module specification

The live entertainment sector is the fastest growing part of the entertainment industries at present, and this trend is set to continue in the foreseeable future. The scale of mergers and acquisitions that have created global live entertainment giants such as Live Nation has contributed to this trend. Moreover, the trend of blending experiences across sectors, formats, genres and media has led to the growth in new types of blended events such as interactive streaming for theatre, special events, festivals, talent shows, competitions, and awards ceremonies (Google/YouTube music video awards) among others. Clearly, this is a growing area of industry practice going beyond music and events and encompassing fashion, culture, PR etc.

Being one of the world’s entertainment industry capitals, London and the UK as a whole have a lot to offer students willing to embark on the practical training and learning in this area. Therefore, in order to boost employability and enhance student experience, we have partnered with one of the most prestigious music venues in London and the world to create the means for enabling students to connect theory and practice in live and blended events environment. Whilst testing knowledge and understanding, we will also encourage students to develop entrepreneurial skills and enable them to learn the key aspects of the law, branding, marketing and management of live entertainment events, merchandising and venue- or set management. This module will have a significant practical component and team work will be at the centre of setting up real life events that would enable our students to network and present their work to real industry clients, panels and investors with the aim of honing their skills to professional level and testing them in a market environment.

We attained considerable synergies already through existing partnerships with industry partners such as Club Fandango, Concert Live and others enhancing employability and skills. We are set to continue broadening this collaborative approach that benefits students.

Introduction to the Events, Music, Sport and Tourism Industries (LT4012), Introduction to Marketing (MC4004) or other Level 4 module in media or marketing/PR

1. To introduce venue management practice.
2. To introduce live touring and booking methods.
3. To explore the live sector as a growth area of the international entertainment industry
4. To explain the roles of agents and promoters in both the UK and internationally.
5. To place the live entertainment and venue management within the context of the music, events and related creative businesses within the UK, Europe and worldwide
6. To assess budgetary and marketing priorities in promotion.
7. To address the PR implications of the live sector for other related sectors and industries
8. To explore ticketing and booking procedures in the context of digital tools in use today
9. To analyse merchandising concepts within the context of entertainment and venue management
10. To explore sponsorship and brands within the context of the entertainment business
11. To understand the use of technology in events promotion, dissemination and delivery: e.g. digital events marketing, live streaming and on-site creative entertainment (on set)

The following Core Skills list will be Introduced (I), Practiced (P) or Assessed (A), as presented in the table below:

1. Introduction to Agency & Promotion
2. Venue Management
3. Tour Planning
4. International Touring
5. Budgets
6. Marketing
7. Sponsorship
8. Merchandise
9. Technical Matters
10. Legal procedures in:
11. venue licensing,
12. public order,
13. live performance agreements,
14. sponsorship, merchandising, and
15. brand protection
16. Live streaming
17. Stage design and set management
18. Online ticketing
19. Audio-visual content in live entertainment
20. Pop-ups and franchised events

This module will be delivered as a series of 1 hour lectures and 2 hour workshops. Weekly lectures will focus on key tasks, as well as areas of teaching and learning with a weekly workshop integrated into the lecture subject and a live venue/music event-oriented task focusing on planning and delivery of service. Workshops will focus on group activities: communications, problem solving and case study analysis, research skills and applications including the use of digital platforms and learning by doing, presentations. All of this will be connected to key industry contexts. Guest speakers from our exclusive industry contacts and their collaborative partners will be invited to lecture and deliver workshops.

Blended learning plays central part in this module: strategies such as formative assessment through online collaboration; summative assessment best practice will continue with the use of mp3 and other digital audio formats for assessment feedback sent by email. Online teaching materials will be used systematically and in conjunction with in-class interaction through lectures and seminar tasks.

Reflective learning will focus on both formative and summative assessment. Students will be required to write reflective accounts regarding any aspect of collaborative work and assessment planning.

Employability will be enhanced through 1) in-depth understanding by means of practical application of the key skills in the context of real life industry tasks (syllabus); 2) specific activities geared towards the application of reflective practice in individual and group work; 3) assessment requirements are directly connected to the impact which is made on the practical study task involving real life industry clients (formative/summative assessment)

On successful completion of this module students will be able to:

1. Investigate and identify key operations, players and best practice within the sectors of venue, booking, agency and promotion management and professionals in live entertainment events.

2. Construct and evaluate appropriate marketing, budgeting and other relevant [e.g. tour] schedules and plans, based on market research conducted for a real life events entertainment enterprise.

3. Apply the knowledge of the basic legal requirements of the sector (e.g. events regulations).

4. Develop a set of events for real life entertainment venues [incl. pop-ups], working within budgetary constraints and pitching their event to a potential investor.

5. Present and critically analyse their findings to an industry audience and seek funding and business contacts.

6. Create and evaluate  innovative business deals in merchandising, sponsorship, and/or licensing promotion.

1. Short in-class test – students will be required to complete the in class test for their module, examining their understanding of the key theoretical and practical aspects of event planning in music 30%

2. Write a 1200-word individual report based on their real-life live events/venue/pop-up campaign/pitch which would enable them to manage their group effort effectively and present their work to potential investors
20%

3. Prepare 30-minute group (team) presentations delivered before a panel of academic staff and industry mentors where they would reflect on their respective individual roles and contributions, add their knowledge and analysis to the pitch and identify the key areas of strengths and weaknesses of the project involving a real industry partner supplied to the team
50%

Assessment tariff was utilised to allow for entry and exit points, facilitating Study Abroad and Erasmus students or any other exchange, guest or extension of knowledge programmes in place thereafter.

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Todorovic, M with Bakir, A (2016) Rethinking Strategy for Creative Industries: Innovation and Interaction, London/NY: Routledge

Atkins, M (2007) Tour: smart: and break the band, Soluble LLC

Kemp, C (2010) Case Studies in Crowd Management, Security and Business Continuity, Entertainment Technology Press

Hewison, R and Holden, J (2011) The Cultural Leadership Handbook. Gower Publishing Ltd.

Ferdinand, N and Kitchin, P (2012) Events Management: An International Approach. Sage Publications

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O'Toole, W., Harris, R. and McDonnell, I., (2005). Festival and special event management. Milton: John Wiley & Sons Australia.

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Rock & Out, Doubleday

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Shagan, R., (2001), Booking & Tour Management for the Performing Arts,
Allworth Press, New York.

Morrison, A.M., (2013). Marketing and managing tourism destinations. Routledge.

Vasey, J., (1997), Concert Tour Production Management, Focal Press

Music Managers Forum (MMF), (2016), The Music Management Bible,
SMT, London

Holt, M and Mayer, D (1994) Stage Design and Properties (Phaidon Theatre Manuals). Phaidon

Rutter, P (2011) The Music Industry Handbook, Routledge
Passman D., (2015), All you need to know about the Music Business. Simon & Schuster

Music Week
Time Out
Billboard
The Guardian Newspaper – Monday edition Media section
The Financial Times – Tuesday edition – Creative Business
Business Week
The Economist
The Stage
Screen International
Broadcast

www.bpi.co.uk
www.ukmmf.co.uk (Music Managers Forum)
www.ifpi.org
www.musicindie.com
www.musicweek.com
www.recordoftheday.com
www.musicjournal.org
www.dotmusic.com
www.nme.com
www.ft.com
www.guardian.co.uk
www.europemedia.net
www.screendaily.com
www.hollywoodreporter.com
www.access-aa.co.uk