Showing posts with label Professional. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Professional. Show all posts

Professional Workflow

On: 6/26/2016
By: Unknown
It has been another extremely crazy month. With two WWE events, Gradfest, classes, labs, assignments, family visits, and homework, I've hardly had any time to myself. Regardless, it's been a ton of fun, and I'm glad that I managed to get through it. Hard work always pays off!

 The course I had this month was called Professional Workflow. It was essentially mixing, mastering, communicating professionally with peers, exporting files correctly for mixing, and session organization. The assignments were fun, and I wish we'd had more classes with assignments similar to the ones in this class. We were to compose a piece of our own, mix one that a classmate composed, and then mastered one that was composed and mixed by one of our classmates. We had to utilize email and other forms of communication in order to efficiently and effectively finish the EP (extended play) in a timely manner. 

 As I go into my final project course this next month, I can't help but be flooded with mixed emotions. I've made so many incredible friends during my two years here. Although I'm not entirely sure what's to come next, I can't help but be excited and nervous at the same time. It's been such a crazy ride, and I wouldn't take back any of it for anything. This has been the best thing that I've done for myself, my career, and my skillset. The time has flown, but I'm excited to jump in head first to my final project course here. Then it's graduation day on August 5th! Quite proud of myself for making it this far! 

 Thanks for all of the support! It means a lot to me! 

 Lennon
Student
Music Production, Bachelor of Science
Read More
Posted by : Unknown

5 Things I'm Doing Everyday to Better Myself

On: 4/08/2016
By: Unknown
The entertainment industry: An industry that's only fit for a handful of people. Whether you're talented or just business saavy, you have to work at a few things. I've learned this over the last few years, so I'm speaking from experience. 

1. Networking, networking, networking. This is a term that's easier said than done. If you're a people person like myself then networking is probably going to come fairly easy to you. Networking can be accomplished in many, many ways. One of the easiest (and the one that requires a minimal amount of interaction... kind of...) is utilizing social networks. I have built and had amazing things come my way simply because I use social media. One of my favorites at the moment is LinkedIn. Through LinkedIn, I have been able to connect with industry professionals, fellow classmates and friends, and even Full Sail instructors that know the industry in and out. Regardless of where I'm at in the industry at any given time, I should always have someone to contact that will have some sort of professional advice. 

Another source of networking would be to simply get involved with your fellow co-workers. Join them on brunch and dinner outings, ladies (or guys') night out, or even stay after work a little (if your life allows) to get to know the person sitting next to you or even across the hall. You never know a person until you get to know them, nor will you know who they're connected with/know unless you talk to them. It might be a little tough if you're not a social butterfly, but I have faith in you! You can do it!  

Another "easier said than done" networking occasion you could try is going to conventions. NAMM, for example, if you're into the latest audio technology and market fads. Although I've never been to one, I do plan on attending one in the future when my schedule and wallet allows it. These types of events allow you to introduce yourself and get to know professionals within your given industry. If these people don't have connections, I honestly don't know who would! 

2. Being professional. This ties in with the first one. If you're going to network, you must be professional. When you're working your way into the music industry, you have to have independence. And to be able to communicate with the seasoned professionals within the industry you have to know how to portray yourself as a professional, right? Would you want to work with someone who shows up to a meeting late, responds to emails weeks later, and never can meet a deadline? I know I sure wouldn't! That's why I work each and everyday to showcase myself as professionally as I possibly can. 

 3. Learning my industry. How am I supposed to fix a car when I don't know anything about cars? How am I supposed to work in an industry or company I know nothing about? I couldn't. Whether I'm reading about and researching the latest gear or I'm getting to know the pioneers that have shaped my industry into what it is today, I'm always learning my industry. I've always viewed the entertainment industry as one that's "behind the scenes" - only a handful of individuals really know what goes on behind the curtains at concerts, movie filmings, and various live events. I'm proud to say that I'm one of them! 

 4. Perfecting my craft. Spending time on myself has been an important aspect that I've been working at over the last few years--and so is spending time on my craft. Whether you're a doctor, musician, or a real estate agent, there's always room for improvement. And that's one of my favorite things about this world. With technology being updated and changing at an exponential rate each and every day, there's always something to learn.

 The music/entertainment industry is an industry where one cannot stop learning. If you do do so, you will fall behind and may have troubles catching up to everyone else. Read blog posts, network (there's that term again!), and try new technologies. The resources and people are there, so what are you waiting for? 

 I shouldn't say 'perfect' your craft; perfection isn't possible (in my opinion). A better term would be to "evolve" or "better" your craft. Being that I'm a musician, I'm constantly learning about the latest technologies, whether that be studio hardware, digital audio workstations, music theory, or even something as simple as social media. I always catch myself asking, "What's the next best thing, and how can I get involved?" 

 Once you've "evolved" your craft, you've established yourself within an industry. I, for example, wouldn't talk about how to go about fixing your car's transmission because I don't know anything about cars. However, I do feel that my musical knowledge has evolved over the years, and I feel confident about speaking on various music related topics. 

 5. Believe in myself. I'm going to fail. That's inevitable. I've failed a lot, but I've learned something every time. It can be something as simple as being late to an important meeting (some wouldn't consider this a fail, but I do. I hold myself to high standards.), or it can be as important as completely missing a deadline for a significant task. I've learned to pick myself up, realize what I did (or didn't) do, and figured out how to get through it. A video (click here) posted by one of my favorite YouTubers put this into perspective and shared exactly how I feel about this kind of situation way better than I could ever explain. 

 I've tied all of these points so that they all correlate with each other. If I'm going to be successful in a really tough industry I must continue to network, be professional, learn my industry, perfect my craft, and believe in myself. Success will always be inevitable if I can keep my head up and keep on keepin' on! 

 With those words being said, I bid you a farewell, my friends! 

 Lennon 
Student
Bachelor of Science, Music Production
Read More
Posted by : Unknown