**

When an agency buys into the process and invests in what we’re trying to achieve, that’s when we can really go to work. This project was a great example of this which led us to some amazing results.

Fresh off the back of two consecutive projects with IRIS we were now introduced to a different team and I wanted to make sure this job was really special.

We started with a chemistry call. The team already had a very solid reference track which the client had fully bought into, which meant we were walking into a unified vision. It's is always such good news when this happens. The team were great. A no-nonsense, hard-working producer propping up a smart, witty CD. The film was in its final stages of completion - and it had all the elements of good comic work. A nice concept, a bit of mis-direction & a rug pull. Still, the comedy was subtle so the track had to work hard to accentuate the switch into silliness.
The team had decided that the best way to heighten the comedy of the spot was through an epic 80s ballad - they had opted for something a little more bouncey in their reference track with the skippy-classic Nothing Gonna Break My Stride by Matthew Wilder. The spot - entitled “Gallop” had also drawn earlier musical support from gunslinger cowboy ballads in a more direct reference to the heroes 'equine' moves - but after our call and some internal deliberation, all parties agreed that 80s was the best way to accentuate the ridiculousness of the film.

I went away to listen to the playlist, bringing the team some counter references; more 80s bangers… We also challenged the team with some more hectic tracks… Bringing in Van Halen’s JUMP - and a more well trodden cinematic pastiche take on the comedy with Vangelis' Chariots of Fire… We even threw in a bit of Sting with Walking on the Moon, to join another of the agencies strong existing references, Simple Minds - Don't You (Forget About Me). Stevie the CD was chuffed with these little extra flavours, and it felt like each conversation we had further confirmed that we had a really solid route.

Once we had established a couple of lead references, we set to work, and I want you to bear witness to the fruits of these labours below…

80s BANGERS || LOST BOY COLLECTIVE (All available for licensing)

*

*

In our first conversations I tried to stress the importance of lyrics in creating a sense authenticity. The team were, at first, strongly against this, considering it too risky and potentially alienating for some markets - but I said that it would be really easy to create generic, vaguely product relevant lyrics which would serve to make the track seem idiosyncratic of other 80s blinders.

Here are some of the things we tried out -

Hey now, we’re floating on air
Stepping out of the darkness / On the heels of love

Once upon a time I was drifting

Walking on a dream…Sound of your step on the sidewalk

This was such a fun project in just how ridiculous it was and, as we were belting out these huge vocals, we couldn't help laughing to think that this was our job.

Less than an hour after submitting all of the above (along with four other tracks), we heard back that the team had picked a clear winner - the ridiculous Meat Loaf-style vocal and faithful eighties production on Heels of Love were just too hot to handle and the other tracks lived to fight another day.

This whole process was made super easy by a great agency who really knew what they wanted. Of course, I get that this can't always be the case. At Lost Boy we make it our business to push agencies as far as possible with their references, to ask pertinent questions of their clients and to take risks in the right places.

If there's a lesson in this case study it should be that a little more work at the beginning of a project, could save a load of stress at the end.

This is, in essence, the working process by which you can put together a great pastiche of a familiar classic - it's a process we've gone through loads over the last 11 months and I've stuck a couple of our favourites.

Thanks for taking the time to check out our work.

And if you think this sounds like a good way to work, get me on any of the below.

Cheers,

Luca / Lost Boy Collective