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Studio has a name in ad circles |  |
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May 4, 2004 Contact Bob Rayner Times-Dispatch Staff Writer brayner@timesdispatch.com (804) 649-6073 Four-year-old business does 'a lot more than write jingles,' one client says Like many entrepreneurs, Adam Lacy and Eric Anderson may have jumped into business simply because they did not know how tough the odds were. "We started when advertising was completely in the gutter. We didn't know what it was like when things are rolling," Lacy said. "We didn't have anything to compare it to," Anderson said. The Project Studio survived, then thrived - recording, composing, designing and producing sound and original music for radio ads, books on tape, television, films, Web sites and CDs for local bands. When Lacy started the business in May 2000, just as the ad industry was taking a dive, he envisioned it mostly as a recording studio for musicians. He was laid off from his job with a company that produces sound bites that businesses play on the telephone when callers are on hold. "I had all this gear, so it was an obvious time to jump in and do something," Lacy said. "I could either put it in my bedroom or open up a shop." He has always been interested in music and the production process. "I can remember making an album in somebody's basement in Powhatan when I was 14." The Project Studio, on West Main Street near Virginia Commonwealth University, may not have started with a crystal-clear business plan, but it grew by finding opportunities even while the economy was sluggish. "Starting out, I just wanted to do bands and make a little money," said Lacy, who owns the business with his wife. "I just got sort of burned out on commercial audio." Anderson joined the studio as an audio engineer and composer in January 2001. He and Lacy met a few years before when they were attending Full Sail Center for the Recording Arts, an audio-production school in Orlando, Fla. "Adam was the only one I knew up here," Anderson said. "It was interesting starting from scratch with no contacts." Lacy grew up in Richmond but was not really plugged in to the area's sub stantial advertising industry. Lacy and Anderson, both 33, quickly figured out that recording bands alone was not going to pay the bills. Advertising loomed as their big target market. "We've made good progress, especially not really knowing anyone when we started," Lacy said. They have managed to make a name for the studio in ad circles. "These are two young guys, they're energetic, they'll do anything for you," said Doug Burford, president of Burford Co. Advertising in Richmond. "They're not concerned about every nickel and dime they can charge you. They just want to do a good job." Burford's agency has hired the studio for numerous projects, including work on Christian Children's Fund commercials. "They can do a lot more than write jingles," Burford said. "One of the things we use them for is sound design - that accentuates and enhances what is already there on the track. It's difficult, and they're very good at it." Lacy and Anderson believe their focus on the audio side of the studio business - even as some competitors diversify into video - has allowed them to hone their skills. And keep their customers happy. They have composed original music used in videos for the military, worked on ads for The Gap and handled voice casting and music for Virginia Lottery commercials. They still do plenty of recording and production for local bands, but advertising work has provided the foundation for the business. Richmond ad-industry clients include Burford, Barber Martin, BrandSync, Elevation, Metro Productions, Taylor Weirup Advertising and To Market. "About half of what we do is in town, about half is out of town," Lacy said. Advances in technology have extended their reach. "We were there right when it began to change," said Anderson, who grew up in Boca Raton, Fla. "The Internet has opened up a lot of things. We used to stick to the local guys. Now we can do business anywhere in the country." Doing different kinds of work keeps things fresh at the two-man shop. "I wouldn't want to do only music, and I wouldn't want to do just sound for pictures," Anderson said. "The most fun is the sound design and the original composition," Lacy said. "We'll do a real leftist album," Anderson said. "And then we'll write some music for the U.S. Army," Lacy said. The business mix helps the bottom line. "The ad work pays better, but the bands are good cash flow, too," Lacy said. "When the ads are slow, it's nice to say, well, we can do this album," Anderson added. "In the summer, when the ads mellow out, that's when the bands crank up," Lacy said. "But one reason we still do bands is just because we want to do bands." Working with local bands helps the more commercial side of the business. "We wind up with this pool of musicians," Anderson said. Often, folks who record their own music at the studio come back to work on commercial projects. "Sometimes they can make in half an hour here what it takes them four hours to make on a regular gig." After starting out as virtual unknowns, Lacy and Anderson believe they have built a solid reputation in Richmond and beyond. "Client relationships are huge," Lacy said. "It's like any business," Anderson said. "If people feel like you're taking care of them, they'll come back. Especially in this business, because it's so one-on-one." |