Archive for July 2023
3 Reasons Songwriters Should NOT Quit Their Day Job
This article is being published jointly on Artzray and Soundfly in celebration of #SongwritingWeek! By Alan Semerdjian, featured photo by Kenny Janosick There’s this idea out in the world that unless we’re working as songwriters and doing music full-time — music solely — we’ve somehow failed or compromised our integrity as artists. I’ve come to understand this notion as flawed thinking.…
Read MoreWhat do UCLA and The Simpsons Have in Common? Chuck Sheetz
Emmy Award-winning Director of The Simpsons and UCLA Theater Film and Television Professor Chuck Sheetz gives advice on “How to get into Film School” (and a few other things.) Full disclosure, I had the privilege of working with Chuck Sheetz over a number of seasons on The Simpsons, and for a bit of time on Disney’s Recess. Among the…
Read More5 Tips to Becoming a Great Stage Manager
Do you love the theater? When you’re watching a play, you are witnessing a kind of magic at work. As much as the actors take center stage and embrace the spotlight, a crucial part of the live performance happens off-stage. From stage hands to the sound crew, these are the people who make sure that…
Read MoreCSSSA People – Phoebe Schenker
Meet Phoebe! Architect Phoebe Schenker attended the California State Summer School for the Arts (CSSSA) Visual Arts program in 1995 where she studied photography. Coming from a small town where she attended public school, she had a hard time finding like-minded artists. But the current of her life changed dramatically when she attended CSSSA because for first…
Read MoreArtist Noah Scalin More Than a Skull-A-Day
Artist Noah Scalin is probably best known for his project Skull-A-Day, but Artzray contributing writer Joshua Berg spoke with his longtime friend to discuss Noah’s creative journey and some of his thoughts on how to make your way in the world as an artist. Let’s start from the beginning . . . when did you know you wanted to…
Read MoreHow To Survive Publishing Your First Novel
The book is in progress. The contract between you, your agent and your editor is signed. You can now lay back and finally relax now, right? NOPE! As a first time author, your first novel may be roughest challenge yet. You might have to revise a draft of your novel at the last minute or…
Read MoreNew York Survival Guide for Artists
Artists are always on a budget. New York City is a magnet for artists. Here is a New York Survival Guide for creative types who want to stretch a dollar. Whether you’ve seen the Big Apple through the eyes of Woody Allen, Sarah Jessica Parker, Lena Dunham or Jerry Seinfeld, New York is the place…
Read More4 Things to Know About Marketing Your Band
The New Rockwells share four things they have learned about effectively marketing your band. This article is being published in partnership with Soundfly in celebration of #BetterBand week! Friends from college, musicians, composers and now out in the world making their way, with their indie-rock band The New Rockwells, Ben Muller and Marty Boyle got together and drilled down their list:…
Read MoreCareer Pathways in Arts And Technology With Eddie Lee
You like music. You like art. You like tech. How can you learn what a career pathway in the arts and technology is really like while you are still in high school? Take a play from Eddie Lee. Eddie was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. He has a deep passion for real-time graphics technology and…
Read MoreCSSSA People – Pablo Lopez
“Being an artist is such a lucky thing to be.” Meet Pablo! Pablo Lopez attended the California State Summer School for the Arts (CSSSA) Theater program in 2012. As a high school student, he didn’t know what to expect from the experience, but he was open to whatever was going to happen that summer. He admits, “Little…
Read More