As one of artistic talent the manager is THE center of your professional world. A good manager can expand your career by being the PUBLIC face for you (new producers/artist), they encompass many responsibilities of people that you could hire yourself to handle, but it is easier on the new talent to have a jack of all trades-master of none, well….but one. The gift of gab. As a good manager knows how to sell his/her client. That’s right! The manager’s job is to sell the client. He does that with these responsibilities:

Promotion

The manager is responsible to hype the artist/producer to basically EVERYONE he/she meets, building your career from the ground up, as there must be EXPECTATION for your comming for you to be acknowledged properly in this business. This is one MAJOR responsibility of a ‘good’ manager.

Coordinating

Usually for artists, the manager is supposed to be on top of things for the tour, that venues that the artist is to show up at are the same as were agreed on prior to the artist comming there. He is usually to work with the business manager to develop a budget for assembling your road crew. (indie rock music managers usually).

Creative Process

The manager from an artist’s perspective usually has a producer chosen for him. But, usually NOT for Urban music. Artist’s usually have their own producers in their beginning stages. Usually when the artist hits it big they forget all about the producer that brought them to initial fame. I can name you about 4 off the top of my head and their career hasn’t been the same since…….oh, that’s for another topic. Believe it or not the manager can be consulted on what songs to record, THEY hire the band members, select photographers for your session and etc

Negotiation

A good manager is always in your corner. Helping with major business choices such as it might be labels are interested in signing you, but you aren’t quite sure on what to do. They also assist in decisions with publishing companies, they fight for ‘fair’ royalty payments for the artist or producer. Good managers have an uncanny way with words to leave both parties happy after a tight deal.

Image

Managers also keep a close watch on the image of the artist/producer, monitoring press releases and is instrumental in what goes out or doesn’t. Not to mention the fine tuning of the artist’s image to blend with the music.

There are 2 last major issues that a manager does. One is that a good manager will fight for you, he/she is the one that is bangin’ on doors keeping everybody on their job, as he is only as rich and well off as the artist is, and any smart manager will particulary maximize his efforts towards the promotions and marketing branches that are affiliated with YOU.

The second and last one is the buffer-zone. They will try to keep their attention AWAY from you, meaning that if a company asked for you to do a commercial or a Billboard photo op with them, they’ll have to go through your management first, and they’ll bring it up to you. This is important because the Artist/Producer does NOT need to be sidetracked with things like this during the creative process.

AND WHAT DOES THE MANAGER GET FOR ALL THIS EFFORT???

15-20% of your gross earnings. The MAJORITY get 15%.

But that is not the end of it. As I didn’t say what defines ‘gross’ earnings. All in how the contract is written.

- Hitz of Planet Hitz Productions
Future Producers

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