Starting soon, my songs will no longer be available for free - only 30 second previews - and I'll be starting a kick-starter for www.pgregorymedia.com.
The average video that I record takes several hours, (and in some cases days or months of research and planning) an hour or so to shoot, and an hour or so to edit. The average travel video I shoot requires weeks of planning, travel money, and hours upon hours of editing. My photo shoots, if they are paid, require equipment that costs thousands of dollars, and a knowledge gained through trial and error over the years, and something always goes wrong; something that will cost more money.
My greatest passion is singing and performing. The songs I write come from years of songwriting and performing experience, and from the heart, but most performances pay next to nothing. Finding band members, paying studios, organizing marketing, paying and printing t-shirts,etc. - all of these things cost money, and, more importantly, TIME. The return has been minimal, for both money, and the value of my time spent.
So, from now, I am taking a stand against original artists not getting paid what they deserve. I will not work or perform for anyone for free, unless it is something that could further my career, a rare opportunity, or something I am doing to go out of my way for someone else, like a friend, family member, or the like. Some may disagree with this decision, and they may think I'm stupid, but that's OK. If my music disappears into the void, so be it; my art is valuable, and I will not let others take it for free, as if it has no value. This does not mean that I am money hungry. In all honesty, I care absolutely NOTHING about money. I just want to be Sam Cooke, standing on a stage, singing my heart out, so please don’t misunderstand this post. I do not care about the money, but unfortunately money is required in order for me to keep making art, and every time someone tries to pinch money out of me, or get me to give art away free, they disrespect artists around the world, and hinder my progress as an artist. That dishonor must stop now.
If you are someone who likes my stuff, I hope you will help support me financially and pay me what I'm worth so that I can go on making songs for you, taking 4k high quality video for you, shooting professional level photos for you, writing and producing and recording songs for you, and opening my heart to you on stage. If you could care less about what I create and what I do, then I suppose you won't mind at all if I stop making it available at no cost.
My videos on YouTube will be available for free of course, because YouTube gives me revenue on its own, and my songs will be available for purchase, (currently they are on iTunes and Amazon, and there are more platforms coming soon) and a portion of my photography will be available for free online. Other than that, I am going to start treating myself more like a professional, in the hopes that others will follow suit, because, let’s be honest ... I am no amateur. This is not arrogance to say so: it is a simple observation. I know what I am worth, and it is certainly more than nothing.
I hope those who read this post understand my true intention, and feeling, and I hope that you will support me going forward, as my career continues to grow. There are several ways you can help me financially: you can donate on my website, you can watch and share my YouTube videos, or you can fund a specific KickStarter. You could buy my music on iTunes, Amazon, or in stores. You could request specific works (a song written for you, or produced for you, or a vocal performance, photoshoot, video project, or something else) and pay me for that project. There are a lot of ways to help, and believe me, I need the help. Any and all support is appreciated.
