DIY product release (Album, EP, Single)

• Identify skillsets needed that you have already, those that require development and those that are missing at present
  Already have - Musicianship/Band/access to a studio/content to release/

  What we need - Money/better production skills/confidence and an understanding of marketing strategies/good communication/good time management

• Articulate how completing the portfolio of work for each idea/direction will take you one step closer to your career goals as a professional practitioner
  
  

• Explore which elements you already have in place and any work experience examples you can draw upon for each

Artist Development (brand, marketing etc.)

• Identify skillsets needed that you have already, those that require development and those that are missing at present
  Already have - access to artists for logo/band Instagram account/

  What we need - logo/brand colours/definitive style/marketing style/
  

• Articulate how completing the portfolio of work for each idea/direction will take you one step closer to your career goals as a professional practitioner
  
  

• Explore which elements you already have in place and any work experience examples you can draw upon for each

Social media or YouTube content

• Identify skillsets needed that you have already, those that require development and those that are missing at present
  Already have - ideas for content/space to shoot content/

  What we need -
  

• Articulate how completing the portfolio of work for each idea/direction will take you one step closer to your career goals as a professional practitioner
  
  

• Explore which elements you already have in place and any work experience examples you can draw upon for each

After discussing with the band and my dad I have decided that a single release is the most realistic and strongest idea. This is because it will be the most helpful to myself and to our band as we currently do not have any music released so this will not only work for my assignment but will also help further my career in realtime. However, while doing a single release I will also be doing some elements of artist development so that the band will be more developed and look more professional by the time we come to start performing our marketing plan in the lead-up to our release date.

2. If there is a clear idea coming out as the strongest, work through the 10 questions below to refine it - 

• Explain concisely the focus and direction of your portfolio - make it clear enough that a child can understand.

• What resources do you already use? Will you need any further resources?

• Tell us about the aims of this project; money-making? Audience boosting? Tell us how you will exchange your product for money or how you will develop your audience using the project.

• How do you propose to achieve those aims? Who will be your ‘customer’/‘target audience’?

• Where will you find that audience?

• Who are the main beneficiaries? You? Your fans? The environment?

• Explain why you are confident that this will work? If you’re not confident, perhaps explain some of your concerns here instead.

• Do you have any competition?

• What would success look like?

• Who does this project include? Collaborators? Employees? Band members? You?

3. Create an initial timeline, mind map or list of resources for your idea to help you visualise and map out each step of your project. 

2. Now is a good time to think about deconstructing and reconstructing your own Team.

• Assess what you are doing yourself for your Final Major Project in terms of the tasks and by using the Music Industry PDF
  

• Start to make a list of jobs / areas relevant to your Final Major Project that you feel can be outsourced or long-term goals to have someone else join your 'team' in order to allow your time to be re-focussed. Find areas that would relate to your SWOT for example.

Download: PRSforMusicUniverse.pdf 

3. Can you make a 10 year prediction for technology advancements in your sector? Use your imagination and explore how your customers might receive your product/service in the future based on what you see today.

• Would this work for your Idea/project/direction? Do you see the future of your project/idea/direction benefitting from technological development or suffering because of it? Tell us why and how? Is there any further research that you can carry out this introduces?
  
  

• Do you have any ideas to combat difficulties due to these developments?
  

• Are there any actions you could consider taking now, to make transitions into new technological areas easier for you in the future?

Frankie LG - Brighton-based jazz singer with a full band

Goatia - Brighton-based jazz/hip-hop band

2.

• Who do you currently consider to be a main competitor?

Brighton band Goetia and Frankie LG

• How is your idea/direction similar to the competitor you chose?

all three bands have a jazzy direction and are all based in the Brighton area. All three of our bands are at a similar level playing gigs of the same sizes to a comparable audience.

• Which resources, demographics, income streams, and advertising placements do you share with your competitors?

All being based in the same area (Brighton)we share lots of facilities whether that be studios, rehearsal spaces, producers or even band members

• How does your idea differ from your competitor and why?

Our idea is different from our competitors because we have chosen to take our track in a slightly different direction leaning more into alternative rock as opposed to Frankie LG who has a heavier jazz influence and Goetia who has a more jazz fusion hip-hop sound.

• Justify the differences. Tell us why you haven’t chosen to copy your competitor’s approach directly.

We have chosen to not copy our competitors as we would like to have some originality to our work in order to set us apart from them.

It also offers variety within the Brighton music scene which could encourage people to attend more of our gigs peaking interest in our sound which can lead to more people listening to our single once it is released.

• Why is your idea/direction as strong as, or stronger than your competitor’s?

Can you create a score chart for you and your competitors, what has this told you?

3. Using the resources provided in this chapter start to research your target audience, can you build a clear picture of your audience / customers?

PT1 - What are the main risks / hazards associated with your project? Brainstorm these and write them down in a list, consider the 6 main types of hazards. Afterwards, can you think of ways to lessen these risks? Write this next to the hazard. 

PT2 - Once you have this initial information, decide how you are going to evidence your safe working practices for your project. Will you do a risk assessment? Health & Safety policy? Provide videos of your working area / warm up routine? Decide the most effective way to share this information and start putting this together. 

PT3 - Write a brief summary outlining your overall approach to health & safety for your project and start putting together your risk assessment etc

Remember to keep adding work to your final proposal document each week, so you are not in a rush to do everything at the end!

• Example 1. Conduct an interview with an existing successor (a tutor also valid) of your field and write up the questions and answers followed by a summary of your findings.

• Example 2. Read about your target audiences good and bad experience and pull out quotes which offer insight into their thinking on ‘good or bad practice’ - followed by a summary of your findings.

• Example 3. Offer a friend or client some pro bono work on the condition that you can ask for a testimonial and some feedback. Share their response followed by a summary of your findings.

2. Reflect on whether you have already been using good practice when planning this project, what areas could you improve on? It may be easier to visualise this by using the good practice / bad practice chart example on page 6.1.

3. Decide on your final proposal presentation method and create a blank template (if possible) to start populating every week if you haven't already done so.

2. Think about how you can evidence "Good Practice" in your sector and for your project, populate your project proposal with this evidence.

3. Make sure you have all your documentation and planning materials (up to this point) uploaded to your final proposal presentation method. Spend some time making sure this is up to date with the first 7 weeks of work, to avoid rushing everything at the end.

2. Spend time researching at least 3 different streams of income for your project and record these in your portfolio of evidence (include your sources). 

3. Design a cashflow statement / 1 year forecast or profit & loss sheet. 

- If your project is up and running, use as many months to create a cashflow statement, based on this template

- If your project is yet to begin generating income, use the information you have around you to forecast your finances for 1 year

Based on your estimate/current cashflow, how many months can your project survive before it is dependant on new income?

Do you have any evidence to show that that income is guaranteed? Or is there potential risk?

• What physically happens in the process of creating your idea?

• Who is involved?

• Do you need to travel?

• How do you make a sale?

2. Using your results from the first task and the touring band scenario as an example, can you find areas for improvement in your operations?

Please draw up your operations before and after the analysis - offering areas for improvement. If your project was to expand, how might your operations change? Remember to record this in your portfolio of evidence. 

3. How are you going to measure the success of your project? Write down what success means to you. Write down at least two ideas on how you can use Quantitative Data in your project. What metrics are you going to measure, how will you use it to analyse your project and measure your success?

In relation to your project, what would be the best way to collect market research data? Would it be a focus group, survey etc. Decide on a method for your market research and then start putting this together (survey questions, group planning etc).

When set up, carry out some product testing / market research for your project. What does this tell you? Anything surprising? Write up how you will use this information to guide your project.

• DIY product release (Album, EP, Single)

• Crowdfunding campaign

• Band / artist merchandise design, production, trading

• Touring support business

• Artist services (Management, PR, record label, publishing etc)

• Musical Instrument repair, maintenance, manufacture

• Promotion

• Agent roles

• Social media or YouTube content

• Tuition roles/services

• Music video

• Artist Development (brand, marketing etc.)