We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Calvin Norman a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Calvin, thanks for joining us today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.
As a kid growing up living with my grandparents while mom was working massive hours, we would watch alot of tv and my grand father would have me watch the games with him. I always said I wanted to do something behind media. I wanted to be the one to do fantastic interviews with famous basketball players or football players. That never happened.. just wasn’t in the cards for me to do that, but I got to interview some of the most notable band directors and a few great celebrities. I ended up becoming someone who would partner with these great people and networks and spread all of our brands.
Networking and watching will allow so many opportunities to build yourself. Seeing someone doing well for themselves is very inspiring and motivational to me. It makes me want to go harder to overcome those “things” that are just in my way. You have to be happy with the direction you, as the person, choose to go in because you should and are your own biggest fan and supporter.
Patience is another underrated skill that someone can’t learn in school. A patient person is a strategist who thinks about every angle in most cases.
Calvin, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I got into the business by watching those historically black college footballs games that use to come on BET. T.W.Josey vs. Glenn Hills was my first time being really on the sideline and not performing in the usual way. That one experience is how I got here and I haven’t looked back since. It fascinates me that I am considered a integral part to the “culture” when 99% of the time, I just want people to have a good time and enjoy our services. We started by recording halftime shows and just uploading them to our own platform. I remember having this pocket laptop and I took it with me to a battle of the bands event. Looking like a crazy person, I connected to Ustream and started the first live stream of a marching band event in history. Never had any idea it would take me anywhere, especially since the concept was still new.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
No one is going to go harder about what you do and you cant do business with everyone. Business is a big lake where you must learn to swim and fish. Not everyone has your best interest or the clients best interest at heart. Its very important to separate yourself and have many faces. I’ve personally been apart of some monumental projects just for the credit to go to the next person. Sometimes its ok, but if you don’t stand for something, than you will fall for anything.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
I have to many goals to name, but one goal is to just have my own film studio being successfully known like people know of Warner Brothers or Paramont and being one of those owners that people never know about that owns it. I still believe in the element of surprises and story telling.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.bandtubehd.net
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bandtube_hd/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/bandtube_hd
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/bandtubehd
Image Credits
Calvin Norman