Sorry, I am playing catch up... I'll try and post the next five days of what happened during last week, this week.
So we reviewed the basic stuff of how the Internet works and then moved on to talking about "events" in Javascript and video games.
I used this episode of Bravest Warriors to explain events... as you watch the episode you will realize that the three planets are interlinked, and each planet needs something to happen before the other planets can do the next thing on the list. I felt the show was a great example of events.
So know we looked at Pac-man again and tried to figure out what the events were, and what we needed to happen.
Admittedly. this got to be a bit boring after awhile because we listed stuff for about 40 minutes... Keep in mind, English is not their first language, so this I had to wait for them to form a thought from Korean to English. Watching this video over and over again while listing events. Of course, I said sound was an event, but not to worry about that until we covered sound events.
So we figured...
Pac man eats small pellets. Ghosts can eat pac man. Pac man dies. Unless, Pacman eats large pellet, then he can eat ghosts. If ghost is eaten, they become eyes. Eyes go to center, and become ghosts. Blue ghosts taste good, other colors taste bad. Note: Looking back, and as you can tell, we were missing key events related to things like path finding, game scoring, lives, etc. Later, I would come to realize that the **Pacman (Beginner Tutorial) was a little incomplete towards the end. https://www.scirra.com/tutorials/308/cloning-the-classics-pacman.
In any case, we always wanted to make something new and not just copy from what we saw, so our level wasn't' a maze. It was the idea of making the first floor of the school as the game map.
And that was about it for the second day. We of course, didn't finish and had to move things to the next day.
Full Sail Instructor Steven Burhoe has comprised an great list of investors comparing their like and dislikes when it comes to business plans on his blog http://bpexpertviews.blogspot.com/.
Questions for this assignment…
1.)Describe how you intend to incorporate what you have learned from your own research on the experts profiled in the first posting into your own plan. What specific changes to your plan have you made based on the information provided by the experts.
2.)Which sections of your plan do you consider to be the most important to the investor reading your plan?
Answer for 1
I think the biggest thing we can learn from the Johnny Cupcakes' story is do not undersell a way to make money (http://shop.johnnycupcakes.com/story/). Of course, he had a band he was touring with, but in any case selling shirts out of a van doesn’t sound like the most common way to break in for aspiring fashion designers.
Moreover when considering Guy Kawasaki’s “focus on making meaning not money” and his related blogs, we can see that what sold Jonny Cupcakes was not simply t-shirts, but the idea that t-shirts meant something. (http://blog.guykawasaki.com/2006/04/the_art_of_the_.html#ixzz1R6nwHMBi)
For Johnny Cupcake’s that meaning may simply be categorized as form of expression.
“Our society relies on fashion as a form of expression; this is why designer clothing is so popular nowadays.”_Nigel M.
In this sense, Johnny Cupcake took advantage of a normal trend, people want to express them selves. This being a need of a large demographic lead to sales. If the focus had been on money instead, I don’t think the brand itself would be as popular as it is today.
Expression is the base for all things related to art. To understand this is to understand why people buy art. Because of the Internet, “Art” is the easiest to disturb and build leads on. The Johnny Cupcake story will always leave me with this moral, “start small go big.
Answer for 2...
Well when I was fortunate to split a Cab with an entrepreneur from www.avantibp.com, I talked to about a month ago, stressed the importance of a SWOT analysis. Interested in what we were doing, he wanted to know more about the business. However, without a solid SWOT, we could not further the relationship. On the other hand, it showed having a SWOT ready at all times is more important than having a business card because it can send a clear message of what your trying to do and get you funding.
If not a SWOT, you should have at least a 3-4 page skeleton showing what your start-up can do and what you have to offer. In this sense, you can show off the idea, but not all the parts of the plan for someone else to just take.
The most important thing for our angel investor is the financials. In our initial talks it’s not how much, but more how will it be spent.
Before I read Chris Garrett's article on coaching (Chris.com 2011, 3, 19), I realized that's what I had been doing for years.
"Couching" is a service that helps someone get to the next point of where they want to be. When I was a community college tutor before becoming a teacher, I tutored people on the same premise.
Although I am still a "Noob" or "Novice" to blogging or providing content on the Internet that's worth reading, I think I can safely say Garrett is describing a consultation model. For example, when my dad was working corporate, he consulted on both legal and tax issues. Later as a criminal defender, he did his best for the client who needed to transverse the legal realm. In both types of jobs, Garrett's definition of coaching seems to hold because my dad developed a relationship with a client, listen to their needs, and then provided advice on those needs as it met the limits or rules that had to be dealt with in the corporate or courtroom sense.
Another key point is a coach/consultant has to believe in their client.
Noah St.John of the Secret Code Of Success (http://www.secretcodebook.com/)even cites in his research that most successful people have at least one person who believes in them. In this regard, we could consider that every successful person has had a coach. For example, Joan Jett of the Runaways had manager Kim Fowley. Fowley coached her on how to be a success in the music business. If he didn't believe in Runnways he wouldn't have invested his time and money (http://newsroom.mtv.com/tag/the-runaways/).
Who Coaches a Coach?
This is hard because before you can coach someone, someone has to believe and support you. In my case, I've had good friends and former students kick me when I am feeling down or remind me what I have to offer when a plan does not go exactly as I would have wanted it. Bottom line, you need a healthy diverse support group that helps in many ways before you can really offer developing someone else. The part about this is it takes time to build these types of relationships.
Should I get paid to couch?
I reluctantly say "yes" to this questions because I don't think this it is simply an hourly wage or rate for consultation unless your working with or for a major corporation or small firm. I think for start-up projects with independents, payment should come in other forms (i.e. favors, connections, or project percentages, etc.). In consideration of Guy Kawasaki Art of Start, the focus should be helping people learn, develop, and grow because if the focus is only on money then people won't be successful and financial rewards just won't happen (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3xaeVXTSBg).
Am I a coach?
You are as long as you have some experience you have to share with someone else that gets them to the next level. LOL, the moment you give someone really good advice that helps them, you are a coach. From a Full Sail assignment, I thank Kurt from TGT because inadvertently gave me coaching on pod-casting. Also, there's nothing wrong with being a coach and getting coached on something else. My art is getting better because I am being coached by Diane Hyppolite.
What if I give bad advice?
LOL, Then you are a bad coach. Okay, seriously, figure out what you don't know, or what you need to learn to become a better coach. For example, when I first started working in education, I couldn't help this Japanese student with her English paper, so I got ESL classes to make me a better tutor. This was the same for legal, tax, and business advice. Of course, I've spent alot of money on formal education, but there's plenty of free learning on the net.
1. Referrals – Do great job of wowing your existing clients and they will bring friends. Again, it is about results mostly, but also their relationship with you. When they praise you, ask for referrals. 2. Networking – If you are looking for business people then use LinkedIn. Lewis has a brilliant video course that will make your LinkedIn work rock. I already learned a great deal from watching a couple of his videos. Life coaches could find many people in Facebook. I have picked up a fair few clients from live events and workshops – relationship is so important that seeing you face to face makes a huge difference. 3. Forums – By answering questions and showing you “have the right stuff” you will build a reputation, and again, allow people to get to know you.
Re: People I Work “With”
Two projects I am current on have really been interesting to start off on a consultant/partner level: “NeoGlow Entertainment” with Diane Hypolite (www.kickstarter.com) and “Win Writing” with Wendoll Douglas (Web Presence in works). Neoglow Entertainment as of now is working on developing a designer toy line and Win Writing will be a adult writing project hopefully coming out this summer 2011.
Above: This is a button/achievement Diane Hyppolite created for the "OMG It's Shaun White Project".
Re: Offers that Didn’t Workout
However, I have been offered two consultation positions that did not workout. Both with two Art groups, the first offer fell through because of a lack of communication from multiple parties. The second was an art group that I didn’t have the time to give given the hours they would pay me.
Inadvertently, I’ve been following Garrett’s advice of limiting those I work with based on certain criteria (Chris.com 2011, 3, 26). The first is getting to know someone, which I’ve cheated because I’m only working with close friends so far. The second is time; meaning, even though when my pocket book is hungry at times, I cannot morally just take someone’s money or commit to a project if I won’t see it through.
Of course, I plan to start smaller projects where I’m just a coach/consultant with people in the near future instead of my current model of practice.
The concept directly relates to this idea of finding and maintaining a Niche market. Establishing a Niche, has been defined by many experts as the use of social media technology as seen on such sites as chrisg.com, webcomicsweekly.com, webcomicalliance.com, TGT.com and so on.
For this week’s Full Sail blog assignment for my “Product and Artist Management” class at Full Sail, I wanted to relate the “Connect with Fans” and the Gears of War fan project the “Ticker Bunny”.
Some Brand and Franchise Background Information
Now let me admit my number one bias first for writing this Blog Case study, I love Gears of War, and have got a new HD TV, A Wi-fi Upgrade to my old Xbox 360s, and am pre-ordering the game to be delivered to my parents' house as I plan to teach in Korea just to play the special GameStop beta. Of course, I’m not the girl who got a Gear’s Crimson Omen tattoo on the back of my neck, but it safe to say after close to ten years from "Gears of War 1" to the anticipated “Gears of War 3”, this is a very strong established Brand and Franchise (Goldstein, 2011)
It’s Multi-Media Story
From Novels to Comics to a potential film the games coincide with all the official stories (Goldstein, 2011) .
Taking a lot form Randy Pitchford of Gear Box and famed success “Boarderlands”, Cliff Bleszinski (the lead creator of Gears) decided to combine a grass roots effort with a established brand. Unlike the "Call of Duty Franchisee" which takes in consideration of the Fans loosely, Cliff decided with this final chapter of the game in the franchise to give fans what they wanted based from the years of complaining form Gears of War 2 such as "dedicated servers", "speed game play issues", and so on. My observations over the years has been You Tube showing Gears of War 2 cliches in the game that could have been avoided if the game makers took a little more time.
Warning Video has Profane Language from the Gears of War 2 Characaters
This time, they have proactively polishing the game by pushing the game date to September 2011 and offering an exclusive beta of the game.
Moreover, Cliff and Epic studio have been allowing fans to record a lot the game play fro fan run conferences such as PAX East (http://east.paxsite.com/) and putting the game play footage on YouTube. This seems to be first time for an established franchise gets so much amateur converge. A predecessor from Microsoft, Halo Reach, touched on what was possible, but Cliff and Rod Fergason from Epic Studios have really made an effort to connect with fans. For example, they used their Facebook page to let fans vote for what maps would be available for the April to March 2011 Beta.
And so, Ticker Bunny is Born
I’ve been trying to research the Ticker Bunny more, and have even politely asked to interview its creator to get a better inside look at the creative process. Unfortunately, I have not gotten a response and their is very little concerning this fan based project aside from the picture and the video below.
As of now, it seems the social media marketing lead to it's publicity. Cliff had referenced the image online, which lead to small hype and a new line of plush toys of cute version of an enemy monster who explodes in the Gears of War Universe.
What Can We Learn from this As It Relates to Artist and Product Management?
Simple, fans can make and market new products that can be offered in the established fan base. It this sense with social media, fans can save a company from the research and development of a new product to over an established brand or franchise.
Sure, but How is Profit Made from such a Production?
This is the moral dilemma with the “Free Economy” of the Internet when compared to the classic cooperate mission statement of “Get as much money for the Share Holder”.
In any case, a company can legally own and discredit fan art in order to produce it’s own version of said product.
Hypothetically in this case study, Epic studios and Microsoft have legal agreements that may entitle them to recreate her work for mass production and not give her any royalties or compensation. Of course, in the designer toy markets she can sell the toy and make money from her work, but if Microsoft or Epic Game studios really pushed it, they could have her stop production if they make a similar product for their markets.
So Why Haven’t They?
LOL, the catch 22 of social media. If Microsoft or Epic studios did try and sue her and remake a cute ticker toy, they risk losing fans and sales because they branded Gears of War 3 as a pseudo-fan-based project for fans. Hurting one fan could rupture their campaign. Sadly, the Internet has made marketing and product offerings potentially more democratic than the US government itself.
Moreover, Here’s a Thought of what May Really Be Going on with Fan Art from Connecting with Fans
References Excluding Video or Picture Links:
Goldstein, H (2011) Interview Talking Gears With Cliff Bleszinski Part 1,2,3, and 4 IGN. Retrieved From: http://www.ign.com/videos/2011/03/11/talking-gears-with-cliff-bleszinski-part-1?objectid=14304771
Prompt: “In looking back at the 1984 launch of the Macintosh computer, do you think that the strategic visioning and planning of Apple, Inc. has been effective overall and why?”
I think during my whole time at Full Sail I always go back to Guy Kawasaki’s concepts as a core. According to him Apple was and has been about making people’s lives easier.
From: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3xaeVXTSBg
Prompt: “Discuss at least three aspects of Product Management that exist at Apple, Inc.”
In this sense, years after 1984, Apple sold people on buying their products because they promoted a better way to live through their technologies. In this regard, the 1984 language of Macintosh was the idea of freeing computers from the cold clutches of IBM and corporate America. In 2003, when I was attending Fresno Community College my computer science teacher explained how IBM thought that computers should not be easy, but work. When Macintosh revolutionized the marker with it GUI (Graphic Interface System), IBM responded by paying Bill Gates who had reversed engineered windows (Burke, 1999).
Because of Apple’s personal computer at home movement, IBM decided to give a lot of technology and licenses away that established the PC and the open market for development. Because of what IBM did, Apple was hurting form the late 8o's to Early 90's. Apple then made a strategic alliance with grocery stores and public schools to get their computer to younger customer. When I was growing up, I didn't understand how can drive could lead my school to have a new computer lab with "Apple II E" computers until after I attended that class in 2003. This strategic partnering did two things: One, gave the a huge tax write off, and two just like the cigarette company access to a youth market. Add college kids, Microsoft giving them the I-pod technology to avoid an anti-trust lawsuit, and now we are in post 1984 and Macintosh being the protector of freedom when it comes to creativity, lol. Sigh, I personally chose a degree in teaching because in 2003 I say the effects of the 90’s bubble pop in California as what freaked out. Oh, only if I stayed in computer science.
Prompt: “Discuss what you think might be an effective strategy going forward for Apple, Inc.”
In this post 1984 world where we have accepted out fate as a society, I digress and have to say I am neither a “Mac” or “PC” guy. I’m a dude who just wants the freedom to produce and distribute what I want on the Internet. Thus, I contend that Apple is no longer the fighter of freedom, but has become the very “IBM” they branded to fight in 1984. Their products are no longer about innovating design but limiting it. For example, Google’s Android is beating the I-phone because Google is using the power of "free". The power of free is simply; if people are given freedom to explore technology innovation happens. However, Apple is more about control and protection of properties. Of course, giving creators of content such as music makers some protection from piracy is great, but the power of free is like water to stone. Meaning, no matter how hard Apple try’s to control certain things, it will be warn down. If Mac wants a better future, it has to remember what that hammer that destroyed the screen means… break the constructs that conflict with creative freedom.
Sarno, David (2010, Aug, 2nd) The business and culture of our digital lives,
from the L.A. Times Retrieved From: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2010/08/google-android-apple-iphone-sales-mobile-att-verizon.html
Burke, M. (1999) Pirates of Silicon Valley Retrieved From: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0168122/
As a guy trying to make money with the Internet and Access in various platforms such as home and phone, net neutrality really had me spooked. On webcomics.com, many creators were afraid of the FCC’s impact on the business model that has worked for thousands of creators in the last ten years based on Net Neutrality. Frustrated to the naïve ignorance of how important this is of many friends, family, and peers, I decided to blog about the information I’ve been finding. Moreover, the more I understand how the Internet is being protected and designated, the less emotional I feel. Nonetheless, if ignorance blinds many, our “Internet Rights” may one day disappear and most of the country wouldn’t even care until they had to pay for it, literally.
The F.C.C. under the Obama administration is trying to protect the Internet from falling under corporate control (Net Neutrality). Because what has made the internet successful for entrepreneurs and new technologies has been a uncontrolled platform where new services like “Youtube “could beat “Google Video” based on frame rate performance as cited by Senator Franken on many interviews such as the one seen below.
Franken draws an analogy to the Television industry. Within his analogy, he cited how many of the independent television producers disappeared after a 1980 FCC rule change that gave networks the ability to create their own show. In other words, the ruling gave corporate control over an independent market, which could ultimately lead to one conglomerated corporation. Moreover, if a company like Comcast gains control of how speeds run on the Internet, this could lead to accelerated mergers between communication companies such as “AT&T” and media companies such “Disney” to try secure their market shares and portability. Thus a trigger effect where the Internet goes the way of the radio, a once free innovated platform to a more controlled less innovated platform.
“Mr. Franken and other critics say the rules come with major caveats; for instance, they would allow for 'reasonable network management' by broadband providers. And they would discourage but not expressly forbid something called 'paid prioritization,' which would allow a media or technology company to pay the provider for faster transmission of data, potentially creating an uneven playing field.” _Stelter, 2010
For example, Level Three versus Comcast. Under Net Neutrality, Level 3 could offer a service without being charged by Comcast. Thus, “Net-Flix” users had lower costs; however, if Comcast could charge Level 3 then the costs would be on the consumer. The argument is that Comcast is only a portal to the Internet and not the owner of the Internet. The video below explores two related arguments.
“On Dec. 21, 2010, the F.C.C. approved a compromise that would broadly create two classes of Internet access, one for fixed-line providers and the other for the wireless Net. The vote was 3 to 2, with the Democratic commissioners supporting it and the Republican commissioners against.”_ Net Neutrality
The battle for now is fast lanes, but a new question has been proposed about new technology that Google and Verizon may be developing independently. Meaning, broadband connection as far as paid faster connection is not the concern but it the next generation of Internet could come prepackaged and controlled by a company such as Google. “…fast lanes are fairly easy to understand when it comes to wireless Internet access…”however, what are the other services that Google and Verizon want to control? (Net Neutrality).
My understanding is that the Internet is slowly replacing the cable box with platforms like HD TV where the TV is really a giant computer monitor. Comcast realizing what was happening tried to control where the cable market was heading to, an actual Internet TV Hybrid. In turn, imposing their concerns on companies such as Facebook. However, Comcast had no real market position in portable devices as Google and Verizon. Thus, the focus of content providers is no longer the home, but what devices will people carry on them wherever they go.
So this is where Net Neutrality is at the end of 2010. There’s plenty on the web to read about this issue, and I’ll continue to blog about it as it relates to my interests and concerns. However, how does it interest or concern you?
If you are interested, search for new technology and trends related to Net Neutrality.
Also, look into the cell phone effects of Net Neutrality.
Non-Video References
Stelter, B (2010, Dec 20 )F.C.C. Is Set to Regulate Net Access. The New York Times Retrieved From http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/21/business/media/21fcc.html?sq=fcc&st=cse&scp=3&pagewanted=print
Net Neutrality (Updated Dec22,2010) Retrieved From
http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/reference/timestopics/subjects/n/net_neutrality/index.html
The blog I decided to cover from Ries is “How Left-Brain Management got us into this Recession”. The article is interesting because it explains five concepts that businesses did not adhered to that caused issues with their branding and led to poor sales.
1. Management is focused on reality, when the real problem is perception.
2. Management is focused on expansion when the real opportunity is contraction.
3. Management demands "better" products when the real opportunity is "different" products.
4. Management expects rapid growth when the real opportunity lies in the opposite direction.
5. Management values "creativity" when the real opportunity lies in "credentials."
After reading the blog, I wanted to take a look at Mascots and how they adhere to these five concepts in relation to Law 8 The law of the category . We should also consider the mascot as part of our branding. A Mascot can be anything related to a cartoon or a rapper. Mascots, but logos silently speak for our brand. For example, GEICO’s Gecko speaks on behalf of the company better than their logo itself.
Law 8 The law of the category a leading brand should promote the product or service category, not the brand
Disney helped create the category Family Entertainment with the lunched of cartoons such as Mickey Mouse. As the Reis (2002) suggests McDonalds entering this category was beneficial commercially for McDonalds at the same time helped developed the category as part of US and eventual Global culture (Schlosser,2002).
However, Disney comparatively started to lose its ability to make smart decisions because it’s leaders didn’t know wither to pursue new types of products and service or develop products and services that reflected it’s past successes. Mickey Mouse for example represents the times that founder Walt Disney took his brand to a new national level (History of Disney). Walt designed a mascot to represent his company that took elements from the current culture and market trends. The animated shorts that Mickey Mouse stared in
Although Mickey’s character design had changed throughout the years to reflect popular trends, Mickey started to loose it’s simple lovable roots. New forms of Family Entertainment from companies such as Pixar, developed new modern characters that represented a new category of family film, Digital Animation. A new question now faced Mickey could he contend in the category of modern digital entertainment?
1. Management is focused on reality, when the real problem is perception.
It seems that Disney’s leader’s considered that Mickey by himself was not sellable because the reality is the Mickey Mouse Franchise may not be something that the general public would buy. If this was the case, the problem was not the public but the public perception. This would mean that Mickey had to be repackaged; in turn, Disney would have to rebrand itself because Mickey represented so much of the Disney’s brand.
3. Management demands "better" products when the real opportunity is "different" products.
Mickey Mouse would venture into Japanese Video games with Square Enix called Kingdom Hearts. The game did more for Disney because it showed that Disney’s worlds and History could be made interesting for Video gamers. Of course Mickey Mouse had been in video game before, but with the imposed corporate ideas on developers, no one real had the creative freedom to rebrand Mickey for Digital Entrainment.
Rebranding Mickey Mouse to be Epic. Epic Mickey is now attempt to make a new Disney product that represents their ability to adapt the old for today’s markets. It’s based on the success of Kingdom Heart observably because it has element from Kingdom Hearts, so it’s safe to assume they want to keep that market from Kingdom Hearts.
Disney is attempting to rebrand again. Epic Mickey represents the Disney Brand trying to sell Mickey Mouse in today’s market. However, Mickey Mouse may not be more than a mascot. Because when Christmas comes, the sales of Epic Mickey will demonstrate if Disney can successfully rebrand itself in the market place.
What we can learn from this is how a brand represents the time it comes from?
How mascots represent the company’s brand, and its history?
How issues in effective decision making affect a company’s ability to effectively represent its brand and products?
Ries, Luara (2009, March 6) How Left-Brain Management got us into this Recession
Retrieved from http://ries.typepad.com/ries_blog/2009/03/how-leftbrain-management-got-us-into-this-recession.html
Ries, Al., and Laura Ries. The 22 immutable laws of branding: how to build a product or service into a world-class brand. 1. ed. New York: Harperbusiness, 2002. Print.
