Goodnight Kiss & Scene Stealer Music

Jan 28- Jan 31, 1999
Today's Topic: Mentoring

Welcome all.

I want to talk to you all about something that means a LOT, yet is becoming a "hip" way to insert yourself into the Industry. How many times in the last few years have you heard the word "mentor"? Or "Mentor Program"?

I'm sure enough to grasp the meaning. You basically grovel before anyone who is "great" (or the best person you can find) to spend a day/week/month with them, gleaning their best moves as they work on a daily basis. This caters to their ego, puts it on a person-favor basis (usually on behalf of whatever affiliation you belong to) with them, and gets you noticed faster. All you sacrifice is some time and kissing up. (Not to be confused with "interning" where you are the company grunt, copyboy, go4 and coffee maker.)

There are two problems with this program. 1.~ It reduces the "magic" of what a true mentor is. 2.~ The program gets washed out with people who are better at schmoozing than their art, and the opportunity is wasted.

Oh, and, there is sort of a 2A.~ Most mentors who are hit with someone who is less than genius, cannot wait to have them out of their hair. I have a teacher... he is also one of my many inspirational influences by his own work...he cares about me as a person...he brings ideas to our table with respect for me to have the capability to contribute as an equal...where my work is concerned, he is a demanding task master, yet has honest praise when I find the magic I am capable of...I would like to be like him. I would call him my mentor, yet the term is so ill-applied, it reduces what we have.

I am all for the program, and god knows there are Icons I would have liked to have "mentored" with. But I believe if you can find a REAL mentor in your life (hopefully, one who is a Songwriter, but any hero type will do to start) you will be blessed with enrichment...not just another contact. ~~ janet

c. 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 Goodnight Kiss Music, Janet Fisher

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