Nikon D750, Sigma 24-105mm f/4 DG OS HSM Art Lens, ISO 12800, ƒ/4, 1/250

Jeffrey Masin is a one-person band that entertains New Yorkers in the subway stations. I ran into him a few times while in NYC.

I am using Jeffrey as a point of reference because his performances stop folks, and they not only listen, but many are posting videos of him on their YouTube channels. Isn’t that what you want your work to do to make people STOP and LISTEN?

Here is a taste of his music:

Here is another music performance, this time by a band, The Queens Cartoonists. They, too, have audiences stopping and listening.

Nikon D750, Sigma 24-105mm f/4 DG OS HSM Art Lens, ISO 12800, ƒ/8, 1/160

It is essential to realize that they are both entertaining and very different. From a purely economic perspective, I doubt that the Queen’s Cartoonists are being tipped in the subways much more than Jeffrey Masin.

By doing the simple math, you can see that there are now six verses and only one person. So, for the Queen’s Cartoonists to make a similar living to Jeffrey Masin, they need to book bigger venues that do not rely on tips. By the way, when you Google both groups, you quickly understand what appears to be happening.

The Queens Cartoonists are paid to do commercial work for recording and playing in clubs.

photo by Jeff Raymond

Today, I am a multimedia storyteller. The hats I wear look like Jeffrey Masin, the one-person band. I am the producer, camera guy, sound guy, lighting director, editor, and marketer for many projects I am working on for my clients.

They also love the sound of the six-piece band, but most of them cannot afford to hire that size band compared to hiring me. So you need to figure out expenses in addition to the creative fee. The costs for six people push your price to the client beyond their budget.

But just like The Queens Cartoonists, Jeffrey Masin stops the crowds on the subways of NYC and gets their attention.

By all means, you need to learn to collaborate and work with a team to get the best product quality, but you also need to know how to do it all yourself, or you might not be working that often.

Nikon D750, Sigma 24-105mm f/4 DG OS HSM Art Lens, ISO 4000, ƒ/4, 1/60

To make music, you don’t need to play every instrument, but for the most part, those songs that resonate with people are often stories. So, if you know the storyline, you can, as a producer, figure out how to tell that story using your abilities.

The difference between working and begging for work is how to craft a solid storyline.

I will teach this skill in Nicaragua, Hawaii, and Honduras. The Honduras trip still has openings. Go here, http://workshop.stanleyleary.com, to learn more about storytelling. Do it as a one-person band because many who will hire you cannot afford the expenses of a larger band.

Gary S. Chapman is the other instructor on the Honduras trip. He works with NGOs and other organizations, helping them tell stories. His clients include Delta, World Vision, Atlanta Mission, National Geographic publications, National Geographic TV, and TOMS Shoes. Check out Gary’s marvelous work on his website, http://www.garyschapman.com.

What do all these musicians above have in common with me?

We are not just creating great content; we are responsible for the performance and finding our audience.

What do musicians and photographers who are not working have in common?

The main thing I see from my perspective is that they are all calling up other groups and asking if they can join them. They are not storytellers. They are technicians wanting a storyteller to hire them to help that storyteller tell a story.

Look at the tens of thousands of “performers” on TV shows The Voice and American Idol. The overwhelming majority of them are just technicians. They are not songwriters. That is why you might think they sound good performing another writer’s song, but you don’t see 99% of them making a living in the industry.

Almost every successful photographer, videographer, and writer I know has taken on a personal project where they produce their content and find an audience.

I can never do all that.

If you are saying this, I understand. I, too, felt that way. If you come with me to Honduras, Gary and I will walk beside you and help you navigate the deep waters of storytelling. Register today!! Come with us and learn how to become a content creator—no, not a performer.