Indy Vinyl for the Masses: Guidelines

The Basics

  • Each video must begin with a visual clip from a screen media sequence that features a piece of pop music (“pop music” can be defined as follows: music in a recognisably pop idiom that has some kind of life outside the context of a specific screen media sequence)
  • This piece of pop music provides the soundtrack for the video as a whole and should last a maximum of five minutes
  • The video must be a collaboration between several creators, one contributor adding clips before passing it on to the next contributor to add theirs
  • Each video should relate to a project theme, as well as specific keywords/prompts suggested by the video’s curator. The two themes running just now are ‘Walking’ and ‘Dreaming’

The Process

  • Each video has an assigned curator. The curator chooses the music, adds the first selection of clips, and determines the strand to which the video will contribute. They suggest keywords or prompts specific to that video (e.g. music: ‘Stayin’ Alive’ (from Saturday Night Fever); theme: walking; keyword: faceless). They also create a sheet on the Indy Vinyl for the Masses spreadsheet that contributors fill in with details of their clips
  • The list of contributors to a particular video will be agreed in advance of production
  • The curator passes on to the next contributor an .mp4 video file containing their added clips and the music in its entirety (usually the ‘clean’ uninterrupted version, rather than something lifted from the original screen sequence); once that contributor has added their clips, they pass the file on to the next contributor, copying the curator in. Each creator should aim to turn around their contribution within 4 days
  • Each contributor will normally add a maximum of 30 seconds-worth of clips to the video before passing it on; if there is still space to fill once the final contributor has added clips, the curator can invite one or more contributors to finish off the video
  • A single clip will normally last a maximum of 15 seconds
  • The clips can come from any kind of screen text, unless specified by the curator
  • The clips can be manipulated and combined in whatever way the creator desires, unless the curator issues specific parameters
  • The main piece of pop music should play from beginning to end; curators will decide if contributors can also use the sound from the visual clips they are using
  • Within their own section, a contributor can remix sequences/clips used earlier in the video (unless the curator stipulates otherwise). However, they should not alter work within other contributors’ sections
  • Each contributor should always consider the relationship between their clip(s), the preceding ones and the particular segment of music that soundtracks their clips
  • The clips should be suitable for an “all audience” rating on Vimeo (or equivalent)

The Outcome

  • The curator produces the final video file, complete with the Indy Vinyl logo at the start (provided by Ian Garwood), and sends it to the video’s contributors and Ian Garwood (to keep a central archive of the project)
  • The video can be posted on the channels of any of its contributors. All contributors must be credited. The videos are being made for study purposes, but each contributor should make their own ‘risk assessment’ in terms of posting copyrighted material on their sites
  • A link for each video will be embedded on this website
  • Ideally each contributor should offer some brief comments on their thought process when adding their clips, using this form