Creative Networks Music Virtual Steering Group or CNMVSG

From: Scarlet Scardanelli
Sent: 14 February 2007 11:32
To: Islah Ali-MacLachlan; TIC i-Media Commercial
Subject:

Agenda 22nd Feb 2007 Creative Networks

5pm – 6pm Boardroom GO03
Short-film programme provided by Lighthouse
All films were produced on the City and Guilds Course run at Lighthouse last year:
Running time: 54 mins 16 secs

From Izzy
To Mark
Subject: Films being shown in boardroom next Thurs

Just to let you know that a series of short films are being shown in the boardroom at TIC from 5pm next Thursday. Delegates at the music network meeting would be most welcome. I’m doing my best to swap my lectures around so I can start attending but I’ll see you after if not at the meeting.

Look forward to catching up, I missed the last one due to being on paternity leave

Cheers, Izzy

Hi Issi,
Is this still happenning or has it been rescheduled? This appears to be, in my view, a clash with the music network from 4-6pm. who is planning all this? I have gone out of my way to bring the network to the tic at a time that sits well with the whole event. the music network 4-6 and then creative network after it. I can't be bothered to fight with a whole list of others who are capable of causing chaos at any minute. I know that even I would be interested in attending this film thing so I don't feel this is intelligent planning. How about we scrap the idea of the music network altogether and you tell steve smith to stick his management up his ass? perhaps you have a better suggestion? apologies if I'm being somewhat sensitive but i'm sick of being messed about by this whole saga, I have better things to do with my time than continuously discuss something over and over again when it was all agreed months ago. ha ha, here we go again, lets have another meeting, lets talk it through, hang on let me send you a reply, what about next time, what about last time, can we do it better????
cheers
mark
ps who do i speak to to get my short films shown then? ha ha!

From Izzy:
to: Malcolm
I am liaising with The Music Network who are hosting an event from 4pm-6pm every last Thursday of the month (to coincide with Creative Networks). They need the room to be set up boardroom style with desks and chairs around the outside facing the centre. Is it possible that your team could do this on Thursday (Their meeting is 4-6, room booked 3.30-6.30) and also could you please book this to recur every month
Kind regards, Izzy

From: Andy Derrick
Sent: 21 February 2007 14:40
To:
Subject: CN Music Virtual Steering Group

Hi

You are invited to join the Creative Networks Music Virtual Steering Group or CNMVSG (Trips off the tongue don’t it?)

This group has been created in response to issues raised at a meeting between the Creative Networks team and the LSC & MU. It was felt by us all that any ideas, input, advice from the music industry should come through to the bods at CN in a clear, concise and unambiguous way. As we all represent groups that want Creative Networks to succeed and musicians of all abilities and discipline to be better served, then it is in our interest to make our presence felt in the most positive way possible.

To this end, a Virtual Steering Group is to be created involving agencies and organisations that support musicians in the Midlands. This virtual steering group will act as a forum for ideas to be discussed, formulated and agreed upon. Once a consensus is reached, we will then pass our recommendations to Scarlett Scardinelli. I think that for matters regarding music at Creative Networks, we should work through a single point of contact and I am willing to take that role. It may be that we delegate individuals for certain communications, i.e. Izzy would handle the arrangements for the April CN directly.

I hope this meets with your approval, and that you have time to come aboard and give your experience and knowledge to help make CN a more relevant and valuable opportunity for musicians everywhere.

Please reply to this email to confirm your acceptance in being a part of this group.
Any comments/feedback gratefully received.
Regards,
Andy Derrick

From: Tara
Dear Mr. Chairman,
Thank you for your kind invitation; I would feel privileged to be a part of such a group!
I’m in…!
Tara
Gigbeth Marketing and Events Co-ordinator

From: julie
Andy
Sounds great to me!
Julie
Midlands Regional Organiser
Secretary to the Jazz Section
Musicians' Union

From: Clare
I second that...
Clare
Clare Edwards
Music Co-ordinator
Birmingham and Solihull LSC

From: Anthony
Hi Andy & All,

Thanks for the effort in making this process less painful – a good step in the logical direction, well done.

A single point of contact seems logical – I for one still don’t know what or who the various organisers of CN are and how to avoid problems like the ones Mark has been experiencing.

On a point of clarification, are we saying that Scarlet is where the buck stops? – Please make that known to Music Network / Mark so he can find out why the boardroom has again been apparently double booked. Shouldn’t we be copying Scarlet into this thread?

The other advantage of a virtual steering group is that I can virtually stay in my office and deal with my emails like a good little admin bod!(On second thoughts…)

How will this virtual group work in practice? - See you all in cyber space?

Thanks

Anthony

From Andy Derrick
Hi Anthony, I only want to contact Scarlett with finished ideas, rather than make her party to discussion. I see the mechanism as an hourglass with us in the bottom half, leading to me at the narrow point and passing on info upto Scarlett who will pass info on upwards. As a result, we don’t need to know anything about the CN hierarchy.

As regards Mark and the double booking of the board room, I don’t really see that as within the scope of this steering group, but something Mark needs to take up independently with the schedulers.

Now all we need is for someone to initiate an idea!
Cheers,
Andy

From: Anthony
How/ when do we meet/ virtually then? – I dare say I’ve got loads of ideas and it would be good to get this moving in the coherent fashion you have suggested.
Cheers

Anthony
From: Izzy

Look forward to being in the interesting end of the hourglass. I think the idea of contacting Scarlet with finished ideas only is a very good one. What’s the best platform for us all to interact?
Cheers, Izzy

From: Mark
Hi all,

I have to hand it to you, pure genius on the "Virtual" steering group. Does that mean it's virtual but not quite or just imaginary? I don't think I've laughed so much in recent memory. You lot ought to start a comedy club. sorry, I'm not supposed to be suggesting ideas am I? That's your job. ooops, I stand corrected. Apologies.

ok then as Andy said

"As regards Mark and the double booking of the board room, I don’t really see that as within the scope of this steering group, but something Mark needs to take up independently with the schedulers. Now all we need is for someone to initiate an idea!"

...excellent, clearly no one dares to deal with a supposedly rational human being.

question: Can one of you reveal the identity of "The Schedulers" and please supply phone number, email and any other relevant address.so I can actually get on and do something that doesn't involve you lot having to have a virtual meeting about it before I can make something happen?

wake me when you lot have managed to virtually manage your way out of that paper bag.

somebody fire me, I can't do it anymore......oh no, I don't have a job, its virtual job, I can't be fired, I have no virtual employer, better get back to my virtual job with this imaginary record label and the virtual music network that doesn't actually exist. Before I go, another question to think about....Has anyone thought about "what if you're virtual meeting place is double booked? do you have a virtual contingency plan.argh!!!!....what's one of those? do you need a real one or can you get away with a virtual one? I almost forgot to ask, Who's paying the virtual invoice for your imaginary tea, coffee and plate of biscuits at your virtual steering meeting then?

you jokers

mark

From Andy Derrick:
Hi Mark, and everyone else

The only contacts I have at the tic worth using are Izzy, and he in copied into this email dialogue or Scarlett Scardinelli.

The whole CN team I know about are Steve Smith (Super Powers: fine words and vigourous handshake), Ha Vu (Super Powers: details nd getting Money) and Scarlett Scardinelli (Super Powers: yet to be determined).

I think Izzy mentioned that the whole board room thing with the Music Network was an ongoing problem and he was doing his best to find a new proper home where you wouldn't get moved on. It is important to realise that whilst it has it's failings, the CN event is more useful to us because someone is taking care of providing a venue and arranging a lot of stuff. We all know as musicians that if we had the time and resources, we could probably do a a better job, but it's better to let someone take care of the organising end and we can sit back and suggest how they should do it without becoming too embroiled.

Now for an idea.

We need to come up with a music idea for CN between May and September. Do we want to use Izzy's model of a range of advice givers covering the whole production, marketing and vending process? or a guest speaker? or something different.

Answers on a virtual postcard

Hopefully see some of you in a more than virtual fashion at a good old fashioned sit around the desk and talk meeting.
Regards,
Andy

From Tara
I do admire your political correctness, Mr. Derrick.

Perhaps the idea of sitting around a table is not a bad idea; maybe we should get together and bounce some initial ideas around, as I don’t think the ‘virtual’ meetings will be as successful at the beginning. Surely, meeting face-to-face (controversial, I know) will allow us all to make sure we are on the same page?!
… Just an idea!
Tara

From Anthony
Can I have some super powers too? I’m trying to think up a good Marvel – style name for myself. At the moment I suspect people just refer to me as Digital Central Man. I’m not keen on that one.

I think Izzy is doing a great job digging himself out all the ‘stuff’ that gets dumped on him, and his idea of (If I‘ve got this right) almost a walk through of concept to consumer is a good one. I would suggest drawing on experts in the field from both within and without the region.

I would also suggest that we already have this process in place (Nearly) in that 4pm people can access advice, guidance and network. 6PM they can mingle and make contacts. 7pm they can attend the MU surgery style activity for specifics (Including issues of IP, performing etc) and with the guest speaker they can have a targeted industry perspective which is sometimes specific to technical aspects of the industry. So maybe what we need to do is just tie in all the existing aspects in a more joined up way?

I may be a bit slow sometimes but does this constitute a virtual email or are we to develop ideas around these virtual meetings? I’m really not being facetious.

Anthony

Ps – Izzy, am I right in assuming that you have taken delivery of two babies at once?

What a great idea Tara, how about we all meet 4-6pm on the last thursday of the month at the TIC seeing as we are all involved in this music thing. maybe others sat round the table may even suggest some ideas too. it could even turn into something worthwhile and there will be tea and biscuits too, we may have to discuss who's going to pay for them though. Anyone got any ideas on that one?
cheers
mark