"If I Were An Auditor"
Introduction, Cast and Crew
Feb. 10, 2010

(Feb. 10, 2010) "If I Were an Auditor" - a song parody of "If I Were a Carpenter" - is the first music video about accounting that’s performed in the virtual world of Second Life.

Scheduled to make its worldwide debut in the FEI Financial Reporting Blog on Feb. 10, 2010 (in time for Valentine's Day), "If I Were an Auditor" tells the story the story of two auditors (would-be auditors) who view their relationship through the lens of certain accounting and auditing-related concepts. The idea for the video and song parody lyrics was developed by Edith Orenstein, author of the FEI Financial Reporting Blog. (See "Additional Materials" further below for link to lyrics and liner notes.)

The Maryland Association of CPAs (MACPA), creator of CPA Island in Second Life, served as producer of "If I Were an Auditor." MACPA is a leading force in using new technologies for delivering continuing education programs and networking opportunities for CPAs. MACPA's innovative Chief Executive Officer Tom Hood was named to Accounting Today's “Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting for 2009,” and is a former chair of the CPA State Executives Association.

The MACPA production team, including staff and interns, provided the cast members of "If I Were an Auditor" with basic training in use of Second Life (e.g., creating an avatar, outfitting the avatar, walking, sitting, standing). Filming of the Second Life production took place at MACPA's headquarters in Towson, Md., with an ensemble cast of bloggers participating online in Second Life from various locations in the United States and Canada.

With MACPA lined up as producer of "If I Were an Auditor," Orenstein signed on Steven Zelin, known as the Singing CPA, as musical co-director. Zelin, a CPA and professional singer-songwriter, was featured on the front page of The Wall Street Journal in April 2008 ("Why Tax Day Makes Mr. Zelin Want to Sing"). As musical co-director, Zelin performs on "If I Were an Auditor," advised on improvements to the song and arranged the audio recording session at Rob Taube Words and Music in Brooklyn, N.Y.

An eclectic ensemble cast, the MACPA players & blogger friends," was then formed, featuring A-list bloggers and MACPA staff. (Additional bloggers had scheduling conflicts precluding them from participating in the production, but provided moral support to their colleagues in their performance debut.)

The cast and crew include:

• PRODUCER: Maryland Association of CPAs (MACPA) www.macpa.org

      CEO: Tom Hood
      MACPA Second Life Production Team for "If I Were an Auditor:"

·         Megan Gratz, Editor

·         Mike Tobias, Video Production

·         Andrew Hood, Set Designer

·         Thomas Hood, Avatar Training

• MUSICAL C0-DIRECTORS:
• Steven Zelin, "The Singing CPA" www.singingcpa.com
• Edith Orenstein, FEI Financial Reporting Blog www.financialexecutives.blogspot.com; www.financialexecutives.org
  
  
• Lead actors (avatars):
• Dee Day, Conference Manager, MACPA, in the role of bride; www.macpa.com
• Mark Jankowski, Co-Founder and President, Shapiro Negotiations Institute, in the role of groom
• Full Cast: The "MACPA Players and Blogger Friends"
• Dave Albrecht, Concordia College, author of blog: The Summa; www.profalbrecht.wordpress.com
• Dee Day, Conference Manager, MACPA, in the role of bide; www.macpa.com
• Colleen Cunningham, Global Managing Director, Finance and Accounting, Resources Global Professionals, Resources Global Finance and Accounting Blog; www.resourcesglobal.com/blogs/fna
• Michelle Golden, Golden Practices Blog; www.goldenpractices.com
• Edith Orenstein, FEI Financial Reporting Blog; www.financialexecutives.blogspot.com
• Gail Perry, Managing Editor, Accounting Web; www.accountingweb.com
• Tom Selling, author of The Accounting Onion; www.accountingonion.com
• Bill Sheridan, CPA Success (MACPA); www.cpasuccess.com
• Darla Sycamore,  IFRS News and Views; www.ifrsnewsandviews.com 
•  Mark Jankowski, Co-Founder and President, Shapiro Negotiations Institute; www.shapironegotiations.com/blogs
• Steven Zelin, "The Singing CPA" www.singingcpa.com

ADDITIONAL MATERIALS: VIDEO, PHOTOS, LYRICS, 'LINER NOTES'

The music video, "If I Were an Auditor," will be launched in the FEI Financial Reporting Blog on Feb. 10, 2010. Please link directly to the FEI blog for people to access the video. The general URL to FEI blog is www.financialexecutives.blogspot.com; once the video is posted, a separate blog entry and unique URL will be available to that particular blog post on Feb. 10.

Photos from the video shoot are available on MACPA's flickr page. If you use a photo(s) in blog/press coverage, please provide the link to MACPA's flickr page for the full photo shoot, which is: http://www.flickr.com/photos/macpa/sets/72157623273884619.

See also:

·         Lyrics to "If I Were an Auditor"

·         'Liner Notes' to "If I Were an Auditor"

Prepared Feb. 10, 2010 by Edith Orenstein, eorenstein@financialexecutives.org, director, Accounting Policy Analysis and Communications, Financial Executives International (FEI). This summary does not reflect FEI opinion unless specifically noted above. The song parody, "If I Were an Auditor," is a project of the FEI Financial Reporting Blog, in cooperation with the Maryland Association of CPAs, and Steven Zelin, "The Singing CPA," and does not represent FEI opinion. See the Disclaimer posted in the right margin of the FEI Financial Reporting Blog:"Unless specifically noted, the materials posted in this weblog do not represent the views of FEI, its officers or directors, agents, employees or members."