The MV Production course is a Digital Media Specialisation offered in the second year of the Digital Media program study map. The course gives students the chance to hone their creativity by conceptualising and visualising a song through two distinct approaches: as an experimental MV and as a traditional MV involving the music artist(s) and lip-syncing.
This hands-on experience immerses the students into the practical intricacies of their field, fostering an environment conducive to creative growth and the application of theoretical knowledge in a real-world context.
According to Mr Ricardo Arce, RMIT Program Manager of the Digital Media program, “the MV Production specialisation has run for several years and has been a popular and successful offering.”
However, one of the challenges faced by students was finding suitable songs (licensed music) to create MVs for. Mr Arce pondered the idea of approaching local bands in advance to secure high-quality songs for the students to work with, thereby alleviating the struggles of working with less dynamic copyright-free music or spending valuable course time to find music for assessment purposes.
“Having access to quality music by a music artist/band significantly enhances the students' motivation and commitment to producing high-quality works that have the potential for broader distribution,” RMIT Digital Media Associate Lecturer Mr Joel Spezeski commented.
Conversely, the music artists/bands themselves benefit from this collaboration by getting visualisations of their songs without the significant financial outlay that is generally required for such productions.
Mr Nguyen Trong Khoa, Associate Lecturer in Digital Film & Video program at RMIT University, explained that the decision to turn this course into an WIL experience stemmed from the desire to simulate the working relationship between a creative team and a client when producing a music video.
This approach requires students to collaborate with WIL partners as clients, researching the music genre particularities, studying the bands' previous works, engaging in discussions with the music artist/bands, and more.
Mr Spezeski also emphasised that “such experiences are crucial for individuals in the creative field before they embark on their professional journeys.”
Mr Khoa revealed: “Feedback from WIL partners after the course has been overwhelmingly positive, with many expressing their desire to work with RMIT students again and recommending other interested bands to participate.”
Los Angeles-based Jack Gray, an Australian singer, songwriter, and producer, one of the WIL partners, commended the students' remarkable creativity and energetic approach throughout the production process: “It is my first time working with students on something like this, and it has been an amazing experience so far.
“We have spent months doing Zoom calls and they dropped a great storyboard for every scene. These students are so creative and have that youthful energy. The concept they came up with [for my latest song Heartbreak Hotel] is brilliant,” the Australian musician and singer recalled.
The partnership offered reciprocal benefits, as the students gained real-world experience while Jack had the opportunity to work with the younger generation and witness their fresh ideas come to life. Jack expressed his satisfaction with the collaborative project, describing it as a joint accomplishment. “We actually made Heartbreak Hotel MV together,” Jack said.
