FMC at South by Southwest 2014
It’s that time of year again! South by Southwest 2014 is just a few weeks away and FMC is ready to rock it. If you’re in Austin at SXSW anytime from March 8-16, be sure to track us down:
Michael Bracy mbracy [at] btbv [dot] com
Hannah Byam hannah [at] futureofmusic [dot] org
Jean Cook jean [at] futureofmusic [dot] org
Alex Maiolo alex [at] futureofmusic [dot] org
Casey Rae casey [at] futureofmusic [dot] org
We’ll be all over the music festival and some of the interactive festival of the Austin, TX event, with public talks, presentations and rock shows galore. The following is a batch of noteworthy SXSW ’14 panels, where FMC staff, boards and buds will cover pretty much every aspect of today’s music biz.
Here’s a cheat sheet of places you can see and hear FMC’ers on panels taking place at the Austin Convention Center.
Tuesday, March 11
Elevator Pitch Session
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm | Hilton Austin Downtown Salon A
Stand up and present an up to 1-minute pitch about a music/technology related company or idea, to connect with others who might be interested in collaboration. Preparation is not necessary - but is definitely encouraged.
Brian Zisk Creator, SF MusicTech Summit; Co-founder & Board Member, Future of Music Coalition
Wednesday, March 12
Artist Health Advocacy Meet Up
11:15 am - 12:15 pm | Austin Convention Center Meet Up Pavilion EH 3/4
Heather Alden Managing Director, SIMS Foundation
Thursday, March 13
Compulsory Licenses and Online Music
11:00 am - 12:00 pm | Austin Convention Center Room 18D
Online music service royalties have become one of the hot topics of the day—from the debate over interactive streaming payouts from services like Spotify to online radio royalties paid by Pandora or the new iTunes Radio. All of this controversy raises broader questions about the role of “compulsory licenses”—licenses set by law—in the music business today.Learn about the advantages or disadvantages of compulsory licenses and the potential for the role of compulsory licenses to the future of the online music business.
Casey Rae Interim Executive Director, Future of Music Coalition
Chris Harrison Assistant General Counsel, Pandora Media Inc.
Greg Barnes General Counsel and Director of Governmental Affairs, Digital Media Association
Jodie Griffin Staff Attorney, Public Knowledge (moderator)
Kristelia Garcia Visiting Associate Professor, George Washington University Law School
From Art to Commerce & Artists to Entrepreneurs
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm | Austin Convention Center Room 9ABC
Creating great music is just the beginning. In order to succeed, you’ve got to sell it, too. That requires a skill set that doesn’t come naturally to many artists, some of whom waste thousands of dollars in expenses—and generate only frustration—because they lack the information they need to work smarter. The good news is, you can learn to think like an entrepreneur. From recording and packaging to booking gigs and marketing yourself, you can hop on the road to success, or gallop farther along if you’re already on your way, by cultivating your business acumen.
Rod Picott Artist, Welding Rod Records
Tamara Saviano CEO, Tamara Saviano Media; Board Member, Future of Music Coalition
Artists + the Affordable Care Act: Get Answers, Get Covered
3:30 pm - 6:00 pm | Austin Convention Center Room 8BC
According to a recent survey, US-based artists are less likely to have health insurance than the general public. They are also unsure about the Affordable Care Act and need advice about how to navigate this new health care landscape. Drop in during this workshop for one-on-one guidance regarding how to insure your band, whether or not you’ll have interstate coverage, and how to navigate this new Health Insurance Marketplace.
Andy Bernstein Executive Director, HeadCount
Hannah Byam Events & Special Projects, Future of Music Coalition
Jane Henderson Director of Artist Relations, HeadCount
Jon Langmead Health Insurance Specialist, Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services
José Sanchez Southern Regional Organizing Director, Young Invincibles
Renata Marinaro Director of Health Services, Eastern Region, The Actors’ Fund
Friday, March 14
New Adventures in Copyright Enforcement
2:00 pm - 3:00 pm | Austin Convention Center Room 17B
Although debates about how to protect copyright online might seem so 2010, they certainly haven’t abated. The current conversations aren’t as contentious as the SOPA skirmishes, but that doesn’t necessarily mean consensus. Current attempts to address piracy are taking place outside of Congress, and include efforts to establish “best practices” between stakeholders. From the recently-minted Copyright Alert System to voluntary agreements meant to curb unauthorized activity within ad networks and payment processors, new experiments in rights protection abound. What’s the thinking behind the various approaches? What does a “win” look like, and what are the parameters for oversight? How can artists get involved?
Casey Rae Interim Executive Director, Future of Music Coalition (moderator)
David Lowery Musician/Internet Content Provider, Cracker
Jill Lesser Executive Director, Center for Copyright Information
Sherwin Sly Vice President, Legal Affairs, Public Knowledge
… and if you’re headed to SXSW Film make sure to catch our Director of Programs Jean Cook in