Networking at the FMF

In April 2014, I got a chance to work at the Florida Music Festival as a volunteer. I had been looking forward to meeting the bands as well as the industry professionals who were going to be present. For the most part, I was at the sign-in table where they all came to pick up their credentials. This was a great opportunity because I met a lot of credible professionals in the music industry as well as upcoming musicians who are well on their way to becoming great household names. On the first day, I shadowed a stage manager at The Social, to learn what it takes to stage manage. In addition to this serving as a learning opportunity, I really enjoyed interacting with the different people.

I have been able to evaluate my experience and believe that this was a great networking opportunity, which I took advantage of and created lasting contacts in the business. My ultimate dream is to run concerts and festivals and as much as I was at the bottom of the food chain in this instance, I realized it takes confidence and desire to reach this dream. I met some of the people who were in charge of the event and working closely with them, on what some would consider mundane tasks, gave me the opportunity to observe and ask questions about their actual positions and how they would handle different things.

I also realize that staging the festival in the downtown Orlando area brought a lot of attention to the businesses that partnered with the event organizers. It was interesting to see how all the stakeholders are brought together by an elaborate event to achieve some business goals.  

Although this was unpaid gig, I believe it was well worth it because I was able to watch over fifty bands in the span of three days. I got to meet other students with similar dreams who I believe will be exceptional assets in the industry's future. I also met the lead singer of a great band from Cape Coral. By talking to the artist, I was able to see his desire and commitment to his art. I have been following Supros and watching their music and believe they have a lot of great potential in the industry.

Through this experience and the connections I made with the organizers, I was rewarded with Universal Orlando passes. Being a newbie in Orlando, this was a dream come true. From this I realized that there are other ways of going around appreciating those who you work with in the industry. By working on the connections you have, you can make your other connections want to keep working with you.  It all takes a bit of creativity.

Essential Negotiation Strategies

Margaret Neale is an Adams Distinguished Professor of Management at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. In her presentation, Getting What You Want, she explains different ways of approaching negotiations and states three things that are important to know before heading into a negotiation. The first thing is knowing your alternative, which gives you better negotiating power as you know you have the best alternative if a deal isn’t made. Secondly, you should know your reservation point. She further explains this as the point where you are indifferent, where a yes is as good as a no, the point where you can say yes or use the alternative.

Lastly, what you hope to achieve out of a negotiation. In order to get more of what you want, you should assess the benefits vs. costs, know your interests and the other side’s interests, ask and share unique information, and bundle your proposals.

One interesting aspect I learned was how to package, therefore, avoiding an issue-by-issue negotiation where you either win or lose. By packaging, and using if-then statements, you can trade among the issues on the table.

Negotiation is not an adversarial process. Rather, to get what you want, you should approach it as a problem solving process.

She further gives women tips on how to handle negotiations by considering why they are asking, how they ask and for whom they are asking. Being able to say no to a bad deal is also very important. You will never know if you can get a better deal unless you are willing to walk away. Her presentation is important to me, as a woman interested in the entertainment industry, because she affirms that negotiating is vital and doing it right ensures you get what you want. 

Brian Tracy is a motivational speaker and an author whose focus is on personal and business success. In this video, he explains a few tactics and strategies to use when negotiating. An interesting fact that I learned from the onset is that everything is negotiable and preparation is 80% of success. That means everyone negotiates, the difference is whether you are good or bad at it and you should know what to improve on.

It is also important to note that one should negotiate based on their contribution. For example, when asking for better pay, you should demonstrate why it is beneficial to the organization.

In the entertainment industry especially, being able to negotiate a good deal is vital for the success of every client, where, in a good deal, everyone wins. Being able to come up with creative solutions is very important.

Interestingly enough, the person who is most emotionally involved has the least power. Negotiating power is exhibited by expertise, knowledge, relationship, reward and loss, investment in time.

Shawn Casemore is a leader in operational excellence. For over two decades, his business helps organizations focus on business improvements strategy, leadership and team development. In this presentation, Shawn explains how the results of negotiations rely on your ability to influence and persuade others.

He further explains how the art of language is essential to reach an agreement that is mutually beneficial.
In the entertainment industry, knowing when and how to express yourself is a great strategy that always makes a lot of difference in the negotiation process. According to Shawn, it is necessary to understand the art of language to build credibility, to strategize on language and the timing.

The idea that objections in negotiations demonstrate the interests of a group is perhaps the most interesting fact I learned from this presentation. They are a clear indication that you are reaching an agreement and may be used to gauge where the process is heading.

These three videos are very informative and the approach can be applied to any industry or sector.

Fan Funding: Pledge Music

The music industry continues to go through so many changes that have meant business innovation on the part of the musicians. Just to keep up with the changing nature of the business, artists are now seeking new ways to create and maintain their fan base. Newcomers to the game find themselves having to do much of the marketing, promotion and production of their own albums.

This has led to the rise of fan funding online platforms. It is usually sold as a win, win situation because through the fan support, artists are able to record their music while the fans feel that they are given the opportunity to be part of the process. 

Pledge Music is one such website, where artists upload some of their songs to give the listener a taste of what they have to offer. The website is very simple to use and has a clean and professional view. Their tagline ‘we are not a fan funding site, we offer the experience,’ captures both the musician who wants to raise recording funds and capture a wider audience and the music lover who wants to be involved in the music creation process. It is quite a popular website with a diverse array of music from different genres to different world music.

Some of the artists who have had major success in the past are joining PledgeMusic.com to revamp their styles, genre and band as a whole in an effort to remain relevant. For example, Van Morrison returned to record for the Bang and through the fan funding efforts, they intend to release a final double album. Lindsey Stirling is a classically trained violinist who has achieved a lot of success without the backing of a major label and has had sold out tours around the world. The pre selling of her album ensures she gets it done and she has instant feedback from her fans. 

On the website, the fans get first dibs on the music and the artist merchandise.  On the other hand, it creates an alternative revenue stream for the artists. The music albums are presold and the more a fan is interested, the more they purchase other perks connected to the artist. The average pledge is $60 and according to the website, some fans may spent over $800 in a single transaction. The exclusive offers include album downloads, CDs, Signed CDs, signed T-shirts, Skype sessions with the artists, meet and greets and signed instruments.   

The website offers the artist the freedom to maintain their creative process.

According to the site, 76% of fans pledge without having a connection to the band. 86% of the projects in 2013 surpassed their goal. The website charges a 15% flat fee with no hidden costs to the artist or fan.

The website encourages the belief in giving back and so the artists are motivated to donate a percentage of their total project funds to a charity of their choice.  

This new way of reaching out to the audience is a revamp of music business. Although it does not take the place of music labels it certainly is a threat to the middlemen in music.

A Bath without Water

Ludwick Marishane, a young South African, is the inventor of a cleansing gel, Dry Bath, which is an alternative for bathing for suburbanites and makes a world of difference for rural residents without a constant access to clean water.

I was drawn by his speech for a number of reasons. Ludwick began by giving a story in which he attempted to draw a clear picture for the audience. With the foundation for his idea in place, he was then able to easily narrate why his product was relevant and life changing. As we know, water is a necessity and the smile he kept throughout his presentation indicated that he was incredibly thrilled to be telling his story.

I like his speech because he gives the story behind his invention with enthusiasm. He is directly facing his audience and he states facts about his research. This lends credibility to his pitch as his main focus is the audience and he doesn’t lose eye contact.
He has a sense of humor that in my opinion personifies his product. His witty comments ensure that he leaves a lasting impression in the minds of the audience. He seems relaxed on the stage and has little movement, making his words the audience’s focus instead of his actions. His gestures and storytelling skills show that he is prepared, knows his content and most of all believes in it.
His entrepreneurial skills are an inspiration. From an idea that could easily have been confined to the lower class of the society, Ludwick has been able to brand it in a way that it opens up a market for the middle and upper classes. He gives reasons as to why it is important to use his product- save water and time. For example, he says, “Dry bath is a rich man’s convenience and a poor man’s lifesaver.”
This may seem funny but it is a memorable remark. I am happy I found Ludwick’s TED speech as it hits home with me and my passion for Africa and water conservation.

Fascinating Four

Film Scores/Incidental Music

The art of incorporating music into a motion picture is fascinating for me because of the ability to evoke highly intense emotions in the audience. Music is used to enhance the moods of different scenes and it connects the viewer to the story so that they almost feel they are part of it. The music is meant to be subtle so that it does not distort the idea behind the film but at the same time directs the feelings of a viewer. This is why one of my favorites for the 2014 Oscar Original Score nominees is John Williams for the movie The Book Thief. He has composed music for movies such as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Saving Private Ryan, and most recently Lincoln. This being his 49^th nomination, he has won five Oscars for Schindler’s List, Star Wars, Jaws, Fiddler on the Roof and The Extra-Terrestrial.

It is surprising to learn that at first, background music was used to drown out the noise of the projector and it became a standard practice to have musician play according to the script during a screening. With my interest in the music industry, knowing how to integrate music and film gives me a wider perspective of the opportunities for potential clients.

Voice acting

It is interesting to me how animated movies come to life through voice acting. So much so, that I find it fascinating to watch those little snippets of the voice actors in studio recording their lines. Casting is so different in this case since no one cares how you look as long as you sound perfect for a role. The actors are usually videotaped while recording for reference during other production stages. Voice actors are expected to be aware of the way they sound to others otherwise, artistry will be limited since there is no change. Change is necessary in order to adapt to different characters and situations the goal being to sound believable as a character [VAM].  

Few realize that voice acting allows one to play roles that they would probably have very little chance of playing in live production. It is also a form of acting that lets you do what you love while maintaining some privacy and anonymity. Actors rely on the social skills developed over their lifetime to bring believability to their performances.

I learned a fun fact, that several DreamWorks Animation directors lend their voices to Madagascar characters. Megamind director Tom McGrath plays the lead penguin, Skipper; Shrek 2 director Conrad Vernon voices Mason the monkey; and Puss In Boots director Chris Miller gives voice to Kowalski the penguin. Chris Knights, associate editor for Shrek Forever After, gives voice to the cute and cuddly penguin, Private.[DWA]

Hollywood Movies in Kenya

Movie libraries in Kenya are the business of the day. High grossing and enjoyable, it has become one of the most lucrative ways to make fast money. But what is interesting to many foreigners is the fact that Kenyans, especially in Nairobi can walk into a movie library a day after the release of a major film in Hollywood and get themselves a copy. All it takes is a business permit and a license from the Kenya Film Classification Board. Unless a Hollywood director walked down the streets of the city, no one would stop a vendor from selling as many copies of the same movie. When it comes to the Kenyan produced films, the fine on piracy is so steep, that it takes months before you would get a copy. It is my opinion that, at least someone benefits from digital piracy. Michael Moyer refers to a study that establishes that people turn to digital piracy when that is the only way to view the content. This is mostly because going to the movies is expensive and is considered a luxury among the middle class of the country and secondly, it is a business that seems to be growing the economy.[Ebsco]

Social Media

Self-promotion has become the norm on today’s social media. The essence should be to inspire others into action and to have hope. However there is a fine line between self-promotion and self-glorification, which more often than not is crossed creating opportunity for criticism. According to Emily Dreyfuss, humility is out. Self-advocacy is in. Although this is unconventional, it works for the entertainment industry and quite well. For upcoming artists, social media is where they spread the word about their talents and hope their music reaches an important ear so to speak. I learned that directed self-promotion is more effective. It works because once you tell the world to watch out for you, they actually do. Tell people to listen to your music or watch your video, they will.

It is essential to learn how to do it right and use social media to your advantage and not just for keeping up with friends, family and embarrassing photos.

Social media is especially important in the entertainment industry to grow a fan base maintain relevance.[Cohen]