1. About
Solar
Media:
Solar
Media
specializes
in
Music
video
production,
filming
live
music
events,
Vidcasts,
the
creation
and
management
of
websites
and
other
on-‐line
platforms
(YouTube
channels
for
music
artists,
social
networks
etc).
We
can
help
artists
promote
their
work
across
all
media,
music
is
no
longer
only
in
the
hands
of
major
record
labels,
today
amazing
music
can
be
made
by
anyone
but
artists
need
great
promotion
and
promotional
materials
to
stand
out
in
this
crowded
market
–
you
need
to
get
noticed
and
make
some
noise!
Solar
Media
was
established
in
2000
by
Lucas
Warren,
we
have
made
over
500
music
videos,
filmed
and
created
hundreds
of
live
performances,
vidcasts,
websites
and
YouTube
channels
including.
The
Funding:
We
work
with
all
types
of
artists
and
companies
across
the
industry
–
unsigned
musicians,
indie
artists
and
artists
signed
to
major
record
labels.
Our
funding
to
make
a
music
video
and
digital
extensions
can
come
from
the
record
company,
an
artist’s
manager,
indie
label,
grants
or
the
artist
themselves,
we
tend
to
be
funded
around
£20k
from
usually
from
larger
music
labels
or
managers.
However
there
are
many
other
methods
of
acquiring
funding,
e.g.
Share
holders,
Stakeholders,
investment
holders,
bank
enquiries
etc.
We
can
deliver
videos/materials
for
a
wide
range
of
budgets
from
£2500-‐
£20,000,
you
don’t
need
to
have
a
big
budget
to
make
a
hit
video,
our
team
of
innovative
creative
can
help
make
a
big
impact
with
even
the
smallest
budgets!
2. How
we
work:
We
work
very
closely
with
our
clients,
we
supervise
and
manage
the
entire
production
process,
ensuring
that
we
deliver
high
quality
films
on
time
and
within
budget.
We
aim
to
deliver
stylish,
punchy
videos
that
strike
the
perfect
balance
between
engaging
your
audience
and
successfully
communicating
your
message.
We
can
deliver
anything
from
simple
green
screen,
VFX,
performance,
animation,
concept
to
live
performance
videos.
Solar
provide
a
complete
video
production
service
including:
• Devising
concepts
• Storyboards
and
artwork
• Scripting
and
writing
content
• Production
management
• Project
management
• Cameras,
lighting
and
sound
equipment
• All
crew
• Editing
• Animation
and
motion
graphics
• Graphic
design
• Time
lapse
photography
• Photography
• Models,
actors,
dancers
and
voiceover
artists
• Stylists
and
hair
&
make-‐up
• Web
site
design,
build
and
SEO
Our
company
structure:
3. Solar
has
12
full
time
employees,
and
teams
up
with
freelance
staff
once
in
production.
The
television
and
music
industry
has
a
large
freelance
community
that
move
from
project
to
project
on
short
term
contracts,
this
allows
companies
like
Solar
to
get
the
best
production
talent
in
the
market
when
we
need
it.
Our
core
staff
includes:
MANAGING
DIRECTOR
EXECUTIVE
PRODUCER
IN
HOUSE
PRODUCER
IN
HOUSE
DIRECTOR
PRODUCTION
MANAGER
VIDEO/ANIMATION/POST
PRODUCTION
PRODUCER
MOTION
GRAPHICS
AND
ANIMATOR
WEB
DESIGNER
WEB
DEVELOPER
AND
SEO
OFFICE
MANAGER
OFFICE
RUNNER
ACCOUNTANT
-
We
also
hire
an
accountant
(Janice
Riches)
from
Kingston
Smith
to
help
manage
our
finance.
Our
offices
are
based
in
Soho,
on
D’Arblay
Street
W1.
In
the
heart
of
the
London’s
media
industry
surrounded
by
post-‐production
facilities
and
new
media
companies.
4.
Examples
of
typical
productions:
Concept
Music
Video
–
Budget
£18,000
Pitch
Meet
client,
hear
the
music
track,
review
previous
promotional
work,
understand
their
requirements
in
terms
of
tone
and
image
required
(if
known)
for
the
video
–
establish
budget
available.
Solar’s
in-‐house
Director
creates
(with
help
from
the
team)
and
presents
a
number
of
possible
ideas
for
a
video
to
the
client.
Solar’s
Head
of
Production
would
have
also
created
a
rough
budget
to
establish
if
the
ideas
being
discussed
by
the
Director
could
be
delivered
for
the
money
(i.e.
Locations/sets
etc)
Pre-‐production:
If
the
client
approves
the
idea
Solar
goes
into
early
stages
of
pre-‐
production.
A
deposit
of
30%
will
be
required
from
the
client
and
a
likely
delivery
date
for
the
completed
video
agreed.
Production
management
and
the
creative
team
will
work
together
to
create
a
detailed
budget
–
storyboards
and
scripting
will
allow
the
producer
to
work
out
what
will
be
needed
in
the
shoot
and
the
post
production
of
the
video.
Most
videos
of
this
scale
will
require
one
or
two
days
filming
either
on
location
or
in
a
studio,
in
addition
there
will
be
a
period
of
post-‐
production
when
the
footage
is
cut
together,
animation
and
VFX
effects
added
and
audio
mixed
if
necessary.
The
Head
of
Production
and
the
Producer
will
create
a
detailed
budget
and
a
production
schedule,
this
will
show
the
time
allocated
to
pre-‐production,
shooting,
editing
and
the
date
of
delivery
(see
the
sample
budget
attached)
Pre-‐production
can
be
divided
into
a
number
of
areas:
5.
Creative
vision/planning
and
Production
management:
The
Production
manager
will
need
to
co-‐ordinate
all
elements
of
the
shoot,
book
studios/locations/contributors/crew/facilities
and
ensure
the
clearances
are
obtained,
health
and
safety
assessments,
a
schedule
created
and
costs
monitored.
Key
elements
for
a
music
video
that
will
need
to
be
chosen
and
booked
are:
1. Studio/Location
2. Art
department
materials/crew
3. Wardrobe/Make-‐up
materials/crew
4. Contributors
(Dancers
etc)
casting
5. Camera,
lighting
and
sound
(personnel
and
equipment)
6. Contributors
(dancers/actors)
7. Post
production
(facilities,
animation,
editing
equipment
and
personnel)
6. Task
1/2
What
is
involved
in
pre-production?
Once
the
team
has
agreed
the
idea,
the
budget
and
schedule
the
team
gets
going
and
starts
to
set
up
the
project.
Solar’s
in
house
Production
manager,
Producer
and
Director
work
together
to
set
up
the
shoot.
When
we
are
busy
we
can
employ
more
Production
managers,
Producers
and
Directors
from
the
freelance
market
but
having
our
in
house
team
means
they
can
work
on
multiple
projects
and
keep
the
costs
down
for
the
client.
Pre-‐production
is
all
about
organization
and
logistics,
the
production
manager
will
begin
by
doing
some
of
the
following:
1. Studio:
find
studio
options
ie.
Space
that
can
accommodate
the
shoot
requirements
(size/look/space
for
dancers
or
props
etc),
Agreeing
a
price,
if
necessary
sign
an
agreement
the
confirms
the
rental
of
the
studio
2. Camera
crew
–
book
a
2
man
camera
crew,
this
can
either
be
through
a
camera
equipment
company
who
have
people
on
their
books,
or
you
can
use
a
freelance
cameraman
who
has
a
good
CV
of
doing
other
music
projects.
The
Producer/Production
Manager
will
have
the
names
and
contact
details
for
people
in
the
industry
who
can
recommend
cameramen
they
have
worked
with
–
most
people
get
work
by
word
of
mouth.
Agree
a
daily
rate,
the
numbers
of
hours
they
will
have
to
work
and
confirm
this
in
writing
–
this
is
like
an
agreement
and
if
you
cancel
the
shoot
you
still
have
to
pay
the
cameraman.
As
this
is
a
small
shoot
we
will
not
need
a
lighting
department
and
the
camera
team
can
light
the
set.
3. Camera,
Lighting
equipment,
audio
playback–
once
we
have
booked
the
cameraman
we
will
talk
to
about
what
we
think
is
needed
in
terms
of
shoot
–
so
what
it
should
look
like
and
what
equipment
might
be
needed
to
create
the
look
required.
The
team
will
create
a
kit
list
and
go
to
a
camera
and/or
lighting
company
and
place
an
order
for
the
rental
of
this
kit,
they
will
give
a
price
and
a
confirmation
email
or
order
will
be
done
to
make
sure
it
is
all
delivered
to
the
studio
on
the
right
day.
7. 4. Casting/Dancers
–
A
casting
person
will
be
hired,
they
maybe
freelance
or
come
from
an
agency,
they
will
work
a
day
and
find
some
dancers
(by
contacting
places
like
Pineapple
Studios
or
model
agencies)
who
look
the
part
and
are
available
to
appear
in
our
video.
Once
they
have
been
found
they
will
be
booked
and
a
price
agreed.
5. Make-‐Up/Wardrobe
–
the
producer/production
manager
will
find
a
freelance
make-‐up
artist
(agency/word
of
mouth)
and
book
them
for
a
day
to
prepare
and
buy
costumes
and
a
day
on
the
shoot
itself.
The
Director
and
Producer
will
discuss
the
look
with
them
and
the
artist
–
once
agreed
they
will
source
the
outfits
and
be
given
the
amount
of
money
in
the
budget
–
this
is
either
a
cash
float
or
they
will
ask
the
production
manager
to
book/buy
things
on
heir
behalf.
6. Set/Art
Department
–
a
set
designer
will
be
found
(agency/word
of
mouth/previous
experience)
they
will
talk
to
the
Director
about
the
look
of
the
project
and
spend
a
day
prepping
and
buying
materials
to
dress
the
studio
set.
7. The
production
manager
will
start
to
create
a
call
sheet,
this
will
list
all
the
information
about
the
shoot
that
is
needed,
the
times,
location,
the
people
attending,
the
equipment
being
delivered
etc.
As
the
above
bits
of
the
pre-‐production
fall
into
place
the
call
sheet
is
created
–
before
the
shoot
itself
this
will
go
to
everyone
attending
the
shoot
day.
The
Production
Manager
will
have
needed
to
confirm
how
everyone
is
getting
to
the
studio
and
at
what
time
they
need
to
arrive
–
they
might
book
taxis
for
the
artist.
8. Post
Production
–
the
Producer/Director/Production
Manager
will
book
an
editor
for
the
offline
(agency/word
of
mouth/previous
experience),
a
price
will
be
agreed
and
they
will
be
confirmed
in
writing.
An
edit
suite
will
also
be
booked
at
a
post
production
facility
for
the
3
days
offline
and
the
on-‐
line/VFX
(the
facility
will
provide
the
on-‐line
VFX
editor),
a
price
will
be
agree
and
confirmation
will
be
given
in
writing
–
the
facility
will
invoice
Solar
after
the
edit
for
the
cost
of
this.
9. Rehearsal
day:
Some
of
the
crew,
the
dancers,
artist,
the
art
department
will
go
to
the
studio
the
day
before
the
shoot
to
practice
and
set
things
up.
8. 10. Shoot
Day:
Everyone
hopefully
turns
up
on
time,
the
Director
has
worked
out
his
shot
list,
he’s
met
with
the
artist
lots
of
times
to
work
out
what
to
do,
he’s
discussed
this
with
the
crew/art
department
–
so
everyone
is
set
to
go
and
to
can
shoot
as
much
as
possible
on
the
day!
The
production
manager
ensures
that
everyone
on
the
shoot
as
signed
a
release
form
for
their
contribution.
11. Post
Production:
The
shot
material/drives
are
taken
the
edit
where
the
offline
editor
spends
a
couple
of
days
cutting
together
the
sequences,
once
the
Director
is
happy
this
goes
into
the
on-‐line
and
is
editing
at
high
resolution,
VFX
are
added
here
too
and
finally
the
audio
track
is
laid
on
the
final
cut.
12. Delivery:
We
deliver
the
Video
to
our
satisfied
client!
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