Morphed Nightmare

By Wendell Hanes

Matt Gore has been convicted of bank robbery and is facing up to 3 years in prison. He has skeletons in his closet. Will Matt's secrets be his salvation Or will they be his downfall?

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Mar 19, 2010
• ISBN: 9781449082437

Wendell Hanes

Rob Joplin is a twenty-one-year-old ex-con who lives alone in north Texas and is putting his life back together after six months jail time.

Book preview

THE 30-30 CAREER:

MAKING 30 GRAND IN 30 SECONDS!

Vol. 2

Becoming a Platinum Composer

By Wendell Hanes

of VOLITION SOUND BRANDING

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AuthorHouse™

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.authorhouse.com

Phone: [phone]

© 2010 Wendell Hanes. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

First published by AuthorHouse 9/2/2010

ISBN: 978-1-4520-5097-3 (e)

ISBN: 978-1-4520-5096-6 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4520-5095-9 (hc)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2008903631

Printed in the United States of America

This book is printed on acid-free paper.

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The contents of this book may not be reproduced, copied, or transmitted in any format, by any means, whether by photocopying, recording, electronic, mechanical, scanning, or otherwise without the prior written permission from the author.

LIMIT OF LIABILITY/DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY:

The author has used best eforts in the preparation of the material represented within this book. The material provided herein is based on the Authors extensive experience as an Entrepreneur, Composer and Music Producer as well as the other participants and their individual and collective experiences as Members and Professionals who work in the Music, Commercial, Multi-Media and or Entertainment Industries. The Author has interviewed each individual included in this book but makes no representations, warranties, guarantees or otherwise with the respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book. All information included in this book is based on the Author’s Recollections and information derived from these interviews.

Each person interviewed gives their personal insights and opinions as to their own experiences as Industry professionals. All participants agree that each person’s journey is unique and what works for one person will not necessarily work for another and anyone who reads this book is responsible for their own actions and approach techniques and ultimately their own progress in any industry. The information included herein and the opinions stated herein are not guaranteed or warranted to produce any particular results and the advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for all individuals. The Author will not be held liable for any loss, profits or any and all other damages whether commercial or punitive or otherwise including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential or otherwise from the information contained herein. Anyone who purchases or views the contents of this book agrees to the aforementioned terms. These terms and conditions are in full affect regardless of presentation in print, audio, digital or other formats.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

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Wendell Hanes is an Ivy League honors graduate of Brown University and an award-winning music composer for more than 12 years. He has scored well over 700 commercials, themes and promos and has spoken at the BILLBOARD MUSIC CONFERENCE, CANADIAN MUSIC WEEK, the BMI MUSIC PANEL, and dozens of colleges and universities across the country. His clients have included everyone from Nike to HBO, Jaguar to Mercedes, Footlocker to Burger King, Miller-Lite to Heineken, Sprite to Pepsi. He has won many awards for his music on commercials including a Clio, an Addy, an Andy, and the prestigious Cannes Lion. Hanes has appeared in BILLBOARD, MIX, VIBE, KING, UPSCALE, BLACK ENTERPRISE, REMIX, PRO SOUND NEWS, SHOOT, ADWEEK, BOARDS, and other publications for his accomplishments in the advertising field. Currently, Hanes is CEO of VOLITION SOUND BRANDING.

IN THE PRESS:

"Wendell Hanes is one of the most talented music artists working in commercials today—with THE 30-30 CAREER he shows us he may be one of the smartest as well. In this comprehensive one-stop resource on making music for commercials, Hanes is bringing a much-needed 21st Century update to this complex topic. Along the way, he tells it exactly like it is—the good, the bad, and the ugly— making this book series an absolute must-read for aspiring composers, beat-makers, advertising agency creatives, record labels, managers, artists, and many other media professionals.

David Weiss-NYC EDITOR-MIX MAGAZINE-2008

-Wendell Hanes is arguably one of the kings of the commercials. From Mercedes Benz to Victoria Secret to Heineken…Hanes’ portfolio looks like Scott Storch’s discography!

ALLHIPHOP.COM

-

Like tracks produced by Dr. Dre’ or the Neptunes, you hear Wendell Hanes music every day.

KING MAGAZINE

-

Hanes has numerous credits as a composer and arranger…Dr.Pepper, Elizabeth Arden, Jeep, Heineken’s Birth of the Scratch, and Miller-Lite among them.

BLACK ENTERPRISE

-

Wendell Hanes… has the key to making $30 Grand in 30 Seconds. Here’s hoping that key opens the same door for you!

REMIX MAGAZINE

AUTHOR’S ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This book is dedicated to every upcoming musician and composer who is committed to making a career in music. Work hard through the night on your craft and your hard work will pay off. I have always wanted to teach others what I know. You all are my inspiration for writing this book. I also dedicate this book to my parents, my brothers, my wife and two daughters. I want to thank Leander Sales, Sarah Pirozek, Vito Desario and Michael Pollock for being the four most pivotal people in my career. And to my main man Dirty Red, and my man Tony Aliperti, thanks for being great friends and allies from day one!

FOREWORD

YOU MAY NOT SELL A MILLION RECORDS, but you can MAKE A MILLION DOLLARS in the world of music and advertising. VOLUME 2 of THE 30-30 CAREER: MAKING 30 GRAND IN 30 SECONDS! BECOMING A PLATINUM COMPOSER shows you how to break big into the music industry full of competition. Let's you trace the footsteps of Award-Winning Commercial Composer Wendell Hanes as he worked his way to scoring over 700 commercials, themes, and promos.  A 24/7 hustle is the blueprint to your success. EARN your spot, HOLD your spot and NEVER stop!  The next time the record industry closes you out, tap the advertising industry. You may not sell a million, but you can definitely make a million! Hustle hard and become a Platinum Composer! Don't just chase the dream, build the Career. The 30-30 CAREER!

Keep workin

I'm all night up

Through the fire and the rain

keep my grind up!

Make it something that the world wanna hear

30 G's

30 Seconds

30-30 CAREER!

Brand new fresh out the box

I'm releasing that heat

up north dirty south

west side to the east

naw can't sleep won't sleep

when I get the brief

I'ma certified go getter

beast of the beat (let's go!)

Lyrics and Theme by Pla-boy Chi Official 30-30 member

INTRODUCTION! (MUST READ)

The road to becoming a Platinum Composer has not been a straight one. It has taken many detours and turns to land on the right track. This book is a documented map of my road and hopefully it will help you find a shorter route to achieving your goal to BECOME A PLATINUM COMPOSER. The question is: ARE YOU BETTER THAN YOURSELF?

THE PLATINUM PRODUCER

EVERYONE KNOWS the biggest music producers in the business and what songs they produced. They are often highly visible in today's music videos. Their names are dropped in verses and hooks of popular songs. Trade magazines commodify their presence on front covers with five-page spreads that flaunt their lush lifestyles. In some cases, the music producers of today have become equally or more popular than the artist. Their production studios have become franchises where new artists rotate in and out like restaurant patrons. These platinum producers are to be admired as well as examined. As they say, all that glitters isn't gold.

THE PLATINUM COMPOSER

Beyond the face recognition, and the fleeting glitz, live the equally as prolific PLATINUM COMPOSERS of the advertising industry. The Platinum Composers fly under most radars with an all guts no glory approach that builds long term wealth. Their intuition is a head down, unceasing tenacity to score and win not once, not one hundred, but one thousand times. While a platinum producer may be happy with one or two Platinum plaques, the Platinum Composer's call to action is a relentless hunger that can never be satiated. Fueled by fear and reputation, The Platinum Composer knows that two of the keys to defining success are CONSISTENCY and COMMITMENT.

PLATINUM COMPOSERS represent the cream of the crop in the advertising music business. We are not talking about average composers. We are talking about over achieving, award-winning composers. They are Platinum because they have made millions over the years scoring music for advertisements and companies have made billions using their music. But rarely, do commercial composers get recognition outside of the ad industry for the work they create. They may be more prolific or more versatile than the highly touted record producers, but their name is not known all around the country because advertising and records are two very different industries.

DON'T CHASE THE DREAM, BUILD THE CAREER

With time being everyone's biggest potential asset, everyday counts. SKILL, LUCK, and TIMING are strong catalysts for success. The rewards that success may bring can be very enticing. Many producers chase the exciting yet elusive hit record while sacrificing their youth, their family, and their life. Many producers never get a hit record. Others are one-hit wonders. And for the lucky few that actually make a career out of producing hit records, they will all be the first ones to tell you that there is no guaranteed formula for a hit record. Some record producers equate landing two hit records like lightning striking the same place twice. It can happen, but don't bet on it. I have always lived by the notion that if you want something enough, you can make it happen.

PLATINUM COMPOSERS know how to make it happen. There are thousands of products out there in need of music. Platinum Composers have learned how to use their instincts to reinterpret their musical tastes to invigorate an image and sell a message. But does your music help sell the product? That's the question all Platinum Composers must answer with their music. The purpose of this book is to give you a blueprint on how to become a PLATINUM COMPOSER through confidence, talent, drive and calculating acumen.

It is no easy task to become a Platinum Composer, but I am sure you knew that. To be at the top of any profession is no easy task. Aside from pure talent, your attitude and personality can be the difference between being an average composer or a PLATINUM COMPOSER. Nothing is guaranteed in this business. NOTHING. Take nothing for granted. Check the ego at the door. Better yet, leave the ego at home. Be the kind of person who is easy to work with and you'll begin to attract clients at a much faster rate.

WINNING COMMERCIALS CONSISTENTLY!

If you really want to become a Platinum Composer in this business, I have the secret for you in three words. Win! Win! Win! Winning your first commercial in some cases may feel as hopeless at times as winning the lottery. But all it takes is one win to get you an opportunity for a second win. The truth is that sometimes 5 to 10 different people have to hear your performance and agree on its merit before it gets purchased and broadcast on television. Advertising is very subjective and the best performance does NOT always win. But that’s okay. Win or lose, you have to keep grinding. Nothing is guaranteed, even when you win! With the right reel, the right hustle, the right mindset, and the right connections, you can MAKE 30 GRAND IN 30 SECONDS and eventually become a PLATINUM COMPOSER! Formally titled Branding Your Music and Artists in Advertising, welcome to volume 2 of the 30-30 CAREER BOOK SERIES: MAKING 30 GRAND IN 30 SECONDS! BECOMING A PLATINUM COMPOSER

Your CAREER starts in 30 SECONDS!

THE 30-30 TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Let your imagination run wild when creating music to a picture on your own. The risks you take now become the reasons you win later. - Wendell Hanes

1) PLATINUM ADVICE They went Platinum! They created hit records and countless major artists like Public Enemy, Tupac, The Notorious B.I.G., Mary J. Blige, Alicia Keys and P. Diddy. Platinum-selling celebrities PETE ROCK, EASY MOE BEE, DRES of BLACKSHEEP, and GRAND PUBA MAXWELL of BRAND NUBIAN, state the facts about having hit records and taking care of your music career.

2) PLATINUM PRODUCER VS. PLATINUM COMPOSER Platinum Composers are at the top of the music and advertising game. There hard work has made them well over a million dollars. Record producers can strengthen their career by doubling as Platinum Composers!

3) WINNING THE FIRST COMMERCIAL Winning my first commercial was both exciting and confusing but gave me the confidence to win hundreds more. Here’s how!

4) WIN! WIN! WIN! Winning makes everything right. It earns you credibility, money, and new work. You MUST win to become a Platinum Composer.

5) CHECKS or PLAQUES? You can spend precious years of your life chasing that elusive hit record. Decide if your goal is to collect CHECKS or PLAQUES. The answer can determine your future wealth.

6) THE IMPORTANCE OF GOING TO COLLEGE College was where I found my passion to create music. The hustle for good grades, hot beats, and a four-year degree from one of the top universities in the country prepared me for the high stakes of the music and advertising business in ways I never could have imagined.

7) New York HERE I COME! If you can make it in New York, you can make it anywhere! New York is the Mecca of advertising. It soon became my Mecca for music.

8) 40 ACRES AND A MULE Working for Spike Lee opened me up to a world with unlimited potential. Knowing when to leave was one of the biggest decisions in my life.

9) BREAKING INTO THE ADVERTISING BUSINESS Making music at an editorial company gave me the time, opportunity, the network, and the experience to become successful as a composer.

10) GET YOUR M USIC OFF THE SHELF TODAY This chapter will teach you how to start building an organized library that can be used to win spots immediately.

11) PRACTICE MAKES PROLIFIC! We’ve all heard that practice makes perfect, but in music we are always striving to be better so perfection may never land in our lap. However, practice makes you prolific in the ad industry. The more you practice creating music, the more music you can archive for future use. Here are the ways to practice effectively to become a PLATINUM COMPOSER.

12) GETTING FIRED AND HIRING MYSELF Getting fired can feel like a set back, but it can actually be a leap forward in your career. Here’s how!

13) THE MUSIC HOUSE: THE NBA OF COMMERCIAL COMPOSING Welcome to the big leagues of high stress, high reward, and high expectation. Here’s what you should know about working at a music house.

14) MEET SOME OF THE TOP MUSIC HOUSES Read up on the philosophies and strategies of some of the top music houses in the business.

15) ARE YOU BETTER THAN YOURSELF? TO ACKNOWLEDGE COMPETITION IS TO CONSIDER DEFEAT! If you don’t think about losing, your chances of winning improve immensely. Ask any Olympian and they will agree that you are your biggest competition. Never get psyched out of creating great music.

16) JSM MUSIC VS. VOLITION SOUND BRANDING There is no competition. There’s Just Opportunity!

17) THE AGENCY AND JOSH RABINOWITZ If you don’t know ...now you know!

18) CAN’T KNOCK THE HUSTLE Track my decisions, behaviors, and attitudes while working at the one and only music house I ever worked at.

19) 30 SCORES IN 30 DAYS The ultimate mental music workout. Performing the program in 30 days will grow your career in a single month. You will have 30 pieces of music formatted for 30 seconds. That’s 30 pieces of library music that can be sold immediately.

20) WELCOME TO VOLITION SOUND BRANDING My career has led me to starting my own prolific music and entertainment branding company. Here’s how and why I went this route. Learn about one of the leading music suppliers in the ad industry.

21) TARGETING MAJOR TV ADS We all have our favorite products and score styles. Here’s how to target specific corporate brands.

22) GETTING PAID... SENDING INVOICES Don’t forget to collect when you pass go. If you forget to invoice, companies will forget to pay you. It’s not their fault. You have to be responsible and follow up.

23) PLATINUM COMMERCIAL COMPOSERS YOU SHOULD KNOW Here is a list of Platinum Composers in the industry.

24) SINGLES VS. JINGLES;The Hiring Psychology on Ads Jingles are becoming more and more like real songs. There are many reasons why composers call or don’t call a specific singer on a project. Find out why and why not.

25) RE-INTERPRETING MUSIC BRIEFS Agencies interpret music briefs from clients and other team members, then describe the project to you. It’s your job to re-interpret what they are saying musically. The right interpretation as a musical translator helps you win the spot. Learn how to re-interpret music briefs in this chapter.

26) CREATING ON THE CLOCK...NO EXCUSES From the time you get the call from the agency, you are on a time schedule. Once the deadline is on the horizon, it’s up to you to meet the deadline. Get used to working within a time frame. Use your deadline as a motivator.

27) THREE CHARACTERISTICS TO AVOID IN THE BUSINESS Being Jealous, snobby, and conceded are three characteristics that work against you in the business. Make sure they all stay out of your system.

28) FIVE CLASSIC ATTRIBUTES THAT WILL NEVER LOSE VALUE Determination, Flexibility, Creativity, Passion, and Discipline are five attributes you have