Course # / Title / Credit: MBU 3360.01/Entertainment Career Development/3 Hours

Semester:  Spring 2007

Class Location:  Massey Center 200B

Instructor:  Sarita Stewart

Contacts:   615-661-0271/stewartsm@mail.belmont.edu

Office Hours:  Available to meet upon appointment

Meeting Time(s):  TR 12:30 pm – 1:45 pm

Final Exam:  None

 

Educational Objectives of the Mike Curb College of Entertainment & Music: 1) To provide a personalized, career-oriented and practical education that emphasizes leadership, innovation, private enterprise and entrepreneurship. 2) To equip students with the tools to think critically, communicate effectively, accept responsibility, make successful decisions, and prosper in diverse work environments. 3) To emphasize quality classroom instruction within the parameters of ethical Christian principles.

 

Course Description:  A study of Entertainment Career Development from an artist’s point of view.  This involves management, education, promotion and financial considerations as they concern the professional entertainer.  Various unions, guides and associations are studied.

 

Learning Outcomes: By the end of this course, each student be able to demonstrate the following:  1) Students will be able to compile a full demo kit with CD, photos, biography, press release and other associated materials 3)  Analyze and access the pros and cons of an individual artist and determine a career plan forward 4)  Critique and assess the marketing and promotional strategy of a current major label performing artist  5)  Plan, write and execute a career development strategy around a performing artist, whether an aspiring or established artist. 

Performance Criteria: Student will demonstrate their understanding of the importance of an artist’s career development through their class presentation, artist press kit and final project paper.  The goal of these assignments is to detail the planning and execution of the various marketing and career strategies used in launching and/or supporting an artist at a particular point in time.  The presentation and paper should involve a discussion and assessment of the group’s actual career development experiences and the overall lessons learned from the experience.    

 

Honor Code: It is the responsibility of each student to abide by the Belmont University Honor Code. “In affirmation of the Belmont University Statement of Values, I pledge that I will not give or receive aid during examinations; I will not give or receive false or impermissible aid in course work, in the preparation of reports, or in any other type of work that is to be used by the instructor as the basis of my grade; I will not engage in any form of academic fraud. Furthermore, I will uphold my responsibility to see to it that others abide by the spirit and letter of this Honor Pledge.”

 

Accommodation of Disabilities: In compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act, Belmont University will provide reasonable accommodation of all medically documented disabilities.  If you have a disability and would like the university to provide reasonable accommodations of the disability during this course, please notify the Office of the Dean of Students located in Beaman Student Life Center (460-6407) as soon as possible.

 

Course Requirements:

 

1. Attendance:  Each student is expected to attend all of the class meetings for the best possible learning experience.  Absence is permitted only in cases of family illness, family emergencies or other legitimate causes.  A class signup sheet will be handed out at the first of each class period and attendance taken. 

 

 

 

 

Course Requirements (continued): 

 

2. Materials:  How To Be Your Own Booking Agent (Goldstein, New Music Times) (Required)

 

The instructor may choose to assign additional readings.  The majority of these extra class readings will be distributed to the class on a regular basis and used as a base for class discussions.

 

3. Assignments:

 

Class participation:  While class participation is not an “assignment,” it is very important element of your grade in that it accounts for 10% of your overall grade.  It is recommended that each student come prepared to discuss the various class topics highlighted for the day.  The class participation grade is composed of several different elements, including regular class attendance, participation in class discussions and strong participation on your team project.

 

Individual Project:  Report on current major label performing artist  Due 3/27

 

Each student will be required to write a paper on recording artist who has a major record label deal and established performing career.  This report can be based on a number of sources, including a book, magazines, movies or any other source information.  The paper focus should include an analysis of why the student chose the artist, a quick summary of the artist background, along with an analysis of the artist’s career with a highlight on key artistic and business developments.  The summary should focus on key lessons that the student learned from researching the artist’s life and career.  More paper details will follow in a separate handout.

 

Group Project:  Students will be placed into groups of five students each, for a total of seven groups. 

 

Each group will be responsible to put together a career development plan for a performing artist, whether the artist is an aspiring or established performer.  This will include compiling a full marketing plan across all aspects of an artist’s career – press kit, publishing (if the chosen artist is a songwriter), the manufacture, production and distribution of product, marketing, touring and outside agents as necessary.  Each group will have the opportunity to pick an artist to develop, or may prefer to have the instructor assign them an artist to work with for the semester.  Each group will give an in-class presentation that outlines the strategies and work that the group undertook in order to develop a career and marketing plan around the artist.  The presentation should also include an honest assessment of challenges involved in each project.  Presentations will take place the weeks of 4/17 – 4/24.  The group can turn in the press kit associated with this project at the time of their presentation or on the paper due date.   Paper outlining your group project will serve as your final for this class and will be due on the last day of class on May 1.    

 

Extra credit:  Student can attend any live musical performance.  The student will write a review of the show a possibility of five extra points towards their final grade. 

 

The concert review should address four specific areas:

 

1.  Assessment of artist performance

2.  Assessment of the performance venue (sound quality issues, etc.)

3.  Audience reaction to the performance

4.  Overall concert assessment of the concert   

 

The review should be double-spaced, and one to two pages in length.  500 – 600 words, typed, double-spaced and include the date and location of the show.  No late or handwritten papers will be accepted.  Extra paper papers will be accepted throughout the course of the term.  Final day that extra credit papers are due to instructor is 4/19.  

4. Testing

 

The midterm will be the only formal test given and will be presented as a take-home test in an essay format.  The midterm will be handed out in class on 2/20 following the midterm in-class review.  Midterm questions are usually taken from the assigned readings as well as class lectures and discussions.  All works used in the midterm should be cited, and no work taken directly from outside sources.  All midterms should be typed and should be in a format that the student feels represents their best work.  Midterm will be due at the first of class on 2/27.  Any midterms turned in after this deadline will be assessed late points unless previous arrangements are made with the instructor.

 

The group project paper serves as a final exam for this class.  Details for the final paper will be outlined in a separate handout.   

 

5. Basis of grade evaluation:

 

Grading Scale:

(97–100) = A+      (87-89) = B+    (77-79) = C+    (67-69) = D+

(93– 96)  =  A       (83-86) = B       (73-76) = C      (63-66) = D

(92–90)  = A-        (80-82) = B-     (70-72) = C-     (60-62) = D-

 

Grading:

Class Participation                     10%

Mid-Term                                  15%

Individual paper                         25%

Group presentation/press kit       25%

Group project paper                    25%

Final Grade                              100%

 

6. Class Schedule:  

 

Week    Date                 Topics                                                  Reading assignment

 

1          1/11                  Class Introduction                                  Introduction

                       

2          1/16                  Breaking into the business                      Chapters 1 – 3, 12, 21, 22

            1/18                   NO CLASS                                          Epilogue

 

3          1/23                  Artist Imaging   

            1/25                   Press Kits/Demo Derby                         Chapter 5

 

4          1/30                  Artist biographies                                   Chapters 13 - 16

            2/1                    Press releases                                     

 

5          2/6 – 2/8            Booking/Touring                         Chapters 4, 6, 7, 10, 23                                    

6.         2/13                  Marketing                                              Chapter 13, 17

            2/15                  Digital technologies                                Supplement

 

           

 

 

 

 

 

 

Class Schedule (continued)

 

Week    Date                 Topics                                                  Reading assignment

 

7          2/20                  Marketing/Midterm Review                      Midterm handout           

            2/22                    Performing Rights Societies                 Supplement

 

8          2/27                  Songwriting/Music Publishing                  Midterm due 2/27                      

             3/1                   Film/TV                                                

 

9          3/6 – 3/8           SPRING BREAK                      

 

10         3/13 – 3/15        Music Production                                   Chapter 7                                 

                                       Record Distribution                              Chapter 18                               
                           

11         3/20 – 3/22        Management                                         Chapters 19, 20

                                    Video Production                                  

                                               

12          3/27 – 3/29       Endorsements/Sponsorships                  Chapter 11

                                    Merchandise                                          Artist paper due 3/27

 

13         4/3                    International touring                                Chapter 9                                 

            4/5                    EASTER BREAK

 

14         4/10 – 4/12        Artist in-class speaker

                                       Artist case study                                Supplement                              

                                          

15         4/17 – 4/19        Group presentations                               Outline due prior to presentation 

                                                                                                        Extra credit due by 4/19

                       

16         4/24  – 4/26       Group presentations                               Outline due prior to presentation

                                   

17         5/1                    Last day of class                                   Project Papers Due