Pro Sound Web: While working with gear, hanging out with artists, and getting paid to mix music seems like an easy gig, I’ve noticed the tendency of some audio folks to forget that this is indeed a business. There’s a reason it’s called show business, not show play.
5 comments:
It's unfortunate that Craig Leerman has recently observed enough poor business practices that he found himself compelled to write this article. Craig states the facts well here, but as I read them, I kept thinking, "Shouldn't this stuff be obvious?" Apparently it's not, though. I honestly think that professionalism should be taught in any training program. In my experience working with students from other schools, I've found that the degree to which professionalism is taught in different programs varies widely. Yes, teaching practical skills is important, but without the ability to communicate and present themselves professionally, students whose college courses focus only on skills are not going to have an easy time getting or keeping jobs. As Craig said, we are going into business with people and should handle ourselves accordingly.
I think it is a little shocking that this article was something that had to be written, I thought most of this was common knowledge. Why would you treat the people who are giving you work poorly? It really just seems like a dumb move. Like the article says because of poor business etiquette you can lose a job even if your work is exceptional. This is something that should be taught to people before they venture out into the business world. Apparently it is not as common as one would think and it should be something that is more common. People in the business should know to behave and how to handle the job so they can keep getting them.
I agree with my peers, these ideas listed in the article are fairly common sense I feel. The little things matter, and putting your best foot forward is ultimately what keeps the jobs coming, not just the talent and the skill. But even though I feel this way, this article doesn't really shock me. In the world of art and entertainment the product is the important part, not necessarily process or presentation. How many times have we done shows here where the outcome was a cool show but working on it was atrocious? I think in our field we need to start prioritizing professionalism and process because the better they are, the better our product will be.
While I agree that most of these things should be common sense, it is sometimes necessary to see that frequently, within the industry, we let professionalism go a little bit because a person is "brilliant." Leerman seems to be writing for a broader audience than just theater, where people's frames of references are different. Ultimately, putting your best foot forward and bearing in mind that there is always a comparably skilled alternative waiting for a job is a decent way to ensure you're giving yourself the best chance possible.
I agree with what everyone else has said in their comments: the points made in this article all seem to be common sense for most of us. Something that I have noticed, and I agree with what the article says, i that sometimes people in our business don't treat it like a business. There's something to be said for having a relaxed attitude, but it's absolutely possible to take that relaxed attitude too far into the realm of unprofessional. Being professional requires a delicate balance, and isn't always easy in our profession.
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