Tonight, I found myself in Bondi Junction for the screening of SYD2030. An award winning, locally produced and funded web-series, SYD2030 is the Eastern Suburbs’ answer to Gossip Girl, only you don’t hate yourself for getting so into this guilty pleasure.
At the screening this evening, I got talking to producer Suzie Smith about how they managed to pull this whole project together, and end up with such a well-produced final result. In chatting about the difficulties in getting to shoot at Doyle’s on the Beach and the Opera House, we got onto the music, as any conversation with me is going to end up hitting the subject at least once.
If you’re going to do something, you’ve got to do it right, so the team at Cheese on Toast productions said ‘fuck off’ to royalty free music, or generic filler tunes. Rather, they chose to support the city they were aiming to garner support from and became a platform for local bands. The series even goes as far as including a live performance at FBi social (paralleled with a fairly raunchy sex scene in which the song climaxes at ever so right a moment).
Featuring the music of Polar Knights, Mz Wood, Shake Digga, and Giselle Rosselli, SYD2030 is what the Australian music scene needs. The internet is a great way to get your music out there, and shows are a great way to get people to hear it…but with venues closing down left and right, it doesn’t seem like anyone is going to shows.
Local artists supporting local artists is a great thing for music, but it is events like tonight that get it beyond the artists themselves. The music in this series helped add passion to an already passionate story. It set the mood, filled the room and did it without the need of a Black Keys or Status Quo song behind it. The local talent is there, and I’m glad Cheese on Toast recognised that when putting together SYD2030.
So to any other production teams out there, remember that before you had your big shot, someone had to give you the chance to get out there. You don’t need a song from the Hottest 100 to back your work or make people’s heads turn. There is great talent in your backyard, just waiting to be heard.
