What exactly is a press kit?*
These
questions seem to arise time and time again in this business. The
younger artist want to know what exactly a press kit is and the
seasoned, more experienced artist want to know what more to include
in theirs and how to improve it.
Here is some advice from someone who opens, processes, and sifts
through 2000+ press kits every season for the Atlantis Music Conference.
Let's start with the basic and foremost question, "What is a press
kit?" The press kit serves many purposes. For starters, it is exactly
as it sounds: promotional material that the artist gives to periodical
writers for background on the act. Moreover, it is used to give
people an idea of who and what the artist is and does. I like to
think of it as a resume for the act. If you want a job, you send
in your resume for review. In this business, if the artist wants
to play a gig, enter a contest or conference, or someone like a
booking agent, talent buyer, or label rep asks for it, the artist
has it ready to submit upon request. Your press kit serves as your
resume and tells the person(s) who the artist is, what they do,
what they have done, and what they hope to accomplish.
Now, let us examine what should be contained inside the press kit.
Basics are essential. While an 8" x 10" black and white photo trimmed
with a white border is media standard, other sizes and colors are
acceptable. Just be sure that the artist's name and contact information
can be printed below the picture. Do not send a Polaroid or 35mm
photo, as this does not convey a professional and genuine appearance.
In theses days of digital cameras and photo processing options available
at any drug store, you can either find someone to take the pictures
on a digital camera and design them in a photo-processing program
such as Photoshop or take the 35mm shot to the local photo tech
at Eckerd's and lay out exactly what you want. Either choice is
relatively inexpensive and easy to do with today's technology. One
more asset this has is that these images are saved to disk and can
be used to update the kit later or for possible use on the artist's
website.
The next item is the biography or what we term in the business as
a "bio". This document should be typed, but if you do not have the
means to do so, a legible handwritten document is acceptable for
a kit used as a mode of entry into a venue or music conference.
The bio is the artist's background, sound, image, and objectives
all rolled into a little thing called print or words. But let's
break this down a little further. When I say background, you do
not need to tell us the life story of every band member, guitar
tech, and sound guy. All the time, I see, "John grew up in the East
and attended school, made straight A's and accidentally hit his
sister with a bat one time." NO!!! We do not need to know this.
Keep it relative!! Tell us things like what your artist does i.e.
The Musicians are five young artists that deliver a rare blend of
power, songwriting and performance that will define a genre. Give
a little background such as where the artist is from, the name of
each player in the band and what instrument they play, and how they
formed. In short, you can say they are out of Cleveland, OH, met
in college, had a common interest, and decided to take control of
their musical abilities.
Another point to describe in the bio is to put your sound into words.
I know most of you are saying, "I can't do that. You can't describe
it. We are unique." It can be done without referencing just other
known artists. Don't say the artist sounds like Incubus or Janet
Jackson as we already have those artists. It is ok to make the statement
of a "cross between" or "has the vocal ability of". For example,
you may say, "The Musicians are a cross between Kid Rock and Tom
Petty" or "Ivy has the vocal ability and range of Aretha Franklin".
You may also state things like the combining of different genres
to create their own unique sound i.e. The Musicians use rock, reggae,
and blues to construct an undeniable sound. Descriptions and comparisons
such as these give the reader the jest of what the artist sounds
like.
Finally, to wrap up the perfect bio, you need to convey the image
and objectives of the artist. Explain exactly what the artist is
going after. Unless they're a comic book character or a parody act,
then don't use clichÈs like, "conquer the world" or "protect the
people". Just be up front and state the artist's purpose. What is
the artist's mission statement? Tell the reader that The Musicians
are ready to return the Rock and Roll to its longing audience or
that they are spiritually connected and wish to convey a message
to all who have been waiting for a meaningful type of music to re-enter
the realm. Declarations such as these connect the reader to the
artist's motive and explain the reason for doing what they do.
Once you have these two things, there is only one final basic absolute
necessity: the recording itself. You must have a recording of the
artist in some form or another. Most people today prefer CD. You
can still send a tape, but if at all possible, send a compact disc.
If the artist has a fully pressed and printed CD with jewel case,
and jacket, fine. Don't fret if the act only has a disk inside of
a sleeve or a disk inside of a plain jewel case or plastic snap
case. All of these are acceptable forms. Make sure the artist's
name and contact information is on the disk itself, on the case,
and on the insert (if available). You can even stick a business
card in to be extra careful. The office of an agent, label, or conference
can get pretty cluttered and hectic. Even the most organized people
lose parts or pieces of a press kit, and to find a CD and have no
idea to whom it belongs is the worst.
The recording quality is a whole other subject. I will say that
you need to do the best that you absolutely can do to ensure the
best possible recording. I would not step into the studio without
the proper funds to produce three label-ready songs if I were trying
to launch my career as a recording artist and sending the recording
to a label. Certain not so professional recordings are fine to gain
entrance to a venue or a music conference, but if you have it in
your means to record a polished product, do it. This doesn't mean
scrap all of your home Pro-Tools recordings. You can still use those
for most demo purposes like the above mentioned. I am simply saying
present the best that the artist has to offer and do not send bad
productions with off key vocals, out of tune guitars, etc.
These are the basic necessities that must be included in a good
press kit. They are the three vital points that are essential in
creating a presentable kit. Other things to add to the package are
any press or write-ups the artist may have received from any credible
source (credible sources are local newspaper/specialty paper, respected
websites or major publications). Select three or four of your best.
If you do not have press, that is okay as we select artists strictly
on the basis of their recording, but should there be a number of
artists in the same genre that we like evenly, but don't have enough
showcase spots for all of them, it could come down to the additional
information, like the press that comes in the kit.
Next, if the artist is established and has some special awards,
recognition, etc. then compile a stat sheet. You can type up something
that simply states the artist's accomplishments. Things you might
highlight are achievements like winning the local radio station's
Battle of the Bands, nominations in your town's music awards, current
radio stations where the artist has received airplay, major acts
that the artist has opened for and so forth. Again just use quality
and interesting achievements, this makes for an easy to read additive
to further the resume of the artist.
Finally, how do you present the package as a whole? The best way
to secure packaging for your press kit is to place it in a folder
where the CD is easy to find and prevented from falling out. Three
ring binders are ok if they are smaller, but the huge ones you used
in college are too big. Bulk is bad! Do not send us a wire bound
notebook 50 pages thick, the less space the better. The graphics
on the packaging are totally optional. The coloring and graphics
on the packaging alone will not land the artist a job. Then there
is always the E.P.K. (electronic press kit). These include all of
the necessities that I have mentioned. Their only difference is
that they are completely online, can be e-mailed or used on a CD-rom/DVD
type format. The reader may have to log onto the band's website
or a site like Sonicbids.com to review the material or it comes
on a CD-rom or DVD to be popped into the computer and read, which
are both useful and sufficient.
The theme here is to help you produce a good and informative press
kit for the artist on a budget. You do not need access to Hollywood
studios and a million dollar recording budget to create one. Remember,
less is more and the key is less space and more punch.
Kale Jenkins
Past Listening Committee Member, Production Manager
Atlantis Music Conference
*Please Note: If you prefer to list one of the following active web sites on your mail-in submission form,
you do not need to include a press kit: Myspace.com | PureVOLUME.com | Virb.com.
Sonicbids members pleasue use the online submission. |
