The Studio Business Book

by Gallagher, Mitch; Mandell, Jim

• ISBN13: 9781592007479
• ISBN10: 1592007473
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-01-24
• Publisher: Cengage Learning

Summary

This best-selling book is a step-by-step guide to operating and managing a professional recording facility. It begins with the basics: formulating a business plan, estimating studio startup costs, finding a location, getting funded, and making equipment purchases. From there, the book takes you through the necessary details of business operation: accounting, phone, network and utility services, insurance plans, promoting your venture, and increasing revenues. Other chapters cover the fine art of studio management: scheduling sessions, dealing with clients, hiring and firing employees, maintaining and upgrading equipment, and how to cope with all kinds of disasters.

Table of Contents

Introduction	x
Looking Out from the Inside	1	(10)
Members of the Team	1	(3)
Typecasting	4	(4)
ProFile 1: Return to the Top	8	(3)
Writing a Business Plan	11	(11)
Dividing the Plan into Sections	11	(1)
Taking Your Time	12	(1)
The Elements of a Business Plan	13	(2)
The Logic in Writing It Out	15	(3)
Signing the Deal	18	(1)
ProFile 2: From Home Studio to Commercial Facility	19	(3)
How Much Does It Cost? How Much Have You Got?	22	(20)
Buying into Raging Technology	22	(1)
A Buyer's Primer	23	(2)
Analog or Digital	25	(1)
Trends in the Marketplace	25	(1)
A Low-end, High-quality Setup	26	(1)
The Next Level	27	(1)
A Professional Midrange Studio	28	(3)
The Business Expense Breakdown	31	(1)
Adding Video	32	(1)
The Room of Dreams	33	(7)
Back to the Real World	40	(1)
ProFile 3: Basking in the Digital Tropical Domain	40	(2)
Making It Happen	42	(15)
Getting Funded	43	(1)
Leasing	43	(2)
Partnership	45	(4)
ProFile 4: Finding Your Niche	49	(2)
Other Ways to Find Money	51	(3)
ProFile 5: Carving a Creative Niche in a Small Town	54	(3)
The Project Studio	57	(14)
Home Studios and the All-in Deal	58	(1)
The Current Balance	59	(1)
Home Studios and the Law	60	(4)
Getting Real	64	(1)
Independent Contractors	64	(3)
ProFile 6: World-class in Suburbia	67	(4)
Expense Planning	71	(29)
Finding a Break-even Point	71	(3)
Finding Space	74	(5)
Phone Systems	79	(3)
Turning on the Lights	82	(1)
Legal and Accounting Services	83	(1)
The Insurance Maze	84	(3)
Medical Plans	87	(2)
Support Services	89	(1)
Studio Support Pros	90	(4)
Other Office Expenses	94	(3)
ProFile 7: Cooking Up a Studio	97	(3)
Putting a Price on Value	100	(34)
Location	100	(2)
ProFile 8: Fine Arts in Fargo	102	(2)
Square Footage	104	(2)
Considering the Equipment	106	(2)
ProFile 9: Choosing Vintage Gear to Create a Unique Facility	108	(2)
The Quality of the Staff	110	(1)
The People Connection	110	(1)
Creature Comforts	111	(1)
The Care and Feeding of Your Reputation	112	(1)
Setting Rates	113	(4)
ProFile 10: A Tree Grows In Georgia	117	(2)
Bidding on Projects	119	(3)
Bidding on Films	122	(2)
ProFile 11: Destination: Studio	124	(3)
Getting Paid	127	(4)
ProFile 12: Multiple Income Streams	131	(3)
Income Sources: Getting Creative	134	(28)
The Lesson of the Nine Dots	134	(1)
Getting into Production	135	(8)
Speculating on Success	143	(1)
Gig Band Album Packages	144	(1)
Playing on the Session	145	(1)
Scoring to Picture	145	(3)
ProFile 13: Navigating the Television Jungle	148	(3)
Duplication	151	(1)
CD Transfers	151	(1)
Music and Dialog Editing	152	(1)
Renting Out Equipment	153	(2)
Renting Out the Room	155	(1)
Teaching School	156	(1)
Art for Art's Sake	157	(1)
The Puzzle Solution	158	(1)
ProFile 14: Diversity and Uncompromising Quality	159	(3)
Developing Contacts	162	(15)
Making New Connections	163	(2)
The Cold Call	165	(4)
ProFile 15: Recording the Fine Arts	169	(2)
Telemarketing and Commission Sales	171	(1)
Schmoozing Your Way to Success	172	(2)
ProFile 16: Jammin' Down the Digital Highway	174	(3)
Advertising and PR	177	(15)
Using Direct Mail	177	(4)
Print Ads	181	(3)
The Web	184	(2)
Staying in Touch	186	(1)
Getting Publicity	186	(2)
ProFile 17: Rising from the Ashes	188	(4)
The Art of Scheduling	192	(27)
Scheduling Guidelines	193	(5)
Problems and Conflicts in Scheduling	198	(3)
Trying to Please Everyone, All the Time: A Recurring Story	201	(4)
The Schedule Book	205	(2)
ProFile 18: Nashville Surround Sound	207	(2)
Booking and Work Orders	209	(3)
Internal Scheduling	212	(2)
Planning for a Marathon Session	214	(2)
Projects from Mars	216	(3)
Keeping Track of Things	219	(8)
The Media Vault	220	(3)
Numbering Systems	223	(1)
Minding the Store	224	(3)
Politics and Psychology	227	(14)
Setting the Scene	227	(3)
Dealing with Personalities	230	(6)
Post-session Politics	236	(1)
When You Lose a Client	237	(2)
ProFile 19: The UK Alternative	239	(2)
Equipment, Money, and Strategy	241	(20)
Choosing the Right Equipment	241	(3)
Buying Intelligently	244	(4)
ProFile 20: Composer Collective	248	(1)
Finessing Sizable Sums	249	(7)
Beta Testing a Weighty Alternative	256	(1)
ProFile 21: Hitting the Jackpot	257	(4)
On Being the Boss	261	(15)
How to Play Fair and Stay in Chicago	261	(2)
Payroll Etiquette	263	(1)
Company Meetings	264	(5)
Taking Responsibility	269	(1)
Some Personal Philosophy	269	(4)
ProFile 22: High-End Recording on the Prairie	273	(3)
Hiring and Firing	276	(23)
Hiring a Receptionist	276	(2)
Hiring an Engineer	278	(2)
Learning the Rules	280	(3)
Interviewing	283	(4)
ProFile 23: Analog Style	287	(1)
Interns	288	(1)
People Problems	289	(2)
Salaries and Egos	291	(1)
ProFile 24: Creativity and Five-Star Service	292	(3)
When to Raise a Salary	295	(1)
When to Fire an Employee	295	(1)
Dealing with Substance Abuse	296	(3)
The Employee Manual	299	(28)
The Employee Handbook	300	(2)
The Interlok Employee Handbook	302	(21)
ProFile 25: The New Music Industry	323	(4)
Coping with Disaster	327	(7)
The Client Spills His Drink on the Console	327	(1)
A Fistfight Breaks Out in the Control Room	328	(1)
The Specially Shipped Gear for the Sunday Session Gets Locked in the Warehouse for the Weekend	329	(1)
The Entire 30-minute Master Gets Accidentally Erased	329	(1)
The Producer Decides the Monitoring System Is Unacceptable	330	(1)
The Superstar Books a Session and Then Has His Own Disaster	331	(1)
The Studio Gets Some Unexpected Publicity	332	(1)
A Plumbing Problem Gives ``Surf's Up'' a Whole New Meaning	332	(2)
Betting on the Future	334	(5)
Equipping Yourself for Change	334	(1)
Trends That Look Like They Aren't About to Disappear	335	(1)
Looking for the Middle	336	(1)
The Writing on the Wall	336	(1)
Coming Soon	337	(1)
Finding Your Own Way	337	(2)
APPENDIX: The Manager's Quick Reference Guide	339	(13)
Pro and Home Recording Formats	344	(3)
Professional Organizations	347	(1)
Web Resources	348	(1)
Trade Magazines	349	(1)
Recommended Reading	349	(3)
Index	352