Wednesday, December 22, 2010

New Facebook Album & Christmas festivities! Weeeee!

Hello friends!

Are you sitting at a boring office desk, wondering what the hell you're going to do until 5pm? Let me help you kill some precious time... Visit MTA's Facebook page where I've just uploaded some new photos of the top feature acts! Post some comments, click like if you approve! Just go nuts.

In other news, I'm feeling very festive today cos Shari gave me a gigantic santa hat to work in. Staff members will be playing Christmas dress up at 3:30. Should be interesting.

MERRY CHRISTMAS & A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

- Dora

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Dora - the new volunteer, not the explorer

Hey everyone! I just started volunteering at MTA last week to get some experience working with artists. I’ve never really posted a blog entry before so this will be a first for me. I’ll be posting an entry every week to let you know how my experience is going! J

I’m 19 at the moment and I’ve been interested in working in the music industry my whole life. I’ve finally decided to pursue a career in event management and/or managing bands/artists so I think working here will be an awesome way to understand how things work. I recently got accepted into SAE to study a Bachelor of Audio Production and I’m very excited to start studying there in March.

I went to an awesome Tegan and Sara event last week at the Thornbury Theatre where they performed a somewhat intimate set followed by Q & A from the audience. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Tegan and Sara, they are a Canadian indie-pop band and they are fricken amazing. Youtube some of their videos and I guarantee you will fall in love! It’s really cool that some of these obscure bands are visiting Australia.

So, enough about my interests… Some things I’ve been doing here for MTA lately are basically to do with keeping the website up to date and editing the bios for all the artists, (making them somewhat less tedious to read for potential clients). My new project is to find some more friends for MTA’s Facebook page and to let our contacts know what’s going on at MTA through some quirky statuses and such. I feel that I will be a massive help in this area mainly due to the fact that being Facebook-savvy is one of my many talents. I have an unhealthily strong addiction to status updates. You’ll see when you visit the page…

Anway, I’m really enjoying working here so far, the staff are really cool and are a big help. Big thank-you to Mandy for giving me the opportunity. Also shout out to Gareth, Russ and Shari for helping me out and just being super-cool people in general.

MTA wooooo!

- Dora

Monday, December 13, 2010

The MTA premiere

Hey guys, this is my first post for my MTA Entertainment and Events experience blog. Actually, this is my first blog post ever, can you believe it?! Anyway, let’s get past the excitement. Every fortnight I will be writing a blog post to share my experience with you; to give you some insight of the MTA business lifestyle - from the work experience side. 

I’ll start by giving you a brief run down of myself. I’m 21, have recently moved from Adelaide to Melbourne, Australia and I’m currently studying a Bachelor of Business Event Management at APM. I’m a very analytical person, and have a interest in human and social behaviour, marketing, and of course, event management. 

If you don’t know what MTA is, it’s is an entertainment booking and event management business, that works with clients and performers all over Australia. They link the entertainment to the event as well as planning and managing entire events. They cover mainly corporate events and conferences as well as Christmas business parties. Here is their website: Music Theatre Australia

To get into the experience part of this blog now, I would like to start with my first impression of the place at which I’m working – namely the environment, the people and the work. The business is located at The VCA (University of Melbourne), housed in a bunch of big red old buildings south of the CBD. Although it’s located on St Kilda Road and is at a University, the place is quite quiet. The office is not very spacious but we're only messing with computers so this is fine for me.

The people create a great warm and welcoming environment that made me feel instantly comfortable. I love how the people have taken an authentic interest in me and my opinions. I could give a detailed brief on each person working in the office I'm working in, but there’s no need – they’re all friendly and very helpful, and have an interest in my learning within the business and industry. 

The project I'm currently working on is on the actual website. This is quite exciting! I feel I’m getting straight into working on helping the image of the business. What I'm doing is running though the database, getting the pictures for the top 90 acts of the business, resizing or just collecting the pictures of each artist, and creating a larger image for the viewer to see when they’re browsing the website.  

We also have shared project. The shared project for all of the work experience peps and co-workers is updating the social networking sites. I already have an obsessive interest in this -  not so must getting accounts on every single networking site, post and commenting on every BS thing that comes out - but the profiles, statues and linking that goes on with different sites. 
I will be working on different sites to help with MTA's social image. Working with the other guys, I know, will bring out some great ideas. 

That’s the rundown of the first fortnight of my work experience. I'm excited for what to come.

Thanks for reading

David

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Weedend Whimsy

Wow - MTA Entertainment and Events officially has 16 events this weekend.
And what a range of talent we are presenting!

DJ
Comedian
Cover Band
Las Vegas feature show
Foot juggler
Acrobats
Tap show
Fire twirler
Caricaturist
Jazz Band
African Drumming group
Magician

All in the short space of 3 days.  1 weekend. A world of vast experiences....

Just a quick note to wish all the talented artists great events!
God I love my job.

Cheers, Gareth

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Whoops, I missed last Monday - sorry gang! Been super-busy with all the usual work stuff, plus organising our entertainment showcase for Meeting Mart tomorrow (and all the usual life stuff!).

Coolest thing I did on the weekend? A 30km fund raiser hike through the Dandenongs. Took hours but what a sense of accomplishment. We took a bit longer than we could have because one of the girls in our team did her knee in but was determined to finish it, so we decided we'd all stick it out together. An amazing day with some amazing people. It was such a great experience to be in a team of people whose attitude wasn't 'wow this hurts why was I so stupid as to do this?' but rather 'wow, what a challenge. I'm so grateful I am able to do this.'. Really good perspective on life!

If you haven't yet gone for a ramble through the Dandenongs, I'd strongly recommend it - just watch out for the hills!

Can't wait to hear about everyone else's weekend!

Shari

Thursday, October 14, 2010

So I had another application rejected this week – this time from a Melbourne Theatre venue, in regards to programming my work in their 2011 Season (my other life outside of MTA is as a choreographer).

This isn’t a moan session though, and I’ve had more successful applications in the last two years than I ever have.  Development funding, Presentation, Commissions for new work, travel grants, and nice little scholarship to start (and hopefully finish) my Masters degree.

But those big opportunities that get knocked back sometimes take a sting.  Especially 3 in a row.  So now I’m thinking:  Do I need a producer?  Is that completely arty and wanky of me?  Would I be scorned at social gatherings if I were to say “That sounds like a really interesting opportunity for me.  Speak to my producer”?

And perhaps there should be some compensation for putting the application together? (considering this recent application took close to 30 hours to draft up, write, reflect, refine and submit).  I’m unaware of many industry’s where the professionals are asked to donate almost a whole weeks work, on the chance that it might be successful, and even if it is, the artist isn’t reimbursed for the time spent in applying.

On antoher note – I love it.  I kind of get this giddy rush and my brain thinks too fast for my typing fingers when I’m putting together and application.  And that stranger in the foyer after opening night, who feels compelled to wait around, introduce him/herself and say “wow” kind of makes up for it.

Food for thought, and another successful rant from the brain of Gareth Hart, full time Artist, part time MTA Artist Liaison.

Have a grand weekend.

Sunday, October 10, 2010

10 out of 10

My top ten albums of all time – in no specific order – each deserving of a 10/10, explained in 10 words or less.

Michael Jackson – Thriller
Need I say more?

Kate Miller-Heidke – Little Eve
Electro Pop with operatic soprano deliciousness.  Cute, witty and satirical.

Fleetwood Mac – Rumours
Making me wish I lived in the 70’s. genius harmonies.

Madonna – Immaculate Collection
The 80’s are alive!  In all the best loved ways.

Bjork – Vespertine
Indescribably beautiful textures, vocal mastery and ethereal beauty

Goldfrapp – Felt Mountain
Produced to a dream, gutsy and powerful melodic structure

Antony and the Johnsons – I am a bird now
Tender and chilling, vocal idiosyncrasy of an angel.

Sufjan Stevens – Come on feel the Illinoise
Gentle, subtle and ultimately soothing, with harmonic bliss.

Tori Amos – Tales of a Librarian
Fem rock goddess of superb talent, a heart pumping ride

Phillip Glass – The Essential Phillip Glass
Minimalist composition of the densest beauty, instrumentally wild and exciting

MTA'S ARTIST LIAISON - GARETH HART - LOVES HIS MUSIC

It's just another manic Monday...

Good morning blogosphere, and welcome to Monday! I've claimed Mondays as my own so you'll be privy to my weekend antics, my plans for the week, and general Monday musings. I thought I'd kick things off with a review of the 5 coolest best most interesting  most gratifying most fun things I did over the weekend.

1. The Thousand Steps: I finally managed to walk the Thousand Steps (or 776 if the web forums are anything to go by). I'm doing a fund raiser walk in two weeks and the steps form part of the 30k (!) we have to do. I thought checking it out in advance might be a good idea! Keep an eye out for a post in two weeks where I complain about my inability to walk properly...

2. The Johnny Depp Tim Burton exhibition: After hearing rave reviews from countless people I thought I should finally check out the exhibition (are we noticing a theme here?). All I can say is that he is one twisted individual! Although there were several drawings I'd love to adopt for my walls...

3. My amazing Saturday night date: Who needs big wild nights and partying? I caught up with a friend, made delicious Indian food (pumpkin and coconut curry, green lentil and potato dahl and roti - all from scratch) and chilled out with DVDs and comfy couches. 

4. Picnic shenanigans: Picnic blankets, friends and loads of food. What more do you need? Perhaps a crazy outdoor aerial performance as part of the opening weekend of the Melbourne International Arts Festival? Well guess what? We had that too!

5. Having a video call to my parents (who are overseas) on Skype: isn't technology amazing?!

What did you get up to on the weekend?

Signing out til next Monday...

Shari

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

A day in the life of MTA's Artist Liaison

-         Remove jacket, place on back of chair, take a sip from of a half finished coffee (Today’s coffee features a bright orange advertisement for ING Direct – thanks coffee station at Flinders Street)
-         Start up computer, hear the hum of the hard drive, open up Google Chrome
-         Check emails.  Be surprised, or overwhelmed by the number of artists out there and their awesome calibre
-         Reply to pressing issues on email
-         Use my overly simply labelling system of “action”, “actioned” or “awaiting”
-         Smile gleefully at how pretty my inbox looks with hundreds of “actioned” labels (they are bright blue and it makes me happy)
-         Touch base with my great Manager, help out, create some quotes, put a few acts in a DVD for a client, talk about the fabulous new act that emailed me overnight and how amazed our loyal clients will be with them
-         Source some demo material from that new aerial circus performer who does that fresh act of pouring champagne hanging from the ceiling
-         Upload the act to www.MusicTheatreAustralia.com.au
-         Repeat previous steps until satisfied that enough new acts are getting the exposure they deserve
-         At some point in the near future: Log out of email, turn off computer, go home and sleep soundly
-         Enter the office the following day, turn on computer, check out www.MusicTheatreAustralia.com.au and smile with self pride at how sparkly the new acts look on the website
-         Begin to promote the new acts around the office and talk the talk to clients.
-         Be proud of what I aim to achieve for Australia’s talented performers

-         Remove jacket, place on back of chair, take a sip……


MTA Entertainment and Events Artist Liaison – Gareth Hart - is proud to promote, work with and himself be an Australian artist.