Interning at a Studio Part 2 – The Rules
There are a lot of rules for what you can not do as an intern. Unfortunately being the ‘low man on the totem pole’ leaves little, if any, actual work that has to do with recording. For the most part an intern is the faceless and nameless person behind the scenes that helps get the session up and running, and is around to help keep the session running smoothly. I’ve come up with a list of rules and explanations below to try and help out anyone wanting to be an intern. If these rules seem stupid or obvious that’s ok – a lot of interns that I had were young kids that didn’t have a chance to work out in the ‘real world’ before going to school or deciding to get into the recording industry. My hope is that this list of rules covers as much as possible but if I’ve left anything out please let me know!
Conduct
Recording studios get a broad range of clientele. The clients come in because they need the job done quickly, and well. Take a second and think about it – for the cost of renting a room out for a day or two they could purchase their own audio rig to work off of. This means that the staff has to work at the highest standards possible to ensure the client enjoys working at the studio and, hopefully, refers people there as well. A mistake could cost the studio lots of money – even the session.
Dress Code
This is usually set by the studio you’re working for however there is usually one thing that every studio will ask for and that is don’t wear sandals. At some point heavy equipment is going to need to be moved and open toes seem to be a magnet for amps, wheels, or other blunt heavy objects.
Confidentiality
A top priority of a studio is confidentiality. It’s basic studio etiquette to not say anything about any project until it is over and the client has left. As much fun as it is to brag to your friends, relatives, strangers, or anyone else you may see on the street about the client working in the studio you need to keep it to yourself. This protects the client from anyone that may just ‘show up’ hoping to catch a glimpse of them or any other problems that might arise.
Something that is never, ever, EVER talked about is what happens in the room while a client is in session. Much like bachelor parties, Vegas, and Tijuana whatever happens in the room stays in the room. This is, again, to protect the client while they’re working at the studio.
Client Protocol
When a client books a room they come for one reason: to work. They don’t want to hear about how your grandma is sick or how your dog was run over by a six foot chicken driving an ice cream truck. Recording studios vary by rules on how an intern is supposed to act but the basics are these:
- You are not allowed in any of the rooms where a client is working. This is because they don’t need distractions or anything else that will take them away from their work. The only time you will be allowed in is when you are called in by the engineer or assistant engineer.
- Do not speak to a client unless you are spoken to. Usually only the engineer, assistant, and studio manager can talk to the client. You’d be amazed at how nice most of the clients will be however this does not mean that anyone can walk up to them and strike up a conversation.
- Never, ever comment on the work the client has been doing. This is the cardinal rule with interns, assistant engineers, engineers, and anyone else working at the studio. It’s like being arrested – anything you say can and will be used against you. Talking to the client about their work is never a good idea. Unfortunately I don’t have an easy answer on how to avoid this if it comes up. Whenever I came across this one a fellow coworker would jump in and divert the conversation away from what I thought of the work.
Telephones
One of the primary jobs an intern will be given when they start is to answer the phone. This may sound like a mediocre task but it actually is a very important responsibility. Answering the phone is really the first line of communication a potential client has with the studio so it’s important to make a good impression. It’s important to know how the phones need to be answered, you can’t just say ‘hello’, and it’s important to make sure that you sound welcoming to the person on the other end of the phone.
It is important that you understand the phone system as well. A couple of things to know are: the phone extensions and how to use them, and how to send calls to voicemail. Get to know all of the features that the phone system has so it’s easy to take care of any call or concern that may come up with the phone system.
These may seem like a big list of how YOU CAN’T DO ANYTHING as an intern. Well it’s true. The hopes of a studio for an intern is that they become more aware of the business and become better at the job at hand. With the experience comes more responsibility and, hopefully, a paying job. As more responsibilities come, more liberties are given as well. In my next post I will start out with tips on how to survive an internship.
