Marcus Knight

ProPrep Update

I forgot to say that during my ProPrep module I signed up with Music Jobs UK, and now that I have finished my Professional Portfolio, I have updated it with all my recent details. It’s also cool because I can upload a selection of my new professional photos, my PDFs, and my interview video.

At the moment I am not paying for the premium service, as I am not interested in look for a job at this very moment, but I think I will go premium in the last few months of uni, so that hopefully I might be able to line up some interviews for when I leave.

As Im on the free version Im not sure if I can be found yet, but your welcome to try :)

ProPrep – Final Blogs

Okay… so I dropped the ball in terms of keeping a weekly blog. I got busy during the 3^rd week and never managed to write up a 3^rd blog, and when I had some time to do so, I had forgot what I had done and when. So now I’m going blog about each tasked I carried out.

First I would like to say that my professional portfolio is divided into 2 main focus points, and these are applying for work within the music industry, and setting up ‘Bob Presents…’ as a potential career path. This meant that each item falls into either one of these focus points, or both. The ‘Bob Presents…’ work focuses a lot on further developing existing elements i.e. the business plan, website etc, and the music industry tasks are more about creating the appropriate tools that are needed for me to approach a job in the industry.

During the devising of these items, the word ‘creative’ was often placed in front of them. The reason for this was so that I did not just jump to creating generic items, but instead thought more carefully about the way I carried them out. The result found that some things were impractical to be made creative, others inappropriate, but it did help me to think more carefully about the presentation of items in my portfolio.

Develop Bob Presents…

Before the start of this project, I had created an indie record label that was designed to help new and unsigned artist, from working on producing a demo, up to it’s distribution and marketing. But the business model was flawed as the concept of helping new artists release music would bring in very little money, if any, and because of this ‘Bob Presents…’ would never be able to further develop, providing it could even be efficient enough to continue. So I had to think about how I could put the concept and principals of ‘Bob Presents…’ into a better business model. After some thinking, I realised that I could offer tuition for new and unsigned artists, which covered all the aspects of creating music and getting it out there. I decided to name this Creative Advisory Tuition, and it would operate in hourly sessions in a similar fashion to instrument tuition. This way ‘Bob Presents…’ can make enough money to invest back into the business, as well as offering me the financial support I need if I am going to pursue this as a career path. So I set up a creative advisory page on the ‘Bob Presents…’ website, in which people can get all the information they need (http://bobpresents.yolasite.com/creative-advisory-tuition.php), and started promoting it.

Presentation In My Portfolio

This development of ‘Bob Presents…’ will be documented in a special ‘Bob Presents…’ information booklet. This booklet will be in an informal manner, and designed to act as a general informational guide to anyone who is interested in knowing about ‘Bob Presents…’ in terms of what it is, where it came from, it’s newest developments, and what the future may hold in store. It will be presented in A5 format so that it’s more applicable to it’s target audience as it is presented in an almost ‘fanzine’ sort of way. (See Bob Presents… Some New Developments – Creative Advisory Tuition) I will also be handing in a ‘press/promotion sheet’ that I designed as an extra to the portfolio. This sheet would be a part of the ‘press pack’ that would be sent out to schools, and directly to potential Creative Advisory students.

Developing the Bob Presents… website

Because I already had a website for this enterprise, the next important step was to develop it so that it was easier to use, and offered more to the ‘Bob Presents…’ audience, as well as its associated artists.

The main developments are:

·      Creative Advisory Tuition Page, and Stronger Website Re-Direction to that page

·      Online Creative Advisory Appointment Maker

·      Greater Branding of the ‘Bob Presents…’ logo

·      Facebook Feed

·      Blog Page

·      Podcast page (with comments box)

·      Starting the basis of Search Engine Optimisation

All of these developments are designed to increase the fan base of ‘Bob Presents…’ and to offer more to its fans and artists i.e. a helpful blog feed for unsigned artist, and a free bi-monthly podcast featuring new and unsigned artists.

Presentation In My Portfolio

This will also be presented in the Bob Presents… booklet. (See Bob Presents… Some New Developments – The Website & The New Website Features.

Business Cards (Bob Presents…)

Originally ‘creative business cards’, this idea was to find a way of using the well-known method of exchanging business cards, but applying it in a new and innovative way. Unfortunately it seemed that there was no real way of beating the traditional business card, as at this time there is no ‘universal’ digital method of exchanging details with the minimal of fuse. I even found it was hard to create something unique that could be handed over, which was more beneficial than a traditional business card. So I decided that creating a traditional style business card would be the most sensible for this moment in time. But I did think carefully about the way it was presented.

As my target audience for the Creative Advisory Tuition is likely to be people aged 14 – 18, I designed my card to have bright and attractive colours, as well as punk-like graphics, so that it is interesting and ‘cool’ to my target audience. As ‘Bob Presents…’ offers tuition, I felt it would be a good idea to have an appointment card on the back, so that it is easy to set a time and date, while insuring the student has something to remember when the session is.

I have also been using the business cards to help me promote the Creative Advisory Tuition by handing them out to all the artists who played the Open Mic night at the Stannery (Thank you to organiser Mark Ferbranche for allowing me to do it). This way I was directly contacting the target market, but I think a lot more hard work and determination, as well as face-to-face promotion with my target audience, is needed before Creative Advisory Tuition really takes off. But I do think that this idea is good, and that if I’m persistent, I can make it work.

Presentation In My Portfolio

The business card will be included in the ‘Bob Presents…’ information booklet, as well as handed out on a ‘Bob Presents…’ flyer (which will also be handed out during my presentation)

Professional Photos (Bob Presents… & Music Industry)

This item is a collection of professional looking photos that I can use throughout my portfolio, for both my Industry portfolio and Bob Presents…. My original idea was to get a mix of photos, some of which are taken in a studio against a black screen, and others taken while I am carrying out a task i.e. sitting at a mixing desk, or helping someone develop a song on the guitar etc.

Originally I was working with 1^st year photography student India Pocock, but due to the amount of work she had to do for her course, she could no longer help me with my photos, at least not for this project. So I decided to ask a friend of mine who is a part time photographer, if she could help me out, and thankfully she agreed. Due to time constraints we could only meet for a couple of hours, on one particular day. 

We met and took some pictures in the format that I originally wanted, i.e. against the black backdrop. As we have never done a ‘proper photo shoot’ it was a case of trial and error, but in the end I think we got a good collection of photos that I can use in the professional capacity. We also got a few photos of me outside, and some of me working in the recording studio.

Overall I am very pleased with my photos, and very thankful for Gina Jackson for stepping in and helping me out at the last minute. In the future (maybe in a few months time) I will arrange another photo shoot, but make sure that there is plenty of time for development of ideas, and experimentation. I also intend to work with my original photographer (India Pocock) in the future, and so I am excited about the ideas and developments that will come from that. Between those two later shoots, and the one for this project, I should have a large portfolio of pictures for me to use in my professional capacity.

Presentation In My Portfolio

I have picked my favourite photos (and the ones that are most likely to be used in the future) and supplied them on a printed ‘film strip’. I have used some for my professional portfolio, and I have also used them on my main website, www.marcusknight.yolasite.com, as this is the website I use to represent me.

C.V. (Music Industry)

This was one of my ‘creative’ tasks, and although it could be said that my C.V. is not very creative, I have looked into unique ways to present it. The problem with trying to make things in my portfolio ‘creative’ is that I had to be careful not to compromise the professional integrity, and so it made it difficult to experiment with new and very different ideas. I am very happy with the way it looks, and pleased with how I have perfected the content by making it more to the point, and therefore giving it more impact. I am also pleased by how much I have been able to include, and it has been rewarding to see all my achievements and experience, down on paper. A music based C.V. is something that I have been telling myself to do since I started university, and thanks to this project I now have one that I am very proud of.

Presentation In My Portfolio

My C.V. will be supplied in my Industry Professional Portfolio that is designed to focus on getting work within the music industry. I will be supply along with my references, personal statement and accompany DVD-Rom. It can also be viewed digitally on my website (www.marcusknight.yolasite.com)

Personal Statement (Music Industry)

I used this as a chance to explain my experience, and my reasons for wanting to work within the industry in greater detail. Other than reading it, there’s not much more to be said J

Presentation In My Portfolio

It will be in my Industry Professional Portfolio.

References (Music Industry)

I wanted to present my references separately from my C.V. for two reasons, first so that there was more space on my C.V., but more importantly I wanted it to be a document that was impressive by itself. Out of the 3 paper documents in my ‘Professional Portfolio’ this one was the most ‘creative’, as I presented them in a way that I feel is quite different, but at the same time effective. I separated them into Music and Personal references, and then had 2 references per group. I then supply the reference details, as you would, but I also added a ‘sound-bite’, which was taken from their full written references. So I have 4 highly praising comments on my reference page, and they make me appear to be a good candidate for a job in the music industry.

Presentation In My Portfolio

It will be in my Industry Professional Portfolio.

Video Interview (Music Industry)

Out of all the items in my Industry ‘Professional Portfolio’, this one was the most creative, but at the same time works really well in the portfolio. In this I had prepared a list of questions, which I would answer in front of a camera, like it was a real interview. Because I wanted it to feel genuine, I did not rehearse what I was going to say, so that it was not scripted, and in fact I did quite often have to seriously think about the question. I think it worked really well, and does give the impression of a real interview. Hopefully a potential employer will be able to view this, and it will help answer their questions about me. It might also make them more interested and involved in my answers, and so we could discuss them in greater detail in the actual interview.

Presentation In My Portfolio

This has been burnt to a DVD-Rom, along with PDFs of all the portfolio contents, so that a future employer can have a digital version of my portfolio, making it easier to transfer around a company, meaning it can be sent to the right person very easily. This DVD-Rom can be found on the back page of my Industry Professional Portfolio.

My Website (www.marcusknight.yolasite.com)

Although developing my main website was not part of my Professional Preparation plan, it has benefited from the items I have carried out, for example the photos, C.V. and most of the ‘Bob Presents…’ web developments i.e. Facebook Feeds, online appointment maker (which is a ‘tell me about a artist/band’ on this website, in order to aid my A&R). The main reason why I am mentioning this is that this is my main representative website, and so is important when thinking about my professional image, and my portfolio.

My Presentation/Other People Presentations

My presentation was pitching Creative Advisory Tuition to school students aged 14 – 18. I chose this age group because this is the main age for students receiving instrument tuition, and since Creative Advisory Tuition operates in a similar way, I thought it would be appropriate. The basic theme was explaining what Creative Advisory tuition is, what it can offer, and why it is important.

I’m happy with the way it went, although I feel I need to tame the super speed talking caused by nerves. The feedback was really good, and gave me a lot to work with, in terms of preparing for future presentations, and general development of ‘Bob Presents…’ and the Creative Advisory Tuition. The main point made by Joe was to separate the Creative Advisory from the ‘Bob Presents…’ enterprise as it made things a little convoluted, and although these to thing are both part of the same project, and so hard to separate, I completely understood where Joe was coming from, and I understood how it could benefit my presentation to just focus solely on the explaining of the Creative Advisory Tuition.

But in the future I hope that if I do have an opportunity to present to real school students (which I am in the process of organising) I will have a lot more time, and so I can structure a presentation that is not trying to squeeze so much into such a short time, therefore allowing the to focus some time to the greater ‘Bob Presents…’ enterprise, without ‘muddying’ the pitch of the Creative Advisory. I would also like to extend the presentation into a workshop, where we would look at the creative processes, from song writing through to marketing, getting the children to undertake these at a small-scale level. I try to add this sort of element to my presentation by inviting people to bring in something that they might want some help and feedback on. Unfortunately no one had prepared anything, but luckily for me (and I use the term ‘luckily’ loosely lol) Rick and Joe got their role play on, and gave me a good grilling J But I think I handled it well, and it was both fun and helpful.

I would just like to say well done to everyone who presented on Wednesday, and sorry to the majority of them that I disrupted lol. I actually took away a lot of good ideas from other peoples projects, and they are things that I will be implementing to develop my future portfolio. These ideas are, the awesome looking folder that Lorna had, which I will be using to present my Industry Professional Portfolio. Grant’s simple, but previously un-thought of idea of having a picture of my business card on my phone so I can text or Bluetooth it to people (but not email as I do not have a smart phone). Sam’s tuition posters, something that will really help promote my Creative Advisory Tuition. And finally, the stock animation video that Rosie created, something that I will definitely have to experiment with in the future.

So as you can tell, I have found this project a highly rewarding experience, and it has given me a solid framework for building a professional representation for use in later life. I am very happy with my work, but I definitely intend to develop it further, and make it even better as time goes by, and new ideas come to mind.

Once again, well done to everyone whose presentations I watched, and thank you to Joe Harrop for the feedback, I wish you the best of luck in your new career. And finally I would like to give a big thank you to Rick Rogers for all the help and feedback throughout the module.

Marcus K

www.marcusknight.yolasite.com

www.bobpresents.yolasite.com

Regular Blog Fail!!!

Regular Bloging - Coming soon, but not today… Im tired!

Ive decided that Im going to set aside 1 day a week for a blog. Hopefully they should be full of cool bits of imformation, as well as what Im up to, but only time will tell. So if you think your interested in following a young musical composer, then do so… oh and suggest other people who might be interested :)

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