Hi, who are you? I’m Pilar, I’m a music composer, music teacher and filmmaker.
What is Brightunes? Brightunes is a way to show people around the world, through the internet, how many amazing musicians are in Brighton, and how much talent is in Brighton – exclusively in Brighton.
It’s a dream, it is a way to help talented musicians that should be recognised worldwide. No money, no help, no means, but with great enthusiasm and desire to make beautiful things.
I uploaded the first video on the 24th of January, then I started meeting people and talked with them, they gave me their contact details and facebook pages, and one day I decided to do it – I started with the people closest to me and then it went on.

Where are you based? I moved to Brighton from Spain 3 months ago.
Why did you choose to start your project in Brighton? I love filming and the idea started after I was inspired by seeing local Brighton musicians at open mic nights, I was amazed at their talent and beauty, I came alone to this city, and it was the best way to meet wonderful and amazing people with whom to share my passion for music, and help them while I helped myself.
Why did you decide to film local and upcoming musicians? I noticed all the musicians can’t live off their music, nobody here can live off their music, they all have second jobs or ‘primary jobs’, and nobody pays any money for them to play at open mic nights, nobody is giving them the recognition they deserve – I would like to try and change that.
The videos are a way to create an audience so people can love them. I have to try and sell my music here as well, but it’s difficult.
I’m filming incredibly talented musicians, I want to reflect and show the raw essence of the artist, as far from the American musical blockbusters – my Brightunes artists do not need, you know, a thousand compressors, huge production, post-production, they don’t need big mixing, limiters. They sound just as good live as the professional music videos of professional artists.
Why do you like Brighton? Brighton is a special place with special musicians. When I came here on vacation in August I discovered it was a very musical town and I fell in love with Brighton.
How do you approach filming the performances? Usually I choose the musicians I want to record, now a lot of people send me their work, but now I don’t record anyone if I haven’t seen them live.
I always have to see them live first. Because you can really appreciate their talent and how brilliant the compositions are that way. Maybe in the future people can choose me.
When recording, everything flows unpretentious, without any preparation. Each recording is a unique, beautiful and wonderful and unique experience. It’s a special and magical link that grows between the artist and me when each recording is generated.
What made you choose one continuous shot as a style of filming? I started that way because it’s simple, it’s fresh and it’s close. In the future we’re going to record with more cameras, more materials.
It all depends on the materials, people and stuff you have. It’s beautiful, because after the first videos a lot of people offered to work with me to be part of my crazy dream.
Well at the beginning I was mixing, and mastering, and adapting, and doing it all completely by myself. I’ve just got a lot of happiness, love, passion, and initiative – that’s the only thing I have.
I will find different styles but with the same energy. In the future I want to do music videos as well, not just live music.
When can we see the next Brightunes video? Every Sunday on the youtube channel, this week I’m going to create a new playlist of ‘covers’ because they [local musicians] have their own style, everyone else just tries to imitate a cover.
What’s been your favourite performance you’ve filmed so far? It’s difficult, maybe the first one, with Siah, because he’s very special and he inspired me to keep recording.
https://www.facebook.com/brightunes/
Interview by Marc Kis