Talent! The Agency of Choice

None Other - The NEW Video

2010-02-09T07:11:00.000-08:00

After months of preparation, planning, filming and editing, the brand new video featuring Clint Wiley's None Other (www.noneother.com) is done!

The "birthing process" for a project like this would, for most, be a daunting prospect but the drive and determination of two exceptional professionals in particular made this happen. Band leader Clint Wiley's musical vision "None Other", perhaps the most popular corporate, wedding and special event band in the south eastern United States, was captured on film by videographer Rob Epple and his team at AMC Video (www.amcvideo.com).

The stage was set, the band and dancers were ready and the cameras began rolling on a stage in downtown Naples sometime mid-September. The band rolled through at least two dozen of their most popular songs, some as the tight six piece band that you will often see performing at high-end weddings in the region and others as the "mega band", totaling fifteen performers on stage! In the end, after two days of performing, there were hours of footage to review.

The editing process began in earnest just a few days after the initial two-day shoot. With five cameras filming the band, the sheer volume of material to wade through and cull down to an eight minute promo piece was immense.

For both Clint and Rob, this was actually a labor of love. Taking a concept and molding all the pieces in to what we have to show today was very arduous but satisfying. There were numerous edits and re-edits, picking just the right song sequences, in the end arriving at a product with which all could feel very proud.

So now it is your turn to be the judge...check out the video at www.vimeo.com/channels/noneother.

From start to finish, the process took about six months. As Clint and Rob closed out the final file on the entire process, Rob turned to Clint and says, "You know, we should shoot the next video..."

Stereo Armada! A fresh twist on an old idea.

2009-08-01T12:23:00.000-07:00

You are probably all familiar with D.J. AM and Travis Barker. No? Just weeks after the creative pair appeared on the 2008 Video Music Awards as the 'house band' they were involved in a fiery plane crash that left them critically injured. Now you remember!

Well, the concept of pairing a Disc Jockey with a drummer, whilst not necessarily new, is definitely growing in popularity at weddings and other social events. When done right it is extremely successful and creates a great atmosphere. When it is not executed well it is, well, sad!

So along comes Clint Wiley with his take on the concept. Together with his drummer and percussionist, Clint pumps out great dance music from his D.J. console and packs the dancefloor with partygoers of all ages. Couple the music with an incredible light show and 'voila'! A party is made.

To see what I mean check out the video of Stereo Armada at a recent corporate event. The dancing girls are something the client provided but you still get the idea. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LuuVs_3apA

Stereo Armada isn't the only proponent of this fresh twist on the same old thing but they are good...really good. For those clients looking for the feel of a band with the versatility of a Disc Jockey this just may be the next best thing. And it doesn't hurt the pocket book either.

Why choose an agent?

2009-07-15T12:43:00.000-07:00

You are planning an event and want to book entertainment. You know a couple of guys in a band that plays down the road at that bar with the crazy name. Maybe you should call them. Then you look on the internet and find dozens of groups of all shapes and sizes playing everything from goth rock to sacred steel and a myriad of other musical styles. Hmmm....what should you do?

In town there are two or three agencies that specialize in booking entertainment. Maybe they are worth a call. But wouldn't you be paying more for a band you could get on your own terms?

Having been involved with booking and producing live entertainment for almost thirty years I have probably heard most of the stories, both good and bad, that people have from their experiences booking entertainment both with and without a booking agent. I have to confess that some of my colleagues leave much to be desired. Then there are others that are consummate professionals and well worth the fee they charge.

How does it work? Most agents will charge an artist a commission for helping them to secure work. In the State of Florida professional agencies are licensed by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation in the same manner as a realtor, although there isn't the extensive educational program that exists in the real estate profession. Talent Agents are bonded and insured and required to follow a set of guidelines set forth by the State. The regulations are all designed to protect you, the consumer.

A good agent will take much of the guess work out of selecting the right entertainment for your event. By asking a myriad of questions he or she will build a profile and then be able to provide you with options from which you can choose. Maybe there will be audio samples, maybe some video. Perhaps you can go and catch the artist at a performance, as long as it isn't something private that is by invitation only. However the process unfolds the agent will only succeed by providing you the client with timely information on a quality entertainer that is right for your event.

Music is perhaps one of the most subjective items you can purchase, the quality and value is purely determined by an individual's personal tastes. How many times have you been involved in a discussion where someone is talking about an entertainer and how wonderful they thought the person was when you couldn't stand them and considered them to be awful? An agent has to negotiate that 'personal taste' minefield and provide you with entertainment that will appeal to the majority of your guests. After all, if they are happy then you are happy. Right?

Entertainment agents aren't mind readers. They should be good listeners...asking questions and then wait for the answers. They will ask you what your budget is. Not so they can extract every last dime from your wallet (although I am sure there are some that would!) but so they can provide you with options within your budget.

They will have seen the entertainers in person. They will know how the entertainers are 'off the bandstand'. My company doesn't work with entertainers who feel the need to become guests at the event and feed from the buffet or belly up to the bar on their breaks. That is not their job. Most agencies have similar guidelines and the entertainers they work with are of the same mindset. After all, they are looking for referrals and repeat business.

With all that agencies do to promote quality entertainment that is professional, reliable and for which they are accountable it may just be worth the while to build a relationship with your favorite agent and allow them to help you the next time you are planning a celebration.

My suggestion is find an agent with whom you have a rapport, work with them and benefit from their experience and expertise. You may be pleasantly surprised as it will save you a lot of extra work, stress and maybe even a few dollars as most artists will only work with you once but they rely on the agent for dozens of performances each and every year!

Happy 4th July! Celebrate your independence.

2009-07-04T07:11:00.000-07:00

Today I am not writing about my business.

As I sit in my office, the phones quiet for a change, I have a little time to reflect on a few things.

I have lived in the United States for nearly thirty years, almost two thirds of my life to date. My entire adult working life has been spent here although I have been lucky enough to travel with my work to a variety of different countries. As a business owner I work many more hours than the 'national average' to pursue my dream. I am not alone.

These have been challenging times for many of us both personally and professionally and I am no exception. In recent years the loss of parents, family illness, the economic downturn and trouble from quarters you would least expect have all taken their turn front and center in my life. We all have those tales of tough luck but there are times when, no matter how dark our own horizon appears to be, we are reminded that there is someone else near to us that is much worse off. Somehow it helps to put things in perspective.

Independence Day is particularly interesting to me as a Brit abroad. We all know what happend more than 200 years ago and through the trouble and the strife a new, exciting and vibrant country was born. A nation that would endure its fair share of challenges as it evolved and became a super power, a global powerhouse that everyone could look up to and many could only dream of what it would be like to live in a place where anything was possible. All you had to do was work hard, be diligent about your responsibilities and you could create a better life for you and your family. That image has been hit hard in recent years but this is a resilient nation that is bound and determined to continue to grow and evolve as a leader should, keeping that dream alive for generations to come.

In spite of everything I am one of the lucky few to be living that dream. I am pursuing my chosen career path and have been my own boss for almost as long as I have been working. The first years of my professional life I worked alongside my father, my personal hero, and learnt all I could from someone who had spent a lifetime in the music and entertainment industry and had seen great success. I also got to care for him in his final days and repay him in some small way for the many gifts he gave me.

Perhaps this is more appropriate as a Thanksgiving Blog. It really has little to do with the day to day activities of my business so maybe it should be a personal blog. Then again, if it hadn't been for some brave souls who said "Enough!" and shook the status quo, took a chance and forged out on their own against almost insurmountable odds that my fellow countrymen could muster I wouldn't be here today enjoying the fruits of my labor and having the strength and ability to face my challenges head on. So in some ways it is a business blog.

On this Independence Day I am grateful for my personal independence...my freedom to follow my dreams and share my successes and failures with my family, my ability to help people in some small way by providing them with a moment, albeit brief, with music and entertainment that brightens their life.

Remember the spirit that got us to this place and keep it alive in everything you do. This is just one of the days we set aside to celebrate that spirit. Thanksgiving will be upon us before we know it and we can share it with family and friends. Memorial Day, the most somber of all, is celebrated in Great Britain on November 11 as Armistice Day, the day the Allies signed the treaty that would end the bloodshed of the "War to End All Wars", World War 1. Just twenty years later Europe was torn apart again and then the rest of the world followed suit. All these days resonate with similar sentiment, remembering sacrifice, celebrating human spirit and casting an eye to a future of promise yet to be fulfilled.

On this Independence Day I am grateful for the many gifts I have received from a truly great nation and I am proud to share in the celebration of independence, something for which many around the world can only yearn.

Happy Fourth of July!

It's all about service...

2009-06-20T03:07:00.000-07:00

Once in a while something happens that reminds you how important service really is and the notion that going the extra mile is really what service is all about.

Tonight one of our artists, Clint Wiley's None Other, played for a client's wedding. A really nice couple who almost seemed a little apologetic when they asked if the band could play a particular song. It was supposed to be a beautiful evening...an outdoor reception for a group of people who had traveled a long way to celebrate a couple's commitment to each other.

The ceremony went off without a hitch, as did the cocktail hour. And then the heavens opened and it poured! What else can you exepct in Florida in mid-June? It was bound to rain sooner or later as every local knows.

Everyone ran for cover. The band pulled tarps over their equipment and the hotel staff began to regroup and set up in an empty ball room. Of course, water finds it's way in to everything it can and some of the amps were wet as were the instruments.

Being the pros that they are, the band grabbed what they could and set up a small PA in the ball room so they could at least play some music while everyone dried off and settled down to the business at hand...the celebration of this marriage.

Clint, the band leader, is a perfectionist and he was frustrated that they could not give the client exactly what they had contracted. The event was going to be over without anyone really enjoying a great 6 piece band that takes pride in constantly updating their repertoire, rehearsing two or three times a week and always striving for perfection with every performance. He felt bad that he couldn't fix things and that in spite of the elements the bride and groom were calm and appreciative of anything and everything that was being done for them.

To make lemonade out of lemons, the hotel offered to extend the hours of the event and keep the bar open another hour at no charge. The band's gear was still wet but they cobbled together the D.J. system and Clint set about entertaining everyone with great dance music. The dance floor was packed as the guests applauded each and every song, greeting one song intro after another with a loud burst of appreciation! It was a resounding success.

As I talked to Clint he expressed his frustration at the events that led up to where they were right then and disappointment that they could not give the bride and groom exactly what they were hoping for.

In reflection though, the band gave them so much more.

When things were at their worst the band could have said "That's it, we're done!" and gone home leaving everyone with no music. I've seen it happen. After all, that is what the contract said if there was inclement weather. Instead they, like the hotel, rallied around to do their best with what was available and go the extra mile.

The bride and groom will one day undoubtedly look back on their wedding day and laugh about the turn of events. If it is the worst challenge they face in a long and happy life together then that isn't so bad. They will also remember the band, not just for how awesome they were but for the extra mile everyone went to make sure they had music as a backdrop to their celebration.

In the end it's not how you perform when everything is going great, it's how you perform under pressure, when everything is coming apart at the seams. And that is the hallmark of great service!