End of Summer: Intern Reflection
At the start of the summer, Equalizer was excited to bring on its first intern, Griffin O’Neill. At the time, I asked Griffin to share some thoughts about the initial data research he’d been doing. During his time here, he went on to learn how to review contracts, register claims with various industry bodies, document catalog metadata, and made significant headway on various educational projects that I’m working on.
At the conclusion of his internship, I asked him to share some thoughts on what he’d learned - not only as a reflection, but also to better understand how this world can be understood by somebody coming in fresh. Should the right training on how to handle data elements be a foundational part of training for any new employee in music? If you know me, you know I’ll say yes.
If anybody is looking for an excellent candidate, with a keen eye for detail and a foundational understanding of metadata and rights management, I highly recommend you get in touch with Griffin!
Thoughts from Griffin…
My time with Equalizer gave me a deeper understanding of music publishing and reaffirmed my passion for maximizing opportunities for writers. Like many fields, you only truly grasp how publishing works by stepping outside the classroom and into the real world. My coursework introduced me to CMOs, royalty administration, and publishing contracts, but this summer gave me the chance to apply that knowledge in practice. I can confidently say that I met every goal I set for myself and more.
I decided to pursue a career in music publishing because I am drawn to where creativity and data intersect. I’ve come to see firsthand that publishing administration truly is the backbone of the industry. Accurately registering works with CMOs and tracking identifiers is intricate work that demands precision, and it’s also essential to ensuring both creative and financial opportunities are realized.
If there’s one area where the importance of accuracy truly hit me, it was PRO registrations. The process looks simple enough, but even the slightest misstep can ripple into bigger issues. Whether it's registering an entire album under a single title/ISWC or overlooking the creation of a publishing entity, these oversights can limit royalties and derail opportunities. Accurate metadata is the difference between revenue slipping away and success being fully realized.
Contracts were another eye-opener. It’s tempting to think that every deal coming your way is a good one, but I learned that sometimes the most valuable decision is knowing when not to sign. Some agreements are too ambiguous, others too restrictive. The key is weighing long-term impact over short-term excitement. This is a lesson I’ll carry with me throughout my career.
Standardization is another recurring challenge. This is most obvious with naming conventions. First name or last name first? Apostrophes or no apostrophes? All caps? Initials or full names? Even slight differences like these can make tracking royalties or cross-referencing databases tricky and time-consuming for people of every experience level.
What once felt overwhelming now feels like an area where I can make a real impact. As a student, publishing seemed intimidating, but working hands-on with its systems showed me both the challenges and, more importantly, the opportunities. That’s what makes it such an exciting space to be in. I’m eager to build on what I’ve learned and continue my commitment to helping creatives unlock their full potential.