Are you excited? Get ready to be!

This week we sat down with UNCW sophomore, Talbot Hall, to get the scoop on her new film At First. An ensemble piece featuring five protagonists and the idea of love at first sight which looks to bring about the vast amount of emotions that appear when falling for someone.  The film is currently in preproduction and scheduled to begin shooting in the Spring of 2015. Talbot was kind enough to break down the murky steps of music licensing, give some tips for aspiring student artists, and drop a spoiler or two. But before you continue on to the interview:

There will be a Benefit Concert for At First taking place at the Reel Café in downtown Wilmington on November 9th from 6-10 pm so make sure to mark your calendars! In the meantime, head over to the IndieGoGo page to get more information and make a donation (anything helps!) and also like her page on Facebook.

• What made you decide to split the narrative into 5 separate storylines?

     Well, the story initially came to me when I was driving. I heard the song “Touch Me” by The Doors, and it’s this outrageously epic love song: the lyrics are literally: “I’m going to love you until the heavens stop the rain; I’m going to love you until the stars fall from the sky for you and I.” And I imagined someone falling in love that way, hearing that song almost as it happened.
     And then I imagined the opposite- what if, when someone different fell in love, all that they heard was white noise? And another, what if they heard something much more subdued, something sad and understated?
     And so the five story lines were born out of that experiment, and out of my love of putting vastly different people’s lives side-by-side, when the diverse experiences of everyone around us are something that we overlook on a daily basis.


• So this obviously makes music a large part of the story. Your IndieGoGo says that a lot of the budget is slated for music licensing so are there any specifics that donors can expect to hear?

     Well, I can say that I’ve been licensed for a Lana Del Rey song (which I’m beyond thrilled about) and a Frank Sinatra song, as well as a song by Johnny Cash. And I’m working with a fantastic girl named Nina Storey, who’s represented by a smaller independent label. She’s put out some stellar stuff.

• That sounds great! Any tips on navigating the murky world of music licensing? Did you discover any tactics that worked better than others? 

     I think it's a resource that's totally underutilized by students...

1. If you think you need the rights to something, always ask. Always. Ask.
2.  If you want the rights to a song, to put it simply, there are two licenses you need to get: the master rights and the publishing rights. The master rights give you license to use the actual artist's recording, the publishing rights give you license to use the writer's composition. You need both to play a recording of a song, unless you're recording a cover of it.
3. Covers can be a very cheap, reasonable alternative.
4.  Allmusic.com for finding out who owns the master rights (it's the label.) ASCAP.com and BMI.com to find out who the publisher is.
5. Have a professional, concise, to-the-point cover letter. And be prepared to send it out a lot. The rights to film are called synchronization rights. Tell any company that that's what you need, and let them forward you to the right person.
6. Always, ALWAYS disclose that you're exhibiting exclusively at festivals, if that's the case. It's much easier to license that way.

     That's basically it! Don't be afraid to tell them that you're new to the world of music licensing. Most people will be extremely accommodating and helpful.

• Only being a sophomore while trying to undertake such a large project could be scary to some. 

     I’m pretty difficult to scare. I think that hesitance to take on a project all comes down to, as strange as it sounds, being afraid of or intimidated by other people. That could be fear of the judgment of your peers, fear of asking a major label for song rights, fear of pitching your film to an upper level administrator or executive, fear of having to look at other people and answer to what you’ve made with pride.
     That’s something that I’ve grappled with a lot in the past. I’ve gotten to the point that, in struggling to relentlessly with some psychologically trying circumstances, I am now completely unafraid of other people.
     Because I can look at someone and see the humanity in him or her, I can bring myself to remember that at the end of the day they’re nothing more than a person. They may be a powerful person, but they’re still a person.
     If you aren’t fearless by nature, force yourself to fake being invincible, until you actually are.
     This is my rule: if I notice that I’m afraid of something, and admit that to myself, I have to do it. If something scares you, it’s probably the next step.

• Any tips for other student filmmakers on making their dream projects come to life?

     Don’t make film selfishly. There isn’t any place for narcissism in art; it taints it. If you’re making film to impress other people, or to prove something about yourself, or exclusively for your own benefit, people can tell. And it won’t garner success, or a good team.
     When you work from a foundation of respect, compassion, and humility, great people come out of the woodwork. The money shows up. And, most importantly, your audience will have an experience that moves them in some capacity. Those traits are the foundation of life; they’re what give the human experience purpose. When you built your art with them in mind at each step, connections are made in every direction.
     Also, write down every mean thing that anyone has ever said to you. Frame it on your wall. If people are challenging and fighting you, you’re doing something right. If they’re not, you need to shake it up.
     Network like crazy. Learn how to communicate effectively. Textbooks are great, but if you can’t engage someone in honest conversation, technical knowledge is worthless. Be there for other people when they need you. Be respectful, proactive, and always do more than what you’re asked. The right people always notice.