It’s the latest new craze in building a career. “File Jacking” is the simple term for taking hard drive files in a, “Oops how’d that get here?” kind of way. All for control of the production work on a recording project. Sounds crazy doesn’t it? Not really, when you think about how the use of files as opposed to tape makes this process easier. In the past, the work done on analog tape would be rather obvious to try to conceal. Today we deal in files. Files and hard drives now create an entire new area of trust, or should I say mistrust.

For anyone who’s been in the business for over 5 years, it’s the same thief from years past dressed up in new clothes. “Divide & Conquer” is it’s name and it’s alive and well and potentially exists every time you create a session file. The entire birthing process for songs and any ideas for that matter, is now taking place on hard drives. The minute you send it out, you have no real guarantee that it will not be taken and it’s use compromised once it is out of your range.

Often times if an artist living in LA does an album, chances are that the overwhelming majority of billable activity will take place in NY. Successfully dividing the artist from the billable activity will conquer the artist’s desire and ability to control the budget. They will be so happy to get whatever they get up front that they don’t look at the travel path of production dollars. Simple but effective, especially when you dress it up with larger than life promotional activity and clever branding marriages. The artist is kept tied up and in the dark, just like veal.

Many times when direction on a project is lost or possibly never established, many producer/ engineers take it upon themselves to use that to their advantage. Originally, the creative process was the sole area inhabited primarily by the artist and at times the producer. Nowadays many producer/engineers have a twofold strategy.

Step 1: Get involvement on the project

Step 2: Seize control of the majority of the production work

These two goals seem normal. Get in to do some work and get more work. Here is where it gets insane. Involvement in an honest sense means providing the professional support required to get the artist’s ideas recorded/mixed. Involvement in the aspect we are discussing here means to find a way into the artist’s “house” (production situation) and case the joint much like a thief does when he comes to steal.

Gaining control of production work seems like another way of saying, “Trying to get as much work as possible.” Again in our construct this one step is an open door to a very ugly experience for many artists. Budgets that authorize all kinds of activity from all directions, as well as cleverly used communication or lack of communication techniques are also characteristics of a crime in progress.

Examples of the newly accepted ways of doing business are the commonly used, “Didn’t you get my e-mail?” or, “I left a message on your cell, didn’t you get it?” With the high tech lives we all lead today, it is impossible to have modern communication problems for a project with a budget from $50-500k. Problems are one thing and man-made excuses are another.

Isn’t it interesting that with the evolution of our business, the high-level bullshit never changes? At the worker-bee level everyone must stay current on the latest gear and aspects of production while still moving forward and working consistently. In the upper room of activity where the budgets and agreements are made, and that is where the problems continue to germinate. Most deal makers/shot callers are busy lining their pockets with pre-deals before the actual “deal” goes down. By the time the artist actually gets a taste today, his lawyer and at least 2 of his golf buddy lawyers have successfully navigated a boat payment or two based on the sweat equity of others. Let’s be honest, RIAA or NARAS aren’t about to have Hard Drive Police patrolling every block. Unless a higher level of securing data is implemented we are setting up to make the lawyers richer.

With so many people who are now trained to work in the digital realm, this was bound to happen. You may ask, “Well how did they get in?” Many File Jackers have an “inside man.” Production people are now in bed at a management team level. Someone associated with the project that makes the activity ebb and flow at a certain pace. These people can come wrapped as anything (assistants, lawyers, accountants, etc.). It’s called “networking” right? Well one person’s networking is another’s opportunistic hi-tech confidence man or woman.

You are probably wondering why I called this article “File Jacking.” Well, it seemed like a good idea at the time. I had just been witness to it on several projects; I’ve seen it on east and west coast and even as far as Japan. When most ugly business goes down, a good percentage of folks will stand by and say “Wow isn’t that a shame!” I am part of the other small percentage who will actually speak to the insanity of the situation. For me it is vindication for all the time that a lot of people have spent actually working on their skills in preparation for that chance to meet opportunity.

No matter what the project, this has become a new form of entry into production. I recently heard a story of one motivated set of “networkers” flying out to view one artist’s facility on the east coast only to fly back to LA and belittle the environment while in discussion with the folks who were funding the activity- all to direct the billable time to their facility. That was a non-musical tactic that has little to do with being a true production team and more to do with trying to gain control over production budget activity at all costs.

If a project is to be worked on by multiple production teams, then so be it. The assumption that the artist’s pie is now the producer’s or anyone else’s pie is one of the most deep-cutting wounds that can be given to any artist by their team members. What the people who do these kinds of things don’t realize is that if you are good and have skills, it will show.

Do not be so busy trying to make everyone else’s money up front that you actually end up locking out good music from the project all together.

I use extreme examples because this is an extreme business. Ask most people what the environment was like around a hit record. Most (not all) of the time everyone was happy to be there doing what they do. The bottom line is that making music and having a consistent working career has never been as scandalous as it is now.

Each job would be nothing without the talent that provides the platform for activity. Any one of these individuals can work their own formula for confusion to create a way into an artist’s creative life. This activity again is a by-product of the business and times we live in. Many people in music have gotten rich in a very short amount of time. That might lead some who actually possess true skills to get disillusioned about the business. We are in a time where education, even musical aptitude is no guarantee of an advantage- let alone a pathway to success.

Take a look at the breakdown of the chain of support talent that works with most artists. Find where you fit in. Now examine your motives when you work with your own clients.

Artist = Talent/content building marketing machine

Manager= Coordinate/generate activity for the artist

Lawyer= Ensure that all contractual activity is conducted fairly to the artist’s satisfaction.

Assistant= Carry on day-to-day functions for the artist

Accountant= Handle the financial matters for the artist

Producer= Work with the artist to secure the vision for the content created

Engineer= Ensure and deliver the quality of the content created by the artist

Each one of these jobs has a specific function. In fact, in most careers you will find that they have a specific person for each role. Look at the list closely. If any one of these people is needlessly functioning outside the realm of their area of responsibility they might be setting you up to be “file jacked.” You may think I’m paranoid but think about how much control, money and time are lost to such incidents.

In any successful operation, leadership comes from the top down. The artist meets with the top-level team and tells, that’s right- TELLS them how all activity should flow around them. Please remember that for this discussion to even take place BUDGET must exist for all to meet!

Managers meet with prospective business situations, lawyers assemble the proper paperwork to ensure the result that the manager has put on the table. Assistants keep the artist up to date on all new business, schedules, travel plans, as well as any other special request (the job of assistant is one of the most crucial jobs in the entertainment industry). Many top execs today started out as assistants.

Now comes the time for content to be created, or in our case for the artist to make an album/CD. The producers and engineers gather with the artist to discuss the direction. Please notice that no producers or engineers were present when the management team was meeting. Likewise, no management team members are needed to meet regarding creativity. That’s because most skilled labor has a specific function. Remember this basic layout and know that it works. All jobs in the down line from an artist are skilled labor. All are necessary. All are replaceable. Please note that some artists have all team members present so that everyone stays current and informed. Whatever the chain of responsibility and titles given, just know that more personnel present creates the greater the reality of your data being at risk.

If you understand any one thing in reference to the guarding of creative materials and situations, it is that the power now rests entirely in the hands of the author/creator of the content to make the rules of play that are in operation around them. Setting the right environment is crucial to gathering a great team of people. That’s PEOPLE, not Plug-ins! We cannot control all things, events or people. However, we can successfully govern ourselves and how we individually manage the ride down the highway of creativity.

Educated professionals and experienced successful career criminals are identical in today’s entertainment landscape. If you’re reading this saying, “What the hell is he talking about?” then I would say that you have been truly blessed to be in this business and not have ever seen or felt the reality that others have who work on the not-so-famous records with micro budgets have. Even at the small project level the same dishonesty can take place.

If my brief breakdown doesn’t make sense, look at it from a different angle. If we were in the Stone Age getting paid in rocks, do you think all this would be going on? Seems like a lot of manipulation just for someone to get more rocks! Just as stupid soundings as my analogy is, so are the lengths that people go to try to control the creative environment.

If you can’t understand any of this, then wait for my new plug-in that’s coming out. It’s taken years to develop and works across any DAW platform. Its called GTW, Get To Work. The way it functions is to attach it to every file and everyone instantly does his or her job. Imagine engineering a project and getting paid on time and not having to devalue your services after you have already been used. Imagine artists saying what they want and having it actually done without question. Imagine lawyers and managers who already get a hefty fee, doing their gig without taking an extra taste off the side of every deal? Do I really need to go on?

My view of this business comes from having been involved in many careers at crucial times. I have a unique perspective that allows me to view all sides and see this story and many others unfold over and over again.