Week 10 EOC: Work Selfie

Week 9 EOC: Business Card Rough Layout

Week 8 EOC: 5 Networking Events to Advance My Career

1. CES:
The Consumer Electronics Show happens yearly here in Las Vegas, NV.  This is one of the biggest conventions of the year as companies from around the world come to show off the latest advancements in technology.  They cover everything from Television and Media, to cameras, and computer hardware and software.

2.NAB:
The National Association of Broadcasters show also happens each year here in Las Vegas and features all of the latest upgrades to the future of broadcasting.  While it is similar to CES, there are many other media companies which attend these events such as Avid, Adobe, and other media formats used when creating production quality work.

3.NAMM:
The National Association of Music Merchants show happens yearly in Los Angeles, CA. with other events that happen across the nation throughout the year.  This show gives musicians and audio professionals the chance to mix and mingle with some of the worlds greatest musicians who are at the show usually to showcase and demo the latest musical equipment that will become available.  This year Avid unveiled Pro Tools 12 as well as their new free version Pro Tools First.

4. AES Conferences and Conventions:
As a student member of the Audio Engineering Society, having the access to go to these events to network with other professionals in the audio field can be an enriching experience as well as a chance to learn new tools and trends in the Audio world.  Not only that but the ability to network with members from across the globe is the perfect networking opportunity for up and coming Audio professionals.

5.SXSW:
South by Southwest is one of the largest music festivals in the country.  Each year hundreds of independent bands descend into Texas to show their stuff to industry professionals.  There are talks as well at these events.  It would be a great event to attend for a music and audio professional to attend to meet bands that want to record a new album, as well as a way to meet fellow audio producers and engineers who may be looking for a new contact to be able to work with.  Would definitely be great to check this out.

Week 7 EOC: Tell Me About Your Career Goals

Since entering the Audio Profession, I’ve always had a set of career goals that I’ve been aiming for.  I began studying audio production in the hopes that I could use my skills to further my band’s sound and to help get us noticed by the right people. While this is not inherently important to my career as an audio producer, it is what my first focus has been on for nearly the past decade.  My most recent career goals that I’ve achieved would include setting up and running the audio for a live acoustic performance by Smashing Pumpkins, getting top marks and recommendations at my internship with Studio Center, and learning how to master music and post production work in stereo or in 5.1 surround sound.  My current goal is to further network myself in the audio community by doing some larger named productions, preferably with film or with a top tier local band or artist. In this industry it’s all about who you know, so gaining myself the opportunity to work with people at my skill level or higher can help me learn greatly about my field.  Not only that, but getting to work with talent that needs exposure, and properly helping them gain that exposure will help me have professional credibility and I’ll be gaining a positive reputation from these types of encounters.  By doing these things they will not only help me grow as an audio producer, but as a person as well.  These are the two key factors I’ll be using when I’m on the hunt for my next and future job opportunities and when reaching out in the social network.

Week 6 EOC: Seduction of the Online Web Surfer

1. The first most important thing that's needed to keep a surfer from clicking away from my website is to have something engaging on the very first page.  For my website I have a small slide show that plays and showcases a little bit of the work that I've done in pictures.  The high quality of the pictures will engage the viewer to at least click through those images before deciding whether or not to move on.

2. Having my active twitter feed on each page of the site shows that I'm active in my field and that I use my twitter to not only promote myself, but other aspects of the audio field.  Having that on the front page immediately gives the web surfer more than one thing to look at on a page, all without scrolling down.

3. Having a quick link on the home page to go directly to my demo reel is another aspect that can lure a surfer deeper into my website.  If they're intrigued enough to watch the slideshow and check out the twitter feed, they may not want to navigate through a bunch of different screens to find my demo reel.  So, having an active button right on the home page, and possibly every other page as well. Having the reel somewhere easy to access like a button link or a picture of it would be another great way to keep viewers on my website.

4. Having a nice looking and well formatted website is, of course, very important in attracting immediate attention.  A nice color scheme that is eye catching but not painful to look at for too long is also something to keep in mind.  Having a dull, boring looking website will be the first thing to cause people to run away from your website.  Matching colors, fonts, and formats shows that you took the time to really make the website something to be proud of, and people notice those sort of details.

5. Having a very short synopsis on my page of what i do as far as mixing recording and mastering gives a little tease to my artist statement and my resume, and since I'll be using my own voice when writing these pieces website viewers will get a small taste of my personality, and my passion for my work.  These short little summaries, 3-5 sentences, will leave just enough to the imagination to get them enticed enough to visit the rest of my website.

Week 5 EOC: How Art Has Changed Me

During the film we watched today in class, we watched a character undergo an extreme transformation when she fully embraces her love of art and photography, instead of looking at it as she always had as a hobby.  Art and specifically for me, Audio and music have changed my life in immeasurable ways.  Before I began playing music and recording audio I was very reserved, quiet, and 180 degrees a different person.  I was always one of those kids who never knew what they wanted to do when they grew up. 

Since playing in ensembles and collaborating with fellow artists and engineers, I have broken out of my shell.  I was never able to talk to a crowd, or do a presentation without shutting down or stumbling through my words.  I really don’t think I would be alive today without music, especially during high school.  It is not only my passion but my escape as well, and to have those be the same thing is a huge blessing.  Today, instead of breaking down in front of a crowd I draw them in, and instead of being nervous before a performance or a take, I’m filled with the greatest excitement that helps me and the audience achieves a higher level of enjoyment.  I would not know nearly as many people or be driven to see, experience, and interact with the world without art.  It allows me to express my creative vision and share it with the world, and because of the modern world we live in it is increasingly easy to find new audiences and potential business associates from all over the world.

Week 4 EOC: Deeper Meaning of The Devil Wears Prada

The film The Devil Wears Prada shows some very important things about several facets of the working world.   In the very beginning of the film the main character shows up to a job interview at a fashion magazine without researching how people dressed for that job.  To land the right job at the right place it is important to keep things like that in mind.  During the film it is also shown that it’s highly important to do some research into where you are applying, things such as who’s in charge, and what the company does from the ground up.  Knowing where a company comes from can help   many things easier especially during an interview, and in the long run knowing where that company is going and what kind of work is being done there.  On top of that, for any career it is important to eat sleep and breathe the work that you are getting into. Meryl Streep’s character very obviously was in the film, while Anne Hathaway's character didn’t really care what she was doing, and just needed some work.  This makes her look really disrespectful to her peers and to her boss as well.  It would be the same if while relating this to my field an Audio Technician throwing around microphones because they’re replaceable.  You have to respect the tools of your trade if you are to be trusted or respected in whatever field you are getting into.  That to me was the deeper meaning of The Devil Wears Prada.