VIRTUAL CHOIRS
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Production Services
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Our website sponsor, ChoirFixer Audio, has teamed up with NightOwl Creative Film & Sound to offer a flexible Production Service, so you can create a professional quality video, on schedule and on budget!
Whether you are in the early stages of considering a project or just need a little support along the way, we can help.
Whether you are in the early stages of considering a project or just need a little support along the way, we can help.
What will my finished video look like?
Designing your video is the first step in planning the project. We'll work with you to develop a vision for how your video will look and feel, taking into account your budget, schedule and resources.
If you're looking for inspiration then why not head to our HALL of FAME page, where we've highlighted dozens of the most popular Virtual Choir videos from YouTube. There are also examples of our own work, such as this video below which we produced for an online competition.
You can find more of our videos lower down on this page.
If you're looking for inspiration then why not head to our HALL of FAME page, where we've highlighted dozens of the most popular Virtual Choir videos from YouTube. There are also examples of our own work, such as this video below which we produced for an online competition.
You can find more of our videos lower down on this page.
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"It's so well put together. Bravo to Jim and Jeremy for all your hours of hard work. |
What is included in the Production Service?
For an outline of what is included in our full package, and to find out more about our production process, please click on the headings below.
If you're looking for a custom package then you might find these headings helpful for defining where in your project you would like our help to start or end.
If you're looking for a custom package then you might find these headings helpful for defining where in your project you would like our help to start or end.
- Project Design
1 The first step to designing a successful video project is to have an idea of what the outcome will look like.
If you have seen a video you liked (on YouTube for instance) then please send it to us. It can really help our team to understand what your expectations are, and to plan an appropriate schedule for your project.
2 Next is to choose the piece of music to record.
Take care at this stage to choose something that will not only engage well with your participants, but that will be possible for them to record easily without cues from a conductor. Music with a steady tempo is best.
Some choices may be subject to copyright permissions. We can help you obtain this if it's required.
3 Then, set a schedule for the project, working backwards from the planned launch date of your new video.
Inevitably the more participants you have, and the more complex your video, the longer it will take to edit and produce. For a medium sized choir, employing standard video effects (panning, scrolling, zooming, etc.) you should ideally allow 10 weeks from planning to delivery of the final video:
- design and planning (1 week)
- creation of guide tracks and resource materials (2 weeks)
- period of time for participants to make their recordings (3 weeks)
- delivery of draft video and audio edits (2 weeks)
- revisions (2 weeks)
4 Lastly, consider who your participants are, and how much time they will need to learn their music effectively, and produce a good quality recording.
Prior to your singers making their recordings, you may need to aquire rights to record your chosen song, and then your MD or accompanist may also need to put aside time for recording the Guide Track video.
Is your video for a school or young choir? Please take a look at our Safeguarding Policy
If you have seen a video you liked (on YouTube for instance) then please send it to us. It can really help our team to understand what your expectations are, and to plan an appropriate schedule for your project.
2 Next is to choose the piece of music to record.
Take care at this stage to choose something that will not only engage well with your participants, but that will be possible for them to record easily without cues from a conductor. Music with a steady tempo is best.
Some choices may be subject to copyright permissions. We can help you obtain this if it's required.
3 Then, set a schedule for the project, working backwards from the planned launch date of your new video.
Inevitably the more participants you have, and the more complex your video, the longer it will take to edit and produce. For a medium sized choir, employing standard video effects (panning, scrolling, zooming, etc.) you should ideally allow 10 weeks from planning to delivery of the final video:
- design and planning (1 week)
- creation of guide tracks and resource materials (2 weeks)
- period of time for participants to make their recordings (3 weeks)
- delivery of draft video and audio edits (2 weeks)
- revisions (2 weeks)
4 Lastly, consider who your participants are, and how much time they will need to learn their music effectively, and produce a good quality recording.
Prior to your singers making their recordings, you may need to aquire rights to record your chosen song, and then your MD or accompanist may also need to put aside time for recording the Guide Track video.
Is your video for a school or young choir? Please take a look at our Safeguarding Policy
- Guide Tracks
The Guide Track is a video that your singers will sing along to when they make their recordings.
Most Guide Tracks show the Musical Director conducting to camera, whilst a version of the music plays to a metronome click. The music can be played on a piano (if the song has an accompaniment) or with midi tones or, the prefered option, with live voices to show the desired phrasing of the music. The better your guide track is, the easier it will be for your participants to record to.
Once you have settled on your choice of music we can assist your Musical Director with recording their video Guide Track. We can also provide a professional recording service to create your Guide Track from scratch with professional musicians performing each of the parts.
Finally, we have a short sync track we embed at the start and end of the Guide Track, which helps us to synchronise the participants in the editing process.
Most Guide Tracks show the Musical Director conducting to camera, whilst a version of the music plays to a metronome click. The music can be played on a piano (if the song has an accompaniment) or with midi tones or, the prefered option, with live voices to show the desired phrasing of the music. The better your guide track is, the easier it will be for your participants to record to.
Once you have settled on your choice of music we can assist your Musical Director with recording their video Guide Track. We can also provide a professional recording service to create your Guide Track from scratch with professional musicians performing each of the parts.
Finally, we have a short sync track we embed at the start and end of the Guide Track, which helps us to synchronise the participants in the editing process.
- Singer Instructions
Although our editing software is very powerful and can make your singers look and sound beautiful, making sure they can provide the best possible recordings is key to producing a high quality Virtual Choir video to a deadline, and within budget.
To help you get the best recordings from your singers, we've produced a robust set of instructions, covering everything from set-up to submission, including handy tips for recording with phones, computers and tablets. You can add your own information into the instructions too, such as links to a Guide Track or information about what to wear for the recording.
A poor quality recording (and we're not talking about the singing) might be one where there are noisy page-turns, fluff blocking the microphone, a stuttering internet connection, too little or too much light, or any one of a host of seemingly minor things that add up to extra hours of editing - and extra cost.
We send an annotated set of instructions to all our clients, or you can freely download a copy from our FREE GUIDES page.
To help you get the best recordings from your singers, we've produced a robust set of instructions, covering everything from set-up to submission, including handy tips for recording with phones, computers and tablets. You can add your own information into the instructions too, such as links to a Guide Track or information about what to wear for the recording.
A poor quality recording (and we're not talking about the singing) might be one where there are noisy page-turns, fluff blocking the microphone, a stuttering internet connection, too little or too much light, or any one of a host of seemingly minor things that add up to extra hours of editing - and extra cost.
We send an annotated set of instructions to all our clients, or you can freely download a copy from our FREE GUIDES page.
- Submission Service
As part of our full package, we provide an upload link so that your singers can deliver their recordings directly to our dedicated DropBox folder. This means editing can begin right away, and the files will be backed-up from the moment they are received. Learn more about DropBox File Requests
If DropBox isn't available to your participants for any reason, then we'll supply further instructions for sending files using WeTransfer
We aim to work with you as closely as you would like, but we rely on you to enthuse your participants and motivate them to deliver their recordings by the deadline. We've lots of helpful suggestions for keeping your singers onboard throughout your project, so you are fully supported.
If DropBox isn't available to your participants for any reason, then we'll supply further instructions for sending files using WeTransfer
We aim to work with you as closely as you would like, but we rely on you to enthuse your participants and motivate them to deliver their recordings by the deadline. We've lots of helpful suggestions for keeping your singers onboard throughout your project, so you are fully supported.
- Audio Editing & Mastering
During the editing, our aim is always to maintain a natural sound, unless something else is appropriate to the music.
The process is forensic rather than a broad brush approach, including subtle pitch correction, ensemble alignment, balancing of individual voices and parts (volume automation) and sensitive mixing using panning and reverb effects.
We Master tracks to the specifications of our clients. If you are not sure of the format you want, just let us know where you intend to broadcast your video and we will prvide it in the most appropriate format for that platform.
The process is forensic rather than a broad brush approach, including subtle pitch correction, ensemble alignment, balancing of individual voices and parts (volume automation) and sensitive mixing using panning and reverb effects.
We Master tracks to the specifications of our clients. If you are not sure of the format you want, just let us know where you intend to broadcast your video and we will prvide it in the most appropriate format for that platform.
- Video Editing
The Video Editing process begins with a cropping and calibration of the individual participant videos, and then loading them into a grid. The grid is then used as the primary ensemble image in the video (ie. when everyone is on screen at the same time). This grid can be set to a plain background, or to a favourite image of your choosing.
Smaller grid sections can then be focussed on (voice parts, or individuals for instance) and the camera can seemingly float around the grid in various ways:
- Zooming in and out
- panning left to right, or up and down
- fading or cutting between shots
- tilting or flexing (3D) the screen
Any combination of these special effects can be used, and our editor can advise on which effects may be most appropriate to your piece of music.
Finally, the credits roll, where you can include any special messages, or thank everyone involved in making your video.
Smaller grid sections can then be focussed on (voice parts, or individuals for instance) and the camera can seemingly float around the grid in various ways:
- Zooming in and out
- panning left to right, or up and down
- fading or cutting between shots
- tilting or flexing (3D) the screen
Any combination of these special effects can be used, and our editor can advise on which effects may be most appropriate to your piece of music.
Finally, the credits roll, where you can include any special messages, or thank everyone involved in making your video.
How much will it cost me?
Our starting rate, for a fully edited grid-style video, is £120 (GBP) plus £12 (GBP) per participant.
Project costs depend on a few things:
- the approximate durations of the pieces you plan to record
- what level of animation you are hoping for
- whether you will be making your own guide track or need us to create this for you
The starting rate is for a typical song lasting between 3-5 minutes duration, and includes all audio editing and reasonable revisions. We supply our DropBox file request service and Singer Instructions free of charge, as well as advice from our expert editing team.
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"Wow! Thank you for making this a fabulous experience for our singers! Your artistry and musicianship elevated our performances and we are thrilled to share these with our audience very soon." |
Can I see more of your videos?
We've uploaded more of our work, below, along with some of the lovely messages from our clients.
If you like our work and would like to make a virtual video with us, please Contact Us for more information.
"It was a timely release and everyone loved it! Thanks to you and Jeremy for making this a huge success! It's already on YouTube." |
"You've done remarkable work here. The overall sync is very tight - thank you!" |
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VIDEO EDITING - Izzy Askwith - Channel Four
"Thank you! It sounds brilliant – really beautiful sound from the choir - such a joy to hear our voices mixed together after all this time practicing online." |
"These are absolutely excellent. You are both miracle workers. I’m totally in awe of what a professional result you’ve managed to achieve for us – thank you so much." |
"Incredible music! You made my Mum cry (in a good way!). Thank you for being so flexible and supportive in the planning of the event and for the speed and efficiency you managed to pull everything together, especially given how tight the timescales were on this project." |
"I'm just listening to/watching the virtual performance you put together – it's fantastic! Well done and massive thanks." |
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VIDEO EDITING - Brett Price - Propeller Pictures
"What fun! Well done everyone and congrats James and all the production team! Really great job!" |
"I just wanted to say, thank you SO much for all of your hard work and effort into making our first virtual Evening of Christmas Music a fabulous uplifting event, that everyone so desperately needs right now." |
