Zagawhat? Zagadat.
Through the MultiChoice Talent Factory, I got the opportunity to intern at Coke Studio for their 2019 production. Through the 6-week production, we interned for two weeks and for the other 4 weeks, we participated as audience members during the Saturday shoots. I got the chance to work in the Hair/Make-up/Wardrobe (HMW) Department and the Digital Department.
I was not very keen on interning in the HMW department because it was not my main area of interest however I was surprised at how much work goes into this department. I was under the instruction of professionals within the industry who have worked with big artists and were able to give me insight as to what the process is like. I learnt about how to dress an artist for a particular mood of a song as well as which make-up is appropriate for the camera as well as to achieve the effect wanted by the director. Some of the things I got to do while interning in this department were doing re-touches on the artists and dancers after each and every performance. This was slightly exhausting because we would shoot for long hours and each song would be performed about 4 times, meaning I always had to be on edge and ready to run and do touch-ups before the next performance.
Furthermore, I had to ensure their wardrobe was correct and appropriate for the camera. This was not as tedious because often minor adjustments needed to be made. I got a lot of help from people who have worked this role before who were able to teach about the entire process. The busiest time for the HMW Department is during the actual shoot because this is when the artists were performing for camera. Overall, I learnt a lot from this department and now have a more critical eye when it comes to choices made by professionals.
For my second week, I worked in the Digital Department under the instruction of a knowledgeable individual named Lawrence. This department focuses on getting behind the scenes footage of the entire production. This was a very interactive and dynamic week and I learnt a lot about different types of cameras. During this week, I got the chance to visit the breakthrough artist’s house and record behind the scenes footage of him working on producing his music as well as go to Paradise Lost to do a cultural exchange shoot between two artists from different regions. I got to operate a GoPro camera and a drone during this shoot.
Throughout the week we were conducting interviews with the different artists and crew members. This was an opportunity for me to get to know artists better and understand their backgrounds. We were also in charge of shooting BTS footage of artists while they were recording songs in the studio, putting on make-up and interacting with other artists. I learnt how to set up a camera and how to frame to get interesting shots. On Saturdays during the recording of the show, we would set up a camera and shoot the show, focusing on different aspects such as the audience, artists, band etc.
When we were not crew members, we became a part of the audience during the Saturday shoot. I was often very exhausted after this because it would run for more than 12 hours and we need to have high energy and participation throughout the entire shoot. After we wrapped up the production after 6 weeks, we had a cRaZyY wrap party where we could have drinks other than Coke ;). This was fun because I got to interact with the crew outside the official work setting.
Overall, I learnt a lot from this production. I got to meet different artists from different regions in Africa and expand my knowledge on African music. I got to meet Mr.Eazi who makes music I enjoy. This platform provided me the opportunity to appreciate and support music created by African artists, which I think is necessary. I also appreciate learning from the crew who were eager to share their knowledge with us and advise us about the industry.
For more pictures, click the link or check out the photo gallery section!
