Unit 1:Present a report detailing the requirements of your production

What is the type of production?

The type of production project I am going to undertake is a recording, a cover of Adele's song Hello. I am going to include a main vocal, drums, bass guitar and piano track. Since I am undertaking a recording project I am going to need access to a studio, as this is the main feature I will need to complete this project.

Who is your client?

My client is Kate Thomas; she approached and asked me if I would help her record a cover of this song. The reason for this recording is because she wants release the song onto to iTunes to try and gain attention from record labels. My client has given me free range on how I want to approach this project and has trusted me with making the important decisions, so this way I can accurately plan out each stage of this project to make it as successful as possible. The way I am going to brand my client is by creating a variety of popular social media pages (e.g. Twitter, Facebook etc.) to promote my client, without the assistance of a record label. This is the best way to brand new and upcoming artists because it easy to spread their music around and can easily be shared by others.

What is your idea for a media production?

My idea for this production is to have four separate recording sessions in the studio, this way I can focus on each part of the recording separately and make sure I get each part to a professional standard that my client is satisfied with. The first part of the recording that I am planning to tackle is the piano; this is because it will provide a basis for me to record the rest of the song around. The bass and kick drum can then follow this. The last part I will record is the vocals; the vocals will be the most difficult and take the most time to get right. After the recording process is complete, I will have to mix the tracks so they are to a more professional standard than just the recording on its own. This will require me to add various effects and automation.

What is the budget for your production?

After completing research on production, studio costs etc. I have calculated that this type of recording would cost roughly £2,000. However since I have access to a studio this is just a hypothetical summary of how much this type of recording would cost if I needed to fund this project for real.

Aspect of the project	Source
How will you finance your project?	The way I am going to finance this project is by taking out a loan to cover all the costs for the recording and production processes. I am hoping that with the correct promotion I should be able to make a profit from the revenue made off of the song. However if the cover does not do as well as expected then I will pay back the loan in instalments. This requirement is important because it is necessary to highlight how I am going to fund this project and where the money is going to come from.
What production equipment do you require?	Production equipment that I will require for this project is access to a studio, which will contain all the necessary components that I will need to record the cover. Firstly I will need a Mac with Cubase 7 software. Also I will need a Rode NT1 microphone, with a pop shield to record the main vocals. Furthermore I will need two condenser C1000s for the piano and a DI box connected with a Jack lead for the bass. Other microphone that will be required and are necessary is a Shure SM 58 and an AKG D112 for the drums. Incidentally I will need access to a bass guitar, piano and drum kit and musicians who will be able to play these instruments. Without this requirement the project would not be able to be completed, that is why the production equipment is an important requirement. I am going to source this production equipment from the studio.
What post-production equipment do you require?	Post-production equipment I will need to finalise this project is firstly access to Cubase again so I can mix the tracks using the relevant effects. I will use effects such as reverb, delay, EQ and compression. These effects will help me make the track sound more professional. Other equipment I will need includes a CD burner, which will help me mass produce physical copies of the single. Also a printer that allows me to print off the artwork for the cover. Lastly I will need to gain an iTunes account, so I can upload the recording and hopefully gain a profit. I believe this is an important requirement because without the necessary software to mix and master the cover it would not be a professional recording that is why access to post-production equipment is important. I am going source all of this post-production from the studio, because the Mac I will use will have Cubase which will allow me to record and mix the track. Furthermore I can use the Mac to burn the track to the CDs to save time and the building will have access to a printer. This means I can access everything I need in one location, which saves time and expenditures.
What other materials do you require?	Other materials that will be required for this recording are CD cases, which will be needed for physical copies of the cover. Also access to social media websites such as Facebook and Twitter. Creating a new account on each of these sites and using them as a way to promote the song, without having to pay any royalties because the pages will control by my client. These can be classed as essential materials that will help boost the sales of the song. Even though this may seem like a small requirement, it is still important because the way the final product is presented to the public is essential. So if the product looks aesthetically pleasing there is more chance of people purchasing the product. The CD cases are going to be sourced from Amazon.com, as I found a pack of 25 for £6.23. This is a reasonable price and it also means I can buy the cases in bulk if necessary.
What are your transport requirements?	The only transport requirements that are required are for the musicians that do not have their own transportation. The majority of my personnel should be able to make their own way there, for those who cannot costs will be covered for them to go on the train or bus so they can make their way to the studio. The transport requirements are extremely important to have organised before the project begins because without access to talented musicians the recording would not be at the highest standard I know it can be. I have sourced the local bus and train times, so I am aware of prices and how long the journey will be until they reach the studio.
What ‘talent’ do you require?	For this production to be successful and completed to a high standard I will require talented musicians, thankfully I know some musicians who would possibly be interested in assisting with this project. Musicians I will ask are Ben, who would be able to play bass guitar and drums. Tom, who can play the piano and drums. Lastly Kate who has specified that she would like to sing the main vocals. Its good that I have a range of musicians who I am able to get in contact with because I know that they are talented and it will be a lot easier to work with them. This is another essential requirement because without musicians I would not be able to complete my client’s request and complete the cover. I have not needed to source any of the musicians for this recording because I know musicians who are willing to be part of this project, which saves me the time to try and source some local musicians.
What crew/personnel do you require?	Other personnel that I will need for this recording is a recording engineer, they will assist me in the studio. The main job will be to set up the microphones and make sure that all the connections work. They will make sure that the microphone placement is correct and they are in the most effective spot to gain the best capture possible. An audio engineer is important to have when recording because they will be able to set up the microphones and use the correct microphone placement to get the best capture possible. I will have access to an audio engineer who will be able to assist me in the studio; I have sourced them from the studio itself. As long as let the studio know in advance who and what I need they will be able to organise it for me.
What facility hire is required?	Facility hire that is required is the hiring of a local studio. I have done research to find a local studio for hire and for a reasonable price. I managed to find one studio that charges £200 per session. Considering the limited time and money I have access too, I considered this to be the best option. Another essential requirement because without access to a recording studio I would not be able to produce and record a high quality cover for my client.
What clearances are required?	Clearances that will need to be cleared for this cover are firstly from the original recording artist or a representative from the artists label. If we released the cover without proper authorisation from the original artist it would be classed as plagiarism. Next I will clear access to use the studio, because if I do not book a time for the studio I will not be able to record. That is why dates and times will have to be determined between myself, the availability of the musicians and those who are in charge of the studio. This is probably one of the most important requirements to get cleared first. If we do not have clearance from the original artist/label the recording would be classed as plagiarism if it were released. I have sourced out the contact details for the artist’s label, which is Columbia Records, with their details I can begin negotiating for a license.
What copyright issues need to be addressed?	As previously stated above to avoid copyright issues I will ask for permission from the artist/their label to release a cover of their song. If it is allowed the cover will most likely be held under a mechanical license, this type of license allows a standard royalty for the original artist. This way the cover can officially be released. It is important to have support from the original artist/label because without it we could face copyright charges, which could lead to a court battle, which would cost unnecessary time and money. I have sourced the type of license I will need to make sure that this cover is considered legit and is allowed.

Overall Budget Breakdown 
The overall budget for this project is £2,000. The main sum of this budget will go towards studio costs and the hire of local musicians. Through my research and discussion with my client, we have figured out that we should be able to record the cover fully in 4 studio sessions. I have found a local studio which charges £200 for 5 hours, every hour after this costs an extra £40. I have added in some extra studio time just in case a risk occurs which prevents us from recording on a certain day. Also since my client is the main vocalist, she will be working for free. 

• 4 studio Sessions (2 hours each)  = £520
• Drummer = £200
• Piano Player = £250
• Bass Guitarist = £200 
• Transport Costs = £300

Total = £1,470

This final budget may change from time to time depending on how the studio sessions go and whether there are any extra transport costs. This will leave us with £530 to use on either promotion purposes or could be used when we come to mixing the cover.

Regulation and Copyright 

It is important to note that over the past decade the music industry and the way people consume music has completely changed. I believe it is essential that both myself and my client understand the way the industry has changed and how we are going to regulate are product to ensure that all those involved receive fair royalties.

At the turn of the 21st century the Internet became a worldwide phenomenon, these days people are able to access music through the Internet by using popular streaming sites such as Spotify and iTunes. These streaming sites allow people to stream as much music as they want for a monthly price, for instance Spotify charge £4.99 per month and a premium accounts cost £9.99 per month. Furthermore with the rise of the Internet the ability to download music for free from illegal websites is becoming another increasingly popular venture. The main issue with these ways of consuming music are that the original artists do not receive any royalties, or the royalties that they do receive from streaming sites are not fair or justified.

Even before the Internet there were still scandals covered in the media which documented how artists did not receive a fair percentage. For instance The Stone Roses signed a record deal with the small record label Silvertone Records and after the success of their debut album 'The Stone Roses' the band quickly came to realise that they were not receiving a fair percentage and the label were taking the majority of the royalties.

However despite this corruption that is present in the music industry, some artists are able to make some profit from their music if they are songwriters. Those who write their own songs or have a hand in writing a song will receive intellectual property rights. They will receive 50% of the royalties, as they are the creator of the song. Artists such as Taylor Swift write the majority of their songs on their own for this exact purpose and so they can also have creative control over their music. Another way artists make money these days is by touring, playing shows and festivals. The demand for live music has spiked again over the past few years, which gives artists to make money, especially if their record didn't sell as much as they had hoped.

Then again this past year there has been a rise in artists fighting for their rights to their music and making sure that they receive fair royalties. Late 2015 saw the release of Adele's album '25' and unlike the majority of artists; Adele made the conscious decision to not put her album on streaming services. This automatically forced people to go out and buy a physical copy of her album, and this turned out to be quite successful for her because her album sold over 5 million copies in just 3 weeks. This kind of success has not achieved in a long time, inspiring other artists to do the same thing. Furthermore Adele has also became involved in a continuous legal battle with streaming site SoundCloud, who allow people to upload as much music as they want, but do not receive any royalties or any type of income from the site. The problem with this is it is another way people can listen to artists music without paying and have the chance to upload covers or artists music, which hasn't been authorised.

On the other hand the popular video sharing site YouTube has started to restrict and regulate what is being uploaded more recently in the light of artists like Adele changes to the music industry. The way YouTube are regulating is by removing videos that breach copyright laws or remove the audio from videos, if the user does not have permission to use it. Unfortunately it is an on-going battle as more and more people are finding ways around this, for instance some people speed up the videos or change the pitch ever so slightly. This way it is not exactly the same as the original, but people should realise that YouTube is only trying to protect their users from copyright issues and plagiarism and so companies such as PRS do not sue them.

PRS or the Performing Rights Society is a copyright organisation, which licenses other organisations to play, perform and make copyright music available to their members. They also distribute the resulting royalties fairly. It is companies like PRS and their sub branch MCPS that support artists and help them receive the royalties they rightly deserve.

From researching and learning about all of this it is now important to note how my client and myself will help combat piracy for our own production. By acquiring a mechanical license, the original artist will automatically receive a fair royalty from the recording, but depending on which sites we agree to upload the cover too we will firstly have to see what their own policies are on copyright and piracy. This is something that will be negotiated with my client, because if we do not agree with certain streaming sites policies we may decide not to upload the cover.

Unfortunately it is incredibly difficult to stop the reproduction of our own recording, especially when it is released onto the Internet. However if it is uploaded to sites such as YouTube they have policies, which can help prevent the reproduction of another recording. The problems I imagine I am going to encounter once this recording is released is that many people are going to illegally download the recording from websites which do not offer any royalties to the artist. Others may use samples from the recording to include in their own work, which if they do not seek permission will be a copyright issue.

The uses of streaming sites are also known to not pay their artists a fair royalty, which could also be another potential problem. Artists such as Taylor Swift have been quite vocal about this issue recently and that is why some artists do not allow their music to be streamed on these sites. An in depth discussion is going to have to be done with my client to decide the best way to release this recording.

Risk Assessment

In order to produce a successful recording that meets the success criteria set by my client, I have to make sure I have considered all the risks that could occur. Below is a table highlighting the risks that could occur and how we would overcome them. I have also created a key to highlight the severity of each risk and what actions would need to be taken if this risk ever occurred. I have also highlighted when each of these risks would need to be reviewed. Finally, I have calculated the overall risk rating for each risk below in a separate table, this will highlight to myself and my client how detrimental the risk is to the project.

KEY: Risk Rating Score
Score	Action	Review
1-2	Acceptable Risk- no action required	Every 1-2 years
3-4	Slight Risk- monitor only, no action required	Every 18 months
5-6	Minor Risk- reduce if reasonably practicable	Every year
7-9	Moderate Risk- risk requires reducing	Every 6 months
10-15	High Risk- priority action to be undertaken but interim arrangements required immediately	After interim arrangements, every 3 months
16-25	Unacceptable Risk- action to be taken immediately	Immediately

Risk Number	Likelihood	(Risk) Severity Update	Risk Rating	Review Date
1	1	2	2	Every Month
2	2	4	8	Immediately
3	3	3	9	Immediately
4	2	3	6	Every 2 Months
5	1	2	2	Every studio session
6	1	4	4	Every Month

	Identify the Hazards	Identify those at risk	Identify existing control measures	Evaluate the risk	Decide/ Implement control measures
1	The personnel/musicians involved do not appear when the sessions are set	Those at risk are myself and my client	A schedule has already being created, which has been sent out to all the musicians.	This risk is very unlikely, but still possible to occur, as some of the musician’s may not follow the plan. If this occurs it would mean unnecessary time is wasted and costs for the studio.	After each time we meet up to record, I will have to reiterate when the next studio time is and send continuous emails to them to remind them.
2	Microphones/instruments do not work or break while recording is happening in the studio.	Those at risk are the musicians and myself. Also those in charge of the studio	The studio has already highlighted and explained the rules and regulations regarding the equipment.	In the studio environment it is possible that the equipment could break, it would not have a major effect on the recording. However the cost for repairs would come put of the overall budget for the recording.	Only have the equipment out that we need. For instance if we are recording the drums I will make sure that all other instruments and microphones are away. This way there is no way they can be broken.
3	I do not receive the license I need to release the cover.	Those at risk are myself and the client	A request to record a cover has been sent to the record label. Plans to do a different recording are also in place.	The chance of this risk occurring is quite high because the song we want to record is still new and still doing well in the charts. If the chance to do the cover was rejected it means we would have to change are plans.	Evaluate why we were not allowed to record the cover and then choose a song, which we will be able to do a cover for.
4	The recording is not completed for the deadline set by the client and myself.	Those at risk are myself and the client	Each stage of the project has been planned out carefully and is clear to all those involved.	It is unlikely this risk will occur, however if a studio session get cancelled or does not go the way we want it could put us behind schedule. This would turn into a high priority risk if this does happen.	Add initial dates and tines as a backup, encase we need extra time to fully complete the recording.
5	The studio is left in a mess, could be a potential health hazard to others that use it.	Those at risk are the engineer, myself, the musicians and the client if they are present in the studio	The studio has made it clear that the space we use must be left in tidy and professional manner.	The risk of this happening is probable because there will be a lot of cables out in the studio. This means the chance of someone becoming injured is likely.	Go through safety procedures with all those who are going to be in the studio on each occasion. This will hopefully minimise the chances of injury and the studio being left in a mess.
6	The studio is double booked and we lose are spot in the studio.	Those at risk are the engineer, myself, the musicians and the client if they are present in the studio	All the studio sessions have been booked in advance.	The chances of this risk occurring are very unlikely because those who are in charge of the studio are aware of the dates and times that have been booked.  If a mistake were made however, we would have to organise a new time to use the studio.	I will double check the studio times with those in charge of the studio, just to make sure they are correct. This way we would not be going all the way to the studio for nothing.