Entertainment Connection

Online Music Entertainment Trends

2008-11-14T16:04:00.000-08:00

Even through CD sales are dropping and the global recording industry is struggling to find its footing in a rapidly changing marketplace, and music spending is down, online and mobile formats are gaining momentum.

According to eMarketer, : "online and mobile will grab about 40% of the total music spend in 2009."

The company says that current developments such as Vodafone’s deal with MySpace - they are launching something called the “Vodafone Music Reporter” - will help substantiate this rapidly changing music landscape. The Vodafone Music Reporter is an interactive profile to promote its music services hosted on MySpace. The new venture will create communities for all music fans in the UK, Germany, Italy and Spain.

It seems music fans want, and in fact are now demanding online communities that offer a unique music experience. They also want a mobile music platform that gives fans of its music events the opportunity to be involved online, says eMarketer.

That is why today's marketers need to look to enhance the customer experience via putting together online, mobile and user-generated platforms such as blogs where fellow users can interact.

Beatport Launches Weekly Worldwide Syndicated Radio Show

2008-11-08T11:23:00.000-08:00

Did you know that Beatport.com, the recognized leader in electronic dance music downloads for DJs and club music, features weekly top ten DJ Charts where people can buy from 600k+ tracks of House, Techno, Electro, Trance, Drum n Bass, Minimal, Dub Step and ten other dance music genres?

By the way, for anyone who wants to learn how to be a DJ, Beatport.com is a "must know." Why? The discovery of music has become more and more difficult, thanks to the digital world where everyone has a record label. That's why Beatport recently launched a worldwide weekly syndicated radio show called The Beatport 20, which aims to highlight the 20 best electronic music tracks around the globe.

Beatport delivers content in premium-encoded formats that match the professional performance quality standards of the world's leading sound systems. The site lets users to access club music through secure, legal, hi-speed, high quality downloads in MP3, MP4 and WAV formats on a pay per download basis.

The first version of Beatport launched in January 2004 with 79 record labels. By the time their website was revised in January 2005, they soon became the recognized global leader in independent dance music, with a catalog over 100,000 tracks supplied by more than 2,700 signed labels. The site also has music news, a blog, job listings, ads and much more.

For worldwide music discovery, Beatport launched a corresponding community site, Beatportal.com in May of 2007. with the goal to become the most relevant online resource for electronic music, providing music lovers with up-to-date information about electronic music worldwide. This site offers access to music news, industry news, music reviews, Podcasts, videos, DJ profiles, event listings, nightclubs, and much more.

The Beatport 20's music is based on what people are purchasing on Beatport.com, plus upfront picks from Beatport’s in-house team of electronic music experts. The first show is being broadcast this week, so check out the following list of radio stations to see if it’s on your local radar.

Online
Beatport 20 will be available online at Proton Radio every Wednesday 01.00 - 02.00 EST.

The Beatport 20: worldwide broadcast schedule
United States (Las Vegas) - Vibe 94.5 FM - Saturdays 20.00 - 21.00 Belgium (national) - Top Radio FM - various Bulgaria (national) - Nova 101.7 FM -FM -Thursday 19.00 - 20.00 Canada (Toronto & Ottawa) - Club246 (Chin 100.7 FM (Toronto) Chin 97.9FM (Ottawa) Thursday 03.00 - 04.00 Cyprus (national) - Energy FM 107.6 FM - Sundays 21.00 - 22.00 Hungary (Budapest + surrounding area)- Roxy 96.4 FM- Fridays 21.00 - 22.00 India (Goa & Bangalore) - Radio Indigo 91.9FM - tbc Lebanon (Beirut, Mount Lebanon, The North) - Mix 104.4FM - Saturdays 04.00 - 05.00 Lithuania (national) - Zip FM - Wednesday morning 01.00 - 02.00 Macedonia (national) - City Radio 94.7 FM - tbc Russia (Moscow, Saint-Petersburg, Kursk, Ulianovs, Belgorod, Pyatigorsk, Essentuki, Georgievsk, Mineralnie Vody, Novosibirsk, Yjevsk, Volgodonsk, Naberezhnye Chelny, Elabuga, Nizhnekamsk, Kurgan, Zainsk) - Energy FM - starts December 1st - tbc Switzerland (national) - www -Rouge FM - on demand
Beatport will be expanding its radio show reach in coming months so stay tuned.

Vocational Acting Schools during Turbulent Economic Times

2008-10-23T15:40:00.000-07:00

It is not hard to imagine that many a young person’s dreams for a career in entertainment has been squelched due to the recent financial crisis in the U.S. Student loans are diminishing with strict credit requirements, parents no longer have money to pay for expensive schools costing upwards of $30 to $80 grand per year, yet the industry calls for experience and education. On the other hand, alternative programs like the Film-Connection, are less drain on the budget and also put real practical education in the hands of students for an affordable amount. Even Yahoo had a news story on vocational education today, stating it can "provide individuals with the skill sets they need to pursue careers in high-wage, high skill occupations." These jobs are competitive, and the Entertainment Career Connection’s “learn by doing” method works, by getting a student’s foot in the door for places that can actually hire them, even while they are still taking the course. Here's a new Acting Program in Los Angeles .

The Entertainment Career Connection, Inc., offering certificate programs in all aspects of film making, radio broadcasting and audio engineering, just announced its new Film-Connection film acting mentorship program, offering the most comprehensive private acting training on the market. No other program combines both the truly rigorous craft of an acting program and one-on-one training with an industry professional.

This course is available only in Los Angeles and New York, the company has partnered with the Joe Anthony studios to teach its new film acting course. In addition, the company announced a complete re-design of its Film-Connection film school alternative website.

This industry is notoriously unforgiving to the unprepared. So how actors train is critical to their success, and often makes the difference between those who find work and those who don't. This particular program combines both a rigorous acting craft program with one-on-one, results-oriented career-coaching sessions and an intense curriculum. The bottom line -- it can lead them to generating opportunities rather than waiting for the phone to ring.

According to Jimi Petula, the founder and CEO of Entertainment Career Connection, "Making it as a working actor isn't just about being at the right place at the right time. When opportunity knocks you are either prepared to seize it or not, and if you are not ready you will blow it."

During tough economic times, students in any entertainment field need value for their money. No other program combines both the truly rigorous craft of an acting program with one-on-one result oriented career coaching sessions, so students will have a better chance of working upon graduation."

Anthony's Los Angeles acting program students learn to imaginatively create the world of the story in a way that truly resonates for them as an individual, allowing them to go into any professional situation such as a casting office, on the set or in a rehearsal to do their job with a sense of wonder instead of dread or fear. It is in this state of mind that they are free and able to live authentically and express truthfully -- from "action to cut" while doing their job.

Anthony's practical approach to acting involves strengthening the three specific muscles an actor needs to be truthful and authentic: imagination, or the ability to make fictional circumstances real; empathy, which is the essential ability to be sensitive and vulnerable to circumstances, and; concentration, as opposed to the circumstances of the set.

Students engage in six-month $8,450 program series. This includes both written lesson and in-person coaching concepts focusing on a curriculum of both career coaching and the craft of acting.

The curriculum includes: Getting Started Business Basics, Cold Reading, Monologue, Taking Action, Scene Study, and Launching Your Career.

Visit http://www.film-connection.com/, http://www.radioconnection.com/ or http://www.recordingconnection.com/.

The Economic Downturn's Effect on Filmmaking

2008-10-13T13:38:00.000-07:00

Historically, during bad economic times, it is the entertainment industries that flourish - presumably, because people want to forget about their financial woes and drown themselves in happy distracting entertainment. Going to the movies is a good way out. And today, films are more accessible and available via NetFlix, video stores, and now online, meaning it doesn't break the bank no matter what age you are, or how bad off things are financially.

Here is another interesting tidbit. Fifteen years ago, the Sundance Film Festival got 500 submissions. This year, they received 5,000. Virtually all of these are privately financed films. Yet Mark Gill, who recently addressed an audience of film making professionals at the Los Angeles Film Festival, sited that Disney has gone from releasing 47 films in a year not too long ago to putting out only 12 films this year. Many of the “independent” branches of the studios have either been shrunk or dissolved altogether.

Gill also said, “If you want to survive in this brutal climate, you’re going to have to work a lot harder, be a lot smarter, know a lot more, move a lot faster, sell a lot better, pay attention to the data, be a little nicer, trust your gut, read everything and never, never give up.”

Yes, the competition is tough, and economics are making things challenging, but it is also a time where creative people can learn and seize their full potential, both now and later on.

That said, one also might wonder how this economy has effected the film school business, or those interested in programs at recording schools or radio schools for that matter. Because their mentorship programs are so reasonably priced, the Entertainment Career Connection's alternative film schools are really valuable, because people actually get jobs after they complete the programs - 74 percent to be exact. And, there has been a big increase in those taking the company's courses since January 2008. Student registrations in film, radio and recording are running about 160 percent over January 2008 -meaning the increase in the number of people who want to learn how to be a film director, or sign up for an audio engineer program or even those who want to learn to be a sports announcer, has been substantial.

Second Life and Educational Trends in Filmmaking

2008-10-03T15:24:00.000-07:00

Have you ever heard of 'Real Life Education in Second Life.' This group is made up of people who are interested in the educational possibilities of Second Life where they say there are more than 400 universities and 4,500 educators participating in the Second Life Educators List (SLED). They are learning how to leverage the benefits of learning in a virtual world in order to assist the students of today.

In the photo: Second Life students role-play a courtroom scene hosted by Peggy Sheehy in Teen Second Life. How cool is that?

One article written by a professor of computer science at Colorado Technical University named Cynthia M. Calonge says, "the benefits outweigh the risks associated with venturing into a virtual world educational platform. For me, the virtual world is my preferred learning and teaching environment."

This method combined with a mentorship program may be the best way to learn in the future. As students learn and participate in social networks, such as our own Entertainment Connection Media Warrior network, they will benefit as they learn the importance of promoting themselves online, while they take our Film-Connection course where they can learn how to be a director.

Today, blogs are becomming a way of life. Everyone's on MySpace, FaceBook, and now Twitter, so imagine the magnitude of virtual classrooms? It would be one way to learn the bookwork in a fun and inspiring way, then go work with your mentor in the real world, at a real job, in training.

The author of The Extreme Future, James Canton, said that one of the top ten industries of the innovation economy is, "8. Education and Learning. The creation of immediate, portable, transferable, on-demand knowledge sources on a scale equivalent to the Library of Congress."

Well, virtual life is not far away as everything is transferred over to the Internet via Web 2.0. watch for 3-D on the Web in Web 3.0.

Trends in Film Education: Malaysian Film Industry Poised to Grow

2008-09-24T12:54:00.000-07:00

Finas Director-General Mohd Mahyidin Mustakim said, "At a time when Malaysian cinema stands poised to influence the global film arena, filmmakers need to embrace the importance of marketing their movies," said recently at a meeting held at the National Film Development Corporation (Finas) in Ulu Kelang, Selangor.

It was a meeting that focused on the benefits of sales, marketing strategies, local film/TV show acquisitions for the international film markets. It appears as if they have realized that if Malaysian filmmakers have the right formula to market their films abroad, there’s a lot of money to be made. Many local filmmakers want to make money via films for the overseas market But up until now there has been a gap between how films are marketed locally and how they are marketed abroad.

Now there is a growing interest in film distribution abroad, and that means it is critical that they get exposure to marketing practices that will help these films cross over. It would seem that many could learn by taking some of the courses offered by schools like the Entertainment Career connection: http://www.film-connection.com/, for example, or Los Angeles music recording schools and even New York Radio schools, where mentors help students learn the real trade in a real classroom. Anyone interested in a career in film would benefit.

For those taking part in international film markets, it will make penetrating the international arena easier. Just as an example, with the cooperation of Finas, Malaysian producers have been part in three major international film markets including Hong Kong FilmArt in Wanchai, Hong Kong; and MIPTV and MIPCOM, in Cannes, France.

The statistics on transactions made by local producers at previous international film markets was RM1.57million, not as much as those in Hollywood or even Bollywood, but the important thing is that Malaysian film products are slowly getting the recognition. Many documentaries, animated series and TV shows are the hot-sellers among TV producers from Europe and the Middle East.

Foreign film producers typically like action-packed movies and thrillers.and due to the economy they have been cutting costs and not as active in acquiring programs from other countries. However, much is to be learned including trends, technology to the market ecology.

Finas will be taking part in the American Film Market (AFM) at Santa Monica in United States from on November 5 through 12.

Almumni Get a Mentor to Find a Job

2008-09-17T12:00:00.000-07:00

A July 1 2008 article in the Wall Street Journal by Joann Lublin talks about how in today’s tough job market applicants can get ahead by going back to their alumni’s outplacement department to get a coach.

"Not-so-recent college graduates are demanding more career assistance from their former schools as they face tougher employment markets,” the article states, which gives merit to the premise behind why the Entertainment Career Connection schools like the Recording Connection, RadioConnection and the Film Connection with mentors work! And with today’s online social media marketing finally becoming rooted in society, the trend will soon become the norm.

Many schools and universities nationwide are in the process of ramping up their online offerings to alumni to include services such as resume and cover letter writing and editing, guidance for assembling potential employer lists, salary negotiation counseling, alumni yellow pages, re-entry seminars, self assessment workshops, support groups, online links to job resources, and even practice workshops for interviews. Blogs and social media networks are also becoming popular as a means of swapping job leads.

In fact, many universities and colleges are creating job-search programs. According to some statistics we researched online, nearly 20 percent of these institutions are now offering these services for alumni, up from just 5 percent five years ago, with business schools taking the lead.

The word “mentor” was seeded by one of the characters in Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey. When Odysseus, King of Ithaca named Odysseus went to fight in the Trojan War, he entrusted the care of his son Telemachus and his kingdom to Mentor.

Today, the term mentor is defined by Webster’s dictionary as "a trusted counselor or guide" and schools like the Entertainment Career Connection are also in the process of setting up new social media networks for their students and graduates as well. Once such program is known to our students only, is the http://www.mediawarrior.com/ where students can hook up for resources, meet other mentors and students, and network.

Know Radio History: If you Want to Learn to Be A DJ

2008-08-29T17:24:00.001-07:00

It seems like a long time ago when the radio was invented. Today radio is just part of our lives, but for any student what wants to learn how to be a DJ, or who wants to go to sportscaster school, knowing the very basic history of radio is part of the program.

Heinrich Hertz was the first man to detect radio waves in 1887 by causing a spark to leap across a gap that generated electromagnetic waves. He built the oscillator and resonator by 1893.

Oliver Lodge in Britain, Alexander Popov in Russia, and Edward Brauley in France - filled a glass tube with metal filings that would cohere under electromagnetic waves. Once the tube was tapped, the filings would collapse to break the circuit.

It was Guglielmo Marconi invented his spark transmitter (right) with an antenna
in his home in Bologna, Italy around 1894. He took what was known as his "Black Box" to Britain in Feb. 1896 and filed for British Patent number 12039 on June 2, 1896. Marconi formed the Wireless Telegraph and Signal Company in Britain in 1897 at the age 23, and the world's first radio factory on Hall Street in Dec. 1898. The American Marconi Co. was formed in 1899. He controlled patents for the Lodge tuner of 1900 with dial, and Fleming valve of 1904 that acted as a diode tube to amplify electrical current in one direction. Marconi's company sold spark transmitters to the U.S. Navy.

An inventor named Reginald Fessenden of Canada developed the continuous-wave voice transmitter 1905, using a high-frequency alternator developed by Charles Steinmetz at GE 1903. He made a voice broadcast over the North Atlantic on Christmas Eve 1906.

Today, the radio business has become ultra modern in comparison, and schools like the Radio Connection are helping students get a mentor so they will not only learn the history and basics about radio and broadcasting, but they will also learn the skills for success.

In Memory of Jerry Wexler

2008-08-20T13:24:00.000-07:00

A legendary record man, Jerry Wexler, died today at the age of 91. He earned the title -- a music business pioneer. Wexler was not only co-head of Atlantic Records from 1953 to '75, he and his partner Ahmet Ertegun grew the small independent R&B label into the major record company. His productions through the years produced numerous gold and platinum records. In fact, he won nearly every lifetime achievement award possible.

Born in 1917, in Manhattan New York, Wexler grew up to become a music producer and a prophet of roots and rhythm, and in fact, thanks to him, we use the term "rhythm and blues." In the '50s, Wexler's studio introduced us to Ray Charles, Big Joe Turner, the Drifters, Chuck Willis, and LaVern Baker.

Wexler recorded the music that became the foundation of rock — songs about parties and romance) and songs that in some cases were banned on the radio like Clyde McPhatter's "Honey Love" and the Clovers' "Down in the Alley."

For Wexler, it was on-the-job training: "No one really knew how to make a record when I started. You simply went into the studio, turned on the mike and said play."

In the '60s Wexler and his partner Ertegun brought Atlantic into the forefront among the label companies. The label was the first to mike the rhythm section separately for a clear heavy groove sound. This was the era of releasing music by Otis Redding and Aretha Franklin, Solomon Burke, Wilson Pickett, and Willie Nelson and Led Zeppelin.

During the '70s, Wexler left Atlantic to produce soundtracks for films by Louis Malle and Richard Pryor. he also recorded albums with Dire Straits, Etta James and Bob Dylan

By 1987, Wexler was one of the first non-performers to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

For anyone interested in learning to be a recording engineer, or a music producer, you may want to remember Wexler by reading his book Rhythm and the Blues about how American music.

Paradigm Shifts in Entertainment Media and Film, Radio or Recording Schools

2008-08-18T15:51:00.000-07:00

There have been and will continue to be paradigm shifts in content creation and delivery affecting the media and entertainment industry, which always has and always will provide countless new job opportunities. Somneone who wants to learn how to be a radio DJ, for example, or a film producer, will continue to have opportunities thanks to the Internet and new technology today.

Here are some of the trends for entertainment careers including jobs in film, radio and recording:

Social Media Marketing (SMM) and Networks - There are tons of new social media sites that have popped up in the entertainment industry. One exciting new one is our own. http://www.mediawarrior.com/ Join it yourself, and tell all your friends in the film, radio or recording industry about it.

Video-on-Demand - Video-on-demand (VOD) is huge, and it may just determine the next generation of content delivery. First there was film, then video, then TIVO, then pay-per-view, and now people can see and listen to anything they want anytime and anywhere. News has it that VOD will be a critical part of all digital subscriber product offerings if the future, representing a shift in content providers’ revenues.

Convergence Marketing -Convergence is the integration of several mediums of entertainment-and it usually involves the Internet. Basically we are talking about the Internet and TV, magazines pushing to the Internet, as well as films, books and Internet marketing. There are many media possibilities such as streaming, live chat, targeted advertising forums, blogs and Vlogs – all of which drive additional revenue. Some of the employment opportunities within convergence include marketing, content development, graphic design, Internet website development.

Special Effects in Film -Increasingly more sophisticated, there is a melding of creativity and engineering when it comes to special effects. Growth of companies Lucas Film’s Industrial Light, Pixar, Blue Skye, Ice Age, etc. and many others are winning awards for special effects. This means new jobs in this area for people who want to learn how to be a director, for example, or producers, actors, voiceover artists. you name it.

Video Games - Yet another big industry that ties in to entertainment, video gaming is getting bigger as technology improves. For jobs, check out Activision, Infogrames, and Take Two, just to name a few. A career in entertainment requires commitment and could mean a new location, in addition to education.

Globalization - Now, as we can see in the 2008 Olympics, there is tailored programming with native language music and personalities. During the next century we will see big changes in this arena, especially as major entertainment companies expand to other markets.

Those interested in learning how to be a film producer, or to find a Los Angeles film school,

Learn How to be a Radio Announcer

2008-08-07T14:33:00.001-07:00

Television and radio announcers have to learn how to perform many duties both on the air and off. It is their job to announce important information to the public -- news, time, commercials, weather or even traffic. Typically they also do the research and writing for on air discussions.

Announcers also often perform interviews for events, and it isn't unusual for those interested in learning the career, to end up where they have to learn by doing. The Radio Connection where you can get a mentor in the radio profession will teach students the basic skills required in a real radio station. Your mentor will teach you while on the job, and chances are you can get on air experience.

Radio Connection Mentor Sam Greenfield knows why learning at a real radio station is infinitely better than in a classroom.

Announcers are usually popular with listeners and so they often make public appearances to promote special events, sponsors or station advertisers. Radio announcers are usually referred to as disc jockeys, or DJs who do on-air interviewing, talk to listeners and manage on-air contests, comment on news, traffic and the weather. Newscasters or anchors usually specialize in the news, weather, or sports, and are very heavily involved in the research and interviewing process with all of the parties relevant to an issue.

For those who work for a smaller station, they often have additional off-air responsibilities such as transmitter monitoring, commercial sales, advertising production, program logging, and control board operation. And that's not including fundraising and promotional efforts.

Technological improvements have allowed announcers to assume many of the tasks previously seen as too difficult since stations have become more operationally mobile. Some regional stations operate out of a single office, while others work overnight with no staff, using pre-recorded programs or those from automatic satellite feeds

Announcers usually must get involved in their communities. Sports announcers must appear at a sporting goods store to entertain customers, and news announcers often show up at local events.

At the Radio Connection, you will learn that this field isn't just limited to broadcasting fields, because many announcers work in motion picture production. Or you could get a job as a public address system announcer where you would broadcast information at special sporting or performing arts events. Although some announcers get to work in a good environment with soundproof studios, the downside is that they usually must work odd hours such as early-morning or late-night shows.

Qualifications are competitive and most jobs require formal training. You can always spend more money through either a bachelor’s degree in broadcasting or training in private technical college, but many of the Entertainment career Connection students believe the best way to learn is via the announcer mentor program at the Radio Connection.

Today, the hiring processes for radio announcers include an evaluation of one’s on-air presence. Starting jobs include researchers or production assistants that can advance if they demonstrate the right skill sets, which might take time. People rarely start out with an on-air position unless they go to a smaller station with an open time spot at an odd time. Beginners can be expected to be equipment operators or interview recorders. Announcers typically start out at smaller stations in local communities and move on to larger, citywide stations.

Network employment is extremely competitive. those hiring often seek college graduates with years of announcing experience, and they must have a proper voice, good timing, and many other abilities to be successful. They need to be computer-savvy and be able to work under on-air pressure—appealing to the audience with a fresh style, a good voice and a great personality.

Mentor programs in radio at the Radio Connection provide a solid curriculum, in a real radio station for a reasonable price of $5,500 compared to more than double that at a University.

Get a Mentor and Learn How to be a DJ

2008-07-31T10:57:00.000-07:00

Many professionals have realized that the best way to learn is to learn by doing. For example, you could learn how to be a radio DJ or a sportscaster with on-the-job training via the Radio Connection program where you will get a mentor in the radio profession. The course teaches the skills required in a real radio station where you get actual on the job, and on air experience.

Best of all, you can do this in the town where you live with no relocation. Students can take classes part time, training around a job schedule.

The radio broadcasting school trains you to become a radio broadcaster, program director, voice-over artist, promotions director and more. In fact, some of the typical assignments include in-studio lab time training in an on-air radio station with state-of-the-art equipment. The radio program is taught one-on-one, in private sessions, in real radio stations with a real radio professional that takes each student through the course curriculum. No experience is necessary.

The 13 part course includes written curriculums and training guides. Some of the classes include:
Voice and Speech Development
Commercial Announcing and Copywriting
Voiceovers
Commercial Announcing
Sports Broadcasting and Writing
News Broadcasting
Disc Jockey or Talk Show Host
Weather Reporting
The Technical Stuff, and much more...

Howard Parker, (http://www.hpvo.com/) is now making millions as a voice-over artist. He started out working at Taco Bell, but it was the Radio Connection where he got his start.

He said, "This program works. It put me in front of real radio professionals, and I stuck to them like glue and learned all I could from them." Listen to the Howard Bell video here.

Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy

2008-07-28T17:45:00.000-07:00

In case you haven't heard, the House of Blues has been sponsoring a very cool nationwide promotion called the "Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy Camp" -- as featured in this BusinessWeek video clip that talks about how the camp lets people live their fantasy of being a rock star -- while still keeping their day job. No matter what age.

As mentioned in Los Angeles Magazine's August issue, at the Los Angeles House of Blues, this August 26th, 2008 venue will feature Guns N' Roses guitarist Gilby Clarke as a faculty member. History knows this controversial American hard rock band was formed in LA in 1985. Camp costs between $1,999 and 9,999. You can call 888-762-2263 if you want to sign up. or go to http://www.rocknrollfantasycamp.

By the way, Guns N' Roses has released five studio albums, two EPs, one live album, and three music video DVDs and the band is currently working on the infamous album Chinese Democracy. They have sold an estimated 90 million albums worldwide, including 39 million in the US.

Tremendously successful at every city nationwide where the venue takes place, this is just proof that programs like the Entertainment Career Connection's Recording Connection mentor programs work. Anyone looking to learn to be a recording engineer, would probably love to attend this camp!

Picture this ... lights are low, the crowd is screaming and the shaking. The opening act is about to take the stage…and the opening act is you! Many of us have dreamt about it and now it is a reality. Rock ‘n' Roll Fantasy Camp is a series of one-day camps that gives fans of all ages a chance to live their dream of being a Rock star. Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy, which has been critically acclaimed as the “Most Amazing Rock ‘n’ Roll Lifestyle Experience” by The London Times and “Brilliant” by Good Morning America, gives happy campers a once in a lifetime chance to meet, greet and also jam with legendary rock stars. Then they get to perform live on stage at major concert venue at the House of Blues and The Fillmore as the opening act for Extreme & King’s X,. it doesn't get much better...

Counselors for the 2008 summer schedule include Gilby Clark (Guns N’ Roses), Elliot Easton (The Cars), Earl Slick (David Bowie/John Lennon), Dave Ellefson (former Megadeth bassist), Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple), Chris Slade (AC/DC, The Firm with Jimmy Page), Mark Slaughter (Slaughter), Mark Hudson (Aerosmith, Grammy Award winning writer/producer), Kip Winger (Winger) and many more to be announced.

Where is the best place to go to film school?

2008-07-24T23:03:00.000-07:00

Most film schools have one campus, a few have multiple campuses, and then apprentice schools like the entertainment industry's best kept secret - the film-connection - has schools that are located pretty much anywhere. There are pros and cons about working in the film industry in big cities like Los Angeles or New York.

It may be easier for film professionals in Los Angeles, because everyone knows it's the hub of Hollywood, and that people can get to work on bigger film projects. But people have to pay more in living expenses for larger metropolitan cities.

What's more, the many ancillary industries are also affected in many ways when a big film hits the box office. For example, the DVD rentals and sales of the "Batman Begins" film, were boosted by the latest movie "The Dark Knight's." It claimed a record-breaking non-holiday weekend box office revenues of $158.4M, according to Rentrak's Box Office Essentials. That was a 345 percent increase in estimated DVD units sold from the prior week! This may have been because of the limited edition DVD gift set that was released on July 8, 2008 and coincided with the July 18th release of "The Dark Knight."

It's not any surprise that the U.S. motion picture industry produces most of the world’s feature films as well as most of the recorded TV shows. Dominated by six large studios based in Hollywood, over the years, things have started to change. With the increasing popularity and global availability of the Internet, cable television, digital video recorders, editing software and computer graphics there are more and more small to medium-sized independent filmmaking companies filling a growing demand, and they are located here and there across the country.

So if you want to learn how to be a film director, or go to a
film school in Los Angeles, odds are that you can get a job almost
anywhere in the U.S. For example, in 2006, there were 357,000 wage and salary jobs in the film and video industries - mostly produciton jobs such as casting, acting, directing, editing, motion picture and videotape reproduction and film processing. Ten percent of those in the film industry were self-employed. They sell services to anyone who needs them, working for multiple productions throughout a year. Here's a chart that details the jobs.

Oh and in case you've wondered -- what is the most expensive city in the world? This year, Moscow is the the world's most expensive city for the second year in a row. London is in second place, climbing up three spots since the year 2006, while Seoul moves down a place in the ranks, taking third place. Tokyo is number four, while Asuncion in Paraguay remains the least expensive city, according to the source: Mercer Human Resource Consulting. New York was the base city, scoring 100 points, Moscow scores 134.4, London 126.3 and Seoul 122.4.

Roots of the Music Recording Industry

2008-07-22T10:12:00.000-07:00

It is hard to believe that it was only 130 years ago when the music recording industry began. In 1878 Thomas Edison invented a machine called the phonograph that could record sound. He planned on using it to relay telegraph messages, and also for automated speech via the telephone which he had already invented a year and a half prior. He figured out that the needle could prick a paper tape and record a message, which led to a stylus on a tinfoil cylinder, which, to his great surprise, played back the short message he recorded, "Mary had a little lamb." The phonograph machine was a tinfoil wrapped cylinder on which sound vibrations could be engraved and then played back.

By the early 1900s, many recordings were being produced by musicians worldwide. The recording industry became a serious business by 1910 for anyone who had the money. Over the next 90 years, the recording, editing and distribution of music was only available to those who had money and could afford expensive recording equipment and big recording studios.

It wasn’t until the late1980s when people began to experiment with digital audio processing. Sound vibrations were converted to binary words by the computer. Greater bit depths were available in the ‘90s, so audio could be better represented digitally, but it took computers with high processing power and big caches of memory and ram. Once again, like the old days of the recording industry, it took lots of money.

Today, personal computers have become accessible and less expensive, so memory and fast processing speeds that are needed for digital audio are available on nearly all computers. Sound cards and audio interfaces have also become easier to use and less expensive. Software like Digidesign, Garage Band, Reason, Logic Pro or Audacity, programs for digital audio recording, are now available for free so almost anyone can play around with recording their own music.

At the Recording Connection, Pro Tools software is the favorite go-to tool. These days more and more students who are interested in a career in the music recording industry already have experience with audio recording on their computers, so in order for the students to excel in the industry we encourage mentor courses where students can learn the business from a working professional.

Reasonably priced at around $7,450, students get a classroom that is a real recording studio in the town or city where they live. This is a school that trains people for a job in the music recording industry, because a classroom is not the best way to learn this business.

Check out our video here. This is an accredited apprenticeship, where you learn a structured course that has been written by audio professionals, and you are also working with a mentor, one-on-one, the basics and advanced. There are over 5,000 recording engineers have endorsed the Entertainment Connection course.

Uber.com for Entertainment Careers

2008-07-17T12:45:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it's the right thing to do to pass along interesting information. If you have not checked out a website known as http://www.uber.com/, which is for artists, writers and musicians, then you may want to, or at least read Dennis Nishi's article in his How I Got Here column in the Wall Street Journal. (A hat tip to Dennis.) Uber is a social networking site that has grown to over 500,000 unique visits monthly, according to Nielson Online.

Maybe you are taking courses at the Entertainment Career Connection's Recording Connection school, and you are looking for information about the music industry, or you are an aspiring director who might even be looking for a career in the entertainment industry, Uber is a great website to check out.

Nishi interviewed the website's Founder Glenn Kaino, an artist and technologist, about competing in the social-networking space. Apparently Kaino initially wanted to work with artists that didn't have any access to the Web so he and his team contacted thousands of artists including Masami Teraoka and Edgar Heap of Birds and put up Web sites for them in order to document their projects.

Universities began linking to the site since it was not only cool, but a reference for original material. This is the genesis for Kaino's suggestions for other artists today.

In the Journal article he said, "Adjust to the market as opposed to the other way around... Emphasize your unique abilities so you can bring something different to projects. Have a good idea and a willingness to execute it. For me it's always been about creating personal networks. What I've learned in the new media realm and the art world is to keep things ad hoc and on the fly."

Today Uber is a compilation of everything from comedy blogs, and even a contingent of video gamers. The company's goal is "to be a publisher of world ideas online ... to facilitate an audience by allowing people to use our tools to express themselves."

There's a cool piece about Robert Price’s new gallery of tattoo work, (LEFT) including dogs, and Yoda.

Or, from Uber's music blogs, there's Dana's gallery of Motley Crue images from the Uber Crue Fest Photo Contest.

The Business of Concerts: Rock or Not, Concerts Offer Audio Engineering Jobs

2008-07-14T12:19:00.000-07:00

One Wall Street Journal reporter named Mark Gongloff, of the MarketBeat section, did a story and a blog on the fact that since the economy and stock market are in despair, that must mean it's time for some heavy-metal thunder like back in the 1960's with Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and Deep Purple. Historically, any time the economy is in trouble, the one thing that remains strong are the entertainment industries. Seems people like to drown their woes in music. However, some others are concerned that gas prices could put a damper on the concert business. Nonetheless, now that high school is out, there seems to be an increase in the number of people who want to learn how to be a recording engineer.

Baby boomers have been paying more than $60 plus per seat to catch their favorite acts in recent years. At Clapton’s June 2nd date in Uncasville, Connecticut, tickets were for $125 to $195, compared to $85 to $150 at the same venue in 2006. The Eagles’ at Madison Square Garden in May went for $50 to $190, compared to $25 to $180 when they played there in 2005. According to the 2007 Pollstar's list , the 20 top-grossing tours—which were led by the Police's reunion concert tour and grossed $131.9 million—made a total of $996 million, a number that's down 15 percent from the top 20 list last year. By comparison, number 20 was Maná who came in at $33.9 million.

The fact is - concerts are big business. There is a dispute in the industry right now about how because of declines in CD sales artists are making up the income through aggressive touring. But many managers dispute this idea. What is new is that festivals are giving artists a new touring vehicle where top acts can plan summer tours around festivals -- like Pearl Jam, who booked a short summer tour after deciding to play Bonnaroo, and the Flaming Lips are doing nine festivals.

But here's another interesting factoid. Those of us following the Recording Connection have noticed a pick up in the number of people who want to learn how to be a recording engineer and are signing up for the Los Angeles music recording school course. Now that many high school graduates are looking for the next step in their life, it seems some have decided to become audio recording engineers.

It is a good plan, because the Entertainment Career Connection's Recording Connection course is reasonably priced. The jobs can include: recording engineer, music producer or mixer, and the engineering program qualifies students for positions in the audio recording field. Known for its mentor programs, all Entertainment Connection programs include hands-on lab drills in the actual local recording studio where training is conducted by the mentor. The cost is at about $7,450 as compared to $140,000 at one recording school! And programs are available nationwide.

Check out Eric Hunslinger's video about the music recording school. He graduated from a big recording school then realized he wasn't prepared for the music business, so, he applied to the Recording Connection Audio School. He could not be happier with what he learned.

How Students can Qualify for Sallie Mae Loans

2008-07-10T21:17:00.000-07:00

We offer certificate programs in all aspects of filmmaking, radio broadcasting and audio engineering, but the really good news is that our Sallie Mae financial aid package more students have been able to get a start toward their career dreams with the Recording Connection, Radio Connection, and the Film Connection. Sallie Mae is the nation's leading provider of student loans. It is a free service, that comes with a Sallie Mae specialist who prepares student applications, which makes it ten times more likely for students to qualify for their loan.

What is covered by Sallie Mae student loans is the entire tuition costs and up to 60 percent in additional funds for living expenses and equipment purchases. Students who are 18 years of age or older with good credit may qualify for a zero down, low interest loan, starting at Prime Rate + 0%. Students can take up to 15 years to pay back the loan.

Entertainment Career Connection also provides other funding choices for those who don't qualify for Sallie Mae. Not only will Sallie Mae cover the entire tuition cost of $7450, but also loan up to 60% additional, or $4470, for living expenses and purchases.

CEO James Petulla said, “We started the new Sallie Mae student loan program in April of this year, and the program has financed about 84 students since then.”

More than 6,000 students have graduated from Entertainment Career Connection programs over the last 25 years, creating a vast alumni network. The company provides educational apprentice programs for the entertainment arts including the film, radio, television and music recording industries.

This is a fully accredited academic institution, and the Entertainment Career Connection programs are certified by the National Private Schools Accreditation Alliance with mentor programs in more than 100 U.S. cities in all fifty states. With corporate headquarters in Los Angeles, California and New York City, the Entertainment Career Connection schools are unlike any others, as students learn from successful mentors in real world situations in real studio and film sets.

Recently, nearly two dozen student loan lenders nationally have announced they are restricting, suspending or terminating new loans to students through the Federal Family Education Loan Program, or FFEL, the federally-guaranteed, low-cost initiative that provided college financing last year to 7 million students around the country.

Copyright Laws for Recording Promotional CDs

2008-07-05T15:19:00.000-07:00

On June 11, a federal district court ruled that sales of promotional CDs did not constitute a copyright violation. Record labels have typically always tagged promotional copies of recordings "promotional use—not for resale." Often times promo copies have bonus tracks that are not on retail recordings, and they might use different art, etc. Interestingly enough, these promo CDs are considered hot collectibles by some people. This is something that anyone looking for a job in the music recording industry might want to understand.

One collector, named Troy Augusto, looked for these precious promo copies in flea markets and offbeat retail stores, then started to offer them for sale on eBay. But the Universal Music Group (UMG) copyright cops found out, then tried to have his auctions de-listed by using what is known as the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), and when that didn't work, they sued him in federal court.

The music industry believes that the "not for resale" stickers means that UMG owns the CDs, which makes it unlawful for them to be sold. At first they argued that the doctrine of first sale could not be voided by adding a label to the merchandise. The court rejected UMG's argument that the label constituted a "license." Licensing means the owner can regain possession, which does not exist in the mass distribution of promotional copies.

The court ruled that promotional CDs were gifts, and since they were distributed without requiring any recurring action—they were sent in hopes of coverage, with no guarantees.

Meanwhile, a law called the Postal Reorganization Act prohibits mailing unordered merchandise without the prior concent of the recipient, and once received, merchandise "may be treated as a gift by the recipient, who shall have the right to retain, use, discard, or dispose of it in any manner he sees fit without obligation whatsoever to the sender."

So in the end, the court rejected Augusto's contention that UMG had "abandoned" the promo CDs, but it also upheld his first sale doctrine rights to possess and resell the CDs. The bottom line is that the California court rejected the music industry's promo CD copyright claim.

The bottom line is that if you have always wanted a job as a music producer or a recording studio engineer, now you know that if you get a promotional CD, it's yours to do with as you wish. This could also mean that if you have a band and want to make a demo CD and give it away... you can.

By the way, our Recording Connection school prepares you like no other music or recording school. You will learn more - like the above laws being decided in the music industry - while you apprentice under the direct supervision of a music industry professional in a real recording studio.

Recording Studio Quality Sound in Digital Power Station Car

2008-07-02T14:21:00.000-07:00

Along with a career in the music recording business, there are some fun perks. For example, at this last year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, one company unveiled some pretty amazing stuff.

Listen to the Revolutionary Bongiovi Acoustics Digital Power Station Technology is a patented and unique digital signal processing method that substantially enhances sound quality in playback devices by compensating for deficiencies in usable frequencies, audio components, environments and room acoustics.

This Digital Power Station, embedded in a computer chip, is the
first of a new generation of digital audio signal processors that can be programmed to reproduce studio-quality sound in virtually any audio device. Using a combination of filters, EQ and gain amplification, it achieves total linear control over the entire audio spectrum. What this means is that it allows frequency-specific amplification for the desired results in a playback environment, and it does a great job maximizing the potential of speakers that are factory made.

Using a chip called the Digital Power Station, the KD-S100 scans and extends the frequency response and audio spectrum of various kinds of audio recordings.

This is the kind of cool stuff you learn about when you work with a mentor at the Entertainment Career Connection's New York Music Recording School. When you are learning from someone who is actually in a professional environment, you get to go to all kinds of trade shows, because professionals get invited - and they usually bring you, their student, along.

"While I was looking for the right environment to study the music recording business, I found turn and burn schools that didn't seem real," said Tommy in his Recording Connection video. "They want $40k and promised a magical career, but it wasn't real. The Recording Connection is real because it is reasonably priced and it offers one-on-one quality programs to teach you everything you need to know from studio sets ups to the most advanced technology that is out there."

SAG Negotiations for People with Film Careers

2008-06-30T10:12:00.000-07:00

The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) is deep into negotiations with the entertainment industry's film and television producers over a new contract, making it's membership's middle-income actors the focus for better contract terms - especially given today's economy. The Guild is seeking increases for items such as reimbursement rates for car mileage to residual payments, and more.

SAG has about 122,000 actor members, and the contract expires at midnight on Monday 6/30. Much like the recent writer's strike the Hollywood community has been on edge about a SAG strike, which in reality cannot take place until around Aug. 1st. The Guild leaders haven't called for a strike authorization vote yet. This is when 75 percent of the entire membership must vote for the strike in order for it to happen.

Most film schools, including the Entertainment Career Connection's courses on how to become a director cover the guilds like SAG. The Film/Television/Video production course curriculum qualifies graduates for positions in the film, television and video production fields. This experience is invaluable when it comes to learning about strikes, and the rights of guild members

In this June 25, 2008 photo, SAG President Alan Rosenberg says the union remains committed to negotiating a new deal with Hollywood producers as the contract expiration looms. (AP Photo/Gus Ruelas, File)

At the Film Connection, industry experts who are already producers or directors pass their knowledge and experience on to the students that they mentor. The Film Connection, a fully accredited academic institution certified by the National Private Schools Accreditation Alliance, provides educational apprentice programs for the film, radio, television and the music recording industries in more than 100 U.S. cities in all 50 states. The program provides training the practical way under real life working conditions - so if a strike is going to happen, then the students learn how it will affect them so they too can make decisions once they are out in the real world.

Myths About Mentoring and Careers in Entertainment

2008-06-25T16:19:00.000-07:00

The Entertainment Career Connection has about 25 years of experience in the topic of “mentoring.” And we get a lot of questions about how our mentors do their jobs. There are many thoughts on the topic. Webster’s dictionary defines a mentor as:

Main Entry:
1men·tor
Pronunciation:
\ˈmen-ˌtȯr, -tər\
Function:
noun
Etymology:
Latin, from Greek Mentōr
Date:
1616
1capitalized : a friend of Odysseus entrusted with the education of Odysseus' son Telemachus2 a: a trusted counselor or guide b: tutor, coach — men·tor·ship \-ˌship\ noun

Here are ten myths and some of our observations about today’s contemporary trends in mentoring. Wether you want to learn to be a film producer, or need to learn how to be a recording artist, or arte interested in a career in radio, learning from an entertainment Connection mentor is the way to really learn.

1) You do not need to be a Yogi to be a mentor. It is possibly the most frequent method of sharing knowledge in our global society, and anyone with the experience to be a powerful learning influence can be a mentor today.

2) Effective mentoring means that both parties perceive benefits. The best mentors are not necessarily people who set out to be mentors. One-on-one, face-to-face mentoring is now easier today thanks to modern technology - it can can even be via telephone, fax or email.
3) Mentoring requires commitment of time that few professionals can afford. NOT TRUE> Mentoring is simply helping someone learn while you are on the job. The reality is that it can increase on-the-job performance for the mentor along with learning, and gives career opportunities for the person being trained.
4) If someone is mentoring a student, there is no loss of productivity because mentoring actually improves productivity -- through better communication, clarity of goals, commitment, and planning, not to mention attention to the student.
5) Age is not a factor for mentors, because technology, innovation, and other learned skills (such as the Internet marketing) happen so fast today that sometimes mentors end up being the young mentoring older folks.
6) Young people who have bad attitudes can't learn by a mentor. NOT TRUE. Most young people often view an older mentor guide with respect, so they listen to them and learn.
7) Today’s changing economy and globalization means that learning increases job stability during crisis and change management.
8) When provided with a vision and purpose combined with skill training and support, adults were more likely to volunteer as a mentor.

9) Students do not learn as much in a classroom - they learn more while experiencing the job.

10) Mentoring is becomming the most economical, productive and successful form of teaching today.

At the Entertainment Career Connection mentors share their experiences. The Film Connection's Film School takes you out of the classroom and onto real film sets where you'll learn by doing stuff while you learn, one-on-one with your mentor, who is a working professional in the area of film you want to study. No other film school comes close to succeeding like this.

Listen to how to break into the entertainment business.

Is an Entertainment Career Right for You?

2008-06-23T10:48:00.000-07:00

It may seem overwhelming if you are trying to figure out the best career in the music industry, especially if you don't really know what you want to do. But the reality is that there are so many options and ways to help you make the decision.

You will first have to make a commitment to the time and energy this is going to take to make your decision. Before you can make a career choice you have to analyze yourself -- interests, skills, values, your personality, etc. There are some pretty cool free career tests that you can take to help evaluate your strengths and weaknesses. Then once you have gone though the list of possible occupations you'll need to narrow that down to a short list. You are gonna narrow it down to the one career you want to pursue

Let's say you want to learn how to be a music producer. Well, the reality is that there are many more jobs in the music industry, and the reality is that it maybe a better choice to become an audio engineer or a mixer. Learning how to explore careers like this is much easier today thanks to all the information available on the Internet. Sites like http://www.therecordingconnection.com/, for example, have live interviews from both students and teachers who are mentors in the business, and a wealth of inside information.

At this point you should only have a few occupations left and now you need to get in-depth information. Your best source of this information are people who have first hand knowledge of the your chosen occupation. Identify who they are and try to get meetings or telephone time with them to ask questions - or sometimes even email will do. Next, hone the list of possible occupations down to what seems realistic.

Now you need a plan and some goals. This career action plan may or may not require getting some extra schooling in your preferred field, or to train for your new career. There are several ways to accomplish this - you can earn a degree, do an internship or take courses to learn the required new skills. But here's the very best way - a mentorship program like the Entertainment Career Connection schools, which are fully accredited, and for a reasonable cost, can get you both trained AND working with a music or recording professional who is already working in the business. At Recording Connection you will always learn from a working professional in the recording or music business, and your classroom will be a real recording studio in the town or city where you live.

What's even better is that this mentor will probably help get you your first job after you graduate. 72 percent of the students who graduate are placed at jobs within the music industry.

Are you Dreaming of Working in the Radio Business?

2008-06-19T10:47:00.000-07:00

Do you know who is the most famous sports announcers of all times? Do you find yourself commentating along with the high school football game - play by play? Knowledge of sports along with a conversational delivery style is important for success as a sports anchor person. You can report live from the dugouts and benches as the coaches and players develop strategy that often determines the vital lose or win situation. You may interview famous professional athletes when you do in-depth interviews as part of your sportscast.

Or, do you want to learn to be a DJ because you like the idea of having your own radio show -- making jokes, playing the hit songs, announcing titles and artists, and using your personality to communicate with an audience? As a DJ, you may also interview recording artists and movie stars. As a radio personality you get paid for public appearances to help promote your station. You might even become famous!

Or, you might have a fascination with delivering the news in an informative manner. As a news person you will also be involved in on the spot news bulletins, often at the actual scene. You will also be viewed as a respected prominent member of your community, and attend civic and special meetings where important issues are resolved.

To learn how to be a sportscaster, DJ or a news announcer, isn't all that easy. Radio jobs are in high demand so it is easier to get a job at a smaller radio station, and just one more reason to look for a radio school like Entertainment Career Connection where mentors can help get you a job after you graduate. Keep in mind that earnings are higher in larger cities than in smaller towns.

According to statistics from the 2006 US Bureau of Labor Statistics, half of all radio and television announcers—some of whom were disc jockeys—earned between $8.10 and $18.62 an hour in 2004. 10 percent of the lowest paid earned less than $6.55. The highest-paid 10 percent made more than $32.98 an hour. Announcers held about 71,000 jobs.

Almost 30 percent of these workers are in broadcasting, mainly in radio and television stations, with 17 percent working in the motion picture, video, and sound recording industries.
Evening, weekend, and holiday work is very common.

There are plenty of other jobs behind the scenes at a station too -- digital recording, editing, and broadcasting has changed the work of broadcast and sound engineering technicians and radio operators. Today’s technicians must learn computer networking and software skills.

The important thing is that if radio is your passion, you need to learn from a working professional - a mentor who can teach you all the inside tips and tricks. We have been really successful at this - keep in mind more than 70 percent of our students get placed in jobs after (and often before) they graduate. So go for it. Check out our mentors and listen to what the Entertainment Career Connection's radio connection students and their mentors are saying about this program.

The Truth about Learning How to Be a Film Director

2008-06-16T14:49:00.000-07:00

Directing films is a job that despite some stories about lucky people, requires an education. Yes, Quentin Tarantino dropped out of high school and never went to film school. But that is rare.
There are many college programs available that offer access to the latest lights, cameras, and film making technology -- but the truth is, the best education for a film career is on the job training. Education requirements for learning the techniques means you can get certification for the technical aspects of film making. The work as a director can be challenging, yet flexible and very rewarding. Courses of study often focus on the elements of a successful film plot, characters, and style.

Directors need to know every aspect of a film's production, from editing to cinematography to digital and sound effects. Many of you probably already have inexpensive modern digital cameras and editing software at home. This just means that film making and directing has never been more accessible to the average person, so there is lots of competition out there. Very few first time directors get to work on million dollar budget summer blockbusters. Directors usually have to work their way up, sometimes by directing commercials or music videos. And salaries for film and movie directors are unpredictable at best.

There are plenty of websites including our own, that can help serious filmmakers, such as imbd.com, dv.com, or indietalk.com. There are forums where independent movie makers gather to discuss tips and tricks. Like our own at the Film Connection, which hosts videos of our mentor teachers helping anyone who wants to learn how to be a film director. The Film Connection Directing School is accredited and will prepare you for all the steps to make your own feature film, music video or commercial. You get to work under the direct supervision of a professional director in the film industry. Usually within six months, you'll have all the experience, knowledge and connections you need to direct your first feature. The Entertainment Film Connection (http://www.film-connection.com/) will find a mentor professional --a film, commercial or music video director -- that's about 90 minutes or less from where you live.

If you get accepted into our film program, this professional filmmaker will become your personal tutor, or a private mentor, and will teach you just about all you need to know get into the film business, In addition to that, your mentor will introduce you to his or her connections in the film business. You will get to work on real movie, TV, commercial or music video projects.

This method is proven to work, and it sure beats sitting in some overcrowded, overpriced college classroom. Check out what our students and mentors are saying about a career in film directing on YouTube.

Are You Mad as Hell? The Epitome of Survival Guides

2008-06-11T20:19:00.000-07:00

We couldn't help but notice this new website known as http://www.endoftheworldsurvivalguide.com/ or
The End of the World as we Know it... This could be really fun, and talk about the ultimate Entertainment Career Connection! The website is seeking bloggers and writers who are "mad as hell" and want to contribute to the site about the following topics:

The War on the Middle Class
Civil Liberties Abuses
The Patriot Act
The U.S. Constitution
American Inperialis Meconomic Amageddon
The Patriot Act
Financial Collapse
Debt
The Failing Economy
The two Way Party System
Democrat and Republican Corruption
Martial Lawgun Right
Bib Brother
The Police State
Surveillance
Media Propoganda
Media Consolidation
Mergers
Border Atrocities
False Flag Terrorism
State sponsored Terrorism
9/11 Conspiracy Aleternatives
Alternative Investments (GOLD, SILVER, MINING STOCKS)

The company is willing to advertise to its viewers for free, promoting their books, videos, movies, or whatever. You just need to promise to do a blog post of original content only to their site once every ten days or so.

If you are "Mad as Hell" and can commit to writing at least one article per every 10 days then email us at: mailto:thelastsurvivor@endoftheworldsurvivalguide.com and tell us how you see your very own blog here on our site, how often you would post and what your general topic of discussion would be.

If you don't want to make a long term commitment to writing a blog for us, you can still get active and stay involved by posting mentions of any and all rallies, protests, talks and lectures, book readings, book releases, shows to watch, movies to see, letters to write, petitions to sign, and alerts to government abuses on our message board.

Check it out.

So you Want a Career in the Film Business?

2008-06-10T15:55:00.000-07:00

You may be interested to know that if you want a career in the film industry, you are looking at a pretty competitive business. But the good news is that many people are getting jobs in this area. The thing is that even when the economy is suffering from a slump, entertainment is the one thing people still spend money on. Following are some statistics that you may find of interest.

It seems as if theater admissions have declined in recent years, and the year 2006 ended a three year downward trend as admissions increased 3.3 percent over 2005. However, ticket sales revenues increased by 5.5 percent, making 2006 a $9.49 billion year. Pretty big numbers! And the total number of movies released in 2006 (607) marked an 11 percent increase over the number of 2005 releases.

As for career in film, or if you want to learn how to be a director or a producer the latest published data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that the film industry provided 157,000 jobs for actors, directors and producers in 2004, and this number is expected to grow between 9-17 percent by 2014.

As of the year 2002, there were about 360,000 jobs in the motion picture and video industries. Most of these workers are involved in the production end of film making. There are many companies in the industry employ 10 workers or less. The good news for you is that a 31.1 percent increase in jobs is expected industry-wide between 2002 and 2012. Plus, this growth is roughly twice the 16 percent growth expected across all industries combined in that period.

And if you are wondering how much money you can make by getting a job in the film business, it appears that median annual earnings for producers and directors, who are on salary, were $46,240 in 2002. And if you are really good, and lucky, the top ten percent earned over $119,760.

If you are really serious about a career in the film business, then you really should take a listen to all the students, and mentors, at the Entertainment Film Connection. You will find a Los Angeles film school, a New York film school, and actually, one in just about any major city in the U.S.

How do you get a job in a radio station?

2008-06-04T11:47:00.000-07:00

If you want to know how to get a job in a radio station, then you really need to learn more about the Radio Connection, where you will be trained in a studio, with a mentor teacher. Classrooms in a college or broadcast school won't do it. You need to get a teacher who is a real radio professional working in the business, as opposed to a college teacher who is not or never has been in the business. What is cool is that you can train around your job.

This accredited program is where you get trained by a working pro who could help you get a job after you graduate, one-on-one in a real radio station, learning the professionals AT the station -- whether you want to learn how to be a DJ, or get a job as a program director, or be an audio engineer. After 23 years, the Radio Connection has worked with over 5,000 stations in the U.S., Canada, and the UK, teaching students from 17 to 60 years old. It is like a job placement goldmine.

This isn't a traditional internship - it is an apprenticeship. By the time you are done you will have audition demo tapes and your instructor, typically the program director, is the one who will help you produce the demos. The biggest difference is that you get trained with equipment you need nowadays, not out of date equipment in a college. You get a feel for what is going on. Plus you can train around your job, slowly easing into the radio environment as you learn the curriculum.

Most of the students, and mentors agree -- mentorship programs for broadcasting school is the way it will be done in the future, because it is the best way to learn the radio business one-on one with a working professional.

The program is virtually everywhere. The way it works is that we get you an interview for your mentor in your home town. Our students usually get a job where they train. There are structured assignments and tests, but it is easy and fun when you get to learn the real job at a real radio station. Here's what one Radio Career Connection mentor - Chuck Dogg who is teaching at our New York radio DJ school - has to say.

People don't get hired in a college. If a job becomes available at the station where you are learning, nine times out of ten you will get it. You are in a structured radio connection course written by broadcast professionals, there are supplies and equipment at the station for you to use as you learn to be a music engineer, or a radio announcer, for example, hands on.

Work with Hot Music Recording Artists

2008-06-02T14:19:00.000-07:00

Part of the fun of working in the music recording industry is the chance to work with top recording artists and musicians. And there are lots of different careers in the industry. You could be a music producer, or a technical-audio or sound engineer. One quick way to look at it is that a music producer will guide and shape the sound, while an audio engineer captures it.

The music business is trending towards moving online, so it is really important to learn as much about the music recording side of the business as you can. Digital music distribution over the Internet has really changed the landscape of the music business. Music technology has also grown quite a bit. Professional musicians today have to have a good knowledge of it all as well. Much of this technology is software based, and the virtual world means having to be famaliar with software, plus there is still some hardware based technologies. It is both.

Donny Baker is a Recording Connection mentor, music producer and studio engineer at Elephant Symphony in Glendale, California. He likes teaching this school's curriculum, because once his students graduate, they are engineers. Donny is giving input as to the courses because he helps refine the program, and it keeps getting better. Technology is constantly changing but in this industry it is changing backwards. As he says - "we wanna use the oldest best piece of equipment. But then there's ProTools software to learn too."

The Entertainment Connection schools with the mentor approach works, and the best part is that the courses are available in most major cities nationwide - so you'll get a real world learning experience in a New York music recording school or one in Los Angeles.

Choices About Music Recording Careers

2008-05-29T11:22:00.000-07:00

With the economic trends being more challenging over the last few months, you may be one of a bunch of students out there who are weighing your options when it comes to your next step after graduation. Is college an option? Or are there other ways to get into the music recording business? We (those of us at the Entertainment Career Connection) see this all the time.

In fact there are a number of students who actually went to college, then came to us after that to REALLY learn the business. At the Los Angeles music recording school, it only makes sense that we got our own students and mentor teachers on video to explain their stories. Check out Los Angeles recording school mentor Doug Maxwell's video on YouTube. He has some great tips and comments.

Another cool story from student Leslie Greer in Atlanta, “During my apprenticeship I got to meet P. Ditty, Master P. and Jermaine Dupri. I had the honor of working with David Banner in Atlanta. I can’t even explain to you how much this program did for me. I thank you and bless you.”

There is just tons of stuff that the Recording Connection programs teach that you just don't, or can't get in traditional schools. The curriculum qualifies graduates for positions as a music producer or a recording studio engineer. Plus the best thing is that students are taught in one-on-one private sessions in a real recording studio. It's an apprentice type situation - under the direct supervision of a music industry professional working on real-world projects. Plus there's no experience necessary, and students can take classes part time during night or weekend sessions, training around a current job.

The teachers are mentors who know how to succeed in the very competitive recording and engineering field - so they end up passing their knowledge and experience on to the students. It is a win-win situation.

Tips and Tricks for Learning to be a Radio DJ from the Recording Connection

2008-05-27T10:26:00.000-07:00

If you want to learn how to be a DJ, then you are probably going to have to go to a good radio school where they teach you all the basics of the business. The Radio Connection has been around for more than 25 years, and it has a great track record with students. Almost 72 percent of the graduates get a job in the biz. AND, to get a job as a DJ, for example, it is who you know, along with WHAT you know. That's why so many students like the idea of learning in a real radio station under a skilled mentor teacher versus in a classroom and at a more expensive school.

Getting a job in a radio station or in the music recording business means you not only can meet popular music artists, session players and bands, but you’ll meet powerful music executives for good connections down the road. DJs are highly skilled. On average a popular DJ in a major market can make a six figure salary every year. However, beginners usually have to put in their dues, making less and being paid hourly wages in the beginning. Many of them make extra money as a mobile DJ at clubs on nights and weekends.

Once a radio DJ candidate has a professional air check tape and a degree, they must find a job via stations seeking new on-air talent -- and that means seeing the station director. In smaller markets it could also mean meeting with the station's general manager or owner. The trick is to get the station director to listen to your air check tape personally and call you in for an interview.

After you get the job, a new radio DJ is often assigned to overnight or weekend shifts in the beginning. And if you're fortunate enough to be hired by a popular radio station, expect to spend many hours in the studio. Many DJs are on the job by 5 AM when they spend some time surfing the web for the latest news, or gossip. While on-air during their show, most DJs talk after every song – apx. eight times an hour. Many radio DJs answer phones, call-ins, or read emails, even text messages. There are always a few voice commercials and staff meetings. Occasionally there are public appearances and anchoring remotes at sporting events–mostly on weekends. Most DJs spend one day preparing for their show for the next day.

Most all DJs agree, the best job perk or meeting musicians, bands and celebs. They are always getting invitations to really cool parties, plus they always get sent new products – food, clothes, and new tech gadgets or promotional items.

And there are often those who thought they wanted to be a radio DJ who realize it's not cut out for them. In that case, they may be like Eric Hunslinger, who actually graduated from a big school but soon realized he wasn't prepared for the music business, so that is when he applied to the Entertainment Career Connection's Audio School, which cost much less, and where he really enjoyed learning the music recording business.

Entertainment Industry Dreams Do Come True - As Proven by David Cook and American Idol

2008-05-21T21:51:00.000-07:00

All the excitement this week and tonight at the finale of this season's American Idol, only proves that dreams can come true in the entertainment world. For the two David's -- Archuleta and Cook -- dreams are coming true, and after12 million votes, even though David Cook won, both Davids won because their lives will never be the same. One thing they got on the show was allot of mentoring.

Those of us at Entertainment Career Connection know how this works because every day we see students all over America who have a dream - to be the next famous film director, or to learn how to be a music DJ, or the next hottest sports announcer on the radio - and their dreams have come true too. And it's all because of mentors.

If you dream of being a music producer or have a band and want to make the best demo record possible, you could apprentice under the direct supervision of a music industry professional in a real recording studio working on real-world projects. There's no better way to learn.

Brian Levi is one of our mentors. He talks about how he recorded Dwight Yoakam's first album on the Los Angeles music recording school website.

According to one student, “There is no doubt about it, the Recording Connection mentor/apprentice program really works. I am working in the business and making my living in the music business because of the Recording Connection,” said Billy Flores, sound engineer for Eminem, the Rolling Stones, and Aretha Franklin.

Recording Connection students are actually doing things, not reading a book, sitting in a classroom; they’re involved in all aspects of the studio. And they don’t just learn to record, they learn the studio business too. It's a fully accredited institution certified by the National Private Schools Accreditation Alliance (NPSAA.) There are mentor programs in more than 100 U.S. cities in all fifty states for the radio, music recording, film and television industries.

Student loans are available via Sallie Mae, the nation's leading provider of student loans, and other financial aid programs. Plus the courses are not as expensive as some of the other schools. Whereas traditional film schools cost from $20,000 to $140,000, Entertainment Career Connection schools cost from $4,450 to $7,450. But the best part is that more than 72 percent of the students actually get an industry job after they complete their course. And isn't that the real reason to go to school and learn how to be a film producer, music DJ or whatever your entertainment dream may be in the first place?

Student Loans in the News

2008-05-19T15:28:00.000-07:00

Have you noticed all the news about student loans - just when school is about to end for the summer, and kids are gonna need loans to go to college? But there was one interesting online news article today that pointed out -- as American Idol concludes its season this week, it appears that finalist David Archuleta won't be needing any student loans in the future. Archuleta has done enough in the competition vocally to ensure that when and if he decides to go to college, he will not need a student loan.

But many other strudents will. Those students who are looking for a film school, or those who want to learn how to be a DJ - even students who want to learn how to be a recording artist - all will be faced with challenges when it comes to student loans. But one Los Angeles film school, who also has schools for recording and the music industries, known as the Entertainment Career Connection, has recently gotten Sallie Mae loans for students, the nation's leading provider of student loan programs.

The Entertainment Connection's Sallie Mae loans covers the entire tuition cost and also loans for up to 60 percent of additional funds for living expenses and equipment purchases. Any student who is 18 years of age or older with good credit may qualify for a zero down, low interest loan. These start at Prime Rate + 0%, and take up to 15 years to pay back. Entertainment Career Connection also provides other funding choices for those who may not qualify for the Sallie Mae loan programs.

During the last 25 years the Entertainment Career Connection has graduated more than 6,000 students from its educational apprentice programs for the entertainment arts including the film, radio, television and music recording industries.

Chief Executive Officer James (Jimi) Petulla recently said, "As other national student loan programs are taking a beating, making it hard for students to secure low-cost loans for college, we are happy to introduce our new student loan programs so that students can sign up for our apprentice programs.”

Los Angeles Film School Gets People Jobs

2008-05-13T17:05:00.000-07:00

When you think about how much time college students spend getting an education, and the money involved as well, it is hard to imagine a school where you can learn just what you need, and get yourself a job at the same time. One Los Angeles film school known as the Entertainment Career Connection offers a production course curriculum that qualifies graduates for positions in the film, television, video and music video fields.

Here's how this works. You get industry experts who pass on their knowledge to the Film Connection classroom and provide an interactive and exciting atmosphere where they, as mentor teachers,work openly between sound stages, movie sets and the classroom. The school provides training on real sets and under real life working conditions. You get to be trained one-on-one by a working professional. The mentor proactively teaches both professional and technical skills, helping to bridge the gap between academia and the workplace. So when you are done, you will most likely get a job in the industry.

Here's what one student had to say. “With Film Connection you learn more do more and are better equipped to get a job in the film industry upon graduation. Those over-priced film schools just don’t work. You come out under-trained, unemployed and broke. The Film Connection concept is brilliant. It’s the alternative that really works,” said Mars Callahan, Writer, Director and Mentor, Pool House Junkies

You would be screened by the school, and then re-screened by the mentors. The Entertainment Connection’s programs can be completed in approximately half the time of degrees obtained from other schools. Plus, no experience is required and you can start any time. Most schools have specific semesters. Some of the Entertainment Connection students even take classes part time during night or weekend sessions, so this way they can train around their current job schedule. The average course length is five to seven months, depending upon the schedule.

In business for 25 years, the Entertainment Career Connection offers a number of paymetn plans towards totals $6,450 for payment in full. A one-year payment plan requires a down payment of $2,500 and 12 monthly payments of $465 per month totaling $8,080 and including finance charges of 12.5% per annum. Two year payment plan tuition is payable via a down payment of $2,500 and 12 monthly payments of $250 followed by another 12 monthly payments of $ 306, totaling $9,172 with finance charges at 21.5 percent per annum.

A fully accredited academic institution, the Film Connection is certified by the National Private Schools Accreditation Alliance with mentor programs in more than 100 U.S. cities in all fifty states. In fact, the Entertainment Career Connection is an associate member of the National Broadcasters Association (NAB), The American Federation of Radio and Television Artists (AFTRA), and the Society for Professional Audio Recording Services (SPARS).

So you want to learn how to be a DJ

2008-05-09T19:53:00.001-07:00

It may sound threatening, but if this is your life dream, it may not be as hard as you think. And sure you can study this in schools, but the reality is that real life situations and mentoring is so much better. There is a 13 part course that includes a written curriculum along with training guides. The hands-on lab drills are performed in an actual radio station in the student’s local area. So if you want to learn how to be a DJ, the right place just may be the Entertainment Career Connection mentor program.

Radio Connection graduate Howard Parker got his first job through the Entertainment Career Connection and today he makes millions of dollars. His job? He does movie trailer voice-overs.

Parker said, “During my course at Radio Connection in Philadelphia, I learned about everything in the radio business from news to on air production, commercial making, computers and even satellites. Real on-the-job experience allowed me to get a job in less than two weeks after graduation.”

The radio broadcast teachers are comprised of a real on-air personality or program director. Radio professionals are mentors who know how to succeed in the highly competitive broadcasting industry. These industry experts share knowledge and experience and provide training a really practical way, so students learn in a real station, under real life working conditions, being trained one-on-one by a working professional. The mentor faculty proactively teaches both professional and technical skills, which helps to bridge the gap between the workplace and academia.

Finding a good school is not only about which school will provide an education that the industry will take seriously, costs also play into the formula. Colleges and universities have formulas that they use, so applicants are charged by the credit hour, by clock hour, or by semester. With fees, books and supplies, it can add up. Entertainment Career Connection schools start as low as $4,450, so the training is affordable, especially when a job is just around the corner.

An associate member of the National Broadcasters Association (NAB), The American Federation of Radio and Television Artists (AFTRA), The Entertainment Career Connection is also a member of the Society for Professional Audio Recording Services (SPARS).

With more than 72 percent of its graduates are placed in jobs, the Entertainment Career Connection provides educational apprentice programs for the entertainment arts including the film and TV, and music recording industries. Over the last 24 years more than 6,000 students have graduated from the Entertainment Career Connection programs.

Economic Trends: Go to Los Angeles Film School - the Entertainment-Connection

2008-05-02T16:04:00.000-07:00

During these days where many students are weathering the economic storms, the good news today is that this blog will focus on tips for anyone who is interested in becoming a film director, sportscaster, DJ, radio announcer, and also anyone who wants to learn to be a recording engineer, music engineer, or basically anyone who is interested in film schools, radio schools, and recording schools.

The Entertainment Career Connection was founded in 1984 and provides educational apprentice programs for the film, radio, television and the music recording industries. The company has successfully placed graduates into their dream careers in the U.S. and Canada. Plus it is a fully accredited academic institution certified by the National Private Schools Accreditation Alliance with mentor programs in more than 100 U.S. cities in all fifty states.

With a reputation for having the finest radio school, music production and film making schools in the entertainment media industry, unlike any other school, students learn from successful mentors in real life career situations including on real film sets and in active radio shows at actual radio stations as opposed to simulated classrooms where the pressures of client interaction and real deadlines do not exist. Applicants are firstscreened and then re-screened by the very mentors who will teach them.

But here's the best news ... Entertainment Career Connection’s programs can be completed in approximately half the time of degrees obtained from other schools. No experience is required and students can start any time, as opposed to specific semesters, or they can take classes part time during night or weekend sessions, training around a current job.

According to an annual study from PricewaterhouseCoopers, by 2010, the global entertainment and media is projected to expand into a $1.83 trillion industry in 2010, up from an estimated $1.33 trillion in 2005, making for a compound annual growth rate of 6.6 percent. lots of room for jobs here!

Tuition Cost Comparisons (Sources reviewed Oct. 2006) today prove that it is more about which school will provide an education that the industry will take seriously and the reputation of the school. Traditional film schools cost from $20,000 to $140,000, while an Entertainment Connection school starts as low as $4,450.

"If you want to learn to write screenplays don’t go to a regular college and take courses from an instructor who is not making their living in Hollywood. Film Connection Screenwriting School hooks you up with a real screenwriter so you can learn the craft from someone like me while we work on your screenplay," said Christian Darren, Screenwriter and Mentor, Surf’s Up.