On the Spot

Have you ever been placed on the spot to sing, act, or play an instrument? This feeling can be very overwhelming if one is not prepared, but it also can be a little uneasy for someone who is prepared. Why you may ask? It puts your preparation time to the test and determines whether you are ready or not for the opportunity. This is all too familiar with me because I was going to volunteer for a show recently, but by the end of the night, I was casted as an understudy for the play that opened that Friday. I was okay with this because I was not going to be in the show, but just prepare in case the actor could not show up. The next day at rehearsal, the guy dropped out of the show. You could only imagine my nerves and discomfort. However, I would not let FEAR overtake me because this is what I dreamed of doing, but also prepared for. Therefore, I practiced, practiced, rehearsed, and practiced some more until I became the character (in three days).

            Would you be ready if L.A. Reid had a contract for $5 million based upon your singing abilities? Could Steven Spielberg cast you in his next film dependent on your acting capabilities? Are you in the right place to grow in your gift? If the answer is NO, then you still have time to get to that desire skill level or place.

1.Know the strengths and weaknesses in your gift. There is no need to waste time on the things that you do great. Instead, focus on those problem areas until you see a change from when you first started to the current date. The more you practice, the better prepared you feel.

2.Treat every opportunity like it is your big break. The first opportunities may not be your ideal gig, but you treat it like the entire world is looking at you. Remember, perfect practice makes perfect. Don’t downplay any gig because it develops a mindset that you are too good for that opportunity. Do not plant the seed of arrogance.

3. Be in the right place at the right time. I know this is cliché, but it is very true. You cannot expect to become a singer or actor if none of these activities are happening. Muster up the courage to move to Nashville, New York, or Los Angeles to follow your dream. If these places are too big for you at the moment, go somewhere that would put you on the path to your dreams. SAVE YOUR MONEY. The above-mentioned places are expensive.

      4. Do NOT doubt your gift. If you do not believe in your gift, you cannot expect anyone to believe in you. Confidence exudes from a person who is prepared. Remember, not to be too confident because people who have been in the industry for years can pick up on arrogance. Believe in yourself. Remember, there is no one on Earth with a gift like yours. 

Think Globally

Music connects different cultures around the world with a single push of the play button. The listener becomes a part of the thought process of the singer and songwriter through the understanding of the lyrics and vocal delivery. This was me the past couple of months as I interned at a major country record label in Nashville. Who would have thought this Arkansan who loves mostly gospel music would intern for a country record label? Although the internship was in the Contemporary Christian Music Department, majority of the music that was played was country. It was awkward at the beginning of the internship, but my mind began to change because it forced me to get rid of small mindedness and indulge myself in something new. Two weeks later, I found myself singing “Tornado” by Little Big Town, “Don’t Ya” by Brett Eldredge, and watching the Country Music Awards.

What was happening? A global mindset was being developed. As aspiring business owners, music industry professionals and artists, we must be sure to take part in areas that are not common to us because this industry is global. Who wants to work with someone who has limited knowledge about global information? Below are a few ways I found helpful in learning about the country music industry that can be applied to any situation.

1.     Subscribe to major publications in that area. Ask people who are familiar with these publications what are special about them. Why did they subscribe? Read as much information you can and ask questions.

2.     Connectwith a professional. Go to LinkedIn or do a Google search for an industry professional, connect with them, and ask for an informational interview. Oftentimes, people are willing to talk about themselves and what they love to do every day. LISTEN to these people, and learn all you can.

3.     NETWORK, NETWORK, NETWORK. Although this may not be an area of interest to you, but the person can help you somewhere down the line. Never feel that if they cannot help you at this time, then they are useless. Look to nurture the relationship because major opportunities come from relationships.    

You're Doing It Wrong

           Facebook and Twitter have become the number one social media sites used by musicians and artists to promote his or her music. Who would not want to reach 900 million individuals on Facebook and 175 million users on Twitter? It’s easy: Sign in, construct a status or tweet, and press send. Easy enough, right? We have all experienced the Facebook band campaign where the individual artist or band request fans to like their page but leave them with nothing to look forward to in the future. Granted, there are a couple of posts here or there, but that is not enough. Let us not forget the artists who are over infatuated with themselves. So how do effectively use social media to avoid the pitfalls of it becoming frustrating?

According to Indie Tools, musicians and artists make three common mistakes that make these mediums ineffective:

1.    Self-Promotion is the Only Form of Communication

To ensure that your fans do not get bored with you and your social media page, the artist must change the content frequently. Give the fan something to look forward to when he or she visit your page. Post a video saying thank you for supporting the music of the band. This then makes the fan feel appreciated, and he or she will more than likely retweet or repost the video. This brings more publicity to the artist or musician. Ariel Hyatt even provided a Social Media Pyramid that gives ideas on how to change the posts.

http://arielpublicity.com/files/2012/03/Musicians-Social-Media-Pyramid-11x17-1.pdf

2.    Lack of Branding

In the entertainment industry, image is KEY! This goes for your website and social media pages. Always be consistent across the board to avoid any situation that may confuse the fans. The same picture or logo should be used on every site. Therefore, everyone can identify the artist or musician.  Who wants to look bad? This says something about your brand and could result in a bad impression.

3.    No Newsletter

In order to be a successful artist or musician, you need fans to support your endeavors. This newsletter is a way for you to get e-mail addresses in exchange for anything you give to the fans.  Believe it or not, this is where a great percentage of the revenue will be accrued.

Take heed to these three mistakes and make your social media site worth visiting. Remember, you have millions of people looking and following you. The first impression is everything, so be sure to: change it up, be consistent, and always stay in contact.

The Words

Recently, I had a chance to attend the movie “The Words” starring Bradley Cooper and Zoe Saldana. I was very apprehensive about this movie because I did not think I would enjoy it, but this movie had many lessons that many aspiring artists and writers could learn.

            This movie was about a guy who aspired to become a published author, but many publishing companies rejected his work. Does this sound familiar? After he and his girlfriend sought support from his parents, he was forced to get a daily job at a publishing company. A sense of complacency came over him because he started to live a regular life. However, he finally received the call he had been waiting for, but the publisher informed him that he believed in his work but there was no market for his type of writing. He and his girlfriend got married and honeymooned in Paris where he found a vintage briefcase with a manuscript inside. The story that he read identified with his current situation, and he copied the outline word for word. In this story, a man was stationed in Paris for war and met the love of his life. They married and had a child together, but the child became ill and died. The wife was distraught and left the soldier. In order to keep his sanity, he wrote a book about his life. The author gained publicity and fortune, but an old man, who originally wrote the manuscript, confronted the author. The author was very disturbed by this encounter and offered the soldier money and rights to all of the royalties. However, the soldier did not accept anything from the author but challenged him to accept his mistake and move on. These actions caused a great deal of trouble for his marriage, relationship with the publishing company, and his life.

            As I pondered about the messages in this movie, these teachings will help you along your path:

1.     Don’t fear rejection. This is a chance to continuously perfect your gift or work. In addition, you want a publishing company to believe in your work not just accept you. Rejection means “not yet”.

2.     Don’t become complacent. Although your dream of writing may not happen when you want it to, it will happen in due time. Until that time, gain all the information you can about publishing and distribution companies and how they work. Keep in mind that your current situation will not be forever.

3.     Be original. One of the worst feelings is to know that you plagiarized or infringed on someone’s intellectual property. This can turn into legal trouble and is something you want to avoid. Let your work come from the heart because many people will be able to identify with the many triumphs and trials you have endured.

4.     Accept your failures. It is guaranteed that you will not reach your dreams on the first try. You will make mistakes that may cost you, but you must find it in yourself to make things right and move on. 

Unconditional The Movie

           How far are you willing to go to make your dreams come true? If you don’t accomplish your dream the first time, will you give up? What if your dream causes you discomfort by putting you in a place where things are uncertain? Will you still believe?

            I have had the chance to work with individuals who could answer these questions without hesitation. The producers of Unconditional, a movie starring Michael Ealy and Lynn Collins, sacrificed time, money, personal lives, and sanity to produce a movie that has unfolded to be their divine purpose. Being independent filmmakers is not an easy task because the individual does not have the financial backing of a major movie company. Therefore, these individuals have to work diligently to get into theaters. To add more to a tedious process, the movie is a faith-based film, which is one of the hardest films to market to a mainstream and secular audience. Being a part of this marketing process has been most rewarding because you know in the end the movie is going to be an impactful feature and lives will be changed. Seeing Bishops, Pastors, and leaders from all over the country view this movie and support shows the urgency and need for a movie of this caliber. Hopefully, after much success, major companies will choose to do movies with Harbinger Films.

After seeing this movie, my life was change forever because I could relate to many of the characters. At first, I thought it was going to be a typical faith-based movie, but as the movie progressed, I was very intrigued by the suspense and storyline. Papa Joe, played by Ealy, is based on an individual from Nashville, Tennessee whose life and anger lead him to prison, but he was able to turnaround and help youth in the projects. After suffering from an illness, it threatened his ability to care for the kids, but he kept hope alive. Sam, who is played by Collins, is faced with a tragedy that stripped her life away, but strategically, she is placed on the course of finding her childhood friend, Papa Joe, who helped her get on the road to forgiveness and healing. This movie teaches about selflessness and forgiveness. Unforgiveness blocks us from the truth and the ability to live life freely.

Support Unconditional by purchasing tickets at your local theater opening weekend, September 21^st through September 23^rd. To find more information about theater locations and times, please visit the Unconditional website. Also, listen to the personal greeting from Michael Ealy inviting you to his new movie. Take my word, this film will change your life, and it is worth every dime.