The Beatles 1 project is the ultimate promo video collection for the biggest band in the world and type40 got to play a significant role in helping to make it happen.
Over a year in the making, The Beatles 1 project built on the album release of the same name from the year 2000, but added an audio visual element. The original album featured the 27 number ones The Beatles had in the UK and Ireland and for the re-release of the 1’s album in 2015 promo videos were added for all 27 tracks. A deluxe edition, with an additional 23 tracks was also released under the title of The Beatles 1 +. Most of the tracks were remixed at Abbey Road by Giles Martin, bar the first 3 mono songs and live performances that were chosen were no promo video existed. Type40 has an insider’s perspective on the process of creating the new mixes as we were tasked with conforming the videos for classics such as Help! and Paperback Writer to the new audio. We spent 3 months in Abbey Road’s studio 3 lounge work on the video as the mixes were being completed in the control room next door.
Video Production: From the Archive, through the edit to the finished product
Working with the overall producers of the project, Jonathan Clyde and Martin Smith, Type40 helped organise and co-ordinate the restoration of the various video asset to be used for the 50 videos being featured on the compilation. With some of the videos being over 50 years old it was important to go back to as close to the original master as we possibly could. Working with the archive team at Apple Corps, who call up various tapes from the archive, Type40 helped co-ordinate the restoration process and send them for asset. It wasn’t always apparent which was the best source and so some detective work helped us look through tape logs and record reports to determine which were the right ones.
At the same time we worked with early transfers to start conforming the video to the new audio mixes. This meant taking each track and seeing how best to make the visuals work with the audio. With time comes a whole series of problems and speed discrepancies, but that in itself made the project a wonderful challenge to take on. When the restoration was done the final masters were conformed back using DPX sequences generated from the restoration software and outputted so they could be used to make the DVD and blu-ray masters.
Video Post-Production: Delivering time and again
With a project of this size Type40 can take on several roles, using our skills in production and post-production to help create videos which can be used in a multitude of places.
As well as editing the videos we were tasked with creating assets which would later be used in the promotional material for the release, such as the 1s countdown which would feature in much of the content on Youtube and beyond. It became the intro to the DVDs and blu-ray discs, as well as being included in several of the videos telling the story of how the whole project came together.
We also had the responsibility of helping to deliver all the assets into the Universal supply chain, having taken responsibility for frame rate converting everything to the required specifications. With a blend of creativity and technical knowledge, Type40 was able to help facilitate getting both full videos and previews out to the wider world.
Blu-ray & DVD Authoring: 50 videos for over 50 years of The Beatles
The Beatles 1+ featured 50 videos in different frame rates and it was decided where possible to keep videos at their native one, if they could play back on tv systems the world over. This meant we had to get clever with the authoring, as two promo videos next to each other might be running at completely different frame rates.
For the menu design, we took inspiration from the original artwork and the variations that were being created for the new release, noting the different combinations of CD, DVD and blu-ray which would be available to buy. Each song was also given a bespoke intro animation, featuring elements from the lyrics or the title itself. The DVDs and blu-ray also feature a jukebox, allowing the viewing to choose their own order by which to play back the videos. The experience was carefully crafted to make sure everyone could enjoy The Beatles as the truly wanted to.
Taking the show on the Long And Winding Road
Type40 also created a series of restoration before and after videos, which then were sent out to various publications for review . Separate preview discs were authored and these were distributed to Universal Music offices around the globe.
We were also asked by Apple Corps to accompany the producers and representatives of Universal Music to travel to France and Germany where special screenings of the 1’s project took place, with a Q&A with local journalists which we invited to be part of.
Come Together Over Me
The Beatles 1 project used all the skill sets we offer at Type40 and working with a team of dedicated experts we were able to help Apple Corps and Universal Music release a special collection of highly treasured promo videos . It is to date one of our favourite projects and one which we think reflects all the hard work that everyone involved in the project put in. Being passionate music fans we know the importance of the videos, being from the band that really kicked started the pop music scene as we know it today and feel honoured to have been able to play our part in making the project a success.