Artist and Talent Management

Going into Entertainment Business entails all kinds of different aspects of the business. One of the most interesting, yet least known about (by me) is Artist Management. I was considering what I would do if I were to take up a career in Artist Management and thought the first place I would look would be a professional association.

Professional associations can help gain knowledge, experience and networking contacts when starting out in a new field. That is why I am going to introduce you to the Talent Managers Association (TMA). 

TMA has been in business for over 54 years, giving it the essence of “know how”. Having experience and longevity, one would be interested to find out what they offer to members. This organization is founded on the principle of quality.

The very first thing a future TMA member finds out from them is the code of ethics. TMA is proud of their code of ethics and works to ensure that all members agree to and abide by them. Their purpose is to

“promote and encourage the highest standards of professional
ethics and behavior in the practice of talent management”.  A very good thing, I think we all would agree. Having standards of conduct and professionalism, as an industry standard, brings safety, comfort and reliability to the artists who rely on their managers. Seeing as TMA puts this first on their agenda is very encouraging as an organization worthy of joining. 

Joining the TMA is not a rubber stamped approval. Certain criteria must be met, in order to be accepted. References from licensed SAG/AFTRA franchised talent agents are required for membership. Once approved, the membership adds credibility to the new member and/or his/her company. 

TMA offers a full event calendar booked with many directors and gatherings which would be very interesting to current and future talent agents. The networking parties sound particularly fun and exciting. Becoming a member would be a great way to enhance one’s circle of contacts. 

Along with the listed benefits, the TMA also supports the growth of new members. Experienced members are willing to mentor new agents who become members. 

If I were to decide to go into Artist Management, I believe the TMA would be the first organization I would join in order to gain experience, network with experienced agents and to learn more about the industry. 

References

Talent Mangers Association. http://www.talentmanagers.org/

Women In Film

-->

Women in Film Organization

Another wonderful organization we can join as filmmakers is WIF: Women in Film. Of course you need to be a woman – it is for women who work in film.

This non-profit organization, located out of Los Angeles, California, is geared to help women in the media production business. It offers them so many benefits that it is impossible to find a reason not to join.

WIF’s mission: “Founded in 1973, Women In Film and its Women In Film Foundation provide for members an extensive network of contacts, educational programs, scholarships, film finishing funds and grants, access to employment opportunities, mentorships and numerous practical services in support of this mission”.

What a wonderful thing to find! Support for women in film. I have experienced a little of the seemingly male dominated field and find this organization to be a haven for women. It offers so many positive programs and opportunities to help women gain their feet in the profession of film.

After researching other organizations and associations, I have to say that this one offers a plethora of benefits to its members. There are just so many things: from education, employment, workshops to events: a member would never be stifled or bored in this group.

One of benefits of joining WIF is the networking opportunities. This organization is host to many industry professionals and well-known women in film. Being able to meet others and get your name out there is a huge advantage. As the website states, it may not what you know but who you know, that gets you the next job. I agree. Having good contacts in show business is essential to move forward. Having mentors in the business can help any career get a start or a boost. I am so very glad to see how they offer the networking breakfasts. This would be a good reason to live close to L.A. and join WIF. The Beverly Hills breakfasts sound so interesting and exciting. I encourage you to check out the website for more information at http://wif.org/foundation/.

Overall, I think this is a wonderful place for any woman working in film. WIF offers so many benefits that the membership fee will pay for itself quite quickly and the opportunities are endless. 

References

Women In Film: WIF. 2012. http://wif.org.

Inspiration: Rob Legato on the Art of Creating Awe

Once in a while I see someone in the movie business that inspires me and it sets a fire deep inside: a fire to create awesome movies. Rob Legato is one of those people. His lecture on Ted .com at http://www.ted.com/talks/rob_legato_the_art_of_creating_awe.html  is very interesting and engaging. His knowledge of special effects is evident and very inspiring. I absolutely loved the way he integrates humor and wit to enhance what he is speaking about.

Mr. Legato was the special effects artist on the movies “Apollo 13”, “Titanic” and “Hugo”. In this presentation he goes behind the scenes to show the audience how he’s achieved the effect. It is very interesting and to me inspiring. His experience is seen by how he can create such spectacular effects to recreate actual events or to build a gap with footage already taken beforehand. It takes a very creative person to understand how to create such intricate and exciting effects, which do create awe in the movies. 

I have to admit that I am a bit jealous. I would love to be the person with years of experience and know how to create such wonder. What a special talent and treat to be able to awe audiences with scenes that look like rockets taking off into space or deep sea exploration. I guess it’s the dreamer in me that resonates with the building of fantasy and making it seem like reality. How truly awesome of a skill to be able to create such things! 

You can tell from his presentation that Rob is a smart man with a quick wit. He is very entertaining and personable. I believe it takes both qualities to be able to relate well with other people. If he was branding himself, he would definitely be able to brand his knowledge and skill but also his very outgoing personality. He is a fun person to listen to during the presentation and I would recommend it to anyone, especially to anyone interested in making movies. 

As I’ve done some soul searching, it seems that special effects and animation have a yearning place in my heart. I hope my entertainment journey takes me on a route in one or both of these fields. 

Reference:  http://www.ted.com/talks/rob_legato_the_art_of_creating_awe.html.

Professional Update: Colorado Film & Video Association

In my other blogs I’ve mentioned various associations which a film/video professional could join. Upon searching locally, I found another association that would benefit Coloradoan filmmakers.

As a media professional, joining various associations can increase your networks, bring you more customers, help with marketing and help you keep up with industry standards. Finding the right organization that meets your needs is important; as they can help you gain experience and knowledge in your field.

Being in Colorado, one of the more prominent associations is the Colorado Film and Video Association (CFVA).  “Formed in 1982, CFVA is the oldest and largest media production organization in Colorado” (CFVA, 2011).  

What I like most about this association, other than all of their awesome benefits, is the price of membership. It’s not restrictive and most filmmakers would be able to afford joining. I give them high praise for keeping their fees down, therefore giving start-ups a chance to benefit from their membership.

Speaking of membership benefits, the CFVA publishes your company in the Colorado Production Guide. This marketing and networking tool is a nice way to be seen and found by other professionals. This comes in handy when trying to put together a local crew for a film shoot. 

Other benefits include free admission to all CFVA events, education and training workshops, access to CFVA business services such as health and accounting services, and discounted admissions to co-sponsored CFVA events. 

CFVA also has committees which you can join to make a difference for the film industry in Colorado. One of their past programs which impacted the film industry was the support raised to help pass the House Bill 12-1286, which was written to increase Colorado’s film incentives from 10% to 20%. CFVA created a matching funds program for raising money to help lobby the bill. Success was reached when this bill passed in May of 2012. Colorado’s film industry has been working to bring more productions to Colorado and now they have a new avenue to help increase the productions here. CFVA helped bring this success to the film industry! 

Overall, CFVA is a great organization to be a part of in Colorado. I look forward to getting involved and learning from the experienced professionals that make up this association.

Membership. (2011). Retrieved August  10, 2012, from  http://cfva.com/membership.

Ted Talks: Iain McGilchrist: The Divided Brain

Psychiatrist Iain McGilchrist speaks about the theory how the left brain vs. the right brain functions. He explains in his talk on Ted.com how the brain is not divided and uses both halves of the brain to function in every situation.  His illustrated talk is very quick, yet understandable and enlightening.

Dr. McGilchrist explains how the Western society has viewed the brain as two parts: one of reason and one of imagination.  I love how he says that “this organ, which is all about making connections, is profoundly divided”.  He declares that the understanding that the human brain is divided into one of imagination and one of reason is incorrect. 

He states that the right hemisphere of the brain gives a broad attention to vigilance of what is happening around the person, whereas the left hemisphere is giving its attention, narrowly to detail. He goes into an intricately explained speech on how the mind works together with the help of the frontal lobes to determine reasoning and imagination. It’s very interesting and I don’t have the ability to restate what he so eloquently explains, other than to say that he brings it all together nicely. 

This speech is illustrated by an animation with a hand drawing pictures as he speaks. It’s very entertaining and helps bring the ideas to the audience in a clear and succinct manner.  Dr. McGilchrist gains the audience’s attention through the artwork along with his very believable ideas. He gains their trust by explaining how the brain works and narrates the ideas with graphics. Both, the ideas and the graphics build trust and give him credibility on these new ideas about the brain and how it functions.

He explains how the left hemisphere of the brain views the world’s lifeless objects whereas the right hemisphere is more about living objects such as people, plants, etc. He tells how the two intermix to create reality for the person and how every person’s brain mixes these things differently. 

Dr. McGilchrist’s ideas about how the Western society was built mainly on left brain activities, is very intriguing. He goes on to say that the world as we know it now is very left brain signified through the “virtual being more important than the real”. How “the technological becomes important and there is a loss of uniqueness”.  Basically, how the left brain functions have overshadowed the more intuitive side of the right brain in our societies. He goes on to explain how we are living paradoxical lives, where, as we “seek happiness it builds resentment and unhappiness which leads to mental illness”. 

The speech is very complex yet intriguing. I like how he ends with a quote from Einstein, “The intuitive mind is a gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant”.  He says that “we’ve created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift”.   There in a nutshell is the crux of his whole speech: how we have focused on the strengths of the left hemisphere (reason, purpose, knowledge) and have forgotten, as a society, the very valuable strengths of the right hemisphere (love, emotion, intuitiveness).  I highly recommend viewing this lecture yourself at: The Brain Divided. 

McGilchrist, Iain. The Divided Brain. [Animated lecture]. Retrieved from Best of the Web at

     TED.com: http://www.ted.com/talks/iain_mcgilchrist_the_divided_brain.html.

DPVA Association

Professional organizations and trade associations are a great way to connect with other professionals in your field. For filmmakers, there are many to choose from. This week I found one that is new to me and looks very interesting: The Digital Video Professionals Association.

This association has been in business since 1998 and has worldwide membership. Membership includes benefits from being in contact with experienced professionals, to training, to discounts on equipment to project networking opportunities. 

Some of you may wonder why a “filmmaker” might be interested in Digital Video. Generally, it’s due to the fact that film is being used less and less. This organization is keeping current with everything Digital Video has to offer. Cost cutting in films could be achieved by filming with DV instead of going to through the arduous process and cost of using film. Therefore, I feel it’s important to cover both mediums of film and DV.

DVPA is affordable for whomever would like to join, whether as an individual or as a corporation or as an educator. Their plans are reasonably priced and they have included some very nice bonus items to sweeten the membership deal. 

One of the most attractive programs the DPVA offers is free training to its members. This is very impactful on the industry, as it gives each artist the opportunity to expand their skill set. This is valuable to the person learning as well to the industry, as it brings up the level of knowledge in the people creating the media. This allows for better graphics and techniques being used across the industry and brings the standard of quality up. 

Another service this group offers is an area of message boards. It is used for anyone who wants to list a job, list their abilities for hire, list productions looking for talent, etc.  Bringing people together and helping them move forward in their productions and work is extremely helpful. Having access to like minded individuals and companies is a wonderful benefit for artists looking to find talent or connect their talent to a production. 

I give this organization a thumbs up!  

Tax Incentives for Filmmakers

Independent Filmmakers should not overlook tax incentives, per state, when deciding the location for their film. Many states offer some form of tax incentive, allowing the filmmaker to reduce their budget by giving incentives for their productions. Some states even offer up to 20% tax incentives, giving filmmakers plenty of reason to choose their state for the film production.

Daryl Goldberg wrote in his article, on the Mastering Film website, that “most productions do not film anything without taking advantage of some kind of tax incentive program” – that is how important these tax breaks have become.

Many new independent filmmakers may not realize that tax incentives could enhance their budget by 20% to 50%.

Tax incentives can come in different forms. From rebates or refunds, tax credits or transferrable tax credits. The rebate is seemingly the most attractive, as it is an actual check from the state where the incentive is given. Tax credits reduce tax liability owed to the state and transferrable tax credits can be sold to a 3^rd party for a sum, which would be actual money, but at a lower rate than the tax credit itself.

Knowing the difference between the types of tax credits and the guidelines is very important. Having the information before you begin production is mandatory. Missing deadlines or applying too late may mean no tax incentive. This could be disastrous if counted on in the production budget. A good rule of thumb would be to investigate in the very beginning of production, before any hard and fast decisions are made. Preparation and planning are the keys to success for tax incentives.

Good News for Colorado

Last Friday, May 18^th, history was made when Governor Hickenlooper signed into law, HB 12-1286, a bill that allows more tax incentives for film producers in Colorado. For years the Colorado Film Commission has been seeking to increase the state’s tax incentives from 10% to a higher rate, but were not able to move pass the House vote.

CBSlocal.com states that film production in Colorado has been nearly non-existent due to the lack of tax incentives offered from the state in the past. Changing the tax incentives will increase revenue for the state and lure filmmakers to the state that has “everything else”. Donald Zuckerman left Hollywood to become Colorado’s Film Commissioner. He has pushed for this bill to be passed, in hopes of bringing in more jobs and revenue to Colorado. He is certain they will come now that the tax incentives are in place and the new loan program, which no other state offers, is presented. Colorado will guarantee a loan up to 20% to producers, for an approved film project.

Many people are very excited about these changes in Colorado and I am on of them! This opens new doors of opportunity for filmmakers and gives Colorado the hope of a better economy.  I look hopefully to the future of Colorado’s film initiative and see many new possibilities coming to life. Yay, Colorado!!

Finance and Filmmakers: Where to find Financing for Your Film

Financing films can be a challenge for any producer. With the economy in a recessive state, producers may find it harder to locate willing investors. Realizing this, two groups have worked to bring financiers and angels together with prospective producers for networking events. The events are geared to help producers find funding for their films.

The first group believes in “bridging the gap between financiers and filmmakers”. They put on an event to bring the two groups together. The Film Finance ForumWest was put on by Winston | Baker in March of 2012.  This was the fourth annual event for this financial forum. Located in Los Angeles, California, this gathering was sponsored by Winston/Baker and a variety of large capital groups such as the China Main Stream Media National Film Capital Hollywood Group.

Winston/Baker “specializes in producing educational and networking events
for the financial community, offering live and online programs which address alternative investment trends and finance strategies”.

Offering events around the world in cities such as Zurich, Cannes, Los Angeles, and Toronto, Winston/Baker hopes to bring together upper level financing and filmmakers. The events are hosted throughout the year and offer opportunities for networking amongst the world’s top financiers and “high-level entertainment”. Keynote speakers cover topics of how to raise financing in this global economy, how to generate revenue through various distribution methods and much more. This forum would benefit any filmmaker interested in learning how to raise funds and how to read the ever changing economy for opportunities.

The second group will hold its 5^th annual networking conference on May 7, 2012.

Networking Seminars FilmProduction & Finance Summit, held in Los Angeles, California, aspires to inform filmmakers on how to finance their films while helping them network with top financial investors. This summit offers seminars about film and finance for all interested parties, along with networking breaks to allow people to create contacts in the industry. Covering many topics of film finance, this seminar would be helpful to any new producer in the industry. It is geared to teach filmmakers how the system works and to help them create contacts to help them with their films.

Both of these events hold a lot of promise for producers and filmmakers. I would very much like to attend both of these, in order to create contacts in the industry and to learn more about film finance. I say hats off to the innovators in the industry who are proactive and work to keep everyone moving forward.

Inspiration from Steve Jobs

Inspiration can come from many sources. From the lectures / speeches on Ted.com, there are many well known leaders and speakers to listen to and find inspiration from. One of the most touching accounts was from Steve Jobs, founder of Apple. He gave a commencement speech to Stanford University in 2005 and it was truly heart warming and inspiring.

Not knowing much about the personal history of Steve Jobs, it was surprising to find out that he was adopted at birth. His birth mother wanted him to go to a family of college graduates, to insure his future success by attending college. Unfortunately, this did not happen. Only after being promised that the child would attend college, did she finally agree to let the prospective parents adopt her baby. The original adoptive parents, college graduates, turned down the baby and her son was adopted by a couple with no college background.

He calls it “connecting the dots”. How his history has come together to create the life he was living. Part of the connection started with his parents sending him to college. He dropped out after thinking it wasn’t doing him any good, and it was spending all of his parent’s hard earned money. Dropping out lent him a freedom that he didn’t have as a full time student. He was free to pick classes that interested him. One of the classes was Calligraphy. Later on, when designing the Mac, he incorporated what he had learned about fonts into the Mac design. He says that connecting the dots can only be done looking backwards and not towards the future.

One of the most inspiring things he said about this segment of his life was that he trusted it all to work out okay. He felt he could follow his inner voice and intuition to make his way. At the end of his speech, he encourages the graduates to follow their hearts. He says to not let anyone’s opinions drown out the voice inside of you. I found this to be particularly insightful. On the same note, Rick Warren, author of a “Purpose Driven Life”, also said that a person needs to sit down and figure out what he or she is all about. Knowing yourself and your values is important and needs to be thought about. He says that most people go through life without really addressing this and that is not truly living. Both men are inspirational and have lead lives that most of us dream about living. I think it’s very valuable to know yourself and to recognize all of your dreams and values. This is what makes you – you!

Steve Jobs most valuable advice was to love what you do! He said that life can hit you in the head with a brick, but to not lose faith. He said if you love what you do, then it will get better and better, like all long term relationships. He encouraged people to have the courage to follow their hearts and intuition.

This speech means so much to me. I’ve been doused in self doubt and consternation for a while now, and having the influence of a mighty man say that he’d been hit in the head with a brick, when he was fired from Apple, brought a new light to my life. Knowing that he overcame what felt like a great failure, to move on to new heights and success, is so encouraging. He definitely built trust with his listeners by being so open, honest and humble about his life and his accomplishments. This openness is what the world needs to be inspired. When someone says, “You can do it”, but has no idea of whom you are or what you are capable of, is not of the same caliber of how, “This is what I faced as a challenge and overcame it. I know you can, too!”.

Summing up, what Steve said at the end of his speech was a nugget to take along on the journey of life: “Don’t waste your time living other people’s lives. Know what you truly want to become, everything else is secondary and have the courage to follow your heart and intuition”. This advice is so freeing and gives my heart hope of a better future – one where dreams do come true. 

 

Uniting Christian Filmmakers - 102

Researching further for organizations that unite Christian Filmmakers, I found the Christian Filmmakers Organization on the internet. This group allows filmmakers to come together and network, show their work on the website, promote film festivals and host contests.

Unlike the other organization I wrote about in my previous post, Christian Filmmakers does not have seminars, but they do offer a place for filmmakers to post their projects and their experience. Therefore, they unite the groups by advertising what is needed to complete a project. This is a wonderful service, as it is free to the filmmakers that join the site. 

Christian Filmmakers also gives filmmakers an arena to promote their work. This is very valuable to up and coming filmmakers. Hosting the work and giving the viewers ways to share the media, via social networking sites, can give a filmmaker a good way to build an audience for his or her film.

After reviewing a couple of the trailers on the website, the desire to create films for Christ has been re-inspired. There is some really great work out there and the people creating this media know what they are doing. This organization is promoting this work and bringing together the talent needed to make impact-filled films. 

The forum on the site also allows the sharing of knowledge and ideas between filmmakers. Allowing people to connect and to share ideas is a definite bonus. Few places have such an easy venue to share information and to connect with other like minded individuals. Having this feature will impact the industry by allowing it to grow and flourish as more people connect and share resources.

As it is free to join this site, this is a huge bonus for student filmmakers. Not having a big budget to join all kinds of associations and groups, this benefit will open doors for students starting out in filmmaking. Being able to show their work will also give them a place to show their talent without having to pay fees to promote their work.

Christian Filmmakers also hosts contests. It is another way to promote films and give filmmakers a place to show their talents.  If you love a challenge and want to create something inspiring, then this is the place to be connected!

Having many different services and connecting avenues, Christian Filmmakers is a wonderful association for filmmakers to become a member.  

Uniting Christian Filmmakers

Christian filmmaking, especially mission-based film making, seems to be a unique niche of filmmaking. Many filmmakers are independent and have started their own companies, in order to promote and market their films. There doesn’t seem to be an all-encompassing organization that supports this type of filmmaking. That being said, there are some wonderful groups out there which are pulling together the Christian filmmakers, in order to help them create and distribute the gospel of Christ to the world.

One of the organizations is International Christian Visual Media (ICVM). This group unifies filmmakers across the globe with the sole purpose of relaying the message of God’s love.

ICVM’s mission is to bring Christian filmmakers together and help them unite with each other, in order to produce media which will reach the globe. With membership, they offer access to legal advice, script review, business ideas and other helpful services for filmmakers. Members have reduced fees to enter the annual conference and show their products and/or services.

ICVM’s annual conference and the Crown awards ceremonies are a major influence on Christian films. Giving forum to Christian filmmakers and helping them distribute their films worldwide, is a significant undertaking to help independent filmmakers get their films out to International markets.

ICVM brings filmmakers together once a year for a 3 day conference. This year it will be held in Florida. Filmmakers can show their films at the conference and enter them in the Crown Awards, which promotes quality film in the Christian genre.

ICVM impacts the Christian film industry by providing structure and networking for filmmakers. Their influence and recognition grows through conferences and influence in marketing around the world. In business since the 1970s, the association is committed to building up producers in the media field.  

Associated with members in over 20 nations, they have the global reach needed to share the message of Christ’s love to the world. Their knowledge of how to distribute in foreign markets and their contacts in other nations, impact the mission based films industry by helping bring these films to markets that are off the beaten path.

Overall, associations like ICVM are needed for all Christian filmmakers. Having unity and resources help promote films and filmmakers, by giving them much needed networking opportunities and resources to create and distribute their films.