Newspaper Experience
I caught the “publishing bug” in the Fall of 1991 when I was offered a position as Production Manager for a newspaper publisher on the west side of Indianapolis. I was not specifically interested in newspaper publishing but needed the work. This job was and 80 hour per week trial by fire. I had 10 people reporting to me and no management experience. We produced two weekly newspapers, a bi-weekly real estate magazine and several specialty publications so the deadlines were brutal. I learned much of what I know about managing a team, staying calm under tight deadlines/budgets and the publishing business in general from this job. The experience of navigating the politics of the relationship between advertising, editorial, circulation and business development departments proves valuable even today.
Early Magazine Experience
I landed the job of Art and Production Director at CCM Communications in October of 1992. When I took the position I was charged with the design and production of two consumer titles and a weekly trade publication covering charts and the business side of contemporary Christian music. We grew from a staff of 14 to a staff of around 50 and produced as many as seven national titles as well as websites, TV and radio broadcasts. As the business grew, I grew too, becoming Creative Director in 1995.
My experience at CCM Communications built on what I had learned from working at a local newspaper. These magazine titles had a larger, national audience and the editorial and design standards were higher. I was able to use far more of the design skills I had developed in art school, art directing photo shoots, hiring illustrators and designers and developing a stronger vision for all of CCM Communication’s properties.
I continued to learn more about the publishing business as well as the music business. I was fortunate enough to work with a publisher, editors and journalists that took their roll as part of the media quite seriously. They taught me a lot about editorial integrity and the diplomatic skills it takes to deal with publicists, celebrities with easily bruised egos and powerful music executives. I also learned that though the music industry can be tough, it’s filled with passionate people that love what they do making it an enjoyable business to be a part of.
Unidea
In October of 2000 I felt I had grown as much as I could at CCM Communications and formed Unidea, a design partnership with a long-time associate. We continued to work in magazine design and expanded into books, websites, CD packaging, marketing materials and I began to get illustration gigs. We worked for a wide variety of clients, many in Nashville but we began to expand to clients in New York.
I learned a great deal about running a business from Unidea. Without the support of sales, accounting and production staffs, we had the opportunity to wear a lot of hats. I found self employment very satisfying but it really made me appreciate the infrastructure that a larger, established business affords.
Orbital Arts
After a couple of years working together, my partner and I dissolved Unidea and I formed Orbital Arts in September of 2002. While continuing to provide design and illustration service I also began to pursue custom publishing clients. My first custom publishing client was BurnLounge, Inc., an online music service based in New York. BurnLounge Magazine was launched as a quarterly title in early 2006. I assembled an editorial and design team from around the country and ran the magazine, splitting time between BurnLounge’s New York office and my office in Nashville. The magazine was very well received by both readers and the music industry. We landed cover interviews with “A-list” artists like ColdPlay, Foo Fighters, Avril LaVigne, Busta Rhymes and Akon among others and we began to get traction with major advertisers. By July of 2006 the decision had been made to increase the magazine’s frequency to monthly beginning in January of 2007 and I was asked to come to work full-time for BurnLounge in the role of Creative Director.
BurnLounge, Inc.
In addition to my duties publishing the magazine, I was charged with oversight of BurnLounge’s product development, art and marketing departments with a combined staff of 18. The product development staff produced specs for new online products, designed user interfaces and worked closely with the IT department to provide deliverables on time with a consistently high quality aesthetic. The marketing department produced numerous online and offline promotions along with events and promotional programs for sponsors. The art department provided visuals for both the product development department and the marketing department.
RevImage
BurnLounge, Inc. ceased operations in August of 2007. I moved on to become Creative Director of RevImage, a small startup formed by some ex-BurnLounge executives and staff. RevImage is involved primarily in the development of online video content, platforms and advertising solutions. Going back to work for a very small company allowed me to once again wear a lot of hats and develop some new skills. I got to work on the writing, directing, editing and producing of an online TV show documenting a national rap competition for Loud Records. I helped develop and execute an online competition to find an opening act for Avril LaVigne’s tour in China. We worked on the re-launch of a social network called Trig.com that caters to young, creative users. This job really stretched my ability to develop non-print media products. Unfortunately, the economic collapse in the fall of 2008 caused investors to pull back and the two principals of RevImage were forced to lay off all staff.
The Present
I’m obviously looking for a job. I’m open to discussing anything but I have some preferences. I’d like to work in publishing, preferably in the music/entertainment industry and preferably for an established brand. The media business in New York is tight at the moment so I’m being patient and seeking something that is a really good fit. In the meantime, I’m painting (as in making art, not painting walls or houses), exploring lots of new music, babysitting dogs, cooking in our tiny apartment kitchen and developing a blog about cooking in said tiny kitchen. If you have a position that you believe I might be right for, please reach me by email at brian@orbitalarts.com