Sunday, August 30, 2015

Mastery Journey Ends, but it only begins

The Mastery Journey in Entertainment Business is only the foundation



Month 1: Orientation and Mastery: Personal Development and Leadership

Throughout this fast-track mastery program, I had to commence a 12 different trial intensive classes that would shape and overall prospective of Entertainment Business Masters of Science Program. During this time, was able to obtain a part-time General Manager Position for the summer at Subzero Catering & Events during the summer of 2015, and still work as a part-time supervisor at The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf gave a sense of time controlling with full time course studies that I’m profoundly grateful for. During the first course, Orientation and Mastery: Personal Development and Leadership, and coherently complete the course’s objectives as well as a get a inclusive of the program by one of the head chairs of Full Sail University, and what’s to come in the current entertainment world.
Personal Development course help broaden the horizons on where I belong in the world, it’s still in the field of entertainment I desire, but what has proven to be one of my strongest is a managerial card.  However, I do love the taste and smell of coffee and delight people with upmost customer service qualities I have, I thrive on building relationships with people and would enjoy managing a coffee shop while constructing Parallel Vendetta Entertainment, LLC (PvE Studios). A visual presentation was done on http://www.dipity.com/mpanda1986/Mastery-Journey/ Dipity website, to give a overall inspirational ideal what I would accomplish in this class, basically predicting what’s to come of shaping Amanda in a box to the public eye, which was a nice sentiment while creating a starting blog of this Mastery Journey.

Month 2: Executive Leadership

In executive leadership, got to learn leadership material from Greene and Maxwell, to distinctive voices that are still to this day defining leadership. Taking directly from a pervious assignment “Maxwell would be better suited because of team intensive strategies to work with other individuals, and eventually work my way up to either a lead designer and have a voice in green lighting future projects.” What has changed from 10 months ago is being apart of a respected and invaluable company in the entertainment industry, while gradually forming Parallel Vendetta Entertainment, and being the director and founder of a company. In Chapter 7 of Maxwell and Greene, it is mention how to develop a leader within, was has changed is who I surround myself is what will help shape me into an ideal leadership role, without the people, I’m nothing.
During month 2, was able to research a prodigious woman in the entertainment industry as well, I went with Drew Barrymore because of our similarities of personalities and a party induced past. Also known as a former “wild child”, Drew has this charisma, and self-discovery through many painful memories, dark secrets proved to be an awaking, which lead to her success today. Similar to Drew, I have a few dark secrets that I will take to my grave, but it wasn’t tell this recent year of 2014, late 2015 of this graduate program I knew what I wanted in my life. It took a good a mere 26 years of my life to put a lot of partying to rest, and wake up and smell crumble ashes of debt, or sweet smell of roses of success of venturing onto a everlasting career, family and security, it’s about time for this lady to finally grow up, but I won’t ever give up my purple color hair!

Month 3: Project and Team Management

Jumping onto Project and Team Management, stereotypically the assumption understood what it takes to properly lead and manage a team. However, the curveball was to better prepare number, and the financial income statement it takes to run a forecast budget with revenue. During week 3, product and artist management was done to teach endorsement and how to pick the best offer given to the client, and what pros and cons to chose between a Ford offering, Ralph Lauren, Wyndham Resorts and Gatorade with ideal proposals to the client. From this assessment, was able to rank various of offers in order to prepare to the client, based on what was most beneficial, ranking Ralph Lauren for the career long-deal, to taking Ford and ability for Ford to offer client a vehicle, then Gatorade for asserting client has no tobacco history, and finally taking the Wyndham Resorts. The only offer I would endure is Rolex, because combining For and Gatorade, as a team we already have a lucrative multi-million deal, and once that deal has ended, there still being potential with Ralph Lauren, with Wyndham Resort only being a two-year term, it may lead to their hotel chain sponsorships.
SWOT (Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities, Threats) analysis was to set-up Melime 4 Entertainment (Parallel Vendetta Entertainment) and produce originality for this start-up company. Finally, proposing a pitch and I look back and quite absurdly at the original inspiration “Dying Hollywood”, because of over exhausting already told ideas to the big screen. As of now, I base innovative stories for short films or video games constructed on reality, with hint of make-believe on getting a door open to either a potential employer, or creating my own employment.  

Month 4: Business Storytelling and Brand Development

The message was to gain a further understanding of building a strong presence in business and making it marketable to consumers, by using storytelling and brand development. To really digest the only way consumer’s will remember the business is having a strong brand, becoming an icon that is memorable to be foretold to everyone and strengthen the business presence to the entertainment industry. A major and respectful game company that introduces humans, orcs and elves to protect a lavish yet mysterious world titled Azeroth, from Blizzard Entertainment/Activision. Blizzard is the “ultimate dream job”; Blizzard Entertainment is a memorable and highly recognizable logo to many gamers across the world. This successful company is known for Warcraft, Diablo, StarCraft and World of Warcraft, and a very famous Warcraft trading card game that brings role-playing card gamers to battling out at live events.
Blizzcon is another live event to bring fans of their games, and unite them at a massive weekend extravaganza; Blizzard also had made their mark in Comic Con, game conventions alike, and having a clear focus when it comes being market driven to there business success of understanding there customers (Successful Business Plan, Abrams 99). Researching a company I look up to brought insight to what buyer persona means, a positioning statement that guarantee’s players to have a superb experience playing anyone one of their games. A assignment that really stood out as well was doing a brand audit, and really dissecting a current employer, and how it’s beneficial to have and ideal target market, audience, and accomplish creativity and care because building a brand consumers will love.

Month 5: Entertainment Business and Finance

Going into this class I was expecting the stereotypical crunching numbers in operating a new business, or do a little figuring out simulated companies finances. The class taught how to properly run cash flow, interest is calculated when pulling out a loan and the payback cost which was quite eye opening when graduating and the expectance of paying back student loans. Another wakening, was considerate the full effect and definition of Crowdfunding, a different term into raising and funding a project through a large amount of people, generally using the Internet, and has quite grown popular for mass causes or independent companies funding a there project. Also it is usually based of a common interest between the people contributing money towards a service, project, product, investment, cause or experience.
A few popular websites are known for Crowdfunding, such as gofundme, kickstarter, indiegogo, teespring, youcaring, causes, giveitfoward, and a few other notable websites that rank in the top 10 sites for Crowdfunding traffic. . A wise choice of using internet Crowdfunding to support Parallel Vendetta Entertainment, or video game for that matter to start or launch independent game developer careers, and using Kickstarter, Gofundme and Indiegogo are the top three or raising at least 25-50k for the video game Big Boy Bruce, roughly because pay of a few designers as well the primary portion will go towards paying fees to launch games through multi platforms, game contests, travels and assistance with marketing campaign.

Month 6: Negotiating & Deal making

            Negotiating and Deal making provides the necessary tools on how to predict an opposing team, locking deals, predicting how a meeting will go as well as learning negotiating tricks during this course. For example, for the first week we were able to review a sample negotiation between an independent filmmaker striking a deal with a woman athlete, but the challenging part was gaining footage of her personal life. Dissecting the video by separating the parties to underlying problem, and placing their personalities aside by implementing a mutual benefit for bother parties. Assuming, anything involving negotiating and deal making comes a lot of perpetration; research beforehand or it will fail, with the help of an remarkable book titled “ Getting to Yes”.
            The key ingredients of success, Never loose eye contact, no matter what visual representation the other person is giving, because it is giving a sense of direction where to go in terms of negotiation. Being stern and direct, only budding a little when it comes to finding a reasonable solution for both parties agreement. Deal making is like a game of chess; the one who claims checkmate is basically the winner of the battle, until negotiations and contracts are signed. As I develop myself as a women of business, I’ve come to realize all these paths I had to take to get to my MSc., and fear of getting back into the entertainment industry is long broken, and ready to negotiate my way towards victory.

Month 7: Product and Artist Management

How to overcome conflict and what strategies that must be implemented when handling a artist career, and use of product placement was a generally idea placed when going into month seven. Reflection on a assignment of researching a industry professional and her path as a manager, Sharon Osborne, a music manager, promoter, reality television star, author, talk show host, entertainer, concert producer and successful mother. Key lessons for this , how powerful networking is, and gut making decision will take you a long way, knowing which market to manage and knowing what the public wants to see through public relations. Never back down there are emotional pitfalls .What Sharon Osborne taught, was how to cope with personal complications being in the public eye, aim to win even if everything seems to fall through with business relations.
A useful insight was the “One Million Cups”, was as future business people in the industry of understanding what is expected when companies market and present a idea to a series of investors. Ability to digest the pro’s and con’s of the presentation, such as, Let’s start with the overall weakness in the presentation, on Jennifer reaction and how Yoga Dog would deal with the religious aspect, and knowing that there may be parents pulling children out of school because of Yoga Dog. Now let’s end on a positive high, the strengths with the presentation was fairly straightforward and had exact 30 episode viewpoint, and was seeking the funds for possibility of full 18 episode season. Succumbing to ideas of partnering with previous schools and students, to help develop projects from start-up company PvE, LLC and having the backbone and knowledge of product and artist management.

Month 8: Advanced Entertainment Law

            The foundation of knowing the rules, laws and boundaries when it comes to entertainment law and what components is configured for intellectual property for movies, music, games or any other form of entertainment. Being aware of current cases, and past cases will help assist if anything conflicting comes in the way revolving around federal law. Investigating patents, protection against copyright infringement, protect the company from any conflict action of any similar qualities of storytelling, or creative ideas. This month taught the great extents that are need to get PvE Studios protected, and while marketing is a major factor, as well as social media , I won’t have to deal with loss of sales if there is a counter suit to block publishing because of properly protecting patents and copyright protection.
            To have no fear when any game is created and inspired through visual, digital and emotional storytelling, and securing all grounds towards inspiration and give credit to deserving developers, designers and storytellers. An information assignment, IP Audit was to understand various of key relations from advanced law, and how it formulates that into company. Such as, Trade Secret and what protection it will give the company. Protection: Short Films and video games are on a constant innovative journey, and a long lifespan for creativity. Setting and founding proposition between everyone involved with M4M Entertainment, that everything discussed, creative or document with M4M will need to be proposed as a legal document, and well protected by ligation in the courts, a non-disclosure agreement.


Month 9: Entertainment Media and Publishing

            Entertainment Media and Publishing, was a interesting path to learn more about the various of ways to publish a video game directly, or indirectly to the public. Going into this as a independent game developer, the best route is to bypass and some game publishers in the industry, because they’re almost becoming irreverent  in the industry. In this day and age, game developer can overpass the corporate standard of large game publishers, however won’t gain as many incentives marketing wise or proper front and back-office staffing. Game Developers, and indie designers are learning to become more self-aware of not having a exclusive relationship with a publisher, and still succeeding in publishing their game, because simply the game industry is changing towards digital content sales and away from the physical games sales. Let’s take out the middleman, which is quite profitable to sell a game directly to Apple, Amazon, and Google storefront, and probably the vastest reason mobile game’s are in demand in the industry.
            A formal letter was created to resurface prices and cost to file a start-up company DBA business name, and choosing between limited or sole partnership. Legalzoom.com, is a well-crafted site dedicated to business wanted to directing work with little interactions from lawyers. This site has everything, generally I suggest to shop around first before retaining legal documents, I’ve done the research in California, and this is personally the best route and most affordable for “Parallel Vendetta Entertainment (PvE): Artistry in Action” paving the way for games/short film industry. I’ve personally had dealt with them in the past for name change reason, instead of paying $1500-$2, I approximately paid $500 including required documents, paying for a judge hearing and posing notices in the newspaper. Still knowing the publisher’s importance, as well as  gaining momentum from indie and small publishers for the game industry will help launch bigger success into getting green lit from STEAM, PlayStation, Xbox and more!

Month 10: Digital Marketing

            Expecting for the class to have a well-rounded idea what implements are required to have a successful marketing campaign, actually proven to be more difficult then expected. During the entire program, this class required a lot of trial and error with a common sense factor of properly assuming what finances are essential for a marketing campaign. Generating a marketing canvas for this course made myself self aware of knowing the competition, market, knowing KPI goals and what percentages are used determine the cost of the product. “Digital Landscaping”, and what does it entail tying into the entertainment/video game industry, it involves the evolution of online interaction, marketing, awareness and various forms of social media.
            Revolution of digital games is widespread, from smartphones to tablets, beacuase this day and age everyone is on the run, and it’s necessary for the company to have a digital format on a mobile device. Objectives Goal Generator, help refine accurate marketing efforts for the marketing plan so the customer will know what is being purchased. Major factors of digital marketing, is knowing how much profit PvE would take out of , exluding salaries, adveristings, game festivals, travel, unity pro, cupytight insurance, postage/shipping and publshing websites into the conversion values of the worksheet. The Campaign marketing plan budget will have a price tag of $3500 -$5000 range, to increase a loyal engagment to gather fans and followers to purchase our video game products. Leaving this class, really had to fine tune 3 goals split into Social Media, VLOG into email marketing.

Month 11: Business Plan Development

During this month, it was clearly stated by a former student from full sail how importance in the entertainment industry is to have a business plan. It’s extremely similar to a elevator pitch, you will never know who you run into, and how many will be particularly interested with a greater success rate if handing a copy of a business plan. This course staged numerous segments every week of reviewing previous classes, and fine tuning the companies identity, without really knowing the purpose of a SWOT analysis, and now finding out it’s importance of differentiation. For instance, opportunities for the company, Multiple materials in the entertainment industry: Parallel Vendetta Entertainment will prioritize video games, while media and short stories will be secondary in the industry. To provide a wide range of entertainment, will keep Parallel Vendetta Entertainment opportunity more extensive to be effective.
While a few critical and key points that will make the company successful by developing a new and unique market segment, and understanding the targetable market share. Indie companies are trying to be the next superlative entity, and unique in the video game/entertainment industry. The best way is to refine what PvE Studios practice, emotional storytelling meet’s pleasure, and guarantees an emotionally challenging experience with our games, short stories, media and immersing that into the business plan. Eventual goal for this class was to prepare a rough idea and establish a business plan as future entrepreneurs. Ideally, going into this class, I was unaware of expectations the industry standard has in looking for a business plans with start-up companies, and mold into the current market.

Month 12: Final Project, Business Plan

   To the concluding chapter of this Master’s Program, and full speed ahead to digest everything plowed into our head in a head is quite miraculous, but refreshing to still go back and review what’ve I’ve learned and accomplished from one year ago to today. Sewing all the pieces together, and overlooking, proofreading the business plan for the past few weeks before submission is quite nerve wrecking.  These past two months really tested the fate of the company, and inspire even greater heights of Parallel Vendetta’s Inspirations, as well as being prepared legally. Mission statement was reborn: Parallel Vendetta Entertainment delivers high quality entertainment, an independent game publisher that delivers through multiply online websites. Short film production, our mission is to partner together with local filmmaker’s, and film schools by giving students valuable experience on being on a short film location while developing inspired scripts by the PvE Studio team.
Parallel Vendetta Entertainment mission statement, “ To inspire expressively thought-provoking stories & gameplay, beyond years of imagination, while conveying upmost eminence content with Video Games and Short Stories through PvE studios, artistry in action”. “Provoking and thoughtful Emotions”, the company partakes in creating an insightful connection between the player, and it’s video game character arc in any media released. “Thoughtful”, is a reflection of practicality perception of a different world, providing engaging world environments and game mechanics. Parallel Vendetta Entertainment, being a start-up company is an investment of each developer, designer to the power of the player, thus the final project is to harness the next stage after years of educational growth, developing PVE in the long run, and primiarly seeking employment in the entertainment industry as a creative project manager. This years and crafted my love of entertainment, music, movies and of course video games, and lit the spark of stepping my way back into the industry as an experienced industry professional.


-A.H.

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