So, You want to be a Music Manager?

Posted on April 14, 2012 by Bailey O'Malia

If you took advertising, public relations, management, music and business, and rolled them into one job title you still might not cover all the bases when it comes to being a music manager.

Music management takes passion, discipline and commitment, according to Ethan Schiff.

Schiff’s career in music began with booking local bands. “Things were going well, but it wasn’t very personal,” said Schiff. “It was more like, ‘Hey, here’s your upcoming gig, here are the details, cool.’”

Schiff said he was looking to get more involved in the process, “I’m too passionate about music to be that hands-off, so I started getting into management to be closer with the artists I worked with and the music itself.”

He immediately felt that music management was the perfect career. “I think it’s really rare to work with, and always be surrounded by, people who are extremely passionate about what they do. I’m really lucky because of that,” said Schiff.
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Facebook Timeline; Does it Scare You?

Posted on April 13, 2012 by Dan Shaw

You may have noticed, unless you live under a social media rock, that on Friday March 30th 2012, all Facebook fan/brand/business pages were forced into the new page layout along with new features. The infographic is a good overview of what the changes mean (see bottom of this post). Your Facebook Page is not your personal profile as that is a different topic.

Here are some tips to make it less scary and more fun. Ok, I’ll admit these might not be fun for many of you. They are more guidance then fun.

Have fun with your cover photo

One of the most significant differences between the old page and Timeline is the emphasis Facebook puts on visuals: Timeline’s photos are much larger, and the cover photo is no exception.
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Fashion Photographer and Fashion Model Expectations

Posted on April 11, 2012 by Jason Christopher

What do photographers expect from a model and what do models expect from a photographer during a shoot ? I hear many arguments on this subject and after finally getting tired of hearing many photographers and models give their opinion that THEY think is correct I decided to tell you all how it really is in hopes that I can provide a little less friction in this lovely world of the model and fashion photography industry.

Ok so this is how this discussion is broken down.

We have photographers and models who shoot test shoots, paid and non paid but aren’t at the level yet to shoot commercial paid assignments, editorials or advertising.

Then we have photographers who shoot commercial assignments like catalogs, advertising, editorials and look books. These photographers also shoot test shoots and model portfolios. I fall into this category. I have had many girls come to me from all over the country who want to get into modeling and some girls that are already modeling and they just need to update their books. Like I said, I also shoot advertisements, editorials and look books.
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Educating the Client

Posted on April 5, 2012 by Jay Farrell

There is more to being a professional photographer than knowing how to take photos. Educating the client, and understanding their needs are a big part of it too. Of course first, a photographer should be known for their unique style and skill set with creating images…..but the right images for their client is the key! If I am meeting with a client, whether it be for a wedding or a commercial headshot, etc. I make sure I understand their needs so that they get what they can use. That’s part of what they are paying me for. Usage is also covered. That is part of what photographers are paid for, which is why commercial usage rates are higher. Knowing how to create the images that help brand their company, that will be used to generate revenue for them. It is not an expense, it’s an investment. Which is why it’s bone headed to go cheap and find someone to do it cheap or free. One example, I bid a corporate headshot for a potential client, and she went with someone from Craigslist to save money. She came back to me because this piece of crap portrait she showed me had horrible lighting and really bad retouching, which consisted of epic proportions of smoothing and blurring of the skin. That is useless for any kind of headshot used for publicity.
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Agency or portfolio first?

Posted on April 3, 2012 by Jay Farrell

Models and talent agencies are not always predictable as far as supply and demand, who they sign, etc. Pretty has little to do with it….it’s about the look that goes with the commercial or fashion style of the ads they will be working, clothing they are modeling, etc. Sharpness of facial features and proportions are the most dominant factor. One agency may or may not have a need for more talent of a certain look, proportion, etc. when another one might. This is why it’s best not to get impatient, and do your shopping for an agency that will sign you, that you have been referred to by someone you know. The look each agency wants may vary, so that’s one reason it’s best to find your agency before hiring a photographer to do your headshots and model portfolio images if applicable.
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Photographer business cards, images or no images?

Posted on April 2, 2012 by Jay Farrell

business cards with our without images I have had business card discussions on this blog in the past, explaining my new direction with business card design after my designer created a company logo for me. But never really touched on to go with images or no images on photographers’ business cards, and the advantage to either. So that is what this particular article is about. After my logo was created a couple years ago, part of the branding exercise my designer suggested we create, was to help make people familiar with this logo, in connection to my company name and image….meaning a clean design would be to my advantage. In the past I have had 2 or 3 images on my cards, which was ok, but I was glad to get away from that.
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Neely – Building A Tour From The Ground Up

Posted on March 24, 2012 by Margaret Noonan

Jeremy and Kaci Neely, of the band Neely, met in 1996 in Great Bend, Kansas. However it wasn’t until after five years of marriage they realized they had a musical connection as well. One day when Jeremy was writing a song, Kaci joined in and they realized they harmonized great together. That one moment ignited their dreams and led to the formation of Neely.

One of Neely’s greatest strengths is the management of their band. They’re truly an independent band that writes their own music and promotes themselves. Internet promotion is one of their keys to reaching their audience.

“The challenging part is getting people to see [your message],” Jeremy Neely said. “You have this balance of trying to float it out there so everybody sees a post without doing it so much where you lose followers.”
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SXSW Series: 5 Summary

Posted on March 19, 2012 by Shannon Murphy

I am back in Nashville! My ears are still ringing, my eyes cannot stay open, and every time I go to stand up there is an overwhelming feeling that my legs are going to fail me and I will fall flat on my face. I am in full recovery detox mode from SXSW.

The plane ride back was a sad one, reminding me the fun was over and that I was about to get sucker punched with an enormous amount of school work. I flipped through my note book filled with quick memos and records of this past week’s happenings and couldn’t help the smile from spreading across my face. I had one of the most amazing experiences at SXSW 2012. It was eye opening for what I am getting my self into with my career, as well as reaffirming that I chose the best option possible.

There was more to take away than I can say from this festival. I collected quite a few business cards and meet some amazing people in the industry that I hope to stay in contact with in the future. I learned numerous methods and styles of the music industry from sitting in on the panels listening to the professionals talk. I heard some of my idols speak and reaffirm the choices I have made in my livelihood of business. But one of the best features of this entire trip was all of the new up and coming music that I was graced with hearing. Continue reading →

It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s the world’s largest comic book convention!

Posted on March 19, 2012 by Liz Hartnett

Morgan Spurlock’s film Comic Con, Episode IV: A Fan’s Hope premiered at the True/False Film Festival in Columbia, Missouri last month.

Spurlock and his team followed five storylines through the weekend of the world’s largest convention- Comic Con. Each story showed the audience that Comic Con isn’t just a weekend for nerds to geek out—dreams are squashed and realized at the convention.

Comic Con, Episode IV showcases a bartender from Columbia, Missouri whose biggest dream is finding a vendor at Comic Con to publish his artwork.

But what good comic doesn’t feature a rival?

The Missouri bartender is pitted against an Air Force artist who is also attending the convention in hopes of becoming the ‘next big thing’ in comic art.

Next, we meet a small-town girl who designs costumes based on video games in her garage. Her goal at Comic Con is to obtain exposure for her craft. Her dreams are bigger than the town that she comes from.

Comic Con, Episode IV also introduces us to a comic book collector, who calls himself a survivor. He is still thriving in the comic book business, despite the fact that many collectors can no longer afford their hobby-turned-occupation. He plans on selling one of the rarest comics ever printed- Red Raven.

The final story line is the funniest of the film.

Two star-crossed lovers who met at the convention last year, but is their mutual love of all things nerdy enough to keep them together? Will they get the chance to live happily ever after when ‘popping the question’ turns out to be harder than it looks?

Comic Con, Episode IV can make you laugh, cry, and even cringe at the awkwardness of Comic Con attendees. Spurlock and his crew manage to interpret the film as the greatest comic book movie you can imagine.

Yes, you’re watching a documentary— but the intensity, romance, and hope that each character possesses makes you feel as if you’re watching real-life super heroes achieve their dreams.

It’s like our favorite comic books have come to life—love, loss, bad guys and good guys can all be found in Comic Con, Episode IV: A Fan’s Hope. Seeing the real-life version of the comic book clichés we’ve come to cherish is as thrilling as watching Superman fly through the sky on the pages of a comic book.