(no subject)

[sab]

Ways I'm good-
-I spent last night alone and that was good for everyone.
-Friday I'm seeing quasiradiant and also furies
-soon I'm seeing mischa and wearemany; santa claus is coming to town!
-I have tea, blackcurrant
-I have a really strange job
-Fi is relaying the SF chat to me, first one I haven't missed in ages
-I'm spending tonight alone and that's good for everyone
-I love my G the most

Ways I'm less good-
-I will never have money again. I will never have discretionary funds. I will never have cash in my wallet. It's like being a communist, but, unlike communists, sometimes I want to buy a DVD or a hat. Still, I shouldn't complain, since my rent will get paid and my bills will get paid and I should almost break even at the end of the month. With help.
(but sometimes I want a DVD or a hat!)
-I have a really strange job, and my boss is strange enough that I don't actually have any idea what I'm supposed to do. This seems to be a trend for me. Note the following conversation-

BOSS:
So, you're going to be managing the entire booking department. So you should evaluate the file drawers near the conference table.

ME:
Do you have a list of all the artists we're actively booking?

BOSS:
Don't worry about that right now. You're getting ahead of yourself. Right now I just want you to evaluate.

So I go off and examine the file cabinet, which seems to contain press packets about each of the artists we represent. I return to the Boss.

ME:
I've evaluated the file cabinet. What do I need to know about booking?

BOSS:
You're going to be managing the entire booking department. You need to be proactive and really multitask.

ME:
Okay. I'm going to go to my desk and start making calls about the Buchi tour.

BOSS:
No, don't worry about that yet. Now I just want you to evaluate, and be really proactive about evaluating the materials in the booking department.

ME:
What's the booking department?

BOSS:
You are.

ME:
Who am I booking?

BOSS:
Don't worry about that now.

ME:
(trying DESPERATELY hard to say the right thing)
Okay, I'm going to go to my desk and evaluate the booking department.

BOSS:
And then we need to get started on the Lisa Haley calls, when you're done.

ME:
I'm ready. Is Lisa Haley one of the artists I'm booking?

BOSS:
No, no, you're getting it mixed up. You're the booking department. Lisa's a separate thing. You're going to be managing her contract, so I want you to be really proactive about her media.

ME:
Can you give me any materials on her?

BOSS:
No, you're confused. This is a separate thing.

(At this point, I go eat a burrito and talk to Runpunk and read helenish's novel, in attempts to clear my head. I wonder what will happen next. To reiterate -- I have NO IDEA what I'm doing here. He gave me five clients yesterday, that I will "manage," but I have yet to learn what that entails aside from being proactive and evaluating a file cabinet.)

(I'm dead serious. Verbatim serious.)

(Also that burrito was way too big)

(Also, I want the Sports Night DVDs, and that red hat!)

(My head is cold.)

Comments

[pene.livejournal.com]

blinkblink. rumour has it he's a bullshitter though so there's that?

go and get the red hat. you have cold ears. then you can make a sandwich tomorrow.

if you don't have discretionary money in 6 months I'll be surprised. also something will needs be done.

also I am the cutest but *you* are the sweetest. though mostly you are the cutest too. especially in a hat. protect your cute ears so I can kiss them, please. also I heart you.

I want my iCON! and bathwater! I haven't written a poem yet today but when I do it will be about making the movie of my life and playing it on the wall of your apartment so you come and fall in love with me. though my life isn't that exciting until you're in it. but it's not *about* you and me. except in the way that everything is.

[corianderstem.livejournal.com]

Maybe he wants you to be proactive about the file cabinet. There could be daily ... nay, hourly ... updates.

1:00 File cabinet has not moved.

2:00 File cabinet has not changed shape or color.

3:00 File cabinet has begun emitting a foul odor.

4:00 File cabinet once again clean after removing leftover burrito, dropped during the 1:00 evaluation.

Here's wishing you hats and DVDs.

[jood.livejournal.com]

It doesn't have to be an either-or. Some DVDs make great headwear. I'm especially fond of my Mr. Show 2-DVD set. It was very affordable, it's got a pretty pattern, and it makes a great hat. Plus, funny.

And Alicia: BWAHAHAHA.

[therealjae.livejournal.com]

Aaaaargh. Kill him. How *frustrating*!

Also, note icon. (Just in case G. didn't pass on the news. :-)

-J

[iamsab.livejournal.com]

Yahoo!

Crazy Jae hits the big leagues! Coming soon to a city near you! Let the all-expense-paid novel writing commence!

ROCK ON, trooper. That's fantabulastic.

[therealjae.livejournal.com]

*grinning* I know. I realize I'm supposed to be thinking: "ooh, job security! promotion! success!" But at the moment, all I can think of is: "a whole fucking year off!"

Crazy Jae, coming soon (well, next fall) to a city near you.

-J

Don't be mad at me

[se-parsons.livejournal.com]

Hi, I've worked in advertising and PR for a while now. I don't know that you actually want practical suggestions, but that's what I'm about.

Ok, here's what you need to do.

Go to the file cabinet and find the most recent material placed in it on each artist. Try to find a phone log or ad list or media contact sheet or something for each one of those artists. Find a copy of the most recent press release for each artist that you have.

If they don't exist, start a contact log for each artist so you can track the time and contacts you make for each one.

Do you have software to do this with? Like ACT or something? If not, just create a template in Word and track them that way.

Where have the ads been placed for these artists in the past? What radio stations have you been dealing with? What media has been used for each artist. Make lists of them and of the contact names of the people at the publications,stations,etc.

Try to find records of any money that has changed hands.

Do the same thing on Lisa Haley. Review the contract you have on her. Find out what you as media company or managers owe her. Write it down as a checklist. Make sure you do that stuff.

Once you know what you HAVE been doing, you can get to the proactive part.

ALSO VITAL, find out who makes your PR materials. Chat them up and get on their good side. If it's you, and you need any help, don't hesistate to ask, I wrote a zillion Press Releases in my time.

QOWF used to book bands and comedians. She also knows this stuff.b

Re: Don't be mad at me

[iamsab.livejournal.com]

The entire complement of this company: 2.
That'd be my boss and me. Not including the assistant who only works 12 hours a week, and the big guy who fixes the computers.
I made a list and checked it twice. We have no media contacts on anyone yet, just press kits. I am continuing to evaluate them, till the cows come home.
I WISH we had software for this. I used word.

Re: Don't be mad at me

[se-parsons.livejournal.com]

Is this a start-up company or something?

You might have to go to the library, then. To get the phone numbers and contact names you need. All the ad agencies I worked for had this big book that listed all the publications in the country. I know there are similar ones for radio stations and TV stations.

You have to evaluate where you want to place your advertising for your artists and also who the reps and managers are for the stations and get your stuff into their hands. A lot of it will be corporate becuase Clear Channel and a bunch of similar companies own groups of radio stations all around the country.

You will also have to send out samples of the music for review to get additional press clippings for the press kits to create "buzz" I'm sure. And probably book events for the artists to appear at to sign copies of their CDs and whatnot.

I don't know, really. But all of those things are part of media repping someone.

Are there ANY records to be had at all? Are there additional file cabinets to look in? Does the guy who owns the company have a media list or something? Why is he not helping you or giving you clear instructions on what to do?

You really need to demand some instruciton.

I would like to know what your work process is for each of these artists. And what each needs done for them.

Have these press packs already been sent out? If yes, then who to? Do they need to go anywhere else? Do follow-up phone calls need to be made? Where is the list of people to call about them and the list of where they were sent? Stuff like that.

You have to ask specific questions of this guy that require specific answers. yes and no answers would be best.s

Re: Don't be mad at me

[se-parsons.livejournal.com]

OH, yeah.

ALSO - create a letter of introduction about yourself as the rep of the new company. Work on it for several days until it's really punchy and good.

Include all of your contact information, including e-mail address for the company etc. Make sure everyone knows to contact you if they need anything.

Be friendly, but succinct. Then send it out to all of your media contacts. When you can pry the list out of your boss's cold, dead hand.8

[herself_nyc]

There's a Black Books episode exactly like this. A character gets a job in an office and has no idea what her job is, or what the company does. This makes her increasingly anxious, until she's asked to make a presentation--again, not knowing about what or how. She makes a stirring presentation filled with jargon, gets a standing ovation and a promotion--and still doesn't know what's going on.

Poor you. I have no suggestions, because 'not being pro-active' was always the criticism my bosses lobbed at me in the past. Now I'm a freelancer and nobody expects me to be pro-active.

Good luck.

[cofax7]

Why does it surprise me not at all that Sab would end up in a surrealist job? *grin*

Alicia Funny.

We have Krispy Kremes. Must have another.