Be Creative With What You Have or Can Afford

Since I have recently started my “entertainment business finance” class, I wanted to write something that dealt with that while at the same time staying true to the tone of my blog as well as the readers. So I was trying to find something, Entertainment Business Finance is a new subject for me, so I cannot say that I actually can relate yet. Sometimes we look so much that we tend to overlook and sometimes well most times, when you stop looking you end up finding what you were looking for. So once I stopped searching, I log onto my school and I saw an article titled “ You don’t have to break the bank to make a hit”.

This article was written by one of the associate course directors (John Haupert) at my school, Full Sail University but it made a lot of since. Basically he was saying that long gone are the days where you have to spend a lot of money in order to have a studio. These days with the technology advancements that have surfaced, all you need is the right equipment. So what is the right equipment? Well for starters, a laptop, most people prefer a MacBook, the right recording programs: Logic Pro, Pro Tools, etc. Mr. Haupert gives examples of people who have had hit records and even won Grammies from just having the right the equipment.

One example that John used was RedOne who is a two time Grammy award winner, he is a producer and a songwriter. He is best known for producing Lady Gaga’s hit song “Poker Face”. Redone says that the only equipment he uses is a  “MacBook, Logic, an Oxygen 8 keyboard, and an Apogee Duet audio interface”. I thought to myself how inspiring is that! I think that would inspire most artist, producers, etc to know that these days you do not have to have a big fancy studio to get things done! In fact, John states that you really only need a studio for tracking vocals, which I believe is true.

John also used examples of the producers such as StarGate (a group of producers) who has produced artists such as Katy Perry and Rihanna and Dr. Luke who has produced for artists such as Britney Spears, Katy Perry, Kelly Clarkson, Ke$ha and Pink. Stargate mentions that they use Pro Tools and that all you really need is a laptop and a small keyboard.  Dr. Luke says that he uses a Yamaha Keyboard but that he made his number 1 hit with a 20-dollar keyboard! So that goes to show you that it is not really how much you pay for the equipment but it is about how well you use what you have.

I decided to do a little research and reach out to the Independent Artists that I knew and see what they use to record their songs. I thought that would be interested to see how it compared to the article that I read by John Haupert. I reached out to my classmate and business partner Mr. T’Andre Harris from Fort Wayne, Indiana also known as Phenom!  When asked about the equipment that is used, he stated that he uses “Pro Tools software on the mac book pro, a digi design mini m box, a condenser microphone and two sound monitors”.

Next I went to Mr. Salter also know as Moze Ella hailing from Aurora, IL, says that he uses Samplitude or Pro Tools depending on where he is at. Anthony "Atlaz" Swoope from Chicago, IL stated that he uses Logic Pro for recording and also Cubase, which is good for rock and singers. He also mentioned that he uses Pro Tools and his brother uses FL studios (fruity loops) for producing beats and he said that Adobe Audition is good as well. Lastly Mr. Darious "Church' Lyles also hailing from Chicago, IL stated that he uses FL studios, Logic Pro and Pro Tools.

So there you have it! As you can see most of the artists that I spoke with are in fact using some of the same equipment that Mr. Haubert talked about in his article. So where can you find these products at? I am sure that there are many places but you are for sure to find them at Amazon.com or Best Buy. You may even be able to find them cheaper floating around the Internet somewhere!  So to the all the aspiring artist out there, I say to you as usually BE ENCOURAGED! Things may not happen over night but they will happen. Take time to plan and just make use of what you have and can afford right now and be creative!

STAY HUNGRY, STAY FOOLISH-SOME INSPIRATION FROM MR. STEVE JOBS

As I was searching on TED.com for class, a website that I had never heard of before, I clicked on inspiring (because thats the type of person I am) and I saw a video that stood out to me more than all the other ones. The name of the video was "How to live before you die". Not only was the title intriguing to me but what was most intriguing was the person speaking in the video, who happened to be Mr. Steve Jobs. As we all know Mr. Steve Jobs was the CEO of Apple, He is the reason for majority of the technology that we have now. I just knew that this video was going to be inspiring, seeing as how Steve Job passed last year and the title of this video was "How to live before you die". I believe and see that this was a man who stood and lived for what he believed in.

Steve Jobs story was very inspiring, as he stood before the students getting ready to graduate from Stanford, he passionately told a story that I am very sure the students will remember for as long as they live. Steve started off telling about how his parents gave him up for adoption, they wanted so badly for him to succeed so they sought out couples who were college graduates to adopt him. As I heard that, i started to think about how many parents push their kids to go to college without really finding out what their children's dreams and goals are. I started thinking about how many people enter into college pursing a major that their parents wanted them to pursue. Now do not get me wrong, I definitely think that college is great but not when it is forced and most importantly not when your not going for something that you have a passion for.

Continuing on with Steve's story, The adopted parents did not meet his real parents expectations because they had not graduated from college but his real parents allow them to adopt him only if they promised that steve would go to college which they did and HE did. The greatest part of this story is simply steve because guess what? Steve DID in fact go to college BUT Steve did not graduate from college. As with most college students, steve was bored with the classes that did not apply to his major. I can definitely relate to that, when I first started undergrad, I too got bored with the classes that did not apply to my major. Instead steve chose to leave college and guess what? HE IS AND WILL FOREVER BE ONE OF THOSE MOST SUCCESSFUL NOT ONLY MEN BUT PEOPLE IN THE WORLD.

What I admire about steve was that he never gave up, he said that we should follow our passions no matter what other people say or think about us which is something that I firmly believe because guess what? Those people do not have to live your life, you have to live your life. Steve said to hold on to your faith or whatever it is that drive your passions! I felt like steve was speaking to me as I watched this video. I remember steve talking about when he first got fired from Apple and how he felt like a failure. I can relate to him not the being fired part but I remember when I first graduated from college in 2007 and as time went by not being able to find a job and I started feeling like a failure. I spent all this time into going to school and I can't find a job for what I went to school for but during that/this time I have decided to follow my own dreams and goals and that is what is best about the time that I have had between first graduating and now.

Now that I am in graduate school for something that I have a passion for, I can honestly say that there is a HUGE difference when you are going to school for something that you LOVE versus something that you think will make you some money. At the end of the day money is nice but you need be happy with what you are doing because being miserable and having money is not a good thing. Toward the end of Steve's speech, he began to repeat "stay hungry, stay foolish" and that sparked something in me and that stuck with me and that is why this is the title of this blog post. So just like Mr. Steve Jobs, I want to encourage you to "STAY HUNGRY AND FOOLISH"! Now what does that mean? I can only imagine that the meaning will vary for different people BUT for me it means that you should always keep striving, always keep believing, always keep moving forward and never give up(stay hungry) and also that people are not always going to agree with you, they may not even support you. In fact, they may even think that what you want to do or your ideas are FOOLISH but you must keep on going. You must know that God has giving you your passion, talents and gifts from a reason so STAY FOOLISH as long as you know that you have a purpose. So I will end on this quote "STAY HUNGRY, STAY FOOLISH"


Here is the video of Steve Jobs speech at Stanford University

What resources are available to the Independent Artist (Part 1)

This blog post will basically address some resources out there for independent artist. I think that many independent artists do not know about all the resources that are out there for them. I also think that some artist stray away from being independent because they feel there is no support. There are many associations out there for independent artists that will provide them with an array of information and guide them along their career. Some of those associations are American Association of Independent Music, Association of Independent Music Publishers, Independent Music Companies Association, The American Christian Music Association, and The National and Independent Gospel Music Association.

So what do all of these associations have in common? They are all advocates for the independent artist, no matter what genre you consider yourself, there is an association out there for you. These associations have the resources and the knowledge to help the independent artist become successful in their careers. I would encourage you to visit one of those sites and see what they have that can benefit you as an independent artist.

As I mentioned in my previous blog post, which discussed the importance of Artist Development, The industry is something that has to be learned, an artist cannot just enter into the industry knowing everything. I believe the associations listed above will guide you and help you learn about the industry and some of these associations even work closely with major record labels. All of these associations have workshops and conferences that are beneficial to the independent artist. Joining one of these associations will probably one the one time where an artist would be happy to be guilty by ASSOCATION!

Most times people say it’s not what you know but about whom you know but I personally believe it is both as it pertains to the entertainment industry. You have to have knowledge about the industry in order to succeed and yes it does help to know some people to but as the saying goes “Knowledge is power”. Stay tuned for part 2 of this blog.

Check out this video clip regarding the important of networking through professional organizations from Dave Olsen, the VP of Alfred Publishing.

The Importance of Artist Development

Artist development is a topic that has been widely talked about lately. We all know the importance of artist development but what we do not know is how hard it is to get it. In my opinion some artists that are just starting out or have a goal to enter in the industry do not understand how important artist development really is. Artist development use to be something that was held to a high standard but these days, the focus is now more on product development. As an artist attempting to enter the entertainment industry, the industry feels like you should already be developed. Why they feel that way? I have no idea.

When I think about artist development, I think about a child that is just entering school. At school, the child has to learn everything! Children have to go through different grades, learn different subjects and meet different teachers and peers. The industry is the school for the artist and therefore artist development is very important because the artist has to learn about all the aspects of the industry. Not only that, artist development is important so that artists can learn to remain true to themselves. As A Christian life coach, I know how important it is to know who you are. Knowing who you are is very important in the industry because if you do not, it is easy to be taken advantage of.

As a artist it is important to explore you, what kind of music you want to write, what kind of art you want to make, what kind of poetry you want to write and WHY. An artist has to be able to say what they will compromise and what they won't and how they will deal with things if they are not accepted for who they are. Many artists are going independent due to wanting to be in control over their entire career. Yes it may be hard to be independent and may take more work but it could very well be beneficial in the end.

Artist Music House is a very good website for those that want to enter into the industry. There are many articles and videos from people who have experience in the industry. While doing a paper a couple of months, artist music house was very helpful. I also got a chance to interview some independent artists as well as some that have had some exposure to the industry such as Picasso 4 Christ and JNan I AM Chicago .

As enticing as the entertainment industry seems and as eager as one may be to enter into it, just like any other job or career it is important to do research. It is important to be prepared and make sure you know the steps to take in order to be successful. Now do not get me wrong, success does not often happen over night it may take months or years but as long as you are keeping God first and preparing yourself, things will work out how they are suppose to.

Below, I have an included a video from artist music house. In the video the former manager of the artist formally known as Prince talks about artist development and how important it is. Not only that, he talks about the lack of artist development in the industry. I hope that you gain as much from it as I did.

HAVE A LITTLE FAITH

He replied, “ Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Movie from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you”-Matthew 17:20 (NIV)

He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planed in the sea’, and it will obey you”- Luke 17:6 (NIV)

Recently, I had the opportunity to learn about a leader in the entertainment industry that is truly an inspiration to me. Now, I was going to write about this particular leader beforehand but I am glad that I decided to wait. Now many of you are probably wondering whom this leader is. Any guesses? Well you don’t have to guess or wait for long; the leader that I am talking about is Mr. Tyler Perry.  Recently I took a class that required me to do a presentation on a leader that was influential to me and I thought it was awesome. I will tell you that you really do appreciate a person even more after you know what they have went through. Although I haven’t had to chance to talk to or meet Tyler Perry, everything about him is amazing to me. His story is amazing and I would like to share some of it with you.

Tyler Perry had a rough childhood that ultimately led to his success. To some that may sound weird but this is why the title of this post is called “Have a little faith”. You see to do the impossible or to get to where you want to be in life or better yet where GOD wants you to be, you have to have a little faith. The scriptures referenced above (some gifts from up above J) tell us a little about faith and how powerful it is. You see all we need is faith the size of a mustard seed. Now let me elaborate on the mustard seed. You might be saying, how can we need something of that small size for something so big? Did you know that although a mustard seed is real tiny, once it is water and grows, it turns into one of the BIGGEST trees! Keep this mind and I venture back into Tyler Perry and his story.

Tyler Perry grew in up not only in poverty but in a household of abuse. When he was he was 16 He changed his name to Tyler Perry, It was actually Emmitt Perry Jr. This was done in order to distance himself from his father who caused most of the problems in his household. In times of turmoil and almost wanting to commit suicide, Tyler Perry not only placed his faith in God but he found hope one day when He turned on the television and saw Oprah Winfrey’s Show. Many of you may know that Oprah has been very supportive in Tyler Perry’s life but God worked through her to give Tyler Perry hope.  He was watching a segment on her show about forgiveness and how therapeutic writing could be, it was then that Tyler started to forgive people that had hurt him and it was also then that He began his writing career.

Tyler was only in his early 20’s when he began his writing career. Tyler had saved up 12,000 dollars and he used that to write and direct his first play entitled “I know I’ve been changed”. He also used some of the money to rent out a studio, that was in 1992.  That also was the point where Tyler Perry became homeless. Tyler’s play did not do as well as he expected, but he was determined! What I love about Mr. Perry is that He never gave up! He always kept his faith in God and He knew that all things were possible with God! No matter what Tyler’s situation or circumstance was; he stayed persistent. Tyler worked hard and revamped his play. In 1998 he put the play out to the world to see for the 2^nd time and it was amazing! I actually remember going to see the play but I honestly did not know that Tyler had written it until a couple of years ago.

Tyler has broken a lot of barriers and records. He is the first African American to have a TV and film studio. Tyler Perry is most known for his role as “Madea” that he plays in most of his work but he is an all around entrepreneur. Tyler Perry is a writer, producer, director, screenwriter, playwright, songwriter and many other things!

If you have learned anything from this post, I hope it was to HAVE A LITTLE FAITH. Never give up on your dreams and goals. I want to encourage you to realize that YOU do have a purpose in life and that your pain is your purpose. Many times we go through things in life to help others. Yes what you are going through many be painful but trouble don’t last always. God will never put more on us than we can bear. Use your story for God’s glory! Share your testimony to help others overcome! Whatever it is that you desire to do, first put it Gods hands and then take the steps to pursue! Faith without work is surely dead! Live a purposeful life and remember to HAVE A LITTLE FAITH.

I would like to leave you with this song that had been running through my mind ever since I started writing this blog. The song is entitled…yep you guess it! “Have a little faith” by Mr. John Hiatt. It really is a beautiful and inspiring song! I hope that you all were blessed by this blog! Leave a comment if you want, God Bless you all.

What is holding you back from your dreams?

This blog post will be about or address some of things that hold people back from following their dreams. I too have been guilty of not following my dreams. I find that the number one reason that people do not follow their dreams is due to a lack of money and/or knowledge and the second being because they do not believe in themselves. Usually, when you talk to someone and you ask him or her what he or she wants to do with their lives, you will find that it is something that they are not doing now. In fact, it may have nothing to do with their career at all. So then when the question arises of why they are not doing what they would like to do, the answer is usually regarding money or the lack of knowledge as to how to go about doing what they want to do.

Now is it a problem that people do not follow their dreams? Not really but it could be because God has given us all a purpose. I want to make the case that it would be very beneficial and healthy for a person to follow their dreams. Imagine being at work doing something that you absolutely hate but the money is good so you are satisfied with just going to that job every day. Although you are satisfied, once you get off all you do is complain because on the inside you are just completely unhappy.

My philosophy is that if you follow your dreams the money will come, it may take a while but it will come. Not only that, it is not even about the money, in all honesty is about the satisfaction, you will be more happy and therefore you will be more motivated to do what you already love to do. When you are doing something that you love to do, it will not seem like a job.  Too many times we worry about what we don’t have instead of using what we do have to work towards our goals, remember all things are possible with God.

The second most talked about reason as to why people do not follow their dreams and goals is because they do not believe in themselves. Many times we have went through things in life that cause us to not believe in ourselves, whether it was someone telling us that we were not good enough or we just felt that we were not for other reason. We have to break out of our comfort zone. We have to know who we are and whose we are (God’s Child), if God blessed you with gift/talent then you should use it. We must not be afraid. God can and will use anyone who is willing. We may not be the best but we will bless somebody by using our gift, God made all of us unique and therefore the way in which we use our gift although others may share the same one, it will be uniquely different than the rest.

Lets take for instance, Ms. Fantasia Barrino, Fantasia is one who has overcome many barriers including being unable to read. Fantasia pushed towards her goals in spite of everything that she was facing. In 2004 at the age of 19, Fantasia decided to try out for the 3^rd season of American Idol and She went on to become to the winner of that season. I think Fantasia is an awesome example of following your dreams despite the fact that she could not read; she did not let that stand in her way. Of course, she may have struggled within herself but she did not let that struggle hold her back. In fact, she let it push her towards her destiny. Once fantasia won and got her recording contract, she was able to make sure all legal matters were correct by having her 4 year old daughter help her read the contracts. Fantasia has performed all over the world and has been nominated for many Grammy’s. Although she still has trials, we all have them and will continue to but God has told us to be of good courage because He has already overcome the world.  We can be overcomers and conquerors through Him.

Lastly, I want to say that whatever you do, don’t give up on yourself, don’t let your gifts and talents go to waste, seek God and ask Him to show you what to do with them. Believe in yourself as He believes in you, you are fearfully and wonderfully made.  I came across some blogs that I thought fit really well with my topic today and those were For God's Sake Follow Your Dreams (which really fits well with mostly everything I addressed in my post today) and 19 Reasons To Ignore Everybody and Follow Your Dreams.  (You have to know that their will be people who do not want to see you succeed or that you the potential in you and wish they had the same but you will have to push back that and know that God has a plan for you).

I pray that this blessed you as it did me well writing it. God bless you all and thanks for reading. Check out Fantasia's 1st American Idol Audition when she was 19.