April 24, 2015
Life, Style, & Arts
15
Rookie representative ) Amateur manager guides up and coming artists MarQuise Prince Salone asst. copy editor A girl walks off stage after her performance in downtown Austin. Fans soon surround her, praising her for her singing talent. She is approached by a man requesting he represent and guide her career. “You can’t do that,” junior Daniella Cortez* says, stepping on the scene. “She’s my client, I’m her manager.” Cortez is a manager for people who want to be recognized as an upcoming artist in any category including dancers, models and singers. Cortez started her job while doing a favor for a friend who dreamed of being a rapper about a year ago. “One day I called a studio and they gave us a chance to go in and show them what we’ve got,” Cortez said. “The studio was very impressed that we were amateurs trying to become a success. I got him the opportunity to be in a studio and record his songs and get on a stage and get paid for his passion of music. About a few months into representing him, he started calling me his manager and I just accepted the title.” Because of how much she enjoyed her first experience of being a representative, Cortez kept the title of manager and went on to support more people despite the ittle experience she’s had.
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“They think I’m joking at first because of how young I am,” Cortez said. “But soon they realize how serious I am about it and see the success I’ve had. I decided to do this because it’s something I like to do. I know that’s not what people would imagine a manager saying but I really do love doing it. I like watching someone with a passion for music or art transform into an actual artist who’s being recognized by a majority of people.” Possible clients meet with Cortez and provide a portfolio or audition for her. If she believes they have enough potential, they sign a two-year contract stating she’s is their representative and Cortez tries her best to get them recognized. “My typical clients are singers and rappers age 19 to 20,” Cortez said. “I think it’s popular around that age because they really haven’t found themselves yet. They don’t know what they want to do and music speaks to everybody so they can relate to it and they can put so much emotion and passion into it. They’re mainly from bad areas or with bad families and because of that, they put their feelings into music that relates to the people and events in their life.” One of the biggest perks to being a manager is going to shows and discovering the diverse range of performers.
“On occasion, I’ll get a message telling me about a show, the time and place, and I’ll go there and meet a lot of people with different talents,” Cortez said. “I get to meet a lot of wonderful people and young outgoing artists. You’re never bored with the same talent. There’s always something different that amazes you by how creative people can be.” However fame doesn’t come without a price. One of the hardest things about managing is the time put into work and a client’s dedication to their art medium. “If a client of mine isn’t dedicated I will drop them,” Cortez said. “It’s annoying because you want to help them but they think it’s all about style, or just showing up, or me just booking everything when really it’s a team effort. I meet with them, communicate with them, and make sure they’re staying on track, telling them the things they have to do to get to where they want to be and making them focused.” Despite the struggles with being a manager, Cortez loves her jobs and considers it a foreseeable career in the future. “I love seeing my clients perform at shows,” Cortez said. “I feel so proud of them, that they’re showing the world what they’ve got and being on-stage really brings out more of the artist that they are.” *Student’s name is a pseudonym
Music industry offers prospective careers
venue Director The head of a concert hall, a venue director oversees all operations that occur in showcasing live music acts. Their responsibilities cover staff supervision, financial matters, and venue and artist advertisement. Strong leadership skills are necessary and one should be able to work well under pressure and in times of crisis. Salary: A venue director’s salary can vary according to the venue size and budget. Grouped within business and financial operations occupations, the average annual wage for venue directors in 2014 was $44,240. Helpful College Courses: Music business, management, bookkeeping, accounting, communication, marketing and advertising.
Holly Sill
Record Producer With extensive knowledge of studio equipment and music theory, record producers work with musicians in a studio environment, assisting with writing and arranging music. Their goal should be to create and capture a performance for a final product, such as an album. Salary: Salaries for music producers drastically vary. In 2014, most earned salaries ranging from $22,206 to $106,870, with the median annual wage being $49,870. Helpful College Courses: Music recording technology, principles of the record industry, recording and mixing, music theory, songwriting, music history, and music business.
news editor There’s more to music the industry than just musicians. Here are some
unoticed jobs that are essential to the creation and showcasing of music.
Music Attorney
Live Sound Tecnician
While most of their time is spent drafting record label contracts and discussing music distribution on behalf of their artists, a music attorney’s main priority is protecting their client’s property rights and copyrights. It is likely that music attorneys will represent their artists in court if a lawsuit is filed. Salary: Music attorneys are often paid hourly wages. However, it is possible that lawyers will earn a percentage from the deals they negotiate as their client’s representative. The average hourly wage for entertainment attorneys was $54.58 in 2014. Helpful college courses: Pre-law, technical writing, public speaking, economics, and courses in music business. Additionally, a more specialized law degree may be required.
Live sound technicians can work for radio and television companies, music venues, and independent performers on tour. Though live sound technicians cover everything from equipment repairs to voice and sound effects, their most common duties include sound checks, volume control and sound quality, and equipment set-up. Salary: Sound technicians earned an average annual wage of $46,040 in 2014. The lowest 10% of earners had an annual wage of $22,290 or less. Helpful college courses: Audio engineering, music history, music recording technology, music theory, and audio postproduction.
*All salary information is from the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics.