the 21st of June. It is a worldwide celebration of music that people are encouraged to host their own celebrations for.
I approached my boss and suggested that for World Music Day, we could record some artists, musicians and bands and host an online festival.
My past two weeks has been the creation of that festival. I have been filming, mixing and mastering all the footage and audio of some incredible local talent, which was exactly what I set out to do.
This whole program that I am currently editing and making will be live on the 21st of June on all of the Smash the Silence & Camden Council social media platforms. This is fantastic for both my future and the future of live music in my area. The music scene all over the world has become a fully online dependent world, and it’s programs like this that will help musicians find employment, and also help me in terms of my future in coordinating events with impact.
This will also be followed up with another online series next month specifically about mental health, interviewing people with experiences and professionals. All of this supported by people I work with and equipment to support me making this. This is something that was the other side of what ‘Up Close (From a Distance)’ was supposed to be, and I’m glad that I will have support also from Headspace to make it as informative and supportive as possible.
I could have easily let all the changes I underwent during this semester bring me down and make me give up, however it was the future foresight that I had of where programs like this can have on me and others. This allowed me to want to keep experimenting and seeing what worked and what didn’t. The final result will be fully online next Sunday which will be posted below.
UPDATE: Camden LIVE was a success! Over the two hours, 5000+ people viewed these musicians who were filmed, and the views have doubled since. Watch the full show below!
