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Here are the job opportunities (or as we like to call them, Grind Opps) from this week's show.
12/19/16
GRIND OPP #1
Position:
Sound Engineer
Industry: Recording
Location: Louisville, KY
Description
Kids’ theme park is seeking a sound engineer for special events.
12/19/16
GRIND OPP #2
Position:
Production Assistant
Industry: Film
Location: Dallas, TX
Description
AMS Pictures Original Programming Team is looking for a qualified, assertive, energetic production assistant.
12/19/16
GRIND OPP #3
Position:
Video Script Writer
Industry: Film
Location: St. Joseph, MI
Description
Production company is seeking video copywriters to work in the St. Joseph, Michigan office under the direction of the Creative Director, Video Copywriters.
12/19/16
GRIND OPP #4
Position:
Sound Designer
Industry: Recording
Location: San Mateo, CA
Description
Gaming Entertainment company is seeking a Sound Designer to join the Sound Team to craft high quality audio content for 1st party product development projects.
12/19/16
GRIND OPP #5
Position:
Radio Assistant Producer
Industry: Radio
Location: Norfolk, VA
Description
Award-Winning Executive Producer seeking assistant producer that will support productions for broadcast, web and social media. Web experience preferred.
12/19/16
GRIND OPP #6
Position:
Freelance Video Producer
Industry: Film
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Description
Global marketing agency seeking video producer that will create advertisement content for national and global campaigns.
12/19/16
GRIND OPP #8
Position:
Full Time Lead Line Cook
Industry: Culinary
Location: Portland, OR
Description
Family diner seeking a cook that will be working alongside 2 cooks.
12/19/16
GRIND OPP #9
Position:
Part Time Audio Tech / Board Operator
Industry: Radio
Location: Seattle, WA
Description
Broadcasting company in the U.S is looking for a part time tech to run live and recorded programs.
12/19/16
GRIND OPP #10
Position:
Audio Engineer
Industry: Recording
Location: Kansas City, MO
Description
Publishing company looking for an audio engineer that will record writers’ rough demos.
Transcript
DJ IZ: What up, y’all? Welcome to “Connected.” I’m your host, DJ IZ. Today, we are on Show 43. I’m here with my lovely co-pilot. What’s up, Cloie?
Cloie: Hey, driving this plane. Happy Monday, y’all.
DJ IZ: Happy Monday. Happy Holidays. Hey, Cloie, I’ve got Christmas music like all throughout the house…
Cloie: Twenty-four/seven?
DJ IZ: …every day. Yup, every day, all day is…
Cloie: Just piping in from all the places?
DJ IZ: Just everywhere. Every room has got Christmas going. It was funny because, like, I remember the day after Thanksgiving. Like I saw folks, you know, messaging like, “Christmas music already?” I’m like, “Hell, yeah.” You know, I’m all about the Christmas spirit.
Cloie: All about the ho, ’bout the ho, holiday.
DJ IZ: What’s going on, Cloie?
Cloie: Oh, my, gosh. Everything. Our chat’s blowing up. Good morning, guys.
DJ IZ: Where? I can’t see my chat. Hey, “Connected” team, come on, get my chat up.
Cloie: Right?
DJ IZ: I wanna see [inaudible 00:01:29] us today.
Cloie: Look, I’ll shout them out. DeMarcus is here, Mason is here, Jason’s here, Darren’s is here, Sean, Andre, Chapman, Esther, all of these. Hello, good morning, happy Monday. Patrick, Corey, Manolo as on OG too, right?.
DJ IZ: No.
Cloie: Right? Morning, morning, morning.
DJ IZ: Hey, Cloie, let’s see where some of these folks are from. Like if you guys can, you know, text in the chatroom where you’re from so we know where you’re at. As you know, we’ve got jobs from L.A. all the way to New York. So, you know, if there’s things we can pinpoint you to, that’d be awesome so.
But man, I’m happy to see folks are here with us on this Monday morning. You know, we’ve got a great hashtag, Cloie, which is #thisisyourclassroom. So we wanna mention to folks, you know, definitely hashtag that. And I think for me, Cloie, like, you know, just looking at how traditionally one would gain experience. It would either be through a traditional platform, whether it’s school or stuff in that fashion.
And one of the things I always like to encourage about what we do at the Recording, Film, or Radio Connection is that our classrooms are the actual working environments.
Cloie: Yes.
DJ IZ: Like if you’re into film, most likely, you’re gonna learn everything you need to know on a film set. If you’re an engineer, if you’re into recording, you’re gonna learn in the studio. If you’re into culinary, you’re gonna learn in the kitchen. And so, that’s the kind of, you know, experience I wanna make it a point for folks to understand that or just now tuning in.
Now, if you’ve been rocking with us since Episode 1, man y’all…
Cloie: No.
DJ IZ:…I’m preaching to the choir. But anyway, for those of you who are on the go, make sure you catch us on our Google Play and our podcast on iTunes. Because I know everybody can’t get in front of their computer [inaudible 00:03:21].
Cloie: Which is cool.
DJ IZ: Which is cool. And also, too, Cloie, let them know where they can track our day to day on our social media?
Cloie: For sure. Guys, you wanna find us on social media, we’re across the web @IZConnected. That’s Twitter, Instagram, Facebook @IZConnected. And, of course, you wanna watch us on the official Powered by Recording Connection version. Because that’s where we get some fun, interactive opportunities like our survey. Maybe you missed it last week, but this week’s survey, we still wanna know are you looking for…or what kind of work are you looking for? Full time, part time, random gigs, or to start yourself off with your own business as an entrepreneur?
Because, you know, when collecting data, you’ve gotta…I know. I sound super psyched.
DJ IZ: Sneak it in there, girl. Sneak it in there.
Cloie: Controlled and variables. We wanna make sure that all is on board as we collect our data. IZ, can I show you my tree, my holiday…?
DJ IZ: Show me your tree, cha. Show me a tree. We encourage holiday [inaudible 00:04:23].
Cloie: [inaudible 00:04:23].
DJ IZ: That’s awesome, Charlie Brown, yeah. See, now, you make me wanna to run downstairs and grab me some Christmas paraphernalia.
Cloie: That sounds so suspect.
DJ IZ: I know. Like, white snow.
Cloie: Oh, no. Oh, no.
DJ IZ: And also, too, for those who wanna just kind of check out everything we’ve got going on, another great spot you can catch all of our jobs, is… This is where it’s at, rrfedu.com/connected. If you wanna email us, Cloie, let’s let them know where they can email us if they wanna send us music, resumes, cover letters, the front.
Cloie: Yes. You can email us directly at [email protected]. Thank you to everybody that’s sending submissions. Shout-out to DeMarcus, to Desiree, to Mason, to Tommy Hendrix, to Claude, to Dot Clark, to Corey, Jackson, Katz, Bailey, Hickson. Like, guys, thank you. You’re so good. [inaudible 00:05:28] is real good.
DJ IZ: Right. And don’t forget our newsletter, folks. And also, too, you know, I think it’s always great to see folks joining us at any given Monday, right? But, you know, for a lot of these industries, especially in December during the holidays, everything begins to shut down and folks are kind of like on peace out. I know I was on peace out a couple of days ago because I was in the mountains with my family just trying to enjoy some holiday time. But, you know, it says a lot for folks that continue to join us every Monday and make it a point to be on the grind.
We always like to #mondaymovement because that’s something we’re constantly doing, even outside of a Monday. You know, for us, it’s Monday through Sunday.
Cloie: Tuesday [inaudible 00:06:15]. Wednesday, [inaudible 00:06:16].
DJ IZ: Yeah, you know? So it’s great to see you guys here. And I’m happy and I’m thankful that you guys are continuing to join us and make it a point to be here every Monday. That says a lot about you guys. Is there anything…
Cloie: If it’s your first time here, can you throw a one up into your chat? If this is your very first time joining us on “IZ Connected,” welcome, welcome, and welcome. Throw a one up there.
DJ IZ: Yeah. So, you know, it’s great to see because a lot of folks are actually mentioning where they’re actually tuning in from. So we’ll be able…
Cloie: Ray from Chicago.
DJ IZ: Chicago. There’s a couple of them, man. We’ll be able to, you know, point a couple of those areas out when we get into our Q&A. So now is a great time, folks, to kind of like get your Q&A, your questions together for our Q&A. To me, that’s my favorite part of the show, Cloie. You know, I love the jobs, I love being able to bring folks jobs. But for me, where the real connection for me is, you know, just being able to chat with you guys.
Cloie: Yeah.
DJ IZ: That’s always fun. So Cloie, guess what?
Cloie: Guess what or what?
DJ IZ: Girl, we’re about to jump into…
Cloie: Give it to me again. I messed up my line. I messed up my line. Go, go, go, say it again.
DJ IZ: Yo, Cloie, guess what?
Cloie: What?
DJ IZ: We’re about to jump into these Grind Ops, girl.
Cloie: Oh.
DJ IZ: Yeah. Yeah, go on and give them the rundown.
Cloie: So what do they need to grab? Your….your…and your…
DJ IZ: Twitter fingers.
Cloie: Okay, that was weird.
DJ IZ: [Inaudible 00:07:44].
Cloie: Yeah. That…
DJ IZ: You know, and that can be your iPad or whatever it is you use to take down notes. Because we like to give out a whole lot of information that pertains to each particular Grind Op. And I think, too…
Cloie: And you can only get it here.
DJ IZ: And you can only get it here. I get questions all the time, but yeah, you know, how many people are actually getting at these jobs? Are they made available to everybody? I said, “Yeah, everybody that’s on my show.”
Cloie: Mm-hmm.
DJ IZ: You know, I think, too, in a world where folks are… There’s a lot of folks out there who are looking to get work and who are trying to get work. So I think being able to offer this platform for you guys is a real great opportunity because you’re not gonna be dealing with the world. You know what I’m saying? You’re dealing with the folks who are basically here on our chat, you know? So that makes the possibilities a lot more within reach.
So without any further ado, I’m gonna get into this Grind Op.
Cloie: Love it.
DJ IZ: This is Grind Op one of the day, this is in the field of recording. It says a “Sound engineer. This is a kid’s theme park that’s seeking a sound engineer for special events. This is in Louisville, Kentucky.” I told you we were everywhere, folks. This ain’t just L.A. or New York. So again, “This is in Louisville, Kentucky.”
“He or she will be in charge of any sound-related requests made by clients. Equipment used includes…” Here we go, this is where it gets technical. Here’s the equipment list: “[inaudible 00:09:14], GLD-80 with a tri-amplified configuration and four wedges. Four wedges meaning stage monitors. He or she will be going through a trial period of 90 days. ”
You know what’s great about trial periods, especially at 90 days?
Cloie: What?
DJ IZ: You’re still getting paid. You know what I’m saying? Even if you fail and you don’t make it past the 90 days, well, at least you were compensated for your time.
Cloie: It’s true and you learn. Listen, there’s always an opportunity for growth. If you don’t make it past the 90 days, that’s the perfect opportunity to check in and be like, “Oh, oh, where could I have overperformed?”
DJ IZ: Right, yeah, exactly.
Cloie: Perhaps.
DJ IZ: So, you know, for those of you who are into doing live sound, this is one of those things. It doesn’t really specify, but, you know, in some of these situations, Cloie, it can either be an outdoor event, or a venue, or an in-house venue. And a lot of times, the difference between doing in-house sound and out-house sound are completely different because…
Cloie: I’m sure.
DJ IZ:…that makes it different. Because when you’ve got an open venue, you know, sound is going everywhere. People in the back might hear the sound later than the folks in the front. So knowing all those different dynamics is really crucial.
I know we’ve got a lot of front-end house sound guys that have come out of the Recording Connection. But again, this is another great opportunity for those who do have experience. And I think, you know, anybody who’s well equipped in this world should definitely partake of this opportunity because I can almost guarantee you’ll make it past the 90 days. You’ll get a locked-in gig.
Cloie: I will say, though, about this particular Grind Op, is it’s pretty vague.
DJ IZ: Right, right.
Cloie: Except for the equipment part of it, which is… That’s probably a great place to not be vague. But everything else is way open-ended. So other than the fact that you know there’s a 90-day trial period and you’re in charge of any sound-related… Anything the client is asking you for, you do that.
DJ IZ: Right, right.
Cloie: That could be a lot or a little. You never know.
DJ IZ: Yeah, I totally agree, too. And I think, you know, most folks in this arena who are in the front-end house and sound and staging, a lot of them know their gear. And I always like to stress to folks that it’s so important for you to know an array of equipment, an array of gear. Know the ins and outs. Know that if something fails, know how to maybe…a cheat sheet on how to get it up and going again, whether it’s a blown fuse. But those are definitely the techniques you wanna be well equipped with.
And I think the most important thing in this job is the gear. Knowing the gear, knowing how to work with it so that you can be in there and fly. I know for me, just being around front-end house and sound engineering, I’ve been with guys who have gotten a different console for their venue, they’ve never worked on this console, and they’ve gotta learn it within an hour. Get it up and running, get sound going so.
You know, also, too and it usually says this in some of our Grind Ops, but to be able to operate under pressure is…
Cloie: Under pressure, sorry.
DJ IZ: Under pressure. And to be fast.
Cloie: Yes.
DJ IZ: So that’s something for you guys to think about. Again, this is in Louisville, Kentucky. It’s a sound engineer for a kid’s theme park. And it just sounds fun. Like, you know, to be doing sound at a theme park, man, you might catch me on… Like not even really doing a whole lot of work, but on the rides.
Cloie: I know. “Wait, where’s IZ?” “Oh, he’s on the pirate ship.”
DJ IZ: Right, yeah.
Cloie: “He’s on that pirate ship.”
DJ IZ: So cool. Cloie, this is in the field of film, which is definitely your field. So I’m gonna let you go on and take this one down. This is Grind Op number two.
Cloie: Okay. So Grind Op number two, “Production assistant.” “AMS Pictures’ Original Programming Team is looking for a qualified, assertive, energetic production assistant.” And this is coming to you from Dallas, Texas. “Person must have a strong work ethic, critical thinking skills, and positive attitude. Candidate must have strong organizational, time management skills, and have excellent communication skills. Must have advanced knowledge of all Microsoft Office programs, and knowledge of licensing and copyrighting rules is a major plus.” Boom. And again, this is out of Dallas, Texas.
DJ IZ: Right.
Cloie: I love that they ask for somebody that is “assertive, energetic, and with a positive attitude.”
DJ IZ: Right. You know what I was thinking, Cloie, just hearing you read off the details of this?
Cloie: What?
DJ IZ: Because you’re in this world every day, like what would be your dream assistant?
Cloie: What would they be like?
DJ IZ: Yeah.
Cloie: Oh, man.
DJ IZ: What kind of qualities would you like to see? If I was like, “Yo, Cloie, da, da, da, da, check out my resume, check out my cover letter, check out…” What would you be looking for in me to best facilitate what you do?
Cloie: Well, organization for sure, right? But in addition to that, I’d be looking for somebody that was a listener. And had the ability to not just listen for the breaks, but to listen and absorb the information, right? And somebody that I spoke a common language with, so that I don’t have to necessarily always say… This might sound crazy, but that I don’t have to always… Somebody that’s a step ahead; that’s the best way I’m trying to say it. That can watch, that can listen, observe a situation, and be a step ahead of the game. Do you know what I’m saying?
DJ IZ: I know what you’re saying. I think that’s a great point. Now, what kind of curveballs could I expect being in this world?
Cloie: Oh, gosh. Well, weather is one thing, depending on where you’re shooting and that can put a whole… It sounds, again, crazy. But what weather can do to a production or to a person is crazy. Say now, all of a sudden, we’re getting rained out, we’ve gotta get this one shot. So now, we’re in the trailer for four hours and I still have other life stuff to do, right? Or now, because if you’re working with talent, you’re getting rained out. Like it changes the look of the person in and of itself. So now you, as the production assistant, have to maintain the like continuity of the look of the person while also keeping the talent happy. This is not me, but, you know, talent gets touchy.
But if it was my assistant, I want somebody that’s able to hear what my needs are without me necessarily having to communicate everything. And being like, “Right, this is what she’s gonna need. Let me get you some tea and let me get you some of this,” you know what I’m saying?
DJ IZ: Right. So understand the environment, be able to get to it, and get effective without you even having to say, “Hey, I need you to…” So it sounds like, you know, obviously, a person who could multi-task.
Cloie: Yes.
DJ IZ: Obviously a person who can understand the environment in the room, process it, and like instantly…
Cloie: Can read the room.
DJ IZ:…can read a room. I think those fundamentals pretty much apply to almost every aspect of these different industries that we talk about. Because it is so important to be able to read a room. And even in the studio, like I’ve been in rooms where, you know, folks who are extremely green, who are just happy to be in an environment, they don’t how to read a room. And they’re instantly…
Cloie: Get to all the talking, or wanna talk, or just all the talking. Sometimes, the strongest thing that you can do is shut up and listen.
DJ IZ: Right.
Cloie: Just take it all in and be the sponge. You said that. Be the sponge. Be the sponge.
DJ IZ: Yeah. You know, to me, it’s important to have… You know, when I think of an assistant, I think of somebody who helps assist, right? And really, to me, that speaks of a character who knows how to be a servant, you know? Knows how to, you know, really just make sure everybody is cool, things are on time, the tasks are being executed; all of those things. And they all have to happen simultaneously, right?
Cloie: And it’s also not with this attitude, “Hey, can you do such and such?” “Oh.”
DJ IZ: Right. Right.
Cloie: Or not. I can do it myself, I mean, but…
DJ IZ: Yeah, it’s like you’ve got to be excited to wanna do like those kinds of things. You know, that might be a bummer to other folks, but you get it. And you’re happy because it’s a part of the job. You’re assisting, you’re a servant. You’re helping. You are the help. So those are key components for folks to keep in mind. But also…
Cloie: On the job like that, looking at it in a global perspective, right?
DJ IZ: Yeah.
Cloie: To be a personal assistant. Learning the tools and tricks in the trade to get to “What is that you really wanna do? Great. So what you can learn in this job that’s gonna help you get there,” you know?
DJ IZ: So, you know, I would say for those of you who are looking to fulfill a position in being an assistant or assisting, I would like for those folks to definitely take a look at AMS Pictures. Just to kind of see what they’re about, and who they are. They’re a programming team and they’re in Dallas, Texas. But that can, again, be a great opportunity for those of you who have those characteristics. Who love, you know, to be in that kind of field and who can definitely assist. So again, that’s in the field of film in Dallas, Texas.
Before I go any further, Cloie, I wanna let our viewers know what we got going on for the top of the year. We’ve got a lot of exciting new things. You’re gonna definitely see some different environments, different quality of picture and how we do it here.
And I’m excited about it, because, you know, it’s gonna be fresh and new. So, definitely, I wanna keep you guys up to speed on that. And we’re looking roughly around January 9th on up, where you’ll definitely see some really cool changes. And definitely how…
Cloie: Oh, we’ll be moving on up to the East Side.
DJ IZ: What’s that?
Cloie: We’ll be moving on up to the East Side.
DJ IZ: “Moving on up to the East…” So yeah. So stay tuned for that. And we’re talking guests, we’re talking a lot of the artists that I’ve worked with. I know a lot of folks, you know, who are on the musical side and DJ side. They were like, “Yo, man, I wanna see IZ on the decks and the turntables.” So with our new show location, we’ll be showcasing a lot of those things. And I might even get Cloie to open this up with some beautiful vocals and just having fun. So definitely stay tuned for that. Again, folks, that’ll be happening roughly around January 9th and after. So there’s gonna be a lot of cool things going on here.
Without any further ado, we’re gonna move into Grind Op number three. Again, Grind Op number three is in the field of film. This is a video script writer. And I think we just…I saw somebody in our chat who either has some scripts or…I’m not sure. But I know Katz is here with us today, so Katz, this could be cool for you.
Cloie: I know somebody is here. If I read it correctly, I think you might be talking about Stanislav, who I believe, he said, is watching from Cameroon.
DJ IZ: Wow.
Cloie: Is this true, Stanislav? Are you really watching us from Cameroon? That makes me so happy. For those of you just joining us, well we’ve got a survey going. Right-hand side of your screen, what kind of job are you looking for? Full time, part time, gigging it, or opening up your own business?
DJ IZ: Yes. So here we go. This is in the field of film, video script writer. “Production company seeks video copywriters to work in the St. Joseph office under the direction of the creative director and video copywriters. This is in St. Joseph, Michigan, I’m gonna say.
Cloie: Mm-hmm. [inaudible 00:21:41].
DJ IZ: Here we go. “Candidate joining a passionate and highly talented group of writers, designers, photographers. He or she will be developing strategies under the supervision of creative directors and account directors. Benefits include…” Okay, let’s highlight these, guys. “Benefits include 401(k), paid vacations, health insurance, and company-paid life insurance.” Okay, I’m gonna repeat for you guys. “Benefits include 401(k), paid vacations, health insurance, and company-paid life insurance,” okay?
Cloie: Wow.
DJ IZ: This is, you know, an office that you’ll be working under, under the direction of the creative director and video copywriters, okay? So you’ll be working with a couple of folks here. As these details mentioned, you know, a “highly-talented group of writers, designers, photographers, videographers, producers, editors, and account leads, and clients.” So that’s a lot of folks.
Cloie: That sounds like fun.
DJ IZ: Right? So in your world, Cloie, what’s it like to be around some of these folks? Whether it’s a producer or an editor, you know, what’s that…? I know in that road, I mean personality, you really never know what’s walking through the door but just based on… Right? Now, in your experience, what’s it like to, you know, have worked around some of these, guys? And what are they like?
Cloie: Well, I feel like some of the best ways to describe it all would be like a commercial set, kind of. Because a commercial set, you’ve got the client that’s sitting behind the video village and all like that. And they’re usually the ones that are like this. And occasionally, they’ll look at you and they’ll start whispering, so they tend to be the serious ones. And then you’ve got the writers or like the people that…well, the writers, yeah. And they’re the ones that are taking it all in and “Great, great, great,” making quick changes. And they tend to be very heady, right? Very heady, very zingy, and every writer is different.
Directors, and I used the commercial stuff because it’s a very specific environment. But commercial directors that I’ve worked with, they tend to be very calm because you’re translating so much information at one time, right? But the videographers, producers, all of that sort of stuff, you don’t really see them so much. Clients and account leads, you see every once in a while and they tend to be a little bit more serious. They have the money.
DJ IZ: Right.
Cloie: And keeping the money happy. And everybody else, and they’re creative and very…whatever side of the brain is tends to bounce and thing off of that.
DJ IZ: Okay. Now, it says “account leads and clients.” Can you kind of break that down for us?
Cloie: It’s the money and the people in charge, the top of that food chain. People signing the checks and mm-hmm. They’re the ones that want their T’s crossed and their I’s dotted correctly.
DJ IZ: Now, just based off of your experience, Cloie. Like, you know, when it mentions the benefits here like the 401(k), paid vacations, is this something you see often in your world?
Cloie: No. I mean like in my world, with the union, with like SAG and stuff, you have a pension and all like that, what have you but you’re not salaried. If you’re on contract, that’s one thing. But even that’s not like 401(k). The SAG part of it is but you’re not a salaried employee, per se. It’s a little different.
DJ IZ: Okay. So this is definitely a plus attached to this particular Grind Op?
Cloie: To any job, yes.
DJ IZ: Right, right.
Cloie: This is a grownup…this is “Adulting 101,” this job.
DJ IZ: Right, right.
Cloie: No Peter Pans here.
DJ IZ: Okay. Well, again, folks, this is in St. Joseph, Michigan. And you know, Cloie, we’ve had a couple of Grind Ops in the past where they specifically ask that you be local. And a lot of these Grind Ops we’ve been getting, they’re not really asking or specifying for you to be local. So, you know, these can be those situations where you send out a resume, maybe get that out to them. They’re interested, you fly out, see what it is, check it out. Because if it makes sense, it makes sense.
Cloie: It makes sense.
DJ IZ: You know what I’m saying?
Cloie: And nowadays, people also are doing like interviews over Skype and all of that sort of stuff.
DJ IZ: Right.
Cloie: You know? When they really like people.
DJ IZ: Yeah. I know, for me, whenever there was ever an opportunity, I don’t care if it was in Chicago, Philly, I got on a plane and I… You know, that’s part of the hunt, that’s part of the grind. You know, when opportunities come, it ain’t always gonna be in your backyard. Although you’d love for it to be. But sometimes, that’s how destiny is, you know? But it opens other doorways, other portals to other opportunities.
So I know some folks here might be, “Oh, well man, I don’t even live out there,” but some of these opportunities are worth taking, you know, the chance and seeing what they’re about. Because you might very much see yourself somewhere in Chicago, and you were originally based out of L.A. But this job was great, you’re growing, you know, new opportunities are coming your way, and you can’t ever be afraid to think like that. You can’t ever be afraid to go out there and chase it, and just make it happen.
So like I say, if these jobs aren’t in your city, but they sound very interesting and you’re very curious about them, and you wanna see what it’s about, see what it’s about to the fullest. Don’t ever short-change yourself here. All right.
Cloie: Right? I have a friend that says, “A chicken ain’t nothing but a bird.”
DJ IZ: Oh. There you go. It ain’t nothing but a what? A chicken wing.
Cloie: Right. “A chicken ain’t nothing but a bird.”
DJ IZ: Here we go, Grind Op four, this is in the field of recording. This is a sound designer. “Gaming entertainment company seeks sound designer to craft high-quality audio content for first-party development projects.” This is in San Mateo, California. For all my Cali folks…I think we had somebody pop up that was like, “Yo, I’m in Cali.”
So here we go. “The successful candidate will have a creative vision, excellent communication, and organizational skills. Implementation of sound design using middleware and scripting tools to bring the soundscape to life is necessary. Candidate must be familiar with professional audio production techniques and editing tools such as Pro Tools, Sound Forge, BIAS Peak, WAVs plugins, and sequencers.”
Let me re-go over that for you guys. So “Professional audio production techniques and editing tools such as Pro Tools, Sound Forge, BIAS Peak, WAVs plugins, and sequencers. Ability to work under pressure in tight deadlines while maintaining professional respect and courtesy to our dev teams and team members.” Okay. Again, this is a gaming entertainment company, and they’re looking for high-quality audio content for…
Cloie: IZ, we are seeing more and more jobs in gaming. It’s crazy.
DJ IZ: Yeah. I think, you know, this is more or less a creative kind of Grind Op. So you definitely wanna have experience in the various areas that I just covered such as Pro Tools and Sound Forge. And I would say, you know, if you’re thinking about submitting your resume and cover letter to this particular Grind Op, you definitely wanna showcase some experience. Because these kind of gigs, Cloie, they get really technical. Because you’re not only creating or sound designing, or coming up with sounds. But you’ve got to be well-rounded in the information in regards to these different software programs, and be up to speed on that stuff.
Because these kind of things get really, really technical. You know, People think, as a sound designer, you’re just coming up with weird sounds or whatever. But it’s actually an art, and there’s a science to it. Because you’ve gotta be able to sometimes look at content and then visualize certain things based on what you’re looking at. And that gets real. Like, you know, you don’t wanna have a gunshot sound effect in a romantic moment or something, you know what I’m saying? You’ve got to know how to read certain things.
Cloie: Like a boom dropping in.
DJ IZ: Yeah. Even for me, because I buy a lot of soundtracks…like Hans Zimmer, man, and all these cats who do strings and huge production, and I’m a student of that stuff. So I know for me, like when movies come to us and they want us to do some scoring or whatever, like, just based off of all the information I have, and the movies I’ve watched, and my favorite conductors and stuff, like I have a library of shit that I can reach for, you know?
Cloie: Yeah.
DJ IZ: I end up going like, “Oh, okay, I know what I can do here,” you know what I’m saying? What were you gonna say, Cloie?
Cloie: When you’re doing things like that, are you watching any of the… You are watching the footage and you’re putting things to that?
DJ IZ: Right, yeah. You know, we’ll get in films that have still got the green screen, got the numbers running, got temp music and the job is… Like when I get a film that has temp music, the temp music is to let me know what they’re going for.
Cloie: Yes.
DJ IZ: So to create something kind of in that vein. You know, that’s kind of the process for me. You know, I’ve gotten a lot of movies that maybe are at the second round of having all the effects, but there’s still a couple of things missing. And it’s really just you go in there and you look, and you kind of get an idea of what they want in these particular movies. And you just go and you create.
And that could be sound effects. That can be a wind sound. That can be just a violin or an orchestra, you know? But it’s really fun. It’s really cool. You know you roll it…
Cloie: Yeah. And how often is it that you do that, versus somebody who is like, “I’m looking for a track, feels like this, using it for this purpose,” where you don’t get to watch anything? It’s just all you?
DJ IZ: It happens, I would say, anywhere from three to four times out of the year, you know? It’ll go from that, and then, “Oh, by the way, we need some songs for the soundtracks. Do you have any artists in mind?” Or, “Do you have any back catalog that you can maybe just let us hear?” So, you know, it happens often, but I think knowing both sides has always been extremely beneficial in regards to…
Cloie: Because it can go either way for you, is what it sounds like?
DJ IZ: Yeah. [inaudible 00:32:56].
Cloie: See what you want?
DJ IZ: Yeah. And you need people, you know?. What I’ve realized is that on a lot of these teams that put these kinds of things together for films, there’s so many people. And you just get to meet people. And it’s like, “Oh, you know what? I know a project. Let me get you this project, because we pretty much need the same thing.” So a lot of that happens. It’s like a window of just opportunity. So that’s always a plus.
Cloie: Getting in on the ground floor.
DJ IZ: Yeah. Again, this is a sound designer, and the location is San Mateo, California so. Cloie, I’m gonna let you take down this last Grind Op of the day, which is in the field of radio.
Cloie: Love it. Grind Op number five is for an assistant producer. “Award-winning executive producer needs assistant producer to support productions for broadcast, web, and social media. Web experience preferred.” This is out of Norfolk, Virginia. Shout-out, VA, and the Delmarva.
So “The candidate will be responsible for researching and finding necessary music, sound effects, and archival tape for the works in progress. Basic audio production, preferably ProTools preferred. Deadline-oriented, comfortable with organizational tasks. Ideal opportunity for radio graduate or audio that is comfortable with working in a fast-paced environment under strict deadlines.” This is perfect for Recording Connection folk, like perfect. “Ideal opportunity for radio graduate or audio that is comfortable with working in a fast-paced environment.”
This is pretty straightforward, this one.
DJ IZ: Yeah. And like you said, Cloie, I think is definitely perfect for our Connected students. And I think, too this kind of… Because this is pretty much a straightforward kind of outline of details for this Grind Op, you know, I think it’s important for folks who are joining us or better yet, have an understanding of what it is we do on the educational side. Which is put you in an environment that does not resemble a classroom. It resembles the real field.
Being in these environments such as fast-paced environments, intense environments, deadline-driven, you know, all those dynamics that you really don’t learn in the classroom until you actually get in front of it. And a lot of times, by that time, it’s too late. You’re sold to the script, that anything that comes outside of a script, you’re like, “What do you mean I’ve got to have this turned in in an hour or I gotta…?” You know? And those kind of things, you don’t wanna learn on the job.
Cloie: No.
DJ IZ: You know, because that could be the difference of you having a job and coming in tomorrow and you don’t have one. So those are definitely some of the things to keep in mind, and I always like to stress what we do at “Connected” is so unique because you’re not just sitting in a classroom learning out of a book. You might be sitting next to an incredible, successful, film productive scriptwriter, an incredible producer, incredible engineer, an incredible chef. And those are the things you wanna keep in mind because that’s where the tires meet the road. That’s where the education is really, really taken in, processed, and understood so.
Cloie: And also, our new hashtag, #thisismyclassroom, that is the perfect explanation of that. Everybody’s classroom looks different. Where is it that you are learning the lessons that are making you the most successful version of yourself that you can be?
DJ IZ: Right.
Cloie: Right?
DJ IZ: Yes.
Cloie: On that note, we do have our survey results by the by…
DJ IZ: I love, we got them in.
Cloie: We do. So it looks like 70% of people looking for full-time work. Twenty-three percent are looking to start their own business and to become entrepreneurs. Three percent are random gigs, and 3% part-time. Last week, it was 0% part-time, so part-time is up at 3%.
DJ IZ: And you know what I love about the entrepreneurship dynamic? Is that we actually have a really good entrepreneurship program that we can get you guys dialed in with. So if there’s anybody interested in the whole start your own business. “How do I get that going? How do I take an idea, bring it to life? How do I get from Point A to Point Z, because there’s a whole lot of in-between?”
Definitely reach out to us here at “Connected.” I know my team is extremely quick on getting things going and being able to look at your specific need and getting you some assistance. But we do have our hands on a really great entrepreneurship program that pretty much is the fundamentals of business.
I think where industries are going today, Cloie, I think the great thing is the model has changed. But this new model will work across the board.
Cloie: Yes.
DJ IZ: And it’s really be able to understand how all these different components work together, how to best utilize yourself. How to look at yourself as a walking brand, as a walking, you know, commodity. Whether you’re offering a service of a script, a song, engineering. I mean, today, that’s what it is. You are the business, you’re a walking businessman. You just have to understand the fundamentals of business. And, you know, that’s…
Cloie: And know how to package yourself.
DJ IZ: And know how to package yourself and how to know all the components, how to look at an agreement or an offering, or a proposal. Get it as close as what you want it to be and know when to hand it off to an attorney, and understanding that an attorney works for you, you don’t work for him, all those different dynamics. And it’s a great way to understand just business. So definitely keep that in mind, let us know if you have an appetite for that, and we can make some things happen.
So that is our fifth Grind Op of the day. And again, that was in Norfolk, VA. So what do we got next, Cloie? Let’s see here.
Cloie: We’ve got some Q&A.
DJ IZ: Q&A, we do got some Q&A…
Cloie: Q&A…
DJ IZ: However…
Cloie: Before that, before that though, sorry.
DJ IZ: And remember this, because this is something we started a couple shows back. But we do have an additional five other Grind Ops on our site. So that’s a total of 10. So make sure you do, at some point, look at what those other jobs are. I believe they’re in the field of…
Cloie: Everything. There’s a film job in Vegas. There’s culinary in…
DJ IZ: Atlanta.
Cloie:…Atlanta, Portland, right? Audio job in Kansas City and a radio job in Seattle.
DJ IZ: Yeah. So that’s five additional jobs on our “Connected” site. So make it a point to check what those are, too.
So right now, you know, I’ve been doing these videos, Cloie. We call them “School of Hard Knocks,” but, you know, just some real personal-type questions that I was asked. It’s always a good thing to kind of just speak outside of the cuff and off the cuff. I feel like for our viewers, that’s when you get the most intimate type of real answers, you know? And it’s not driven by no rehearsed… you know, and this definitely ain’t rehearsed. But I think it’s good information for folks that wanna know what it’s like on that day to day.
And, you know, this is really about what feels good, usually wins, even though it goes against what you’ve learned in school. So that is kind of the gist of what this is. So I’m gonna cut to that clip. We’ll go ahead and roll, Matt.
Man 1: So in a way, it sounds like what you’re saying is that to go there can actually hurt people.
Man 2: Yeah, because it’s like some people don’t know how to get out of that gear. For instance, perfect scenario, I was in a session one time with a producer who has, you know, a star in Hollywood. And because the engineer came from that traditional way of working and applying his knowledge, because he came from an institution. We’re then working on this song and the engineer decided to say, “That bass note isn’t…that’s not the right key. It needs to be something else.” “No and it feels good so. No, but I… That’s not the…” And so, he began to challenge the producer.
And at the end of the day, I don’t care how much information and knowledge you got from an educational aspect in the creative world. What feels good, feels good and usually, what feels good wins.” And it’s very hard to detach yourself from those things because it’s been chiseled in you. And those are the kind of hiccups you run into with a person that brings that traditional, you know, educational experience and creativity to the table.
When I bring on people, I’ve had to tell them, “Okay, let me get a feel for your background. What have you done?” You’re not validated by the college you came from. You’re validated by the records you’ve been on, the work you’ve done, the sessions you’ve recorded, the drums you’ve miced. That’s what validates you.
Man 1: Was that producer, was that engineer not…
Man 2: Told him to go home. The producer said, “Your day is done.” And it’s interesting, even…not even so much a respect level, but it’s like, in those environments… See, school couldn’t teach you that, right? School isn’t gonna teach you when to keep your mouth shut. But guess what? A producer who’s probably had about over 100 number one hits is gonna say, “Okay, your day is over. You can go home.”
DJ IZ: Yo, hey, Cloie, that’s real shit. That’s real shit.
Cloie: “Your day is done here. You can go home.”
DJ IZ: “Your day is done.” You know, it ain’t even about being around folks that are high and mighty and they’re assholes. Like, you know, I’ve been around good folks who just are on the ground level, and who are cool, and treat people great. So imagine being around assholes in the business, assholes in the game. Imagine what their theory is like. When you don’t have any supreme kind of track record and you’re offering [inaudible 00:43:46]and yeah but… Right? That’s what I’m saying. Like a sponge doesn’t talk, a sponge absorbs.
And that’s where, you know, when you’re starting on ground zero, you wanna absorb everything you possibly can. So that when you do get the moment, you have all the information. You know what to do. You know how to navigate. You know how to execute. You know how to deliver. And I think that’s the difference.
I think with this upcoming generation, they think talent is everything. They think, “No, man, I’ve got it cracking. I’m this, I’m that.” And it’s like, “Yeah, but you ain’t paid no dues. You’re a songwriter, what songs have you written? Has anybody bought your song?” “Oh, you’ve got a script? You’ve got an idea? Everybody’s got an idea.” It’s how do you bring things to life, how do you assemble the team, how do you put folks together to get to that end of the race. You know?
And it’s more just having an opinion. It’s more than just, “Yeah, you know, but well, my idea…” Like everybody’s got those. You know?
Cloie: Yes.
DJ IZ: And there’s people who are really great at taking an idea, and the world buys into it. And that’s a difference, you know? And I think with that particular situation, with that engineer, he just couldn’t let it go. And he didn’t know…not even just honor, respect, or just, you know, the boundaries. It’s like, man, you’ve gotta get to the point where you can actually say, “Yeah, but I know that ain’t right.” It’s like, “Man, who are you?” You don’t ever wanna be hit with the, “Hey, man, your job’s done for the day” because…
Cloie: [inaudible 00:45:26].
DJ IZ: He will never get used in a session again by that producer. So, you know, those are the mistakes you don’t wanna make. And the classroom, like I said, doesn’t teach you that.
Cloie: No, it does not.
DJ IZ: So that’s something for you guys to keep in mind. And like I said, man, we keep it 100 here on “Connected.” I’m gonna let you know. You know, the things you wanna look up for like… I look at it like this, Cloie. If you’ve got a booger in your nose and I don’t tell you…
Cloie: You are… You’ve gotta find out your…
DJ IZ: I’m not your friend. I’m not your friend. So, you know, just some of the things to think about. That’s why we call it the “School of Hard Knocks.” That’s another video from the vault, “School of Hard Knocks” so.
Cloie: And life boogers, you know? [Inaudible 00:46:09].
DJ IZ: It’s a life booger, I like that. Life boogers, your friend should never…
Cloie: Well, that’s… [inaudible 00:46:14].
DJ IZ: Life booger.
Cloie: Hmm. Christmas tree.
DJ IZ: Now, for my favorite part of the show, we can actually get into some of this Q&A. But actually, before we get into our Q&A, I’m gonna let some of our folks know that have actually submitted music.
Cloie: Yes.
DJ IZ: Music we’ve actually listened to. So I wanna shout out, DeMarcus, Desiree, Mason, I just got done listening to Mason’s stuff. Tommy Hendrix. I really like Dot Clark. I don’t know if he’s tuning in today, but I love the remix, I believe it was. But I love the music and the vocal.
Cloie: Yeah. Yeah.
DJ IZ: Got a little bit of Bailey Hickson. I believe Bailey Hickson was a cat that didn’t have no music, right? It was just a vocal?
Cloie: He’s in high school, yeah, yeah.
DJ IZ: And this goes out to Bailey. I loved what you had, but I think the next step for you might be sitting down with a piano player or a guitar player. And the reason for that is so you can make sure whatever melodic notes you’ve got going in, they fall within, I’m not gonna say a, proper boundary. But you wanna make sure these notes actually can correspond…
Cloie: That they line up.
DJ IZ: That they line up with the other notes in the key of the song that you’re in. I think that’s important. But shout-out to everyone else, Deanna, Linda, Tommy, anybody else I didn’t mention. Believe us, you guys are on our radar and we’re listening to these things.
Cloie: As we speak.
DJ IZ: So keep sending in your resume, your cover letters. I actually had someone reach out to me during the week who sent me an incredible resume and cover letter. And I was actually blown away because I looked at it. You know, the first thing I look for is what we call “smoke and mirrors,” right? Some shit you really didn’t do or you know? It’s like you were the busboy and you kind of definitely were not…
Cloie: [inaudible 00:48:10]. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
DJ IZ: Yeah. So I got this resume and cover letter, man, and it was so well put together. I was like, “You know what? I’m gonna get this to my “Connected” team, because I want them to look at it.” Because it was really good, man. It was well written, you know?
And I’ll never forget. I interviewed a CEO last year at NAM by the name of Scott Goodman, who’s the President of Zoom. In the interview, I said, “Man, what is it you look for when you’re hiring somebody?” And he said, “You wanna know what I wanna look for? I wanna see if the motherfucker can actually read and write right.” That’s what he said to me.
Cloie: Look, text, speak.
DJ IZ: The fundamentals. You know? So when I looked at the resume and the cover letter, man, it was so well put together. And I wanna make it a point that we distribute this particular cover letter and resume to some of these Grind Ops because it was well orchestrated and it was really cool.
Cloie: Here’s also what I wanna say on that point right quick before we really jump into this Q&A. To that point, there, their, they’re, yours, you’re, it’s, its, they are all different. And if you don’t know the difference… That’s all I’m gonna say.
DJ IZ: Yeah. You know what’s crazy, though? I think like a lot of folks don’t. Like even with “you’re,” right, “you’re,” “you are,” like… Yeah. So those are some of the things to definitely look at in your resume and your cover letter is, you know, how well you’re spelling. And, you know, those…
Cloie: Grammar.
DJ IZ: Grammar is everything. So definitely keep that in mind, guys. So let’s get to this Q&A, Cloie. What have we got here?
Cloie: I don’t know, but I just got so warm getting upset about grammar. The texting, I love it, but it’s gonna kill us all, text messaging, oh, and auto-correct. So…
DJ IZ: Hold on. So early on in the show, Mason, he said, “I’ve gotta get hired for being the always…” Well, again, here we go. Let’s start with your grammar first, Mason. He says, “I’ve gotta get hired for being the always the first in here, ha, ha, ha.” So what you wanna say is “I’ve gotta get hired for always being the first in here.”
Cloie: [inaudible 00:50:29]. He corrected it a little bit later. See, he corrected it and says, “Being always.”
DJ IZ: Right.
Cloie: Dig it. So lovin’ how you all are helping each other out. Stanislav was asking if there were filmmakers in class, and Katz responded that he’s a filmmaker because he is. And that right now, Katz is in Memphis, so shout-out to that connection. Shout out to everybody that it is your first time watching. Andre and Desiree, we had… Oh, Katz is editing a feature film. And then Stanislav also said that he’d love to work with Katz on this future stuff.
Katz has also said he’s doing a web series, so shout-out to all of that. I mean, look, Katz is gonna hire us all. Which is fine.
DJ IZ: That’s a good point, Cloie. Mason had a couple questions. He said, “For a new guy in the States who still doesn’t know much, I am in Columbus now and thinking of relocating to L.A. Do you think that would be a good step for an audio dude? Is it way too saturated and competitive? I think I’ve got a solid resume and expertise to work in most audio fields.”
I think the thing with L.A, L.A. is one of these places where you can get chewed up and spit out, because there’s so many cats out here that are incredible, especially in the recording side. But you know what, man? You wanna be where the greats are. You wanna be where the dudes are in these fields, because you’ll be surprised how much information and how much you can actually extract by being around some of these opportunities.
Cloie: That’s true.
DJ IZ: You know, I think the biggest thing, when you talk about relocating, I think the most important thing is to put a plan together, put a strategy together. You know, think about the costs of living. How are you gonna make things happen? You know, a lot of times, people come to L.A. with no plan and no road map and, man…
Cloie: I’m gonna be a star.
DJ IZ:…they come home with the blues because L.A. is a tough spot. But I always say, if you can make it in L.A. or New York, or even in Atlanta, like man, you can make it anywhere. You know? Because out here in L.A., in Cali, this is where the tires meet the road, so you’ve got to be on your shit.
And to your “Is it way saturated?” question, absolutely. But you’ve gotta think, you know, it’s also a great driving force because there is so many out here. That’s where the competitiveness kicks in. So it could be really great, man.
What I would suggest is put a great plan together for yourself. Put an in and an out together. “In, if it doesn’t work, what’s my out? What’s my B plan? What’s my strategy? How am I gonna maneuver?” Because you’ve got to have endurance out here. L.A. will beat you down straight up. So I hope that answers your question.
Let’s see. Liya says, “If you guys and gals want to talk about your futures, your options, reach out to us.” There you go.
Cloie: Liya.
DJ IZ: Liya in the house and she is a representative of what we do here. So make sure you reach out to her. If you’ve got questions, she’s making herself available. And Cloie, shout-out to our team that are constantly on the lookout, on the ground. You know?
Cloie: Yup.
DJ IZ: Just got their ears tuned. Because that’s really where it all connects, you know? And having a point of contact. So we can definitely get you guys dialed in.
Cloie: We had a question that came in over the week also from Gary that says, “What is the recording school about? Is it fundamentals?” Hello?
DJ IZ: Yep. I’m just…my brain went dead. You know, the fundamentals are important because that’s where the knowhow is really started. You’ve got to be able to understand the fundamentals and what they are, from presentation, which we like to equate to your resume, your cover letter, sizzle reel.
Cloie: Yep.
DJ IZ: And I think that’s the problem nowadays is people… The younger culture haven’t really been introduced to the fundamentals of what we had. You know, the fundamentals are the things that afford you longevity and the knowhow. And it ain’t just always about your talent and how great you are with your gift. It’s knowing all the other ancillary things that need to go on to make it a full experience and how people experience you. So those are some of the things to definitely keep in mind.
I know we got another question here from DeMarcus which was “I manage [inaudible 00:55:21] music studio in Hollywood. I produce for some of the artists that come through the studio, but I want a production deal or a situation with the labels that book. Do you have any advice to go about making that happen?”
So that was one of the questions I actually personally shot back out to you, DeMarcus, if you’re watching. So, you know, if you wanna continue that conversation, definitely shoot us an email. But I feel like the response I gave you was pretty thorough and you know?
Cloie: For Corey Jackson and Katz, you were asking for resume stuff, and Edwin will be reaching out to you if he has not already. We also had a question come in from Deanna that says, “Hey, I’m getting ready for college and don’t know how to be a DJ, but I feel it in me, and I know I’ve got it. I really need help and a tutor.”
DJ IZ: Okay, so that question is a little confusing to me and I wanna make sure I understand it right. You know, she says, “I’m getting ready to go to college, but I don’t know how to be a DJ.” So I don’t know if you’re going to college to take on a different career, or you’re going to a music school, or being a DJ. So kind of confusing.
But, however, it looks like you’re looking to be a DJ because either, one, you really, really love music and you have a great library of music. But I don’t know what the driving force with you that makes you wanna be a DJ.
And, you know, for me…and not to discourage anybody, but I know for me, I didn’t just roll out of bed and say, “I wanna be a drummer.”
Cloie: Right.
DJ IZ: I saw something and I put in the work. And for me, when I look at this question, it really starts with what your commitment is to it. Because if you have a real commitment, you’ve got to go out and buy gear. You’ve got to go out and spend money. So that then becomes a personal investment into yourself.
You know, the difference between knowing you got it and being able to actually do it is so, so vast. And this isn’t one of those things where you jump on YouTube and it’s like, “Oh, Step one, da, da, da. Step two…” Like you’ve got to really immerse yourself into it. Understand the culture.
Cloie: Yes.
DJ IZ: Understand music. Understand the different genres in music, the artists, the songwriters. This, today’s culture, everything is made available through technology. You can have an app, and it’s a DJ app, and you just load it in your iTunes playlist, and play/pause, play/pause, play/pause. But you’re not really tempo matching records, you’re not really understanding transitions. You probably can’t scratch. You’ve probably got terrible timing.
Cloie: Here’s the other thing that I’m fascinated by the world of DJ-ing, too versus like how DJ-ing was and how it is now. And my mind gets so blown because I think of like scratching, right, from back in the day. And nowadays, I’m like, “All this technology stuff, the records are so expensive.” This is where my mind goes.
DJ IZ: Right. Yeah and you know, being that I’m passionate about it. Like I’ll DJ and nobody has to pay me to DJ because I just love doing it. I’m a DJ regardless. But, you know, the thing is, if I’m gonna give any advice into any particular field or craftsmanship or skill, like I’m gonna give you the real. I’m gonna give you the 100 because that’s the information that’s gonna allow you to really, you know, progress with your craft.
And if you’re looking to be a DJ, we can give you direction of what you wanna start with. Do you wanna start with a controller? Do you wanna start with actual turntables and get you rolling? I don’t ever wanna encourage anybody to just roll out of bed and say, you know, “I wanna be a guitar player.” There’s a lot of things that go into it, a lot of things to think about. Because you have to be passionate about it. You’ve got to love it. And when you love it, you do the homework, you put the work in.
Cloie: For sure.
DJ IZ: We can definitely…
Cloie: Mason says, “A tip for someone who wants to be a DJ, try to get some experience with detecting BPMs.”
DJ IZ: Right. See, you know, in that world, you have softwares that do all of that for you. So if you’re thinking about DJ, I always say, “Start with the fundamentals.” Gather up some money, get a turntable, right, and buy some vinyl, get a mixer. And then when you get a little bit more money, grab another turntable. And then learn what it’s like to actually handle real vinyl and how to actually tempo lock without using software because that’s how you’ll… Then, by the time you get to the software, you’ll even be that much better. But that’s my advice for anyone who’s looking to be a DJ.
Linda says, “How do I fulfill my career in acting?”
Cloie: That kind of goes along with what you just said. I think the main thing, in a very general way, as we wrap it up, is to say, “The best thing, if you ask a question that particular way, is specifics and specificity.” So to say, “How do you fulfill your career in acting?” is so open-ended, right? What does that look like to you?
So to identify, like is it beyond Broadway? Is it to star in a movie? But you’ve got to identify what that idea of fulfillment looks like, right?
DJ IZ: Yeah.
Cloie: I also should say I don’t like the idea of… I want to live a fulfilling life. But the idea of being fulfilled, in my mind, means that it’s the end and that there’s no growth.
DJ IZ: Right.
Cloie: But to answer for Linda, I would say identify the target. Like what, in your mind, epitomizes success? And just map out a very clear plan of action as to how you can get there. If you wanna send more specifics to us, I would love to answer in more detail. But I will say, in the world of acting, just like in the world of music and anything creative, there is no one way to get there. Everybody’s got a different path.
DJ IZ: Right. Yeah.
Cloie: So it looks like our last question is from Katz and he says… He wants to know, “Does the Connected school have good business classes? It’s hard to be a good artist and run a business. I’m in-between schools right now; I’m looking for another school.” And our team just answered, but yeah. We just finished our current curriculum, and it’s gonna be great. How do you like that?
DJ IZ: [inaudible 01:02:32]. But yeah, Katz. We can definitely get your questions in and anything you got in that area that you want [inaudible 01:02:42]. We can definitely…
Cloie: Check out our newsletter, too. Liya just popped it up into the field if you don’t see that but it’s rrfedu.com/weeklyreport.
DJ IZ: Yeah. And also, too, folks, those of you in our chatroom that are talking to each other, make sure you guys get emails, all the information from each other. So that way when our show stops, you guys can continue these conversations with each other. So I think that’s extremely important.
On that note, Cloie, unfortunately, girl, it’s 12:03.
Cloie: It’s 12:03 and we have a meeting and it’s the holidays.
DJ IZ: Christmastime is here but anyway…
Cloie: And also, this year, shout-out to whatever you’re celebrating. Because Hanukkah falls at the same time as Christmas this year. So dreidel, dreidel, dreidel, I made you out of clay. I know the song.
DJ IZ: You’ve got so much culture. I love your culture. You’ve got so much culture in you, Cloie.
Cloie: Look, it’s blue. It’s blue. It’s blue everywhere.
DJ IZ: Well, guys, man, thank you all for tuning in with us here today. Again, this is Monday movement. Cloie, make sure you give them our new hashtag, because we want folks to really go in with this hashtag.
Cloie: Baby, #thisismyclassroom. Blow up that feed. We wanna see photos of what your real-life day-to-day learning experience looks like. Photos, text messages. We do text back or Tweet back, Tweet back.
DJ IZ: Also, too, guys, definitely keep sending us in your music, your resume, your cover letter, sizzle reel, the whole nine because we’re definitely looking at it. Shout-out to our wonderful team, Cloie, Mike, Howie, Brian, Jay, Michael, Liya. Am I leaving anybody out?
Cloie: You’ve got both of the Mikes. I think that’s everybody. You said Jay, Edwin, and Edwin.
DJ IZ: Edwin. Man, I knew it. I knew it. And again, thank you all for tuning us. Happy holidays to you guys. Man, get your Christmas music, get your Christmas spirit going. And it’s time to go, it’s time to grind. Tomorrow’s Tuesday, you know, a couple of days left before Christmas, so get it going, folks. We love you, man. Thank you so much. I’m your host, DJ IZ. My lovely co-host, Ms. Cloie.
Cloie: I’m Cloie Wyatt Taylor.
DJ IZ: And on that note, we out. Have a good one, y’all.
Previous Episodes of Connected
- Electronic musicians, DJs and beat-makers
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- Filmmakers
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- 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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