Extended Letter To LoveLiveTv

Subject: Extended Letter To LoveLiveTV

Dear Kenny,

    I met you earlier this year at BVE 2015 after your panel discussion ‘Connecting Sound & Vision to Achieve the Best Footage. Thinking Big On a Small Budget’. 

I handed you a business card with VALV on it; this is my freelance music video business (very small) which, alongside other work, I’ve been developing since graduating from Uni 3 years ago.  I am now at the point where I believe I have much to offer and would love the opportunity to join an in-house creative team.   

I share the passions and interests that LoveLive promote and have, so am writing to ask if there is any work experience or internship opportunities available. 

I’m a videographer with lots of editing experience and have worked in a variety of roles surrounding live music video / live sessions. To highlight these projects, I’ve created a personalised LoveLiveTV page with previous relevant work at www.reubengaines.com/lovelivetv. Other work can be found at http://www.reubengaines.com/cvprojectlist.

I have a genuine interest in the development of new immersive music platforms, and am excited about how technology can enhance the live experience. I was an early adopter of myspace in my teens, and found great satisfaction in finding new music through the platform. It’s been interesting watching the development of new platforms, and how the music industry has responded to this. 

Enjoying live music, be it local amateur to established bands has always been part of my life, but it was the feeling of total immersion that I experienced at my first major gig (Muse; Absolution tour) aged 14 that really had me gripped.  The show moved me on a profound level, and I knew live music could be the catalyst for future projects. My final multi-platform project at UWE culminated in a week of live studio sessions, including branded visuals to enhance the user experience but also promote local bands for a Bristol music scene website.  

I am interested in finding out about innovative ways to make the performance of live music even more exciting and memorable....e.g.  I recently attended a local gig where a guitarist placed an incense stick in the head of his guitar, this simple but effective stage prop engaged another sense, and reminded me of a British Sea Power gig I photographed, where fresh plants were brought on stage, making in the venue smell like a Greenhouse.  Continued experimentation with the live music genre will push the boundaries, developing unique and memorable live music experiences along the way.

In my opinion UX development doesn’t have to solely exist within apps and websites, and can be applied every stage of the live music / show user experience e.g.:

First instance of how you find out about an event/ purchasing a ticket/build up to event/ time inside the event venue prior to show/live show experience/follow up media after the actual event. 

The audience therefore can be engaged at every single step in the process around the central event which could enhance the experience, make them feel part of the story and bring them closer to the band.

I think the audience’s journey is at the heart of a successful marketing campaign. Creating an organic series of interactions through media and technology combined with high quality content is something that I’m very much interested in exploring.

Thank you for taking the time to read my letter.

Kind Regards,

Reuben Gaines