A
 BIT OF ADVICE MCAETtv Advisory Board of Arts, Media, and Entertainment Professionals Offer Career Advice for Students
Aaron Hagar (visual artist, graphic designer)
. . . never give up, keep learning and stay inspired. What specifically do you do in the arts/ entertainment field? I live every day as an artist. Creativity is in everything I do. I make my living from commission work, prints, as well as appearances as an entertainer and personality. My diverse volume of work is my authenticity. Drawing, painting, sculpture, music amongst other things. I do everything from concept art to the realization of that design. But to name one specific thing that outweighs them all? I’d have to say illustration. I illustrate day to day more than anything. What steps did you take to get involved in your industry? That’s a tough one as I have a very unique situation. Because I come from a public family, I have a built-in audience. I don’t have to work for a company now and am completely independent of an employer. However, I started in the film industry doing concept art and SPFX. I met a gentleman who took me under his wing and mentored me through his career and supported my growth. Being very absorbent I was able to gain the skills needed to
complement the duties and opportunities presented themselves quite frequently. At that point, the sheer volume and intensity of work accelerated my learning in years instead of decades. But the core of education was still intact. Listen, study, practice. After building my skillset I simply applied my experience to areas I saw an opportunity or need. From pet portraits to murals, to logos, helmets, automotive, you name it. I became a full time commissioned artist. It was building that “social network” before there was the social network we have today. Making friends, and getting to know the community. It starts as a “service” and then becomes “sought after.” An amazing journey. Other than knowing your art form, what other skills did you need to succeed? Having communication skills is in my opinion very important. Not everyone has the skill set to be able to “see” what you are discussing. You must be a verbal storyteller as well as a visual storyteller in order to communicate an idea. I feel it is a combination of the two to ensure greater success. There are plenty of examples of
How did you promote yourself to start and then advance in your arts industry? Promoting wasn’t too hard. Communication, events, flyers, relationships and being good at what you do. Quality often speaks for itself, and once you have a happy customer they promote you as well. If I was painting helmets, I would set up a little display at the race track on race day. If I was painting pet portraits I would set up a flyer or some artwork at the grooming center or pet store. Knowing your market is important! Volume at a pet store is good, but there may be a lot of follow up with little commitment. A higher-end pet sitting and grooming business may have a clientele that can afford a commission piece of their pet. It’s a matter of accuracy. You can throw a whole handful of darts at the bullseye, but if you practice and stay relaxed and focused, you may hit the bullseye almost every time with a single dart! They both work, but who would you hire?
What are steps a student needs to take to get started in your field? I think the first step in any independent business is to be good at what you do. Proficiency is crucial. With all the growing competition in the world today you must have skills. Passion and enthusiasm is a big one! Drive, competency and other skills were all steps to getting work. Being easy to work with. If you don’t work well with others and can’t work as a team, you may find it incredibly hard to find work. The corporate world is a big challenge and you have to be able to make lots of changes in your design and share credit in ways you may not feel are acceptable. There are so many facets to being an artist. Perhaps first ask yourself “what kind of artist do I want to be?” So many choices. Educate yourself, experiment, learn from others, be inspired, be passionate and focused. Portfolio, I haven’t had to submit many portfolios in my career, fortunately, but I remember I used to pack them full of everything I thought was cool, good and relevant. This can be a huge mistake! If your applying for a job that is all about tree design, don’t fill your portfolio with cars and fantasy characters. Fill it with trees right? And maybe a few really great examples of a larger scope that includes a few other things that might show your “other skills” or interests. Stay focused, show them your best and leave them as excited as you are, but not overwhelmed. It’s quality, not quantity. You’ll have plenty of quantity when you get the job! Good luck and never give up, keep learning and stay inspired. Complacency is Zombification.
Complacency is Zombification.
the successful introverted artist, but I think it is far more fun for everyone if you have character and can communicate and inspire in many forms. But again, I think my situation is a bit unique and perhaps unusual. I come from a family of Entertainers! I have had great success in getting people excited about an idea, but I have to be able to deliver and manage their expectation so ensure that success. Expectations can be overstated and then poorly met. You must set a realistic expectation, foster it and then exceed it upon delivery. This can provide you with consistent success and a long career.
Andrew Caspari
(BBC Administrator)
What in the arts do you
radio every day discussing what we
specifically do?
were up to. The BBC then asked
My role is in broadcasting. I look after all the digital content and distribution for BBC Radio which means running our websites, apps, podcasting and
whether I wanted to work there. My approach to getting work in the arts was simple. Write to everyone
. . . be prepared to go anywhere anytime and do anything initially. . .
other digital projects related to all the BBC’s national and local stations. So, we decide how to present BBC Radio and its content effectively on digital devices and platforms both our own as well as social and third-party applications. What steps did you take to get involved in your industry? I started out at KSPB at Stevenson School when I was an exchange student and my first broadcasting work was as a contributor. I was running a big professional and community arts festival in Liverpool in England and appeared on the
explaining my ambition and experience and be prepared to go anywhere anytime and do anything initially for
little or no money. Without some experience no-one was about to give me a job however enthusiastic I might have been.
Other than knowing your art form, what other skills did you need to succeed? My view of this world is that the most important skills are the human ones. In many areas of the creative industries how you deal with people and how you understand audiences and markets is every bit as important as pure creative ability. This is certainly true in journalism, but I think however creative you are if you cannot get along with people, share ideas, give and receive feedback etc. you will not get anywhere. One, now very renowned radio presenter in the UK was given his show, against a lot of more famous competition because he was the person who the producers most wanted to work with. This was because he was the easiest to get along with. The other thing I think is crucial is to know the area of the arts you are trying to get into. Listen, watch, read and attend events and not just in the area or genre you like. It is important to be an expert in the field and be inspired by other practitioners.
How did you promote yourself to start and then advance in your arts industry? To be honest I didn’t promote myself very much, which may have been a mistake. I had appeared on BBC Radio a fair bit as a contributor by virtue of running a big arts festival. Now I would say you have to promote yourself particularly by wise use of social media, blogging platforms, You Tube etc. When I started out in the 1980s you did not have access to the means of distributing content. Now anyone can be a broadcaster, film maker, writer, or publisher. All you really need is a mobile phone. I would expect any ambitious broadcaster to be publishing already by the time they come to see me. Similarly, a painter has to build and distribute a portfolio. What are steps a student needs to take to get started in your field?
See all the above. 1. Consume a lot of the media you are interested in; both stuff you like and stuff you don’t. 2. Start making and publishing yourself 3. Consume stuff you don’t like and develop a critical faculty 4. Write to lots of people in the field and offer to come and watch, make tea or coffee, help out, paint the studio, collect the tickets…. just do anything you can to be seen and heard. 5. Be nice and be lucky.
Benjamin Froke
(GoPro studio technology)
What specifically do you do in the
What steps did you take to get
arts/entertainment field?
involved in your industry?
I manage Studio Technology for GoPro. We support a team of editors, videographers, photographers, producers, and
I started my career in the music industry. I studied at USC and interned for a variety of music labels in Los Angeles, including Sony, Elektra, and Capitol Records. After graduating, I worked in
other creatives at GoPro. We
music licensing at Bug Music and made
manage the hardware, software and
some great contacts in the media world.
editing facilities for these production groups, as well as the network and server infrastructure used to create and store our media assets. . . . knowledge of computers and music recording helped jump-start my career. . .
My knowledge of computers and music recording helped jump-start my career in media and post-production technology. I worked as a Post-Production Engineer for many years, building and installing editing systems for film and television studios. Years later, I began my career at GoPro, growing our Studio team from two editors to over one hundred creatives around the world.
Other than knowing your art
What are steps a student
form, what other skills did you
needs to take to get started in
need to succeed?
your field?
Technical knowledge is key in my
Passion and Curiosity. Find
career, so I’m constantly reading,
something you really enjoy,
testing, and researching. Robust
being passionate about your
knowledge of computers,
field will allow you to excel. Be
software, and technology are
curious and explore the different
also key. Troubleshooting and
options in your field. Focus on
problem-solving skills are
becoming an expert in your field,
extremely valuable, and efficient
and advertise your expertise with
project management is equally
confidence.
important in this field. How did you promote yourself to start and then advance in your arts industry? Studying at USC allowed me to network with a variety of people and places in Los Angeles. Dream big, work hard and keep a positive attitude. Your efforts will be recognized and appreciated in time. Most importantly, look for opportunities to learn and grow in your field of interest.
If you are facile with the tools professionals use you will be of value to them and have a good chance of kicking off your career.
Christopher Anderson-Bazzoli (composer/arranger) What in the arts do you specifically do?
How did you promote yourself to start and then advance in your arts industry?
The first decision I made was to go to Los Angeles for college (UCLA). Then I stayed.
Even while I was still a student I tried to develop professional acquaintances. Without being pushy I made sure as many working professionals as possible knew about me and my skill set. I did this by attending industry functions and asking the professionals I knew to introduce me to their colleagues. After about 5 years I was able to work consistently.
Other than knowing your art form, what other skills did you need to succeed?
What are steps a student needs to take to get started in your field?
The technology of your field (technical gear, computer software, etc.)! If you are facile with the tools professionals use you will be of value to them and have a good chance of kicking off your career. After that you have to have an extreme sense of professionalism and “people skills.” You have to be willing to work long and hard to deliver on a deadline.
You should try to find a position assisting a busy professional, make yourself indispensable to them, and be easy to work with. With that experience and (hopefully) guidance from a mentor you can eventually break away and have your own career. Many people succeed this way.
I work in Los Angeles as a freelance music copyist, orchestrator, and composer – mostly in Film and TV, but also contemporary classical. What steps did you take to get involved in your industry?
College internships with tech companies provide a great place to meet people and see how work gets done. How did you promote yourself to start and then advance in your arts industry? In my case, I was trying to break in to the technology industry from a music background. I had to focus on how the skills I had acquired in performance, teaching and in general academics prepared me for the jobs in which I was interested. Once I got my foot in the door I resolved to work as hard as I could to establish myself and make connections. I made sure to apply my academic skills to each new problem I encountered so that I could fully understand what I was working on and become a resource for others that needed to learn.
What are steps a student needs to take to get started in your field? The engineering field has become more and more competitive since my entry in to it 13 years ago. Students who want to be in a Quality Assurance role in high tech should make sure to have some experience with computing (whether software, hardware or internet infrastructure) and take some course work therein (e.g programming, network administration or hardware/chip design, etc). For Quality Assurance in particular, a keen analytical mind is paramount, so be sure to keep those skills sharp and study hard in college (a Bachelor degree is a must). College internships with tech companies provide a great place to meet people and see how work gets done. While dealing with all of the tech stuff, don’t forget your communication and interpersonal skills. You are going to have to get your resume noticed and go through phone screens and interviews to get hired.
(app development, gaming)
What steps did you take to get involved in your industry? Many things in life rely on a little luck and a lot of persistence, or perhaps the other way around. During my graduate work in Musicology I developed a deep interest in how technology and music were becoming more intertwined. Whether in electronic composition, the continuing technological advancements of computer based recording or music distribution, I found that computers where everywhere in modern musical life. I took several electronic music seminars in addition to my normal work load and spent hours in the electronic music studios tinkering with various recording tools and software. I also began building my own PCs and took some introductory programming classes at a community college while I wrapped up my graduate studies. After I finished my Masters degree, I began looking for companies that were involved in music technology in ways that I found interesting and I frequently combed their job postings to see if there were openings of interest. I sent off a lot of resumes and started to network. Eventually, I landed the right interview with the right team.
Other than knowing your art form, what other skills did you need to succeed? Finding your way into the corporate world in any capacity requires excellent written and verbal communication skills. Your resume needs to stand out from others and quickly convey the necessary information that a recruiter or hiring manager is looking for. If you are fortunate enough to get a phone call or in person interview you then have a small amount of someone’s time to convince them you are the right person for the job. This isn’t so much about being the best in your field, but about communicating what you know and showing that you are someone people want to work with.
David Bloom
What in the arts do you specifically do? I work at Apple in the internet services division. I manage a Quality Assurance team that helps to deliver the server related software that powers the iTunes Stores, Apple Music and other related services.
(artist, musician)
Dylan Aiello What in the arts do you specifically do?
move to a city where I could definitely
I’m an independent artist and musician.
find work in art and music. Once I got
Right now, I’m playing drums for a touring indie-pop band (that I actually used to listen to in high school) called Elizabeth & the Catapult. I also work as a freelance graphic designer for a charitable-shopping jewelry company that I help run called Bird and Stone. I also create logos, album covers, and other designs for musicians and small businesses. On top of that, I’m focusing on building my online audience via Instagram
to New York it was all about going to everyone’s show and talking to them after their set. The more I showed up, the more I was involved. Other than knowing your art form, what other skills did you need to succeed? Marketing, and a healthy dose of
and converting that into a business down
selfishness. You need to learn to take
the road. Last but not least, I write and
great photos of yourself and your work.
record my own music.
You need to figure out which side of
What steps did you take to get involved in your industry? I went to school for music and that
your face is your good side, and which lighting setup makes your nose look huge and which doesn’t. You need to learn how to take and edit video, how
connected me to a huge network of
and when to advertise on social media.
people to work with. Many of my
You need to find your audience and find
friends from
out what they like and make that thing.
. . . it was all about
college
You need to become an expert at
going to everyone’s
moved to
documenting your process, always
show and talking to
New York,
them after their set. The so it was more I showed up, the another more I was involved.
reason to
capturing photos and videos to share of your work. Find the people that are kicking your ass at each category and
replicate them.
How did you promote yourself to start and then advance in your arts industry? As a private citizen, you might be concerned that everyone’s personal data is out there for the world to see. As a self-promoting artist, you should be THRILLED. Say you’re a ceramic artist. You find an Instagram account with 300k followers and the artist is making something similar to what you make or want to make. Congratulations! You found your audience. Now interact with all of them and they will likely see your work and likely be interested in you. This is how I took my Instagram account from 1000 followers to 10K in a year. Same with Facebook. You can run ads for something as specific as “California upper-middle-class women ages 20-35 who like Marvin Gaye” Find the place where your work and an existing audience meets, then interact with them. What are steps a student needs to take to get started in your field? Just start making content every day. Sit down and get your calendar out and block out all the times you have class, work, meetings, obligations. Now in the free space, give yourself an hour, two hours, whatever you can every day that you dedicate to creating. Maybe its 30 minutes researching artists you admire, 1 hour of work and 30 minutes of editing/sharing. Now create an alarm on your phone that goes off at that time every day. Post everything. Archive the crappy stuff later. You’ll be really good in 6 months.
It is important to just get out there. With each mistake something hopefully is learned. Be patient.
Gerard Martin
(professional artist, visual arts educator) What in the arts do you specifically do?
How did you promote yourself to start and
I teach high school art classes and I paint
then advance in your arts industry?
fine art images that are for sale in a gallery.
Very awkwardly. It is important to just get out
What steps did you take to get involved
is learned. Be patient.
in your industry? My classes in high school gave me confidence. Attending a pretty good art
there. With each mistake something hopefully
What are steps a student needs to take to get started in your field? Drawing a lot is still the best way to develop
school also helped me feel I could be a
your visual ‘vocabulary’. Find a type of art that
professional artist, but workshops and being
you really enjoy doing. It may be outdoors/
inquisitive after school was where I refined
indoors or
my focus and skills.
working with
Other than knowing your art form, what
alone.
other skills did you need to succeed? A thick skin helps. You may not always get the external support and encouragement, so believe in yourself.
people/being Understanding your personality and disposition will make that
easier.
What in the arts do you specifically do?
without pay to gain experience and ultimately prove
Art Direction, Creative Direction, Interactive Design,
myself worthy of promotion. I also pursued my own
Graphic Design and Branding.
freelance design business outside of my full-time work. This allowed me to gain knowledge of different
What steps did you take to get involved in your
industries and broaden my range of design skills.
industry? During College – BFA from USC in the School of Fine
What are steps a student needs to take to get
Arts & Design with an emphasis on Graphic Design.
started in your field?
Completed a semester-long graphic design internship
Take classes that teach basic design principles and
at an Advertising Agency. Worked as a student
fundamentals (Color theory, layout, typography, print
production artist for an on-campus print shop for 1
production, design process, user interface design,
year.
etc.) Learn design software required to execute design projects (Photoshop, Illustrator,
After College – Started working as a full-time graphic
InDesign, Dreamweaver, Adobe XD, etc.). Apply for
designer for USC immediately after college. Over the
internships or student design positions. Get involved
course of 16 years at USC, I worked as a Graphic
with student design organizations in your area
Designer, Art Director, Creative Director, Interactive
(Behance, AIGA, etc.). Work on sample projects via
Designer and Consultant. During that time, I built a
online coursework from Skillshare.com. Work on pro-
full-service design business to support the marketing
bono design projects for yourself, friends or family
and design needs of various business and academic
members to become more familiar with
units at the University. I also started a student
design software, the creative process and to help
internship program and assisted in forming a student
build a portfolio. Build a portfolio and have your
chapter for AIGA.
portfolio reviewed by professors, employers and other
Other than knowing your art form, what other skills did you need to succeed? Business development, budget planning, customer relations, account management, staff training, staff management, project management and strategic
professionals.
Jeff Ratto
planning.
(graphic artist and designer)
How did you promote yourself to start and then
Build a portfolio and
advance in your arts industry? To Start – Created an online portfolio, print portfolio
have your portfolio
and résumé to showcase a diversity of print and web
reviewed by professors,
design experience. I also requested recommendation
employers and other
letters from professors and employers. To Advance – After landing my first full-time position at USC, I continually took on additional responsibilities
professionals.
What in the arts do you specifically do? I am an actor, writer and director working in theatre, film and television for over 30 years. I am best known as the father of Don Draper on the hit series “Mad Men” and for playing the Marvel super-villain Doctor Doom in the first film of “The Fantastic Four”. I founded a Los Angeles-based theatre company and workshop called the Walking Theatre Group which develops new work in theatre and film. I am also the co-founder of a bodyempathy method called Walking-InYour-Shoes that is widely is used for personal development by therapists, coaches and creative performers. I work as an actor in film and television
The field is wide open to filmmakers because
and also as a filmmaker writing, producing and directing. I teach
technology has become so good and user-
workshops to actors and filmmakers
friendly. Do it now, and start getting experience
about using the body’s wisdom for
and building your body of work.
Joe Culp (actor, screenwriter, film director)
creative work.
How did you promote yourself to start and then advance in your arts industry? Actors must act. Don’t sit around waiting for jobs. I trained for years in workshops and classes and got into plays or did the plays myself. I talked to friends and made contacts and auditioned for agents. I got headshots and went on auditions. Eventually I got cast in films and TV. I had to push myself a bit because I wasn’t a natural networker, but that is something one can learn. As a filmmaker, I started by writing scripts for films that I wanted to see, stories I was passionate about, and also that I wanted to do as an actor. That led to understanding producing and getting the resources needed to make a film. I had to seek out people who financed films or wanted the same thing I did. I directed in theatre and knew about acting, so it was a short step to directing film.
What steps did you take to get involved in your
take rejection personally. As a filmmaker it is really
industry?
important to be an effective writer and speaker. I have to
I started out doing plays in school at the age of 9. I got
write well, both creatively as a story teller and also as a
more serious about performing in High School and
business person selling my ideas or projects. I even have
tackled classics at an early age. I always wrote fiction as
to write legal agreements as a producer, so I study the
well as stories, plays, poetry and songs. I attended a
language needed to do that. It’s also very important to
theatre program for teen actors and went to New York to
clearly communicate verbally my ideas and what I want to
study in college and independently. I did plays in New
happen with a project. Interpersonal skills, understanding
York and got an agent and began to work in film and TV. I
social cues and customs is very important as we need to
learned about auditioning for theatre and film. I trained as
network and collaborate with others to make films or any
an actor for many years under great teachers both in New
large scale creative project. A big part of filmmaking is just
York and Los Angeles. My training went further when I
meeting with people and discussing the project, whether
started my own workshop and producing, acting and
it’s with colleagues or getting financial support. For
directing shows with my fellow actors. I got a lot of
filmmakers today, we need to learn all kinds of digital
experience by working as an actor in different mediums
media skills too, such as social media, publicity, graphic
and began wanting to make films. I worked with writing
design and editing.
partners to learn more about screenwriting and the fun of collaborating on stories we were passionate about. Eventually I produced and starred in a low-budget film called “Hunger” based on a famous Norwegian novel. I did nearly everything on this production, and it took several years to complete it, since we didn’t have any money. Eventually we got a standing ovation at a Norwegian film festival. This gave me confidence to do more. I made two more feature films and some short films as well. I always continued to work in the theatre and for the art and did not want it all to be about the business. I learned the ropes of Hollywood through many challenging experiences, but the dream of working as an actor, collaborating, and making my own films always motivates me and pushes me forward.
What are steps a student needs to take to get started in your field? Most important is to train as an actor and live in city where there may be opportunity to get hired. That still means New York or Los Angeles. Chicago, Atlanta and New Orleans have a lot of production too. There are now casting sites where you can submit yourself for auditions or send videos. Actors get non-union work and build up their reels with lots of work and then find an agent who submits them on Union work where you can eventually join to get better paid and establish yourself as a working actor. Now actors can make short films on their own, make websites, have their own You Tube channels and promote through social media. As a filmmaker, you can make films with a simple digital camera. It’s good to study films, the
Other than knowing your art form, what other skills
whole history and see what you love about it. Writing is
did you need to succeed?
the big key to a great film – so keep writing and read a lot
There are lots of skills that can come into play pursuing a
to make your writing better. Learn to work well with
career in acting or filmmaking. For acting I needed to
friends and collaborators. Make short films or a series or
learn techniques that could help me access my talent and
even a feature that you can do for little or no money and
creativity. It was so important to learn through classes and
submit to film festivals. Film school can be great because
workshops. I often worked on plays that I might never be
you learn so many skills. But ultimately you learn from
cast in, just to push myself further and grow. Learning to
doing and working and making mistakes. Make your own
memorize lots of material is very useful. Actors should be
series and put it on YouTube and get an audience. The
able to do monologues standing on their head and be
field is wide open to filmmakers because technology has
physically and emotionally open to any creative moment.
become so good and user-friendly. Do it now, and start
That just takes lots of practice. You also need to sell
getting experience and building your body of work.
yourself as an actor by learning to audition well and not
(actor, film director, screenwriter)
Kristoffer Polaha What in the arts do you specifically do?
accepted to NYU. Once at NYU I applied
I am an actor. I act in film and television. I
myself fully in the discipline of acting. The
am also a screenwriter and have produced
third major step I took was to audition for a
a short film.
theater company while at NYU, in which I
What steps did you take to get involved in your industry? My steps to a career in my chosen industry were measured, beginning in high school. The very first step I took was as a freshman in high school. I made a decision, a decision to be an actor. My dad asked me what my Plan B was and I told him, I don’t have a Plan B because if I did, chances are, that’s what I’d do. I took part in every play,
acted for free. I worked hard every summer until I landed a lead role in a play called Bread and Butter, my lucky break. The New York Times reviewed me and from that review a manager and an agent both wanted to work with me. I began auditioning for film and television. I tell my sons, I worked ten years for free so that I could get paid to act. Total effort and eventually, a little luck.
choir, and any opportunity that gave me a
Other than knowing your art form, what
chance to create, act, and perform. I did
other skills did you need to succeed?
research while at high school about what
There are several skills I need in order to
university would give me the best
succeed. Knowing how to communicate
advantage as an actor. New York University
tops the list. If I have a great idea, but I
topped the list. I applied, which included an
don’t know how to share it, it will stay
audition. Everything looked good except
locked away in my imagination forever. If I
that my SATs
can write it out in a way that inspires others
weren’t
to share my vision, if I can “pitch it” in a
good
room and discuss it in a way that makes
then, today, begin
enough at
others excited about my ideas, then I can
it. Start doing.
first, so I took
sell them and make them go from an idea
them again. I
to a reality. Being able to express yourself is
was
huge, both in person and on the page.
. . .decide what you want to be and
Now!
How did you promote yourself to start and then advance in your arts industry? I wrote a lot of thank you notes in the beginning of my career and sent a lot of flowers to show my gratitude. When someone takes a chance on you, let them know how grateful you are, it pays off in ways you can’t imagine. Also, the old adage, “it’s who you know,”really is true, but it’s not strangers who are the people you need to know, it’s your peers, the people sitting next to you in class right now who might one day be in a place to help you out and build something with you. Be nice. Your community is being built right now, don’t muck it up with selfish behavior, that’s the quickest way to not succeed. Follow the same rules in order to advance in your chosen field, be nice on set or while on the job, people will want to work with you again and again, and every job is an opportunity to build your community. Let yourself fail, give yourself time, and love what you do. Finally, what are steps a student needs to take to get started in your field? My dad was a lawyer and he said something valuable to me one afternoon when I was a young man wanting to be an actor, he said “I don’t get to call myself a lawyer unless I practice law. When I’m not trying a case, I’m learning something new about the Law. If you want to be an actor then you need to act. When you are not acting, learn all you can about acting.” My advice to you is the same, decide what you want to be and then, today, begin it. Start doing. Now!
What in the arts/entertainment field do you
They must have a good grasp – of technical
specifically do?
and communication skills – they must have a
Touring – Booking Agency – Organize and cut deals for bands/artists on the road/touring/ live performances. In your opinion, for college-bound students and/or for those career-minded, what training and/or courses should be taken, or skills mastered in your specific field?
They should take Music Business classes to understand the different roles of the different aspects of the “team” that support the artist (to include touring) – INTERNSHIP – I cannot stress that enough! What steps did you take to get involved in your industry?
INTERNSHIP – Take Music Business classes – find a job with an agency/management team/label/publishing/club (talent buyer) if they are not already getting involved with the ON CAMPUS arts programming (buying
sense or at least know the agency’s role in an artist’s career (to include some of the terms used in the dealing of all touring aspects) – multi-tasker –They may want to LEARN and LEARN some more – lots to absorb – have selfinitiative. In addition to skill sets and subject knowledge, what other characteristics do you deem important to ensure success in your field?
Enthusiastic – Self-motivated – Open to working OUT OF THE BOX hours – this is not a “bank teller’ 9-5 job” – so they must be able to have a commitment to want to work and learn as they go – always something NEW to learn – be resourceful!
Maria Matias (booking agent, tour manager)
talent, promoting the shows, producing the shows ON CAMPUS) – ANYONE that will hire you in the music business – take what you can get and the more you explore of all the facets – the better – so you get a sense of which role you would like to be part of. Were you to hire a student or accept him/her as an intern in training, what specific skills
. . . have a commitment to
would you be looking for in his/her resume or
want to work and learn as
expect the student to know in a personal interview (or both)?
they go – always something NEW to learn – be resourceful!
What in the arts do you specifically do?
How did you promote yourself to start and
Until recently, I worked in the video game
then advance in your arts industry?
industry, building artificial intelligence for
I took an incredibly proactive approach to taking
simulated characters. Most notably was
on responsibility. Most projects are chaotic and
responsible for the AI in Bioshock 2, Halo 4, and
stressful, filled with shifting priorities. Early in my
Splinter Cell: Blacklist.
career, I was able to prove myself by picking up
Currently I am working at a startup called Bonsai
work and projects that were going to fall off the
(https://bons.ai/), building generalized artificial
schedule. Later in my career as I moved into
intelligence tools using deep reinforcement
positions of leadership, this responsibility
learning.
turned into mentoring and coordinating others.
What steps did you take to get involved in
What are steps a student needs to take to get
your industry?
started in your field?
Getting into the game industry often requires a
Motivation, ambition and passion. Getting
bit of luck. Once you get a few years of
started in gaming is very different today than it
experience, there are many jobs and
was when I started. You can download industry-
opportunities, but getting that first position can
proven tools like Unity and Unreal and try them
often be a challenge.
out at home.
I think I submitted my resume to 60 studios
If someone was really interested, I’d recommend
before I got my first phone interview. I ended up
getting started by making things. Anything.
starting my own (unsuccessful) game studio and
Whatever sounds interesting. I’d recommend
made a prototype game–all amateur without
starting small and once you get started, you can
knowing what I was doing. But it was enough of
try bigger and harder things.
a demonstration to get my foot in the door. Building up your own portfolio or demos can make a huge difference.
(game design, artificial intelligence)
Other than knowing your art form, what other skills did you need to succeed? Working in games can be incredibly demanding. Learning to work well in a team is critical. Mostly this means
I’d recommend getting started
“communication skills”, coordinating with many people to accomplish a common goal. Particularly in AI, there is little you can do on your own–most of my work was coordinating with animators, level designers and engineers to get something working.
Matthew Brown by making things. Anything.
What in the arts do you specifically do? I’m a musician and producer who releases his own albums independently under the stage name MC Lars. I promote myself through various social media platforms and make my living through crowdfunding, touring, various streaming revenues and merchandising.
It seems like today, anyone successful in music or the arts has to be as good at social media as they are at creating content or developing their craft.
MC Lars (musician, producer)
What steps did you take to get involved in your industry? I’ve been studying music since I was 10 and got serious about jazz guitar and music theory in middle school. In high school, I joined the jazz band and began composing my own pieces with the aid of my ancient Performa 550 Macintosh. I started rapping in the late 90s, and when I went to college, continued to perform on campus and promote my music on Stanford’s radio station. In 2003, I spent part of my sophomore year through an exchange program at Oxford, and through performing in clubs in England, I made friends with an indie label that helped me release and market one of my early albums. A tour I did to promote this album led me to crossing paths with a manager in New York who helped me market some of my first songs. I’ve been creating music and living off of my royalties fulltime since 2005.
Other than knowing your art form, what other
It’s important to be good with your accounting and
skills did you need to succeed?
QuickBooks – you need to be able to pay everyone
In 2011, I wrote a song with my friend MC
you hire quickly because otherwise, they won’t work
Frontalot called “Captains of Industry” that made fun
with you again and will tell everyone you are a
of the sad truth that anyone in the music business
bad business person. It’s important to be nice to
today is actually in the t-shirt business. My music was
promoters and tour managers and never release
always unorthodox, which meant signing with a
something unfinished. That being said, you do have
major label was never quite the right move, so I built
to keep releasing stuff. I try to drop three to four
my label by giving my music away and hoping
songs and at least one new music video a month.
people would come to see me and buy my merchandise. This has become the norm for the industry these days, but to survive financially, I’ve needed to be on the road five to six months a year, playing small clubs and theaters. Luckily, I enjoy performing and traveling and have enjoyed this, though I am touring less these days. Being able to work with other people and take direction from producers I trusted was very important, but by being a solo artist, I was able to make all of my own creative decisions. I’ve always liked being able to tour with just my laptop and make the kind of music I wanted to make while working with various other people over the years on specific projects that needed them. Keeping one’s touring costs low is very very important, especially when you are paying for everything yourself. I’ve toured on tour buses, but only when it was subsidized, like on the VANS Warped Tour for instance. Usually, I am in a van or even my own car. Road trip!
What are steps a student needs to take to get started in your field? It seems like today, anyone successful in music or the arts has to be as good at social media as they are at creating content or developing their craft. It might seem demoralizing to call your art “content”, but that’s what it is – if you get more Spotify or YouTube plays, then the platforms are more likely to promote your new projects, and you can grow your audience because their main interest is streaming advertisement revenue. I figured this out early and I always wanted to make sure I was rapping about topical things when they happened (the Bay Area hyphy movement for example, or making fun of crunk and emo back in the day). If you have something personal to say about trending topics, your voice really can resonate with a wider audience if you present yourself well and your work is professional or original. Some of the world’s most amazing artists and writers had day jobs while they
How did you promote yourself to start and then
created their classic works (Herman Melville and
advance in your arts industry?
Eminem, for example). Don’t be discouraged if it
I started making music way before YouTube, but I
takes a while and you have to have a side-hustle
knew making music videos was very important, so
while you build your business, but finally, always
when YouTube came along, I was ready. I was early
make sure you are spending MORE time creating
on Myspace, which helped me in the beginning, as
media than you are CONSUMING it. It’s okay to
did being an early adopter of crowdfunding for
binge watch Stranger Things once in a while, but if
paying for recording my albums. Being nice to
you are serious about your art and making a living at
every person who comes to see you is important –
it, never stop creating. Appreciate your teachers –
you need to sell your own merchandise and be out
having time to find your voice and create is rare and
there all night because if fans don’t feel a human
you will appreciate this time in hindsight.
connection with you, they won’t come back.
(professional dancer, dance instructor/educator)
Nicole West
Go see every company, every performance, and understand what the climate is so you can figure out what you want to do. Then stick with it and never stop.
What in the arts do you specifically do?
important skills I found were determination,
I am a dance teacher, choreographer, and
confidence, and the ability to keep my passion for
performer. What steps did you take to get
what I did as strong as when I first began training.
involved in your industry?
How did you promote yourself
I have been taking dance classes
to start and then advance in
since I was 3 years old, and
your arts industry?
continued into college, getting my
After graduate school I returned
Bachelor of Arts Degree in Dance.
home to Monterey, and knew I
I went to summer and winter
needed work, so I promoted
intensive programs, assisted
myself primarily as a dance
professional choreographers, and
teacher with my high education
auditioned for a few companies
background and professional
before going to Graduate school. I
experience in the field
received my Masters in Dance and
performing. I was also able to use
began teaching as soon as I
my early work with teaching
finished. I started choreographing shows as a
children at summer camps and in college
teacher and while teaching started performing in
workshops to bolster my stance as an experienced
community theatre.
educator. In the performance realm, I was called in
Other than knowing your art form, what other skills did you need to succeed? I needed good communication skills when meeting
to do a show at the last minute, and since then I started auditioning for musicals in the area and have continued to perform.
new dancers and choreographers, as well as critical
What are steps a student needs to take to get
thinking when it came to co-creating choreography,
started in your field?
interpreting repertoire, and writing my Final Thesis.
The most important step is to take as much class as
Writing the Thesis was as difficult as the
possible. Do not put limits on your skill set, and try
performance aspect, trying to convince highly read
to acquire as much knowledge and experience as
scholars in London that my idea was valid and well
you can. From there, actively seeking out programs
supported. Oddly enough, my musical skill set of
where you can strengthen your training and talk to
being able to sight read, sing, and play instruments
professionals is important to become aware of what
played a part in my graduate work, and helped
is happening in the industry. Go see every
separate me from others. Besides the measurable
company, every performance, and understand what
skill set with writing and performing, the most
the climate is so you can figure out what you want
to do. Then stick with it and never stop.
I believe that an earnest passion for and steadfast commitment to a path will be rewarded.
Ross Garren
(musician, composer, arranger)
What in the arts do you specifically do?
Other than knowing your art form, what other
I’m a musician! I compose, produce and perform
skills did you need to succeed?
music in a variety of contexts from film/TV to artist
Well I’m not sure how skillful I am in these
records to my own varied art projects.
departments, but social/networking skills, self-
What steps did you take to get involved in your industry?
promotion/marketing savvy, a “can do” attitude, and a willingness to work really hard can certainly help!
Well, I studied music in college where I not only
How did you promote yourself to start and then
learned a lot about the craft but also networked
advance in your arts industry?
with many musicians I continue to work with today.
There has been no particular method to the
Beyond that, I just sort of worked on it in all sorts of
madness (as far as I can tell!), but I aspire to always
ways, experimenting and exploring a number of
perform at a high level, turn out consistently quality
different avenues with some being more effective
recordings, not be a jerk, and at least attempt to
than others! I’ve tried to follow
notify the interwebs, social media, and people I’d
promising opportunities while also pursuing my
like to work with of my activities. I can’t say I always
passions and interests.
accomplish all of the above, but those are my aspirations anyway! What are steps a student needs to take to get started in your field? I believe that an earnest passion for and steadfast commitment to a path will be rewarded. If you work hard and accomplish noteworthy things, people will notice. I think it’s also important to be realistic. What are you particularly talented at? What particularly moves you about your field? What are your weaknesses? What do you dislike about your field? What sort of lifestyle do you want and what sort of tradeoffs will work for you? In music, there are a lot of very specialized jobs and I think the proper steps to get started will reveal themselves after a certain amount of introspection. In my case, I didn’t really know a lot of the answers to these questions and have had to be a little more open-minded as I’ve explored music and myself.
(violinist, singer, composer)
“RAZZ” Lauren Palumbi What in the arts do you specifically do?
Other than knowing your art form, what
I am a performing contemporary violinist,
other skills did you need to succeed?
singer, and songwriter. I specialize in playing
Staying organized is a hugely important skill.
contemporary music using modern tools like
Yes, practicing your art is very important but
loopers, pedals, and electric violins. I have
you want to be able to work smarter not harder.
toured all over the country as a songwriter and
Organizing your time to include the things you
played thousands of shows.
love and are good at as well as the skills you
What steps did you take to get involved in your industry? I trained as a classical violinist for many years before branching out to playing multiple musical styles in bands. Playing with other musicians gave the confidence to begin writing my own songs and developing my own style. I started performing my original work as a street performer making tips. That experience helped me perfect my act and led to more and more consistent work. My first consistent job as a musician was as a street-style solo performer for the Seattle Airport!
need to work on will keep you progressing in your career no matter what stage you’re at. There are tons of tools available for artists to communicate and showcase their work. But it’s also really easy to get overwhelmed or stretch yourself too thin trying to do too much at once. If you can set goals for yourself alongside a time frame you’ll be much more likely to continue growing. The arts isn’t a race to the top and you’re not ever truly competing with anyone but yourself. You’ll need to be a bit of a jack of all trades in the art world. From writing, to marketing, and even finance. Learn a little bit of everything you can and then decide – am I capable of doing this or willing to spend
The best thing you can
the time to learn? If yes, great! You’ve added a
do to get started in
resources you have available. Is there someone
music as a profession
trading work can strengthen relationships and
is develop your own
succeed in the arts if you try to do absolutely
identity.
people around you.
new skill. If not, look around at the people and who can help you? Delegating skills or even begin to build a community. You will not everything yourself. You need a community of
How did you promote yourself to start and then advance in your arts industry? I’m constantly working on and tweaking how I promote myself. I try to keep in mind that any project I do needs to represent exactly who I am right now. That way, I don’t get stuck worrying that a project isn’t “good enough”. I’ve released a lot of music and I always strive to make each song better. But I never strive to make a song perfect. If I did, I’d never release anything! But promoting yourself is difficult because you have to have an extremely strong sense of who you are. What are you the best at? What can you offer that no one else can? That’s a hard question to answer but it’s the core of a “brand”. Once you have your brand, everything else is going to be in service of your Brand and your Goals. I started off as a classical violinist and while I was okay at it, I knew I was never good enough to be a full time professional playing in an orchestra. It wasn’t because I wasn’t capable, but I honestly didn’t care enough about the music to practice it as long as I needed to be the best! But my attitude totally changed when I discovered electric violins. Suddenly I could compete with guitarists for positions in bands (I can shred faster than them!) and I can also sing and I naturally have a good ear for pitch. Playing in bands gave me the opportunity to begin writing my own music and I was introduced to looping technology as a writing tool. Suddenly I had a ton of skill sets 99% of violinists don’t have. I was making myself more and more unique and developing my identity and brand. I’ve continued to go down that path by constantly asking “What is a new area that violinists haven’t tried yet?” It’s one of the central pieces of my brand. What are steps a student needs to take to get started in your field? The best thing you can do to get started in music as a profession is develop your own identity. It may seem very daunting but don’t think about it like it’s just music – it’s the people you know, the instrument you play, the themes or ideas you use to write with, even other hobbies or passions. Your brand must be 100% YOU and don’t be shy about diving in deep with it. The more genuine you are, the more you’ll find people who connect with you. Secondly, be honest with yourself about the skills you are really good at, and the areas you need to work on. Set concrete goals with timelines attached that are reachable and do your best to stick to them. If you’re a songwriter, focus on writing a song a week for two months. Once you’ve made that a habit, it’ll be much easier to continue with that good habit! If you play an instrument and want to get consistent work I absolutely recommend finding places to play in public, even if its for tips. You’ll learn how to ask people for money (a hard skill) and you’ll learn about what songs in your set are really connecting with your audience. Lastly, a career in the arts is a lifelong pursuit. There will be ups and downs, you may have times when you’re making 100% of your money from art and times where you’re not. I’ve had plenty of times where I’ve taken side jobs or time away from touring to build my finances back up or try new opportunities. There is no shame or issue with that as long as you keep making goals and meeting those goals. And at the end of the day, there is no better feeling than making a living out of what you love.
Reagan Pollack (entrepreneur, musician, marketing) The journey is actually the fun part. Once you accomplish what you really want, it is great, but you will remember where you started and will relish that experience What in the arts do you specifically do?
more I bet.
Over the years I have co-founded various Web Startup companies, namely one called WorldMusicLink Corporation, that operated as a centralized hub for Music Industry Professionals and Musicians. The idea was born from my passion for music, namely guitar, and our band’s desire to make contacts in the music business. Today, I spend most of my days in Sales and Marketing, and I handle everything from graphic design, to marketing collateral development (think online ads, brochures, campaigns), to website development. Marketing to me, is taking a concept and designing it so well, that it excites people and gets them to take action. How did you promote yourself to start and then advance in your arts industry? When I co-founded WorldMusicLink, my first company, I was 20 years old. I knew nothing about startup companies, the music industry (other than playing guitar), or how hire people to help me run a business. But I didn’t let that stop me, because I realized that I could see the problem and the solution so clearly and that I was going to find a way to develop that concept. We did the typical PR stuff to promote the company in the beginning, but what really was helpful was taking the time to write personal emails to musicians and music companies. Promotion, when you are nothing, is all about quality over quantity. It is better to have 100 people love you, than have 1,000 people think indifferently about you. No one starts with a million followers, they start with 1. Then 2. Then 3.
What steps did you take to get involved in your
and go out and find them. That being said, I have
industry?
always enjoyed communication and research, and
I was a musician, and had been playing guitar for over
those two skills are very helpful in whatever you set out
10 years when I began to think about possibly making a
to accomplish. One thing that has always helped me is
career out of my talent. The internet was quickly
to take a big goal and break it down into bite sized
becoming a new way to distribute and promote your
chunks that I can accomplish on a daily basis. When you
music, and traditional record companies were failing at
do this, over time, you will accomplish amazing things.
catching up with the times of mp3, YouTube, and iTunes
But we all are human, and there are only so many hours
downloads. I formed a small team, and began planning
in a day, so we must accomplish mini goals, and be sure
on how we can solve our first problem: how to connect
to celebrate them. The journey is actually the fun part.
musicians with recording studios. After much research,
Once you accomplish what you really want, it is great,
we realized that there wasn’t a central place online that
but you will remember where you started and will relish
would do this, so we set out to talk with other
that experience more I bet.
musicians. After they confirmed the same issue that we saw, we began building a prototype of the website that would eventually morph into a fully functional web portal that went on to feature thousands of musicians from 50 countries online, and connect Record Labels, Promoters, Agents, Studios, Producers and more. Moral of the story: just because you see a roadblock in your life or in your aspiring career, doesn’t mean you are the only one facing it. If it happens for you, chances are it is happening for other people too, and you can use this to your advantage to create a new system for people to all succeed in the process.
What are steps a student needs to take to get started in your field? If you are going into the music business as a musician, you should have a clear goal for what you are aiming to accomplish. It’s not clear to say you want to be famous and be a big star. It would be clearer to say you want 5,000 Instagram followers, 10,000 Facebook fans, and sell 20,000 singles this year. Those are concrete goals that you can write down and focus in on achieving. So, get really, really clear on specific goals. Then, focus in on why you are doing it, versus the typical what you want to do. Why is more powerful and will keep you
Other than knowing your art form, what other skills
motivated during the not so fun moments. If you can’t
did you need to succeed?
think of doing anything other than playing music,
I’ve heard that technical knowledge is 10% of success.
because you love the way it makes you feel, that is your
90% of it comes from perspiration (hard work). I believe
why. If you love the way it makes other people feel,
this holds true. I also believe that there is a big
then that is your why. The what may lead you to some
difference between not having resources, versus just
money and fame, but that will not satisfy you. Focus on
not being resourceful enough. For example, when you
the why. If you are going to start a company (someday),
are thirsty, and want a bottle of water but don’t have
I would first read a few books on the subject before you
one, when you really focus on getting that, you will find
take the leap, like one of my favorites, The Art of The
creative ways to make it happen. You might ask a local
Start by Guy Kawasaki. This book opened my eyes to
business to let you have a glass of water, or you might
what entrepreneurship was all about, and how I should
trade something for it, or you might ask for an advance
focus on creating value in the world for others. When
on that water and promise to pay them back tomorrow
you really boil it down, entrepreneurship is about
– the possibilities are endless. Point is, most people
serving others, solving problems for others, and
don’t start with all of the resources they need to
creating value or decreasing pain for people.
accomplish anything, rather, they have to be hungry
…study your craft! The more you know about what you do, will only benefit you – take classes – I still do!
Rhett Wheeler (singer, entertainer)
What in the arts do you specifically do?
across the world -six continents- at sea. Some
I am a professional live vocalist. I am currently
highlights of my career include headlining with
performing as a lead jazz vocalist with The Walt
my own show for luxury cruise ships
Disney Company and Tokyo Disney’s jazz show
and singing with music legends like Dolly
“Big Band Beat.” We perform classic Jazz
Parton, David Foster, and Trini Lopez.
standards like “Sing, Sing, Sing” and “S’wonderful” with a 14 piece live big band to a sold out 1500 seat theatre in Tokyo Disneysea, Japan. Over the past two decades as a professional Singer and musical theatre actor, I have had the pleasure to perform in NYC, throughout the United States, in Japan, and
What steps did you take to get involved in your industry? I grew up in a family heavily rooted in the entertainment industry, so I stared quite young; however, that didn’t make my involvement and career path any easier. It’s hard work, and as they say, “practice makes perfect.” I studied
under some incredible musicians, teachers,
chatter about who I am and what I do. It even
dancers, actors, and am still learning every day. I
means going out with friends to see music events
took as many classes in the arts as I could in high
and meeting more people – networking!
school and went to a musical theatre program in college. I continued working professionally during school; but the majority of my musical career was post college, having met many people – making connections and networking – to help create business opportunities. At the end of the day, most every job I get is the result of an audition. Other than knowing your art form, what other skills did you need to succeed? Knowing the business side of your art form is just as important as being able to do your art form.
What are steps a student needs to take to get started in your field? To get started in my field you have to really have the drive. There are a number of resources to help you along the way, but the sad truth is that it is a hard path that very few make successful. That being said: study your craft! The more you know about what you do, will only benefit you – take classes – I still do! Then it’s all about finding the right auditions, agent, manager, etc. If it’s live performance that you want to be a part of, living
For me that means knowing about casting
in a big city for entertainment really helps – New
directors, auditions, talent agents, bands, sound
York & L.A. being the primary live entertainment
equipment, knowing how to read music, etc. Other skills that are important are learning to network, talking socially, creating a resume, being
capitals of the states. But before all that, what you can do right now, while you’re in school, is to take classes. Learn about everything. Learn about
able to take no for an answer, and possibly most
music, about theatre, about dance, about the arts.
importantly knowing that you are not the right
Learn about colleges (if you’re at the high school
person for every job – but you are the right person for the job you’ll get. How did you promote yourself to start and then advance in your arts industry? Promotion is tricky. There are thousands of [fill-inthe-blanks] in the world, and you’re just one. Getting your name out there is as easy as making friends with someone who knows someone, or getting yourself and your art form seen by others. For me- that means auditioning, creating videos that can be seen online and allowing people to be able to see me perform so that it generates
level it is not too early to get interested in college.) and don’t forget to have fun. Go and see a concert, go see a show. Learning about your craft includes learning from others in their element.
Taylor Schultz
What in the arts do you specifically do? I am a talent agent, working at a fullservice talent agency. I personally represent musicians and book their live performances for them. I run the college department at my agency, so in addition
(talent agent)
to handling all concerts for my personal clients, I oversee all our music clients’ performances on college campuses (and even some high schools!) in the US and Canada. My company represents all types of artists and entertainers, including musicians, actors, film directors, producers, authors, costume designers, music supervisors, and even special effects artists. Other than knowing your art form, what other skills did you need to succeed? I think the most important piece of my
If you respectfully approach professionals in your desired field, they will likely share their own experiences and advice with you.
career and success was taking every opportunity to learn and take on more responsibility. When I was starting out as a receptionist, once I finished my tasks, I would ask my colleagues and superiors if they needed help with anything. By offering to help them with tasks outside my job description, I grew my skill set and knowledge base. I think the most important skill in my job as a talent agent is not math or number crunching, but communication. My job requires finding compromises and strong communication skills are key to that objective. Learning to remain calm under pressure and in stressful situations was something I had to learn on the job. songs. What are steps a student needs to take to get started in your field? Do your homework! From my own experience, I believe figuring out what you don’t want to do can lead you to what you do want to do for a career. For example, before I set my sights on the music industry, I wanted to be a pharmacist, an architect, and a journalist. If you respectfully approach professionals in your desired field, they will likely share their own experiences and advice with you. Ask them what a typical day looks like for them and what their favorite and least favorite parts of their job are. If you’re able to get an internship or summer job in the sector you’re interested in, you will see what that field really looks like, what the job really calls for, and if you see yourself in that job in the future. Most importantly, don’t give up on your dream. The path you take there can
twist unexpectedly or longer than expected, but if
in Monterey. I submitted my resume to Paradigm
you want it badly enough, you will get there.
and let them know I wanted to be considered for any
What steps did you take to get involved in your industry? I started playing the cello at age 8 and played in orchestra groups from that time up through high school. Music was my first love. When I was in high school, while applying to colleges and figuring out what I wanted to be when I grew up, a family friend gave me the best career advice I’ve ever received: Figure out what you love and the money will follow. By my second or third year of college, I knew I wanted to be in the music business after taking some Music Industry classes my university offered. It’s worth noting that I was getting good grades in the
available job. I interviewed and was hired at Paradigm as a receptionist just two months after I graduated from college. Ten years later, I am still happily at the same company. I answered the phones at the Monterey office for about a year and a half after I was hired, until I was promoted to an assistant position for an agent. I was an agent’s assistant for about 8 months, before I was promoted to agent when I was 24. At that time, I founded the college department at Paradigm and have been an agent there for 7 years now. I never thought I would do the job I have now, but now I can’t imagine doing anything else.
Music Industry classes I took, but was discouraged by
How did you promote yourself to start and then
my professor when I approached him about
advance in your arts industry?
majoring in Music Industry, instead of minoring in
When I was attempting to enter the music industry
Music Industry. I shouldn’t have listened to him, so I
work force after college, I knew I needed to be the
encourage everyone who believes in something to
magic combination of humble and confident. I had
believe in themselves and follow their dream. I
to be humble and understand that I didn’t know a lot
graduated from the University of Southern California
about the music industry or the job I was applying
with a History degree and a minor in Music Industry
for, but confident in my work ethic and ability to learn
from USC’s Thornton School of Music.
and adapt to the job at hand. Never saying no when
When I graduated, I didn’t know what sector or job I wanted to do within the music industry. A family friend helped me get an internship with a music manager in New York City. That same family friend took me to several music industry networking events in New York during that time, where I collected a ton of business cards from record label and publishing company employees. But none of those contacts could hire me at that time.
asked to help with a project made me an ideal candidate for greater responsibility. Mastering my job description and vocally expressing my desire to advance up the ladder within the company was necessary for my superiors to see my dedication and worthiness for promotions. My story isn’t a typical one, but I was fortunate to be promoted often and early in my career. Each promotion felt like a leap of faith, when I wasn’t sure I was up to the tasks at the next level. To excel and succeed in those situations, I
After two months in New York, I returned home to
had to believe in myself and remain humble while I
Pacific Grove discouraged and worried about how I
made mistakes and learned from them, without
was going to pay my student loans, which would kick
giving up. As I have advanced into the role I have
in 6 months after graduation. I was about to give up
now, I am tasked with always thinking bigger and
on my dream of working in the music business when
outside the box, so I’m constantly brainstorming and
my high school summer job’s owner suggested I
pushing myself to think creatively and envision
apply to Paradigm, a talent agency that had an office
outlandish ideas and make them realities.
We Educate The Media Center for Art, Education, and Technology (MCAETtv) is designated by the California Department of Education as an Arts, Media, and Entertainment Model School Site. Not only does MCAETtv work directly with students, but our industry professionals and credentialed teaching staff support the delivery of Visual and Performing Arts Framework Standards through curriculum development aligned with National Core Arts Standards and implementation trainings for professional educators.
We Create
Alongside industry professionals, students at MCAETtv create and deliver quality content via online and on-air platforms while learning journalistic strategies for the 21st century. MCAETtv programming provides thoughtful, engaging content of benefit to our entire community. From insights and inspiration by local, legendary leaders of Monterey County to compilations of up and coming animators, MCAETtv viewers enjoy ongoing series and specially taped educational presentations.
We Deliver
MCAETtv state-of-the-art facilities include: • The Hayward Broadcast Studios: One Green Screen Studio for digital recording and one Black Box Theater (with seating for up to 126 and 3 HD cameras) for live performances • Digital Media Learning Lab • Remote Television Production / Broadcasting Truck • Radio station and recording studio
MCAETtv is a department of the Monterey County Office of Education.
OUR MISSION The Media Center for Art, Education, and Technology (MCAETtv) educates students for future college and career paths in the Arts, Media, and Entertainment sectors. Alongside industry professionals, students at MCAETtv create and deliver quality content via online and on-air platforms.
MCAETtv Students Learn Radio • T.V. • Film Marketing • Production Web & Graphic Design • Animation Computer Technology Game Design Broadcast Journalism