Belmont University
Record Company
Operations - 3630.21-
Session II Summer 2007-Room
MC103-
Instructor: Mr. David
Herrera-Office: 227MBC (soon to change)
Office Phone: 460-6908 Cell
Phone 419-2954
Email: herrerad@mail.belmont.edu
9:30 am-11:15am (MTWRF –July
9-August 7, 2007).
Introduction:
This
interdisciplinary course is designed to give students the opportunity to work
together in a competitive, teamwork situation in the development of, and the
promotion/marketing of music artists as well as experience the actual
operations inherent of a record company. This course delivers a broad practicum
experience representative of actual operations from A to Z. This should allow
the students to view of all aspects of operations. Each semester the concepts
and skills, developed in close coordination with local record companies, are
presented and reflective of the reading and instructional material presented in
class.
Course Description: This course organizes the areas
and operations of a record company. Emphasis is placed on A&R, Creative
Services, Promotion, Royalty Distribution, In-House Production, Marketing,
Publicity, and Independent vs. Major Label Issues.
Course
Objectives:
- Gain insight/define
and gain practical applications in the structure, organization and
operation of a typical record label
- Gain insight into
the ongoing study of contemporary issues and problems relating to the
recording industry.
- Gain knowledge of
practical applications in the creation, development, manufacturing and
promotion of a recorded product.
- Understand the
administrative and accounting procedures of a record company.
- Understand the
process and gain insight into the ongoing study of contemporary issues and
problems relating to record Company environment both from an independent,
as well as a major label group.
- Understand shifting
dynamics of the digital environment as well as the possible implication
with current models.
- To stimulate the
development of professional qualities/time management leading to
professional excellence in project management, implementation and team
excellence and respect for self and other team members.
- To define the
component parts of record company operation (A&R / Business Affairs /
Contracts / Production / Marketing Set up / Radio / Media / Manufacturing
/ Distribution / Retail.
- To understand the
central motivation of music purchase models and the organization and
purpose of the marketing plan.
- To offer
opportunities to engage students with local artists and community partners
in community service learning though engagement of activity as well as
developing exposure with local artists.
Materials: Textbook: Indie Marketing Power, by Peter Spellman (2006). Music Business Solutions
Web Site:
Additional readings/handouts will be delivered at
"campus.belmont.edu/herrerad” You
will be notified if additional sites are to be used.
Accommodation
of Disabilities: In compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the
Americans with Disabilities Act, Belmont University will provide reasonable
accommodations 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 Tammye Tanksley,
Director of Counseling & Developmental Support in the Office of Student
Affairs (460-6407) as soon as possible.
Attendance: Due to the duration of this course,
attendance is critical and absences will affect your overall performance. Every lecture will cover material necessary
to this course. This course follows attendance policies as stated in the
current Belmont University Bulletin—hence if you miss more than seven (7)
classes; you may be involuntarily dropped from the course with a grade of “WF.”
Additionally:
- Excused
absence: Given only if the
instructor is given prior notice, and the absence for dire a reason (death
in family, accident, extremely sick, etc.).
- Additional accepted
excuses are official university sanctioned events with an excuse from the
Provosts office
Course Requirements
Participation:
This
course will involve discussion, lecture, and projects/assignments. Your success will be determined by your
efforts, and will be reflected on your final evaluation.
Performance
Criteria-Assignments: Short individual and team assignments will be given relating
to class material and are due on assigned dates given in class. Assignments are
to be “Hard Copied” to instructor
unless requested otherwise. Details
presented in class and assignments, as well as due dates are posted online
(campus.belmont.edu/herrerad). Students must be able to successfully complete
and demonstrate competence understanding, creating, and executing:
Grading: All assignments are
returned graded with comments. In rare cases, I may request a redo if the
quality is extremely unacceptable and redone assignments are subject to a final
deduction at the instructors discretion. Assignments are due during class
time—but will be accepted until 3:00 the same day. Late assignments should be
placed under the professors door (MBC Rm. 227). Late assignments are deducted 10
points (100 scale) for each day late. After four days, assignments are not
accepted. Dates due are posted on web and given in class lecture. Unexcused
absences are not considered an excuse for late completion.
Team
projects/assignments:
If the team assignment is incomplete the assignment will be accepted but grade
will be deducted for missing segment and applied to all participants, however
participant who did not complete portion will receive a “0”. Same deductions
apply for late team assignments as individual assignments. There will
additionally be a peer evaluation given to teams at the mid-term and final week
of class, with the average contribution score (0-100%) applied to the final
grade for team assignments, as well as final project. (Peer evaluation rates
Participation, Meeting Team Deadlines, Cooperation with team, Work Quality, and
Amount of contribution. It is your responsibility to track due dates and
assignments completion. All assignments are online at
campus.belmont.edu/herrerad.
Quiz/Exams: There will quizzes
(short exams) during the session. These cover all assigned readings, discussions,
assignments, and all other materials presented. Quizzes may not be “made up” if
absent, unless excused though official university function. Quizzes consist of
a variety of question types: multiple choice, true/false, short answer,
matching, or essay questions. Quiz
grades are final and are traditional grading scales (0-100%)
TEAM Final Project:
Based
on the artist/label you choose to work with, you will develop an overall
budget, proposal for project, marketing plan, representative licenses, bio, distribution/web
delivery, and radio breakout/tour for artist as a start up record company. There
is a 2-3 week timeline for this project. Your final proposal will be presented
in class to representative executives and band members if available, or
presented personally to target label for consideration on final day of class.
Final proposal is a hard copy of all deliverables in a bound format, along with
demo CD of Artist. Final version will be graded traditionally (0-100%).More
details to be given in class.
Final Exam:
Final
exam is chosen from short answer questions, problem sets, essay combinations,
and/or Final Project submission.
