Scott Szabo

Scott Szabo is the composer for two nationally syndicated TV series; “Judge Alex” (2004-Present) and Texas Justice” (2001-2004); both on FOX. He also produced and arranged the music for “Divorce Court” (2008-Present). In 2009 Scott won a Telly award for music for the short film Saving Evan White. Also, in 2005, he won the Gold Medal for his music score of the feature film “Dancing in Twilight” at the Park City Film Music Festival.

Over the past 24 years, Scott has built a solid career as an accomplished and award-winning music composer for film, television and multimedia. With a broad approach to music, from world music to electronic to symphonic orchestra, he has spent years polishing and developing his style. The musical impulse began early in Scott. Born in Austin Texas, he wrote his first song when he was twelve and began performing in rock bands at fifteen. The next year found him accepted into the prestigious High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (HSPVA) in Houston. However, Szabo was accepted to HSPVA on the basis of his talents in the visual arts.

“Of course I took music theory and piano courses,” Szabo says, “but it was art school that taught me to think conceptually and emotionally about a composition, be it on a canvas or a keyboard. I learned there are multiple ways to look at a problem and how to refine a raw idea. This really helps me as a music composer.”

The 1980s and early 1990s saw Scott performing live as a singer and keyboardist through out Texas and the Southwest in bands that he put together while developing his own musical style and technique. Always writing and releasing his original songs, this culminated in Scott being signed to the indie label Fires of August.

In 1988 Scott was asked to compose the music for a series of internationally distributed videos for Dow Chemical. Since then, Scott has composed the music for numerous feature films and TV series, as well as many award-winning short films. Additionally, Scott has placed original songs in five feature films and has also written music for over 200 commercials and marketing videos for such diverse clients as Applebee’s, Continental Airlines, Enron, Joe’s Crab Shack, Shell Oil, and Time Warner.

For more information go to www.szabosoundandmusic.com.

Erin Rodgers

Accounting and legal services don’t typically scream, “Party!”, and because of that, we often avoid or overlook them. This can be especially true in the creative and entertainment industry. Artists tend to create without considering copyrighting their work, and when they do, they typically aren’t aware of the processes of registering copyrights. The same holds true for accounting assistance not just at tax time, but throughout the year.

Erin Rodgers, a multi-talented musician in Houston-based band, Glass The Sky, is well suited for her professional gig as Staff Attorney for Texas Accountants and Lawyers for the Arts (TALA). TALA was formed in 1979 in an effort to provide Texas artists and arts nonprofits with legal and accounting help. They currently provide over $600,000 a year in pro bono services through volunteer accountants and lawyers, as well as membership and donor funds.

These services are much needed in the entertainment sector. Whether you’re a visual artist, filmmaker, non profit arts organization, musician, dancer, actor, or writer, TALA provides services you need. From nonprofit incorporation to copyright assistance and accounting help to dispute resolution, TALA is able to educate creatives in order to better their business. And let’s face it, being an artist, entertainer or even working in the nonprofit arts realm is business.

Texas Accountants and Lawyers for the Arts is a nonprofit 501c3 organization. For further information or assistance, or to make a tax deductible donation, go to talarts.org.

Erin Rodgers is a Lawyer is the Law Office of Al Staehely, Jr. and specializes in entertainment law, copyright, trademark, nonprofit law and corporate formation. For more info on Erin, catch her on LinkedIn.

- Candace Kizer

Candace is currently the Programs Coordinator at Fresh Arts Coalition, a nonprofit arts service organization in Houston, Texas. She also manages social media for Who’s HOU and Arts+Culture Magazine. Follow her on Twitter @CandacitaBonita.