CROWDFUNDING ROUND 2 - The End of Torpor for Flute and Cello.

OK so, this post is not like the others! This is because I’m Launching a Crowd Funding Campaign for my latest composition The End Of Torpor. I’m going to use this post to outline the sitch, and you can look at some pretty pictures of my outfit from earlier this year between all the words. Cool? Cool! YOU CAN SEE THE CROWDFUNDING CAMPAIGN AND GET YOUR JUICY REWARDS HERE!

For those who don't know me, my name's Jen and my music based multidisciplinary project is The Emerald Ruby. I'm a disabled creative working out of Newcastle NSW on Awabakal land. I write glittery music based out of my training as a classical musician incoporating my love of Irish folk music and Early Jazz. 

In June of 2021, as NSW was plunged fully into winter and a second major lockdown, I awoke in the middle of the night with a small melodic idea in my head. Over the next month or so, this sleepdeprived night scribble turned into a fully fledged duet for Flute and Cello called The End of Torpor. 

As of writing this description, The sheet music book is fully complete, I've secured my cellist (the every lovely Naomi Dart) and I've hired a videographer (Midnight Crush Films). On the 22nd of January we will be filming a video and recording the duet, which will then be published on streaming services, bandcamp and Youtube. 

I would very much like to pay everyone (including me) for this project, which is difficult as a self identified starving artist. That's where your support for this project comes in! Career wise, this project will help to legitimise myself past the descriptor "emerging artist" prooving that I can manage a professional project with proper money and showcasing the quality of my work.

About the piece: Torpor is defined as the physiological changes an animal undergoes as they enter a state of hibernation.

Although I am human, every year as the sun sets earlier and the temperature cools, I to experience torpor. This mental and physical shift marks my yearly unavoidable transition into a state of Seasonal Affective Disorder.

As Winter turns to Spring, I exit this state of depression, emerging from a type of hibernation.

This piece was composed in the July/August period of 2021, Winter into Spring, musically capturing the end of Torpor.

The budget for this project is as follows: 

Videographer: $340 half day of filming

Cellist: $900 - This includes 5 two hour rehearsals and half day of recording. 

My fee as flautist, composer, project manager, social media guru, graphic designer, video editor, audio engineer and jack of all trades: $500

Creation of Merch (enamel pins): $325

PR: $2000

Total cost of project: $4060

You'll notice the above numbers don't add up to the total of my base target of $1095. This is because pozible is an all or campaign, meaning if I don't get the "minimum" financial support I need, I won't recieve any $.  If I only receive 1/4 of the money I need, I can still see this project to fruition (although, this will be without the support of PR, which is very costly). It won't be comfortable financially, but I can do it!

$1095 will cover half of Midnight Crush films, the cost of 5 rehearsals with Naomi, and the creation of enamel pins to celebrate the release. 

It would mean the world to me if I get the whole amount, so my stretch goals are as follows: 

Stretch 1: $1565. This covers all of Midnight Crush Films fee and 5 rehearsals plus recording with Naomi. 

Stretch 2: $2060. This covers Midnight Crush Films Fee, Naomi's fee and means I get paid for some of my time! 

Stretch 3: $4060. Covers all of the above plus means I can hire an external PR company. Having the support of external PR with their own contacts means I can focus on my art, and not burn out from releasing this duet due to my disability.

Let’s talk about my outfit.
Not only am I trying to get better at sewing pants, but I’m also trying to get better at sewing with stretch material and elastic (which isn’t as scary or impossible as project runway made it out to be!) These pants are a little “study in stretch” I created earlier this year. They’re not perfect by any means, but if you don’t look too closely I think they’re fab. I styled them in a cottage core fashion, with one of my flower belts, a brown floral shirt, a crystal and choker my partner bought for me at a Shakespeare festival.

Latest Video: Make Space

FINANCIAL REALISM SEGMENT!

I’m trying to be more open about my finances/the time/money and energy that goes into this creative work. I’ve reached a point where I no longer have the energy to work creatively and work a day job. Many hours of labour go into a post like this - I sewed the pants, which took me a day, the photos took 1 hour to shoot, 3 hours to edit/upload.

Writing this post in particular took 1 hour, and the social media management and promotion takes an additional hour. my website is with Squarespace which also costs $$

If you’d like to support my endeavour to make this sort of work my “real job” (this includes my music and upcoming sewing videos) you can do so for the price of a coffee by using the form to your left. If you’d like to support me AND get a thing in return for your $$, consider buying my music on BANDCAMP or hopping over to my ONLINE STORE and buying a print, bow, music ETC :)

Big thanks to my regular Ko-Fi Supporter Gemma! If you’d like to join her in my super exclusive community and support my art for $5 a month, click over to my Ko Fi Page! You’ll get access to videos and blog posts early, and I’ll thankyou when I release the things.