Best Practices

Best Practices

This class provided a great deal of information on artist, and product management, and how the two come together as one in the road of building an artist image.  I learned that as an artist manager you are a full-time multi tasker the artist is virtually depending on to succeed in the entertainment industry.  The link that I detected between the artist and product management, and the one that made the most sense to me was the product endorsement.  “ Product endorsement involves the artist name, and likeness being directly connected with a specially manufactured product line” (Frascogna, Hetherington, 2004, page 174).

So although there are many best practices to choose from, I decided to address the ones that I feel I will be able to use in the future. There is no particular order of importance as they are all useful tools for anyone in the business:

·      When taking up the task of managing an artist you should always have a clear understanding of the responsibilities you have as detailed in the contract.  This is something I can use in the future if I do get the chance to manage a versatile artist such as Prince Cat-Eyez.

·      Along the same lines of the above paragraph I believe that as an artist manager you must always go over all the details in the contract, and have a professional draw up the contract to ensure that all the legal language is clear to all parties to avoid conflict in the future. This is something that I can definitely use in the future to protect myself against liability, and in the event of a lawsuit I will have the tools to have a favorable judgment in court. The varied nature of relationships makes it difficult to draw general provisions but every contract will have certain key terms in common (Frascogna, Hetherington, 2004).

·      In terms of product management I believe that is always a best practice to have a specific goal you are trying to accomplish with the launching of a new product. Will the goal be a short-term goal or a long-term goal?  This is something I can definitely use now and in the future since I am working on a home based business that involves a website I am promoting that has all kinds of home products.  Research should always be present to determine the market conditions including, buying trends, demographics, location, and such.

·      The best practice when it comes to marketing I product is diversification. The purpose I see behind it relates to new channels that come up everyday to reach the consumer; this will affect not only how he or she views a product but also even how he or she will purchase it.  In the home business I am trying to launch this is a very important tool I will be using to reach new consumers.

These best practices are just a sample of the huge amount out there that can vary based on need, channel of distribution, market, and much more. As a artist/product manager this is an ongoing process that should only improve over time.

Frascogna, X., & Hetherington, H. (2004) The business of artist management. New York: Billboard Books, an imprint of Watson-Guptill Publications Group, a division of Random House Inc. New York.

Project Management Interview

For this particular assignment I chose to interview a friend, and role model of mine. His name is Tomas John Sullivan who has a strong background as a project manager. Tomas, hereafter refer to as Tom, has worked for companies such as Springer Miller Systems, which is a computer software company.  His track record shows skill diversity that includes project management, front office manager, customer service, and employee development.

1.     What is the first thing you do when you prepare to start a project? The first thing I do is to take a look at the agenda. Verify if I have the strongest experience and knowledge to handle every aspect of the operation. In the event that I do not, I would immediately reach out to my network channels.

2.     Along those lines, how do you start accessing that network? I would outline what I needed to have done in advance.  The very next step is to contact the department I knew I was going to get feedback from because I find that if I talk to this party in advance I would get all the information, and assistance needed for the project.

3.     Do you delegate responsibility? Absolutely, one of the things that I dealt with in the past was peer training as part of the project. Delegating responsibility would provide trainees with on-the-job experience but you have to give very detailed instructions. This just one example though.

4.     Did you manage your own deadlines or did you have set deadlines most of the time? If you did how did you meet them? We had customer deadlines, which is what I always shoot for. However, I had my own deadlines to ensure I exceeded expectations which, I accomplished 98% of the time.

5.      Do you always have a back up plan and how does it work? You always have to have a back up plan. Every project is different but the one thing they all have in common is that instructions, specifications, and in the case of software configurations, can change at anytime. You just have to be prepared for anything.

6.     Are budgets something you deal with? Most of the projects I handled had a set budget so I did not have to negotiate. However, sometimes budgets can be tight and this is when you go back to the client to reevaluate.

7.     How do you accomplish goals through people? You provide feedback; give positive criticism by using positive words.  You also make sure they know they will get credit for their contribution to the project.

8.     What do you think makes a good project manager? To me it’s very simple; a good project manager is someone who does not make assumptions. A good manager researches, evaluates, and communicates.

This was a very interesting journey for me. I have always enjoyed learning from people’s experiences. This is where the must current information is. I would like to thank Tomas John Sullivan for his valuable contribution to my project. 

Deal Making Oprah Style

For this particular assignment I decided to reach out to an Icon a pillar to her community. I thought this time I would think outside the box. I became a member to Oprah.com. I posted a question on the main board and requested tips on deal making focused on the topics pertaining to this assignment. On a quick note, I was very impress on how easy was to join this online community and the comfortable environment in which members navigate through the different features.     No I did not get to talk to Oprah herself (I should be so lucky).

Anyway, while awaiting a response I did some research on the website and learned that Oprah has some favorite authors and some happen to be big on deal making. For instance, I found her review on a book by Daniel Shapiro and Roger Fisher, which is a practical guide to deal making no less.

The book by these outstanding authors present a very basic view of the 5 basic humans desires that include appreciation (feeling valued and appreciated), affiliation (feeling a connection as a result of the negotiation), autonomy (freedom to make decisions), status (having a sense of respect), and finally a fulfilling role (simply feeling fulfilled).

Oprah’s position in deal making in relation to this needs is that these factors have to have a place on both sides of the negotiation, the more each of these needs is satisfied the more successful the negotiation will be (Oprah, 2010).

Oprah  (2010) gives a brilliant example on deal making which she describe quite succinctly.

Yes, sure, we make deals all day long: I hold the door for you; you let me step onto the escalator first. A colleague asks you to proof read her report; she says something nice about you to the teacher. Think about it: When was the last time you looked at the price of a carton of milk in the grocery store and decided to try getting it for less? If you are like me, never. Haggle over the cost of a cab ride, or a dental visit? I’d rather have a root canal. (Para. 5)

So this point of view was very interesting and useful to me. I found that the context of the article was in alignment with our book for the class. This to me is very reassuring since Oprah is one of the most successful businesswomen in the country; actually her and Dolly Parton.

Regarding the best alternative to negotiate an agreement (BATNA) it's believe that BATNA has a great chance to increase negotiation power. The reasoning behind this concept is very basic and it boils down to whether or not you know all the possible alternatives to close a deal and their potential outcomes. It is a safe way to accept or decline alternatives that will directly affect your business (Spangler, 2003).

 Now BATNA is not always as easy as you would want it. I experience many situations in the workplace where I needed to negotiate with management but while I was looking for the ethical thing to do for an associate they would throw politics into the mix and a lot of times I relinquish the responsibility to make the decision to my immediate supervisor because I did not agree with the outcome and felt it was not fair across the board. For example, if an associate would dispute a call I graded.

Management on site would dispute with me because they worried about their goals and escalate to my manager to get call changed to a passing grade. I felt it was unfair that other associates who would not dispute the same call would keep their fail status. This brings me to the issue of dealing with tricks and unethical practices. I do feel this was a situation on which I had to deal with a lot of negative emotions because I felt that the management team was creating procedures and policies for us to follow but then they would negate their own policies and procedures making us look like the bad guys. 

The management team was using their leverage with our manager who was very worried about maintaining a good relationship with them. This taught me an important lesson in managing. You cannot always do the ethical thing unless you have the support from your immediate management team and you can only make the best of the situation

Oprah. (2010). Mastering the art of deal making. Retrieved January 7, 2011 from http://www.oprah.com/spirit/Deal-Making-Strategies-Bargains-Women-and-Negotiation/1

Spangler, B. (2003). Best alternative to negotiate agreement. Retrieved January 11, 2011 from http://www.beyondintractability.org/essay/batna/

Disney's "It's tough to be a bug"

For this assignment I decided to do something that was fun and very much related to the entertainment field and company I am targeting as a potential employer. I have the privilege to know someone who works on crowd control at Disneyland and California Adventure resorts in Anaheim CA.  His name is Tom J. Sullivan. The reason I wanted to see the park from a cast member perspective is because I would like to get a job as a project manager running on of the shows or assisting on ride supervision at this world renown resorts.

The list for the day included the “Is Tough to Be a Bug” show, the Pixar Parade, and the new addition to California adventure, “Electronica”.  My main goal was to learn about crowd control and why Disney runs things they way they do. The first thing that Tom pointed out was how important crowd control was handled. If you ever have the chance to go here you will see that the park is designed from day one to accommodate the parade and shows present and to come. The focus is always guest safety and comfort. After the night shows was over Tom pointed out a few things about crowd control

To begin with, a show will take place in a strategically chosen area where guest can enjoy the show but passersby won’t be block and unable to go forward. The crowd control cast member setup ropes within with watching guest will be, and cast members placed on different ends of it will direct guest to continue moving if outside the robe. 

Once the show was over we stood by in a corner and I watched the crowd disappearing in a matter of minutes with no problem whatsoever. Another interesting point was the fact that you could enjoy the show no matter where you were standing, right, left, far or close it made no difference.

In a different note, when I saw the  “It’s Tough to Be a Bug” show I was amazed at how it involve many of your senses into it. For instance, you can sense smells, the visual is outstanding, and you can feel bugs’ crawling around you so is also palpable. The theater offers a great view from every single row (I saw it twice, once in the front raw and once from the back).
I believe that a job as a project manager will be both challenging and exciting. The responsibility is grand but the rewarding feeling will be priceless. This is the one thought that keep me going and makes me more determined to finish my degree. Be part of this entertainment giant is no easy to accomplish but it will be a lot of fun to try. 

One billion videw views.

Being interested in the entertainment industry I think is more than natural to want to learn about what is happening on that environment and what the trends are. I found an article on Lady Gaga and in it; the focus was how she has broken on record sales and video views. In fact, her first 2 hits reached 5 million sales. Hits such as Poker Face and Just Dance manage to break this record quite recently.

This fact to me is very interesting. I have mentioned in the past, on previous assignments, how the success of today’s artist depends a great deal on downloads. In fact, Lady Gaga has been referred to as the “queen of the downloads”. However, the article emphasizes how she is the first artist whose videos hit an outstanding 1 billion views.

Some of my views on the subject highlight technology and a formula Madonna used back in the 80’s to create her persona. To begin with, technology today has made it easier to view, download, buy, communicate, and more; faster than ever before. Think about a time when teenagers needed to buy records or tapes, or even listen to the radio to enjoy their favorite artist. This is definitely one of the reasons that billion views record was broken. Having said that, I do believe Lady Gaga has earned it hands down.

 This brings me to the formula I was talking about. When Madonna came out back in the 80s she was very outrageous. Her music, style, and clothes were so unconventional it became a sensation and has been ever since. Many artists tried to do the same but they failed. For example Cindy Lauper, she was equally outrageous but she failed to reinvent herself soon enough to keep her career going. Lady Gaga is following Madonna’s steps. She reinvents her self with every single, every appearance, and every video.

For someone like who is pursuing a career on entertainment management, it is important to know what is happening today and ask questions like: What sales today?, What do the public want?, How will your product reach the audience?, and such. To read more about the article go to http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1634663/20100325/lady_gaga.jhtml.

Central Casting

I chose to research Central Casting located in Burbank California. This organization also has a branch in New Your, NY.  This is organization I have consider joining. All you need to join is to fill out an application, the usual documents for employment in the U.S. and a $25 fee. I did some research and found out that the $25 fee is for a photograph that will go on their file, sort of a publicity still they will use to match your looks and features to different parts that may become available for actors. This organization does not require acting experience but it is a plus. 

This organization has been around since 1925 and according to their website they are today the largest provider or entertainment industry services and solutions in the U.S.  Their services go from complete background casting to payroll services. Their payroll services are provided by the Entertainment Partners, a sort of affiliate. Aside from providing Central Casting with payroll services they also have other products that include accounting systems, budgeting, virtual production office and more.

I found out that in order to become a member and get started if you will, you must download all the forms and fill them out in advance. Their doors are open to candidates only twice a week for 2 hours only. Needless to say you have to be there much earlier in order to be admitted that day.

To put in simple words central casting will match the candidates with the clients, whether is the casting directors, producers and such. Under the product tab in the website you will find casting, payroll and resources.

 On reading about their casting terms it appears to be the place for new actors to start their careers The websites emphasizes the need for thousands of background actors most likely for non-speaking part in some instances.  This means that the organization helps the actor get his or her foot in the door to start building a reputation on the industry. Thinking logically this would be the best way to start for someone who wants to become a character actor. In the industry being what it is today being a character actor can be a huge deal. This would mean landing parts on TV series, movies and plays. Being a character actor can sometimes immortalize him or her. 

A perfect example of a hard working character actor that went down in history is Margaret Hamilton who plays the witch in the Wizard of us. She had already made about 6 pictures for MGM when she landed the role.  The website below provides a lot of information about the organization’s goals, history, and more. http://www.centralcasting.org/LA/actors/index.html

Ted.com Video

In watching the Ted.com video on our student website the first thing that caught my attention was the fact that the speaker approach the audience with a sense of humor and charm couple with what appears to be a British accent. The visual material used for this presentation was fun and self-explanatory.

The visual material was just enough to make a point but was not distracting the audience to a point where the speaker would lose their attention.  Another factor that made the presentation a success was that the speaker knew the topic and it did not seem like a scripted speech like the famous “I Have a Dream” speech.   Don’t give me that look now. Have any of you see the footage of the actual speech. Mr. King hardly ever looked up as if he was reading from a book. Having said that, yes it was very powerful and made history.

Now going back to the visual portion on a speech, I believe that in order for the audience to understand the message an image is conveying it must be as simple as possible, almost as though one is teaching children.  Now I will give you the best example I can give. Remember the movie “An Inconvenient Truth”?

If memory serves me, when Al Gore was explaining the reason for global warming he had a sort of animated show where the little sunshine guy came to visit the Earth but the pollution bullies kept him from leaving by knocking him unconscious.  Yes this would seem like a video for kids you may say but I understood what he was trying to say.

On a different note, in some of my past classes back when I was pursuing my Bachelors I did get some insight on public speaking. It is amazing to me the amount of information you need to know before the actual event. I am not even talking about the material that you will cover. You see, when you are preparing a speech you need to ask yourself many questions. For instance, ask yourself who is the audience? What is the language that will get through to this audience? What can and can’t talk about when addressing this audience? The list goes on and on. 

I had to present many times in school using a PowerPoint presentation and overtime I learn that when speaking to a crowd you should pretend you are talking to an old friend. Be yourself, don’t apologize even if you make a mistake. Use it instead to your advantage and amuse the audience. They will definitely appreciate it.  

Along with this posting, and as per the assignment instructions I attached another link that shows what I believe to be a good example. Notice how the speaker begins with remarks about his childhood and delivers the material once the audience is engaged.

http://www.youtube.com/TED