Learners in Algonquin College's Music, Media and Film Foundations program are getting career inspiration directly from industry insiders - including the manager behind Metallica.
Recent guest speakers have included Peter Mensch, who previously managed Metallica, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Muse and Josh Groban; Rob Lanni, Co-Founder of Coalition Music, who helped launch and guide the success of Our Lady Peace and now represents acts like Simple Plan, Amanda Marshall and Preston Pablo; and Devi Ekanand, Vice President, Marketing, Promotions, and New Media at Coalition Music.
These industry visits are part of the Careers in Media and Entertainment course. Taught by Michael Wood, the course helps learners explore roles across the music, media and film landscape, define career goals and chart their path forward. The course - and the one-year Ontario College Certificate program - blends classroom learning with real-world insights to prepare learners for future success in the creative industries.
The speakers spoke candidly with the class over Zoom, answering their questions one-on-one about the industry, starting their careers, social media for artists and content creation and challenges along the way.
Mensch says, "If you don't get up to the base and swing, you'll never know," meaning, you've got to try in order to succeed. For learners who are in bands, he said, "Concentrate on making the best art you can and show it to people who aren't your friends to give you real reactions."
Maple, a Music, Media and Film Foundations student, shared her perspective on the experience after speaking with Mensch on April 2.
"Having someone of that caliber talk to me one-on-one is really important and gave me more confidence to talk to other people [in the industry] and get out there. This experience broke the barrier for me. Being talked to as a person and given genuine, realistic advice, he wasn't sugar-coating anything. It was eye-opening for me and a really good experience," she said.
The audience for the esteemed guests also included former students and students from the Music Industry Arts program, who heard about it and saw the value of attending of their own volition.
Lanni and Ekanand spoke on the business side of social media for artists.
"The content has to be something that the audience will engage with, it has to be authentic," said Lanni. "When launching an artist, make sure the artist replies in the comments, connecting with the audience. Fans want recognition from the celebrities they follow," said Ekanand.
Algonquin College, across sectors, whether in the trades, healthcare, technology or media and design, continues to offer value to students through industry connections and partnerships with guest speakers, networking and alumni events, experiential learning, cooperative education and corporate partnerships.
To learn more about the Music, Media, and Film Foundations program at Algonquin College, please visit our website.
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1385 Woodroffe Avenue
Ottawa Ontario
Canada K2G 1V8
www.algonquincollege.com/
