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Written byChristian Staines
Come as you are. Create as you are.
Brad Farrell is not your average creative. You know all that admin and logistical stuff the rest of us struggle with? Well that is Brad’s bread and butter. He’s been in the creative industry since 13 and feels most at home in the studio space. Brad started off managing the sound at his primary school during live performances, which he continued with through high school, and into his first company in live music, but it was when he began messing about in DIY bedroom recording studios that he really perfected his craft. In April of 2021, after a few years of learning the industry know-how, Brad decided to set up shop within the sheek walls of the Neighbourgood community workspace. Enter CAYA.
CAYA
[kai – ya]
(abr.) Create As You Are {C.A.Y.A}.
(abr.) Come As You Are {C.A.Y.A}.
(trans.) khaya – isiXhosa for ‘house’ or ‘home’
(trans.) kuier – Afrikaans for ’visit’ or ‘hang out’.
CAYA was started with the intention of providing local up-and-coming creatives with a stepping-stone between their home studio and a world-class studio at a rate that is actually affordable. “We have a level of the industry in Cape Town that is top-notch across the board, across genre and media. That gap is filled. But it seems to me that there’s not really much catering to anywhere between bedroom studio and professional. And I wanted to try and bridge that gap and help creators who are trying to make a career out of their passion.”
Brad wanted to bring the comfort and accessibility of a home studio and blend that with equipment and luxury found in a professional workspace. So often do creative sparks die out at home because the barrier for entry is too high or too expensive. Brad wants to use his position, and his passion, to help cultivate local artists and their work. “Being around creative people is what keeps me going. Ultimately that’s what the incentive is; just working with people I love and seeing collaborations happen, especially if I’ve had something to do with them. It’s so rewarding to see them actually leave the fold and go do shit on their own. That’s what makes me happy.”
The CAYA creative space consists of two impressive studios filled with all the equipment you could ever need. Studio One acts as a recording studio with acoustically treated walls, customizable lighting and video recording equipment. It’s the perfect space for everything from recording podcasts to live streams to post-production audio (and more). Studio Two allows photographers and videographers to get as creative as they want. It boasts a blank canvas with a range of lighting options and a green screen – the space can be moulded into your ideal set. The best feature of both of these studios is their versatility. CAYA encourage broad utilization of their space for whatever needs you may have: “It’s been so cool to see how people take that blank slate and really just mould it to fit the look that they want.”
“Being around creative people is what keeps me going. Ultimately that’s what the incentive is; just working with people I love and seeing collaborations happen, especially if I’ve had something to do with them. It’s so rewarding to see them actually leave the fold and go do shit on their own. That’s what makes me happy.”
Podcasts are one medium Brad has taken a keen interest in. Podcasts have been around for a few years but are only really hitting the South African scene recently, which means the playing field is still wide open. “It’s just an incredible medium to have genuine, deep, unfiltered conversations and get away from the very short form communication we are used to on traditional media. Podcasts break down the mindsets of instant gratification and aggressive defensiveness that are so strongly linked to purely text-based media – and I think that is so sorely needed. I’m so glad it’s taking off in South Africa now because we have such a massive diversity of voices and stories which need to be shared.”
Having sat inside both, I can honestly say that I am in love with the space. You won’t get audio that crisp nor lighting that good at home. New creatives need to be willing to exit the comfort of their home studios and enter into a professional workspace if they want to take their craft to the next level. You can have the best idea in the world but if it doesn’t have that A-grade look then people aren’t going to give it the attention it deserves. Brad believes that one of the most important things any burgeoning creative can do for themselves is to invest in their passion:
“Access to professional-looking spaces makes a big difference. It creates that identity of how you see yourself and how others will see you. And it will elevate the quality of what you do, and that will elevate your status as a creator and your likelihood to get paid jobs. You have to take yourself seriously and invest in your career beyond just investing in your gear. If you’re not willing to invest in your art, why the fuck should anybody else?”
“You have to take yourself seriously and invest in your career beyond just investing in your gear. If you’re not willing to invest in your art, why the fuck should anybody else?”
When you’re pursuing your passion you want to feel like you’re progressing – that milestones are being met. And one of the easiest ways for you to feel this is by putting yourself into new situations with new people. This will open you up to fresh opportunities and possible collaborations. Collaborations are something both CAYA and The CCC feel very strongly about and have toiled with since day one. Brad summed it up quite nicely for us: “There’s this intense competition within the local creative industry. It’s not actively exclusive, but it’s definitely not actively inclusive. People are just comfortable with where they are and who they know now. People just don’t really want to go out of their way to be inclusive.”
CAYA and The CCC are trying to break this cycle of exclusivity in Cape Town. We want to lower the barrier of entry for up-and-coming creatives so that everyone is given equal opportunities no matter their background. Our collaborative shoot is a testament to what is possible when we all band together to create something beautiful. “There’s a lot of momentum and energy to do shit like this. And I think it’s about the right time to start really breaking that out and getting it going.”
Keep your eyes peeled for more collaborative work between our two brands – and don’t be afraid to join in for the next one!
Come as you are.
Stronger Together.
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All of CAYA’s rates and services for their studios can be found on their website https://www.cayacreativestudios.com/
Also, check out their Instagram page for more great content – @cayacreativestudios
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