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Logbook

Here is a written record of the processes underpinning my portfolio preparation

 

Week 1

Today we have been introduced to the HNC Music Business Graded Unit model and been given an overview of what is expected from us. From my understanding, I am required to produce a project consisting of a portfolio that will showcase the skills and abilities I have learned throughout the past year studying HNC Music Business. This portfolio shall be targeted to a specific area of the music industry and will be used as a business proposal to gain me employment within the industry and a placement onto a course for further study. My first task this week will therefore be to choose which area of the music industry I want to be part of. Having an interest in every aspect of the music industry, having to narrow it down to one specific area was not easy. I then decided that I was going to use my portfolio to score a job as opposed to going freelance and that I should also base my choice on the area I have the most experience in to be able to link it up with past and current projects. I therefore have decided to choose the area of “Live events and Promotions” as I have started a live events and promotions company for my Creative project and will be able to smoothly link it up to my portfolio with the perspective and main goal of scoring a job in that area.

 

Week 2:

The area of the music industry I will be basing my portfolio on clear to me now, I have started the planning stage of the Graded Unit. I have started by making a list of SMART goals I want to achieve before applying for a job, hoping this will help me set a logical direction and guideline to follow for the research and completion of the planning stage of graded unit and my portfolio in general. The list I have come up with is the following:

 

  • Organise at least 2 more events before the end of the year

  • Be pro-active and efficient in my promoter position for Words and Music 2014

  • Build a list of at least 10 Music Industry contacts before the end of the year

  • Take part in at least 2 Music Industry networking events

  • Research live events and promotions vacancies before the end of the year

  • Create a Music Business orientated LinkedIn account before the 14th of March

  • Create a solid and professional looking portfolio for the end of April

  • Apply for jobs before the summer of 2014

 

On the side I have been actively organising my live events and promotions company’s second hip-hop night that is on The 7th of March. I have also created my LinkedIn profile and am delighted to have got a positive response for my Student Development Fund application as I have been granted £300 to attend the 2014 International Music Summit in Ibiza.

 

Week 3:

This week I have concentrated on setting up a solid Gantt chart of all my goals to set a timeline to them so I can start visualising the different steps I have to take and so I can follow my progress. I have now finished, polished and submitted the planning stage of my graded unit and am now going to concentrate on the actual portfolio and on following my plan. My Hip-Hop event being in two days I am spending a lot of my time on the organising and last details surrounding the event and have for example written a press release about the event this being one of the goals I had set myself for my portfolio. I have also received the Student development fund Cheque and have purchased my delegates badge for the 2014 IMS networking event in Ibiza.

 

Week 4:

This week was headlined by our Hip-Hop night being a success, boosting my confidence and confirming my choice of the area of live events and promotions for my portfolio. I have also updated my C.V. and LinkedIn account making them more focused towards the Music Industry, as it is a crucial part of me applying for a job in the precise area of live events and promotions. The Words and Music networking event coming up soon, I have ordered new and up to date business cards, my company logo having changed, as I plan on making new contacts there. I have also contacted my graphic designer friend to order a poster for our next Hip-Hop event. This is all content and pieces that will be part of my portfolio so I am quite happy about being up to date with my initial plan that can be seen in my Gantt chart.

 

Week 5:

This week’s highlight was the 2014 Words and Music networking event I have been working on and was looking forward to. The event was a success and I have obtained the two things I wanted to get out of it, as well as working there, these being: Making new contacts in the industry (Michael Lambert and Rich Muirhead in this case), interviewing Richy Muirhead about his experience working in the live events and promotions’ area of the Music Industry. I have also submitted a Press Pack on my live events and promotions company “Sound Prophets”, this being one of the pieces that will be in my portfolio.

 

Week 6:

This week I have started my website, and am spending quite a lot of time familiarising myself with the functioning of wix, as this is the first time I build a website. I have decided that my website will contain five pages:

 

  • Home

  • About

  • Core Skills

  • My Company

  • Portfolio

  • Modules

  • Logbook

 

I am also starting to gather past reports I have accomplished, as they will be pieces of my portfolio.

 

Week 7:

This week I have updated my biography, including my most recent projects and activity in the music industry. I could therefore finalize the “About” section of my website. I also had a look at my SWOT analysis to ensure the core skills I had chosen in the “Core skills” section of my website were in harmony with my strengths. My chosen core skills are therefore: Event management, Promotions, Artist Management and Public relations. Peter and I have also started a campaign for the Burn Residency 2014, hoping to secure him a summer residency in Ibiza.

 

Week 8:

When back in Paris during the easter holidays, I decided I would take care of my sister’s career as a singer and we recorded her first single, filmed her first video clip, as well as found a producer and a potential associative label. I therefore accordingly updated my C.V. and the Portfolio section of my website, adding my sister’s career as one of my projects. My website however hasn’t evolved much this week.

 

Week 9:

This week we have submitted a financial assignment, which I will be including in my portfolio. The International Music Summit is approaching and I have started networking through e-mails with some potential employers as I have the list of delegates and their e-mails. So far I have contacted: Andreas Weitkamper of Warner Music Group, Andy Daniell of Defected Records, Brunet Eric of Universal Music, Claudio Naccari of Sony Music and John Van Noten of BIP Records. This is very important, as my final and main goal in doing this portfolio is to score a job in the music industry. I will continue online networking as often as possible up to the event. I have also purchased my plane ticket to Ibiza for the IMS and contacted my friends for accommodation on site.

 

Week 10:

Having decided to finish the course mid-may I therefore have a lot of assignments to hand in ahead of time and have concentrated on these rather than my graded unit. This said I have filled the “My company” section with a description of my company Sound Prophets and have also finished the “portfolio” section of my website which presents the most important projects I have undertaken in the Music industry. I have included my Beat Breakers Hip-Hop night, Words and Music, my sister as a recording artist and DJ Verdy as a performing artist. I am still waiting on my sister to send me an updated biography of herself. I have continued collecting the reports and pieces of work I will be attaching to each module in the “module” section of my website. Time is flying.

 

Week 11:

This week I had a meeting with my Sound Prophet partners, to discuss our options regarding the putting on of our third Hip-Hop event. We came to the conclusion that considering the amount of college work we had to do, it would be impossible to keep the high standard of planning, organising and promoting required for the putting on of Beat Breakers S01E03. I have therefore worked quite a lot on my website, and completed more than two-thirds of the “module” section which aim is to look at seven different modules undertook during this HNC Music Business year and researching them into more detail in relation to my chosen area, live events and promotions, showcasing my skills. I have completed the following modules: Creative Industries Infrastructure, Working in the Creative Industries, Music Industry Marketing, Music Industry Management, Music Industry Law. Only two modules to fill-in; Music Industry Promotions and Music Industry ICT & Finance, which I will be handing the last assignments in for next week.

 

Week 12:

This week was the last week before submission of the Graded Unit developing stage. I have successfully completed the Music Industry Promotions and Music Industry ICT & Finance modules and have accordingly finished the “module” section of my website. I did a photoshoot of myself in the perth college theatre and recording studios to add to the home page of my website, this being the last and final missing detail of my website and portfolio. Last but not least, I have received great news regarding a potential employer and a potential job in the music industry, as previously mentioned John Van Noten from BIP Records has contacted me to organise a one on one meeting at the IMS in Ibiza, and a former employer of mine has offered me a two month position as an event manager in Amsterdam. The fruit of my work is already starting to pay off as I submit my portfolio.

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