I interned in Nashville last summer at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium. It was a wonderful internship where I got to answer phone calls, learn Ticketmaster, manage social media accounts, and even design a new sales kit for the managers to use.
One day, I answered a phone call when no one else was in the office. The man that called is named Brandon, and he is a music video director. He said that he had shot a video in our exhibition hall once, and he was considering doing it again. He wanted to come by and take pictures. I told him that I could save him a trip and E-mail the pictures I already had saved on my computer.
So, I sent Brandon an E-mail with some pictures attached. Then, I took a risk. I've been working very hard to correct my shyness, realizing that that behavior will get me nowhere in the music industry. I introduced myself as the intern and asked if I could help out on his video shoot, and I sent my E-mail.
HE SAID YES.
That's right. Just because I took a risk and asked to work and learn on this shoot, he said, "Okay." That was something I could honestly say I didn't expect.
Brandon sent my contact information (conveniently placed in my E-mail signature) over to Leah, Taillight TV's Production Coordinator. She got me all set up to work on set.
Here's the Randy Travis "Everything and All" video:
(I would've embedded the video if Blogspot were working correctly)
The day after I worked on this set, I sent a Thank You E-mail to both Brandon and Leah for being gracious enough to let me work on their set. They completely took a risk by letting me do that, and I am forever in their debt. It only takes one awesome person to trust you enough and open a door for you, and I wouldn't be where I am now without them doing that for me.
Again, I E-mailed Leah as soon as I saw the music video on YouTube. I asked her about an internship, and she said to send my resume to her. I waited until after Autumn aLive, our fall concert, to E-mail Leah again. I told her about our show and asked about my resume. She responded enthusiastically, but she also asked me if I had any experience in Final Cut, shooting, editing and Photoshop.
Well, the Photoshop I had down, but the rest, not so much. I made it my mission to learn Final Cut and learn more about making music videos. For our spring concert, Turn Up the Good, the planning committee made a video about sticking promotional stickers on personal items versus public property. I jumped to edit this video and learn Final Cut.
Here's how that turned out:
The day after this went up, I E-mailed Leah again with a link to this video. She called me the week after and told me that I had put in so much leg work already that they would love to have me intern at Taillight.
It all started with a chance phone call and taking a risk. After that came a lot of hard work, first on set and then months after.
What I've learned from this:
- Be grateful when someone gives you something they didn't have to, and SAY THANK YOU.
- Just because you think you'll get a position, doesn't mean you shouldn't work hard for it.
- Be persistent when pursuing a job, but have something new and relevant to say.
- Be someone that sets you apart from the crowd.
- Take those risks. The worst they could say is NO.
- If you really want it, you'll make it happen.
This was something I really wanted, so I did everything in my power to make it happen.
P.S. That video was NOT shot in our Exhibition Hall at the Municipal. But, the studio we were in had guitar toilets. and guitar tables. WAY COOLER.
See you in May, Nashville :)
