Portfolio Proposal:

My end goal for this assignment is to present a portfolio to show my strengths and skills as a Producer Assistant. I will achieve this by presenting projects that I myself have made and explaining how they are in relation to my chosen role. The first project will be my own composition made on the DAW, Ableton. It is an electronic track, that makes use of several samples, synths and audio effects. This will be presented to show my knowledge regarding DAW workflows Aswell as my skills and abilities regarding such. The second project will be my Audio for Multimedia Assignment, displaying my skills in post-production, where i overlay and mix sound effects Aswell as a musical score over a brief scene from my selected media piece (Hellraiser 1987). The Third and final project will be my live mixed, mastered and arranged track, recorded from a session with the band “i.o”, performing their song “I”. Showing that I am capable of working with a group of real musician's face to face, Aswell as having the skills required to mix and master the entire song to a professional standard.

The planning element of this assignment will generally include rundowns of how each of the chosen artefacts relate to my chosen role of Producer Assistant. I will be using a breakdown sheet to explain every action necessary for the completion of these pieces, including dates, times and breakdowns of all the work. I will also be using a GANTT chart to present the general timeframe between the completion of the chosen projects.

The developmental part will include the production of a website for my portfolio, breaking down what it will include and a short callback to all units I have completed over the space of this year. I will create an introduction segment to explain the overall objective of my portfolio and the reasoning behind why each artefact is key to my chosen job role. I will attach my CV which displays the suitable skills and strengths I have gained from my time in this course on top of my previous work experience. I will attach relevant documents for the artefacts listed such as, pictures relating to my progress, videos regarding my own workflow, any samples I have used and a diary logging my work.

In the Evaluation segment I will reflect upon my work and see how it differed to my original plan, i will explain the differences, things I stuck with, where things went well, and where things could have gone better.

Role Description:

Producer Assistant

 

Tasks & Responsibilities:

· Setting up and breaking down equipment in the studio

· Communicating with the band / artist being recorded

· Planning recording times and general housekeeping duties

· Helping the main producer and artists sound check when being recorded in the studio

· Being present during the mixing process for further critique and refinement

Skills Needed:

· General knowledge of studio recording equipment (e.g. Hardware, software, mics, mixing desk, pc, etc.)

· Experience with mixing and mastering

· Good time management during sessions

· Good people skills, and experience in group settings

· General Knowledge of music and how things should sound / how to achieve it

Beneficial personality Traits:

· Sociable

· People pleasing

· Honest

· Forward

· Hard-working

· Innovativeness

· Creativeness

 

As a producer assistant, your pay can range from anywhere between £18,000 and £25,000 a year.

 

The Progression route for a Producer Assistant can be very hard to traverse, as the music industry is notoriously hard to get into, however with enough work, climbing the ranks is possible if you make the right connections and choices throughout your career.

 

George Martin:

George Martin Was an English producer, best known for his association and collaboration with The Beatles. He began as a Pianist but ended up opting instead to become a music producer, with his first project being in 1956 with a jazz band, with many comedy records

and other recordings soon following. A few years down the line, in 1961 after a meeting with Brian Epstein, he becomes the producer of The Beatles, which he would stay as, till their departure, revolutionising music production forever with his outlandish and clever use of unusual tape-recording methods. After the Beatles end, he continued to produce for other artists, even continuing to work on previous Beatles solo records.

Nigel Godrich:

Nigel Godrich is an English music producer, best known for his association and work with the band Radiohead. After Graduating Godrich became an employee of an audio production company, working as a trainee with minimal tasks, here he would make progress in his production journey, but would end up leaving to become an independent producer, where he would work with many bands, and eventually, Radiohead. He would continue to record every one of their albums and win awards while doing such. He is one of the most highly regarded and popular producers of the 21st century.

Brian Eno:

Brian Eno is an English musician and producer. Eno found his passion for Sound Production through making his own music, which he began taking interest too during his time in school, with his tape player. He is credited on a very large number of musical projects. He is widely known as one of the most prolific and talented Producers of all time, due to his fine-tuned and unmistakable production genius.

 

References:

Music production assistant salary - Check average music production assistant salary rate on Jooble

Production Assistant Job Description & Duties: A Producer's Guide

George Martin - Wikipedia

Nigel Godrich - Wikipedia

Brian Eno - Wikipedia

Artefacts for Inclusion:

Artefact 1 – (i.o - I [Recording and Mixing Assignment])

I will be using my recording of the band “i.o”, with their song “I” from the Recording and Mixing Assignment as an artefact for the graded unit. This recording, and the mix applied presents that I am skilled within Pro Tools, in regard to live instrument recording as well as the mixing process as a whole.

 

Artefact 2 – (Audio for Multimedia Sound Design)

I will be using my audio recreation off a scene from the 1987 horror movie “Hellraiser” from the Audio for Multimedia Sound Design assignment as an artefact for the graded unit. This project indicates that I am skilled within Ableton, to recreate sound effects and even the soundtrack within the scene, making use of programs like sounqQ, to search for relevant noises that may be needed throughout, or being creative and making use of otherwise out of place sounds manipulated with effects to fit the desired noises within the clip. Within this assignment I also use Stereo panning and tasteful amounts of reverb and delay on my audio clips, to convey the realism of a live soundscape filled with monsters and otherworldly events.

 

Artefact 3 – (DAW Track - Own composition)

I will be using my own composition track from the DAW Track assignment as an artefact for the graded unit. This piece shows that I am competent enough within the Ableton workflow and musically in general, to create my own song, using multiple samples, synth patches and audio effects, as well as mixing and use of stereo panning too.