Musician and producer Shane Kendall knows the awkwardness of having to prove you’re not drunk at a gig.
“Security would come up to me and say, ‘You’re clearly intoxicated, you’ve got to leave!’, and I’d be like, ‘No I just can’t see very well and I’m about to get up on that stage and do my job’,” he said.
Listen to the full interview in the player below:
As a music producer and audio engineer with low vision, Shane has had his fair share of ignorant moments on the job.
He’s had to beg for bright lighting options so he could at least see his music at venues that prefer the dark and moody stages.
He’s had to make his audio engineering software accessible, and ask for sheet music in large print.
Speaking to Vision Australia’s Career Path podcast series, Shane has worked out his methods to make the process easy for him and his clients.
“It was challenging, but nowadays I usually work by myself and I’ve set up my space to suit my needs,” he said
“Normally my clients don’t care, I just get the job done and they’re happy.”
Setting up Wild Blind Productions, Shane had to embark on a hard and sometimes risky path.
“You probably won’t have a full stack of staff for a long time,” he said.
“While you will be the boss which is cool, you’re also the person on the ground working, you’re the admin and you’re the accountant, the marketing team and the complaints line.”
Shane is now working on creating a strong client base and securing work for months in advance to keep him busy and constantly producing.
Advice for budding musicians and producers:
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Practice your craft
There’s a saying, “hard work beats talent”. While you’ll encounter many amazingly talented people who look like they pull great music from nowhere, most of the musicians and producers you meet will need to work for hours to produce something solid. Remember, you can’t learn an instrument without practice.
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Education
A qualification isn’t necessary per say – but it certainly helps. Research what the best in your field have done to get there, and mimic their progression if it’s right for you. The TAFE system is also a great starting point.
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Say yes to things
Try and give things a go. Don’t sit around waiting for the perfect opportunity for your business and don’t limit yourself on what you can and can’t do.
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Pitch your work uniquely, but don’t be annoying
A potential collaborator doesn’t need your life story, they want to see how you can complement their work. Shane says a great pitching tip is to use the person’s own product, ie: improving the sound quality of their podcast, or giving a few bars of a new jingle. Be appropriate in your communication and show evidence of your talents with potential employers.
Career Path is a Vision Australia limited podcast series featuring stories of working people who are blind or have low vision and employers who champion diversity in the workplace. It aims to provide real and raw stories of what it’s like in the workplace with vision loss, from awkward encounters to flat out rejections, but also the success stories and tips to get hired.