SAEM Major Gains Experience Working in Live Entertainment Management this Summer Wednesday, August 10, 2016
Meet Molly Knepper
Major: Sports, Arts, and Entertainment Management
Expected graduation: December 2018
College activities: Vice President of the Pay It Forward Club, Member of SAEM Club and Music Association
Hometown: Johnstown, Pa.
High school: Richland High School
Hobbies/interests: Obviously music (especially live music) is my number one interest, but I am a huge Star Wars and horror buff, too. I also like videography, any water sport activity (jet skiing, tubing, skiing, etc.), sports (I love my Pittsburgh teams and I still am obsessed with cheerleading and basketball even after high school) and writing (music, poetry, short stories)
Twitter: @youfoundmolly24
LinkedIn: Molly Knepper
"Molly exhibited a fearlessness towards her new challenges, coupled with great listening skills and an industrious work ethic. Those traits, which I'm sure where both prerequisites to success at Point Park, are the foundation for excelling at nearly any professional challenge."
-- Phil Pierre, Box Office Manager, Grey Area Productions
Tell us about your various experiences in the entertainment industry.
At the end of the semester, I worked as a production assistant at the Launch Music Conference. I was in charge of running the Tellus360 stage. Additionally, I started working closely with a band from Berlin, Pa., called Execution Day. I booked them a music video shoot with the incredible videographer Bryce Hall (he has done work for Fearless Records, Alternative Press, Sheeva and other artists). The video will be out later this year.
I also recently signed onto a show on MTV called Video Love. The story of how I was selected for the show is quite funny. One day, a comment and link for this show appeared on one of my Instagram photos. I thought, "I am going to do this for laughs." I ended up getting an email back saying they loved me and asked me to send in a video of myself talking about a music video off their list. I picked "Stressed Out" by Twenty One Pilots because I knew I could speak truly about that. Shortly after I sent that in, I was asked to be on the show! I will be premiering on the show, which will air on various MTV channels, this December.
In addition, for about a year and half now, I have been a part of the Fearless Records street team. Shortly after joining Fearless Records, I was picked to work at the Vans Warped Tour. I was allowed to select someone to help me, so I chose one of my best friends from Point Park, Alyssa King, who is also an sports, arts and entertainment management major.
We took part in various pre-show marketing and then on the day of show, we distributed copies of Fearless Magazine, walked around with the set time signs and even ran the Fearless Street Team's Snapchat account!
The final job I took on this summer was being a freelance production assistant for the company, Adventures In Wonderland. I ran production for the band Alexander Jean at Hard Rock Café in Pittsburgh. They were a wonderful band to work with and it was a huge learning experience. I cannot wait to see what my future holds in Pittsburgh with Adventures in Wonderland.
How have your SAEM classes prepared you for these various roles?
My SAEM classes have prepared me in so many ways. I've learned that no matter if it is a simple job or major job you must pay attention to every detail - I have Professors Paige Beal and Teresa Gregory to thank for this. They have taught me that in live entertainment, we should always try to sell an overall experience.
Also, even though I have not yet had Ed Traversari as a professor, he is my advisor and has taught me the bulk of everything I know. One important thing he has taught me is how to "turn your fan off and turn your professionalism on." This is a big lesson that I want the freshmen to take in because many people who want to go into this industry are fans of music. I have learned when you come face to face with your favorite band, you have to really keep your composure and get the job done.
Why did you decide to transfer to Point Park?
Point Park was my first choice for college for a while, but during my senior year of high school I was offered a basketball scholarship to play for Chatham University. I decided to take it because since I had always dreamed of playing college sports. I soon realized that wasn't the school for me and transferred to Point Park after one semester. Point Park was my home and I knew it.
What have been your favorite Point Park experiences so far and why?
My favorite experience at Point Park has been creating Pay It Forward with my best friends. Patty Sorg, Meredith Kubic, Mackenzie Sugrue and I came up with the idea to create this community service club. I was the treasurer last year and will be the vice president this upcoming school year.
My second favorite experience is probably such a cliché one, but it is the fact that I have met such extraordinary people. My close friends here have become my entire backbone and support system. Whether we are attending an on-campus event or going over to Stage AE for a concert, they are the ones who make every experience 20 times more special. Getting to experience this journey with them is what is important to me.
What are your career goals?
For years now, I've been inspired by Kevin Lyman and Mike Ziemer. I have always wanted to be the lead producer of a giant festival like Warped Tour or SoWhat? Music Fest. After graduating, I want to try to work for various festivals on the high production and operation end of things. But at the same time, I love working with Fearless Records so I'm also interested in attaining a marketing position with a record label.
Only time will tell what route I end up taking. My overall goal and this is something I am extremely passionate about, is to encourage more females to work in the music industry. A company called Girls Behind The Rock Show, run by a wonderful human named Shelby, really opened my eyes to how much we need to help more females get into the industry. So if I accomplish anything in my journey, I want it to be that I can say I helped women like me accomplish their dreams.
Photo by Alyssa King, SAEM major