Charybdis Booklet Coordination

[bpmolder]

Now that we are back on the project full steam, the end is rapidly approaching. As a result, I think it might be a good idea to start contemplating how we are going to get the booklet together and, equally as important, who is going to get it together.

I have split the recorded works up into two volumes and have updated the album title on the Artistopia site to reflect this. Within the next 2 or 3 weeks, we will have enough recorded material to fill the first disc and bring volume one to a close.

So I guess the booklet should contain credits, lyrics and the album covers that reflect the fictitious albums the songs come from. The front and back graphics on the front and back pages of the booklet, the general, over-all credits on the inside sleeve, then lyrics and album covers, as well as special thanks at the end or whatever else we are inclined to add. Also, we can have a spot at the end that is an index of NPF user names cross referenced with real names.

Since I have dedicated my own efforts to recording and production where I am of the most use, we would need someone else to handle the art direction and coordination. This doesn't mean that I wouldn't be available to help in any way that I am needed, just that I wouldn't be able to spearhead the endeavor. Naturally, there would have to be a deadline, which would be Christmas, the same as the recorded parts.

In essence, we need an outline for each booklet so there is a plan of action, a coordinator to bring it all together and software that will do the job of putting it in booklet form well enough. I will provide the credits and lyrics in a ZIP file full of text files that can be copied, pasted and formatted into the project.

Wanna get the ball rolling?

[filthyfish]

afraid I am rubbish at this kind of malarky.. best left to someone who isn't.

[oz1701]

blimey that's a bit of a tuffy - you are talking an actual or virtual booklet?

if you want it to look professional you need someone with professional training or access to decent software - surely there must be someone here with the knowledge, ability and time to do a nice job of it.

[Hudini]

Being that I already worked on a book design (most notable this one), I think I could manage a booklet. So, knowledge, check. Ability, check. Now time, well that's a tricky little bastard, but I could surely get it done way before Christmas. So unless there's someone else who wants the job, I volunteer.

[PooF]

Excellent, Hudini. I'll help all I can, in ways that are still not clear to me

[bpmolder]

Excellent, guys. I really don't think it will be too time consuming putting it together. The planning stage will probably be the most difficult but if we all pitch in on it and offer our opinions, it shouldn't take too long to get an outline together.

So let's get some ideas together of what we picture being in this booklet.

blimey that's a bit of a tuffy - you are talking an actual or virtual booklet?

If it is done in PDF format, it can serve as both a virtual and a hard booklet, as people will be able to keep it in a folder with their FLACS or MP3s, as well as print it out if they burn those FLACS or MP3s to discs. Since Adobe Reader is free, anyone with a computer and interweb can look at it and/or print it.

[Hudini]

1. I really don't think it will be too time consuming putting it together.

2. If it is done in PDF format, it can serve as both a virtual and a hard booklet, as people will be able to keep it in a folder with their FLACS or MP3s, as well as print it out if they burn those FLACS or MP3s to discs.

1. I believe it won't. The book I mentioned I worked on has more than 800 pages, it was just me and another person working on it, and it took us 4 months to finish it from scratch. With that speed the booklet could be done in two afternoons, but since I don't expect to have that much spare time, I think it could be done in a week or so.

2. I did consider publishing it to PDF, because that kind of files are easily accessible by anyone and they don't mess up like JPEGs do, but there's really no problem exporting them to any kind of file. I work in Adobe InDesign so if anyone wants to join me on it, the InDesign files (INDD) can also be open with PhotoShop.

[bpmolder]

Awesome, Hudini. For volume one, we will have about 10 or 11 songs, maybe 12, depending on when we reach the 70 minute mark. So it will be that amount of lyrics and credits to work in there. In a lot of the professional booklets, I have seen the lyrics and writing credits across 1 or 2 pages, with a picture or artwork in a small square at the corner of the page. We could do it that way or with the lyrics and writing credits on one page and the album artwork on the other so it is bigger and more easily read. That would probably be best come to think of it.

So this is what we are looking at:

1. Front cover (first page)
2. Introduction (2 pages)
3. Track List (1 or 2 pages for the sake of evenness, because we want the lyrics to be on the left and the album art on the right)
4. Lyric and artwork pages for, let's say to round it off, 12 songs (24 pages, 1 each for lyrics and artwork to 12 songs)
5. Recording and production credits (2 to 4 pages)
6. Special thanks and list of NPF user names (1 to 2 pages)
7. Back cover (last page)

So on the outside, it would be 36 pages, which would still be small enough to slip into a regular CD jewel case. I just tested this with my booklet from Neil Diamond's Greatest Hits, which is 48 pages, and it fit in just barely. So 36 pages won't be a problem. That way, also, if anyone decides to go the double jewel case route when both volumes are done, that type of case will hold 2 booklets that size, one in the front and one in the back, with their respective discs.

That's the scenario. To make it easier on you, I will provide the written info in a format where all you will have to do is copy and paste into the publishing project, then just format it to fit the theme of the booklet. The artwork can be dragged and dropped as well, resized to fit the pages. That's all there will be to it really.

[Hudini]

Funny thing, I just wanted to suggest we should do a 36 page booklet. Though I don't think we should put lyrics on the left and album art on the right strictly. That way we would be restricting ourselves to that pattern, but that also just could be the scheme we are looking for. But if we do so, we have to tie one song exactly to one album, and there should be no albums without songs "taken" from, since then there would be album artworks with no associating songs. What do you think?

[bpmolder]

However you all want to do it is fine. I'm OK with whatever. It doesn't have to adhere to a strict format. It can be anything we want it to be since we are our own bosses. Anybody who has any ideas is welcome to share them.

[Duckboy]

IM willing to help if u needs a hand

[Hudini]

Of course. It's all appreciated.

But I think we should not start with this until the album itself is almost complete, just because of the running order of the songs and patching the whole story together. We should start working on making up fictional band members' names, attaching each song to a particular album, etc. We must have all of these tiny pieces put together before we start working on the actual booklet.

[bpmolder]

The whole reason I split it up into 2 volumes is so we won't have to wait until right after the whole thing is recorded to have the first disc ready, as well as the booklet. The track list will be set in another 2 or three weeks. Then, we can proceed with the volume one booklet since it is just for the first disc. Then, after the second volume is complete, the second booklet can be done and people will have the option to put them together into a 2 CD case.

People will then have the choice to either obtain the first volume and booklet immediately or wait until both are completed.

It's pretty much just a copy and paste job anyway for the most part. Your special talents will come in to make it stylish and interesting. You can take your time with that and it still won't take a long time to finish.

We are aiming for something that can fit in a standard single or double jewel case that anyone can buy anywhere. That's the reason for the two separate booklets. It's the most practical way to do it without a special case having to be manufactured to accommodate a thick booklet.

I didn't expect work to begin on this immediately anyway. I figured that it would be in our best interest to bring it up early to have more time to prepare for it, that's all. But the first volume will be done within 2 or 3 weeks and I will begin mastering it while starting on the next song. Since I have a couple days between working on tracks at times, those 2 extra days, as well as a couple weekend days thrown in, will enable me to get the first volume mastered without having to put anything else on hold.

I am absolutely hell bent on continuing to roll with this and keep churning out the finished tracks. We are closing on one year that we have been working on this already and I know you are all anxious for this to be wrapped up quickly while still maintaining a high standard of quality. That's what will happen. I just want to be able to get the booklets going as soon as the time is right, with no delays. That's the reason for the advanced preparation.

[Hudini]

So, if I understand correctly, there will actually be two 36-page booklets? That's more space than I thought in the first place, and it will definitely make the whole package more interesting.

[bpmolder]

So, if I understand correctly, there will actually be two 36-page booklets? That's more space than I thought in the first place, and it will definitely make the whole package more interesting.

Correct, my man . One booklet for each volume. It will definitely be more interesting.