Throughout the entertainment business program we were assigned “leadership portfolio” assignments. These assignments enabled us to evaluate ourselves as well as elaborate on current issues discussed in class. Through this leadership portfolio assignment I will be discussing the assignments I have accomplished throughout my time here at Full Sail University as well as elaborate on six activities I have participated in through the year.
Executive Leadership
During the first month of the program we were assigned a leadership portfolio assignment documenting our needs as well as our effective assets to being a leader. The first month created the tone for the rest of the year. Writing down our strengths and weaknesses as leaders really gave us an insight to which areas needed improvement. We then needed to explain ways we planed to improve on our weaknesses as well as showcase our strengths. My effective traits were integrity, problem solving, and people needs. I needed improvement in creating positive change, attitude, and self-discipline. I decided the best way to improve myself as a leader and showcase my talents were to be involved in as many projects and activities as I could.
Project and Team Management
For our second month class we had a group leadership portfolio assignment. Our task was to go out into the city and find a local nonprofit organization and offer our services and create a written proposal. This could vary since each person in our group had different school backgrounds such as; recording arts, show production, and film. We decided to contact the American Lung Association in Orlando, Florida. We started by asking them if they needed assistance in any aspect of their company. Luckily they said yes. The American Lung Association was currently putting together a full media makeover for their annual “Cars For The Cure” event. This included filming the actual event, making flyers, and creating a new logo. Since no one in the group had extensive Photoshop experience, we contacted a design student at Full Sail. We also contacted the film department in assisting the event. We were responsible for managing everyone involved. We also drew up WSB and AIB diagrams, along with a 24-page proposal consisting of risks, market, financials, management, technical, and appendix. We then, as a group, had to present to the class our proposal for the company along with delivering the proposal to the American Lung Association.
Business Storytelling and Brand Development
For Business Storytelling and Brand Development we had a different approach to our leadership portfolio assignment. We were asked to create a movie explaining a “turning point” in our lives. This was an individual assignment that we had to share with two classmates as well as the teacher. I decided to go personal with this assignment and talk about a friend’s suicide. It seemed like the honest thing to write about. Recording this turning point helped me remember why I am the person that I am today. This was a great exercise and portfolio assignment.
Entertainment Business Finance
The Entertainment Business Finance’s leadership portfolio was the first personal assignment out in the real world. This was very scary to think about because I would be out of my comfort zone. We had to contact an investor or a banker and interview them about their structure of business and ask for any advice they had. I interviewed a banker at Fifth Third Bank named Negar Meghadadi. She was a graduate from UCF, whom was very understanding, cooperative, and honest when answering the questions. She gave me a background on the banks history as well as her educational background. This was a great assignment because it gave me the opportunity to go out by myself and find answers. This confidence could easily follow me through my future.
Negotiation and Deal Making
The leadership portfolio assignment for this class was very fun. We had to yet again interview someone who deals with negotiating or we could negotiate a deal ourselves and write about it. I have negotiated deals before so I wanted to see how other people negotiate. I decided to interview Jasmine Cruz, manager of Pawn America. Being an employee of Pawn America Jasmine has to deal with multiple deals and negotiations every single day. I asked her about what she can do to bring the price down and what are some ways to know if someone is trying to rip you off. She explained to me that 90% of negotiating and deal making is body language. If you come in with the confidence, chances are you are going to get what you wanted. She also said eye movement, tone of voice, and hand gestures are all ways she can tell if someone is being honest with her. I really enjoyed doing this interview. Jasmine was extremely helpful and gave me an insight into the minds of negotiators.
Product and Artist Management
When given our leadership assignment for this month’s class I was more than excited. Finally I have something I can relate to. I have been in many different bands in the past and have dealt with artist managers. This gave me the perfect opportunity to interview a friend. I decided to interview Cody Grup. Cody has been a long time friend of mine since middle school and has always helped my bands get shows in Ohio and Michigan. He was just as excited being interviewed. I was able to trace back memories of all his stories. I remember him helping promote for venues and then eventually being hired to promote for different venues and concerts. Eventually he started booking shows and managing bands. Eventually taking on artist management as a full time gig.
Advanced Entertainment Law
For our advanced entertainment law class we had another option to contact and interview a lawyer or write a research paper on a famous case. I wanted to interview a lawyer but found a lot of them really didn’t like the idea of giving out “free time”. So I went with a research paper. I researched an infringement case dealing with Gucci Shops, Inc and R.H. Macy & Co. This gave me great insight on what constitutes infringement. Trademark infringement could be anything from the color, shape, or even sound of something. However this case dealt with multiple infringements from the trademark green and red handbags to the name being too similar. I really enjoyed the law class I feel that I learned a lot and so much is dependant on the law and restrictions.
Entertainment Media Publishing and Distribution
The entertainment media/publishing and distribution class was another class I really loved. Being a musician I find any information dealing with distributing to be very helpful. For our leadership portfolio we had to decide weather we wanted to pursue film, music, or writing. I chose to follow up music. Our assignment dealt with finding an artist and creating a whole press kit, along with the bio and any media to help enhance the musician’s image. I chose to create a press kit about myself. That was a little harder and awkward to write in third person but I have always wanted to make a press kit so I decided this would be the perfect time. In my press kit I included sample music, magazine clippings, reviews, as well as a business card with contact information. We had to find a specialized publisher to fit our genre or band. This was incredibly useful because you realize finding information on somebody is really not as difficult as it may seem.
Digital Marketing
For our digital marketing class we were assigned a research paper. The topic of the paper was to decide if the Internet was making us stupid. We had to have references supporting our opinion whether we chose to agree or disagree. I chose not to agree. Our generation has had access to the most information ever. I feel this trend will only continue. What information would have took past generations countless hours to find, now only takes us seconds using the Internet. Although, I do see less memorization being put to use in modern society, the fact is we are still able to fine more information with less time and even less effort. This was a fun assignment I love to debates. I can see both sides of the argument, but to deny that the Internet has aided our mental growth would be ignorant.
Mobile Marketing and Commerce
The whole idea of mobile marketing is genius. Our society is glued to their cell phones. Many people find it to be one of the most personable items they own. Our leadership portfolio for this class was to create a survey asking people questions about their mobile devices. These included how many phones do they own, which options do they like or dislike, and which features do they struggle with if any. Although, many of the answers were as expected, it was a great way to gain insight of a mobile device user. I believe mobile marketing will be the next biggest avenue for advertising and we will have the knowledge to assist in becoming a part of it.
Business Plan Development
For our business plan development class we had to find at least two different business plan “experts” and compare their thoughts. I chose two very different approaches. One said that a business plan is one of the most helpful assets to starting a business. While the other stated that through his experience he found no need for a business plan at all. As much as they sound un-alike, they did have one thing in common; you must show that you can make money through sales not through projections. Both gave valid points to their arguments. However, I found the best thing to do for my business was to combine them both. Creating a workable profitable business before I try to shop for investors. I believe this would be the best way to attract investors.
Activities
Throughout the year we were assigned to attend to at least six activities. Although I did more then six, I will pick my favorite activities I have been involved with.
Strides Against Breast Cancer
Orlando, Florida has had an annual event to raise money to help fund breast cancer research. I knew I wanted to be a part of this event; luckily the school had volunteered to participate through the Pure Motivation group on campus. This included a meeting at Full Sail at 5:30am to gather and carpool to downtown Orlando. When we arrived it was all work from there. My jobs included setting up and tearing down booths, stages, and audio cables. I was also in charge of getting people to participate in a surveys dealing with breast cancer. Lastly, I participated in motivating the hundreds of runners. This included yelling motivational words of encouragement as well as clapping and the occasional dancing “like a fool”. The whole experience was wonderful. It was great to see so many people come together to raise money and spread awareness of breast cancer.
Air Potato Raid
The air potato raid was also an annual Central Florida event. Each year they pick air potato’s before they take over the other plants. They are pretty much a parasite plant. They stick to other plants and steal their nutrients and block the sunlight to other plants. This makes them a nuisance for other plants. They were brought here from Asia and Africa. Since then, they have done damage to our wildlife here in Central Florida. Again, I teamed up with Pure Motivation. We began like the other Pure Motivation events, meeting at Full Sail then carpooling to the location. There we were given bags and told to gather as many air potatoes as we could. This was a fun event because we were able to go through a wild life preserve and see all the cool plants and trees. We even picked a wild orange tree. I had a partner, classmate James Chrystal. We both filled our bags with air potatoes and took them to get weighed and packed away.
Rupert Neve
Having an audio background, the news of actually seeing and hearing Rupert Neve was a chance I would not pass. Rupert Neve is possibly the person who single handedly changed recording. He was responsible for one of the best recording inventions to date; the recording console. Although he is an English man, he currently lives in the United States. He told us stories on how he got started with audio. He also gave us an insight to his mindset when creating new devices. Rupert Neve had an incredible life and I felt privileged to have heard his story.
Johnny Cupcakes
Johnny Earle, also known as Johnny Cupcakes is the owner of a very well established clothing company. He specializes in t-shirts that involve pastries on them such as cupcakes. I felt very interested to watch his lecture. Many of my friends own multiple Johnny Cupcakes t-shirts and are also a fan of his old hardcore band “On Broken Wings”. Yet my main reason to watch him was to develop insight on his clothing company. As you are aware, my business plan is a t-shirt company. What better advice to receive then from someone doing the exact same thing I want to do. I listened to his “sold out” lecture standing which if I recall correctly was nearly four hours long. I wrote down everything he had to say. Everything from where he gets his shirts printed to how to package your products. After words I had to opportunity to meet with him and he gave me some great words of encouragement. When I meet Johnny he thought my stutter was a joke and asked if I was messing around with him. Although, some people may have been discouraged to speak anymore, I am use to this sort of reaction so I continued talking to him. He asked me what I was passionate about I replied “recording and engineering”. He replied, “That’s awesome man, do whatever your passionate about don’t listen to what anyone says, just go out and do it. I have a learning disability and people were always telling me I was dumb but I just kept pushing forward until I could prove them wrong. You have a speech problem and that’s alright with the industry your going into you can show everyone how good you really are without saying a word”. Those were great words of encouragement that will last a lifetime.
Nick Vujicic
Nick Vujicic is a motivational speaker from Australia. Nick was another guest speaker at Full Sail. At first I was not interested in hearing a “motivational speaker”, but a friend at church told me I should really check him out. I took his advice and I am glad I did. Nick Vujicic was born with no arms or legs. This condition had no scientific explanation. He was just born different. He began telling us about his life growing up. He mentioned all the struggles growing up as a kid and not being able to do “normal” kid stuff. Nick then began to tell us the depression he went through knowing he was so different. The point of his story was to show people everyone has problems and its up to you to make it different. He felt that he had a calling from God to help people get through struggles. Nick did an amazing job. He stayed interesting and you truly got emotional by the stories he told. After words he wanted to meet and hug everyone in the audience. So he did.
House Of Hope
During our second month we had to contact a nonprofit organization and offer our services. Another group in my class contacted House Of Hope. They offered to shoot a video for their upcoming event. They were able to shoot the video but the audio was too rough for the clients liking. They contacted me to fix the audio. This involved EQ-ing, compressing, splicing, and trimming the audio. This was great to help out a nonprofit organization and fellow classmates. It’s a great feeling when you are able to give your time and effort into a project knowing that the over all cause is greater then you can imagine.
