Human Elephant Foundation

Kicking off the project, Syd and I had a very open, but quite daunting brief:

1. The video and song are about the conversation between elephant and man about human density.

2. No lip sync, or playing to a pre-recorded track was allowed in the video. Everything had to be shot live, on location.

Syd wrote this amazing song under the working title "March of the Elephants, making use of 3 guitars, a Kudu horn and a Brazilian flute.
An interesting fact is that it was not decided by Syd whether the song would have any lyrics until the second day of recording, in which he wrote the lyrics a few minutes before recording them.

My job was to capture the recording process in a way that would allow me to use it with the Elephant footage, already shot by our field cameramen in Moremi Game Reserve, Botswana, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park and Addo Elephant National Park.

A lot of consideration was given towards how to make the studio aesthetically pleasing, yet practical for a track recording. I have been very privileged to have been able to make use of the experience of Dave Birch as the song producer, and Boris von Schoenebeck as Director of Photography.

With a properly dressed studio, considered lighting, a world-class team and multiple storyboards and studio plans, we pulled it off.

Thank you to Andries Botha, John Charter and Richard van Wyk for the amazing opportunity.

Lets do it again soon!

Elephant Song

written & performed by:
Syd Kitchen

produced by:
David Birch

published by Kitchen Kulture
administered by Gallo Music Publishers

www.sydkitchen.com

Video

produced, directed & edited by:
Adriaan Landman

production manager:
Taryn Mavrodaris

director of photography:
Boris von Schoenebeck

camera operators:
Paul Myburgh
Garth McConnel

camera assistants:
Zamo Mkhize
Terry Willcott

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Human
• Elephant
• Foundation
• Earth-Touch
• Adriaan
• Landman
• Syd
• Kitchen

[adriaanlandman]

Thank you for all your comments. We all miss Syd very much and it is so good to see that people are still enjoying his music.

[Fumbly]

Isn't that a hosepipe flute and not a Brazilian flute? You can see him playing a hosepipe flute in the opening clip. Whether he used a different flute for the actual recording I don't know of course.

What studio was the music recorded at and who orchestrated it?

Very nice work with the video by the way.

[adriaanlandman]

@Fumbly You are quite right, the opening clip does show him playing the hosepipe flute which is used throughout the song. The Brazilian Flute mentioned in the description can be seen and heard later on in the song. It is first visible at 3:22.

The song was recorded and produced at Earth-Touch in Umhlanga, Kwazulu-Natal by David Birch, he also orchestrated it.

[pambenink1]

Tonight as I sit here and reflect on 2011 I cannot help but think of those I miss. There are many people I wish were here with me but none more than my energetic, mad, crazy, full of love, lunatic friend/neighbour, Syddles. Know I love and miss you. Always and forever.

[pambenink1]

I just cannot get enough of this... Love you, my friend, xxx

[almaraye]

Fine music dan images..

Amazing!!!

[pambenink1]

Gone 4 months today but never, ever forgotten! Love, always, xxx

[c477681]

May I know the application where you made the edition of this video? it is amazing! thanks!

[Fumbly]

@adriaanlandman okay thanks, yeah I did see the other flute later in the video just after I posted, thanks for explaining it though. Very nice orchestration. Thanks.

[SnowLeopardPunisher]

RIP Syd...

[Fumbly]

Oh and of course RIP my good friend Syddley. My kids will never forget you playing the hosepipe flute for them.....and Baa Baa Black Dog.