How I got my internship: Summer 2012

I recently accepted an internship at Taillight TV in Nashville, TN for this summer, and I thought I should share my story of how I got this internship.

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: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBJNWGBH0YU&ob=av2e

(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 :)

The End or the Beginning?

A lot of things have changed since my last blog post.  I haven't moved, quit my internship, changed my major, changed my outlook on life, or dyed my hair (although I can't wait to put that purple streak back in my hair when I go back to school).  But somehow, everything is different.

Today, or rather this past week, marks a lot of new beginnings.
I'll start with last Sunday, July 3rd.

I've blogged before about a girl named Taylor Meriwether.

She was a very special girl.  That's right, I said "was."  She passed away last weekend when her heart failed, and her parents decided to pull the plug in the hospital.  The good news?  She was better.  She was no longer suicidal, and she was on her way to being a new person.  She didn't get the chance.  Mentally, she may have been healing, but not physically.  I never got to meet her, but she was and always will be an inspiration to me.  No 16-year old should ever have to endure what she did.  Sometimes, I'm not sure that it's hit me yet that she's gone.  Her story will always remind me of the power of one person.  It took one person to post her suicide note on Tumblr, and another to reblog.  It took one person to stop Taylor from killing herself.  And it only took Taylor to help inspire hundreds.  You may not think you matter, but you do.  It was the end for Taylor on Sunday, but just the beginning for all her friends and supporters.

Another ending I'm dreading is the end of my summer in Nashville.  I've never loved a city so much (although New York and San Diego are still up there).  I'm currently sitting in a Starbucks in Hotel Indigo, my favorite building downtown.  I wish I didn't have to leave when they close in a half hour, and I am dreading leaving this city in 3 and a half weeks.  If you love music, you'll find this to truly be a magical place.  I am finally working my first concert tomorrow at the Auditorium, and I am beyond excited.  I really can't wait to soak up every bit of knowledge I can, and watch some magic unfold.  I think the most amazing noise is a crowd of screaming and cheering people, and there is no more gratifying feeling than knowing that you had something to do with this.  These people will remember this night for years to come, and you played an important part in making it a success.  I love that feeling.  I love that someone could simply stand on a stage and people go wild.  That someone could affect someone so positively to bring them to tears.  The power of one, the teamwork, and the most gratifying payoff.

Something else soon to end, is something very near and dear to my heart.  Harry Potter.  I've just finished watching hours upon hours of footage from the London Premiere of the final movie in this incredible series.  And it's all about to end.  It really dawned on me today, watching everyone at the premiere.  If ever there were a book series to recommend to someone, it would be this one.  The amazing thing about this series that dawned on me today was that there was not a single unimportant character in this story.  Every one of them had a purpose, and every one of them had something likeable about them.  Even the villains.  I don't know about you, but there is something about Bellatrix Lestrange that is just enthralling.  I love that character.  And I could say something to that effect for every single character in the book.  The uniqueness of this ensemble of characters really astounds me.  There is no other series in books or movies that I could say the same thing.  To J.K. Rowling (because I'm SURE you're reading this):  Thank you for the magic.  I would not be who I am today without Harry Potter.
This is such an important part of my childhood, and saying goodbye to it is almost like saying hello to adulthood.  I don't really feel like it, but I guess it's about time.

I think Starbucks is closing soon, so that's all for now.  But I feel like all of this is leading up to the beginning of something...I can feel it.

-AK

Nashville

So I've been in Nashville for a little over two weeks now.  I thought it might be time for an update, eh?

I'll just start out with this city.  I'm currently listening to Taylor Swift's "Enchanted."  It's kind of how I feel about this city.  I love it so much.  I don't ever want to leave.  The people are so nice everywhere you go, and there's such a sense of community that I didn't know was possible in such a big city.  I love that I can walk anywhere downtown and hear music come from a box on the corner of the street, coming out of a bar or a store on Broadway, or coming from a guitar player sitting on the sidewalk.  This is indeed The Music City.  I haven't taken many pictures, but here's a few really cool ones:

1st Avenue and Broadway

1st Avenue and the river

This is my favorite picture.  I walk over here almost every day, and I stumbled onto this view completely by accident.  I like to explore new parts of the city a little bit every day.  I just happened to walk behind City Hall a few days ago, and this is what's on the other side.  It looks much more beautiful in person.  My favorite view of the city, for sure.  And that building right in the middle if the picture is my favorite building.  It's called Hotel Indigo.  Really old and classy looking, and they have a Starbucks inside with lots of nice seating (need I say more?).

So...what's next?

Well, considering that this is The Music City, I've decided that I need to take advantage of as much live music as I possibly can.  So last weekend, I did exactly that.  I kicked off my summer by heading down to the Bridgestone Arena to see Taylor Swift's "Speak Now, Help Now" dress rehearsal.  In case you were wondering, it was a fantastic show.  I would highly recommend seeing her on tour.  Here's some of the best pictures from the show:

The outside of the Bridgestone Arena, with one of the four Taylor Swift trucks on display.

I just had to put one picture of the crowd in here.  Audiences at any show always manage to take my breath away.  One of the coolest things ever is a crowd going wild with anticipation to hear some music.

Taylor and her hearts <3 

C'mon.  It wouldn't be Taylor Swift without some hair flips...

She only came over to our side of the stage once.  I got this AMAZING picture from it though!

And lastly, of course, my INTERNSHIP!

I've been interning at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium for a week and a half so far.  When I work in the office, I answer the phone and manage the Twitter and Facebook feeds for them.  I've also been reading a bunch of Pollstar magazines.  Highly recommended for anyone looking to go on tour or work in a venue.  GREAT information.

I've also been assigned to create an online brochure for them to use for people who want to rent out the venue for their events, as well as a video to post on YouTube.  That stuff I've been doing from home.

It's been really great so far.  The staff is really fantastic, and they are as determined as I am to help me make as many connections as I can while I'm down here.  

Right now, we are hosting Keith Urban and all his people as they rehearse before they go on their US lag of his World Tour.  My goal for the next week?  MEET HIS PEOPLE.  I am determined. 

In the next couple weeks, I am going to see Idina Menzel perform with the Nashville Symphony, seeing as many free performances during CMA Fest as I possibly can, and after that going to see Mat Kearny with Owl City!  June shall be a blast and a half.

And with that, I leave you with Taylor Swift's "Long Live."  I've decided that there really isn't a song on her album that I dislike at all.  

-AK