Pitching potential new clients in South Korea
May 6, 2018 11:21 PM Subscribe
I have a high profile music composition/arrangement gig in South Korea. I normally work in Los Angeles. While in South Korea, I was hoping to make some professional connections - I normally work on a contract basis doing orchestration, arrangement and composing music for movies, theatre and entertainment.
I'm not sure where to start with trying to set up meetings. My goal would be to meet potential future employers who might hire me on a contract basis to compose, orchestrate or arrange music for them in the future. I speak English and Spanish only, and though I've traveled in Asia I have only worked professionally Europe and north America, so I'm uncertain of cultural norms and expectations. Any suggestions or advice (down to attire - I normally dresses more casually with clients in the US but was planning to wear a suit for meetings in South Korea)? I'm be willing to pay someone to facilitate but not sure how to find someone and how to approach this culturally.
Specifically would appreciate guidance on:
-What to wear and any cultural norms around me contacting people directly and asking for a meeting. Everyone will have heard of my company (if not the specific event I'm doing), no one will have heard of me.
-I've assumed that there might be some cachet associated with hiring a composer who is actively working in Hollywood (small projects but things that the majority in the industry will have heard of; my employers tend to be companies that nearly everyone has heard of). If you are from South Korea or have insights into the culture there, I'd be grateful if you could let me know if this is accurate.
-If by some amazing chance you have suggestions of what companies or whom to contact directly, that would be amazing.
-If you have advice of someone I could hire as an intermediary (or even a local agent who might be interested in representing me) to arrange meetings for me, I'm more than willing to pay. Not as interested in hiring someone who doesn't work in the industry, at least peripherally.
I'm not sure where to start with trying to set up meetings. My goal would be to meet potential future employers who might hire me on a contract basis to compose, orchestrate or arrange music for them in the future. I speak English and Spanish only, and though I've traveled in Asia I have only worked professionally Europe and north America, so I'm uncertain of cultural norms and expectations. Any suggestions or advice (down to attire - I normally dresses more casually with clients in the US but was planning to wear a suit for meetings in South Korea)? I'm be willing to pay someone to facilitate but not sure how to find someone and how to approach this culturally.
Specifically would appreciate guidance on:
-What to wear and any cultural norms around me contacting people directly and asking for a meeting. Everyone will have heard of my company (if not the specific event I'm doing), no one will have heard of me.
-I've assumed that there might be some cachet associated with hiring a composer who is actively working in Hollywood (small projects but things that the majority in the industry will have heard of; my employers tend to be companies that nearly everyone has heard of). If you are from South Korea or have insights into the culture there, I'd be grateful if you could let me know if this is accurate.
-If by some amazing chance you have suggestions of what companies or whom to contact directly, that would be amazing.
-If you have advice of someone I could hire as an intermediary (or even a local agent who might be interested in representing me) to arrange meetings for me, I'm more than willing to pay. Not as interested in hiring someone who doesn't work in the industry, at least peripherally.
Hi fellow composer! I’m in concert music so I can’t advise you re. cold approaches in film/media, but consider asking this question in the very active Facebook group "Business Skills for Composers" – that's mostly composers who work in media and a fairly international crowd that might well have some good insights re. Asian scenes. (If you want anonymity there too, you could always set up a secondary FB acct?)
posted by kalapierson at 11:55 AM on May 7, 2018
posted by kalapierson at 11:55 AM on May 7, 2018
was going to say you could PM me for specific/direct advice and contacts - but yes, the FB group mentioned by kalapierson is a good resource too. my friend runs it; he's good at moderating the group and giving useful tips - and there are a bunch of us who have some experience wrt Asia / film / sync music too.
posted by aielen at 5:40 AM on May 9, 2018
posted by aielen at 5:40 AM on May 9, 2018
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posted by helloimjennsco at 7:03 AM on May 7, 2018 [1 favorite]