Songwriting Articles: The Entertainment Cyberscope

Indie Music--as it is called--is generally any music that is not associated with any of the major labels. Indie labels often lack administrative, marketing and distribution power to generate sales of any magnitude. For many independents, mega-sales is not the initial driving force. Conglomerates aside, indies are high-spirited innovators and explorers often motivated by the heart and a sheer love for music.

But, it is the indie entrepreneurial and cyber-pioneering effort that made the Internet what it is today. Online independent resources have grown immensely, offering new and diverse outlets for unpublished bands and artists.

Nearly all major labels and publishers fall under the umbrella of the top conglomerates (SEE Entertainment Conglomerates). Still, many well established labels and publishers retain strong identities and with the recent purchases of Napster and mp3.com (Vivendi and Universal, respectively), they show no signs of losing power despite decentralization in the Digital Age.

Stardom and certainly superstardom is not possible without the support of major labels and publishers and even modicum sales and popularity are difficult to achieve without a vast distribution network. Selling music is a coordinated strategy of radio airplay, CD release and other well-timed marketing and promotion efforts. For the fullest impact and to gain the largest audience share, such a precise military marketing plan must be implemented on a global level, something independents cannot do even on the Internet--not without serious financing.

The higher up or bigger an attorney becomes the less need there is for taking on new clients. There are certain cut-off points in the entertainment industry where people become no longer accessible. Lawyers are no different than agents, managers, labels or production houses--they are highly selective in who they take on as a client.

There are lawyers who shop demos (or any kind of entertainment content) and take on projects "on-spec." Lawyers may have contacts but that doesn't mean they know a good tune when they hear it. If they do shop product and do it without charging you, you have nothing to lose. But if they charge you up front--you're taking a serious risk, not only with the money you spent upfront but also the contract you so desperately signed with the lawyer.

Lawyers are not in the business of management or artist development with the exception of handling the legal matters associated with such realms. If they are a lawyer turned manager, that's a different story. The more informed you are about the legal aspects of entertainment the less likely you will suffer from negative legal ramifications. You don't have to pay a lawyer a fee to register your song with the Copyright Office.

Some sites are just hard to categorize. But don't let randomness fool you in terms of importance or information. You'll find dictionaries, books, arts/entertainment related, online applications and other content.

This portal is a list of lists. Many of these sources are found elsewhere in the EC.

Music producers are more illusive than the artists they produce. Some have big names but you won't find them--they find you.

Artists are no less resistant to institutionalization than they are to commercialization. This brings to a head the initial question facing new songwriters: are these trade groups, associations and organizations in the industry a wall to hurdle or a resource to help you get where you want to go?

The EC clearly supports these organizations. Whose going to collect royalties, negotiate with Congress and support the development of new technology?

Jerry Flattum is a songwriter (BMI), screenwriter, freelance writer, book writer and singer/keyboardist/arranger. Jerry has written Bridge On Fire: A Holistic Journey in Song Creation. Bridge On Fire is a comprehensive manual on songwriting from the technical, social, cultural and entertainment industry perspectives. The book will be published by Publish America in 2005 and available through major and other retail outlets. In 2002, Jerry wrote a full-length feature comedy, 7/11 Pair-O-Dice Road for Lear Entertainment (Las Vegas). Several screenplays are in-progress: The Acrobat; Watertown, South Dakota; Lars; Out of Context; Amazon Moon and others. He has written the story, music and lyrics for Time Travelers in the Celestial Age, a screen/stage musical loosely based on H.G. Well’s, The Time Machine. As a freelance writer, he has covered live shows for e-Vegas.net, the Las Vegas film scene for Callback, and written several articles for Musesmuse.com, Script Magazine and others. Jerry has worked as a singer/keyboardist in several bands throughout New York, the Twin Cities, and on the road. Prior business experience includes CBS, Harry Fox Agency, Samuel French Play Publishers and other indie ventures. He has a self-designed BS in Songwriting (graduating Phi Kappa Phi) and a Masters in Liberal Studies (U of MN). Jerry is a member of the Songwriters Guild of America, the Nashville Songwriters Association, and the International Songwriters Association. He is soon to become a member of the National Writers Union and plans are to join the Authors Guild and the Writers Guild of America. He is also launching JerryFlattum.com in October 2004, featuring original songs and other works. This site will interface with SongCatalog.com, an online service designed to connect songwriters with song buyers.

Entertainment Cyberscopeby Jerry Flattum, CyberAstronomer

Entertainment Cyberscope
by Jerry Flattum, CyberAstronomer