#and have wanted to draw musicians and high contrast stage lighting for so long

[choilacanth]

indulgent rocker au wip……

and supermohawk: a concept and giving teldryn more hair + giving darra less hair: a concept

[vitapictor]

“The Shallow Dream”

Edition size: 50

Year of release: 2015

Signed by the artist

Self-taught artist and musician Andrew Kinsman, sold his first piece of artwork when he was only twelve years old. He has painted commissions for celebrities and royalty alike, and has recorded soundtracks and albums with music novelties such as Noel Gallagher and English Rock Band, Kasabian. 

              “ability to create a snapshot of real life”

Currently living in South London, after years spent in Cambridge, Bath, Bristol and Cyprus, Kinsman continues to passionately practice both art forms, dividing his time equally between the advancement of his musical career and continuing to acquire new and reputable art commissions.

“I'm often asked if I use projectors or trace which I know many artists that paint with my level of detail often do. I think these artists are generally surprised to see the beginnings of my work almost minimalist for want of a better word. To know that everything is completely mapped out, every detail to be merely filled in leaves no room for surprise. I love working and re working until I'm happy with the detail, colour and contrast of light and dark and seeing this come to life over time is the ultimate thrill of being an artist.”

Kinsman was drawn to art from a young age, but after his first major exhibition, aged twenty-one at The Victoria Art Gallery in Bath, he abandoned his art completely to focus solely on his music. In the following years, Kinsman devoted himself to the development of his musical talent and education. He began with the saxophone and would eventually learn to play the clarinet, flute and piano as well.  Eventually, it became apparent that Kinsman could no longer suppress his artwork for his music, realizing the necessity of both creative outlets in his life. He took up painting again, completing commissions for His Highness Sheik Mohammed, Sultan Al Thani of Qatar, American actor Rolf Saxon, and celebrity chef, Eric Lanlard. Following his work for Lanlard, Kinsman was commissioned by London’s Halcyon Gallery in 2011 to paint a distinguished portrait of the Hariri Family, Lebanon’s wealthiest and most powerful ruling family.  Ideas and Inspirations

During his formative years as an artist, Kinsman drew inspiration from a collection of books his parents owned entitled Great Artists. Within this collection, he found himself innately drawn to landscape painting, particularly to the works of English Romantic painters, John Constable and J.M.W. Turner. 

The trait Kinsman finds most captivating, which still influences his painting to this day, is the “ability to create a snapshot of real life;” to be able to physically paint the surroundings, emotions and thoughts enveloped in a single moment. His new collection was inspired by a painting which he completed in 2009, called 'Jeff'. This painting was in turn inspired by a lucid dream. The real life experience which later manifested into that dream was derived from a gig he did that same day. In between performances, bubbles were being blown against a black backdrop which acted as the stage. Kinsman was fascinated by the intense colors in their reflections.  Kinsman says: “I hate seeing a blank white canvas or board in front of me when starting a new painting. I think most artists find this a daunting task so I eliminate this by adding a raw umber wash to the surface, once dried its ready to start the drawing. I never labour over the drawing, as long as I have the measurements and proportions correct I'm happy to quickly block in basic colours. I almost relish the fact that this is the first glaze and so allow myself to play around knowing that this coat will be superseded by the next glaze and the next one after that. It’s always a process of correcting.”

Source: https://www.artmarket.co.uk/artist/andrewkinsman#

[passionate-reply]

Great Albums is back! This week, we’ll take a look at one of the greatest electronic albums of all time, Kraftwerk’s The Man-Machine, and try to avoid getting sued by Ralf Huetter! Full transcript for the video can be found below the break. Enjoy!

Growing up, my main genre of choice was 80s synth-pop, and while the deep influence of Kraftwerk is as significant there as it is everywhere else in electronic music, I was one of those people who initially saw them as somewhat "intimidating." Today, moreso than ever, Kraftwerk are held up as one of those more high-brow or cerebral groups with a philosophy that transcends mere pop or dance music, which makes them seem respectable, a kind of “model minority” in the world of music outside rock. While I don’t buy into the judgmental quality of that sort of praise, which damns so many of Kraftwerk’s greatest fans and imitators, I did get the sense, as a child, that these hoity-toity Germans, working with primitive equipment way back in the 1970s, might not be what I was looking for in a new favourite band. That was before I heard The Man-Machine.

While it’s certainly true that Kraftwerk were a highly experimental band in their own time, they’re one of those acts whose ideas have deeply permeated contemporary music, to the point where their actual work is extremely approachable and listenable to today’s ears. Of all the fairly early electronic acts, who started making this kind of music before it began to become mainstream in the late 70s, Kraftwerk are almost certainly the ones people nowadays listen to for pleasure the most, and that’s no accident. While their earlier albums like Trans-Europe Express took more overt inspiration from classical music, The Man-Machine was their first great foray into the arena of pop, which I think is key to why it resonates with people. For evidence of that, look no further than the biggest mainstream hit of Kraftwerk’s career, “The Model.”

I think it’s easy to see why “The Model'' became a hit single. Sure, it may not have the most traditional pop song structure, let alone instrumentation, but unlike a lot of what Kraftwerk had done before, it’s got a lot of lyrics and a real sense of narrative. Plus, that narrative we get is about a person and not a machine--a good-looking person, in whom the narrator is sexually interested. It’s the perfect pop material. Of course, I would be remiss to mention that “The Model” didn’t achieve all of its success until the single was re-released in many markets in 1981, and in those few years, the idea of “synth-pop” advanced significantly in the charts and popular consciousness. By the time “The Model” was a hit, Kraftwerk admirers were already taking over: look no further than Gary Numan’s "Cars” or OMD’s "Enola Gay,” two synth-pop classics that, it must be said, are still about vehicles!

That aside, though, not everything on The Man-Machine sounds like “The Model”--in fact, it’s surrounded by tracks that have much more in common with Kraftwerk’s earlier LPs. Literally surrounded, in the track listing. I think that adds to this album’s appeal as an ideal entry point into their catalogue: it has some things that sound familiar, while also preparing you for what else you’ll encounter if you choose to probe deeper into the band. The Man-Machine has the least homogeneous profile of any Kraftwerk album. While most of their other classic albums are highly cohesive “song cycles” that almost blend into one long song when you listen to them in full, The Man-Machine doesn’t really have those repeated melodies and motifs that tie its tracks together. While many people, especially fans of psychedelic and progressive rock, really like those cohesive albums, I think this change is a welcome one. It gives the individual tracks a bit more room to breathe and express distinctive identities, and makes the album feel a bit more pop, even if the material itself isn’t always all that poppy. *The Man-Machine* actually only has six individual tracks; they range in length from the three-minute pop stylings of “The Model” to the urban sprawl of “Neon Lights,” which luxuriates in an almost nine-minute runtime.

Given that the average track length is around six minutes, I’m almost tempted to think of The Man-Machine as six tiny Kraftwerk albums, or at least, musical ideas that could have been expanded into full LPs in another universe. “Neon Lights” and “Spacelab” feel dreamy and easy-going, with floating melodies that draw from the “cosmic music” scene, one of the many emergent styles that began as something uniquely German and spread throughout the world--in this case, becoming an important forerunner to ambient electronic music through acts like Tangerine Dream. Meanwhile, the hard, tick-tocking rhythms of “Metropolis” and the title track point to the newfound focus on rhythm and the so-called motorik beat that made the music of Neu! so compelling.

The Man-Machine can serve not only as an introduction to Kraftwerk, but also as a sort of crash course in this entire period of electronic music, showcasing some of the most distinctive and influential features of the German scene, as well as the shape of synth-pop to come. It’s a complex and busy historical moment with huge ramifications for almost all of subsequent electronic music, and The Man-Machine really creates a microcosm of that whole environment. There’s also the fact that each side of the record has one track from each of my three broad groups, like an expertly-designed sushi platter or charcuterie board for us to sample from, and they both follow the same formula: a pop appetizer, a cosmic *entree,* and motorik for dessert.

*The Man-Machine* also has what is almost certainly the most iconic cover of any of Kraftwerk’s LPs. This is how lots of us still picture them in our minds, and it’s inspired tons of parodies and riffs over the years. I think all of that acclaim is deserved! Emil Schult’s graphic design for the album was heavily inspired by avant-garde Soviet artists of the 10s and 20s, chiefly El Lissitzky. These visual artists used their art to express their hope for a new world, defined by the promise of technology, and their literally revolutionary philosophy--so what could be a better match for Kraftwerk’s electronic revolution in music? Lissitzky used bright, primary colours, straight lines, and geometric shapes to convey the “built environment” of modern cities and man-made architecture, and you’ve got all the same sentiment on display here. The use of strong diagonals really draws the eye and lends this image a lot of continued visual interest. It’s also worth noting the extent to which Kraftwerk’s aesthetics inspired later electronic acts almost as powerfully as their sound. When you picture an electronic band, and get a mental image of stiff and stone-faced musicians behind synthesisers wearing shirts and ties, you can certainly thank Kraftwerk for that, as well.

I also love the title of The Man-Machine! The relationship between people and technology is one of, if not the, most central themes in Kraftwerk’s entire discography, which is full of references to anthropomorphic machines as well as mechanically-mediated humans. The particular choice of the phrase “man-machine,” as opposed to words like “android,” has a fun vintage flair to it, which matches the use of early 20th Century visual art quite nicely.

As might be expected from the album’s stylistic diversity, *The Man-Machine* would prove to be something of a transition point in Kraftwerk’s career. Their 1981 follow-up, Computer World, would return to the song cycle format, but with increasing emphasis on ideas from the pop sphere, championed by percussionist Karl Bartos. By the time of the last classic-lineup Kraftwerk LP, 1986’s Electric Cafe, they had not only amped up the pop, but also incorporated influence from the electronic dance music of the time. Ultimately, Bartos would leave the group, chiefly due to discontent with his treatment by founding members Ralf Huetter and Florian Schneider-Esleben, and their persistent lack of musical productivity.

On a somewhat lighter note, my personal favourite track on this album is its opener, “The Robots.” Per my typology from earlier, I classified this as a pop-oriented song, and it certainly is an approachable one that’s proven to be quite popular. But it’s got just enough more experimental touches to keep things quite interesting. From an ominous, dissonant intro, a slightly more pop form, hinting at a verse/chorus structure, soon emerges and contrasts. I love the groove of the rhythm and percussion here, as well as the very heavy vocoder, rich in texture and certainly a Kraftwerk staple.

While the lyrics can be read as sort of light and silly, I like to think that the robots in question might also be dangerous. The track “Metropolis” seems to reference the seminal 1927 silent film of the same name, which is famous for its portrayal of an evil, mechanical doppelganger. Likewise, the choice to translate the lyrics of the song’s interlude into Russian is likely inspired by another great work of art from this era: the stage play R.U.R.--Rossum’s Universal Robots. Written by Karel Čapek in 1922, it’s the progenitor of the “robot revolution” trope in science fiction, the source of the word “robot” for autonomous machines in almost every human language, and one of the first entries in the illustrious career of an author who helped make Czech a true literary language. While the titular robots take time to assure us that they’re programmed to do what we humans want, should we really trust them...?

[pivitor]

My Top 10 Albums of 2019

2019 will go down, for me, as the year my beloved iPod died, and I finally bit the bullet and signed up for Spotify Premium. Thus, I listened to more new music in 2019 than I ever have before, and realized how much of it I found disposable. Bands I grew up loving put out mediocre efforts, new darlings grew in directions I wasn’t interested in following, but thank god, thank god there are still plenty of terrific musicians putting out work that resonates deep within my soul. Music is subjective, so I wouldn’t dare call this a “best of” list, but below are the ten new releases of 2019 that I listened to the most, vibed with the most, that just plain ol’ meant the most to me this year.

(PS: Don’t think too much about the exact order and ranking here. It changed multiple times even as I was writing this. What really matters is that all ten of these records rule)

10. Radar State -- Strays

Radar State are the Avengers of the early 2000s mid-west emo scene -- a band combining The Get Up Kids’ Matt Pryor and Jim Suptic, The Anniversary’s Josh Berwanger, and The Architects’ Adam Phillips into a single supergroup. Pryor has described the project as “just having fun with [his] friends,” and that dynamic shines through loud and clear in Strays. It’s like each member is pushing the next to just create the catchiest song they possibly can, and the competition leads to great results; Pryor favors fast and sloppy punk and Berwanger moody earworms that fuse themselves into your brain through sheer repetition, but it’s Suptic who fulfills that edict best with his shiny, addictive pop love songs. Radar State never quite hits the emotional highs of its members’ main projects, but that was never the point in the first place; Strays is just fun from front to back, and it’s an album I’ve returned to consistently throughout the entirety of 2019.

Highlights: Making Me Feel, Self-Hurt Guru, Artificial Love

9. The Early November -- Lilac

Lilac is an album about learning from your mistakes and making a conscious choice to be better, and it’s a theme, an ethos that truly defines this release on every level. The Early November originally planned to release Lilac back in 2018, but ended up scrapping the original recording and going back to the drawing board, knowing that they could do better, and funneling that ambition, all their lessons learned, into their most ambitious release outside of The Mother, The Maker, and the Path (“but less self-indulgent,” I say with love). Horns, piano, and a wide variety of tempos spice up the proceedings, and the lyrics are more raw and honest than ever, but Lilac’s greatest weapon is the vocals, which Ace Enders wields with virtuoso skill. He plays with different cadences and deliveries, giving every song a unique feel, moving from soft and pleasant (“Perfect Sphere [Bubble]”) to menacing (“My Weakness”), from the joy of “Ave Maria” to the cathartic, powerhouse vocal explosion of “Hit By A Car (Euphoria)” to the pure, crackling, barely contained emotional breakdown threatening to burst right out of the chorus of “Our Choice.” There’s no other vocalist out there quite like Ace Enders -- and no other record quite like Lilac.

Highlights: Hit By A Car (In Euphoria), Ave Maria, Comatose

8. Magazine Beach -- Sick Day (EP)

Most year-end lists probably overlooked this record, a debut four-song EP from a small DIY band released in mid-December, and man oh man are those critics missing out. Sick Day isn’t just the biggest and best musical surprise I received all year, but quite possibly the most fun I had listening to music in 2019. Seriously, I played this on loop probably two dozen times the day I discovered it, and spent that evening forcing friends to listen to it too. Magazine Beach’s tongue-in-cheek lyrics, gonzo riffs, and stunning background harmonies are combined with vocals whose flatter, sardonic tone initially masks, but soon reveals their perfect cadence and quick crackles of emotion; they’re as close to a perfect pop-punk package as I heard all year, with their quirky, relatable songs about flaky friends, overstuffed social calendars, and other mid-twenties challenges filling that gaping Modern-Baseball-You’re-Gonna-Miss-It-All-shaped hole in my heart. If this had released earlier in the year, and I’d had more time to see how long it truly stuck with me, it might have placed far, far higher on this list, but either way I look forward to carrying this album forward with me into 2020, and I look forward to following Magazine Beach’s future career closely. I think they could go places.

Highlight: Living Room

7. Masked Intruder -- III

It’s easy to look at Masked Intruder and think that they’re more of an act than a band, just because they’re so good at playing hardened-yet-harmless criminals on stage, at enchanting an audience with their antics and banter alone. Thankfully, they’re equally skilled as musicians as they are performers; III isn’t just quick content for their live shows, but an entertaining, addictive, artfully made pop-punk record in its own right. Okay, maybe pop-punk is a bit too restrictive a descripter -- between the doo-wop, call-and-response harmonies and the raging riffs and solos, III sometimes sounds like a modern spin on sixties rock and roll, which is something I did not know I needed but absolutely needed. The lyrics never break kayfabe, but there’s some real clever stuff going on beneath the surface of these silly crime-themed love songs; contrasting the creepiness of Blue’s romantic pursuits with the shenanigans of a typical radio love song shows how few differences there actually are between the two, how creepy the entire genre is when you stop to give it any thought. It’s thoughtful and subversive without ever being preachy, just one more spinning plate kept perfectly balanced in the act that is III.

Highlights: Not Fair, Maybe Even, I’m Free (At Last)

6. Martha -- Love Keeps Kicking

Martha’s secret weapon is the empathy and compassion their songs cultivate for their subjects. Love Keeps Kicking is an album largely about the way love can kick you when you’re down, yet throughout the album Martha never villainizes even the bad actors in relationships. “Into This” finds the narrator jerked around by a potential partner who just won’t clarify what they are to each other, but the song isn’t out to attack the partner, simply to get a solid answer. Likewise, “Love Keeps Kicking” lays out a myriad of detailed complaints about romance and relationships, not to insult, but simply to find a way to endure them. “Orange Juice” rues the way the narrator diluted their partner just by being with them, showing impressive (and heartbreaking) levels of self-awareness. That kind of emotional maturity and complexity makes the true love songs (“Sight For Sore Eyes,” “Wrestlemania VIII”) all the more joyous, and makes their social commentary (“Mini Was A Preteen Arsonist”) that much more effective. Martha are a wonderfully catchy, fun band filled with great harmonies and British twang, but it’s their earnest, compassionate storytelling that truly made me fall in love with them, and with Love Keeps Kicking.

Highlights: Wrestlemania VIII, Love Keeps Kicking, Orange Juice

5. Aaron West and the Roaring Twenties -- Routine Maintenance

Hot take (?) incoming: Dan Campbell is the best songwriter of our generation. I already sang his praises pretty thoroughly last year when discussing my favorite album of 2018, but Routine Maintenance is just further proof of this truth, almost Campbell flexing. The previous Aaron West record was a character study of the worst year of a man’s life, but Routine Maintenance expands Aaron’s world in terms of scope, characters, and themes, all to the project’s (and character’s) benefit. The record is a tale of redemption, taking Aaron from rock bottom to a new place of security, all through the power of friendship and community, the power of music, and the power of family, of fulfilling your responsibilities to them, of finding your role and your home wherever you are, with the people who care about you, with people you can make proud. They’re themes Campbell has been exploring throughout his entire career, but brought down to a more personal level, and somehow that makes them hit harder than ever, perhaps because it makes the way they can fit into any listener’s life that much clearer. I’ve cried listening to this album. I’ve cried hearing these songs live. There’s true, true catharsis on Routine Maintenance, and it’s because Campbell’s taken Aaron West on a real journey, and it’s one I feel blessed to have been able to follow.

Highlights: Runnin’ Toward the Light, Rosa & Reseda, Winter Coats

4. Pkew Pkew Pkew -- Optimal Lifestyles

Pkew Pkew Pkew’s 2016 self-titled debut was an album told solely in the present tense, not worried about the future, but simply about the drinks, pizza, skateboarding, and parties to be had right here, right now. It was a blisteringly fun, gang-vocals filled powerhouse of a record that solidified Pkew Pkew Pkew as one of my new favorite bands. Optimal Lifestyles, though, is an album that has started to look back, if only to question the present. Are they still content to be these same fun-loving, hard-drinking party guys? Ultimately, as proven by lyrics such as “Shred until you’re dead, or until you break your wrist again” and “We lead thirsty little lives, and all we want’s another,” the answer they come to is a resounding “yes,” but the journey they take to find that answer not only makes it feel earned, but opens Pkew Pkew Pkew to some exciting new songwriting avenues, be it the touching introspection of “Drinkin’ Days” or the surprisingly beautiful nostalgia of “Everything’s the Same” (or even the more raucous nostalgia of “Mt. Alb,” for that matter). Don’t let words like “introspection” and “beautiful” scare you, though -- The Boys still rock as hard as ever, as the wailing, chugging guitars and even a totally rockin’ saxophone solo fully attest to (though I do miss all the gang vocals). And I’d be remiss to not mention “I Wanna See A Wolf,” an absolute songwriting clinic. In only a minute and nineteen seconds, Pkew Pkew Pkew takes a simple statement -- “I wanna see a wolf” -- and unravels it until it reveals a song about longing for freedom from the careers that cage our lives, even when they’re our dream. I don’t know if Pkew Pkew Pkew could have written this song three years ago. Talk about growth.

Highlights: I Wanna See A Wolf, Point Break, Adult Party

3. The Get Up Kids -- Problems

After their most popular record -- 1999’s Something To Write Home About -- the Get Up Kids’ next three albums all went on to be incredibly divisive among their fans. While all three records showed significant creative growth, none really sounded like what came before (personally, I very much enjoyed two of those records -- sorry, There Are Rules -- but I guess I’m not most fans). Problems, though, sounds like the natural evolution of Something To Write Home About without ever feeling derivative of it -- it sounds more like “the Get Up Kids” than anything the Get Up Kids have released in over a decade, which is an incredibly exciting thing let me tell you. Yet, Problems still benefits from everything the band has learned in that time: there’s new introspection (“The Problem Is Me”), a wider storytelling scope (“Lou Barlow”), and a shift from wallowing in their own pain to examining the pain of others (“Satellite,” which Matt Pryor has said is based on one of his sons). Problems also manages to pack in absolute bangers like “Fairweather Friends,” sensitive, tender ballads like “The Advocate,” and mid-tempo jams like “Salina,” a guaranteed future Emo classic that threatens to dethrone the Kids’ own “Central Standard Time” as The Quintessential Emo Song. Problems is the synthesis of just about everything that has ever made the Get Up Kids special, and it not only makes for one of the year’s best albums, but one of the Get Up Kids’ best as well.

Highlights: Fairweather Friends, Lou Barlow, Salina

2. PUP -- Morbid Stuff

The A-Side of Morbid Stuff is perfect -- a legitimately flawless five song stretch of punk rock that continues to blow my mind almost ten months after its release. The unmistakable opening notes of “Morbid Stuff”; that irresistible background riff from the bridge returning in “Kids’” second chorus, combined with some of the most nihilisticly romantic lyrics I’ve ever heard; the raucous sing-along that is “Free At Last”; the purest, most undiluted diss-track of the year in “See You At Your Funeral”; and, finally, the best song of the year bar none, “Scorpion Hill,” a sonic journey through multiple musical genres, telling a story of uniquely American misery that legitimately moves me to tears. The B-Side doesn’t quite live up to these first five tracks -- there’s a couple stand-outs (“Bare Hands” needs to make it into a live set pronto), a couple songs more interesting in concept than execution (sorry, “Full Blown Meltdown”), and a few more perfectly fine, standard PUP tunes (and I swear I don’t mean that as an insult!) -- but, well, how could it ever really have anyway? All together, it still makes for an outrageously enjoyable album that reaches the upper echelons of what 2019’s new music had to offer. That PUP was not only such a terrific band right out of the gate, but has remained so this far into their career, makes me so, so happy.

Highlights: Scorpion Hill, Kids, Free At Last

1. The Menzingers -- Hello Exile

It took me a few listens -- and, truthfully, seeing it played live -- to truly crack this album. At first it was a bit too slow, the vocals a bit too filtered, but once it clicked, I lived and breathed Hello Exile and nothing else for months. The slightly slower pace gives the Menzingers a chance to play around with some new musical tricks, be it the back-and-forth opening or the fun background guitar melodies of “Strangers Forever” or the almost hypnotic vocal melodies in the choruses of “Portland” or “Hello Exile,” and they pay off with great effect. Lyrically the Menzingers are at the top of their game; tracks like “High School Friend” and “Strain Your Memory” are more adept than ever at painting stories that make you nostalgic for a life you never even lived, but absolutely feel like you have, and lines like “it only hurts til’ it doesn’t” hit your heart with sniper-like precision. “Anna” may be the quintessential Menzingers song, a tale of longing, love, and location that drove the entire scene into a frenzy that still hasn’t subsided. “Farewell Youth” is the best closing track the Menzingers have ever released, a song about grief in multiple forms that manages to find poignant takes on each and every one of them. I’m not yet sure whether Hello Exile is the beginning or the end of a chapter for the Menzingers, but either way, it’s clearly an essential and unmissable part of their story, and one I feel privileged to be able to experience.

Highlights: Anna, Strangers Forever, Farewell Youth

[slothgiirl]

forever isn’t for everyone (is forever for you?) part 5

London is gray and dull after Australia and the festivals we'd been at. And like it's welcoming us all back, it's raining. 

Foggy, a complete 180. It doesn't help that it's night, and I haven't seen day since two days ago, having spent another day traveling. Cramped up in my seat, squished between other passengers. 

This time I had slept fine on board, exhausted from touring. We're all dead on our feet and unlike the last few days, we don't puke into a cab, we just sort of wave and leave and it's sad. I think after all we've done, all the time spent together, we leave like it's nothing. I know even I need some alone time. 

But it's still sad to me. 

The second leg of the tour isn't for months and I have a week off before having to go into work. A week I spend sleeping and doing laundry and becoming a couch potato. 

Another week of catching up with friends and getting lunch before I have to go back to work. It's the day before I go back to work that Alex texts me, my heart lurching, an unconscious desire that had sunk into my mind. 

In Australia, it had seemed easy to believe that a man like Alex might like an ordinary girl like me. Perhaps I was selling myself short, but my confidence was a fickle thing that still needed propping up after my acne ridden teenage years. 

More eloquent than in person, his preference for written word is obvious.

I was hoping we might have a listen to the record I told you about. A drink or two, a small offering in comparison to the pleasure of your company once more, in the city we both inhabit, where everything will seem solid and less ephemeral than abroad. -Alexander

It was long and flowery for a text and made me dizzy with anticipation, I threw out everything I'd been told to do when a boy texts you and replied instantly, walking home from tescos trying to make food instead of getting takeout for a change, eagerly asking for a time and address. 

It was nice to be able to come home and do nothing. A privilege I couldn't imagine coming back from while my roommates came home from their jobs dead on their feet. 

Grueling weeks on the road seemed a small price to pay.

I take the tube over to his, a beautiful georgian house among many in Chelsea, save for some dying plants outside, a clear victim of his recent travels, thick dark curtains obscuring all the windows.The street is littered with nice cars, millionaires the only people who can afford the nice neighborhood. London's market on the uptick. 

At least I feel at ease in the dying light, the sun spilling in the sky like egg yolk as it sets, turning the clouds blood red, casting long dark shadows. I guess Alex is not a struggling musician, or maybe he's just from a well off family. 

It's then I know that I start to feel anxious, no longer buoyed by our shared work, just me and him and would that be enough? It was stupid when I already knew how easy it was to be with him. 

But this felt more concrete then wondering around a foreign city had. The thought of kissing him no longer a far off wish but a possibility so close it had my fingertips tingling. 

Alex opens the door with a boyish smile on his lips, clad in loose blue jeans, frayed at the hem, and a grey t shirt emblazoned with give a damn, hair hopelessly disheveled as if he'd just woken up. "El, love" he says fondly, after a second, "I'm delighted you're here." 

Waving me inside. I'm expecting the inside to look like a Tatler photo shoot, more burberry than marks and spenser sales rack, with the uninviting feeling carefully decorated homes had. 

Instead, the rugs are rich, intricate designs, the edges frayed with time and use. There's a thin layer of dust in the paintings hanging on the wall, one signed manet, another of a slender woman with doe like eyes and hair the colour of milk tea, in vivid realism, only the clothes betraying the age, paint cracked with time by the frame.  

Following along, I spy the stacks of books piled high on every table, some new others yellowed with age. 

There's a silver tray on the coffee table littered with pens and paper and a beautiful piano in the room he leads me too, room lit by stained glass lamps in the shape of flowers, the shades tightly drawn with a beautiful japanese inspired screen for good measure. 

A guitar rests in one settee. It's closer to an antique shop than any catalogue. "Please," Alex says, "sit, make yourself comfortable," as he goes to place the needle on a record, a small library of records covering a bookshelf nearby. 

As an after though he adds, "don't mind the mess."

"It's fine," I smile, watching him, at ease in his home, wanting to run my fingers through his hair and find out if his hair was as soft as it looked, "it's kind of the vintage shop of my dreams. I don't know where to look because everything is catching my eye." 

As I'd hoped, he laughs. "That's certainly a way of looking at it innit?"

The first notes of the record filling the room. Alex takes a seat next to me on the plush sofa. I kick off my shoes, surprised at how quickly I take a liking to the jazz music, curling up on the couch, dim lighting adding to the cozy atmosphere, before I catch him looking at me with the same fondness from earlier. With an easy smile on his lips.

For a moment, we just gaze at each other with a certain schoolyard shyness that settles when neither of us looks away. 

His expressive eyes on mine. 

A gaze so intense I can't hold it for long before I have too look away. "It's funny," I note, "the music has me picturing the concert clearly. Like I'd been there. Fuck that must have been a night."

"It was." Alex nods, his gaze still heavy on me. "They all lived for their music, bodies a vessel for playing the notes swirling around their souls."It was a beautiful thought, and I wasn't sure how to reply to the sheer earnestness. 

"You said there was wine," I ask all faux innocence, wanting something to take the edge off. 

Hyper aware of every movement I make. I want to sink back into the ease we'd had in Auckland and not this. The thought of him wanting me as much as I wanted him was driving me crazy. 

"Oh so that's why you came," he grins so alight with amusement, eyes twinkling. 

"The musics good too." 

"And the company?"I shrug, teasing, "I've had worse."

"Oi!"

I snort.

He doesn't move to go for wine. "I'm starting to feel superfluous El," Alex say in his thick yorkshire accent, a drawl to his words, each one carefully considered as he takes his time to form a reply, uncaring about the time he takes. "It's not a very nice feeling."

I roll my eyes. "Don't tell me you need as much ego stroking as Miles?"

"Miles does all the ego stroking for himself."

"That doesn't surprise me," I laugh, "I think you need a lot of ego to get up on stage every night. I don't have stage fright but it's all very weird to have that many people looking up at you."

He nods in agreement, "it's a good thing that's not part of my job. All I wanted to do was 'ave people listen to my little songs."

"Well I'd say job well done." 

The album had debuted top of the UK charts. And he'd written the lions share with Miles. Alex ducks his head, red rising to his cheekbones, a stark contrast against his pale skin. 

Even a few weeks down under had done nothing to rid him of the lack of colour that came with living in such a gloomy city. 

"You've got the whole country singing along."

"Well. . .Miles and the boys do. I just helped Miles a little or well we just jammed together. Can't help myself around that man. . .rarely has anyone understood me so well."

"Have you always written songs?" None of my childhood hobbies had stayed with me, consumed with studying. 

"Can't help myself," he admits. "A tune or some words. . .coming to me mind. There till I write them down."

"That's loads more creative than me. I always think it would be fun to draw but I'm imagining some renaissance masterpiece and it always comes out a derpy stick figure or worse. So I just give up and read or go for a walk." Even in the winter, Greenwich park was beautiful, and bundled up it was bareable. 

"What do you like to read," Alex asks, tilting his head towards me, curiousity brimming in his soft eyes. The space between us closing in as we lean towards each other, disarmed by our conversation.  

His hand resting on his knee, pulled out on the sofa, making me feel shameless about having my legs pulled up as well. 

"Articles. Very depressing boring world news. Free essays on the paris review. It's a shame prints dead or else I'd try to justify buying copies. But I think I'd rather have a cuppa tea. With those fruit bits or boba."

"Is print dead?" 

Alex says it with a layer of incredulity, baffled. 

"Yeah. This thing called the internet came along."

"Bloody hell," he jokes, "I'm still waiting for the windows explorer to. . .do it's thing."

"You mean load? Not surprised. The selfies you tried to take in Sydney were awful. Thankfully those people were there to take our picture."

"Be easy with me El," Alex laughs, shaking his head at me, eyes crinkling in amusement. 

"I'll have to think about it," I tease, leaning against the softness of the sofa, resting my head as I take the sight of him in, warmth spreading in my chest, thrilled to know that I can make him laugh, that he'd meant it when he said he wanted me over. 

It's a funny little skip of my heart as hope takes root, the idea that he might like me as much as I like him, making me smile, happy for the first time since I got back. Really happy, not just content to be home, to lazy around and get time to myself.  

He pours us both a cuppa wine in ceramic cups, "no wine snobs here," he grins and the music plays and his knee taps to the beat against my leg. 

Every touch too much and yet not enough, desire welling up in the pit of my stomach. It's easy to drink, pour another glass out."

I don't think anyone has the time or concentration to listen to a fourty minute song anymore," I note, sipping lazyily at the wine, my palette too unrefined to know if it's cheap or expensive. 

"It's a jam session!"

I drink, trying to hide my smile at his expression, affronted on behalf of music everywhere, the seriousness to his mouth, frowning, a directness to his gaze. 

Failing, I giggle, slumping against the sofa, looking up at Alex through my lashes. "I thought it was just a very long song."

"El." His voice, that thick accent, his unique drawl, my face burning, as he leans over, empty bottle of wine forgotten on the coffee table. His hand cups my cheek, the tips of his fingers calloused in a delightful way, toes curling on the sofa cushion, thumb running over my bottom lip. 

Heart beat lodged in my throat, I can't speak, the desire bubbling over, wanting to spill over and kiss him already. Alex pressing lightly over my body, trapping me against the sofa. 

I swallow thickly, my fingers going to neck, threading my hands through his caramel hair, soft and silken, and pull him down to kiss me hard. 

I can feel his satisfied smile against my skin as he kisses me back passionately, without any hesitation, all of his fumbling for words gone. All confidence and want. 

Alex's other hand going down to my hip, rubbing cicrcles over my cotton shirt. My head spins with want and desire and Alex all tangled together, finally, kissing him eagerly as he shifts, shoving a cushion thoughtlessly off the sofa. I lay down, skin burning hot. Too many layers between us. 

His lips against mine. Tasting of wine and bitter chocolate, a tanginess I can't get enough of. 

My mouth opening up to his, tongue exploring my mouth, my hands running through his hair. Alex pressed against me as I lay with my back on the couch, solid and too many layers between us. 

He pulls back, pulling up at the hem of my shirt with a naughty schoolboy grin, endearing all the same. 

"I hate winter," I whisper against his cool skin, colder than the room, barely emanating any heat at all in the frigid english winter, "it makes getting undressed such a pain." 

Alex laughs, pulling his own shirt over his head. "I'll be sure to make it worth your time."

"Cocky bastard," I utter as he hooks his fingers through the loops of my jeans, pulling me closer to him, the feeling of his own cock, already half hard, sends me reeling. 

In leiu of a response, Alex trails kisses down my neck, sucking at the skin, sure to leave marks tomorrow. 

My fingers dig into his hair, breathily moaning his name. Shamelessly, he undoes the button on my jeans. 

It's never sexy to take off jeans, kicking them off rapidly, as I reach for him, kissing him again fiercely. The feel of his cool skin sending sending shivers down my spine. Lithe but toned. 

Alex cups one of my breasts, nipple hardening through the delicate lace. "Fuck El," he groans, hips grinding down against mine.I want him. I want him so much, feeling feverish with desire.  

All my thoughts of him. 

Of Alex. 

He slides his jeans off easily enough, cock hard through the fabric of his boxers. I look up at him, as I unclip my bralete, adding it to the pile of things on the coffee table. 

There's always an initial nervousness, when sleeping with someone new. And yet, I know Alex wouldn't hurt me. I trust him. 

"El-,"

"Come here," I reach for him, a whine to my voice, "come here and fuck me Alex."

He does. 

[sweetpea-cc]

Lovers of Mine

Chapter One

Synophosis: Natala Halvorsen was Queen of Sicily and Norway when a group of traveling nobles made their way into her kingdom and into her life. Changed into an immortal being in 1113 A.D, she suddenly awakens another part of her that she believed to be dead. Soon, she becomes a sole interest of wicked games for the Mikaelson family. What happens after Natala resurfaces after being thought dead for over 100 years? 800 years by their side and she abandons the without a second thought.

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

Palermo, Sicily ❁1103 A.D.

"Must I, father? I do not even know the boy!" a young woman stood in the common area of her family home. Lavish, marble columns supporting the open ceiling, revealing the bright blue sky. The columns were Roman: the ionic columns were so elegantly carved into perfection: the rippled swirl the top rim spouted on both sides. She was hugging her delicate body tightly, trying to find warmth in the sweet, autumn morning. Her hair was loose and the gentle curls fell graciously to the low of her back.

"Yes, la mia Stella." her father sweetly responded, placing a tender kiss on her forehead. She smiled disconsolately at his nickname for her. 'Star' because he always said that her eyes reminded him of the midnight stars shining in the sky. "The King saw you on one his trips down here, spotting you running along the field of brooms. He believes that you would be more than a perfect match for his eldest son, Petter, heir to the throne." he continued to explain the predicament using a soothing voice but it only worried her more.

"My sweet Natala, this could be good for us. Good for our home, this union shall form an alliance between two strong kingdoms. And it shall be because of you, Cara figlia. It is your responsibility as a princess." Natala's head hung low as she merely nodded, who was she to question what her father said was right for her kingdom? No matter how much she wanted nothing to do with it.

New Orleans ❁2010

Natala Halvorsen was uniquely blessed with startling features, with alice-blue eyes that almost appeared a white heaven hue, reminding many of the Arctic Tundra. Her skin was a mixture of ivory and honey, sprinkled in layers of freckles. Her facial features were prominent, cheekbones high and her plump, pink lips causing both male and female alike to flush with desire. Her eyelashes were long, perfect to peek under when she played coy with her latest victims. Her button nose, and her small little ears giving the impression of innocence though one look into her startling eyes, one knew different. Natala's heart-shaped face boded well with her luscious, raven-black hair that added the deepest contrast to her entire appearance as it fell effortlessly past her elbows. She was slim, sign a medium build and it was safe to say she was beautiful, perfect even.

Much like anyone else in the world, Natala had much history under her belt, perhaps a little too much. No one truly knew who she was because she never allowed anyone in- not her family, not her friends and none of her lovers. So much mystery was hidden in her eyes which was incredible considering the saying that you can tell what someone is truly feeling by looking deeply into them. Natala wondered if such a silly quote had any shred of veracity in it.

She wasn't perfect by any means but of course, some of us have a reputation to hold up. According to the little birds that floated around the supernatural world, Natala was calculating, cold, and charismatic. At first impression, most would become captivated by her beauty then startled by the small malicious smile that always seemed to be on her face, like it was frozen there. However, Natala wasn't always like this, then again she doubts anyone ever was. People go through terrible things that have this immense power to shape how their life turns out. She remembered when her heart was light, when she was the epitome of 'kind' and when things were just... simple.

She often found herself reflecting how her life had changed through the centuries, there were so much tragedy and pain but there was also the good and love. After all, without darkness, there cannot be light. It was sad just how true that saying was, Natala would know seeing as she witnessed both sides of the spectrum.

Currently, Natala found herself sitting at Rousseau's, a place that always seemed to be the entertainment center of the French Quarter. It was no secret that around her, people were buzzing with laughter, while some were whispering to their friends, trying to inconspicuously point Natala out. Oh yes, she stuck out like a sore thumb and she knew it. Not that she minded. However, she wasn't just yet ready to be discovered by whoever the gossiping rats behind her report to. It was as if Natala struck gold because not even a moment later, music from the main stage began playing, distracting whoever was watching her. Natala took this opportunity to hide—in plain sight, of course.

The French rustic aesthetic clashed with the jazz music that coalesced with this picturesque café. However, it was a soft, smooth, sexy jazz. There was a tall black man playing the Tenor Saxophone on the far right of the stage. There he was, dressed so dapper in a black suit and blue tie. The sweat on his head glimmered from the minimal light that was projected onto them. There was also a cello player dressed in a cute, youthful dress. It was all black, but her sleeves end just before her elbow. The dress is figure-hugging until her waist and it flows out—much like a small ballgown. She wore black-translucent nylons and velvet two-inch heels. There was a snare drum player wearing sunglasses—sitting on a doctors stool and wearing a fedora. There was lastly a trumpet player and a clarinet player—both obvious twins. They both shared the same strawberry blonde hair that was so evenly curled in the back. Their Prussian blue eyes and rosy cheeks allowed them to stand out. Natala found it quirky and cute the way they wore the same outfit as well—consisting of a plain white t-shirt dress, a black-denim overall dress, black tights, and black open-toed heels.

The upbeat, jazz tune swirled around the bar, a collection of bodies swooning and swaying with the sound of the music as it vibrated against the building. All eyes were on them, watching as they masterfully ran their fingers over their instruments. Natala moved her body along in sync with everyone else's and it was now nearly impossible to spot her. She loved the way the city had come such a long way since she first set her feet on its grounds in 1755. Natala took noticed of the rustic aesthetic of the powder white lamps that dangled over the hickory brown tables shimmered a calming vibe. These same tables were easily hand-carved and sanded down to its perfection by a person—not a machine. The detail in the tables was incredible—each sliver and ring was glossed over by a translucent, even finish. In the center of these tables were ceramic white vases with slivers and splotches of brown on them—and in these vases were a single bright, golden sunflower.

To Natala's right, she watched as a couple was completely engrossed in each other's presence. She watched as the woman let out a small giggle as her lover left a trail of bittersweet kisses from her forehead down to her chin, then back to her lips. Natala would never admit out loud but she missed the feeling of waking up next to someone, missed the feeling of their body keeping her own warm and safe. She sighed deeply as she pushed the ridiculous thought from her mind, as there was no point in dwelling on things that are dead and gone.

Natala barely noticed the group had stopped playing, most likely to take a break, but nonetheless, the crowd has shifted out the door, leaving her uncovered. Before Natala has a chance to move, two local vampire thugs appeared on either side of her, systematically trapping her in the bar seat. Her face completely void of emotion and her signature, malicious smile forming on her lipstick stained lips, she spun around in the seat, resting her elbows gentle against the bar.

"May I help you, gentlemen?" Natala's voice was icy and full of disastrous intent, she never did take being threatened lightly, at least not anymore. Natala twirled a section of her hair between her fingers, her stiletto length nails poking through. The man on her right was rather handsome with dark hair and blue eyes, similar to herself. The cap on his head seemed to draw his entire appearance together, making him look like a musician of some sort, sporting a rather simplistic choice of clothing. To her left was a man with tawny-brown skin, caramel eyes, and dark brown curly hair which oddly reminded her of the rich soil of her homeland. He appeared to be the complete opposite of the first man, searing as his style was more rocker-ish.

"Never seen you around here before." man number two responded in a hostile tone, causing Natala to arch an eyebrow ever so slightly.

"I do suppose that's what happens when the city you live in is a tourist attraction." Natala quip playfully, grabbing her drink from behind her, she keeps her eyes downward, keeping up the whole 'I have no interest in this' façade for the mere drama of it. Her senses spiking, another man walked into the bar and out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the two men standing beside her go rigid like they were a company and their commander was present.

"Thierry. Diego. What are you two doing bothering this lovely woman?" Natala looked up through her long lashes as her icy blue eyes landed on an extremely attractive man. Natala smiled knowingly, taking in his sense of style which appeared to be form-fitting T-shirts that highlighted his sculpted abs underneath. His skin was dark, similar to rocker man on her left that Natala could now identify as 'Diego', she noticed that his eyes were also just as dark and her lips sported a very mischievous grin.

"Just checking her out, Marcel, making sure she isn't a threat," Diego spoke and Natala could almost hear the respect in his voice. She remembered all too well what that was like, remembered the way her subjects dotted upon her like a fragile ornament that would surely shatter but still respected her to only the highest standards. It's was funny to her how much Marcel reminded her of someone she once knew. For just a few moments, Natala's mind drifted many centuries back to when she was a human and held a high title.

Oslo, Norway ❁1112 A.D.

"I am not a house made out of glass, Lord Jorian! I am more than capable of taking care of myself." Natala, now at the bare age of twenty exasperated to her Hand of the Queen, Jorian Alveright. Natala understood why he was always so protective of her, after all it was his bloody oath.

"I understand that Your Grace and I am not denying it. There is no doubt whatsoever that you can handle yourself as you have proved that more times than I can count in the war room. However, despite that, it is my job to keep you safe, at all costs. You are a true monarch, one of the bravest Norway has seen in a few years, it is no secret that everyone is looking up to you. You deserve more than what you are getting." Jorian stood upright, one hand resting by his side and the other on the hilt of his sword. He was a brave man, terribly scared from years of war but his white hair loosely slicked back showed off his impressive features. Natala could truthfully answer that her favorite thing about him was his eyes. They were a unique shade of green with a violent burst of a low hue yellow in them.

Natala stopped her pacing in her chambers and turned to face him, smiling gingerly; "I know this, my Lord and I thank you so much. I do not know where I would be without a trusty adviser and friend as yourself. As for the people of Norway, they needn't worry, I have no plans of going anywhere soon. Petter is a good King, a good man, but sometimes too much power can eat whatever shred of decency is in man." She places a hand on his shoulder as she walked past him, humming a sweet tune as she walked away- Jorian keeping a fair distance, as always.

Present ❁

Marcel grinned like a Cheshire cat, patting a heavy hand upon his little soldier's shoulders. "I got this, you guys can take off." his voice was rich, making Natala smile and without another word, they abide the request, or rather command. Natala's attention was brought back by the heavy sound of Marcel's hand collided with their shoulders. When they were out of sight, Marcel sat in the stool next to her, keeping that lovely smirk on his face. He held out a hand, offering to shake it, which Natala took gracefully. "Natala Halverson, as I live and breathe. Damn, girl, it's good to see you!" Marcel was oddly cheerful and Natala liked the way dimples formed deeply on his face. He still oh so beautiful in her eyes. Taking another sip of her drink, Natala's eyes twinkled with curiosity and happiness to see this man again.

"Marcellus Gerard. Look at you, King of New Orleans. Tell me, how does it feel?" Natala winked at Marcel knowingly. When he was a boy, Natala told him stories of how she really was once upon a time a Queen of two great kingdoms and how it felt to be a very important person with immense responsibilities. Marcel's face broke into a wide as he raised to the bartender, signaling for a drink which she brought over fairly quickly. Natala managed to capture a better look at the woman, taking in her face which possessed long lashes and a strong jawline. It just seemed that everyone in New Orleans was attractive, not that Natala minded. She liked to appreciate the beauty of others. "It's great, I feel like I'm on top of the world. But some days it kicks my ass." he gushed, taking a sip from his glass. Natala laughed and raised her glass to Marcel, indicating she agreed with his statement.

"You know, last I heard, you were dead." Natala raised her eyebrow and a small smile was fighting its way to the front. Marcel returned the smile and let out a long sigh. "I can say the same thing for you." Natala played with the ends of her hair, twirling the strands through her delicate fingers, the year was 1919 and a new dark witch who went by the name 'Papa Tunde' had waltzed into New Orleans, claiming himself as the new leader of the witches. Natala had crossed paths with him the first time when he had interrupted a meeting between Klaus, Elijah, and the Guerrera family. The second time around, she hadn't been so lucky, as the man had linked their lives together in order to draw out more power and then only a few mere hours after that Klaus had delivered the severed head of his twin sons and gouged out his eyes. Natala's screamed had caused Klaus' triumph to only last a few moments when he turned around and found her on the ground, Elijah holding her limp body.

Unbeknownst to them, Natala was always one for keeping herself protected. After all, it was a given if you were going to run with one of the deadliest family in the supernatural world. In event of any death such as this, she had created a spell that would bring her soul back to her body. Highly similar to the Gilbert rings which protected the wearer against death that she had come across years ago when she was in Mystic Falls, except this spell worked on supernatural beings.

A gentle chime from Natala's phone adverted her attention away from Marcel as she looked at the caller I.D not immediately recognizing the number. "Chi è?" 'Who is this?' She responded in Italian as she always did, loving the way the language just rolled off her tongue. Marcel listened in on Natala's conversation and she took notice of that which prompted her to give him a scowl as she shoved him away like a scolding parent. A sweet laugh fell from his lips that made Natala immediately smile. There were very, very few people who Natala held close to her heart and Marcel was one of them, in a way, he was like a brother that she never had.

After a few minutes of simple, short-end answers, Natala tucked her phone back into her pocket, dragging out a long sigh. "Oh, the things I do for family. Sadly, it seems two particular twits are need of my help so I have to cut our reunion short." Natala got up from her seat and Marcel followed suit, they stood before each other for a few minutes, neither of them saying anything. Marcel then brought Natala into a hug which for the first few seconds, she almost immediately rejected but quickly she relaxed her body and gave in. "I'll see you soon," she said, breaking away from the hug and walking away from him. Who knew how long it would be before she saw him again?

Walking through the French Quarter, Natala breathed in the invigorating scent of the New Orleans culture. She had been to every country, every small town in her many centuries alive, but as long as she lived, this city would forever be one of her ultimate favorites. It didn't take long for Natala to board a plane and fly back to one of the most dreadful towns she had ever stepped a foot in; Mystic Falls, Virginia.

Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4

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

Credit to @fafulous bc co-author and totally nice :(((( 

[thenwcollective]

Budgeting Video Production

There's no doubt that the Web has changed the means services communicate with their consumers. Today, the majority of business are making use of a mix of electronic media - which includes websites that feature video clip, YouTube, training video clips, Facebook as well as even more - with "conventional media" - that includes direct-mail advertising, print advertisements, brochures, radio as well as television and other media. If you're new to producing products for digital media - especially video, you may be questioning just how to effectively budget for video production. Well, "Production 101" is designed to assist you via the procedure. So continue reading!

  Since video manufacturing can be complicated sometimes, the best way to approach this subject is to offer you an example to collaborate with. What appears to help most people is contrasting video production to restoring a house. Here's why: if you ask just how much a home renovation will set you back, the solution is, "it depends." Well, it coincides with video clip production.

  For the residence restoration, the "it depends" goes back to how many square feet you have, what kind of products you desire - granite, marble or ceramic tile, for instance, the amount of various subcontractors will certainly be included - painters, ceramic tile individuals, floor refinishers, electricians, - well, the listing goes on and on. As you can see, there really is nothing else answer for residence remodelling rates than, "it depends."

  With video production, that "it depends" reaction associates with the length of time the finished video clip will certainly be, what it will certainly be used for - a TELEVISION commercial, training video clip, promotional video, uploaded to YouTube, and so on. Prices likewise depends on the amount of various people will be involved - whether or not there will certainly be on-camera talent, make-up musicians, hair stylists, established contractors, multiple video cameras, special effects, plus what kinds of cameras and also tools you'll be making use of, whether or not it will be a workshop or place shoot - this listing continues as well. So as you can see, there actually is no other response for video manufacturing rates than, "it depends."

Video Production Company Portland

In both cases, the key is top quality. You don't desire substandard craftsmanship when renovating a house, do you? Certainly not! You do not desire an inexperienced plumbing professional or electrical contractor working on the framework of your house, do you? Naturally not!

  With video clip production, top quality is of critical relevance also. You might simply stand out a camera on a tripod and also hit the record switch. But keep in mind, the video clip is supposed to represent your company, as well as a camera on a tripod would be a quite bad representation of your brand.

  While "top quality" has various significances, when it pertains to video production it easy to specify: you want a professional, engaging video that people will certainly want to watch, as well as is a video clip that represents your organization in a positive means. The trick is "professional" - people today are used to seeing TV commercials that cost upwards of $200,000; the reality is that they're not mosting likely to view your video clip if all you need to reveal them is a video clip shot from a cam perched on a tripod with an individual speaking.

  One of the tricks to producing an expert high quality video clip is having a standard understanding the production procedure. If you have actually ever been to a business production shoot, you've seen lots of people working with the set. They're all there for a factor: you might see a director, manufacturer, make-up artist, lighting supervisor, video camera operator, audio workers, grasps, well - the checklist goes on and on.

  There are 3 stages to creating a video: pre-production - where you choose the concept as well as all the content; production - where you in fact bring together every one of the components and also people and also shoot the video clip; and post-production, where you edit and also enhance the video clip right into a finished item.

  Equally as there are 3 phases to generating a video clip, there are 3 secrets to figuring out just how much a video will wind up costing. They are: time, devices and skill. Time - might indicate how long the video manufacturing will certainly be, or for how long it will certainly take to really shoot and also edit the video. Tools consist of elements like what kind of stage you'll require; how many and what kind of cams will be made use of, whether you desire a crane shot or a moving dolly fired; what type of modifying system will be required for details unique results - and so on. Skill connects to all individuals involved in the production. This includes the supervisor, an on-camera talent or voiceover, stars, set building contractors, cameraman, hair stylists and also makeup musicians - this listing can repeatedly as well! And also as you've probably guessed now - the more time, device and skill you take into a video, the more it will certainly cost.

  When it comes to producing a video clip, the first rule of thumb is: if you're not an expert in video clip production - hire one. You'll end up saving a lot of money throughout production, due to the fact that knowledgeable production employees understand how to handle prices. Remember our residence restoration analogy? You would certainly work with a general contractor to manage the people and also situate and also buy all the products, right? Well, it's the same with video manufacturing.

  An excellent production firm has all the assets you'll need for almost any kind of manufacturing, so it's a good use your cash to hire one. They're the "basic service provider" for your video production. Certainly, you need to employ the appropriate one - one that knows its way around company videos, industrial manufacturings, training video clips - as a matter of fact, they must have thorough experience in whatever sort of video that you're planning to generate.

  The manufacturing business will certainly establish that to utilize as a director or cameraperson on your shoot based on your budget. They can likewise advise methods to shoot an idea that will decrease your prices. The fact is they have the understanding and also expertise to do it - as well as do it right. The last thing you desire is to locate an enthusiast or inexperienced business generating your video clip. Remember, this video is going to be a depiction of your firm. Do you really want a beginner getting on the work training on your project!

  Every little thing starts with a script and a concept. It's not merely an issue of taking copy from a sales brochure and converting it to a video clip. It has to be conversational and keep audiences' attention, while streaming from one scene to the following. Your idea might be as basic as "I desire a video clip that reveals why we're better than the competitors." However despite something so standard, you require to produce a video clip that does a fantastic work of executing that idea. You need to develop a video that individuals will want to view.

  An additional crucial tool is a storyboard. This is where you really draw up the action that will certainly take place on cam; figuring out electronic camera angles, how collections will certainly look, where the skill will certainly stand, etc. This is one place you can change things around to aid reduced production expenses - prior to you begin shooting!

  When the script and also storyboard are authorized, you start the pre-production preparation. You'll figure out ability, where to fire it, whether you require to build a set, if a makeup musician or hairdresser is called for, the number of sustain individuals are required, what sort of music you'll utilize, whether you need unique graphics - et cetera. This is where the production firm comes into play - they've "been there, done that." So they'll assist you through this puzzle.

  Every one of those elements are called "manufacturing values" - and also each one plays a role in the total top quality of your production. Each one additionally plays a vital role in your total budget as well, so you have to determine which elements are critical to the video as well as which ones you can do without.

  OK, you have actually done your homework. You have actually gone through script rewrites, selected the ability, authorized the storyboards and also hired the ideal production business. You've balanced all the time, devices and also ability variables into a convenient budget.

  Now you're ready to fire!

  After you've done all the prep work, all the preparation and all the effort, the shoot worked out. But you're not done yet. Due to the fact that after you've made all the decisions; fired the video as well as sent your ability packing - it's time to edit.

  Editing is where the magic takes place. Editing is where you bring all of your manufacturing elements together. Below's where you include visual effects, fine-tune the color, include graphics, sweeten the audio, include songs as well as sound results, produce impressive scene transitions - this listing continues also. This is where you turn your raw video right into a compelling, special video that people will wish to enjoy.

  OK, you're virtually all set to finish from "Manufacturing 101." Simply something continues to be - just how to ideal answer the continuous question of, "how much will it cost? Regrettably, there's clear formula. There are some general guidelines, yet as with everything else you get, you obtain what you pay for. As well as the even more manufacturing worths you desire in your video, the extra it's mosting likely to cost you.

  Here are some rules of thumb to aid you when budgeting for quality video manufacturing: if you're preparing a training or corporate video clip, prices can vary from $1500 - $4500 per min. So if you were intending to create a 5-minute video clip - that video would cost you anywhere develop $7500 to $22,500. Sure, there is most likely a neighborhood videographer who can toss a video clip together for $2500, but nobody will intend to watch it. And it won't show positively on your firm. So do not waste your cash!

  Television commercials can set you back anywhere from $5,000 to $25,000 and up. And on nationwide commercials, the "and also up" can add to a number of hundred thousand dollars. However every little thing is loved one, and also usually a range of compromises can be made to create video clips that fulfill your budget parameters.

[bluesdoodles]

Skegness Solid Live Music More Blues than Rock in 2017

January drawing to a close, Christmas lights a fading memory. Then your calendar clicks around to Butlins, Skegness for the Great British Rock & Blues Festival, the next year of musical journeys begins. This year the emphasis is on Blues, Rock has fallen if not silent but reduced to a whisper this year, upsetting some and definitely changing the balance and feel of the weekend.

The Introducing Stage got the show underway from 4pm Friday until the early hours of Monday morning. The gaps were minimal the music quality, meeting of friends chatting about what stood out and having fun was the order of the day.  The grumble about the lack of rock was justified. The title of the weekend is Rock & Blues so you would expect a balanced mixture. Everyone who knows me knows that I love my Blues of every hue, but I love the energy of Rock, the power of Rock and energy of the stage shows and this year this injection of power was missed. Without the balance of Rock and Blues, we didn’t have the contrast of razor-sharp, sparkling blues guitar and the full-on power chords and stinging licks of granite fueled rock.

Bluesdoodles, Liz Aiken enjoyed the weekend visiting the stages catching acts, missing others. With four stages this was a hectic few days.  Starting off with the highlights across the days on Introducing Stage, run by Steve Stanley, of Solid Entertainments with the help from Paul Stiles and the Blues In Britain Team to hand out the voting disks.  The Skeggie road takes us to Centre Stage – designated as ‘The Rock Stage’ by the Butlins programming team. The journey continues with a visit to Jaks with its late night sessions jams and a distinctive atmosphere, organised by Blues Matters. Finally, our travels and weary feet take us to Reds, 2017 the Blues stage.  The programming was without argument patchy by the Butlins team what was good was very good, interspersed by mediocre and poor. The Road was definitely a Blue cobbled street rather than a rocky trail throughout the 2017 weekend. Let’s hope this is a transition year and next year the balance between Rock and Blues is restored. There are so many young exciting bands on the circuit that would be delighted to entertain the Skeggie crowds.

Now, for the music. GT’s Boos Band got the show under way and they were one of the thirteen excellent bands who delighted the crowded area at the heart of the Skyline Pavilion.  The bands played for the chance of performing on a stage at Butlins 2018, decided by public vote.  The three successful bands this year were Friday Night – Tom Walker Trio, Saturday, Southbound and the final finalist on Sunday was Greg Coulson Band.  The competition was tough every band bought an interpretation of blues and rock that shows the depth of live music in the UK today. Tom Walker Trio, played a set that sparked including originals and an interesting, entertaining interpretation of Joe Bonamassa’s John Henry. Hitting the authentic blues spot Backwater Roll certainly pleased the audience in a packed area. Saturday night showed that this stage is getting more popular every year as the place to find new festival gems that you will want to see live again. Southbound were great on the night with a live performance showcasing the power of the rhythm section as they delivered their distinctive Blues Rock with a bucket of soul sound thrown in for good measure.  Matt Edwards Band with Stuart Dixon on bass impressed as did their 2015 album Four Berry Jam. Matt has a voice that makes you listen and his guitar playing has an infectious tone. Amy Eftekhari’s performance of Somewhere Over The Rainbow got the crowds purring with delight. Then it was Sunday two performances really stood out and on another day Elles Bailey would have won. Her vocals have power and the addition of Nick Garner on harp added another dimension to this class act; for me the winner of Sunday night. But the popular vote went to Greg Coulson, who delivered by surrounding himself with excellent musicians and a confident stage presence on the day. His experience as keyboardist with The Selectors shone through combined with strong numbers from his forthcoming debut album. This was party music that lit up the Introducing Stage.

#gallery-0-25 { margin: auto; } #gallery-0-25 .gallery-item { float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 33%; } #gallery-0-25 img { border: 2px solid #cfcfcf; } #gallery-0-25 .gallery-caption { margin-left: 0; } /* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */

Centre Stage is where queues form every night long before the doors open. At least now they are entertained by the adjacent Introducing Stage. This year designated The Rock Stage for the first time had one certainty rock would be hard to find. Friday night opened with one of last year’s winners Sugarman Sam & The Voodoo Men. Wow, the transition to main stage fitted the band perfectly with a strong set. The music was hefty blues-rock, punctuated with authentic blues licks that curled around the rhythm section. Sugarman Sam, is growing as the new number She’s A Woman demonstrated. The following act was Eric Sardinas & Big Motor highly anticipated and deeply disappointing in the delivery.  Yes, a string did break, but why the length of time off stage, as so many said surely someone of this calibre should have a spare guitar tuned for slide, do a different number or have a guitar tech. It was left to the bass player, Paul Loranger who held the fort not once but twice as Sardinas left the stage and flounced off again. What the band played was good but the flow of the set was disjointed and definitely an off night for this colourful performer of Rock-blues.

Saturday with two sessions the afternoon opened by Texas Flood another winner from 2016. What a winning Rock n’ Roll set. Texas Flood definitely washed away any cobwebs with a rip-roaring high octane set that rocked. This is the rock we want to hear at Skeggie, but why the early timing? It was not as if the evening bands were that exciting. The energy was high, the timing sharp they certainly did Wales proud! The interplay between guitar and bass was sharp and entertaining.  Closing the afternoon the Helen Hardy Band entertained. A good R n’ B band the covers we know and flowed through the auditorium as Saturday afternoon drew to a close.  Saturday night. Kenney Jones & The Jones Gang, may not be classic rock but this was a band that delighted the crowds with songs from his vast back catalogue. Kenney Jones, the drummer who was the heart of three of the great bands The Small Faces, Faces and The Who. The crowd sung along with delight to Itchycoo Park and more.  Leafhound, a rock band were well received with Luke Rayner’s guitar sounding superb, the most underrated of the weekend. (Bluesdoodles spent most of the time in Reds and Jaks this just didn’t rock our boots)

Last day of the festival with a feeling of the night after the day before.  The last of 2016 Introducing Stage winners the Rainbreakers started things off. This is a band that never rains on your parade but brings a ray of sunshine Once again proving what a great launch pad the introducing stage is as they also stepped into Centre stage limelight delivering a storming set. The testimony to this was the queue for the merch as people wanted to get their hands on the latest E.P.  Rise Up. This was R n’ B with attitude, full of tasty riffs and delicious licks in the eclectic selection of numbers. A class act with loads of potential to be a name on everyone’s lips. Popa Chubby Band closed out the afternoon with his own brand of Blues and R n’ B with his trademarked lead breaks, held together by a solid rhythm section. The crowd really warmed to him many hearing him for the first time. Definitely class blues BUT definitely not Rock as Poppa described his music as Working Class Blues.  The night was not about rock but there were three acts that delighted the audiences. Kicking off the double celebration of the Rocking Blues was Laurence Jones with his new line-up. He built the energy, excited the packed house, the guitar was sweet. Laurence full of confidence gained from years of touring and playing live across Europe and the UK. The set was one-hundred percent Laurence with ribbons and bells as he showcased his latest album Take Me High. That is definitely what he did he took us high in to a dazzling blue encrusted music with the edge of rock  With Joanne Shaw Taylor up next we were going to be in for a Wild ride. Reflecting her current album, the set was full of deep blues riffs and licks that curled around the audience with a sensuous and stylish flow.  The interaction between Joanne and her bassist Luigi Casanova adds energy a visual focal point. Then she breaks away and soars into her renowned guitar solos that hit the spot where musical memories are made. Tonight, was the best I had heard her vocals the balance was perfect so voice and guitar were in balanced harmony. Closing out the festival on Centre Stage was Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel where many re-lived memories and reminded many of the sound track of their youth.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

The weekend selection at Jaks was vast, full of delights and festival gems plus the fun of Saturday afternoon Jam. Ranging from the gently harmonious blues from Fran McGillivray to the dynamic sounds of blues with a punk attitude and sassy energy from the Husky Tones as this duo caught your attention. With a new album out soon this is a band we will be hearing lots of as they ask  Who Will I Turn To Now? Closing the night as the other stages fell silent we danced into the early hours with The Revolutionaires led by the charismatic and energetic Ed Stephenson.  Saturday afternoon is all about the Jam which two young men, Mikey Maclennan and Steve Liddle ran with style as unfortunately Jam stalwart Gary Boner from Roadhouse was unwell following a recent operation. Everyone wishes Gary a speedy recovery and a hearty welcome back to Skegness 2018. Saturday evening was a night of magic live-music. With two of the acts for many the bands of the weekend. Firstly Catfish who played a blinding set. Deep emotional blues full of verve and style as Matthew Long with his voice and guitar dominated the stage capturing the audience so that no-one was tempted away. Catfish’s rendition of Make It Rain was stunning and the emotions were charged and there were tears of joy as the passions of the audience and the band connected. Their new album, out 28th January, Broken Man will be a hit of 2017 there is definitely nothing broken about this band.  How do you follow that with Dom Pipkin & The Ikos and some New Orleans infused music. Closing the night and welcoming in Sunday were LaVendore Rogue. A band that is like marmite with the supporters outweighing those who cannot connect to their interpretation of the blues. Mixing up the set with old Hokie Joint numbers and tracks from the debut album, Light Up With they definitely shone music into our soul tonight.  Sunday evening, without Roadhouse they pulled a blinder by filling the gap with Ash Wilson. The anticipation was high, many had seen him play dual guitar in the Sean Webster Band. On stage he was joined by Bob Fridzema and Roger Inniss who played on his debut album, Broken Machine. Joining him on drums tonight was Wayne Proctor sitting in for his brother Phil Wilson who was otherwise engaged playing drums with Laurence Jones on Centre Stage. The set was mature, accomplished a quality performance of R n’B from everyone on stage. We heard covers like My Babe done the Ash way.  Ash’s vocals are strong at times sounding like molasses with the bass drum the heartbeat like cotton popping in a sun-drenched field as he  Holding Hands was sung. The Revelator a Jesse Davey number picked up the tempo. There was a pure synergy between these top drawer blues musicians a delight to behold and listen to.   Be delighted to see him on the Blues main stage next year.  Following this Will Johns & Friends, with Mikey Maclennan once again coming to the rescue as stand-in drummer. He met Will and the band a few minutes before stepping on Jaks stage with them to play a festival set. What a brilliant job he did. Very entertaining with witty repartee, brilliant guitar with a fantastic tone. What a high quality set of blues. The festival had one more act as the clocked turned into Monday, Jaks was packed as everyone squeezed a few more musical memories out of The Great Rock & Blues Festival 2017. Kris Barras Band, who delivered blues rock with power and a force to be reckoned with. Another live act that delivers every time building on the studio sound heard in their current album Lucky 13.  Blues Matters once again delivered music that will hold many memories and hats off to the DJ Clive Rawlings who each year acts as the glue that held the sessions together.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Reds this year was coloured with Blues of every hue and shade.  With Friday and Saturday dedicated to firstly to the harmonica and then to Alligator Records. Opening the festival for Reds was A Harmonica Explosion, a night where this German folk instrument was re-shaped in tone and playing by Southern States Blues musicians to be forever connected. Blues and harmonica are a perfect pairing. Opening the night was Giles Robson Band, a very entertaining set engaging the audience who were delighted to participate when asked. The music was an explosion of blues harp as we stepped on board the steam train and followed Giles on a ride full of tonal twists and turns of the blues-harp. Later on in the evening he was joined by three more renowned harp-players Magic Dick, who for some reason was not on top form, James Harman beset with frustrating technical issues so his harp was silent for far too long and the cream of the night a musician on fire Billy Branch. When they all played together at the end of the evening we were treated to a harp firework display.  The acoustic set from Martin Harley opening on Saturday afternoon was a melodic delight as he explored the tonal ranges of his lap Weissenborn guitar. The covers took us deep into the Delta full of acoustic twists and turns gently kick-starting a harmonious Saturday in Reds turned Blue.  The tempo then changed and Reds was packed as loyal fans of Nine Below Zero were once again caressed by the band that knows how to deliver. The only disappointment was this set was on in the afternoon many felt it suited an evening slot. The music drew you in the blues was delivered and everyone left with a deep sigh of contentment. The evening was a celebration of all things Alligator. With a first for Skeggie a Q&A session with Bruce Iglauer President and founder of Alligator records. Lots of interesting questions and we all gained an insight into how a blues label works. Three blinding sets unfurled showing the diversity of electric blues. Marcia Ball got the Alligator Party rocking turning Reds into a Roadhouse for this Blues Spectacular.  Proper Chicago blues played by a wonderful group of musicians who with a smile opened up the joy of the blues and entertained. Marcia Ball sung like an angel accompanying herself on the piano with the musicians that pulled together to showcase the sound they just love to share with everyone who listens. Blues is heavenly when played this well. The harmonious and interesting combination of drum shuffles, sax, keys and the power of vocal lyrics was infectious with the guitar pulling the show together. Wow! How do you follow that? Easy when you have the depth of Alligator artists to choose from. Next up blues with a difference a trio, Moreland and Arbuckle. All eyes are focused on Moreland with his cigar box guitar and Arbuckle’s, harp and vocals. A  high octane band playing Roots music that rocks you  to your core. Electrifying raw delta infused music that gets the adrenalin pumping feet tapping and you get a warm feel good glow as the music surges through your veins.  Closing tonight we headed deep into Southside Chicago for authentic urban blues with Toronzo Cannon. Having learnt his craft in the competitive and demanding Windy city club scene it takes a special blues magic to rise above the crowd. Toronzo has that with style and a flourish as he melds smooth vocals and stinging guitar chords. With a mix of his own numbers with strong lyrics and a couple of covers; what a dynamic end to an evening that enveloped you in Chicago Blues and so much more.

Sunday at Reds was a mixed package for me opening with Lil Jimmy Reed featuring Bob Hall on Keys this was the perfect blues smoothie for early Sunday afternoon. Followed by Paul Jones and Dave Kelly as a duet Sunday was a smooth affair. The evening was a mix David Knopfler on acoustic guitar, disappointed, The Blues Band as ever delivers British blues with style and aplomb. Closing the night is Jamie Williams and The Roots Collective; this is blues infused with English Folk and roots music. Closing the festival on Reds they delivered a stylish set that didn’t for me shout out the blues. Not a celebration but a party we all enjoyed.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

There were many highlights of every Blue hue the strongest stages over the whole festival weekend were Jaks and the Introducing Stage. The night celebrating Alligator Records was a combination of brilliant blues drenched music. The three young bands who won The Introducing Stage Sugarman Sam & The Voodoo Men, Texas Flood and The Rainbreakers, all added a shine to the festival.  Memories of 2017 will be many and all tinged in blue rather than rock. The acts that you should run to see again are Catfish, LaVendore Rogue, Ash Wilson, the winners of the Intro Stage and Elles Bailey. Joanne Shaw Taylor in this form is a force to be reckoned with, Marcia Ball , Moreland & Arbuckle, Toronzo Cannon and the harp supremacy that is Giles Robson.

    Skegness Solid Live Music More Blues than Rock in 2017 Skegness Solid Live Music More Blues than Rock in 2017 January drawing to a close, Christmas lights a fading memory.