Meet Morgan McKnight of Production Music Association in Hollywood

Today we’d like to introduce you to Morgan McKnight.

Morgan, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I think I knew from a very young age that I wanted to be involved in the entertainment industry, but I definitely kind of fell into it in a way that I wouldn’t have expected. I grew up playing sports and singing in the shower (plus a talent show appearance here and there). I was never great at “traditional” schooling, but I could always read people, so I used that to my advantage to get through. Thankfully, athletics paved the way for me to go to an art-focused university (the Academy of Art in San Francisco) and I dove head-in to content creation, show production, media types, and real-world execution. It was the first step in developing a wide range of skillsets that, at the time, I had no idea what to do with.

As soon as I realized I was not going to be the next Mia Hamm, I walked away and started in radio. KMVQ (99.7 NOW) was the first place I started to get a feel for what it meant to be in entertainment, including how tough the competition is and how hard you have to work. There were three people who would always reinforce work-ethic, Jazzy Jim, Jessica Ramirez, and DJ E-Rock. I promise I watched and listened to everything they had to say for three years, and those cliff-notes ring in my head to this day.

From there, I moved into various marketing positions – digital marketing, social media marketing, event planning, content production, media buying, B2B sales, etc. There came a point where I knew I wasn’t doing things I was super passionate about, so I impulsively decided to pursue a Master’s Degree in Music Industry Administration from Cal State Northridge. It was there that I met a wonderful human who became a mentor to me, Steve Winogradsky. Fast-forward a year and a half, and I was starting this position in the production music business (and truly, honestly winging it) because Winogradsky believed in me, and I believed in myself.

Now I’m the Executive Director of the Production Music Association (PMA), working with and learning from the most inspiring people I’ve ever met.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I don’t really believe that anything ever comes easy, but I do think a person’s perception of “struggle” is imperative to navigating life. Life is life, right? It comes with a series of ups, and a series of downs and each one always seems to outweigh the last. Of course, I’ve had struggles, most of them personal, but I’ve had terrible jobs and terrible bosses just like the rest of us. I’ve been lost and confused like the rest of us, but all of those downs are always so temporary.

I think it’s important to look at life from a solution-oriented perspective. When you’re facing something that’s challenging for you, whether it’s personal or professional, try to take a step back and take your emotions out of it for just a few minutes. Look at that struggle and say “Ok, this is what it is, and this is what I’m facing. What are my options?” Can you identify what is challenging about the situation? Can you do anything differently to ease the situation? Are there people you can ask for help or advice? How can I communicate effectively to express my frustrations? What is it that is triggering and resulting in a struggle? In essence, REFLECT. We can find a lot of answers within ourselves.

Struggles will ALWAYS be present, but there is ALWAYS a solution, and there are always people in the world who can and will help you find and execute it.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Production Music Association – what should we know?
The Production Music Association is a non-profit organization that works with production music libraries, composers, songwriters, Performing Rights Organizations (PROs), network executives, and technology solutions in order to uphold the value of production music and advance the industry as a whole. Production music is everywhere, from the Monday Night Football theme song to the music you hear in the trailer for your favorite movie. Our goal is to educate on best business practices and trends, as well as connect individuals within the industry in order to create a thriving and profitable community.

Every year we hold an annual conference, the Production Music Conference, that brings together industry executives and composers from over 25 countries. It’s the largest (and really only) conference for the production music industry, and it’s really so much fun. The energy that fills the room over the few days is incredible, and I think it’s that community that we’ve built over the past three years that makes the entire industry something special. We’ve grown from just over 100 attendees to well over 700, and I’m so proud to know each and every person that walks through those conference doors.

Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
For me, compassion and empathy. I work with people every single day. A lot of people. High-profile people. People with different personalities. People who respect me and maybe people who don’t. People who have been in this industry for a million years and others who are just starting out. The common denominator here is that they are all people. Human beings. Just like me. And they’re all doing their best.

One thing I love about the Production Music Association is that we’ve fostered a community that is willing and enthusiastic about helping other people. But I will preach until the day I die that there will be plenty of rejection, not because you aren’t talented and not because people don’t like you or your work, but simply because it wasn’t the right fit for YOU, or the timing isn’t quite right, or there’s something better out there for you. But the moment you start becoming resentful is the moment you lose. I think we all can do a better job of understanding people and being open to their struggles and their needs. Once you understand where people are coming from, you’re able to empathize with them, and ultimately help. That’s what I, and we, strive to do at the PMA.

Pricing:

• PMC Non-Member Registration – $389
• PMC Member Registration – $319
• PMA Composer Membership – $99/Annual
• PMA Student Membership – $50/Annual

Contact Info:

• Website: www.pmamusic.com
• Phone: 310-913-2289
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepmamusic
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ProductionMusicAssociation/
• Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/thepmamusic
• Other: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoL4uagmGEs

Image Credit:
Tomorrow Mingtian