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2004 was a
year of change for myself personally and for the Recording Institute of Detroit.
I wrote about 25 new tunes, mostly collaborating with friends and students.
I'm happiest when I'm writing so 2004 was a happy year for me. I launched
a brand new training schedule at RID - a morning schedule that will meet federal
guidelines for a "part time" schedule. The program is emphasizing the more
creative aspect of production, along with the more technical aspects of
recording engineering. Our first class was super-successful.
Unfortunately change comes with a price tag. Although RID took in more
money in 2004 it also took on a bunch of expenses, making the year harder for
us financially. Sometimes things have to get a little worse to get better,
and I think that describes our operations for 2004.
As December
came upon us, I hooked up with a group of professionals in the Motorcity that
believe in the "drive" that the Motorcity has had in the music and entertainment
fields for decades. There's so much raw talent and musical perseverance in Detroit
and the surrounding Michigan area that it is unbelievable. I now have
another job as a "Developing Music Director" for a Motorcity Film Production
company (In The Black Productions) - a very interesting position and one that
I'm well suited for.
2005
Resolutions
Resolve is a
good thing. One of my personal resolves for the new year is to stay away
from cigarettes, but resolve has a lot more to it than cutting out the negative
- it also has to do with putting in the positive. So the words "resolve"
and "resolution" have a lot to do with goals for the new year. I have a lot of
resolutions for the new year.
1.
Writing Time With the pressures of expanding a business (RID), I get
to actually sit in front of my computer writing only about 5-6 hours a week.
In the near future (within 2 years) I want to be able to write at home, in my
underwear, 16-20 hours a week and earn a living wage. I'll still teach but
not on an everyday basis. I want to more than double my writing time in
2005, and write more diverse subject matter.
2. Film
Production I have a developing film project called "Coming Back From
911" based on a set of lyrics I wrote as a "Lyric Challenge" on the
Freedom Exchange Forum.
I want to see this produced and marketing in 2005. I want to involve as
many RID students and graduates as possible in the productions. My goal is
to write my first screenplay this year and have it a success.
3. Music
Marketing I'm committed to getting an exact formula for promoting the
sale of music and successfully "test market" songs, artists & productions.
The whole industry is "independent friendly" at this time - kind to the
independent producer. Its possible to market and sell a lot more music
these days. "Local" and "Independent" music is the "In-thing" today and
likely stay that way for the rest of this decade. I think these are the
times to establish oneself in the industry and I'm highly interested in showing
people how to do it. Fortunately, my new film associates are strongly
interested in this and want to help.
So those are
some of the important things that I will working on in the new year. I'm
interested in hearing your goals for 2005. I've posted at thread over at
Recording Website called "Happy New Year - What's Your Resolution?" - give us a
post!
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