By Samantha Kleinman
Coordinator of Player Engagement
On February 27th, 2012, 18 current and former NFL players converged on New York City to participate in the inaugural NFL Business of Music Boot Camp. The group, which included 12-year NFL veteran Torry Holt, St. Louis Rams cornerback Al Harris, and New England Patriots wide receiver Brandon Lloyd, would receive a four-day crash course in all things music.
Hosted at NYU’s Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music, the class of players had the opportunity to learn from some of the top names in the music industry, including producer Nick Sansano and Hank Shocklee, artist Ryan Leslie, manager Blue Williams, and Clive Davis himself. Topics covered all aspects of the music business, including management, production, finance, digital and traditional marketing, and more.
Mr. Davis, who currently serves as the Chief Creative Officer of Sony Music, opened the program with a moderated discussion in which he gave participants insight into his legendary career in the industry. One of his comments that came as a surprise to many in the room set the tone for the rest of the program: the days of traditional A&R are fading. With all of the changes in technology, it is easier than ever for artists to develop and promote themselves without the help of a major label. Much of the rest of the Boot Camp focused on this new era in music, as social media; artist (or player) foundations; and low-cost, at-home technology were highlighted as ways for new artists to make a name for themselves in the industry and build an initial fan base.
Perhaps the two most exciting sessions for the players were “Music in Today’s Film, TV, and Advertising” with writer/director Spike Lee, and “Making the Record” with producer Nick Sansano and artist/producer Ryan Leslie. Spike Lee gave participants an inside look at how he selects music for his films and how he uses music to help tell the story – he even gave participants a sneak peek at his upcoming film and discussed the music chosen for it. The session with Nick Sansano and Ryan Leslie brought the participants into an actual recording studio, where they got a look at some of today’s top recording technology and heard first-hand about the role a producer plays in structuring a song. After the session, the players treated everyone to a showcase of their own talents, playing the songs and videos that they themselves had written, produced, and performed.
The program ended on a high note when the players were paired with their music industry mentors for one-on-one development sessions. You could see the ideas flowing in the room as mentors and mentees shared experiences, career goals, and advice for moving forward in the business.
The week that the Boot Camp participants spent at NYU provided them with a wealth of knowledge to help them get started in the industry if they’re new to it, or to continue their progress if they have already begun to pursue music industry success. Player Engagement looks forward to hearing about the participants’ future endeavors in the industry and to another successful Business of Music Boot Camp in 2013!