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Here are the job opportunities (or as we like to call them, Grind Opps) from this week's show.
08/08/16
GRIND OPP #1
Position:
Freelance Video Producer
Industry: Film
Location: Orlando, FL
Description
Medica company that creates custom videos for clients ranging in size from startups to Fortune 500s is seeking a video producer.
08/08/16
GRIND OPP #2
Position:
FOH Engineer / Production Tedch
Industry: Recording
Location: Nashville, TN
Description
Four Star Hotel is seeking a front of house engineer that can operate sound and all lighting production for live events.
08/08/16
GRIND OPP #3
Position:
Production Assistant
Industry: Film
Location: Atlanta, GA
Description
VH1 Pilot “Daytime Divas” is seeking production assistants.
08/08/16
GRIND OPP #4
Position:
Audio Engineer
Industry: Recording
Location: Chicago, IL
Description
Commercial film studio looking for an audio engineer to record for a corporate client.
08/08/16
GRIND OPP #5
Position:
Videographer
Industry: Film
Location: Austin, TX
Description
Indeed is seeking a videographer for a newly created job position within the corporate marketing team.
Transcript
DJ Iz: What’s up, y’all? Welcome to Connected. I’m your host, DJ Iz. Today, we’re on episode 24 and we have a very, very cool, dope, exciting announcement. We got a new co-host in the house by the name of Cloie. Cloie, go on and say what’s up.
Cloie: Hey, guys! Hi, I’m Cloie Wyatt Taylor. I’m so, like, I’m just so excited. I feel so blessed to just be here with you all, and now with you, Iz, because look at that pic!
DJ Iz: Well, look at yours, girl. We love to have you. It’s cool, because this is actually the first time I got to see this new, cool, dope, edited intro video. And I saw, you know, they put a fly pic of you in there, which you look really good, man. So I’m happy to have you. I think we’re going to have a lot of fun. For our viewers that have been catching us since day one, man, give it up for Cloie. We got some great energy. We got some good things coming up and, you know, kinda want to just brief you guys for those of you who are just tuning in for the first time. This show here is pretty self explanatory. It’s called Connected. It’s a show not just based on mentor-ship, education, or any of those cool things. But rather, following up with job opportunities which we call Grind Opps here.
Now, Cloie, real quick, kinda give them a feel of what the word “grinding” in this day and age means, or “work ethic.”
Cloie: Baby, “grinding” aka “hustle,” aka “burn the candle,” aka “do it and make no excuses”… Shall I go on? I mean, I can. I can.
DJ Iz: You know what? [inaudible 00:02:15] I like that.
Cloie: [inaudible 00:02:19] “burn the candle” because sometimes, you have to.
DJ Iz: Yo, I’m going to incorporate that into my daily now, because I’m always trying to find the most extreme, maximum words that promote work ethic. To me, “burn the candle” is really…I like that Cloie.
Cloie: Look, baby, [inaudible 00:02:42]
DJ Iz: All right, so check it out now. Before we go into any of these Grind Opps, I’d kind of like to give you guys a heads up on what to kinda get in place before we even go there, which is your notes, your iPad, however you document information in real time, please make sure that you have these devices or paper and pen right next to you, because we have a lot of details for you guys today, all right, within these Grind Opps. So Cloie, without any further ado, we are going to move on to Grind Opp number one.
Cloie: The Grind Opp, number one. You want me to jump in on this one? Because I can.
DJ Iz: Baby, go for it, girl. You got it.
Cloie: Okay. So, Grind Opp number one. It is for a freelance video producer in Orlando, Florida. Okay. So, shout out to everything and everyone in Florida. There is a media company. It creates custom videos for clients ranging in size from startups to Fortune 500s. That is a very wide spectrum. That’s a lot of different people, different personalities you’re dealing with. And they’re seeking a video producer. So [inaudible 00:03:52] write a script based on specific [inaudible 00:03:58] researching company products, etc. And that, to me, speaks to the most communication. I don’t know. What do you think?
DJ Iz: No, absolutely. I think…first of all, I want to recognize of how great this opportunity is. You’re talking about startups from Fortune 500s, you know, anything in that size, I mean, is a great great opportunity. And, you know, the cool thing Cloie, too…because we have a whole lot of film students over at the Recording Connection, and I’d kind of like to highlight that with these particular Grind Opps, especially in the field of film or video or anything that…And you know, what’s cool about this one is you’ll get to a chance to be creative. I mean, you’ll be writing scripts based on client guidelines, researching companies, products and services. It sounds like a really, really high-energy kind of Grind Opp, as far as the creativity and input. Further on, you’ll also be acquiring assets for editors, including footage, music, and graphic templates. Candidate must be familiar with Adobe programs and be able to write scripts under tight deadlines.
Now, Cloie, how important is it in the world…I know you do a lot in the video world and acting and whatnot. How important is it to be a person who can meet a deadline, show up on time, be prompt, you know, estimate your traveling distance so that you can be on time if you run into traffic. I mean, how important is it for those things to kind of kick in?
Cloie: The most important. The most important because that’s the stuff that’s going to make an impression before you even get there, and that’s the truth of it. And to that point, the last point of this particular Grind Opp, right, is that it says, “candidate will be collaborating with clients via email and phone.” So the importance of the deadline goes a step further because you don’t have a personal check-in. You [inaudible 00:06:15] check-in.
DJ Iz: Right, and another thing too: you gotta be able to also understand the difference between communicating with a client and communicating with people you work with. Now, I know for me, when I deal with people that I work with on a daily, my posture, my language is a little different. Now, when I work with clients, it’s more of a servant approach. It’s more of a listening, really kind of making it a point to hear exactly what it is they want, what they’re looking for, and just in a sense of conducting business. You’ve gotta know the language, you gotta know how to speak to clients, and you just got…you know, you just got to know how to speak to people in general. And I think it’s important when you start dealing with those kinds of dynamics in any business relationship…it’s important to put them first. You know, they have that saying, Cloie, you know, where “the customer is always right.” And I like to say, “Eve when they’re wrong they’re right.”
Cloie; Yeah, yeah. One day, you’ll be cutting the checks, and you can be as wrong-right as you’d like to be.
Dj Iz: Exactly. And I think, you know, you always want to leave a client in a space of being satisfied with whatever it is you’re doing for them. That promotes good business. And, you know, you’d be surprised at how many folks don’t know how to talk to clients. And I think, you know, within these kinds of settings, you develop that experience on how to deal with people, how to talk to people, and really how to engage them. It’s really different. I say that because a lot of people…they’re not really great at being social or even talking to people. So it’s great to be able to get in and take advantage of these opportunities, but you got to know how to talk to folks.
Cloie: Always. And you said something [inaudible 00:08:19] that super key is that you have to be able, yes, to talk and listen, and you said “listen.”
DJ Iz: Yes. You know, I’m glad you brought that up, Cloie, because you know, I’m going put listen as number one. And then, two, knowing how to talk to folks.
Cloie: Thank you. It’s not just like, “Listen, listen, listen for the breaks! When do I speak?” And, like, they say, “BS, BS, BS, my line.”
DJ Iz: Exactly. All right, without further ado we’re going to move on to Grind Opp number two. Grind Opp number two is in the field of recording. Front End House Engineering Production Technology. Now, any time you see “FOH,” guys, that means “front end house,” okay, For those of you who don’t know. Now, this is a four star hotel…I’ll be checking in. Anyways, “Seeking a Front End House Engineer that can operate sound and all lighting production for live events.” This is in Nashville, Tennessee. All right, here are the details for this particular Grind Opp. This is a front end house hotel…not a front end house hotel, but a four star hotel. All right, you’ll be operating sound and all lighting production for live events. Candidate will be working in close liaison with corporation management and incoming band management as well. Candidate will be responsible for setting up the stage and making sure everything is set to the specifications of the artist. Candidate must have at least one to two years of live sound experience. Hotel is located in a central position that constantly hosts industry professionals, and a great way to network. I want to shout out my team for putting all of these difficult words in this particular Grind Opp. So, let’s pick each one of these details apart here, Cloie.
So, you’ll pretty much be a liaison with corporation management and incoming band’s management. Now, we just kinda got done talking about this kind of communicational posture in our first Grind Opp. Now, I can say firsthand, when you’re dealing with management on the band or artist side and corporation management, those are very very, two different dynamics. The best thing I can reference to is corporate management kind of looks like this, right, straight up, upright, you know. Artist management is kinda, you know, you’re just here. It’s light, it’s not as heavy. So, that is definitely a difference there. And you’ll also be responsible for setting up the stage. So, for those of you who have never set up the stage ever, let me give you some quick insight on what that looks like. Now, when you’re setting up the stage, you’re dealing with different types of personalities. You’re dealing with Production Managers, you’re dealing with Lighting, you’re dealing with Back Line Techs, and it can get very very intense if everybody doesn’t stay in their lane. Most of the times, folks don’t stay in their lane and it kind of intertwines, and it gets kinda…everybody is kinda doing a bunch of stuff, and it can get chaotic. So that’s definitely something to look out for.
Cloie: Right, one second, one second. What you’re speaking to…it sounds like [inaudible 00:11:34]
DJ Iz: Right, absolutely. And also, too, a lot of front end house engineers that I’ve come into contact with in these environments, a lot of them don’t really have the best attitudes in the world, Cloie. I think it’s important to understand that for this next generation of Front End House engineers coming up, I think it’s important that you guys understand that the overall goal in this type of profession is to just compliment the artist. Compliment what they envision their sound to be for the audience, because that’s the most important thing. You want to do whatever it takes to keep an artist happy and excited about this particular night or show. That really comes with you understanding the dynamics of personalities and how to work with various personalities. And I’m sure you can attest to this, Cloie, especially in this world, when you’re dealing with artists or anybody in the entertainment…they’re just different. Some people are outgoing. Some people are very just direct. Some people are rude, and you gotta know how to just maneuver around these different dynamics, because the last thing you want to find yourself doing is getting an attitude or not willing to try things. For any front end house, or aspiring front end house engineer, you just want to come into this environment with your ears wide open and know what you’re doing.
Cloie: And to just also speak to what you were saying before about [inaudible 00:13:24] the grind. This is a grind job for sure. That’s what it sounds like. And also, being able to separate what’s you…like, “This is not…this is just business.” This is not a personal attack on you. This artist may be in a mood. It may be a part of their…it’s just not about you.
DJ Iz: Yeah. And that’s a great way to put it, Cloie. This is strictly a servant type setting, because you’re here to compliment whatever it is that needs to be done on the artist side. And also, too, you know, if you look at the last detail on this, Cloie, many of them are hosting Industry professionals. So these are great opportunities for folks to meet people, network, and possibly open other doors and opportunities for yourself. And I always like to think that whatever Grind Opp we’re bringing to the table, Cloie, that they’re platforms that can spawn off in other great opportunities for these folks as well.
Cloie: Sure enough. Yes! I say yes to that.
DJ Iz: Right? I mean, it’s a great way to network. So those are just some things to keep in mind for all of my Front End House Engineers, too, at the end of the day. Also, it’s important to know your gear. Know your gear guys. Know what you’re working on. Know what’s out there. If I was signing up for this venue or this particular place that was looking for a Front End House Engineer, I would immediately find out what gear they’re using, and I would instantly go do my homework.
Cloie: That is an excellent idea!
DJ Iz: Right? I would like to get in here and be able to fly and move. You don’t want to get into these spaces and have dead time because you didn’t do you homework, and you didn’t kind of, you know, seek out what kind of gear was in this place. You just kind of wantd to do it on the fly. [inaudible 00:15:28] No, no, no
Cloie: You’re like, “I know. I got this!” Except that you get there and, no, you don’t got this. Why? You could have consulted Google. Aunt Google knows everything.
DJ Iz: Yeah. I mean, Youtube, it’s out there, guys. And like I say, this is a non-error environment guys. There’s no “Oh, my bads” or “Oh, what happened? Oh, my computer. Oh…” Nah, man this is go…this is prime time. You’re dealing with industry professionals folks. You must deliver and you must always over-perform and never under perform. Right?
Cloie: Ooh, I love that.
DJ Iz: Right? I’m telling you. I’m telling you. All right, so guys moving on to Grind Opp number three. Cloie, what field is this Grind Opp number three in?
Cloie: Well, Iz, Grind Opp number three is for a production assistant. It’s based in Atlanta, GA. It’s for the VH1 TV pilot Daytime Divas. And they’re seeking PA’s, as we call them, in the industry.
DJ Iz: Production Assistants.
Cloie: Yeah, yeah. So, it says they must have a strong work ethic, critical thinking skills and positive attitude, okay? This one goes right in line with everything we were just saying about the last ones, specifically on the orchestration side of dealing with people, various types of people, because this is definitely that. PA’s sometimes they call them like the gopher jobs, because it’s, “Gopher this, gopher that.” You have to be absolutely humble, and know that it is not about you, you know?
DJ Iz: Deep. That is deep.
Cloie: Yeah, it says responsibilities will include setting up lighting, cameras, and boom operator. And the last point is that the candidate will be working closely with the Production Supervisor.
DJ Iz: You know, I gotta say, Cloie, you know, I’m looking at this “must have strong work ethic, critical thinking skills, and positive attitude”…I’m just gonna say it, Cloie. If you’re on our show right now and you don’t possess any of those qualities, man, this ain’t for you.
Cloie: It might not be for you.
DJ Iz: Right? I don’t think what we’re doing is for you, because, you know, the reality is you got to have all of those to even partake in any type of job or opportunity that’s out there. You gotta be able to get out there and work. You gotta be able to get out there and have a positive attitude, and you gotta have thinking skills, all right.
Cloie: Common sense will take you far in this world.
DJ Iz: You know what’s crazy, though? Common sense just isn’t common. You know, and that’s just how it goes, Cloie. Common sense isn’t that common. I mean, in this day and age, one of the things we stress throughout our show is the importance of a resume, or a sizzle reel, or something that just can tell the story without you having to tell the story. And you’d be surprised at how many folks just aren’t quite there yet. And it’s cool, it’s great, because it’s another way for us to educate them and help them put it together. But, you know, it really starts with how you view yourself, and how you’d like people to perceive you, and what your presentation is within you. And I think those type of qualities, the work ethic, the drive, the know-how, being humble…those are things that this younger generation just they don’t know how to put their finger on it. And I think these opportunities only come to life with what you’re able to apply to them. It takes application. It’s really just coming from a place of just being humble and understanding, and understanding what it is you love, what your goals are, what your target is, because you could really…like VH1…just to me, those three letters pop out to me instantly. If I’m somebody listening to one of these Grind Opps, like I see VH1, I’m like, “Yo, where do I sign up? How do I get there? Who do I call?” You know what I mean? So, really important things to think about.
Cloie: And also that, in terms of the ego and humility of it, you never know who you are meeting. You never ever know, A, who you’re meeting and how they’re going to influence your life, right? Take every opportunity. If they want you to set up a light, you set up the best damn light that you can, because you never know. Sometimes someone is going to need you for something bigger. You keep staying at it and you stay humble. There will come a time somebody needs you for something to…I’m gonna say that again. I got excited, my words came out…they won’t come out. You just never know how this little opportunity is going to affect you down the line. And that goes the other way. You can be…you can have a bad attitude, but how is that going to come back to you later on?
DJ Iz: Right. And, you know, I’m looking at just kind of what the responsibilities are, and kinda just being in and out of these environments, as far as the work time frame, these can be early hours, they can be late hours, they can be overtime hours. Also, too, just looking at “you’ll be working closely with the production supervisor”…and in the role of that, when you’re working with people at that level, it’s a very small road, and a lot of folks know a lot of folks. And this could be, like I said, another platform or launching pad for you to meet other folks and get more work. But just understanding the responsibilities, setting up the lighting, cameras, and boom operator…like Cloie was saying, just be the best at whatever you’re going to do when it comes to these particular responsibilities. If it’s Boom Operator, if it’s Lighting or whatever, just over-perform. Be the best at it. That’s the best way to get that look. “Man, that guy man he’s always here before anybody.” Or, “Man, that girl…she’s always the last one to leave, first one here.” So, you know, those are the kind of things you wanna allow people to see in you. You wanna have that kind of impact in your work environment. And it all starts with having a great attitude and get in there and getting stuff done, you know?
Cloie: Hustle, hustle, hustle.
DJ Iz: Clap it, Cloie. Clap it, clap it [inaudible 00:22:28].
Cloie: [inaudible 00:22:28] cheerleading days.
DJ Iz: All right, moving on to Grind Opp number four. This is in the field of recording. Audio Engineer and Commercial Film Studio looking for an Audio Engineer to record for a corporate client. This is in Chicago, Illinois. Shout out to the city of wind. I love Chicago. Some of these details are “commercial and film studio looking for an Audio Engineer to record for a corporate client. Client will be recording multiple interviews and will be responsible for editing these as well. Candidate must have at least one year of recording experience. Candidate will be working for a period of one month with the client. Candidate must be able to work in a fast-paced environment.” Well, this is another Grind Opp that is great for our Recording Connection students because it is asking that you have one year of experience in recording, which I know we got that at the Recording Connection all day. So, hopefully we got some studio cats, studio geeks tuning in with us today. Studio Engineers, they come in all shapes and forms. I mean, the great thing is… What’s that, Cloie?
Cloie: What do you mean?
DJ Iz: Well, I think just from the aspect of recording, the variables are, whether you’re a Studio Recorder or whether you’re a Studio Film Engineer, it’s pretty much all the same principles. Engineers have different preferences as to what they work on as far as gear. But like I always say, it’s important…it’s always important to know an array of gear or an array of equipment that comes with the Grind Opp so you can just kinda be fluent on whatever platform it is that they’re used to working on. So, you’ll be responsible for recording multiple interviews, and you’ll also be editing. So you definitely got to have your eye on those particular techniques as it lends itself to your editing skills, your splicing, and all that stuff. It’s really important. I know, for me, when I look at somebody’s work, when it comes down to the recording and the audio, I’m always listening for certain things and just the quality of things. I think, you know, we kind of forget what level of quality things need to be at the this elevation. Quality is king, and quality says a lot about you, your work, and and really your skill level. How many times have you heard a song, Cloie, that just kind of sounded…it just didn’t sound right? It either was kind of muffled, the quality wasn’t there.
Cloie: And you know it that it’s not a choice.
DJ Iz: Right, right. And you kind of just know, “Okay, they might’ve did this in their garage.” You just kinda start, like, attaching scenarios to it. You know what I mean?
Cloie: The whole history.
DJ Iz: Right, so that’s definitely something to keep in mind. The last detail of this is something I like because it’s something that I’m used to. It’s “candidate must be able to work in a fast-paced environment.” Cloie, just like from, you know…just give us a quick idea of kinda like what a fast-paced environment looks like for you in your role, and how to just kind of flow within that, and work with people that are just, like, “On the go, on the go” and get stuff done.
Cloie: Well, I’ll tell you one of the key components, and it’s going to sound crazy, but breathing and knowing, like, just because somebody is coming at me, it does not mean that you have to adopt that [inaudible 00:26:20]. You serve yourself better if you take a deep breath, drop it in, and then work from that whole perspective, because fast-paced, on set, means they’re trying to get the shot. They’re running up against daylight. It’s gotta happen now, now, now, now, now, now. And suddenly you feel this weight of responsibility that has nothing to do with you. And it’s being able to separate, again, like what we were saying before, what’s in your power vs. the stuff that has nothing to do with you. [inaudible 00:26:55]
Right. And I definitely, totally agree with you 100%. At the end of the day, it’s being able to deliver. It’s being able to execute. And you know, you work your way up to that. And that to me, that comes with experience, that comes with knowing what the pressure looks like, and how to identify with it and not let it make you get into a space where you crumble. That comes with…you learn that. You eventually acquire it. I know for me, when I first started I was nervous, you have that weight of being able to keep up and being able to deliver. And through experience, it comes to where you don’t even recognize it anymore. You just do what you do. So that’s that. That’s that for the Audio Engineer. So, for all of my recording students out there, make sure you definitely apply and take advantage of that Grind Opp. Another thing it’s for a period of one month with the actual client. So that can, you know…Spending any time, any amount of time with a client like that, you can develop a really cool relationship that can possibly lead into other opportunities and things that can benefit you in the long run.
So, Cloie, with that, we’re going to move on to our last Grind Opp of the day, which is in the field of film. Here’s another one for our Recording Connection students. This is Videographer. “Indeed is seeking a Videographer for a newly created job position within the corporate marketing team,” and this is in Austin, Texas. Now, Cloie, we had…this was like a couple of shows ago. We had people who were like, “Are you going to have…Do you got any Grind Opps out here in Texas or Philly?” And when these Grind Opps come up and they’re in a place where I remember somebody was asking about them, I kind of like to highlight them because we do tell our viewers to just keep following us, keep track with us, because eventually we’re going to have a Grind Opp in the town you’re from. And here we are again with a Grind Opp that’s in Austin, Texas. So I hope that an Austin, Texas viewer is with us today, because this could be for you. So, Cloie, if you want to go ahead kick off these details for our last Grind Opp here.
Cloie: I would love, love to. “Indeed is seeking a Videographer for a newly created job position within the corporate marketing team,” which automatically, yes, we said this before, but I’m saying it again to reinforce the point: you’re getting in from the ground floor. “Candidate will be responsible for production and execution of each video, including scripting, editing and other post-production requirements.” Many hats. Many hats are being worn. This is also going to speak to deadlines. Many hats are being worn, and each hat has a specific, like, cutoff time. That’s always the way for something like that. “Managing and acting as a single point of contact for all aspects of production and to provide oversight for any associated budgets.” Hopefully, you can count. If you can’t count, that’s what apps are for. If you’ve got any sort of phone now, it has a calculator to help you. That’s all I say about math is…that’s all I’m going to say about math.
DJ Iz: Good, because I…girl, I was terrible at math.
Cloie: Ooh, the worst! Remember those graphing calculators? And you’d be like, “Uh, Uh, Uh.” So then the next job point is to “define and manage video production and postproduction processes to effectively manage video project workflow, timelines, project direction, production budget and quality.” And this job requires at least one year of experience as it should, because this is a very responsible, big…this is a grown-up job. This is not for play, especially not when dealing with people’s money, it’s not for play.
DJ Iz: You better tell them.
Cloie: I’m just saying. I’m just saying if you come in over budget, that could be the end of you, forever. But yeah, I think one of the main things to highlight is that you are getting in…It’s a newly created job, so you have this wonderful ability to shape it, you know, to shape it, and often times with newly created jobs, they’ll start you out at a lower level. You start to prove yourself and the cash flow goes up.
DJ Iz: Right. I agree. Now, just looking at these details, Cloie, I can like…I can say, man, this is for somebody who has some experience. You don’t want to get in this Grind Opp at all if you’re not prepared. And I honestly feel like we don’t even have to really cover a lot of these details because these ones are pretty self-explanatory, like just the language of them. When you’re a “point of contact for all aspects of production and provide oversight of any associated budgets”…this is corporate lingo. I would say, for those of you who are at this level and at this place, as it pertains to a videographer, if you feel like you have the experience to actually handle this, by all means go for it. But this is one I can honestly say we can highlight as one of our Grind Opps that is experience-driven. So, if you’re starting out with your ABC’s right now, man…
Cloie: That’s great. That’s really, really good, but this is not for you.
DJ Iz: This ain’t for you. And for anybody just taking notes on these particular details, you know instantly this is prime time. There is a difference between prime time and just regular time. So, I would say for those of you, which I know we definitely have a few in our Recording Connection array of people looking for gigs…this one is definitely for you guys with experience.
So, without further ado, Cloie, we’re going to kick off into my favorite part of the show, and I’m sure it will be yours, too, which is our Q&A. But also, too, I wanted to remind them, Cloie, that we actually have a new website where I like to send them, which is www.rrfedu.com. And this is great, because a lot of times, we get people that want to send in music, they want to send in, let’s say, a resume, or they have questions. You guys can catch us here. This is a place where you want to get all of that info to. I hope we’re able to, within a great response time, get back to you guys and keep you guys posted on things or things that you have questions about.
Cloie: So, where would we find you, though? On social media where can we find you?
DJ Iz: Well, I mean, they can find me @IzConnected Twitter, @IzConnected Instagram, @IzConnected Facebook, and also, my personal which is Iz_Abala [SP]. And Cloie where can they catch you?
Cloie: Well, across social media, you can find me @alwayscloie. There is no H anywhere in that. It is C-L-O-I-E. @alwayscloie on Twitter, on the Snapchat, on the Instagram, which I love, and the Book of Face under Cloie Wyatt Taylor.
DJ Iz: You know, Cloie, I haven’t gotten into the whole Snapchat thing, but I’m going to get there. I’m working my way towards that. I haven’t really been able to wrap my mind around it completely. But I’m sure you’ll be able to school me on the whole Snapchat thing.
Cloie: Yeah, I sure will. I got you.
DJ Iz: All right, so we got a couple of questions. Here’s our first question. “Is it faster to get in the door and work your way up or hold out for your dream position?” You know, man, I honestly…I would say work your way up. Your dream position can only be…it can only be held down if you got the experience. You know, because you could get into your dream position and be there for two seconds because you don’t know what you’re doing. So, definitely work your way up. I’m telling you, there’s a lot more value in it when you work for it. When you work for it you put in the time, the sweat, the tears and the sacrifice. Work your way up so that when you do get to your dream position, man, you’re smooth-sailing. All right? And that’s super important.
Cloie: Remember the struggle.
DJ Iz: Remember the struggle. Next question is my man Katz [SP]. “What’s the latest projects you two are working on?” Well, I know for me, Connected is a project me and Cloie are always working on. I’m always in the studio. Right now, I’m currently working on my brother’s project, his album, working on a couple other things. I have a drum machine coming out. Cloie, that’s one of the things I had went to Japan for, was this drum machine I have coming out called The Ark, which drops September 1st, so I’m excited about that. And honestly, right now, I’m just focusing really on the fundamentals of what it is that I do, which is my music, getting back to that on a day to day thing. How about you, Cloie? What you got going?
Cloie: So, right now I’m wrapping up a play. It’s a production [inaudible 00:36:56]. I just got to shoot on the show Superstar, which was super fun, which that sounds super funny. I had said super, like, eight million times. That’s cool. I’m getting ready to do some work with the upcoming Pensado Awards. And I am working on my, in addition to Connected, which is so dear, my wine web show called The Grape Girls. So it’s a hustle and we get it all done. The hustle, grind, Grinding Opps, Grind Opps, Grinding Opps.
DJ Iz: Hey, you better…You tell ’em, girl. You tell ’em.
Chloe: Thank you, Katz.
DJ Iz: Shout out to, Katz, man. Thank you for tuning in. Next question is, “I get what you said about the client is always right, so how do you deal with the client who is wrong?”
Cloie: You take a breath. That springs the garden.
DJ Iz: Yeah, you take a breath, and you never get confrontational. As hard as it might be at times with folks, you just never really get confrontational. Don’t allow them to get your emotions going. I think you just always do the best you can to explain what it is, get clarity, and just try to move it forward the best way you can. If the client is wrong, then just provide some options that help you get it back on track and just get things accomplished. Get it done with the client, and just do whatever you can to help them move forward, and make sure they’re happy. That’s the best you can do.
Now, if you get a client that refuses there’s nothing you can really do. You can’t help somebody who refuses to accept your help. You gotta pick your battles. And just know when to say, “Hey, I’m sorry I couldn’t accomplish what it is you wanted, but I did my best. Hey, man, water under the bridge and keep it moving.”
Cloie: Exactly. Same with somebody that canned you.
DJ Iz: Right. Exactly. So, next question. “Which is more important in life? Technical skills or people skills?”
Cloie: I think there is [inaudible 00:39:08] the two are running side by side and hand in hand, and how you deal with technical skills does not in any way shape or form outweigh your personal, people skills. They have to go hand-in-hand.
DJ Iz: Right. I was just going to say that, too, Cloie, they run simultaneously. You know, I think people skills…that really comes up with, really, childhood. If you were out on the street or played with friends, you just naturally acquire those things, and you’d be surprised how many people just really never acquired those things as kids, and knowing how to make friends and talk to people and all those things. But they work hand in hand. You can’t have one without the other, especially these days. I mean, you just can’t.
Cloie: “Please” and “thank you” will take you farther than anything else…
DJ Iz: Absolutely.
Cloie: …whether you’re like, “I need help. Please help me. Thank you for helping me”…it’s just manners. Manners.
DJ Iz: Right. There you go. So, last question of the day. “What kind of budget does it take to promote a song?” That’s an interesting one. I mean, these days, it’s really different because you have so many platforms to get your music heard, which is Spotify, Umac, iTunes, your own social media. So it really comes down to your plan of attack. If you’re tackling it region by region, that could be one budget. If you’re going national that’s a whole other budget. But I think the best way to go about music these days and promoting them is start in your backyard. Start in your own backyard performing, getting in front of people is another great way to kind of push that cart up the hill, as far as people allowing the experience of your artistry. But you know, it always takes a team, and it’s hard to get people to move these days without some type of financial transaction, because people…they can’t afford to do things for free. The thing is people have relationships, and those relationships do take you far. But at the end of the day, it comes down to budgets and what you actually can get going, because you gotta kick into that next phase eventually, and a lot of times that next phase requires hard costs. And relationships and hard costs are two different things. So that’s something to definitely keep in mind.
Cloie: Business vs. personal. It’s business, it’s not personal.
DJ Iz: Always, always. That is another fundamental there that folks tend to have forgotten in this day and age. It’s never personal, it’s business, and people have responsibilities at the end of they day, and those are things you have to take into consideration. There’s a lot of things I would love to do for free for people, and I’m sure there’s a lot of things Cloie would love to do. But at the end of the day, the gas light doesn’t stay on, or…the gas and light doesn’t stay on by themselves.
Cloie: Sure doesn’t. Rent has to get paid at the end of the day, and it will, so I love you and I’m sorry. Maybe there is something else I can help you with.
DJ Iz: That is the truth. So, Cloie, it looks like that is it for our Q&A. Guys, don’t forget to, if you have any questions, if you have any material, if you have anything you want to get at us about, do not forget. You can catch us at www.rrfedu.com. Also, don’t forget to follow us on our social media, because that is a great way to track Cloie and I with our day to day and what we got going on real time, which allows you to kind of see what kind of demands these career paths do put on you. But it’s a great way to stay connected. And shout out to our team – Cloie, Mike [SP], Howie [SP], Bryan [SP] – for making this happen, bringing us together. Again, you know, shout out to Cloie. This is her first day sitting with us. We’re happy to have her on board. And as you can see, we’re just having fun, but we’re bringing you…
Cloie: Jobs and joy.
DJ Iz: Yeah, yeah. That’s a great one! We’re bringing you jobs and joy on a Monday morning, which is the day you want to get your week cracking. So make sure you tune in with us next week, every Monday at 11 a.m., Pacific Standard Time. Again, I’m your host, DJ Iz. My co-host…who?
Cloie: I am Cloie Wyatt Taylor!
DJ Iz: You better tell ’em, girl! Look at that smile, guys! You know, I actually…this is cool, Cloie, because when you were giving one of the Grind Opps, I actually took my phone and took a selfie of you on my computer screen, because you just look so joyful! And I’m going to post that because I want folks to know, like, we got a new face here on Connected, and we’re happy to have you. So, with that being said, I’m going to go ahead and say peace, and I’m out. Cloie?
Cloie: See you next week.
DJ Iz: Gotcha.
Previous Episodes of Connected
- Electronic musicians, DJs and beat-makers
- Runners and assistants
- Filmmakers
- Broadcasters
- Aspiring show hosts and more
- Get job tips on all the best jobs and career opportunities
- Get mentored and find out how to get and keep the best gigs in the music and film industry
- Get to know your favorite artists
- Hear industry success and horror stories from the legends inside the business
- Find out real tips to get hired at your dream job
- Connect!
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