Interview with Mr. Calvin Atchison of Quantum to Virtual Media Group

In the entertainment business world of today, there are a lot of business negotiations that take place. Often time’s negotiations turn out to be the worst ever. However, a business professional has several tactics that separates them from becoming bad business negotiators. I conducted a phone interview with Mr. Calvin O. Atchison II, of Quantum to Virtual Multimedia Group in Nashville, Tennessee. I posed several questions to him regarding how he handles negotiations within the multimedia entertainment.  I used a question/ answer format to conduct the interview with Mr. Atchison.

Question: During previous negotiations within your company, how did you separate the people from the problem associated within a negotiation.

Answer from Mr. Atchison: During negotiations, I focus on dealing with the problem first, because the problem is the most important. If you don’t deal with the problem, how can you ever deal with the person? People are easiest to deal with, while the problems are the hardest to deal with. Consider dealing with the problem first and the person thereafter. There is always a way to deal with a problem, but there is not always a way to deal with the people.

Question: While conducting a negotiation, how do you deal with another negotiator who tries to use dirty tactics?

Answer from Mr. Atchison: I’m 41 years old and I’ve had my share of dirty tactics thrown my way. However, I have learned how to walk away from negotiations that are dirty tactic bound. When I was about 23 years old a record company offered my rap group a record deal, but they wanted to take creative control over my group and offered us limited royalties and no rights to our music. I had a brief talk with my group, and we decided not to take the deal because the company was using dirty tactics to swing the negotiation in their favor. We as a group tried to negotiate the deal, but the company basically threw monkey wrenches every time. We decided to look into the offers of other record companies and walked away from that particular negotiation all together.

Question: Do you think of mutual benefits of both parties during a negotiation?

Answer from Mr. Atchison: I feel that a mutual agreement is always the best route during a negotiation. There has to be a mutual agreement that appeals to both parties, so that the interest of both parties will be for filled. Learn about the company by doing research, and see exactly what you can bring to the table as an individual.

Question: How do you deal with negative emotions during a negotiation?

Answer from Mr. Atchison: I often play into the emotions of other’s if it’s positive emotion. I don’t look to far into negative emotions, I just smile and hope that person knows that my emotions don’t control me; I control my emotions in negotiations.

Question: What role do you play in your business negotiations?

Answer from Mr. Atchison: Very often I play the role of the person who is trying to work the negotiation out for the best of my company without compromising integrity of the other negotiator. People have ways of playing their role in a negotiation, they often times just don’t know the role to play. For example, an artist of today in the music business tends to be more educated about the music business because they have been schooled on the roles they should and shouldn’t play as an artist. On the other hand, back in the days when I was trying to pursue a recording contract, I didn’t have secondary sources to aid in helping to establish my role-play as a rapper. In today’s world people have been educated on how to play their roles so often times their roles don’t get played.

Question: How would you use what is called a BATNA in a negotiation?

Answer from Mr. Atchison: Just simply have a back up plan within the negotiation just in case one offer is denied, you’ll have a plan B offer to negotiate with. Know what you are dealing with before the negotiation and always consider the best interest of both parties at hand. As long as you have a back up plan, you are considered to have another shot at the deal within the negotiation that fits your best interest. Always position yourself with leverage. Consider using one of my all time favorite quotes,” Let me take sometime to think about it.” That always opens a door on the other end of the deal that won’t often close.

http://www.negotiations.com/articles/best-alternative/

Danielle Belton's "The Black Snob" website and new exciting information about "Willow Smith," Daughter of Super Stars Will & Jada Smith getting signed to a record deal by Hip-Hop Superstar Jay-Z to "Roc Nation"

The website of interest that sparked my flame in Entertainment’s current news is Danielle Belton’s, “The Black Snob.” Danielle Belton is a freelance journalist and social media consultant who made a huge contribution to Essence Magazine Online, Mediate.com, The American Prospect, Seven Magazines, and FreshXpress.com. She has also appeared on a panel during Howard University’s School of Communication Job Fair in 2009.

Danielle Belton’s Blog Site, “The Black Snob” is a very informative website that consists of informational journals and hot topics about African American Celebrity news and culture. Belton currently lives in Washington, D.C where she manages "The Black Snob". The site has a readership spanning political junkies, authors, legislators and fellow bloggers just to name a few.

The Black Snob received accolades from the Black Weblog Awards for Best Political Blog (2010), Best writing in a Blog (2008 and 2009) and Best Blog Series (2008). Danielle Belton has also won a “Shining Stars Award” in 2008 for Best Overall Political Blog and Best New Political Blog. The most current blog that caught my attention was about Will & Jada Smith’s daughter Willow Smith. At the tender age 9 years old, Willow Smith has managed to get a Record Deal off of her hit single “Whip My Hair.”
Hip-Hop superstar Jay-Z stated that, “I believe in big records and superstars and I think she has both.” Having a brilliant singing talent, ultimate swagger and being the daughter of two super stars has put young Willow Smith’s life in prospective with a Record Deal from Jay-Z’s “Roc Nation.”

 Along with her older brother Jayden Smith who plays an inspiring role in his recent film, “Karate Kid” Willow Smith has set the pace for new upcoming singing artists in the Music Entertainment Industry of today. Willow Smith began her career as the daughter of one of Holly Woods best, Will Smith in the hit film, “I am Legend.” I must say that Willow Smith has established her career in the Music Entertainment Business as the new superstar singing sensation. If you want to find out more information about Willow Smith and Danielle Belton's Blogs website The Black Snob, here are two links that will direct you to imformative sites. http://blacksnob.com/snob_blog/2010/9/10/and-now-willow-smith-has-a-record-deal-and-you-dont.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOVKB8auDcA

Artist Relations and Music Entertainment

 In the Music Entertainment business world of today, there are several ways one can market themselves as artists. Rather you’re are an R&B singer or a Hip-Hop Rapper you will be faced with the troubles of promoting yourself. There are several ways to promote a musical artist including, but not limited to social media marketing, blogging, public relations, and email marketing. However, social networking is now the most popular way to promote your craft.  Face book, Twitter, YouTube, and MySpace are just a few social network sites that will help artists to market and promote themselves.

Face book contains phenomenal applications when it comes to spreading the word quickly about upcoming events such as performance shows, live venues, tours, and appearances. The events application is helpful for networking, promoting and marketing your music. The tag feature on Face book allows you to tag your friends and fans that are following you on Face book as well as Twitter, and YouTube. One of the pros of Internet marketing includes that fact that you can market yourself as an independent artist at no expense. On the other hand, an artist who has signed a major recording contract has limited input on the marketing and promotional tactics of the music business.

Independent artists run into financial obligations that can be detrimental to their career because they aren't financially stable enough to cover the cost of professional music production and promotion. However, artist on a musical contract has as an Artist Relations management team, to handle the promotional aspect of exposing the artist and their talents. If you are a mainstream artist, your image is somewhat fabricated on a contractual basis because you have to follow certain image requirements. On the other hand, if you are an independent artist you can market your self-image the way you prefer. On that note those are some of the pros and cons of being an independent artist vs. a mainstream artist and some basic information about marketing and promoting the ideal artist. Here is a very helpful link that will explain some of the basics to marketing and promoting yourself as an artist.

 http://www.squidoo.com/ArtistInternetMarketing#

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