Meet SAE Institute Nashville Entertainment Business Program Chair and lead vocalist of Tora Tora, Anthony Corder. In addition to his role as the Entertainment Business program chair at SAE Institute Nashville, Anthony Corder is an accomplished entertainment industry executive and Frontiers Srl recording artist. Anthony has a unique perspective as a creative and corporate professional due to his involvement with the entertainment industry for 30 years. He is also currently recording and touring with his hard rock band, TORA TORA.
We caught up with Anthony to discuss changes he has seen in the music & entertainment industry, the type of classes offered at SAE Institute, and some tips on how students can best brand themselves.
How has the Entertainment & Music Industry changed in the last 15 to 20 years?
The entertainment business is a service and sales industry. It is a relationship business. That is one of the keys, but technology has been our biggest change. The industry had a tremendous shift when the digital realm rushed in a changed our business in the mid-nineties. It is continually changing but it is still about the relationships in our trade/industry and the customer/fans. It is the access to these relationships (the eyes and ears) and how we gain that access that has changed our business. We have moved out of the physical realm and products (although there is still a market for those products of CD and vinyl) into the digital business. It is based on the end user experience, the branding, how the product makes you feel. The last 15-20 years we have been steadily studying the how/where to connect to our consumers and educating them as we’ve gone along with technology. Digital platforms have moved in, grown and gone away, streaming is still in its infancy.
What changes have been for the best? What changes do you see coming in the future?
The power of the direct to consumer has been very exciting from the independent artist and entrepreneurial minded business. We are now able to be a twenty-four/ seven three-hundred and sixty-five days a year storefront, that has global reach. Technology gives the individual a massive amount of control of their interaction with the global community. I am excited about the growth aspects for the future, the new business models, based on being able to be self-sufficient and bring in other like-minded individuals, team members or partners as needed. There’s a certain freedom in that approach. The industry is forecasting growth over the several years and should be doubling the revenue as the rest of the world engages and plugs into the digital entertainment industry. There’d are still areas in the world that are not connected to the internet. I am so excited for this generation of industry professionals, they are going to change the business and the world.
What are some tips students should know about in terms of how they should brand themselves for success in the future?
The major change in entertainment is the access to technology. We all have access to the technology and information. Now what matters is how you use it, how you tell your story and present your brand. We are all competing for everyone’s biggest asset, their time. The amazing opportunity for growth lies in how we use these tools of technology to gather information to build a foundation to be self-sustaining in our careers. Find your voice, platform and be authentic. Build social commerce into the relationship by bringing something of value to your audience.
What are some of the classes you teach at SAE Institute?
ENT110: Survey of the Entertainment Industry
This course provides students a broad-based perspective on the creative industries. Students will learn about the history, development, current state, and potential future directions of the entertainment industry, as well as the various roles and positions within them.
ENT140: Marketing and Social Media
This course provides students with a foundation in marketing principles, concepts, and practices as well as current social media platforms and their application in advertising, marketing, and branding within the entertainment industry.
ENT240: Management and Entrepreneurship
This course introduces students to fundamental concepts in entrepreneurship, business management, and organizational leadership as they relate to the entertainment industries. Emphasis will be placed on decision-making, ethics, communication, and business planning.