Careers In Music for The Revolution Will Be Televised
Keeping up with current affairs has become something of an extreme sport as of late. Regardless of your chosen tipple: The Guardian, The Independent, The NME, Instagram infographics, Mock the Week.. it is fair to say that a common thought to a disconcerting amount of people, once they’ve reached the end of their reading/watching session, is “I wish I hadn’t done that.” Particularly for those that work in the Music Industry, the mental bandages that one may need to apply after a glance at the female and BAME representation statistics in festival line-ups are numerous.
A perfect antidote to this, however, is the conversation had between three industry-leading women hosted by Digital Dissect’s own Rebecca Rees as part of Sass and Snarls “The Revolution Will Be Televised” virtual conference. Covering themes such as the recovery of the UK’s live sector post-pandemic, a subject that Pauline Macocco, Head of Advertising at Driift Live has been instrumental in getting back on its feet; as well as the ins and outs of rights managements and sync with Verity Griffiths, In-house head of Sync at Cooking Vinyl, the hour long conversation touches on subjects that, for many budding creators, often go overlooked and undiscussed. One highlight brought to the forefront the criminally under considered question of representation in the industry, aptly answered by Frankie Wells, the Co-founder of Foundation FM. This radio station hosts mix hours with underrepresented communities.
With a smattering of practical and motivational advice, from how best to compose an email to a superior (Don’t be apologetic, they may seem cool, but no-one’s THAT cool) to questions bordering on the philosophical: “Stop waiting for the perfect job, because I’m not sure it really exists.” The conference was at once refreshing and invigorating. Knowing that creatives such as Pauline, Verity and Frankie are at the helm of an industry that can occasionally feel as if it’s in dire need of steering allows you to breathe a sigh of relief before moving forward with new energy.
Words by Jacob Simmons.