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Issue #123
by L. Swift and Jeff McQ
Geoffrey D. Calhoun
Fetty Wap and Dominick Eagles
Russian-born, Film Connection apprentice Daniel Matiushenok shares a few words about a recent shoot with mentor Matthew Leslie of Arx Axiom in Chicago, IL: “It was [the]second shoot for the same company, at this point I was already familiar with the crew. I was helping lighting department for the third time and their job, I think, is the most complicated, actually all of the people involved were working very hard and [it was] at least a ten-hour shift. It was fun in some ways but again it’s a very hard job to perform, the whole experience was worth it. The best part [is] that you learn the hard way so you’ll never forget it. Part of the set was in the green room, this room is a mind-bending, literally. Got the chance to meet fellow Film Connection students, one of them was actually getting paid for the job as he already graduated, not a lot of course but it’s already a return on 10K investment.”
Luis Jimenez who apprentices at Slam One Productions (Riverside, CA) was just one of the Recording Connection students to attend the The Pensado Vintage King Gear Expo and shake hand with the pros, listen to the panelists, and connect with powerhouse Gear Expo Producer, Shevy Shovlin!
Dave Pensado, Herb Trawick, and Brian Kraft at Pensado Vintage King Gear Expo
ON HOW HE GOT INTO MENTORING FOR THE RECORDING CONNECTION:
“I was approached by one of my other partners…Sax DMA. He had a lot to do with engineering a lot of known people, like Wu-Tang and Missy Elliot, in the Quad Studios. So we got together one day…I was like, ‘What if you use me as an artist to one of your engineering students, saying I’ll come in, record, work on my album. And then, I’ll give one or two students that do the best [work] credit on my album.’ And it was a great idea…We had to turn down kids that wanted to join. So then, I said, ‘Okay, so now what we’re going to do is…we’re going bring in some of my friends that are famous to record…So, I had Big Bub come through from the group Today…He had a couple of platinum records and stuff like that. And I had him come in. And then I had Sky Heavens, the backup singer for Eminem…She’s working on her album, so I had her come in, and do a song, too, with the students. So, the thing was, it was just the students getting to be in a live situation with a real, live artist”
ON HOW HE IS CONTINUING THE PRACTICE OF MENTORING STUDENTS IN ACTUAL RECORDING SESSIONS:
“I joined forces with one of my partners, Big Bub from the group Today. He wrote, like, Bobby Brown, “My Prerogative.” He wrote some of Mary J. Blige’s My Life album. He did some songs with Snoop Dogg and Puff Daddy…So we got together and joined forces, and what we’re doing is we’re going to be working on his album and my album at the same time. So…we thought it’d be good to mentor students in a real-life situation.”
STUDIO ETIQUETTE-IN-STUDIO DO’S AND DON’TS- RESPECT IS VITAL:
“Have a great attitude. No matter what goes on, just have a great attitude…Do not open your mouth unless they ask you a question or what do you think. You’re there to just watch and pay attention, because it’s a live session going on and you don’t have a right to say something to the engineer…He needs to stay focused. If you’re a student, you just need to pay attention. Don’t just be playing music in there. I had a situation with guys playing their own music in a live session, and when the artist was in the booth, he could hear the other music instead of the music he recorded…That is a really big no-no. You should be honored that an artist even allows students in their sessions…Take notes. And then when that session is over, then you can go to the engineer. You’re students. You’re there to learn and watch. Not to comment. Not to start rapping. And it’s not to try to tell the artist what they should do.”
HIS ADVICE FOR STUDENTS ON MAKING INDUSTRY CONNECTIONS IN THE STUDIO:
“When you are taking a class and you’re working with people in the industry, don’t be afraid to collect information from other engineers, their numbers, their email. And don’t be afraid to hit them up on social media. Stay connected with them because you just had the chance to be around them. By staying connected to them, and if you end up doing something that’s really good, they’re going to be able to see it…Don’t be afraid to get connected, but you’ve got to know the right points, when to do it and when not to do it.”
KEY ADVICE FOR NEW ENGINEERS ON HOW THEY CAN GET THEMSELVES HIRED:
“You’ve got to love the work…you’ve got to have fun. You’ve just got to be that guy that can change the attitude of everybody in that studio with the way you engineer…Not afraid to do long hours. Not afraid to travel, [because] when an artist loves that engineer, they want to bring them on the road. Just someone that is serious about engineering, not looking to just meet people. You’re looking to meet people but not looking to meet celebrities all the time…We know that some kids think that that’s the way in. So, we got to say, ‘Listen, the best way to get to know the celebrities, is to learn how to be an engineer. And be the best. And that’s when they’re going to love you. And that’s when they going to want you around. That’s when they hire you. ”
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