Why Musicbed's Blog is My Favorite

I found out about Musicbed because I was looking for quality audio for videos; I became an avid Musicbed blog reader because the posted content is incredible. If you are into filmmaking, music, design, photography, technology/etc. I believe you would find the blog helpful. Their articles contain a variety of conversations and/or advice that can help anyone in [almost] any field. 



Today I read Secret Weapon: Lessons from a Producer's First Feature-Length Film. I was reminded that “It takes one moment of courage and a thousand moments of perseverance and hard work.” People always talk about the importance of having courage to step out on your dreams/passions but rarely do people emphasize the hard work that must take place. Perseverance is not the go to word people use when describing themselves but it is a necessary trait to possess. "If you hold back waiting for the perfect thing to come up, you’ll never release anything. You’ll never step out and do something." I am going to write this down in my quote book because it is so true. There will never be a perfect time to create all of the things I desire to create. I need to not wait but be thankful I have today to do something I'll be grateful I did tomorrow.



Last week I read 4 Lessons Learned by Making Passion Projects. Musicbed explains why deadlines matter. "Passion projects don’t want to be made. They love living inside our heads, and they’ll do everything possible to stay there. So we have to smoke them out with deadlines. Deadlines save us from overthinking and overtweaking." I can relate to that so deeply. My mind contains many projects that like to be ideas; however, in order for them to become a reality, they need a deadline. Passion Projects help you figure out what perspective you would like to take in an industry without costing loads of money for a business. They also give you the freedom to do what you would like. It's okay to fail in a passion project because you are able to learn from them.



Lastly, I want to mention an article I read last month: How to Create Interesting Work. They talked about the importance of being an interesting person to make interesting things. People should know why they are creating things and take a clear stance on a subject. If the viewer doesn't understand the direction of the film,book,etc. They are wasting his or her time. Musicbed mentioned Made to Stick by Chip Heath and Dan Heath. In this book, the Heaths claim there are six principles to a “sticky idea”: simplicity, unexpectedness, concreteness, credibility, emotions, and stories. I think this is a wonderful finding because I know I remember things that can be found in these principles. It was nice to have it explained in a six principle way.

Though I recapped three articles found on Musicbed's Blog, I highly recommend reading to find more. I have learned a lot and believe I will continue to learn more.

Kristin

How to Musicbed

If you're a filmmaker looking for good royalty-free music at an affordable price, you should check out the Musicbed. Many artists submit their work in hopes that other makers will use their songs to complete a video project. Musicbed defines the website as a full service licensing platform that provides a highly curated selection of songs to filmmakers for use in media projects. Musicbed makes quality music easily accessible, empowering creatives to tell better stories, and supporting musical artists.

You will be given the option to select music for a "commercial" or "non-commercial" project. You can even filter by the genre, mood and artist. If your project requires an instrumental only background song, you can even check the box for that too! The prices range from $49-$199+ depending on the size and audience of the project. Musicbed even lets you preview the entire song!

I have found Musicbed helpful in my projects and I hope you will too!

Kristin

Creative Spaces TV

Photo from @SaraDietschy on Instagram

If you do not know who Sara Dietschy is, you're going to be glad I told you about her. She is a Youtuber who creates content that is surpassing Youtube's video norm. With beautiful quality, she is sharing stories through her series Creative Spaces TV. Sara encourages the viewer to "get inspired by the creative spaces of artists, the tools they create with and their creative journey." Sara's ten minute or less videos highlight various artists in various fields like: audio engineering, filmmaking, music, fashion, jewelry making, illustrators, and many others.

This still is from "Jen Moulton - Designer & Maker of Jewelry, Pottery and Leather Goods | EP.7 Creative Spaces TV"

I do not remember what video led me to Sara, but I was intrigued by Creative Spaces TV. I think an artist's creative space tells a lot about the actual artist. It is here a person can get to know a bit of the mind behind the artist. The viewer is taken into the space where the creativity is able to be poured out and used. Every creative space looks different, yet every creative space holds a common thread: the artist feels freedom to make.

This still is from "Ted Forbes - The Art of Photography, Filmmaker, Photographer | EP.4 Creative Spaces TV"

Sara does a really great job at capturing the story of how the artist began creating and what keeps the artist to continue creating. I have thoroughly enjoyed this series, hope to finish watching the videos soon and cannot wait for even more to be created.

Kristin

"What's a Monopod?"

"What's a monopod?" This is the question I got from a Best Buy employee when I asked if they sold monopods. My initial reaction was to have a mini-freak out. This employee was assigned to the cameras and did not know what a monopod was, but I calmed down. I said, "It's like a tripod but with one leg instead of three." Best Buy ended up having one monopod option that day, but it took a couple employees to find it.

Monopods are one of my favorite inventions because they come in all sizes. I'm short so they help me get angles my height otherwise could not. I like to open the monopod as tall as it can go and hold it from the base while getting overhead shots of people cheering in a huddle. Monopods help me not get shaky shots because they keep the camera steady. It is easier to get running shots because you grip the monopod (opposed to the camera).

I find a monopod super helpful and it does not cost loads of money. You can get one on almost every site that sells cameras. I hope you'll at least try shooting with one.

Kristin

How to Google Forms

Sometimes you may end up in a situation where a survey needs to be created. The initial thought of creating a survey could potentially trigger emotions of distain or fear. Today I want to share a helpful way to create a survey with Google Forms. 

First, log into your Google account and go to google.com/forms

You will be greeted with a user friendly interface where you can easily change the text to say what you desire.

For example, I asked "What year are you?" The four options are: Freshman, Sophomore, Junior or Senior. Google allows you to add even more options if you would like!

If you would like to personalize it more, you can add a picture or video!

You precede to fill out the survey following the previous instructions with your questions. Once you click "send form," you will have the option to send the survey to several e-mails or get a link to share.

When people begin to respond, you will be able to see their results in a programmed pie graph. I find this helpful because I do not have to enter data; Google will take every question and individually calculate the data.

I hope Google Forms is as helpful for you as it has been for me!

Kristin

"Nicely Said"

"Nicely Said" by Nicole Fenton and Kate Kiefer Lee is a book I believe every person should read. Its beautiful design drew me in but its substance brought a sweeter depth. Fenton and Lee share how to write for the web and ways to make your writing better. They know what they are talking about and share it in a simple way. 

"Nicely Said" was made with a goal to unravel the writing process and help you create useful and meaningful web content. Fenton and Lee write, "Understand your topic and use as few words as possible." Many writers do not understand what they are writing about and ramble. It is not necessary to ramble if you understand what you are sharing. They encourage the writer to have a purpose in the writing and to know what that purpose is. If you do not understand why you are posting, you should not post it.

Fenton and Lee encourage writers to write a mission statement. If your post does not align with the statement, do not post it. I like this idea because some people do not stop talking. They share mindlessly and could stop talking a long time prior to when they actually do. Fenton and Lee say do not let weeks and weeks go on before you post something. It seems contradictory to what they previously stated, but it makes sense. An audience needs consistency or the audience will not continue to be engaged.

Overall, it is a really lovely book and you can purchase it here

Kristin

6 Helpful Levo Articles

Levo

“Levo arms you with the tools to develop your talent, build connections and stay inspired day in and day out as you grow and develop. We believe you can create a life you’re passionate about.”

I have been reading Levo articles for a couple of years now. I find some of the greatest career/life advice to come from the site. Today I want to share 6 Levo articles I have found helpful in beginning to put language to my thoughts.

1. My Grandpa Taught Me About the “Spenders and Savers” by Dominique Broadway

This article breaks people up into those who spend and those who save. It does not give any room for people in the middle. I found it helpful because I’ve always thought of myself as a saver and didn’t comprehend why/how my friends were always spending. It helped me understand why.

2. How to Build A Network in a New City Before You Move by Idealist Careers

Sometimes people move to cities where they absolutely know no one. This article shares the importance of leveraging your social media and current network. Chances are a friend knows someone who lives in the town I am moving. Idealist Careers suggests researching the area and finding events/organizations that you have already joined to fill up your calendar.

3. When Your Ambition Doesn’t Line Up With Your Friends by DailyWorth

The article begins by quoting Sheryl Sandberg who said, “The most important career choice you’ll make is who you marry.” DailyWorth goes on to say, “I worry I won’t get the support I need from people whose ambitions don’t match my own.” I think this blog was an interesting one to begin thought processes in my brain. I always like to think about the friends I have and how I am learning/growing from their friendship.

4. 3 Skills Every Professional Should Have by Rachel Maleady

Rachel talks about the importance of knowing how to speak publically, use technology and understand analytics. It is written in a concise manner and easy to remember.

5. Want to Earn More and Find a Job Faster? Learn a Foreign Language by Brazen Life

I’m not sure how much money can actually be made by knowing multiple languages. I think it depends on the job and the language known. However, this article makes several great points. There is a steep learning curve to learning a language. It can be pricey to achieve a fluency level and not every career will benefit from knowing two languages. 

6. Ways Women Sell Themselves Short in Writing by Candace Faber

Candace addresses the difference between men and women writing about themselves. She says many women get stuck talking about the process taken to overcome an outcome rather than the result. Instead of sharing about the individual’s work in a group, women are more inclined to use words like “together” or “we”.