Real Talk w/ E-Moe (Stand Up or Fall Back Issue)

Graphic Game

What's good my peoples?  Back at you once again with a lil game to get through it all.  This issue, I would like to speak on "Graphic Design".  I like to talk about things I know about, that way it can never be said that I don't, once proven to help.

So with that being said.  I thought I'd give a few tips to help you look right.  A lot of people think you just take any picture and it instantly becomes what you want it to be.  But things have to be put in place from the start to make the end result be at least close to what you're lookin for.  1st thing is good quality pictures.  You can not use your camera phone for pictures you plan to use for any graphics if you ask me.  Phones are set up to take the pics in small formats that are made to look big on other phones or the internet.  But when it comes to CD covers or such, the quality and size are much to small.

If you have to stretch a picture to make it the size of a CD cover, then that's not the pic to use.  The best would be a pic that appears to be too big so that when you shrink it down to size, it'll keep the quality.  Make sure the camera you are using is set on the biggest setting or size for the pics to be taken, and you should be good.  Learn what DPI is and always set to the highest amount.

Next, if you plan to be cut out of the picture, try to stand next to a plain wall colored wall.  This helps the cut be more exact and easier to cut out from the original background.  Never take the pictures you plan to cut out standing by the same colors that match your skin, trees or colors you are wearing.  Lighting is very important when taking pictures, so sunlight photos are always best for me.  Make sure the sun or light at night is in subjects face and to the cameraman's back.  That way you get the most light aiming on the person your taking pictures off.  Take your time and relax when shooting.  Try to shoot with flash on and off.  Learn the settings in your camera and try different settings to see different results.  Don't rush the shot and make sure the subject stays where you need them to after each shot in case you want to shoot a certain pose again.  Now a days most cameras come with a memory card so be sure to shoot as many pictures as you can.  This betters your chances of getting a few good choices to use.

Most people think you just get a picture, put the name on it, and leave it at that.  But colors and fonts do matter a lot when designing a certain graphic.  Cheap fonts and the wrong colors can make the cover look cheap, which then makes the person your trying to sell it to think it sounds cheap.  Some colors are meant to reel people in, so make sure to pick colors in the picture that make it all match and blend well.  There are many free fonts to download online to help the look.


I've been designing flyers, business cards, logos, banners, and CD covers for over 10 years now.  And every project gets better as I go.  So never think you know it all just yet.  There are a lot of videos online that you can watch to help you get the job done.  I also like to Google topics & backgrounds related to the title of the project in hand.  Like if it's called "A Cold Winter", I would use Google search with words like snow, winter, etc. for large images.  Most of the time, you can find things that go right with what you're looking for.  The other option is to go around and take pictures of things that could be backgrounds on your own time for a more original design.  I seem to think the best covers are when you just take a good picture and put the words across it.  Much easier, and not to much going on to throw off the art of it all.


Another thing to know is the size and specs things should be to line up the art for print.  Most people end up getting things cut off in the final art because they didn't use the right templates for print.  Most websites have templates to help you line up your art for the final product.  Know what you want, as in 3x4 flyer, 4x6 flyer, 11x17 poster designs, 2 panel, or 4 panel cd designs.  Know what a CD tray is, and what bleeds are.  Get a barcode for your product, and everything will help you look more professional like you at least know what you're trying to do.  When people see your product looking right, they tend to give it a better chance.  Just a few tips to help you get the point across if maybe you had no idea.  Tune in next issue for more game and Real Talk with E-Moe.

*Article courtesy of E-Moe for Pay$tyle and Royalty Magazine.

Real Talk w/E-Moe (Summer Grind Issue 2012)

Real Talk with E-Moe:

The Video Game...
What's up my peoples? Yeah I'm back and bigger than ever! I just wanted to touch basis on a few things about the video game in this issue. So sit back and enjoy some Real Talk!!!

Over the last 2 years or so, I have become 1 of the top go to guys to get a music video done in Sacramento, CA. So I would say I would know a lot about the subject. And we're not talkin about the big budget B.E.T. videos, but the local Youtube videos that most people are doing these days.

For me, it started as a way to show the people who I was. Then I decided to help others show themselves to the world while showing what Sac has to offer to the music industry. My 1st camera was a Mini-DV cam that used tapes. I've had a few cameras before that, but that was the 1st cam I used to do an actual music video. Before I started doing videos, as an artist that happened to be around another artist all the time, I figured it would be good to start capturing it on video. Because I knew 1 day, some of us would go on to do big things.

Then the memory card came along which made it much easier to download the footage to your computer. Once I saw that, I knew the future of personal video would only get bigger and better. So I decided to get into the field of video production. I watch and followed a lot of the new up-n-coming video directors, and I also started to see big name artist taking advantage of the new straight-to-the-net video craze. That's when I saw my chance to jump into something new from the ground up, and a way I knew I could make some money!!!

From there, I had a conversation with a friend of mines by the name of DJ Loon from KC. We use to always talk about the game and how we could use what we knew to make money. So one day the video thing came up. He was about to get a new camera to step his video game up, so he mailed me the pocket cam he was upgrading from. HD was just about to hit the market then, but I just needed something to get started.

Once I received the camera he gave me, I went straight to work. This would be my new hustle because I knew other artist would need the service. Everyone was rapping, making beats, or had a studio, so I figured I would pull out a few things people didn't do, and would need. One service being graphic design, because everyone needs an album cover and the next was video production. And not just music videos, but anything that can be, or should be filmed, edited, and produced.

Then I decided to pick 10-15 artists and offer them a FREE video just so I could get my practice on. Out of the 15, around 10-12 videos were produced. From there it took off. 1st video I was paid for was for $75. And now I'm up to $200 and up (per video) easy!!! Once I seen I could make 1 and how much time it took, I was able to determine how much to charge for the work. But as I get better and HD started to come around, the work started to get harder, so the price started to go up.

You see, when I 1st started, HD wasn't around just yet. So the files were easier to handle. As HD came around, the files started to get bigger and harder to edit if your computer wasn't up to par to handle the processing. So since my budget wasn't all that to buy what I wanted or needed, I figured as long as I could take a step up a bit at time, that'll be good for me. And it would also show the rise and improvement which people who follow your work would like to see. So the plan was to work with what you had, to get what I wanted.

From there, each camera has paid for the next camera I choose to get. All it took was to offer a service I knew people needed, and do the best I can at the job. I've studied YouTube so I've seen the best and the worst! And I knew I could do much better than the worst on a bad day! All I had to do was show and prove.

So shout out to the 1st 10 people who let me do the 1st few videos for FREE, because they gave me a chance to see that it could work for other artist. I had already done a few videos for myself, but I had a thought of it not always being about me. I figured I could do this for other artist to help them get on. I knew my skills weren’t up to par for big name locals at the time, but I knew I could only get better at what I do. And why not use your gift to help others? So that was my market. I went after the ones from the new generation more than any. This was my way of giving back more than the pay, because believe me, the pay was almost like FREE work.

That's when I started EMOE TVEE. My vision was to make it feel like a real TV channel on YouTube with good video production to watch. I figured I could get views from real people that would come to see their friends which would help my official numbers go up authentically. EMOE TVEE wouldn't just be about E-Moe, it would be about what & who I see in the City as an artist. I see and work with a lot of people, so this would be my way of showing my connection to the heart of the city. Not to mention the people of the world via the big platform of YouTube video.

A lot goes in to making a video, but for the locals who mostly came with no ideas, I just figured as long as we get good shots, then we'll be good. I never let it become a big thing like it was a MTV video shoot, because it was basically a video to a local song release on a local scale. So as long as it looked good, they couldn't ask for much more. Before you knew it...that became my format. That's why I was able to knock out over 100 music videos, and over 200+ videos of other things going on in the city! I now have over 1,000 subscribers, almost 400,000 total views, and still growing fast. And I'm very proud of that because those are all real views. No paid views, no fake tags, no big names, etc. So that's a big move if you ask me. I've seen people have 10,000+ on a video, but in the title it would say Lil Wayne in it. So of course people are seeing it on accident every now and then because it came up when they searched Lil Wayne. But I chose to take the authentic route. I knew that I could provide a visual that people wouldn't mind watching.

And mind you, I've done all this on a small budget and started with a FREE video editing program on the trial version. Once I found a program that was easy to work with and plus get the job done, it was on from there. So I bought the program once the trail ran out, and it has been my back bone for the last 3 years or so. And even though it's not one of the top programs like Adobe Premier, Final Cut, Vegas, or known of them, it still gets the job done. So I always think to myself, if I can do what I do on this cheaper program, than just imagine what I could do with an expensive program, computer, and camera?

But anyway, since then, everybody has stumble across the video game. Everyone has a camera and is a video director of some sort now. I've never called myself a video director, so I've always just said that I can do video production. A lot goes into being a real video director, and I respect the real ones that do it all. So I would never call myself that until I've proven myself to be such. Anyone can walk into Wal-Mart now days and buy a good Full HD camera. Even the iPhone 4 has a good HD camera in it. It just all depends on how you use what you got to get what you want.

Thanks for reading, and I hope it was informative. EMOE TVEE interview coming soon.

Check me out at:
http://www.youtube.com/emoe3000

1 Luv, and be safe. "Real Talk w/E-Moe" Radio show coming back soon!

Real Talk w/ E-Moe (Summer Issue 2011)

Chillin Live via Sacramento, Cali

Real Talk!

What's good Royalty Magazine readers?  Another year has gone by, and we're still here! So I would like yo take this time to thank all the loyal supporters. We see you out there, so the time is much appreciated!!!

Moving right along, the "Real Talk with E-Moe" Radio show on Streetz Radio is back by popular demand!  The request for me to bring the show back was overwhelming! So you know I had to keep it going. So tune in Monday nights to hear what I have to say about it all? Live interviews, good new music, and great conversations about any and everything!  Call (646) 478-3243 to listen on over the phone and press 1 to join the conversation, or log on to: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/streetzradio/2011/02/01/real-talk-with-e-moe-on-streetz-radio

Since the last episode, I started a filming company to pick up some extra money called EMOE TVEE. With just my little hand held camera, I decided I would take my music video directing to the next level!  I had done a few of my own videos before, but I felt I had to get the look of different people to show what I could really do.  So I came up with a plan to get my work out there faster. I didn't want to do a bunch of videos for myself, so I called up 10-15 artist and offered them a FREE video on me. My plan was to do those videos, which would help me get my skills up, while at the same time making it look like a lot of people were getting videos done by me all of a sudden?

My plan worked perfectly, and now I'm considered 1 of the top 5 directors to call if u want a video in Sacramento, California. But it took a lot of work to get there!  Remember I said that I had called over 10 people to do a FREE video for, and at least 10 artist took me up on the offer!  So there was a lot of work to do for FREE!

Now I had to put in work to back up my claim. Within 2 mouths or so in the of 2010, my name was all over the place for doing those FREE videos. Next thing you know, the phone rang over and over again for me to do videos, graphic design, beats, features, events, studio time, and everything service I offered started to take off!!!

With saying all that, I saw myself rising to another level. Finally my hard work was actually paying off!  So I took a break from the radio show and a few other things to focus on the new business coming in.

Now that I have it some what under control, I felt it was time to get back at it. I can't count how many times people asked me about the show?  So to me, it's all worth it!!!  Shouts at to Tazzy, Streetz Radio, and Royalty Mag for having me. It's an honor to work with people who work hard like me.

And O yeah, I was also working on a few projects that needed my attention at the time. Now available on http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/all-about-the-hustle/id412498874 and http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/spittlez is the new album we release 1-11-11 by a female rapper by the name if Spittlez. Her album is called "All About The Hustle" and it's doing pretty good for a local unknown release. Check out the 2 versions of her 1st video for the 1st single "Jerkin Yo Hips" on my YouTube page at http://www.youtube.com/emoe3000 or http://www.youtube.com/MzSpittlez1 The single is doing pretty good, and the support has been lovely!

On that note, all I can say from experience is to work hard at what you want to do in life. No one will work hard for you! Unless your paying them. But I speak from never having nothing but talent, and I can truly say that I have learned how to pay the bills off my talent alone. Yes I feel bless by a higher power at times, but in the end, I pat myself in the back!  Because I know it was me staying up long night to complete the task at hand!  So with that said, always work hard to make your vision come to reality.  And hit me if you ever need professional help with anything!

Ya boy E-Moe aka Mob Marley