But, as South African Tourism's new "Reconsider South Africa" TV commercial asks..."What is Beauty?".
Ireland-Davenport commissioned Adam Howard of Howard Music to compose an emotional score for the global TVC...
Is it a sound, a look, or a feeling; a characteristic or a quality; a virtue or a vice? Is true beauty something visible that we can see, touch, taste and appreciate with our senses, or something so precious, eternal, and profound that it defies classification?
Director Dean Blumberg of Velocity Afrika shot the film, and worked closely with Adam. Along with breathtaking cinematography to score to, he gave Adam full creative license to fuse it all together into one fresh, powerful and moving score. Howard explains: "Although the piece was briefed to be cinematic/orchestral in style - we had to be very careful how we added the South African musical ideas - not forcing them into the piece - to let them happen naturally - in sympathy with the visuals.
To express the emotional journey, Adam started with a catchy piano motif and layered the track with subtle sonic treats reminiscent of SA, like the distant strum of a Maskandi guitar, an African drum, and the amazing voice of Margaret Motasage on vocals at the very end.
Adam recorded the Johannesburg Festival Orchestra string section, and as with all previous SA Tourism spots, the piece required Adam to work in echoes of our National Anthem at the very end without it sounding forced.
"It was an honour to compose the music for a TVC that still makes me feel proud to be a South African every time I watch it (with or without my music and British Passport!). Working with such a distinguished array of local talent on something I'm personally passionate about was a real treat!"
Credits
Agency: Ireland Davenport - Johannesburg
Joint Head TV: Loli Bishop
Agency Art Director: J P de Villiers
Agency Copywriter: Jenna Smith
Production Company: Velocity Afrika - Johannesburg
Director: Dean Blumberg
Producer: Lindsay Barnard
Executive Producer: Melina McDonald
Director of Photography: Vicci Turpin
