FAQs (taken from artist interviews with Lance Bendiksen)

What do you do, in a nutshell?
We produce records and market artists to the industry. We also produce live shows for recording artists and serve as industry consultants for both bands and labels.

Can you elaborate?
Our company is composed of award-winning producers and engineers, combined with experienced business and legal minds. Our base of operations has been established through strategic alliances with major studios, managers, booking agencies and A & R executives. Our on-going mission is to launch hit acts and careers by developing and producing talented artists and signing them to indie and major label deals.

How did you find us?
We have numerous talent scouts who search for emerging acts. They talk to venues, beat writers, attend shows, and spend countless hours studying MP3s. All of our producers and staffers do their own scouting as well, and the company receives referrals from all walks of the industry--engineers, session players, managers, agents, club owners, disc jockeys, etc.

Can you describe your production process? 
What do you with a record once it's finished?
It varies from artist to artist, but some methods are consistant. We spend a great deal of time getting to know the acts we produce. We begin by studying their music, listening to all past, present, and future ideas they may have and we check out their live show. We find out what’s working and what’s not in business, as well as in art. We also get to know them as individuals, to build trust and to search out what moves them as artists. This process draws us closer to their unique sound and image. Through a series of strategic meetings, we work out a plan for making a recording and launching their business campaign.  Sometimes we'll work on their live show as well as the record, but that varies depending on the act. Once a clear plan has been established and the first record is complete, we utilize our expertise and contacts to package, market, and shop the act to the industry at large.

Do you book bands?
We help bands find agents and we'll assist them with key venues, but we're not agents. Being on the roster of a respected agency is as important as finding the right producer, manager, publicist and so on. It’s all about building a solid team around your music.

So what’s in it for you?
We have multiple incentives. First of all, the most important thing is to help launch a co-creation, a great record and act that invites wide audience appreciation and acclaim. Second, we secure the privilege to work on the next  record in a major or indie label environment. Last, but not least, we get to enjoy the spoils of the industry including great fun and financial reward. 

Do you pay for the first record?
Since we are not a record label or venture group, we don’t underwrite artists. However, we have developed production deals that offer acts a national sounding and career launching record with extremely artist friendly terms. With a manageable amount of seed money, an artist can easily begin working at a high level with our company. The studios, producers, business associates and engineers have back-ended a large portion of their fees, making it possible for the average artist to produce a world-class album with us.  If an act is really close to breaking big, we have been successful at lining up venture deals but that tends to be the exception rather than the rule.

How many hours do you work on a record?
Usually between 200-300 production hours.

How does that break down?
It depends on the project. Some projects take more time to develop than others. Some artists require more overdubs, while others are printed with more of a live vibe. Singers are all different and we have to find each one's own special space. Basically, we have to seek out all the zones where songs, singers, musicians, engineers, and producers thrive. Once we find those spaces as well as the natural pace of printing tracks, we get a good feel for the time necessary to make a great record. 

What if you go over budget on an album?
We’re relatively protected from that because we have our own studio and can control the bulk hours of a production. Usually the opposite is true; you can beat up a project by spending too much time and money on it.

Do you have access to session players?
Yes, in abundance.

Will you try to change our style?
No, even though a good producer will always go for what’s in his or her head, the idea is to gain an understanding of where the artists' sound lies and where they want to go before making any decisions. If it’s not broke don’t fix it! Sometimes singers need us to add paint to their canvas, but if an act has a sound that is beginning to materialize, it’s important for us to allow that sound to grow and evolve. Our real job is to discover potential magic and capture it.

Why should we work with a company based in another state (Colorado) or country
and how does it work out with production schedules?
We'll record anywhere. It usually comes down to what's the best situation for the act and the budget. Sun Records motto was, "We will record anyone, anywhere, at any time." At Bendiksen Productions, we record artists we believe in, anywhere at any time. That said, Colorado's inspiring natural beauty and international accessability make it an amazing place to base our company. In addition, the music industry has become so global these days that you can live pretty much anywhere and still conduct high level business. All of our schedules are based on what works for the act and how to achieve the best production value possible. 

How do we know you're the right company for us? 
The best way is to take as much time as needed to make that decision. It has to be a good fit for us as well, so we encourage you to know as much as you desire about our company. We try and do the same in return. We also invite acts to come to Colorado and check out our entire operation. We generally host  anywhere from three to five acts per month.

How long are the visits? Can you give us more details?
They can literally be overnight stays. Usually one or more members of the band and/or management fly in the night before to stay at a hotel in close proximity to our operations. The following morning, we'll grab a bite to eat at my sister's restaurant (Heidi's Brooklyn Deli) and then begin with studio tours. It helps to see the rooms, Grammys™, Emmys™, and other assorted hood ornaments! Staff members drop in along the way to meet the artists. This gives the act a feel for our company and its personnel. Next, we break for lunch and then hit the offices and boardroom. We typically talk through business approaches, record production and anything else that's on their mind. This is an excellent time for exploring questions and answers. After that, we'll take a break and go downstairs to our studio and listen to some music. Once we've covered the important stuff, artists and managers alike usually want to chill out and return to their rooms or get involved in some evening activities. We drove one band up to the Continental Divide where they could witness twelve fourteen thousand foot peaks while standing 11,000 feet above sea level.  Some bands want to hang out with us that night at a club, and others like to perform somewhere while they're in town. Without losing sight of the objectives, we try and make their stay as much fun as possible. Most acts fly out the next day and business, art, etc. can be buttoned up via e-mail and telephone correspondence. 

Do you pay for the visit?
No, our money is tied up in production, gear and personnel. What we have arranged, though, are group deals at area hotels and car rental agencies. We also try to work with acts to accommodate affordable flights through scheduling options and we are close to developing a housing arrangement
to make their trips even easier and more affordable.
   

What are your chances of succeeding with a band like ours?
By working with talent that we believe in, as well as the faith we have in our own skills and resolve, we think your chances are as good as any emerging act in the world. You definitely have a shot. What we add is a musical and or business forward push. We can make the recordings you need, and put your music in front of some very powerful people. We can also create a strong foundation and infrastructure to advance your band both artistically and economically.

What is Artist Development?
The  music industry and artists perceive it as many different things. I think it boils down to developing an act’s artistic and business landscape, creating the promotional materials that best capture it, then building and implementing a world-class marketing campaign to launch it.

Do you specialize in a certain type of sound or genre?
Not really, because we collaborate. Not only do we have several producers working with our company, but our talent pool is enormous. Certain engineers, session players and producers have particular strengths and will bring whatever element is needed to the table. If we need to bring in a heavy-hitter to capture a certain vibe, we just bring them in. We’re into what makes the artist and the record the best it can be. Also, because we have set the company up to record in any market, the landscape for finding the right sound, part, singer, session player, engineer, etc. is extremely wide open.

What if writing isn't our strongest suit?
At least a third of the artists we produce are not writers. Everyone at our company is a songwriter, and we'd love to write with you. We also have a wonderful publishing company (Munjoy Music) which has signed, licensed and placed dozens of songs within the industry and can be a resource for potential material.

What about producer points?
We follow industry standards and go from there. We usually get four points of gross with label deals and a negotiated, but slightly higher percentage if we’re involved in a day-to-day business push. 

Should we have legal representation?
We definitely recommend it, at a certain point. When you are ready to take your act to a regional or national level, a good entertainment lawyer is a valuable asset. For example, Todd Myers (toddamyers@hotmail.com) is an entertainment, contract and trial attorney who has practiced law for eighteen years. Myers is our primary legal representation and a valuable member of the Bendiksen Productions' team.