Two experienced South African music professionals have created Cinemagic Scoring – an innovative business model allowing filmmakers, composers, music students and performers access to a professional 52-piece orchestra to record the music of their choice, on an affordable “time-share” basis.
John Walton and Gavin Potter have adapted the familiar concept of “timeshare” where typically multiple users share the costs of one property to all enjoy maximum benefit and financial affordability over a pre-allocated period of time; to hiring an orchestra.
“We have been inspired by this tried-and-tested marketing and business model to introduce the coveted concept of ‘shared sessions’ as applied to ‘hiring’ the expertise, experience, resources and time of the acclaimed full-time highly professional 52-piece Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra,” explains Walton.
“This template allows record labels, publishing companies, composers, film studios, animators, advertising agencies, videographers – even students – to get their music recorded by a superb orchestra at affordable rates with minimal administration,” he adds.
It is possible to hire the orchestra for a short seven-minute session which equates to approximately one minute of finished music – up to a three-hour session which equates to about 25 minutes of finished music, and of course different permutations in-between.
There are currently two options on the cards: The Cape Town Philharmonic working together with Milestone Studios: a state-of-the-art professional recording studio in Cape Town. Benefits include multiple mic positions and section recording for more mix control and Hollywood level production quality.
Alternatively, it is possible to record the orchestra in the acoustically-appropriate rehearsal room at the Artscape Theatre in Cape Town, South Africa, utilising mobile recording devices. This package is designed for maximum quality with minimal financial outlay and is perfect for pilot episodes, pitch sessions, production sampling and exam composition work capturing the live, real-time concert experience… on a budget.
John Walton is a hugely-respected, independent arranger, composer, conductor, music administrator, producer and educator working between Durban and Cape Town, South Africa, specialising in arranging popular music for full symphony orchestra.
Gavin Potter is a composer of music for film, TV and the gaming industry, having written music for many on-line games, commercials and award-winning short films internationally. He is signed up to score three upcoming international feature films.
Says Potter: “A professional orchestra with good in-demand musicians is really expensive to hire. By hiring smaller units of time, it becomes affordable.
“Similar initiatives exist elsewhere in the world – but with the exchange rate of the weak rand working in South Africa’s favour, we are hoping to attract both emerging and major players in the global film market to our shores, which would be a huge plus for the movie industry and promotion of orchestral music, in particular the skills, flexibility, professionalism and tenacity of the Cape Town Philharmonic!” he continued.
Says Louis Heyneman, CEO of the Cape Town Philharmonic, “Our international reputation as an acclaimed multi-functional orchestra with several award-winning commercial CDs to our name makes us the ideal recording partner. We are delighted to join two such experienced professionals to put South Africa on the recording map.”
Potter and Walton can extend their services to include musical arranging, composition and orchestration in an array of musical genres. They are familiar with the orchestral textures used in today’s world of advertising, animation and film and between them have worked with every conceivable style of orchestral music ranging including Baroque, Classical, romantic contemporary, big-band, pop, rock and jazz.
“We are enormously excited by the huge potential which the Cape Philharmonic and Milestone Studios have afforded us and we sincerely look forward to working with proactive creatives to make wonderful music,” concluded Walton
For more information on Cinemagic Scoring contact http://www.cinemagicscoring.com/
