From a child strumming their first chord, to a student finding their own voice or a band making a professional record, Gear4music has become a part of so many people’s musical journey.

This short film is about one person’s life in music, from getting their first instrument as a young child, to walking out on a stage for a massive gig. As well as being the literal story of some of our customers, the film can also be seen as a collection of snapshots, exploring the huge range of music lovers who shop with us - everyone from parents, children and students to aspiring, established and professional musicians.

This is your story; we hope you enjoy it.

Back to Our Roots

To help us make the film, we wanted to work with someone who was as passionate about music as we are, and who would understood the story we wanted to convey.

Gear4music actually began life in a recording studio. Managing Director Andrew Wass ran ‘The Submarine’ studio in York, before he setup and developed Gear4music. It was during his time at the studio that he met Britpop rockers, Shed Seven.

As perhaps the biggest band to hail from our hometown of York, Shed Seven are respected as one of the key names in the 90s Britpop scene.

The band’s guitarist, Paul Banks, established his successful film company Digifish in 2007. Given his first-hand experience of the music industry, with a portfolio including the likes of Leeds Festival, The Stone Roses and The Script, Digifish were an obvious choice to work with.

Setting the Scene

After many weeks of planning, we were ready to film! Shot across two 12-hour days, the film is a result of a huge amount of effort from the crew and a lot of extra support from our friends, the local community and staff at Gear4music.

The professional crew of fifteen people included the director, lighting co-ordinators, camera operators and make-up. Using cutting edge equipment, the film was recorded entirely on steadi-cam and dolly tracked cameras, across 5 locations throughout Yorkshire:

• The opening shots of the young boy opening a guitar on his birthday were filmed at the home of a family friend of the Managing Director (Thanks Fran and Sarah!) – the scene even features their actual dog!
  • The garage attached to the house was used to shoot the teenage band practising, later on in the film.

• Archbishop Holgate’s School in York, played the backdrop to three important scenes in the film:
  
  • An actual music room was used for filming the Music Lesson scene that sees the young child playing a Gear4music Classical Guitar transform into a teenager playing a LA Electric Guitar by Gear4music.

  • A school corridor, packed with actual students from Archbishop Holgate’s, was key to the scene where the teenage boy first asks people to join his band and meets the girl drummer.

  • The ‘Battle of the Bands’ concert was shot in the school’s main hall, and was filled with students, parents and teachers from the school.

  
  
• Gear4music’s offices were transformed for a scene at a professional Record Company, using the actual Gold discs awarded to Shed Seven. Usually the office featured is where we meet with suppliers, but during filming it became the place where our two central characters signed their major deal!

  

• A Recording studio called ‘Somewhere in Yorkshire’, near Doncaster, was used to film the grown-up band recording their hit single! The studio, which is run by John Parr of St Elmo’s Fire fame, has played host to many big names and award winning producers!

• The Barbican venue in York hosted some key shots for the end of the film:
  • A dressing room was used for the photo-shoot, after which the grown up band order a new Fender Jaguar guitar.

  • The film ends with the two musicians walking down a corridor and on to the venue’s actual main stage, which has played host to many music legends!

A Team Effort

As well as the two professional adult actors, Alana and Aaron, many of the roles were filled by friends of Gear4music, members of Shed Seven, as well as several of our own staff!

• Dylan, the son of Shed Seven’s guitarist and the film’s Director, Paul Banks, played the young boy who first opened the guitar

• Jeannie, the daughter of Shed Seven’s drummer, Alan Leach, plays the teenage girl during their school years

• Shed Seven’s lead singer, Rick Witter, makes an appearance as the Record Executive

• Our Warehouse Manager, Mark, played the Delivery Driver bringing a new drum kit

• During the final scene at the arena gig, Guitar Buyer, Zak; Live Sound Buyer, Ashley; Graphic Designer, Steven; Web Content Specialist, Vicky Brown and Customer Service Assistant, Dave, all played important roles.

• Marketing Manager, Jonathan, played the Studio Engineer during the recording scene

Propping Up

Many props for the film were either sourced specially or made from scratch. Everything from the wrapped birthday presents to the school notice board had to be prepped and dressed. One of the most interesting props is the ‘MNE’ magazine, made for the photo-shoot scene – it even features Aaron, the lead male actor, on the front cover!

All of the music equipment seen in the video was provided by Gear4music - everything from guitar straps, string and picks to mixing desks.

Like many starter guitarists, the young boy starts out on a Gear4music Deluxe Junior Classical Guitar, before progressing to a Red LA Electric Guitar when he is a teenager.

As the band develops, and the characters become older, the boy moves on to an Epiphone Les Paul Custom Pro, through a Vox AC15, when in the Recording Studio. Finally, after the characters sign their Record Deal, he orders a Fender American Vintage 65 Jaguar.

The drummer plays a GD-5 Drum Kit by Gear4music during the school concert, before using a Mapex Black Panther Retrosonic in the Recording Studio.

There are many more subtle uses of music equipment throughout the film – the entire school band are playing Gear4music instruments, including acoustic guitars and keyboards, as well as a Behringer X32 Mixing Desk being used at the final live show.