Treorchy duo Sweet Manics.
Jared from Pontypridd's Ladies Love a Superhero
Winners of an annual music and media project in Rhondda Cynon Taf will have their videos showcased at the Muni Arts Centre later this month.
Dozens of bands and performers applied to take part in the Make IT! Music and Media project, now in its fifth year.
Pontypridd-based four-piece band Ladies Love A Superhero and female rock duo Sweet Manics from Treorchy were selected by the Make IT! judges to make their own music video.
A strong media team was also created, including Alex Knill, Adam Davies, Bethan Harvey, Darian Rees, Lucy Evans, Adam Jenkins and Portia McGrath. They met up for the first time in January and spent the following weeks planning and storyboarding their music video ideas ready to film during February half- term.
Students worked closely with each band, a team of professional film-makers from Aberdare-based media production company Tantrwm and with film producer Alan Golding. The young team learnt about composing storyboards, subtle camera techniques, production requirements, lighting, deadlines and teamwork. They then developed original video ideas based upon each song.
The videos will be screened at a special premiere at the Muni in Pontypridd on Thursday, April 29, 2010.
Make IT! is run by RCT Council’s Youth Arts and SONIG Youth Music Industry Programme and is funded jointly by Fframwaith and 14-19 Learning pathways grant.
Liz Driscoll, Youth Arts Co-ordinator, Rhondda Cynon Taf Cultural Services, said:“Make IT! has become such a success over the past five years due to the fantastic team we have delivering the project. Both bands chosen this year have steadily grown in confidence on the live circuit and have secured slots at summer festivals and tours.”
Media student Darian Rees said: “I think the project is a fantastic idea and I’m honoured that I was able to take part in it this year. I have gained a better understanding of how making a music video works, learnt to edit and had a great time producing and directing the video.”
Rhondda Cynon Taf Cabinet Member for Culture and Recreation, Cllr Robert Bevan, said: “Congratulations to everyone involved in this dynamic project. Each year, band members and media students alike have said how important Make IT! has been to their personal and career development.”
Acting sessions, photo shoots and interviews were also part of the experience for those involved and the project has recently featured on Radio Wales, as a leading vehicle in nurturing talent in Rhondda Cynon Taf.
• Ladies Love A Superhero will represent Rhondda Cynon Taf in the Gathering 2010 Battle of the Bands talent competition at Bridgend Recreation Centre on Saturday, April 24. Bands from all over South Wales will be competing and fans can now vote for their favourite acts online at www.gathering.celticaradio.com to help them win a prize donated by South Wales rock group the Manic Street Preachers.
Each vote will contribute to the final judging score and will also dictate the playing order, with the band with the most votes playing last and the band with the least, playing first. Judged on the night by recognised names in the Welsh music industry, the winner will receive a £500 cash prize and two days recording time with engineer in the Manic Street Preachers’ studio in Cardiff.
The competition is supported by the South Wales Music Forum – comprising eight South Wales local authorities – and leading European rock and pop music exam board Rockschool. The two runners-up will each receive £250 and studio recording time. All three top bands will have promoter’s billing opportunities.
Tanya Walker-Brown, SONIG Youth Music Industry Co-ordinator, said: “You can get online and vote until April 23 to help choose what order the bands appear. The band with the most votes will play just before headliners, The Guns.”
