Next up, we’re looking at public relations in Soundtrack Nation through the words of Greg O’Connor-Read. Greg played an instrumental role in setting up some of the interviews in this very book, so I thought it might be interesting to pose a few questions to him about public relations in the soundtrack industry.
While we all know that public relations is a vital part of the broader entertainment industry, the casual reader might be surprised to know that there are quite a few PR firms that are well established in serving the soundtrack medium. In this interview, Greg gives us a snapshot of what it’s like to operate—and succeed—within this facet of the public relations framework.
You are now cleared for entry.
Tom Hoover: What type of publicity do your clients look for from your services, and what are some of the ways in which you promote their work?
Greg O’Connor-Read: The majority of my clients are composers looking to promote their latest score from a videogame, film, and/or soundtrack release. I also handle corporate announcements, new technology, and products and services tailored to the film, television, advertising, music, and videogame industries.
I provide my clients with a range of publicity services, including biography/profile and press-release writing, distribution of press releases and promotional materials, interview placements, soundtrack reviews, event appearances, product endorsements/ sponsorships, social networking, website management, press kits, and more.
Tom Hoover: Please tell us how the recruiting process works and what you look for from prospective clients before working with them.
Greg O’Connor-Read: Composers are usually referred to me by agents, other composers, audio directors, music supervisors, producers, or word of mouth. Many times a composer will be familiar with my work and wants to hire me to deliver similar exposure for them. Some composers have not worked with a publicist before, so I will provide an overview of the process. We will discuss his/her achievements and goals, as well as specific details of the project itself, in order to establish their positioning and tailored messaging. It is preferable for a composer to have an upcoming project/event to promote and to contact me up to one to three months prior to release if and where possible. After our initial discussion, I will submit my brief/pitch for them to review before commencing.
Tom Hoover: From your experiences in this field, how impressed are you with the manner in which composers relate to their fans? There really does seem to be an interactive flow about it all and a genuine appreciation that goes both ways.
Greg O’Connor-Read: Yes, composers are always very appreciative of their fans’ enthusiasm and support. Though most of my clients do not have time to respond directly to fan correspondence, they do embrace interactivity with their fans at meet-and-greets, concerts, CD-signing events, and select online communities. Living and working in an interactive digital age, all artists are now open to enthusiast feedback, especially in videogames, where the audience plays the director as well as the player.
Tom Hoover: Without divulging any inside strategies, what are some of the creative ways in which you increase notoriety for the emerging composers you represent?
Greg O’Connor-Read: I create multilayered custom campaigns for each composer, highlighting his or her strengths and individual talents, and I target outlets accordingly that best showcase a composer’s work, expertise, or latest accomplishment. I will look for synergy with crossover appeal and secure unique opportunities to make him or her stand out and be recognized apart from his or her peers. I will align composers with strategic partners and influential spotlights.
Tom Hoover: What has impressed you most with the development of videogame music you’ve heard over the years, and how much larger do you think this medium can become?
Greg O’Connor-Read: When talented composers are given the encouragement and freedom to push themselves creatively, their music can be inspirational and more engaging than many of today’s film scores.
Composing music for videogames, film, and television is a highly competitive business, but scoring for games is an ever-evolving field with major technological changes every few years. The great artists working in the medium will continue to develop and produce the most immersive and memorable scores, and this will increase consumer demand for high-quality soundtrack releases. Videogames are the fastest-growing form of entertainment, and their soundtrack market will grow exponentially.
Tom Hoover: How important is it for today’s composers to be proactive in promoting their work? Is it almost a necessity at this point given the depth of competition that is out there?
Greg O’Connor-Read: Promotion is essential to succeed in any highly competitive market and requires careful and considered handling to be most effective. Successful artists retain publicists as well as agents/managers and attorneys.
Tom Hoover: Do you anticipate that composers who specialize in game music will soon cross over to do more work in film?
Greg O’Connor-Read: Yes, there are multimedia composers who have the acumen, character, experience, and talent to score feature films. Also, the entertainment business and cultural climate is shifting. I envisage true convergence where the composer of the game will also score the film adaptation, helping to bring the core audience to the movie theater and vice versa.
Tom Hoover: What aspect about your work in public relations do you enjoy the most?
Greg O’Connor-Read: I enjoy the collaborative spirit of working with composers, providing them new opportunities, and helping artists to realize their potential. And when they are deservedly recognized for their outstanding work, it is especially gratifying, knowing the journey traveled.
Tom Hoover: What are some of the various venues to which your publicity campaigns reach out? Also, given the vast reach of today’s entertainment domain, do you operate on a global scale?
Greg O’Connor-Read: Yes, I service consumer magazines, trades, genre entertainment, specialist media, online, TV, and radio worldwide. I’m originally from London and have been based in the U.S. for nearly 10 years, during which time I’ve secured coverage for composers and soundtracks in globally recognized media, such as BBC, Billboard, Hollywood Reporter, New York Times, Variety, official PlayStation magazine, official Xbox magazine, and MTV.
Tom Hoover: In summary, how important are dependability and professionalism in the work that you do? Are these attributes, in essence, what instills confidence in your current and future clients?
Greg O’Connor-Read: They are imperative to the role of publicist. Maintaining the integrity of each of my clients is a major responsibility I take very seriously. I am on call for my clients, and some would say I go beyond the call of duty. I specialize in this field, and my regular clients trust me for my area of expertise, just as their clients call on them for their musical prowess.
Greg has been instrumental in the promotion of numerous award-winning composers and breakthrough soundtracks, including Alan Wake, Alone in the Dark, Assassin’s Creed, BioShock, Dante’s Inferno, Dark Void, Dead Space, Dragon Age, Fable, Freedom Fighters, Gears of War, Ghost Recon, God of War, Halo, Harry Potter, Head-hunter, Hitman, InFamous, Mass Effect, Myst, Prince of Persia, Red Steel, Splinter Cell, Uncharted, and many more.
A prolific promoter and constant leading authority in his field, Greg consulted for the Barbican’s “Game On” exhibition, the first international touring exhibition to celebrate the art and culture of videogames. He lobbied for and secured the British Academy Award (BAFTA) for best original music in a videogame and moderated the Society of Composers and Lyricists’ (SCL) inaugural seminar on “Writing Music for Games.” Greg was consulted by Viacom-owned GameTrailers TV on the induction of the “Best Original Video Game Score” category into the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs). He is also a consultant and moderator for the Hollywood Reporter/Billboard Film & TV Music Conference, the Computer Music magazine monthly column “Game Overture,” and the MIDEM Music for Images Conference, which has featured leading industry figures such as world-renowned artist/musician/producer Nile Rodgers (founder, Sumthing Else Music Works), Richard Jacques (composer, Mass Effect and Head-hunter), and Jesper Kyd (composer, Assassin’s Creed and Hitman). Greg has secured coverage for composers and soundtracks in global media such as BBC, Billboard, Hollywood Reporter, The New York Times, Variety, Official PlayStation Magazine, Official Xbox Magazine, and MTV.
Prior to these accomplishments in the videogame industry, Greg was formerly press officer for The Orange live-music venue and promotions firm based in west London. The Orange was one of London’s premier A&R hotspot venues and played host to numerous popular British music artists, such as Radiohead, Jamiroquai, 3 Colours Red, Moloko, and Feeder. The Orange was also the venue for “Live at the Orange,” the world’s first live onscreen interactive music program produced by the Videotron cable TV company.
In 2009, Greg co-founded Licence to Thrill Music (with A&R music exec Valerie Vickers, formerly international A&R manager at One Little Indian Records, London and Elektra Records, New York), an independent music publisher representing original works by award-winning composers Inon Zur, Jesper Kyd, Michael McCann, and Richard Jacques for placement in multimedia.
Website: www.topdollarpr.com