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The Use of Classical Music In Media Projects – Know Your Stuff!

June 1, 2023 by tprochera Leave a Comment

Hello all!

This isn’t going to be a rant – though it easily could be because it’s a bit of a pet peeve of mine . Let’s call it a bit of friendly advice from one creative to another, shall we? 😉

Music can be such a powerful tool in a creative project. It can reinforce or deny emotional expectation. It can foreshadow. It can make you feel anything, really. And every genre under the sun can be placed in a project – jazz to pop to country to electronic – under the right circumstances.

If you are planning on using classical or instrumental music in your projects, I beg you, please take a minute to learn what the piece is actually about. Even if something doesn’t have words that are in English – or whatever language you happen to be working in – it doesn’t mean it doesn’t mean anything and it is to be used all slap-happy, willy-nilly-like. And if you treat it all slap-happy, willy-nilly like, you could run into problems.

Case in point…

Years ago, a well-known airline put out a campaign ad about their new comfortable seating, or something like that, and had images of passengers blissfully dozing to the soundtrack of “Nessun Dorma”, the big aria from the Puccini opera, Turandot. You can see why – it’s a well-known piece. Even if you don’t know what it’s from or what it’s about, we’ve all heard the famous rendition by the late, great Pavarotti, so why not put it in there for recognition’s sake?

Well, my friends, I’ll tell you why not. Because “nessun dorma” literally means “none shall sleep” in Italian! The hero is singing about how the whole kingdom is being kept awake under the threat of death as the princess Turandot will execute him and everyone else  if she does not learn his name by morning – because if she doesn’t discover his identity, she has to marry him, and she wants to stay single. So, those who were familiar with the work were no doubt watching the ads and chuckling to themselves, if not downright guffawing, at the irony of it all. 

Last year,  I was watching a documentary on television about the gardens of the late Queen Elizabeth II, may she rest in peace.  There is a clip when she is perusing the scene at one of her garden parties and I’m listening to the instrumental music in the background thinking, wait, is that “Get Me to the Church On Time” from My Fair Lady?  You know, the tune sung by Eliza Doolittle’s father as he’s preparing for his wedding day?  I mean, first of all, the gal just lost her husband of 60 + years and I’m pretty sure she’s not ready to get married again any time soon, and what does that have to with a garden party? A relatively minor infraction but it’s still just throwing something in there because.

You see, not all music is going to have specific meaning and is designed to simply create a mood, a vibe. In that case, go for it. Throw in something that sounds happy if you want people to feel happy.  But if you’re going to use a piece particularly because it is recognizable, get some context for it. I’m not saying you have to do hours of research into the history and everything of it – unless you want to, of course – but don’t use a song about not sleeping to promote sleeping! Or use “Spring” from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons in a scene about winter. Not that I’ve seen it but I’m sure it has happened somewhere. Don’t do it! It’s just embarrassing for everyone.

I will add that, the more you learn, the more you understand, the more you will effectively be able to use classical or instrumental music in your projects. You might want to ironically use “Nessun Dorma” in a scene where people are sleeping, and you will know it’s ironic because you now know what it’s actually about.

 Or if you’re doing a period piece and familiarize yourself with the works from that era – maybe this is left to a music supervisor but I’m going to personalize it just the same – you can really play with it. 

Say you’re doing something set  at the turn of the 20th century but want a modern twist on it – like the classical covers of current hits in Bridgerton or the original rock tunes (meaning original artists, not original to the soundtrack) placed in one of my favourite movies, A Knight’s Tale – if you know the classical or instrumental hits from that era you may find modern songs that are based on those pieces. For example, Eric Carmen’s hit “All By Myself”, revived by Céline Dion for Bridget Jones’ Diary, is based on the  second movement of  Sergei Rachmaninoff’s  Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, composed around 1900-1901. Playing with that knowledge allows you to not only have a better framework for the music in your project, but it allows you to drop some Easter eggs as well – I think. Did I use that term correctly? My gaming days are behind me, I’m afraid. 🙂

All this to say that just because a piece of music is in a genre you’re unfamiliar with, it doesn’t mean it exists just to be pretty or dramatic or whatever you happen to be looking for at the time. There is a context to it all and it behooves one to learn about it. 

Now, in other Swimming Tigress News,

We are quickly approaching summer and, specifically, teddy bear picnic season. The official day is, in fact, July 10th but I’m sure there are picnics held throughout the summer. If you’re looking for a theme tune for your event,  I humbly suggest, “Teddy!” from my alter-ego, Tofaru, a rousing tune in honour of our fluffy friends. Check out the lyric video on YouTube and go to Pond5.com to license the track for your event!

Have a great day and happy creating!

Tiffany 🙂

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: advertising, classical music, creative career, creative inspiration, creativity, Luciano Pavarotti, music in media, songs for kids, swimming tigress music, swimming tigress press, teddy bear picnic, teddy bears, Teddy song, tiffany prochera, Turandot

Another Tip From an Idea Factory – Everybody Has a Story

May 25, 2023 by tprochera Leave a Comment

Hello, all!

So, let’s talk. It’s easy to get creatively stuck from time to time – you don’t know where to go with a project or you’re having trouble  coming up with an idea for the project in the first place.  And it’s not fun when you have the desire to bring something to the world, and especially not when there are deadlines involved.

This is where I can be of service.

You see, as a creative community I think we need to support each other because we all have different strengths to bring to the table. And  idea generation just happens to be one of mine. 🙂 In my e-book and now audiobook,  Idea Factory: 20 Tantalizing Tips to Turbocharge Your Creativity, I joke about how I can’t tell you how to market or promote your art since I haven’t sold more than a handful of anything I’ve ever done but I’ve got project ideas coming out the wazoo and I always have.  I will literally be working on one song and suddenly be struck with  lyrics for another. 

So,  if you don’t mind, I’m going to share another tip from the book to help you get through a dry spell. You can check out my last post for another tool to put in your creative arsenal, if you haven’t already read it.

Tip  #7 is called “Everybody Has A Story”. It’s about looking at someone you’ve never met  – in a grocery store, while you’re out for a walk – and creating a backstory for them.  Look at where they are, how they’re dressed, what they’re doing, and try to imagine their life – where they came from, where they are now, where they might be going.

You can be as sensational as you like about it. Maybe that woman in the trench coat is a spy heading to a meeting with her handler to learn about her next mission. Maybe that man running past you on the sidewalk is training for a marathon because his father died before he ever had a chance to complete one and he wants to honour his memory.  Get into the details – establish a real sense of knowing that person inside and out.

This exercise  will not only help you to boost your creativity, since you’re making up a bunch of stuff, but it will help you feel more connected to the world  around you. So often, we go through our lives just zooming past everything and everybody.  We don’t even notice the person we  pass on the street, yet alone contemplate where they came from and what brought them to that moment in time.  You might be surprised at the amount of empathy you’ll develop in the process.

So why not take your people watching to the next level and have some fun? And feel free to comment and let us know what you’ve observed!

For more information on Idea Factory you can learn more on the website , and you can find it on Amazon, iTunes,  and Audible, depending on your format preference. 

Have a great day and happy creating!

Tiffany

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: audiobook, backstory, creative inspiration, creative tips, creativity, ebook, idea factory, swimming tigress music, swimming tigress press, tips for artists, writers block, writing

To Dream or Not To Dream – Why You Might Want To Establish Creative Goals

May 11, 2023 by tprochera Leave a Comment

You know, I was honestly going to write about something else this week  but this has been on my mind lately.

Today, I was talking to someone who was expressing her goals for her career. She’s working on a life-changing book – really, it’s going to be epic – and she has visions of being a multi-bestselling author and connecting with the likes of this luminary and that luminary and her forward will be written by so-and-so etc. I was so inspired by her aspiration and commitment and,  at the same time, I felt a sense of sadness.

These days, I don’t really have any dreams with respect to my creative career.

Sure, I’ve got a bucket list of things I’d like to see and experience – like going to Eurovision, getting under dark, clear skies where I can actually see the Milky Way galaxy glowing above head –  but I no longer have those end goals, those thing I want to accomplish, or those dreams that can drive and guide one into their future. I chalk it up to the fact that I feel I have failed so often that there’s no point in really trying for anything because, in my mind, it’s not going to work out anyway. So, I just do what I feel like doing, put it out there, and see what happens, like throwing spaghetti against the wall to see if it sticks. 

The most important things that have happened in my life have happened without reaching for them, without real effort.

 But I’m not sure that laissez-faire attitude is ultimately helpful. 

Do you have goals and dreams with respect to your creativity, a timeline with a list of things you want to accomplish, both as projects and achievements? Absolutely, one needs to follow inspiration even if it’s not necessarily part of “the plan”, but goals and dreams can excite us and keep us focused. At least that’s what they’re supposed to do.

Imagine this. You’re a musician, you record a song and release it on social media, hoping maybe somebody somewhere will listen to it. Yaaay.

Or, you have a dream of reaching x-number of people with your music, releasing an album by the end of the year, signing with a major label within 5 years – maybe you even have a specific label in mind – and having a Grammy or two ten years from now.

Which vision do you think is more likely to get you out of bed in the morning?

It’s not about chasing the glory or even “making it” necessarily. It’s about having a focus, establishing intention behind what you are doing, working on a trajectory towards something meaningful and not seeing each action as starting from scratch to random, unpredictable ends.  Wait. That sound like me. 😉

Anyway, it all allows you to streamline your activities and eliminate distraction. If you’ve determined that you’re going to create a pop album by the end of the year, you might write down the ideas that came to you for that children’s song for future reference, but you’re not going to put real energy into it – yet. No wishy-washing about it. Decision made.

And here’s the thing.

 The ultimate results are not as important as who you have to become to be dedicated and focused – what kind of commitment is required that you can ultimately transfer to other aspects of your life. And honestly, things can change. In the process of working on the album or chasing the Grammy, you can discover a love of education and decide to become a music teacher. I’m not exactly sure how that would happen but it’s possible. It’s not the Grammy. It’s who you become in pursuit of the Grammy – or Booker or whatever.

And I might add, don’t be afraid to commit. It can feel like you’re missing out on other possibilities. But what if this happens? But what if I get an idea for that? OMG, have I been there! But think of it as a foundation, something to ground you, and trust that you will be led to where you are meant to be and if you are supposed to shift focus, it will be clear.

If you aren’t familiar with them, try establishing some SMART goals – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound (look it up if you don’t know what that all means) – and enjoy the support that comes with knowing where you want to go!

In Swimming Tigress News, I’m working on some new  music that should be out on Pond 5 soon. And, in case you didn’t know, Tabitha’s Magical Voice and Idea Factory  are now audiobooks that you can find on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes!

Have a great day and happy creating!

Tiffany 🙂

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: audiobooks, blog, create, creativity, idea factory, setting goals, smart goals, swimming tigress music, swimming tigress press, tiffany prochera

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