They say opportunity is what you make of it. Sometimes though, opportunity seeks you out and thrusts itself upon you, particularly when you least expect it.
Local boy Grant Capriotti is all too familiar with this dichotomy of opportunity. He’s a huge advocate of the former, but also knows that if it hadn’t been for the latter, he wouldn’t be where he is today.
As a publicist, artist manager and entertainment publicist for boutique agency Muse Bureau, Capriotti is quickly hitting the top of his game. And with just cause too: his passion for the performing arts is finally bearing the fruit he wants.
‘I’ve always had a really big interest in the theatre,’ Capriotti confided over coffee at trendy eatery Milk’d.
‘In Year 12 at high school we went to London and Paris and they took us to the West End and all that kinda stuff and I guess that’s the point where I fell in love with it.
‘And then after high school Julia (Jenkins, who Capriotti currently manages) and I started our own community theatre company and now we’re doing big professional stuff, which is good fun.’
Capriotti undertook an Arts Management degree at WAAPA where he ended up working on secondment over in Sydney for Priscilla Queen of the Desert Musical.
‘I went there to work with the production team on the actual show itself and I did that for about a week.
‘And then the marketing executive she moved to the London office to work on some shows over there. So they asked me if I would like to step into her role.
‘I got thrown into the deep end and it was the most incredible way to learn by being accountable and responsible straight away. It taught me a whole world of things.’
Which included mostly marketing – TV commercials, press ads, radio interviews, publicity, setting up TV appearances – but also the sales management and reporting side of the trade, including trend analysis and all things numerical, a secret passion of Capriotti’s.
‘I love figures and numbers,’ he confided.
But it also taught him how to put in the hard yards.
‘I guess the one thing I learnt is that the people who work really hard are the people who make it. My bosses worked tirelessly for long long periods everyday,’ he explained.
‘And also relying on your team and trusting your team and making everyone good at what they do and making sure you delegate and communicate. Because I’ve done it for a good couple of years I think it’s become second nature.’
At its heart, Muse Bureau is primarily a public relations and artists management company. It’s incredibly boutique, with only three artists on the books, including Julia Jenkins, Ali Bodycoat and The Ruby Roses, with a potential fourth in discussions.
‘The focus of the publicity side of things is arts and entertainment events and artist management is really high quality performers who are doing amazing things and who want to achieve amazing things,’ explained Capriotti.
‘But as it so happens there’s been opportunity to produce a huge range of stuff and as a result create a booking agency.’
It’s this production aspect which sees Capriotti hitting his stride this September when the Perth Fashion Festival (PFF) hits.
Capriotti has been brought in to help produce the PFF launch, a 600+ invite only black tie event that also acts as the launch of PFF International Ambassador and renowned fashion photographer Russell James’ new book V2, a celebration of the supermodel.
Capriotti is also helping to produce the collective runway shows for both Wesley Quarter and Zara Bryson, but more excitingly the Ruth Tarvydas solo show, which reportedly has a real performance element to it including an incredible video opening package.
‘I think the reason they wanted me to come on board is because of my theatrical background and they wanted to take it to the next place instead of having the typical European runway style show. They want a real theatricality to it.’
‘I know I can tell you that for Tarvydas we have a very exciting celebrity who will be walking in the parade and DJing afterwards. But I can’t tell you who it is.’
You’ll just have to wait until PFF to find out.
For more information on Muse Bureau go to www.musebureau.com and keep an eye out for Ali Bodycoat’s show Downstairs at His Maj and Taking Liberties remounted at The Court during Pride.
Scott-Patrick Mitchell
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