Electronic Media Forum
From podcasts to iTunes, movie theater simulcasts to On Demand HDTV, and satellite radio to self-produced recordings, new opportunities and challenges in technology seem to fly at us on a daily basis. Which developments in existing and emerging technologies are relevant to opera companies? Which electronic media activities best fit your opera company’s goals and objectives? What are the production, financing and distribution options available to help you achieve them?
In response to these questions, OPERA America is very pleased to announce the Electronic Media Forum, our service to members who are interested in increasing their knowledge of new media and its potential to enrich the opera experience for current and prospective audiences.
In order to give our members the most authoritative information available, OPERA America has identified and engaged consultants Joseph H. Kluger and Michael Bronson to offer advice and assistance to OPERA America Professional Company Members in the creation and delivery of services that support opera companies with their electronic media activities. Each consultant brings over 25 years of experience as an internationally recognized expert in the classical music industry on recordings, broadcasts, the Internet and other electronic media activities.
Bronson and Kluger are ideally suited to provide the following services, upon request:
Information
- Keep OPERA America and its members informed of relevant changes, trends and developments that may affect electronic media activities.
- Track and report on electronic media activities by opera companies in order to keep OPERA America and its members informed of the latest developments and best practices.
- Solicit data from all OPERA America member companies in order to monitor the quantity of electronic media activity and to measure the impact of the activity relative to the organization’s objectives.
Advocacy
- Assist OPERA America in representing the opera industry’s interests, as requested.
- Assist OPERA America’s department of external affairs in any policy-making forums that may have an impact on the ability of opera companies to use technology and electronic media activities to achieve their missions.
Expertise
- Help OPERA America and its members to think strategically about electronic media activities.
- Advise OPERA America and its members on production issues to determine what equipment and personnel are needed for recording and distribution, and to analyze when it is in the opera company’s interest to assume responsibility for those functions on its own and when it makes more sense to outsource the function to others.
- Advise OPERA America and its members on business issues, including examination of the pros and cons of self-production versus licensing to others, and of the opera company assuming responsibility on its own for marketing and distribution; to provide advice in negotiating contracts with a media company or outlet interested in licensing an opera company’s productions; and to help develop financial pro formas.
- Provide advice and counsel to OPERA America and its members relating to the rights clearance issues they will encounter with conductors, soloists, musicians, choristers, dancers, stagehands, stage directors, choreographers, designers, composers and publishers in the planning and implementation of electronic media activities. In this regard, the consultants will identify those matters for which expert legal advice may be required and assist OPERA America and its members as requested in its engagement of and interaction with appropriate legal counsel.
- Interact with the AFM, AGMA, AFTRA, IATSE and/or their respective Locals, as requested by OPERA America and/or an institution, in connection with the interpretation and implementation of local and national electronic media collective bargaining agreements
Activities
A Pre-Conference Electronic Media Forum seminar was held on Wednesday, June 11, 2008, in Denver, in association with the
National Performing Arts Convention.
The first meeting of the Electronic Media Forum was held on February 25 and 26, 2008 in New York City. Topics included:
- Opera companies and electronic media activities
- Technological overview
- Strategic planning for electronic media, production and business issues
- Rights issues
- How-to hypothetical case studies
- Open discussion and Q&A session
An archive of our quarterly Electronic Media Forum e-newsletters may be found
here*.
Professional Company Members are reminded that any questions for Michael Bronson, Joseph Kluger and/or OPERA America staff can be sent to
ElectronicMedia@operaamerica.org.
* - Members only.