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Finding Creative Opportunity

April 20, 2023 by tprochera Leave a Comment

So, it has been a moment. I noticed my last blog post was in January of 2020. As the character, and former U.S. president, Thomas Jefferson, from the musical Hamilton so eloquently states, “What did I miss?” 🙂 What a time we’ve been having, eh? I hope you are coming out of it all well and with lots of creativity brewing inside you.

So, you may have experienced, or noticed around you, that these past years, especially during the periods of lockdown, required some creatives to find new ways of doing things – online concerts and collaborations, theatrical presentations held on balconies. There were those who found it frustrating and downright disheartening to have to “pivot”, as it has become to be known, being unable to connect with audiences in the way they were used to.

But for some, it opened up new short-term and long-term opportunities.

Which is what I want to talk about today. Even in trying times, there can be creative pursuits waiting and it’s up to us to take advantage of them. And I don’t mean in a mercenary “how can I make money from the pain?” kind of way, though I’m sure there were those who took that approach as well. What I mean is, even in the midst of something terrible – seriously, millions of people have died and millions more were affected so please don’t tell me hasn’t been a big deal – there are ways to serve, to bring joy and healing to the world through our creativity and, in the process, develop skills and have new experiences.

Starting in the summer of 2019, I began volunteering with a local community radio station as an operator, meaning I ran the board for the on-air talent and kept the show running. I think I mentioned it in a previous post.

Though the first show was admittedly terrifying, I quickly caught on and got my groove. And I’ll say I think I was pretty good at it. But as 2020 rolled on and the pandemic situation was becoming more serious, there came a point where we simply couldn’t be in the studio safely anymore, even while using precautions.

Then, one day, the call came out from station management looking for those who might be able to broadcast from home.

Well, I have a recording studio at home and am a professional voice artist, so I was probably better equipped than most. And considering the fact that being on the radio was one of my dreams as a child – my sister and I used to record shows on our ghetto blaster where we would interview each other – how could I not raise my hand?

And I have had a weekly show ever since, though in recent times, we have migrated back into the studio environment so I am no longer working by myself at home.

Not only have I had a show, but I have been able to use my creative brain to make it my own. The mandate of the station is to play music recorded up until the early 80’s, but when I first started, I also wanted to create an uplifting atmosphere for people who were, at that point, confined to their homes. I invited them over for an afternoon with friends, serving baked treats and, in the summer, an ice cream sundae bar. There was a period where I was also doing shows on Sundays and I brought everyone out for afternoon tea, describing the characters and dainties on display in the elegant dining room. From the feedback I received, I was able to provide comfort in isolation.

So even in trying times – or in regular times because we totally don’t need anymore trying times – look around you, see what might be needed in your world and how you might like to participate or contribute. Is there something you might like to learn that they’re looking for people to take on? How can you use what you already love to do to improve the situation? Yes, it is okay to take your preferences and strengths into consideration. It’s not about being a martyr. I mean, I have been able to live out a childhood dream, learn more about music, and bring people solace and laughter all at the same time so it is possible to create win/win situations!

If you are so inclined, you can listen to my show, Tunes and Treats, Wednesdays from 12:30 – 3:30 Central Time on CJNU Nostalgia Radio 93.7 FM – cjnu.ca if you’re online. 😉

In Swimming Tigress news, I’ve been having fun. I released an e-book for creatives, 20 Tantalizing Tips to Turbocharge Your Creativity with ideas to help you when, well, when you think you’ve run out of ideas. 🙂 . It’s available here on the site and on Amazon and the audiobook is going to be released soon, so stay tuned. Speaking of audiobooks, Tabitha’s Magical Voice is now available on Audible! I’ve also been creating lots of new music for licensing for your projects – available on Pond5.com – along with several reels on Facebook and Instagram to showcase new and existing material. It certainly has been a fun new avenue of expression which I’ll get into in another post.

Well, that’s about it for now. Until next time, have fun and keep creating!

Tiffany 🙂

What’s Working, What’s Not: Time to Change How or What You Create?

January 16, 2020 by tprochera Leave a Comment

Greetings and Salutations!

As we are enter a new year, we often take time to evaluate what has worked and not worked in our lives so we can dispense with what is ineffective to make space for things that might be more fruitful and fulfilling. You know, stop eating this, start eating that. Call some friends more, let other friendships go. It can be so easy to go on autopilot, doing the same things the same way day in and day out and, next thing you know, it’s years later and you feel like you’ve made no real progress. And, like I said in my last post, you can reinvent yourself any day of the year but a new year is kind of an appropriate time to do it, don’t you think?

Do you also apply this evaluation process to your creative journey? It can actually be a fun thing to do, even if there may be the occasional moments of sadness and regret – not that there is ever anything to regret, only lessons to learn from. J

Why not, right? You want to thrive. You want your work to be the best it can be and inspire the right people. Sometime adjustments need to be made. But you don’t have to change for change’s sake, although you certainly can. It can be exhilarating to switch it up just because but if something is going great, no need to reinvent the wheel.

So, there are various areas to look at when going through the reevaluation. There’s what you do and how you it.

What are your current creative pursuits? Do you still enjoy writing novels, sculpting? Does it still inspire you on some level? Do you enjoy composing classical music or would you like to try some jazz? I always look at the current projects I have in the works and see what still does it for me and what new ideas I might want to undertake during the year. It’s important, as well, to realize that there are some ideas that sound intriguing but you are not really ready to commit to. So, if you are maybe engaged in a project that excited you when you first thought of it but it’s just not doing it for you anymore or it’s not evolving the way you thought it would, it’s okay to set it aside for a while or do away with it altogether. Let it goooo! Let it goooo!

But I digress. Then, once you assess at your actual creative projects, look at your process. Does it allow you to do your best work? Is it time to rent some studio space rather than doing all your creating in your home? Do you find performing live unnecessarily stressful and would rather stick to being a recording artist? You can do that. Maybe the writing in the coffee shop routine provides you with more distraction than inspiration. Maybe you need to work at a different time of day for maximum effectiveness. There are plenty of books and resources with tips on the best way to engage your creativity and, while you can absolutely experiment, it’s ultimately about what works best for you. Take some time to reflect on when you thrived in your creation, when you were “in the zone”.

Finally, how have you been trying to reach people (a.k.a. promotion) up to this point? This makes sense to be the last area to assess as changing your creative focus will change your target market and how you access it. Do some reading on promotional techniques for artists, watch some videos. There are plenty of people offering programs on Facebook with introductory webinars – how helpful they might be is another question but they’re out there. Are you a big social media user? What platforms are getting you the most response? What new techniques can you try to get more traction? is it time to incorporate live videos or start a blog? If you are getting lots of “likes” and whatnot, do they translate into concrete benefits for your creative pursuits? If you are a career creative, hundreds of thousands of views and thumbs ups mean nothing if people aren’t then buying your stuff. Just sayin’. Maybe you’ve been overly focused on social media interaction and it hasn’t been working. What about a more direct contact approach? Some promotional things can be fun and having fun is important – some people love doing crazy behind-the-scenes videos and such – but this is also a time to look at whether your promotional strategies are worth the time you’re investing in them.

As you go through this process of analysis, remember that you probably won’t have the answers and that’s okay. Try not to think of it as wasted time if you don’t see things happen right away or if some new idea seems to fail. Been there, done that, bought the t-shirt. You can’t guarantee that you’ll become a resounding success if you go from writing travel books to YA novels. You don’t know if you’ll go from 100 to 1,000,000 followers on Twitter if you start sharing your band’s fashion tips. All you can do is try – explore some new ideas and see what happens. Think of it an as experiment and have some fun as the results come in!

And with that, I’ll sign off. Now, if you’re looking for some inspiration to help you start the year off right, might I humbly suggest my book, A Candle At Both Ends: Thoughts of Inspiration for the Beginning and End of the Day, full of poetry and prose to help you start the day inspired and go to sleep peaceful and resolved. Check out more info here http://tiffanyprochera.com/candle-at-both-ends/.

Make Time For Play In 2020!

January 7, 2020 by tprochera Leave a Comment

Happy New Year!

We’re only a few days in but I hope 2020 is treating you well so far. I had such a blast on New Year’s Eve with a new group of people, amazing food in a beautiful venue, and the band played all of my favourite songs. I’m hoping to keep the party going this year!

Now, while I certainly believe that we can reinvent ourselves at any point in time – really, you can wake up tomorrow and decide to do everything completely differently if you want – the start of a new year and a new decade seems like an appropriate time to reevaluate things, doesn’t it?

I’ve been looking at my creative journey and there are certainly things I plan on changing – getting more focused with my pursuits, learning how to market more effectively. But there is one particular item I became aware of the other day that I really need to put on the agenda, and maybe you do too.

I am committing myself to making more time to play with my creativity in 2020.

You see, I remember hearing about two aspects of the creative process – and I apologize that I can’t recall where it first came up. There’s a performance mode – where you’re practising for a specific gig or working on a project – and there’s an exploratory mode in which you have no particular objectives.

And while we are often feel the need to be in performance mode in the spirit of being productive, if we’re going to be well-rounded creatives, we have to make time for both work and play.

I have often found myself, say, sitting down to play piano just for fun, going through song books, and wondering whether it’s going to matter. Why am I doing this? Am I wasting my time? Shouldn’t I be working on something else?

But that time of exploration is important. It is where ideas come from. It’s how you get in touch with what you really want to be creating rather than just what you think you should be creating. It should not be dismissed as wasted time.

So, here in 2020, if you feel like writing a short story and catch yourself doubting it, saying but where is it going to get published? Shouldn’t I finish that xyz that’s actually important? Stop it, I say! Stop it! Let yourself play a bit. Try being in that space without expectations, without judgment. You never know where it’s going to lead and, really, it doesn’t have to lead anywhere to be beneficial.

This is a commitment I’m making to myself for the year ahead and I can’t wait to see what happens! Join me, won’t you?

With that, I’ll sign off wishing you an amazing year ahead with all of the fulfillment and creative joy you can hold. Let’s rock this thing!

And if you’re looking for some inspiration to help you start the year off right, might I humbly suggest my book, A Candle At Both Ends: Thoughts of Inspiration for the Beginning and End of the Day, full of poetry and prose to help you start the day inspired and go to sleep peaceful and resolved. Check out more info here http://tiffanyprochera.com/candle-at-both-ends/.

What Do You Want Your Audience To Feel?

July 23, 2019 by tprochera Leave a Comment

Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay

I have heard that life is essentially about emotion. We do things and want things because we think we will feel happier in the doing or acquiring of those things. We jump off of cliffs because of the rush. We eat ice cream because it makes us feel comforted. We eat kale salad because it makes us feel, well, righteous for eating the kale salad. We work out because we either get a rush from it (I actually enjoy being physical active though you wouldn’t know it to look at me) or we think it will feel good to be more fit or to look “better”, whatever that means. Think about it. It’s all about emotion.

Right now, my city is holding its annual Fringe Festival – a time when theatre artists get to experiment with their craft and audiences get to enjoy their offerings in a fun-filled and low-risk environment (tickets for fringe shows are quite affordable so you’re willing to take a chance on something out of the ordinary) .

Now, I’ll try to make my point here without giving anything away about the show in case it comes to your town as fringe performers often travel from city to city. Anyway, I went to this one-man show that involved no speaking. There were sounds – grunts and “ohs” and such – but no actual words. And I was totally okay with that aspect of it.

But there was something that confused me about the whole thing. While the performer conveyed emotion, I as an audience member could not tell where it was originating from. I knew he was angry, but I didn’t know why. I knew he was excited but I didn’t know why. At least much of the time. So there may have been a narrative but it was essentially lost on me and I was left somewhat frustrated. And to be honest, the character was actually a little creepy, which is I’m sure not what the creator intended.

As artists, yes, we want to explore, to express, but we also have an audience to consider. I’ve thought about this in comparison to sports where the goal is simply to win. Sure, a basketball game may be exciting. But a player is not going to intentionally bounce the ball off of the rim for the sake of drama. They want it to go in and if an onslaught happens right at the beginning of the game and seals the deal early on, they’re okay with that. They aren’t striving for a dramatic ending or a photo finish. In the arts, we should be considering the emotions of the viewer. That’s why we are sharing our craft, after all, isn’t it?

When you are putting your work together, take the opportunity to get out of yourself a bit from time to time and see things from the audience’s perspective. What are they experiencing? Do they understand what you’re trying to say or have you at least given them enough to go on that they can create their own story? It’s fine to have some inside jokes but make sure that those who aren’t in on the joke will still enjoy.

It’s not about creating something of mass popularity and it’s not about catering to something that is not true to you. It’s about creating something meaningful that tells the story you want to tell. It’s about asking yourself, “What do I want the audience to experience with this work? What do I want them to feel?” and doing the research, getting the feedback to find out if it’s actually what is coming across so people don’t leaving the experience wondering, what was that? Unless that’s exactly what you’re going for. 😉

Happy creating!

Other People’s Stories – Learning From the Journeys of Other Creators

July 16, 2019 by tprochera Leave a Comment

How often do you learn about the backgrounds of other creators who do what you do? Do you read about your idols? Do you ask those you meet who are just starting out how their journeys are going? Do these stories inspire you? Motivate you? Confound you?

I have been watching a reality show called Songland recently. If you haven’t seen it yet, an episode goes like this. Four songwriters get to present songs to a panel of three renowned producers, and a popular artist who is hoping to cut one of the tracks. Three of the songs are chosen and each producer takes a writer under their wing to rework the song to make it the best it can be. Finally, the revised songs are presented to the artist and they pick the song that’s going to go on their next album.

We also learn about their background of these writers – where they came from, how they got into the biz. That’s the gist of it and it’s pretty cool to see these unsung heroes respected and getting their props. There’s a lot of talent out there.

And, I have to say, there have been a couple of writers who have left me questioning things.

There was one fellow who had actually been training for the Olympics but, as can happen, he suffered an injury and his future as an athlete was over. So, he turned to writing as a form of therapy. And, basically, in the words of the producers, he was a “beast”. His song was amazing, his production was totally on par, and his performance has this ethereal, mesmerizing quality to it. I couldn’t keep my eyes off him. And while I was thoroughly impressed and inspired, I was also kind of, oh, well, annoyed.

Everyone has their own wins and challenges in this life. I can acknowledge that. But I have been composing and writing songs for thirty years. Music has been my life in one capacity or another since the age of six. And here comes this kid – I don’t think he was more than twenty – who came upon songwriting literally by accident and he’s blowing everybody away. What am I supposed to do with that information?

Now, I didn’t go so far as to ask, how is this fair? But I guess I could have. I mean, it’s just like a person who’s been taking acting classes for years and hardly getting any auditions while someone else is discovered in line at the grocery store and ends up winning an Academy Award. It doesn’t seem to make sense.

Or, one could look at the amazing J.K. Rowling. Notice the disclaimer – she is amazing! Now, on a personal level, sure, she had a rough go of it. Single mom, bad relationships, living in virtual poverty. But here’s someone who just decides to write a novel because it comes to her – she hasn’t been slaving away for decades – and she has nine rejections before being accepted by a publisher. A whole whopping nine. That’s not even double digits. Most writers wish they only had to send their manuscript to nine people before becoming successful. Of course, in reading Harry Potter, most people would think publishers 1-8 were complete idiots but 20/20 hindsight, you know. So you can look at that story and think what you will.

But then you have to concede that, just as everyone has their own unique backstory, everyone has their own journey. That songwriter and J.K. Rowling are where they are for a reason and you can’t begrudge them that. If you dig deeper, they may be doing things in an innovative way. They have thought patterns and discipline practices that you can learn from. Success is just as much a mental game as anything else, after all. And if you think about it, isn’t it inspiring to imagine that anything can happen at any time? Life-changing opportunities can come to you today, tomorrow, next week, next month, and you can end up taking a different path all together.

So, I guess my point is, when you read or otherwise learn about the backstory of other creative people, be jealous if you want, but also take what you can from it. Do they have interesting approaches to their craft? What is their creative routine like or do they even have one? How did they get known in their field? Who did they connect with and how did it happen? In realizing that we are all just doing our thing, we can be inspired by each other and have a sense of compassion because, while somebody may be sleeping on a golden bed, it doesn’t mean the road has been easy. But then people can be just having a great time too, so…

In Swimming Tigress news, I’ve got some new tracks up on Pond 5 so if you’re looking for some stock production music for your podcast, YouTube show or whatever, check it all out at https://www.pond5.com/artist/tprochera#1/2064 !

You Can Do It Over Again

July 9, 2019 by tprochera Leave a Comment

Do you ever look back at your creative trajectory and wish you could have done things different? Followed a different path? Taken advantage of those opportunities that have passed you by? Do you find yourself ever wondering if you should have moved for that job, taken that gig, focused on youth literature instead of adult novels?

Years ago, I had an album that had made it on the radio in my home town. Even though I hadn’t been living there for a few years, it felt pretty good to hear that I was the Song Of The Day! So, I got a phone call one day from someone asking me if I wanted to be the opening act for a popular Canadian group that was going to be performing at the local theatre in two weeks. I was flattered, to say the least, but I also panicked. I hadn’t been planning on performing these songs out anywhere. I hadn’t been practicing. I didn’t think I could have a credible set ready in time so I respectfully declined the offer.

Now you might be saying, what was she thinking? That could have been her big break! Why did she turn it down?

Honestly, I can tell you what was going through my head but I don’t know if it made sense or not. It just made sense in the moment. I’m not gonna lie – It crosses my mind from time to time. Who knows what would have happened after that show? I could have become the pre-Taylor Swift. The show could have been a total disaster. My life could have become a total disaster even if the show itself was successful.

But here’s the thing. Regret doesn’t do us any good because we can’t change what happened. As the saying goes, there’s no use crying over spilled milk. We have to trust that we somehow made the right decision for ourselves. We followed the path we followed because it seemed like the best thing to do at the time so it doesn’t serve us to get down on ourselves about it.

We can’t redo the past but guess what? We can learn from it and create an amazing future. That’s what we do, right? We create stuff. And every day we are creating our lives for better or worse. There are still plenty of opportunities out there. There are plenty of gigs to play, plenty of places to move to. We can still evolve and change direction anytime we want to. We don’t have to stay stuck. As the saying goes, it’s not over until it’s over. And while, at my vintage, I’m not likely to become the ‘next’ Taylor Swift, that doesn’t mean I still can’t get out there and perform if I want to. There are plenty of household names that only gained their popularity in their forties, fifties, and beyond.

So, here’s a fun exercise.

When something doesn’t work out the way I intended or I decide not to do something, like go to a concert or other event, I sometimes imagine what awful things might have transpired if I had left the house. Especially when I see people’s Facebook posts about what a great time they had at said event. It kind of helps soothe my FOMO a bit.

So, why not look at all of the things that you regret not doing in your creative life – those choices that, when you revisit them, make you cringe and you wish you could go back and do them over – and write down all of the horrible things that could have happened if you had made those other choices? You know, you could have ended up hopelessly addicted to drugs, divorced from your spouse. Your private plane taking you to the Oscars could have crashed. Have fun imagining all the possibilities! 🙂

As you then review the carnage, you will hopefully realize that you don’t know what would have happened and, really, you could have it much worse than you do now. You may even be filled with a sense of gratitude that you didn’t take those roads. So, at the bottom of your list you can add, “Thank goodness I am where I am! Now I can create the awesomeness from here! “ , reminding yourself that every day is a chance to start over, a chance to make different choices and take new paths.

Have fun creating!

And in Swimming Tigress news, just a friendly reminder to the music teachers out there that fall is approaching fast and it’s time to look for some new repertoire for your young students. Why not check out my songbooks, Bad Moods and Brain Freezes , with songs that are as fun to teach as they are to learn. Available through this site and Sheet Music Plus!

Location, Location, Location – Where Should You Really Be?

July 2, 2019 by tprochera Leave a Comment

Do you ever wonder if you’re living in the right place to explore your creative gifts? Do you think location even matters? Having lived in the same city in the same apartment for 22 years now, I’ve been struck by some wanderlust of late so this is has been on my mind. Is there an ideal environment for building a thriving creative career or optimizing your creative expression?

There are a lot of factors to consider when one looks at location as a creator, aside from the mythical tales of the now legendary writers gathering together in a café in Paris or painters flocking to Nice. As dreamy as it sounds to envision yourself as part of that legacy – and yes, Nice is noooice 😉 – it’s really about finding the right place for you – if there, in fact, is one.

Before you begin your search, you might want to write down how you want to feel in your home – in general and with respect to your creativity. Do you want to feel inspired? Surrounded by beauty? Connected to the cultural community? Respected for what you do? You see, I heard once – well, probably more than once – that we do things or want things because of the way we think they will make us feel. So, when you focus on the way you want to feel, which is what it’s all about anyway, you can leave the door open to the possibilities. I mean, you can say, “I want to live in Paris.” Cool. And it might be just what you need. It’s a really fun place. But – and not that this will necessarily be your reality – after you’ve moved into your 100 square-foot apartment and stepped in your fiftieth pile of dog poop you might reevaluate things. But you wanted to live in Paris, right? Or maybe you wanted to be surrounded by creativity, culture, history. And there are lots of places where you can find that that might be more comfortable for you.

In some fields, especially solitary ones like writing, you can live anywhere. In this age of technology, it is possible to live in one country and conduct the majority of your international business remotely. Heck, if you really wanted you could conduct all your appearances by Skype or something and never leave the house. In collaborative fields, like film making, it helps to live in a location where the people you are inclined to work with are going to be, where an industry is already established. Unless you’re already famous and wealthy and don’t have to hit the pavement. Then you can live on a ranch in Texas and let the job offers come to you and you just fly to set on your private jet.

Dreams aside, there are cities that are known for dominating certain creative fields – Los Angeles for film, New York for theatre, Paris or Milan for fashion. But, depending on your ultimate goals, you may not have to pay half a million dollars for a 600 square-foot flat.

There are places with thriving film industries outside of L.A. – not that L.A. isn’t great. You might not get paid as much, if at all, but you can certainly have fun getting connected, gaining experience, and learning about your craft. After a few years you might want to go to the big city but maybe you’ll find that where you are is just the right pace for you.

You see, even when we have a passion, we can choose to engage it on different levels. It can be the all-out I-want-to-be-the-best-in-the-world kind of thing, it can be an as-long-as-I-can-pay-my-rent-I’m-happy kind of thing, or it can be an I-don’t-want-to-spoil-it-by-worrying-about-making-money-so-dabbling-on-weekends-is-just-my-thing kind of thing. So, you can still participate even if you’re not in the thick of it.

Whatever your intentions, there may be locations – whether they be other cities or simply other neighborhoods – that are more conducive to pursuing your creativity. Do you need to be around certain resources? Do you do your best work in a coffee shop but there’s nothing within walking distance? You can change that. Have you put the bulk of your money into recording gear so you can’t afford a car but the public transit system where you’re currently living leaves something to be desired? You can change that. Are you inspired by art galleries and museums and your town is a little lacking in that department? You can change that. I know, for myself, even if I’m not in London or New York, I probably couldn’t live in a place that didn’t broadcast the Metropolitan Opera and other world-renowned theatrical productions in the local movie theatres. I would feel like I was missing out on too much.

In my hometown, I was heading to a concert last week – a concert which I was ultimately not allowed to attend for reasons I won’t get into but are unfortunately not at all scandalous on my part – that took place in another area of town I have been in before but rarely visit. And I was pleasantly surprised. It occurred to me that it was within walking distance of the main theatres and entertainment centres – right now I have to travel at least half an hour to go to most events which isn’t far for some people but seems kind of tedious to me. There was a lovely park across the street. There were plenty of cafes and restaurants to hang out in. And, since it’s the city’s French quarter, I would get to speak French, a desire that has been in me since my trip to Europe. So, while it’s possible a different city is the only way to cure my restlessness, sometimes a small change can make a big difference.

I wrote in a previous post about honoring your excellence, and part of that is finding your tribe, that community of people who will support you, help you grow, and think you’re awesome. And sometimes a place just feels right… or wrong… and I think it matters. I was recently musing about how you can, in fact, fit a square peg into a round hole if it’s made of something soft like marshmallow but it doesn’t mean it belongs there. We can struggle trying to adapt and morph ourselves to suit our surroundings or we can find a place that suits our natural way of being. A place where we really fit in. A place that feels like home.

If you’re an aspiring make-up artist for film and television, say, and you’ve been trying to get connected to your community – attending networking events and offering to volunteer your services and all that to get more experience – and it’s just not working, consider this. Maybe you’re going about things wrong way – you might want to assess your approach and see if maybe you’re a little too aggressive or not forward enough or just acting unprofessionally. But maybe you’d be more successful somewhere else. Maybe there’s another place where you will fit right in and be welcomed with open arms and you can thrive.

Now, not everyone has the freedom or finances to move, but if you do and you feel like you’re just not gelling creatively with your current environment, why not make a wish list of what you think you need and have some fun exploring. It’s a big world out there! And let me know what you come up with. 🙂

When Do You Speak Up? Expressing Opinions on Professional Online Forums

June 25, 2019 by tprochera Leave a Comment

Hey all!

This post is going to be more about more about exploring a topic as opposed to offering any real insight or solutions. Of course, I’ll try to say something useful here but I’d love you to comment with your thoughts on the matter.

I’m a member of some industry-related Facebook groups for people looking for creative opportunities. You know, people will post jobs, questions, etc. and, if you’re interested, you can comment or send a message. I’m sure there are many other online forums and such that serve the same purpose.

Anyway, I’ve seen all sorts of posts of varying degrees of legitimacy offering varying pay scales, if you catch my drift. When something seems a little off, occasionally people will comment. Like, they’ll say, “Well, you’re clearly getting paid for the job so why can’t you pay your assistant?”, or “Yeah, sure, I can pay my rent with exposure” or they’ll advise readers not to work with the poster or, sometimes, it’s the poster who gets on to vent and warn about a person or company they’ve worked with.

And it got me wondering – when is it, or is it ever, appropriate to call somebody out in a supposedly professional environment like these online forums?

I have seen people respond to these dissenting or cynical comments suggesting they should just not apply for the job if they don’t like the terms – I don’t particularly agree but fair enough, I suppose. When job seekers questioned the terms of a potential opportunity, the poster even commented back accusing they cynics of racism. I thought that was a rather creative interpretation of the situation and I wonder how many people are going to want to work with him after that.

So, when does the voice of reason become the whiner? And when can being outspoken have an effect on your career? Is it worth it?

I’m almost inclined to say it might be.

I mean, I’m all in favour of making sure people get paid unless there’s a really good reason why everyone should be volunteering their services – like it’s for charity. “I feel like making a movie and I have no money so everyone involved should do it for free” is not really a good enough reason in my eyes. And if the vast majority of opportunities you see are volunteer or you know the person posting is making money off of it, you can get frustrated if you’re trying to make a living at your craft. Isn’t it in the industry’s best interest for someone to point these things out? As I’ve said before, getting paid means we can further our skills and become better at what we do, after all, and if people are always willing to do jobs for nothing, then eventually no one will be able make a living. And maybe if more people speak up, someone will get the hint. Just today I saw a posting for an unpaid voice artist to narrate promotional videos for a known creative post-secondary school. And it didn’t look like it was for a class project. I was this close to writing, “Come on. Really?”

And there are situations where safety is a concern. If a potential employer has acted in an abusive manner in the past, shouldn’t those considering their opportunity know about it before they get in too deep? There was a post from someone the other day saying they would discuss payment “in person”. While some commenters were concerned that they would then be roped into doing the job for free, my mind went to kidnapping and being sold into a trafficking situation.

It has happened. A job posting for a make-up artist, for example, will promise a great opportunity with a well-known movie production company, the new hire travels to the city to meet them and they end up at an abandoned building. You can take the story from there. Wouldn’t you want to be warned of a situation like that? Wouldn’t you want to warn someone of a situation like that, even if it made you look like a complainer? I know I would. By the way, just be aware of opportunities that look good to be true. They might very well be.

You see, you can state these things in ways that are less inflammatory than an outright accusation. For example, asking why a project might be volunteer is more a request for clarification than a commentary on the pay scale, wouldn’t you say?

How can these comments affect our professional status? Well, it depends I suppose. I, for one, think it’s hugely important to be courteous, polite and well-spoken in any professional situation, online or offline. I have seen horrendous grammar, spelling and just general tackiness from people even posting job opportunities, seemingly unaware that they too are being judged. So, comments should refrain from profanity or personal attacks and do check your spelling. But, if you do it right, isn’t is possible that you might be closing one door but opening a bunch of others? I mean, people could witness your passion, eloquence and all round awesomeness and be dying to work with you! Right? I don’t really know but I suppose anything can happen.

All that being considered, remember that potentially thousands of people will be exposed to your comments so:

1) You need to walk the walk and stand by what you say. People will find out if you’re being hypocritical, like if you rant about an employer treating you badly and then stories come out about how you’ve been nasty and difficult to work with. That’ll come back to bite ya in the tukus!

2) Keep it to the subject at hand and don’t go on and on about every time an employer has done you wrong or whatever. Nobody cares and that’s the straight up definition of a whiner.

2) Realize that certain ideas expressed may limit some opportunities for you and you need to be okay with that. I applaud those who comment that artists should be getting paid for their services. I do. And when a really cool job comes up that you would do for nothing (good thing because that’s what they’re offering) don’t be surprised if the poster responds. “Saw your other posts and you don’t like doing things for free so no.” That’s what comes with taking a stand so you have to be ready for it.

So, what do you think? Is expressing your opinions on professional online forums a worthwhile thing to do – if you do it tactfully, of course? Or should you keep your comments to yourself and let everyone else deal with their own stuff? Let your voice be heard!

Originality – Nice, But is it Necessary?

June 18, 2019 by tprochera Leave a Comment

As creators, we often wonder if our ideas have been done before. Are we reinventing the wheel, so to speak? Certainly, this is something to consider with copyright infringement laws and all of that. Nobody wants to be sued.

And, on one hand, it doesn’t hurt to ask yourself if you’ve seen this kind of thing before. I remember watching a made-for-TV film released by a well-known production company that shall remain nameless and I was like, seriously? This is Sister Act without the homicidal boyfriend. Maybe the writers were inspired by the hit movie. Maybe it was intended to be an “original” concept. I don’t know for sure and, hey, I don’t have a script in with a major production company so who am I to judge? But it would have been virtually impossible to not notice the similarities. And I can think of more than one songwriter who would have saved themselves a lot of trouble if they had taken a moment to ponder the question. I’m just saying.

Someone once said there’s nothing new under the sun. Now, I don’t believe that’s entirely true – there are truly ingenious, refreshing, new ideas that reveal themselves all the time – but I do think that we might want to be a little easier on ourselves if we are inspired by an existing idea or if our concept is not 100% revolutionary.

I mean, look at history. Back in the day, it was common place to try to paint exactly like your mentor. Composers took segments of other musical works and inserted them into their own – yes, sampling was happening in the 1800’s and earlier. Convention was so strong in some respects that there were only so many ways to structure a melodic phrase. I’ll admit I’ve heard a bit of classical music in my time but, even so, I can listen to a completely unfamiliar piece from certain periods and tell you pretty much how it’s going to end, because that’s simply how you ended things. And nobody had a problem with it.

And, when you think about it, there are common ideas in life so why should their not be common ideas in art? I mean, guys meet girls in bars all the time so if you see the scenario in a lot of movies, there might be a reason for it.

I’ve been thinking recently about how we all have our own gifts as artists. Some of us are the innovators who bring in the new techniques, the new future conventions, the iconic tales, and some of us take existing techniques and conventions and execute them brilliantly. When I was a composition student, I arrived at my lesson super excited because I was going to write a piece that used a scale of alternating whole tones and semitones. I thought I was brilliant! My teacher kindly pointed out that my concept was, in fact, the octatonic scale, which was already very much in existence. Now, I could have berated myself for not knowing about the scale already but I chose to see it as, hey, I invented a real scale! How cool is that? But perhaps I’m of the second type of artist?

Some years ago, there were two films about Snow White released in theatres at the same time. At first, you might say well, that’s kind of going overboard, isn’t it? Yes, it’s a popular tale but to have two major motion pictures come out at the same time? But they were completely different! The creators took entirely different approaches to the story and, while I’ll leave it up to the individual to determine which was the better film, having watched both, I personally didn’t have a feeling of repetition.

You see, the concept is only part of the equation. What’s just as important is how you take the idea in a unique direction. How do you make it yours and put your spin on it? I mean, someone could have written a really crappy story about a kid going to wizard school and then where would we all be?

So, my point is, craft is just as relevant as concept and, even if your story isn’t entirely revolutionary, your expression of that story is still worth telling, keeping in mind of course, that there are legal ramifications for intentionally ripping somebody else off. So let go of some of the pressure and just create already! 🙂

Let the Whole You Be Revealed – Following the Opportunities

June 2, 2019 by tprochera Leave a Comment

Hello all!

Last weekend, I had the honour of hosting a launch of the latest issue of the Lake Winnipeg Writers Group journal, Voices, for which I also served as editor. (Photo courtesy of my proud mom ;-)) The process involved several months of reading and revising, e-mailing, chatting on the phone and in person at reading sessions and, I must say, I quite enjoyed it! It was a pleasure to witness such a diverse and talented group of creator in action.

But it was not something I had initially planned on, to be honest. I have done some proofreading for people I’ve known, which has been rather fun as I consider myself a fixer of sorts – someone who can take an existing idea and bring it to another level. The whole curation process, however, was new to me. But last fall I was asked to judge a poetry contest for the group and, next thing you know, I’m editing an entire journal!

I received much positive feedback on my work which, despite my own perceived failings, was very encouraging. Though I still have a lot to learn, editing appears to be something I can now add to my skill set. When it came time to discuss the launch of the journal, I was informed that it was customary for the president or the editor to take on the duties. With my background as a performer and the years I’ve spent in Toastmasters, I was up to the task.

And, again, the audience and fellow writers seemed to be pleased with my presence at the podium and responded very favorably. So, now, it looks like I can host stuff good too! 🙂

Now, I’m not telling you this is to brag on myself – although I think we need to be able to do that once in a while because it helps us to feel confident in our abilities. This is about allowing yourself to be guided, letting go of your preconceived notions of what you’re supposed to be doing with your art and saying yes to the opportunities that present themselves before you. If I hadn’t agreed to edit, I wouldn’t have known that I would enjoy it and be competent at it. If I hadn’t said yes to hosting, I wouldn’t have known that I could take on the emcee duties and feel good about it after the fact. It’s about acquiring new information showing you what you’re capable of and, perhaps more importantly, what you like to do.

Now, if you feel that these incidental endeavours might derail you or make you doubt yourself, quite the contrary. During this process of expansion, you won’t be casting aside what you already do and already know. You will be letting new things about yourself to be revealed to you so you have even more ways to serve and express.

When you stay with the familiar, you only learn and grow in expected ways. But sometimes others see things in us that we don’t see in ourselves and, in taking these new opportunities, we are exposing ourselves to more of our untapped potential. We experience the fullness of who we are and what we have to offer. And if you come upon your true calling in the process, trust that your new path is the right one for you and nothing has been lost or wasted.

So, next time a chance to do something new comes your way, unless it really makes you feel uncomfortable, go for it! See where the journey takes you. You never know what you will learn and how you will grow when you come out the other side.

On a related note, if you’re interested in some fun and adventurous writing, might I suggest acquiring your very own copy of the latest issue of the Voices journal – with an entry by yours truly, by the way?

You can purchase it at McNally Robinson Booksellers in Winnipeg, MB and at Tergeson’s in Gimli, MB or you can enquire through the LWWG website, https://www.lwwg.ca/.

Enjoy!