Digital Storytelling Workshop is Back & Artist Spotlight on Soulshocka!

Headline - Digital Storytelling Workshop Begins Week Of 7/5/2021

We know that with plenty of families starting to think about their family summer plans we wanted to announce that our Digital Storytelling Workshop is coming back this summer 2021!

Click the image below to find out more about the Digital Storytelling Workshop:

Transform yourself into an original character through a range of different artistic mediums including film & acting, music, voice-acting, and visual art!

Click the images below to see a few examples of

what we made in the Digital Storytelling Workshop last year:

Learn how to create your own videos and more with Spec Labs this summer!

This fun, exciting creative process is one of self discovery! It begins on the week of JULY 5TH! Find out more about this exciting & imaginative opportunity by clicking the image on the right:

Tuition includes FIVE -- 60 minute sessions with Spec Labs mentors!

Plus your project edited and featured on our Spec Labs YouTube page!

We even made a group video during our 1st summer storytelling workshop called:

Imagination Vacation. Click on any of the images below to check out the video:

And you can check out even more examples of Digital Storytelling Workshop via clicking on the image below: which contains a playlist of 14 video examples!

All learning styles & abilities are welcome! So if this sounds like something that you’d like to try out then you can go ahead and click on the image below to enroll this summer:

Today’s artist spotlight: Rio Wyles aka Soulshocka!

Rio has been working with Spec Labs for over 5 years now!

Check out their 5 year retro-spec-tive by clicking the image below:

We also asked Soulshocka a few questions that they answered below:

Tell me about what makes you passionate about being a rapper and an artist in general!?

-It’s an outlet to expressing myself, to create, and to deliver a message.

What are some things about yourself that might surprise your friends?

-I'm obsessed with Geography! And accents; I've even mastered a few!

I hate mint. Including mint chip ice cream. Pass. Mint toothpaste is my limit. I love comedies!

What has Spec Lab Records done for you to help you achieve any of your creative goals?

-I can't say enough about Garth and Jason!

They whip my butt! Or, at least try to, but allow me to drive the ship creatively.

They also provide a platform to expose my music. I feel lucky to be working with them!

Check out their Spec Lab Records page & their latest Music below:

And remember to buy some of their songs on Apple Music + Amazon!

COVID-19

American Dream

Our new online community group open space for

LGBTQ+ neurodivergent folx (and their friends) is here!!

RSVP right now by emailing the address on the FLYER and/or click on the

FLYER above and join the Facebook Group for Tied Under The Rainbow.

And click on the video below to learn more about who the

LGBTQ+ Neurodivergent Community Group is & what exactly they do!

Go through our awesome collection curated by our very own students' artwork!

Come grab a mug, a t-shirt, and much more! Spec Labs gets a donation with every purchase, which will go towards art scholarships for our wonderful and talented students!

View our full collection here or by clicking on either image of our Merch above/below:

Remember to enroll in our free Mindfulness classes (Monday @ 12:00 PM & Friday @ 5:15 PM):

And be sure to view our new Mindfulness channel-- featuring Yoga, Sound Healing, Meditation & Mindfulness created for our students at Spec Labs. Be mindful & stay balanced!

Click on the image below of the Spec Lab Community to contact us:

Some More Good News & Use Your Imagination VR Music Video!

Headline - Some Good News Shared Spec Labs Video

Watch the Video NOW by CLICKING ON the image on the left below:

#SomeGoodNews with John Krasinski recently shared our Spec Labs Video:

on their Facebook Page

(currently over 20,000 views)

&

on their Instagram Story

(currently over 10,000 views)!

Use Your Imagination: an original virtual reality music video created by

#autistic​ & #neurodivergent​ musicians, singers, filmmakers & actors at Spec Labs in 2016!

It was the FIRST EVER Virtual Reality Musical Journey Through Autism and it currently has over 500,000 views on Facebook! Check it out by clicking on image below:

See all the fun with a gallery of cast and crew Behind-The-Scenes photos from the set of:

Use Your Imagination VR Music Video!!

Photo Credit: Jeff Lorch (check out his other work via Jeff Lorch Photography)

It was also an Official Selection at #SXSW​ film festival & premiered at #Sundance​ Film Festival for the #Oculus​ #VR​ for Good! It has over 500,000 views!! Click the poster & add a view too!!

And click on the screenshot below to learn more!!

LA Parent Magazine even wrote an article about Use Your Imagination

a few years back; check it out here:

And you can buy the song & album for Use Your Imagination by clicking on the image below:

Today’s artist spotlight: Nick Brode!

The Spec Lab Family Testimonial video for this blog -- Nick Brode. Click the image below:

Check out Nick's music up on the Spec Lab Records page.

And don't forget to click the images below to WATCH -- Nick Brode's Music Video(s):

Sing Your Thoughts

Deep End

Some Other Good News;

a new online community group & wonderful open space for

LGBTQ+ neurodivergent folx (and their friends) is here!!

Tied Under The Rainbow' starts Tuesday evening @ 6 PM (PST)

and will be occurring every Tuesday at 6 PM (PST) in the near future!

RSVP right now by emailing the address on the FLYER and/or click on the

FLYER above and join the Facebook Group for Tied Under The Rainbow.

And click on the video below to learn more about who the

LGBTQ+ Neurodivergent Community Group is & what exactly they will do!

Go through our awesome collection curated by our very own students' artwork!

Come grab a mug, a t-shirt, and much more! Spec Labs gets a donation with every purchase, which will go towards art scholarships for our wonderful and talented students!

View our full collection here or by clicking on either image of our Merch above/below:

Remember to enroll in our free Mindfulness classes (Monday @ 12:00 PM & Friday @ 5:15 PM):

And be sure to view our new Mindfulness channel-- featuring Yoga, Sound Healing, Meditation & Mindfulness created for our students at Spec Labs. Be mindful & stay balanced!

Click on the image below of the Spec Lab Community to contact us:

Spec Lab Records Celebrates 6 Years & Some Good News!

Spec Lab Records debuted with its first full album release: Jamboree on May 17th, 2015.

Currently, Spec Lab Records has released & distributed

136 songs to date, from 22 talented artists on major music platforms

such as Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon Music, Youtube and more!

www.speclabs.org/speclabrecords

Spec Lab Records is currently operating out of a new studio location in North Hollywood. Finally, we are beginning to schedule in studio sessions the week of April 26th again for the 1st time in over a year before the pandemic started. Between Spec Lab's Recording Workshop & Mentorship Programs: 12 artists are actively recording music with 15 projects in production.

Throughout the last year, in quarantine, our artists continued to stay in production; with many learning to record their art remotely in the process. We’ve definitely been keeping busy…. Currently, since quarantine began, we’ve been able to release 22 songs from 13 gifted artists!

Here are a few brief interviews with a couple of our current Spec Lab Records musical artists:

ANN POSTLEWAITE

Question 1: What was the last music you’ve released with Spec Lab Records?

-The last music I released was a Shower Thoughts Remix!

Question 2: What can you say about the process of making this music? How long did it take?

Where did you record it? What inspires you/makes you passionate about music?

-When i made this song i truly felt passionate about it.

I worked with Alex K. and Garth to make this song. The original song was the first song I had ever released so I thought it would be fitting to make a remix. I really enjoy working with both Alex & Garth. They help me create my dreams and inspire me to keep creating!

Question 3: Since you’ve been with Spec Lab Records how do you think you’ve grown as an

artist and grown as a person?

-I think i have grown a lot. I think that when I work with Garth, he truly brings out the

best in me. We always laugh while we work and there is never a dull moment. Garth has definitely helped shape me into the person I am today; I truly appreciate him for it.

+ See Ann Postlewaite on the Spec Lab Artist page & Music Video, click on the image, below:

SPENCER GRIFFIN

Question 1: What was the last music you’ve released with Spec Lab Records?

-“The last music I released with Spec Lab Records was a song called Quirky Little Girl,

with my friend Sparrow providing backing vocals. I'm currently in the process of releasing four more songs (and hopefully more to come afterwards!)”

Question 2: What can you say about the process of making this music? How long did it take?

Where did you record it? What inspires you/makes you passionate about music?

-“It took a few months to make the song come out the way I had imagined it would since I first wrote it back in 2008 (I released it officially earlier this year and started recording it late last year). I had imagined Quirky Little Girl to sound like a power pop or jangle-pop song in my head, so when I recorded it (with Garth's amazing assistance), I tried getting the guitar to have a sound that was fresh and polished but still crunchy enough to be rock, trying in particular to emulate the sound of groups like R.E.M. and Gin Blossoms. I also pictured backing vocalists of a higher pitched range in my head in the song, which is where enlisting Sparrow's help came in handy. I recorded the song from home using GarageBand and my electric guitar.

As for what makes me passionate about music? Where to begin?! Soooo many things!

I've loved music ever since I was a little kid. It's been part of my life for such a long time that I sometimes have a bit of a hard time remembering WHY I love music as much as I do!

However, if I were to make a guess about why music matters so much to me the most, I'd say it's probably because it helps me to get in touch with my emotions. I'm a very sensitive person, so I feel like it's important for me to regulate my emotions. I also find that music is a way to escape from the troubles I have faced before in my life because it doesn't judge me, and the emotional sentiments contained within a song often echo how I feel.

Other times, it's just fun! And who doesn't love that?!”

Question 3: Since you’ve been with Spec Lab Records how do you think you’ve grown as an

artist and grown as a person?

-“Since I've been with Spec Lab Records, one way I feel I've grown as an artist is that songwriting comes to me easier than it has for me in a long time! Ideas for songs seem to come to me faster now. I've also gotten better acquainted with GarageBand thanks to working with Spec Lab Records, which has opened up a whole world full of possibilities for both my own work & in my aiding fellow Spec Lab students with some of their songs.”

+ Check out Spencer Griffin's music video by clicking on the image below:

This section is about our artists getting jobs/professional work in the entertainment industry.

Today’s student spotlight: Atticus Jackson!

Atticus Jackson fun facts:

-Atticus began to learn logic pro in 2017 & since has composed music for several Spec Lab Films:

Boys Don’t Wear Dresses, Atticus & Atticus in Virtual Reality, My Heart Confuses Me.

-Atticus was hired to compose music for:

Sesame Street, Special Olympics, Chime Academy, & Autism Live Podcast.

-Atticus has also performed and written music for many Spec Lab Record songs and has composed music for a film trailer.

Question 1: What was the last music you’ve released with Spec Lab Records?

-“An orchestral piece called Prodigal Son.”

Question 2: What can you say about the process of making this music? How long did it take?

Where did you record it? What inspires you/makes you passionate about music?

-“It was originally part of my Quarantune collection on my SoundCloud.

I would write pieces to pass the time in quarantine. I usually only spend a day or two on these tracks since they’re all digital. This one utilized over $1000 worth of software and

it’s by far the best orchestral piece I’ve ever written. My inspiration is film scores, particularly John Williams. I wanted this one to sound like it was in a movie.”

Question 3: Since you’ve been with Spec Lab Records how do you think you’ve grown as an

artist and grown as a person?

-“I’ve learned more than I thought I ever would about songwriting and

producing & music making in general. I can officially call myself a professional musician now, especially since I’ve gotten gigs outside of spec lab, and I never thought I’d get here.

As a person, I think I’ve grown to be more patient and less tense.”

+ Don't forget to check out Atticus Jackson on the Spec Lab Artist page & their SoundCloud by clicking on the screenshot below:

Also click on the image below to WATCH -- Atticus Jackson's Spec Lab Testimonial:

Happy World Autism Acceptance Month! Some Good News from Spectrum Laboratory’s autistic artists! We’re so excited to share #somegoodnews​ with you all! Spec Labs artists will have their artwork showcased on Sevenly! You can even get artist merch from our award winning short film Boys Don't Wear Dresses.

Watch the "Some Good News from Spec Lab Artists" video NOW

by CLICKING ON the image below!!

Sevenly even wrote a whole blog post about our stuff! Check out their awesome blog!

Go through our awesome collection curated by our very own students' artwork! Come grab a mug, a t-shirt, and much more! Spec Labs gets a donation with every purchase, which will go towards art scholarships for our wonderful and talented students! View our full collection here!

Remember to enroll in our free Mindfulness classes (Monday @ 12:00 PM & Friday @ 5:15 PM):

And don't forget about our new Mindfulness channel -- featuring Yoga, Sound Healing, Meditation & Mindfulness created for our students at Spec Labs. Be mindful & well balanced!

Click on image of the Spec Lab Community below to contact us: