Inside Music is a podcast about the lives of professionals in the music business. Each week, host James Shotwell chats with an artist or industry tastemaker to learn how anyone can navigate the world of entertainment.
This Saturday, May 19, the Haulix team will be in Chicago to present a LIVE recording of our popular Inside Music podcast. The appearance is part of Beyond The Music’s first-ever industry workshop event, which runs all day and includes a number of influential industry leaders. More details can be found below:
Beyond The Music is all about creating opportunity in the music industry. This is our very first event and we want to give you the opportunity to learn from and build professional relationships with Makers in the music industry.
What’s a Maker? Photographers, journalists, Youtubers, graphic designers, merchandise managers, and more!
There will be a series of presentations, fireside chats, and a live podcast from Makers that have paved their way in the industry.
If the first goal of every young music writer is to gain access to albums from their favorite artists before those records arrive in stores, then the second goal is usually to see those artists in concert without paying the cover charge. Yes, free admission to concerts and festivals is one of the perks of writing about music, but just like advance access to music it’s a perk that doesn’t necessarily have to be extended to you.
No show or event is truly free to writers. Your currency in these exchanges is your voice and whatever audience (aka reach) you have through the outlet that shares your work. Upon receiving confirmation that you have been added to the list of any event you are entering into an agreement that you both will attend said event and that you will write about that event in a timely manner. For example, if you attend Van’s Warped Tour on Monday after promising a review to PR then it should not take a week or more to post that review online. If it does you will risk straining your relationship with the PR that granted you access in the first place. More importantly, you will develop a reputation that extends beyond that one relationship and follows you where you go in music. The industry may seem large to outsiders, but it’s actually quite small, and everyone who knows anyone will come to learn of your lack of follow through.
This is about good business as much as it is respect. People will get upset if publicists do not reply to their requests in a timely manner, but see no problem dragging their feet to complete content that was promised in advance of receiving a coverage confirmation. Those who respect others and their time/work will in turn receive the same respect.
Rey Roldan, founder of Reybee Inc., recently wrote the following on coverage requests and confirmations from the perspective of a publicist:
If you request music or tickets from a publicist and promise or confirm coverage, it’s your duty to make good on it… and if, for some reason or another, you can’t keep your side of the deal, it’s only respectful to let the publicist know. Don’t ghost them.
It’s understandable if you hated the show or the music and you don’t want to cover it because of that reason. But let the publicist know, so they don’t constantly hound you for the link.
If you confirm an interview date and time but something comes up and you can’t make it, let the publicist know ASAP. Don’t wait for the time of your interview to tell them that it’s a no-go. It only makes the publicist look bad and could create tension in your relationship moving forward.
If you get confirmation of guest list or photopasses to a show (especially the bigger, higher profile shows) and can’t make it, let the publicist know as soon as your can. There’s a chance that the publicist can use your spot to give to another writer/photographer who was cut from the list. We publicists do sometimes check guest lists after the show to see who showed up and who didn’t.
If you are requesting tickets to a show with multiple artists, either send one email with all the publicists on copy or make sure if you get confirmed on one list to let the other publicists know you’re all set. If you are on multiple lists for the same show, it can prevent other writers/photographers from covering that show. Or if we publicists cross-check our lists and see you on it more than once (or worse yet, see multiple names for the same outlet on different lists), it looks bad for you and/or your outlet.
Making relationships in this industry can be difficult. Maintaining them is easy. Just don’t fuck them up.
Respect and follow-through are everything in this business. Do your best to follow the golden rule (treat others as you want to be treated) and you’ll do just fine.
We are thrilled to announce that we will be returning to LAUNCH MUSIC CONFERENCE this April 21-24 in Lancaster, PA. We will be bringing with us a new discussion on the best methods for promotional distribution, as well as an update on the war against piracy. We will also be showcasing the brand new version of Haulix, which we hope to launch in early March 2016. You can find ticket and travel information on the conference website.
Need more reasons to go to Launch? Here’s just a taste of what lies in stores for those who attend this year:
The 8th Annual LAUNCH Music Conference is set for April 21st – 24th in Lancaster, PA. The jam-packed event, full of panels, seminars, parties, events, and performances, has welcomed heavy hitters such as Panic! at the Disco, Atreyu, twenty-one pilots and Foxy Shazam, as well as 180+ more artists annually over the last seven years across 11 venues and 15 stages, all happening in the beautiful Lancaster County Convention Center and surrounding venues. The conference covers topics such as artist management, publishing, festivals, touring and more giving artists and attendees a well-rounded look at today’s music industry.
This month, LAUNCH Music Conference revealed Bayside, Ice Nine Kills, Intervals and The Weekend Riot are set toperform at this year’s conference. New panelists have also been announced, including Finn Mckenty (CreativeLive), Dan Rozenblum (Circle Talent Agency), Christian McKnight (LiveNation New York), Mike Ciprari (SJC Drums), Eric Osman (Bands With Management) as well as returning panelists, Randy Nichols (Force Media Management), Jason McMahon (Substream Magazine), and Jen Appel and Chrissy Borsellino (The Catalyst Publicity Group).
More announcement and lineup details will be revealed in the weeks and months ahead.
Hello and welcome to another week of music industry insight and advice here on the official blog of Haulix. We have chosen to end the month of March with the introduction of a brand new column, and we think those of you with an eye for photography will be thrilled with the results. If you would like to learn more about the efforts of this blog, or if you would like a tour of our servicing platform, please do not hesitate to contact james@haulix.com. We can also be found on Twitter and Facebook.
Hello, readers of the Haulix! I’m going to assume that none of you know or acknowledge my existence, so let me introduce myself; My name is Nick Karp and I am a New York state Concert Photographer. Trust me, that title is not as lucrative as it sounds. I was asked by Haulix to write an introduction on how to get started in the world of Concert Photography, and that is what I am here to do. Over the course of the next several weeks I will be sharing with you all my knowledge and secrets about the world music photography, beginning today with a guide on how to obtain photo credentials for a concert.
There may some language in this article that you may not understand. Shoot is another word for “taking photos of.” A Photo Pass is a pass that allows you to photograph a concert. Usually a photo pass will allow you entry into the front of the barricade, which is called the photo pit.
Before I continue, I would like you, the readers, to know a little bit about my background as a Concert Photographer. There is no “right” way to begin in concert photography, but I do not recommend following in my footsteps. I skipped the basics and jumped immediately into shooting bigger tours, beginning with a weekend of Against Me! and the Bamboozle Road Show. I had no idea what I was doing and all my photos from both shows are garbage. Not only that, but looking back now I realize I also made a complete ass out of myself in front of photographers in the photo pit. It was a complete disaster, so please, do not be like me.
What I do recommend, however, is starting with bands and events within your local scene. There are plenty of young artists out there looking for photographers who are willing to take photos of them, so the best thing you can do is email them and let them you are interested in working together. Ask them if they would be willing to trade admission to their next show in exchange for the rights to use your photographs on their various marketing efforts. Building a good reputation with bands in your area through networking and word-of-mouth will help you develop a portfolio even if you are not being paid for your work. In fact, you should not even be thinking about money at this point. Your first show should be about getting out there and taking some photos. Earning experience in the field and studying movements of people on stage. This photo pit is as much your office as it is a classroom. Soak in everything.
Most bars and VFWs that host local shows will allow you to bring a camera, but it’s always smart to double check the photo policies at each venue before attempting to set up credentials. If you are unsure of the venue’s policy, or if it is not readily available online, call them direct. It never hurts to ask, and there is always a chance your conversation could lead to additional opportunities down the line.
You will not always have a photo pit, especially at these early gigs. You’re going to have to find out how to shoot in a crowd, which has its own set of pros and cons that will be discussed in the coming weeks. For now, I will say that one positive from venue without a pit is the opportunity you get to shoot a band’s entire set. That doesn’t happen very often otherwise (we will go into more detail further in.) Lighting will most likely be worse, but that helps you grow as a photographer and it will help you adapt in shooting in different and difficult environments.
Once you have some experience in concert photography,you can begin your quest on obtaining a photo pass a national touring act. You can attempt to build a name on your own, but a far easier and smarter move would be to research and apply to join a digital music zine. Find a site you like to read and contact the editor about opportunities regarding live coverage. They will likely ask to see some of your work, which is when you can show off the local coverage you began working on after reading the initial paragraphs in this post.
When you find an outlet willing to give you a chance, work with your editor to find upcoming events that would be ideal to feature on your site. Your editor may apply for your photo pass themselves, but often times they will ask you to apply so that you can begin building a network of professional publicists familiar with your work.
Who do you contact about shooting a show? 95% of the time the answer will be the publicist of the artist or event you are hoping to cover. A publicist deals with all press and media requests for the band, including live performances, and will be your best friend when it comes to setting up coverage. You can find a band’s publicist usually on their website, Facebook page, or, if they have terrible digital marketing skills and do not post such information on their own, by using Google. If you cannot find a publicist’s info, keep trying. If you are certain there is no contact to be found, go ahead and email their manager. The worst thing anyone can say to you is “No,” and after five or six times even that won’t phase you all that much.
As far as actually emailing contacts are concerned, I have only a few quick tips:
Publicists do not want an essay as a press request. Make it quick and simple. Let them know why you’re emailing, which band you’re trying to shoot, what date at what venue and in what city.
You should be a little personable. Great networking skills are the best tools for success anyone can have in the music industry.
The time frame in which you want to send out a request for a show is somewhere around 10-14 days prior to the show.
I re-created a coverage request scenario with Thomas Nassiff of Exit 384 Media, just so you can get a glimpse of a typical email and response:
Thomas.
Hope all is well. My name is Nick Karp, I am a photographer for *Enter Publication* (www.PublicationURL.com). I wanted to inquire about photography / media credentials for BAND at VENUE in TOWN on DATE. We would love to do a gallery of the show as coverage.
Thank you for your time and I appreciate the consideration! If you have any questions, my photo editor *Photo Editor Name* s CC’d on the email.
Thanks for the request Nick, we would love to have the coverage. I’ve CC’ed the band’s manager on this email so he can make sure there is room on their guest list for that night. If so you’ll be all set with a ticket plus photo pass.
-Thomas Nasiff
As you can see, the exchange you make with publicists does not have to be long or complicated. Short and to the point is always preferred.
Always update your editors with progress and responses, even if you are turned down. Sometimes a publicist may ask for information on the publication. Talk to your editors on how to handle that situation.
If you have not received an answer from the publicist, you should follow up about 3 days prior to the show. It never hurts to remind them about your request. Chances are a publicist is dealing with countless media requests and press requests for 20+ bands any given day. It’s easy to understand how a message or two may fall out of the loop.
What you should absolutely not do under any circumstance whatsoever is nag the publicist by emailing them every single day for the same request. Do not be rude. You’re asking for something. If you get rejected, accept it. Tell them, “Thank you for your consideration,” and move on. You want to stay on good terms with every publicist you work with, regardless how much access they give you. Rey Roldan, the publicist behind Reybee Productions even created a blog documenting some of the most ridiculous requests he receives. Rey has always been a pleasure to work with and he’s great at what he does; however, if you try to sass Rey, he will sass you back and you won’t like the results. Don’t be “that” person. Check out the site. It’ll give you a lot of tips on what NOT to do. – http://myphonecallssuck.tumblr.com/
Prior to shooting the show you will want to make sure you receive confirmation from the band’s contact on site. ALWAYS MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE CONFIRMED. If you do not receive an email receiving a confirmation, follow up with the publicist. Make sure you receive the tour manager’s number in case you are not on the list. That’s your emergency contact. If everything goes smoothly, don’t bother him. He or she has more important things going on than chatting with you about your photos.
The next step is to go to the show and shoot! We will cover that undertaking, as well as everything from gear tips to why everyone hates the guy using flash in the pit, in the weeks ahead. Follow Haulix on Twitter for updates on the next column and follow me for insight on my daily life in music.
