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Issue #44
by L. Swift and Jeff McQ
Alex Adams, who apprentices with the Recording Connection at Poons Head Studios in Perth, Australia, recently had the incredible opportunity to work in the studio with Miley Cyrus while she was on her Bangerz World Tour! “Perth was the last stop on the tour,” says Alex. “Two days before her concert, Miley and her engineer Paul Hager decided to book a day at Poons Head Studios where I have been placed for the program. Throughout the day, we recorded vocals for songs that will be potentially be on her next album.”
Alex describes the experience of working with Miley as nothing short of surreal. “It felt just like the other day I was a kid watching Hannah Montana in my living room, and now I have had the chance to be in the studio with Miley,” he says. “It was such an amazing experience being around an artist like her…the professionalism she brings and her work ethic is second to none.”
Rob Grant, Alex’s mentor, agrees. “It was actually a very highly productive day when we had Miley in the studio,” he says. “We were laying down vocals on three new tracks, and keys on at least two. The vocal takes were superb, and the new tracks are sounding excellent.” Rob also had some kind words for his apprentice: “It’s been great having Alex in the studio helping out,” he says. “Like all great things in life, it is always best when the rewards are mutual, and it certainly has been the case with Alex.”
Beyond the thrill of working with a major music superstar, the experience has also inspired and motivated Alex to make the most of his opportunities in the studio. “Without doing this program, I would never have got to be in the studio with an artist like Miley Cyrus,” he says. “That day has made me work even harder to make sure that wasn’t going to be the only day in my career when I am working with artists of that caliber.”
Since apprenticing with Steve Carmichael at Radiant3 Productions in Atlanta, Georgia in 2012, Film Connection graduate Steven Pitts has gone on to become part of the Atlanta-based Rite Media Group collective, serving as director, 2nd Unit Director and cameraman on a wide range of projects. This past summer, Pitts directed projects for two national clients: a commercial spot for Coca-Cola and The Weather Channel app for Android smartphones.
Looking at the Rite Media Group website, it’s easy to see from the fresh energy in their work that something unique is happening there. This made us curious to find out a bit more, so we called Steven for a chat!
RRF: How did you meet up with the other people who became Rite Media Group?
Steven Pitts: We all came together very organically. Basically, the two founders of the company started it in 2010, just loosely doing music videos. One of them is an artist, and the other one is a music producer, so they were [originally] working together musically. Then they were like, “We need some visuals to go along with this,” so they started shooting stuff and met one of our other core members that started it, Colin Quinn. He’s our Director of Photography and our editor, and he’s insane at what he does. I met him, and we started shooting a few projects here and there.”
RRF: It seems like there isn’t much ego or friction with the group you’re a part of. Is that what happens when everyone’s just focused on the work and has the skills they need?
Steven: And even if they don’t, they’re eager and willing to listen. [With] people that are new on set, I feel like 80% of it is just paying attention to what’s going on around you. If you have people that are willing and eager and ready, even if they’re not so experienced or knowledgeable, it still can turn a great product. It helps if they’re artistic, too. Another element that helps [us] too is that we’re all best friends, so when it comes to helping each other finish what we started and what we came out to do, we all will pitch in hands and eliminate the hierarchy that’s on set. I’m not opposed to helping the guys unload a truck at the end of the day after I’m directing and I have no right or reason to do it but I see my best friend still working and I’m done for the day so, I’ll help them carry some gear inside. The same thing with everybody, you know?
RRF: Do you have any pet projects you’re working on?
Steven: Actually, one thing that I think is pretty huge is we’ve developed our own lights that we call the “Rite Lites.” … They’re basically high output LEDs that we think are going to revolutionize the film set, especially the indie world, because we’re able to get the same amount of light as big expensive lights…We’re in the process of patenting the housing for them. They are prototypes right now, but we have a full variety, and we’ve actually lit an entire feature film with them. We didn’t use a single incandescent light at all, they’re all LEDs. So far I think we’ve shot four music videos with them since we’ve been back from the feature, and we lit Bill Clinton with them.
RRF: Wow. Did you film Clinton?
Steven: We didn’t film him, we just lit him. He was giving a speech for the elections we just had recently, and he was speaking on behalf of a Georgia potential congresswoman…I went there the night before and helped set up lights. We lit basically for the camera crews and for the event there.
RRF: You apprenticed with Steven Carmichael at Radiant3. What was your experience like with him and the Film Connection?
Steven: It was great. He’s definitely a wealth of knowledge. I learned a lot…. I’d been working for a TV show as a field producer, but it was reality style, and I didn’t have a broad knowledge of what I wanted to know. I was always wanting to direct. Directing is my passion and I wanted to know how to do things properly.
Check out some of Steven Pitt’s work in our Apprentice Media section below!
Brian called in from Atlanta to tell RRF that he had a fantastic meeting with Kenny Mixx the mastering guru of the legendary Patchwerk Recording Studios in Atlanta. Mr. Mixx has mastered albums from artists including: Dr. Dre, Kanye West, Snoop Dog, The Notorious B.I.G, Nas, Drake, Chris Brown, Iggy Azalea, Prince, Lil Wayne and literally hundreds more. Brian thanks Kenny Mixx for his time and we’re happy to announce—Patchwerk Recording Studios are coming on board as Recording Connection mentors! We CANNOT wait to shake things up in Atlanta!!!!
Brian had just left the Spotted Cat Music Club where he’d spent a couple hours, hanging out, talking with the locals and listening to some amazing jazz. Upon exit, guess who he runs into right on Frenchman Street? None other than Los Angeles-based Recording Connection mentor Matt Linesch who was in New Orleans working on the new Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros record! Small world huh!
Shortly after that, Brian met up Misha Kachkachishvili, owner of Esplanade Studios, housed in a restored church in the heart of New Orleans. Mischa gave Brian a private tour of the amazing facilities including three studios and five iso rooms. As for the control room, that’s setup in the choir! Brian sends a shout-out to Misha saying thanks for the tour and that he’s grateful they had the chance to meet up!
At RRF we believe the greatest wisdom in the world benefits no one if it is not shared and made useful.
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Songwriter, composer, arranger, producer and engineer, David Mikeal of StudioLive USA in Oviedo, FL (in the Orlando area) has been a Recording Connection mentor for 18 years! He’s a class act who believes in the value of being a consummate professional, something he stresses with his apprentices.
“My background is mainly rock music, but being a multi-instrumentalist I enjoy doing a lot of EDM tracks for younger artists,” says David. “It is much quicker and easier to track virtual tracks if you can really play a keyboard. Every chance I get, I try to persuade the younger artists to learn how to play an instrument if they don’t already.”
At StudioLive USA, apprentices have plenty of opportunities to learn, with plenty of ongoing projects keeping the calendar full. Current and recent clients include Hispanic Christian artist Jon Montalban and well-known blues-rock/country group Simple Southern Boys. “We also will be tracking some horns next week for a song on an upcoming Don Henley album,” he says.
David’s reputation as one of our most in-demand mentors has been well-earned. Apprentice Steven Sauers [in pic] even relocated five months ago from Wisconsin to Orlando just to study with him. Another graduate, Garin Thomas, stayed on at StudioLive USA to become David’s main engineer! “Great guy,” David says of him. “All the clients love his demeanor.”
We asked some of Dave’s other apprentices to share their experiences. Here’s what they told us…
Sebastian Lefeld recently graduated from the program. “I’ll never forget the first lesson [David] ever taught me,” he says. “When you are part of a project, you give it your all; not only because you want it to sound good, but because your name is on it. The project represents you. Now that I am a graduate and am currently transitioning into the professional part of the industry, I understand what he means.
“It has been a true pleasure to be a part of this program and sharpen my skills to master my craft,” Sebastian continues. “As a mentor, he is hands on and always full of good stories. More importantly, as a colleague, he is nothing but devoted to every project he takes part in.”
Jason Hoanshelt has already graduated from the bachelor’s program, and is coming back to do the master’s program with David! “Training with David at StudioLive USA has been a mind opening experience,” Jason says. “He has useful knowledge thru tons of experience. Sometimes during a lesson, David will talk about personal experiences from his past. He’ll stop himself and apologize about how he feels he’s ‘rambling on,’ but the information he gives while he ‘rambles on’ is priceless. [He’s a] natural born audio teacher.”
David Mikeal is just one of many top-shelf music professionals who train our students one-on-one and help them break into the industry. To learn more about apprenticing with David Mikeal or one of our other mentors, click here.
Connor Saxe, a Film Connection apprentice with Ron Schilling of Nolte Media in Santa Rosa, California, recently put together a 2-minute experimental short film called Purgatory. Connor was a one-man-production crew, writing the script, shooting the footage, creating the sound effects, and even handling the audio tracks and editing! “Purgatory is meant to be a kind of reflection on a rather dark period in my late teens,” he says. “I’ve gotten entirely positive responses from everyone I’ve showed it to so far.”
Currently Connor is working on a script in a completely different vein: an ensemble film set in present-day Afghanistan that follows the deployments of two U.S. servicemen to the region, as well as an Afghan family directly affected by the on-going conflict.
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