Creating and collaborating at a distance
During a national pandemic and an order to shelter in place, creators are finding new ways to be creative out of necessity to continue their work. Musicians, podcasters, filmmakers and other artists are using video conferencing to collaborate and other tools to share, create and edit their art. But it’s not as easy as it sounds.
“Dark Water has been about collaborative writing, and we’ve explored the technology of how to be creative together, which is different than how to record a track together. It’s painstakingly slow. It’s using technology where I’ll work on a session at home and put it online, and then Benji downloads it, plays on it and puts it online. And then Kristian downloads it and plays on it. It’s weird because you don’t have your companions there to guide you. It’s a little more of a back and forth.” Brandon Bush, an Atlanta musician, told the AJC this month.
While others are finding ways to continue their crafts remotely, such as podcasting from home, some are facing challenges that go beyond technological difficulties and sound quality. Comedy podcasts, for example, have their own set of challenges. “Many of them require in-person sessions or large groups of people for live improv. Without the ability to meet face-to-face, the dynamics change, which can affect the style, approach, and kinds of jokes that result,” a recent article from Vulture reported.
So what can you do as a musician, podcaster or artist? We’ve put together a few solutions that creatives in different cities are finding during these times.
How do you work with other creators and artists from afar?
Creating music
Non-essential businesses shutting down means many music studios have been forced to close as well. This means that many producers and sound engineers have transitioned to in-home studios for recording, mastering and mixing. One producer in Los Angeles wrote about his home set-up and detailed the equipment he moved into his home studio and how he set it all up to continue working with his clients during quarantine.
290k Likes, 3,371 Comments - Kehlani 🧿 (@kehlani) on Instagram: "Everybody Business shot in my backyard directed by me. out now. link in bio. @honeyshotproductions..."
Singers, DJs and artists are also finding new ways to continue getting their work out to fans. DJs have turned to livestreaming sets through Instagram, YouTube and Twitch for fans as well as Instagram Live for DJ/Producer mash-up battles. Singer-songwriter Kehlani directed her own music video in her backyard for her song “Everybody Business” and released a snippet on her Instagram to get the word out to fans.
Podcasting from home
Although starting a new podcast or recording an already established one remotely seems like it would be easy during all of this, it isn’t always what it seems. There are programs like Zoom, Skype and FaceTime for people to use for podcasting with co-hosts and having guests on air, but editing the audio can be tricky. One tip, if you’re using Zoom, is to never hit mute while recording a session. Doing so will create multiple audio tracks, making it more difficult to edit.
Other podcasters are opting to use FaceTime then import the audio/video chat into another program for editing. And more recently, Spotify introduced a tool through its Anchor platform that will allow you to turn any video conference or video call into a podcast instantly. The tool works with many other platforms, including Zoom, Skype, FaceTime, Google Meet, Twitch and Instagram Live.
The visual arts
As with many creative industries, the arts are feeling the effects of the pandemic as well. Some are feeling more inspired than ever to create, while others are too stressed to find new inspiration. Still, they are finding ways to connect, create and get their work out to the public.
38 Likes, 2 Comments - Drive Thru ATL (@drivethruatl) on Instagram: "We are excited to announce ⚡️@drivethruatl⚡️ @creativespro's response to #Covid19 is #ATL's very..."
DRIVE THRU ATL is one of those. As an experimental exhibition platform, it aims to support artists and funding through the first ever drive-thru pop-up exhibit showcasing artists and art installations while maintaining social distancing. The funds raised will support the artists and community associated with The Creatives Project (TCP), a nonprofit organization which provides artist residencies and supports the development of arts/music education programming, specifically for highly underserved neighborhoods in Metro Atlanta.