What’s Going On with the UK Music Industry?
'Up + Coming' is a feature length documentary, which will lift the veil on the complex subject of surveillance capitalism and its effect on the Music industry. We tell the story primarily via the personal journeys of three up and coming artists, an established artist and an experienced A&R. As the story unfolds, we try to shed light on the vast array of issues that are facing acts today in 2021: the effects of Covid 19, Brexit and other subjects, such as ‘what’s going to happen to the next generation of musicians where the over-saturation of information is like a tsunami, leaving them exhausted and lost?’, with expert testimony to comment on different aspects of this multi-billion market.
It’s a colorful journey through the ever-changing landscape of the UK music industry, where you need to adapt to constant changes and surprises that await you around every corner. At the same time, it’s a vibrant documentary that is not scared to analyse the dark heart of the industry where democracy and success seem to be for sale.
After extensive research and conversations with students in music schools, there was a clear demand for a better understanding of what really goes on behind the scenes in the music industry. We will show how major labels, distribution platforms and collection agencies have gone to extraordinary lengths to prevent the true facts coming out. Millions of data points every day are collected and monetised by the tech monopoly giants in ways we can’t see or understand. Exposing this invisible world of manipulation and power is one of the principal aims of the film.
The music industry rolls on, but in an atmosphere of underlying turmoil, with songwriters, artists, producers, publishers, labels and distribution platforms all up in arms against each other, for a fair slice of the profits. Meanwhile, issues of racial and gender equality are simmering stronger than ever, alongside concerns about mental health among artists.
UK music creatives have had an outstanding role to play in defining Great Britain and establishing its identity. So why are so many musicians made to feel like outsiders in the global industry they have helped to build? © snoww productions 2021
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