Recreate My Night: Building an Effective Social Platform for Music Promotion

MIDTOWN, MANHATTAN: There’s more than one way to socialize, but as the Web continues to expand, determined entrepreneurs must dig deeper to create new group experiences.

Its hard work for these thought leaders, but when they make a discovery, everyone else – especially those of us in the music sector — benefits with new ways to connect to audiences. At the NYC-based online startup RecreateMyNight (RMN), the aim has been to build a business with their own twist on the social media platform.

Created by President/Founder Tejpaul Bhatia and a roster of social media experts culled from ESPN and MTV, RMN allows its users to gather their photos, videos, and posts from a specific experience and stream them online to a central gathering place. Record companies are already seeing the potential: EMI’s Astralwerks label recently tapped it to promote David Guetta’s song “Memories” featuring Kid Cudi, adding up to a montage of fan-sourced media that play out along with the song (see the result at http://guetta.recreatemynight.com).

A free-to-use site, RMN provides the same opportunity to everyone from indie bands to ballgames to the bar mitzvah set. It’s a good enough idea, but there’s more than enough good ideas out there, competing like mad for the attention of individuals and investors. Will the market bite and turn RMN into a real breadwinner? Tejpaul and his team are betting – with every ounce of their blood, sweat and tears – that the answer is yes.

How do you define RecreateMyNight – is it a social platform?
One thing that we’re not is a social network. The big difference between us and sites in the social networking space is that we’re not a system of record – you don’t have to setup a username and password with us and you don’t have to upload any files to us. Users don’t have to change their behavior at all. They can upload to Twitter, Facebook, and RMN goes to all those social sites/platforms, and brings all those points in time into one place – in a comprehensive and meaningful way.

So if I’m using RMN, how do I share my images?
Say you upload images to Facebook from your phone. Then, you’ll connect RMN with Facebook, and RMN will automatically pull in anything tagged with that timeframe. It works amazingly well with FB’s mobile application. So you take a picture at a concert and upload it from your phone, boom – it’s in. Or if you just take it with a digital camera, you upload it to FB later and tag it with that time, RMN will then get them into that event.

Alternatively, five friends will pull in all the media they generated around it. Take that to the next level, with 30,000 people at a concert pulling in all their media. It gets extremely complex and interesting.

What niche would you say RMN is filling with what you offer?
What a lot of other solutions are providing is answering the question, “What’s happening right now?” Everything about Twitter and Facebook is right now – with phones and broadband you can upload it and it’s immediately broadcast to everyone.

We do a different take, asking the question, “What happened? How do you look at an event in a time-synched way?” With RMN, you can take all the images from an event that you didn’t know existed, and show what people were thinking in a way that was tied together with photos and videos. So we’re different in the way that we take media, and present them back to the user, but also because we don’t change people’s behavior in the ecosystem – we just take what they’re doing and make it exponentially more valuable.

Why is that particularly useful in the music arena?
When we launched the product, we knew there were a couple of verticals that were a slam dunk, with music/concerts being one, and weddings being another.

When we launched, we were approached by EMI Records – they said, “We have a new band, The Constellations, and we want to see if you can help promote them.” So we recreated every concert of their summer tour, and EMI said, “This is cool, can we do it with a larger artist?” David Guetta is a natural: He’s got a ton of followers, he’s very active in the social space, and the song is “Memories”. Labels are great because they have resources, and we can customize campaigns for them, but what matters is how to get this to the local artist.

For an artist that sells a couple thousand tickets, there was an in-between need that we thought needed to be met. At CMJ, for example, some bands used RMN to showcase the events. When you go to our site, you’ll see there’s a band called The Wellington Papers that used RMN. People were taking photos and videos, and these guys did a recreation for each of three shows in a week. You can see all the posts and Tweets, some photos look pro while others are raw, and all this took this upstart band and made them look even better.

There was so much fan participation, but it wasn’t a hurdle. We didn’t ask them to do anything – they did it on their own. Then other fans see it and say, “I was there!” and their media gets pulled in. So even though the concert was one night, three or four weeks later it’s still living. It’s a local band using the site to promote themselves, and it worked really well.

Recreate My Night is free for users — what’s the revenue model?

Currently, RecreateMyNight earns revenue through licensing agreements with other companies. Our customers brand, white label or embed our platform inside theirs. Looking forward, we see revenue generating opportunities in the area of consumer goods like photo prints, customized/personalize merchandise and music downloads. We also see a lot of opportunities in the area of contextual advertising once we figure out a seamless way to integrate it into our products.

You’re based in NYC. What’s good and bad about being an online startup here?
Let’s start with the good: NYC is a microcosm of the world. With 8 million people here, whatever your product is, there’s an audience in NYC for it. Music and media is an obvious play – there’s a lot of people, companies and energy around. In NYC, I can have as many meetings in a day as I can possibly fit in. We could always be busy selling with business development people, if I had enough of them. And on the user side, to recruit local bands I don’t have to do major outreach to test something new: I can just call a couple of friends and get quick feedback.

From a challenge sense, NYC is a tough place. With so much competition, getting the word out isn’t easy. And for startups, NYC is particularly tough. We don’t have much capital. We’re putting our lives into this, making a big investment not necessarily with cash, but with our time and the hope that this will pay us back at some point. NYC is evolving to be more supportive of that type of dream, but if you look at a startup breeder like Silicon Valley, it’s not like that.

However, if you look at this as a place for starting up and succeeding, NYC has a lot of history like that. The city is doing a ton of stuff to support entrepreneurs, and the mayor and his different departments have played a huge role in our ability to stay alive right now. A couple of programs include The Levin Institute and the NYC Economic Development Corporation, they both do a ton of programs for startups.

There’s a scene, a support structure, and people just have to believe — that the positives of NYC can outweigh the difficulties, and make it a truly great place to get started.

– David Weiss

NYC Producer/Engineer/Mixer Steve Pageot Signs Endorsement Deals with Native Instruments, Arturia

NYC-based Producer/Engineer/Mixer and multi-instrumentalist Steve Pageot (Aretha Franklin, Bone Thugs & Harmony, Krayzie Bone, Snoop Dog, ESPN, MTV) announced that he has recently signed two endorsement deals.

As an endorser of Native Instruments, Pageot is working extensively with the Maschine Groove Production Studio. Pageot is also now endorsing Arturia and is using the new Analog Laboratory Synthesizer Workstation in many of his current projects.

In addition, Pageot continues to instruct the Electronic Music Production workshop at SAE Institute’s NYC campus in Herald Square, now in his sixth year with the class.

“What’s great about this situation is that I get to prep the students with a two hour music production workshop before they graduate,” he says. “I feel very blessed that for the last six years SAE has giving me the chance to inspire so many students, and that these major companies are endorsing me. To me, it’s a stamp of approval for my contribution in the music industry.”

Find Steve Pageot at HTTP://WWW.MYSPACE.COM/STEVEPAGEOT, and twitter.com/StevePageot.

Music Seen: Music Supervisor Hot Picks * Electric Six “Countdown to the Countdown”

Artist: Electric Six

Song: “Countdown to the Countdown”

Why I Luv It: As my loyal readers already know, anytime I get an opportunity to push high quality American rock n roll, I’m gonna’ do it, so you shouldn’t be surprised that this week I’m getting behind a brand new song from a band that ain’t so brand new.

The song is “Countdown to the Countdown” by Detroit, Michigan rockers Electric Six, and it’s hot off their yet-to-be-released 7th studio album entitled “The Zodiac” (out September 28th).

This song is an absolutely inspiring and balls-to-the-wall hard-charger of a rock song, and Dick Valentine (vocals), The Colenol (guitar), Johnny Na$hinal (guitar), Smorgasbord (bass), Tait Nucleus? (synths), and Percussion World (drums) have yet again proven that great stage names and veteran skills are all it takes to write and record a hit song. (Smiley Face) OK, just kidding! These guys can write and arrange a song with the best of them too!!!!!

If you’re not aware, Electric Six rocks as hard as MC5 or The Stooges while having the comedic sensibility of Les Claypool or even Weird Al Yankovic. If you like Queens of the Stone Age, Pink Floyd, Ween, and everything rock-n-roll in between, you’re gonna’ love this song, and furthermore, you’re gonna’ love their whole catalog. Make it a point to pick up “The Zodiac” when it comes out in September because it’s one helluva’ rippin’ super-dynamic sonic journey my friends!!!

Scene I Can See it In: “Countdown to the Countdown” by Electric Six must have been tailor made for NFL Football because this tune harnesses the raw power and fierce energy of the sport just as well as any other tune I’ve heard used for similar purposes to date.

Specifically, I think this song would be a great sonic-branding tool for the coverage leading up to and on the day of the NFL Draft. NFL Network and ESPN cover collegiate NFL Draft prospects throughout the off-season and right up until the day of the draft every April. For the last couple years, NFL Network has chosen and licensed songs to support their coverage of The Draft, and one winner of a song ends up being the main sonic-brand or theme of that years draft.

For example, “Dreamer” by K’Naan was used by the NFL in 2009 for limited Draft coverage, and David Bowie’s “Under Pressure” has been extensively used by NFL Network over the past few years for Draft sonic-branding. “Under Pressure” plays more to the child-like emotion and nervous sensitivity in the hearts of young aspiring pro-atheletes. That’s a far cry from the pure rock fury exuded by Electric Six on “Countdown to the Countdown”, but that does not take away from the song’s undeniably strong instrumental emotion and obvious lyrical relevance to competitive professional sports.

The title “Countdown to the Countdown” (which is also the hook of the song) accurately exudes the tense, competitive emotion that every aspiring pro-athlete experiences on a daily basis. Furthermore, those words (especially the way they’re sung) put on display the immeasurable focus and hard work that each athlete puts in every day in preparation for the Draft. It’s not just the countdown, it’s “The Countdown to The Countdown”, and that is a perfect example of the serious commitment that each player makes to his sport, talent, and craft. The full song lyrics (at the end of this article) do the same just as well.

Vocal and instrumental performances are stellar on this track and they collectively hit the bulls-eye from the start of the song right up until a soaring psychedelic break at :47 in. I can see the beginning of the song being used as a backing track underneath exciting game highlights of perspective NFL Draftees. Right when the break comes in at :47 would be a perfect time for intense sweaty facial close-ups of these potential Draftee’s in a dark locker room, sitting on benches staring in to the camera lens as it pans by each player’s passionate yet stone cold face. These dramatic shots are meant to express the heart and soul of each of these players as they each individually Countdown to the Countdown of this year’s Draft.

As the break in the song builds back up to the intense rock fury of the verses and the hook, video footage could blend back in to highlight footage mixed with last year’s NFL Draftee’s having success on the field at the pro level in their rookie seasons.

Finally, I think this song is great fit for NFL Draft coverage because of the fact that it has a few distinctly unique sections that can be edited in to shorter-form chunks and used for different purposes (show bumpers, stingers, short-opens, etc) similar to my scene descriptions in the paragraph above.

Let’s all give a collective 2010 “WELCOME BACK” to NFL Football, and don’t forget to run out and buy Electric Six’s 7th studio album “The Zodiac” this September. Go Big Blue!!!!

Countdown to the Countdown

Where you gonna be when they can t control ya?
See you coming round and they gonna roll ya
Sell you in the ghetto like Detrola Cola
They start the countdown

Now you wish somebody would throw you a bone
Looking for a conflict to call your own
Well here s another song about the danger zone
It s about to go down!

35 seconds til the countdown starts
25 seconds til the countdown starts
94 seconds til the countdown starts
It s the countdown to the countdown

Time elapses
Love collapses
Over and over
Come over red rover
Our ship sails from Dover
Its cargo is time

Hey good looking with the helmet on!
Driving real fast on the autobahn
Staring at yourself up on the jumbotron
They start the countdown

35 seconds til the countdown starts
25 seconds til the countdown starts
94 seconds til the countdown starts
It s the countdown to the countdown

Can t stop listening
Can t stop watching

I need a product to use

Can t stop listening
Can t stop watching

It s called paying your dues!

Can t stop listening
Can t stop watching

Vampire movie on TV!

Can t stop listening
Can t stop watching

It s called paying your dues!
It’s called paying your dues!

Dave Hnatiuk of Autonatic Entertainment is a Music Supervisor / Sound Designer for MTV On-Air Promotions, NYC. Visit him at Autonatic Entertainment, Music Supervision Central or The Song Hunters. To be considered for a “Music Seen,” submit your track or link to Hnatiuk at submissions@sonicscoop.com.

Elie Maman (NY) Produces “Bring Me Down” for Sports Center LA

NYC-based Producer/Composer Elie Maman recently produced “Bring Me Down” by hip hop artist Fo Onassis featuring Mina.

The track is being featured on ESPN’s “Sports Center LA” for two consecutive weeks.

“When I was producing the track, I instantly ‘got that feeling’ that it was going to get licensed easily,” Maman says. “I sent it out and less than two weeks later I got offered a placement on ‘Sports Center LA’”.

Composer Focus: Elie Maman Keeps Moving Up

MIDTOWN, MANHATTAN: It’s a New Year — Instead of finding a yoga instructor for inspiration, check out Elie Maman. Equally adept at the business side of the biz, this fast-emerging producer/composer shows us just what kind of head you have to have on to fly fast forward off the city grid.

Straight out of Flatbush to worldwide exposure, Maman personifies NYC hustle. At just 21, Maman is quickly proving himself, thanks to his ability to create original artist tracks and scores that are naturally one step ahead of the curve.

If there’s one thing Maman likes more than nailing a sound, however, it just might be scoring a synch license. It started in earnest when his uniquely driving hip hop song for Universal Republic artist David Rush, “You Already Know”, got a key placement and huge exposure on a 2009 episode of the MTV show “Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Factory”. His appetite for music supervision success grew downright insatiable, and he’s been steadily building his network and library ever since.

Q: How would you describe the niche that Elie Maman Productions holds in the music business? How is your business model similar to others out there, and what’s making you different?
A: Elie Maman Productions is a one-stop-shop for music licensing — I handle everything from composing to the legal end of things. We’re similar in the sense that we all want the same outcome — which is getting music licensed in Film/TV and commercials, but the process of how we go about landing the deal is different. It’s a one-man show here at Elie Maman Productions.

Q: How do you see music and sound production evolving in NYC right now, and how are you set up to take maximum advantage of that?
A: The NYC music scene is always evolving. There’s a lot of opportunity here to make things happen. Some of the biggest music companies are based out of here — I take advantage by going out and NETWORKING at every event I hear about. With a site like SonicScoop it makes it much easier to be informed on the 411.

Q: Thanks for the plug! Your check is in the mail. Speaking of that — which revenue streams do you see opening up most strongly for NYC-based artists and music professionals? How are you involving yourself with those streams?
A: I see there are a lot of opportunities in the music licensing part of the music biz for artists and music professionals. Every source of media needs music, everything from film to TV to video games — even elevator music! Opportunities are endless. It’s all about finding YOUR niche.

Q: OK, let’s talk about YOUR niche, then! Tell us about a couple of different recent projects that you did that exemplify what you’re being asked to do now. What made them fun?
A: A recent project that I have completed was landing two tracks on MTV’s “Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Factory” DVD Season 1, which was released in September.

Another recent project was landing a placement on the 2009 MTV Movie Awards. The crazy thing about this placement was that the whole room was filled with the biggest names in the music/film industry and they all heard my track cranked up in the Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City, CA – this besides the millions of people at home watching it live. My track played right before Eminem took the stage — never thought I’d hear my song on one of the biggest award shows!

The cool thing about placements is hearing your track playing live on TV: You get this crazy rush that is very hard to explain. If you’ve landed a placement before then you know what I’m talking about. There’s been many different times when I would be sleeping, my TV would be on, and I’d wake up from hearing one of my songs on. Or I might turn on the TV and immediately hear my song playing.

Some of my other recent highlights include “The People’s Choice Awards” on CBS (which airs this Wednesday, at 9 PM EST). I also recently landed a track on “The How to Show” on MTV.com for their “How To Dance Like Michael Jackson” segment, plus ESPN’s SportsCenter and Sirius Radio.

One last thing is that there have been many opportunities that came from my previous placements on shows. From landing a placement on “Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Factory”, that led me to having the opportunity to have my track on the 2009 MTV Movie Awards, to getting a few other offers from MTV for some of their hit shows. My point is: one thing leads to another.

Q: That leads to this — how is your studio set up right now? Tell us about the technical highlights, and how it was built to accommodate the way you like to work.
A: My studio right now is really simple. Apple MacBook Pro set up like a desktop running Logic, JBL LSR 4326p monitors, Korg Wavestation as my controller, Rode NT1-A condenser mic, a few guitars and basses. That’s all! Pretty simple huh?

Q: Daddy like – it makes me feel a lot better about working 99% in the box. Give us one or two great production/mixing/mastering/recording tip that you’ve learned recently.
A: One: When mixing a track it’s always good to mix at a low volume, because once you get it to sound good at a low volume it will sound even better when it’s cranked up!

Two: When mastering a track, it’s always good to have a track similar in genre to A/B against to make sure you’re still getting the volume you need for that particular style of music.

Q: I especially like “Two” – it’s simple, but I hadn’t thought of that. OK, which piece of gear or plug-in is your “secret weapon”? Give it up!
A: I don’t own a piece of outboard gear. But I will say there is one VST that I find myself using quite often. Drum roll please! PoiZone by ImageLine.

Q: I ask people this a lot, and now I’m asking you: What’s rewarding and what’s challenging about being a music professional on your level today?
A: What’s rewarding is when you’ve created a tremendous amount of buzz from a track you had playing on a hit show. All of a sudden you’ve become this mini rock star! What gets tough is juggling everything from composing, mixing, and mastering to going out, networking, and taking care of the business end. There’s just not enough hours in a day.

Q: How does the fact that you’re choosing to do this in NYC impact how you go about growing your catalog and track record?
A: I would have to say it’s definitely a double-sided question. It’s easier to have a music career in a city like New York, as opposed to Indiana where it would be much harder to meet people in the biz. But on the other hand it’s much harder because there’s a lot more competition. – David Weiss