Service,	
  Sacrifice,	
  Salvation	
  
Culminating	
  Experience	
  
By:	
  
Randy	
  Schroeder	
  
	
  
Introduction:	
  
	
  
	
  
Service,	
  Sacrifice,	
  Salvation	
  is	
  a	
  project	
  I	
  created	
  to	
  help	
  bring	
  awareness	
  to	
  
issues	
  that	
  directly	
  and	
  indirectly	
  affect	
  United	
  States	
  Veterans.	
  	
  For	
  this	
  project	
  I	
  
created	
  an	
  audio	
  visual	
  DJ	
  set	
  that	
  speaks	
  from	
  the	
  point	
  of	
  view	
  of	
  the	
  veterans’.	
  	
  
My	
  overall	
  goal	
  is	
  to	
  create	
  a	
  fund	
  generating	
  campaign,	
  that	
  when	
  reached	
  will	
  be	
  
used	
  to	
  shoot	
  a	
  movie	
  that	
  directly	
  correlates	
  with	
  the	
  DJ	
  set’s	
  music.	
  	
  Once	
  
completed	
  I	
  hope	
  to	
  then	
  sell	
  the	
  movie	
  to	
  help	
  raise	
  money	
  for	
  Veteran’s	
  charities.	
  	
  	
  
Description	
  of	
  the	
  Culminating	
  Experience:	
  	
  
	
  

I	
  started	
  this	
  project	
  with	
  the	
  idea	
  and	
  the	
  DJ	
  set	
  pretty	
  much	
  planned	
  out	
  

from	
  the	
  start.	
  	
  Originally,	
  I	
  was	
  going	
  to	
  make	
  the	
  movie	
  myself	
  and	
  then	
  start	
  from	
  
that	
  step,	
  and	
  plan	
  a	
  tour.	
  	
  However,	
  time	
  and	
  skill	
  with	
  that	
  many	
  tasks	
  became	
  too	
  
much	
  for	
  me.	
  	
  So	
  I	
  had	
  to	
  focus	
  on	
  what	
  I	
  could	
  accomplish	
  with	
  everything	
  else	
  I	
  
would	
  need	
  to	
  complete	
  this	
  year.	
  	
  So,	
  I	
  decided	
  to	
  just	
  work	
  on	
  the	
  movie	
  and	
  work	
  
on	
  a	
  tour	
  fundraising	
  campaign.	
  	
  Once	
  again	
  I	
  was	
  hit	
  with	
  reality	
  and	
  realized	
  I	
  was	
  
thinking	
  too	
  far	
  ahead.	
  	
  As	
  I	
  dove	
  more	
  into	
  this	
  project	
  I	
  realized	
  I	
  didn’t	
  have	
  the	
  
skill	
  set	
  to	
  make	
  the	
  movie	
  the	
  way	
  I	
  had	
  envisioned	
  it.	
  	
  That	
  is	
  when	
  I	
  decided	
  on	
  
the	
  final	
  structure	
  of	
  this	
  project.	
  	
  	
  To	
  create	
  a	
  fund	
  generating	
  campaign	
  to	
  fund	
  the	
  
film.	
  	
  Not	
  only	
  could	
  it	
  include	
  everything	
  I	
  had	
  already	
  worked	
  on,	
  but	
  it	
  also	
  
challenged	
  me	
  in	
  everything	
  I	
  had	
  learned	
  throughout	
  the	
  last	
  year.	
  
	
  

The	
  work	
  included	
  a	
  prototype	
  of	
  the	
  movie.	
  	
  I	
  created	
  storyboard	
  music	
  

videos	
  for	
  the	
  music	
  I	
  want	
  to	
  use	
  in	
  the	
  DJ	
  set.	
  	
  These	
  videos	
  were	
  then	
  put	
  together	
  

to	
  create	
  an	
  hour	
  performance.	
  	
  I	
  then	
  put	
  on	
  this	
  performance	
  for	
  the	
  school	
  and	
  
guests.	
  	
  After	
  all	
  this	
  I	
  also	
  now	
  have	
  a	
  working	
  model	
  to	
  show	
  for	
  my	
  CE,	
  and	
  a	
  
demo	
  for	
  the	
  Kickstarter	
  campaign,	
  (which	
  I	
  will	
  talk	
  about	
  in	
  a	
  minute).	
  	
  For	
  the	
  
prototype	
  itself	
  I	
  had	
  assigned	
  certain	
  subject	
  matter	
  topics	
  to	
  make	
  distinct	
  topic	
  
breaks	
  in	
  the	
  overall	
  subject.	
  	
  This	
  was	
  tricky	
  while	
  also	
  trying	
  to	
  progress	
  from	
  
wartime	
  to	
  present	
  in	
  an	
  overall	
  timeline.	
  	
  Utilizing	
  a	
  video-­‐mixing	
  program	
  from	
  
Serato,	
  I	
  then	
  mixed	
  together	
  these	
  movies	
  creating	
  a	
  fully	
  integrated	
  audiovisual	
  
performance.	
  
	
  

Once	
  I	
  had	
  decided	
  that	
  I	
  was	
  going	
  to	
  raise	
  funds	
  for	
  the	
  next	
  step	
  in	
  this	
  

project.	
  	
  I	
  started	
  looking	
  at	
  ways	
  to	
  raise	
  funds.	
  	
  	
  Kickstarter	
  seemed	
  to	
  me	
  to	
  be	
  the	
  
easiest	
  to	
  setup	
  and	
  use,	
  as	
  well	
  as	
  be	
  the	
  most	
  recognized	
  site	
  for	
  these	
  fund-­‐
generating	
  opportunities.	
  	
  I	
  then	
  created	
  a	
  ready	
  to	
  start	
  campaign.	
  	
  Everything	
  is	
  
written	
  and	
  completed,	
  with	
  the	
  exception	
  of	
  the	
  rewards	
  (will	
  discuss	
  rewards	
  
later).	
  	
  Bio	
  was	
  completed	
  along	
  with	
  entire	
  story	
  for	
  the	
  reader	
  to	
  get	
  an	
  idea	
  of	
  
what	
  this	
  project	
  is.	
  	
  All	
  rewards	
  were	
  written	
  to	
  show	
  the	
  overall	
  idea	
  of	
  the	
  
rewards	
  for	
  this	
  campaign.	
  	
  It	
  was	
  then	
  linked	
  with	
  my	
  Facebook	
  band	
  page	
  and	
  my	
  
Reverbnation	
  band	
  page,	
  which	
  I	
  created	
  for	
  this	
  project	
  as	
  well.	
  
	
  

The	
  rewards	
  required	
  most	
  of	
  the	
  creative	
  work	
  for	
  me	
  in	
  this	
  project.	
  	
  I	
  

started	
  out	
  by	
  making	
  my	
  own	
  music	
  for	
  the	
  lower	
  tiers	
  of	
  the	
  rewards	
  base.	
  	
  I	
  
created	
  three	
  original	
  tracks	
  that	
  I	
  can	
  copyright	
  and	
  release	
  at	
  a	
  future	
  date	
  of	
  my	
  
choosing.	
  	
  I	
  also	
  found	
  myself	
  making	
  many	
  bootlegs	
  along	
  with	
  these	
  original	
  
tracks.	
  	
  The	
  problem	
  is	
  the	
  copyrights	
  and	
  licensing	
  issues.	
  	
  So	
  I	
  decided	
  to	
  make	
  a	
  
reward	
  be	
  a	
  subscription	
  to	
  my	
  bootleg	
  and	
  DJ	
  set	
  site.	
  	
  Once	
  I	
  have	
  a	
  site	
  that	
  I	
  can	
  

charge	
  that	
  fee	
  (not	
  part	
  of	
  this	
  project).	
  	
  I	
  would	
  then	
  offer	
  fans	
  the	
  option	
  to	
  have	
  
this	
  as	
  a	
  reward.	
  	
  They	
  would	
  then	
  be	
  able	
  to	
  have	
  everything	
  they	
  want	
  that	
  is	
  in	
  
there.	
  	
  Here	
  I	
  can	
  put	
  bootleg	
  remixes;	
  DJ	
  sets,	
  and	
  show	
  movies	
  to	
  be	
  downloaded	
  
at	
  the	
  fans	
  request.	
  	
  This	
  not	
  only	
  acts	
  as	
  a	
  reward,	
  but	
  it	
  made	
  also	
  the	
  tools	
  
necessary	
  for	
  demos	
  to	
  be	
  used	
  for	
  promotions,	
  and	
  a	
  press	
  pack.	
  	
  	
  
	
  

Finally,	
  I	
  had	
  the	
  final	
  presentation.	
  	
  This	
  required	
  me	
  to	
  make	
  a	
  video	
  to	
  

introduce	
  the	
  project.	
  	
  So,	
  I	
  shot	
  and	
  edited	
  videos,	
  to	
  make	
  an	
  introduction	
  for	
  this	
  
project.	
  	
  I	
  created	
  a	
  slide	
  presentation	
  to	
  go	
  through	
  all	
  the	
  individual	
  parts	
  that	
  
made	
  up	
  this	
  entire	
  project.	
  	
  I	
  also	
  edited	
  videos	
  of	
  the	
  two	
  performances,	
  to	
  provide	
  
evidence	
  of	
  the	
  completion	
  of	
  these	
  specific	
  parts	
  of	
  the	
  project.	
  
Innovative	
  aspects	
  of	
  work:	
  
	
  

Innovative	
  aspects	
  of	
  this	
  project	
  are,	
  the	
  usage	
  of	
  new	
  software	
  to	
  control	
  

audio	
  and	
  visual	
  aspects	
  of	
  the	
  show	
  in	
  one	
  controlled	
  program.	
  	
  I	
  also	
  integrated	
  in	
  
a	
  state	
  of	
  the	
  art	
  DJ	
  controller	
  to	
  allow	
  me	
  to	
  control	
  both	
  the	
  visual	
  portion	
  and	
  
audio	
  portion	
  at	
  the	
  same	
  time.	
  	
  The	
  performance	
  is	
  innovative	
  trying	
  to	
  bring	
  
storytelling,	
  cinema	
  graphic	
  art,	
  and	
  music	
  to	
  create	
  a	
  full	
  sensory	
  experience	
  for	
  the	
  
listener.	
  	
  While	
  I	
  understand	
  this	
  has	
  been	
  done	
  before,	
  for	
  other	
  topics,	
  in	
  different	
  
ways,	
  by	
  other	
  individuals.	
  	
  My	
  topic	
  has	
  not	
  been	
  used	
  before,	
  and	
  my	
  overall	
  goals	
  
have	
  not	
  been	
  tried	
  before	
  ether.	
  
New	
  Skills	
  Acquired:	
  
	
  	
  

	
  Skills	
  that	
  I	
  acquired	
  through	
  this	
  project	
  encompassed	
  everything	
  the	
  Music	
  

Technology	
  Innovation	
  program	
  sought	
  to	
  teach	
  me.	
  	
  I	
  had	
  to	
  learn	
  to	
  video	
  edit	
  in	
  
order	
  to	
  complete	
  the	
  seven	
  music	
  videos	
  I	
  created	
  to	
  complete	
  the	
  story	
  set.	
  	
  All	
  my	
  

production	
  and	
  studio	
  recording	
  classes	
  were	
  needed	
  to	
  create	
  the	
  tracks	
  and	
  
bootlegs	
  I	
  created	
  for	
  this	
  project.	
  	
  Then	
  there	
  are	
  all	
  the	
  performances	
  and	
  DJ	
  skills	
  
I	
  learned	
  to	
  provide	
  a	
  performance	
  to	
  go	
  along	
  with	
  the	
  project.	
  	
  From	
  the	
  very	
  
beginning	
  I	
  was	
  learning	
  a	
  process	
  of	
  taking	
  an	
  idea	
  and	
  following	
  through	
  to	
  
completion.	
  	
  Teaching	
  me	
  time	
  management,	
  scheduling,	
  and	
  the	
  steps	
  necessary	
  to	
  
take	
  throughout	
  this	
  project.	
  	
  	
  But	
  most	
  of	
  all	
  I	
  learned	
  to	
  cope	
  with	
  expected	
  and	
  
unexpected	
  challenges	
  in	
  the	
  process.	
  
Challenges,	
  both	
  anticipated,	
  and	
  unexpected:	
  
	
  

By	
  evidence	
  of	
  the	
  evolution	
  of	
  this	
  project,	
  you	
  can	
  see	
  I	
  had	
  many	
  

challenges	
  that	
  had	
  to	
  be	
  addressed	
  and	
  overcome.	
  	
  The	
  unexpected	
  challenges	
  
mostly	
  dealt	
  with	
  the	
  overall	
  goal	
  of	
  the	
  project.	
  	
  Seemed	
  every	
  time	
  I	
  thought	
  I	
  had	
  
a	
  obtainable	
  goal,	
  other	
  work	
  or	
  time	
  would	
  require	
  me	
  to	
  scale	
  back	
  the	
  project.	
  	
  
Other	
  unexpected	
  challenges	
  had	
  to	
  do	
  with	
  skill	
  level.	
  	
  Case	
  in	
  point	
  the	
  movies.	
  	
  I	
  
wanted	
  to	
  have	
  them	
  so	
  much	
  better	
  produced,	
  however	
  my	
  skill	
  was	
  not	
  developed	
  
enough	
  to	
  complete	
  the	
  project	
  the	
  way	
  I	
  truly	
  wanted	
  to.	
  	
  That	
  also	
  played	
  a	
  role	
  in	
  
the	
  main	
  goal	
  issues	
  as	
  well.	
  
	
  

Then	
  there	
  were	
  the	
  expected	
  challenges.	
  	
  These	
  included	
  challenges	
  of	
  

learning	
  the	
  hardware	
  used	
  in	
  the	
  performances.	
  	
  Learning	
  new	
  software	
  in	
  order	
  to	
  
DJ	
  videos.	
  	
  Creating	
  new	
  music	
  is	
  styles	
  that	
  I	
  was	
  unfamiliar	
  with.	
  	
  Time	
  crunch	
  
challenges,	
  and	
  making	
  sure	
  everything	
  fit	
  together	
  in	
  one	
  complete	
  package	
  that	
  
didn’t	
  turn	
  out	
  looking	
  like	
  many	
  different	
  project	
  thrown	
  together.	
  
	
  
	
  

Future	
  ramifications	
  and/or	
  plans	
  for	
  Work:	
  
	
  

As	
  for	
  the	
  future	
  of	
  this	
  project	
  at	
  this	
  point	
  I	
  really	
  have	
  no	
  concrete	
  plans	
  

for	
  the	
  project.	
  	
  Either	
  way	
  though	
  I	
  have	
  tools	
  now	
  that	
  I	
  can	
  use	
  in	
  order	
  to	
  
succeed.	
  	
  The	
  tracks	
  that	
  are	
  mine	
  I	
  may	
  look	
  into	
  releasing.	
  	
  The	
  bootlegs	
  can	
  be	
  
used	
  to	
  grow	
  fan	
  base	
  and	
  be	
  part	
  of	
  a	
  press	
  packet	
  used	
  to	
  generate	
  gig	
  
opportunities	
  in	
  the	
  future.	
  	
  I	
  have	
  a	
  playable	
  story	
  set	
  that	
  I	
  can	
  perform	
  as	
  well.	
  	
  All	
  
in	
  all	
  even	
  if	
  I	
  don’t	
  move	
  forward	
  on	
  the	
  movie,	
  throughout	
  this	
  whole	
  project	
  I	
  
have	
  created	
  the	
  tools,	
  music,	
  and	
  sites	
  needed	
  to	
  start	
  a	
  professional	
  DJ	
  career.	
  	
  
Conclusion:	
  
	
  

In	
  conclusion	
  this	
  project	
  took	
  everything	
  I	
  have	
  learned,	
  experienced,	
  and	
  

persevered	
  through	
  in	
  order	
  for	
  it	
  to	
  be	
  completed.	
  	
  I	
  not	
  only	
  had	
  to	
  define	
  myself	
  
as	
  an	
  artist,	
  a	
  DJ,	
  and	
  a	
  professional.	
  	
  I	
  also	
  had	
  to	
  express	
  concerns	
  that	
  have	
  been	
  
on	
  my	
  mind	
  for	
  a	
  long	
  time.	
  	
  This	
  project	
  allowed	
  me	
  to	
  put	
  all	
  those	
  idea	
  and	
  
concerns	
  out	
  there	
  for	
  the	
  world	
  to	
  see	
  and	
  experience.	
  	
  I	
  now	
  am	
  able	
  to	
  look	
  
forward	
  to	
  a	
  future	
  that	
  I	
  have	
  always	
  wanted.	
  	
  I	
  now	
  have	
  the	
  tools,	
  skills,	
  
confidence,	
  and	
  motivation	
  to	
  succeed	
  in	
  any	
  path	
  I	
  wish	
  to	
  take.	
  	
  The	
  proof	
  is	
  in	
  all	
  
the	
  work	
  I	
  managed	
  to	
  complete	
  over	
  this	
  last	
  year.	
  	
  In	
  regards	
  to	
  the	
  full	
  project,	
  I	
  
hope	
  that	
  I	
  can	
  one	
  day	
  share	
  the	
  finished	
  idea	
  with	
  the	
  world.	
  	
  To	
  help	
  raise	
  
awareness	
  to	
  the	
  battles	
  we	
  as	
  veterans	
  face	
  in	
  America	
  today.	
  	
  So	
  that	
  maybe	
  one	
  
day	
  when	
  people	
  who	
  proudly	
  display	
  stickers	
  saying	
  “We	
  support	
  the	
  troops”,	
  they	
  
will	
  honestly	
  know	
  and	
  understand	
  what	
  it	
  truly	
  takes	
  to	
  support	
  them.	
  
References:	
  
"Patriots or Profiteers?" YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. 30 June 2014.

"War Profiteers Escalate Their War on Jobs." YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. 30 June
2014.
"DJ Spooky's "Rebirth of a Nation"" YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. 30 June 2014.