The idea for the videos was born from a simple observation: “Wouldn’t it be fun to see if we could trick people into believing that the most famous musicians in the world were playing on a street corner?”
So how did they make those surprise street performances?
They worked with two incredible producers, Justin Diener and Dave Green. They also bought a lot of microphones.
The first step was to find the right location. They used Google Maps and chose intersections where there was a park or building behind them that would block street traffic. That way, there wouldn’t be too much noise pollution. The goal was to get people to stop their cars and come over.
Next, they set up cameras at specific distances and angles (with back ‘props’ in place) based on what would look best in the shot. They then got to work with the production crew on creating the sound–which sometimes took more than 15 hours!
I just saw these two videos of street performances, and I was wondering how they did it.
The first one is a group of musicians who start playing in an ordinary public place, and it escalates to the point where they are performing with a full choir.
How did they do this? Did they have people hiding in the room or behind the doors? Or did they hire the choir beforehand, and just tell them to come out after a certain amount of time? If it’s the former, how do you get other people to stay in the room? If it’s the latter, how do you get so many people to be on time?
The second video is similar but different. It starts with a pianist playing his piano in a public space. He then gets joined by others in various instruments, until there’s quite a large group performing. But then something else happens that I’m not sure how they did. The pianist takes his piano and walks away from the rest of the group, into another room that has another pianist already at another piano. Then he stops and plays with him for a bit, before leaving again. Everyone else leaves at this point as well (the choir is still singing outside). How did he play together with
We’re betting that you’ve already seen this video of a bunch of world-class musicians performing in the subway. But have you ever wondered how they managed to pull it off?
Filmmakers Joel and Ethan Coen were the creative minds behind this awesome project, which is part of a series called “Play Me, I’m Yours.” The project is the brainchild of British artist Luke Jerram, who has installed more than 1,600 pianos around the world over the past five years.
One way to make people feel like they’re a part of something bigger is to give them a voice. Giving people a voice makes them feel like they matter — that their ideas count.
To make people feel like they’re part of your community, give them a voice. Let them share their feedback through surveys or online forums. Give them opportunities to collaborate with you on projects. Or just ask for their input!
A lot of people have been enjoying the “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” series “I Told My Kids I Ate All Their Halloween Candy.” Jimmy is a genius, and the kids are great.
But how did they get them to be so great? Did they recruit parents with unusually talented children? Did they try out hundreds of kids until they found ones who were both cute and good actors? Did they give the kids lines to say and ask them to memorize them? Did they coach them on how to react when Jimmy told them he ate their candy?
The answer is: Yes. A little. In fact, all of the above.
Here is a video that shows some of what went on behind the scenes in making this year’s video:
The two were using a button on the machine that would allow them to record up to four bars of music and then edit it by changing the tempo, adding effects, or adjusting the pitch. They could go back and forth between recording and editing modes at any time, which allowed them to build up their music one riff at a time.
They had already been playing in their home when they heard about this new music machine that had just come out. They wanted to try it out, so they went down to Amoeba Music in Berkeley and bought one for $12,000 (the price has since dropped significantly).
The two were using a button on the machine that would allow them to record up to four bars of music and then edit it by changing the tempo, adding effects, or adjusting the pitch. They could go back and forth between recording and editing modes at any time, which allowed them to build up their music one riff at a time.
They had already been playing in their home when they heard about this new music machine that had just come out. They wanted to try it out, so they went down to Amoeba Music in Berkeley and bought one for $12,000 (the price has since dropped significantly).
For those who aren’t familiar with it, the “Take Me to Church” video was a bit of a sensation, going viral on YouTube within days and earning more than 40 million views. But the reason it caught on wasn’t because of its music; it was because of its message.
The song, by the Irish singer-songwriter Hozier, is about how the institution of religion has been corrupted as a means to control sexuality and force conformity. In the video, Mr. Hozier plays a man who is crucified for loving another man. The message is clear: This religious hypocrisy needs to stop now.
The video’s director, Brendan Canty of Feel Good Lost, said that he and Mr. Hozier had agreed that there should be no overt references to religion in the clip — no churches or crosses — only people celebrating their sexual freedom.
“We wanted to make something beautiful but ambiguous,” Mr. Canty said via email from Dublin, where he was working on a different project with Mr. Hozier last week. “We wanted it to be open for interpretation.”
This is the best thing I’ve seen in a long time. Have you ever walked down the street and suddenly, from around the corner, heard the sweet sounds of a violin? As you walk closer, you see a busker playing and singing their hearts out. And then, as if out of nowhere, other musicians appear and join in.
It’s as if they’re playing a song written just for you. It’s as if they’re saying “thank you” to everyone who passes by. They’re spreading joy and making people smile.
You see people stop in their tracks to enjoy the music or have a dance or sing along with the performers.