Closing:

         In closing, making the decision to enroll at Full Sail University to earn my Master’s degree in Entertainment Business was one of the best decisions I have ever made for myself.  The program has not only enhanced and added to my skills educationally and psychologically, but my character has expanded to prepare me for anything I may face in the entertainment and business industry. I am happy to have had the opportunity to converse with so many intelligent individuals going towards the same goal as me, and to have acquired an abundance of abilities from a variety of unique and highly educated professors. I can now emerge in the entertainment industry prepared and ready for anything that comes my way. Whether I encounter disappointments or achievements, the skills I have attained during my year at Full Sail will prepare me for both. Thank you Full Sail for the opportunity to learn and grow, both internally and career-wise.

http://submit.nytimes.com/graduation?ref=education

 

            

Month 12: "Final Project: Business Plan"

         Finally in the twelfth month, my last stepping stone in my journey at Full Sail, I begin taking the course “Final Project: Business Plan.” The course description includes writing blogs in relation to financial and technology aspects, completing the financial statements assignment from the previous course, reflecting on all courses that were completed during the program, and completing a written business plan that led to a final presentation of the business. Once I made it to this last course, it opened my eyes with realization of how fast the year had passed and how close to graduation I was. I enjoyed completing my written business plan which required a substantial amount of preparation. The written business plan included all items from the previous courses that I organized into a plan that I would present to a potential investor interested in my business. 

http://www.toddpylant.com/2013/10/21/sabbatical-project/

Month 11: "Business Plan Development"

        In the eleventh month, I begin taking the course “Business Plan Development.” The course description includes each individual taking the business, management, and technical knowledge that they have learned from all previous courses and putting together a business plan for their intended business. This course required a lot of observation and organization skill, which really enhanced my development skills. The assignments included in this course were learning how to identify my target market, identifying potential competitors within the same market, describing the opportunities and barriers that I may face in my current market, and creating a financial spreadsheet with a list of all financial factors associated with my business. I enjoyed completing these assignments because it gave me an even better understanding of what to look for in the build-up of my business. The financial spreadsheet assignment was fairly challenging because it required me to create hypothetical figures for my business plan in order to see all improvements and successes. 

http://www.valleysbdc.org/2012/11/15/hot-topic-2/

Month 10: "Digital Marketing"

          In the tenth month, I begin taking the course “Digital Marketing.” The course descriptions include learning how to develop effective marketing plans with a strong emphasis on the digital aspect. I found this class to be fairly difficult because I was unaware of all the components that are entailed within the digital world. The assignments included creating blogs that were related to digital technology, learning how to evaluate webpages by utilizing Google AdWords and Google Analytics, and creating marketing plans. Before taking this class, I had never heard of AdWords or Google Analytics. I learned that through Google Analytics I could track the level of activity that appeared on my blogs, and through the use of Ad Words I could research keywords to include in my blog that my potential customers would look for. Both tools go hand in hand because they help strengthen websites and blogs with the inclusion of such content, which in return will increase user activity. It is very important to include the correct keywords in one’s site to increase search engine optimization, which is how frequent a sight appears in the search results. The more searches it receives will gradually increase the popularity amongst individuals, based on how often the website and company is researched. Completing these activities demonstrated the importance of not only including the correct amount of content, but including the right content to appeal to the intended audience. I now understand that the more interesting a website appears the more visibility it will receive. 

http://lawncaremillionaire.com/explained-google-adwords-for-your-lawn-care-business/

Month 9: "Entertainment Media Publishing and Distribution"

           In the ninth month, I begin taking the course “Entertainment Media Publishing and Distribution.” The course description includes informing individuals on the issues affecting media publishing and distribution and learning ways to protect one’s business from issues such a piracy and social media. This course goes hand in hand with the previous course because it discusses legal issues in regards to protecting one’s assets. From this course I learned how such published works could become subject to copyright infringement through many sources including social media. One assignment I found to be very enlightening was where I got to choose a legal case in which someone had their published works compromised. I chose to research the case on J. K. Rowling that discussed a time when a fan attempted to steal her ideas for his version of an encyclopedia. Completing this assignment made me aware of how easy it can be to copyright someone’s works, especially if they are not properly protected. I now see how important it is to make sure that all forms of publishing, including novels and submissions through the web, be protected to avoid someone else taking ownership of another individual’s work.  

http://www.mediaweek.co.uk/article/1011348/archant-takes-full-control-publisher-kent-sunday

Month 8: "Advanced Entertainment Law"

              In the eighth month, I begin taking the course “Advanced Entertainment Law.” The course description includes learning the many topics associated with entertainment law and understanding how to protect one’s business against the many threats within the digital domain today. I was looking forward to taking this class the most because I hope to become an entertainment lawyer in the future. The course met many of my expectations because it allowed me to grasp the concept of not only law, but law within the entertainment industry. The assignments included gathering information about intellectual property in relation to one’s business, creating blogs that required the research of potential legal issues that could affect one’s business, and learning about the various trends that tend to affect entertainment contracts. Throughout the course I learned the terms patent, trademark, and copyright which are all different forms of protection for projects, products, and businesses. I found the class to be very entertaining and enlightening because it prepared me for the potential legal issues I may face within the course of my business. 

http://www.aqalegal.com/

Month 7: "Product and Artist Management"

             In the seventh month, I begin taking the course “Product and Artist Management.” The course description includes learning how to successfully manage potential artists or products manufactured for one’s business. Although I do not intend to work with the music industry, this course was still beneficial in helping to determine ways in which I will successfully manage my own business with the products we manufacture. Also, seeing as I will be running a production company, I found it effective to acquire skills associated with artist management in regards to future clients looking to work within our corporation. One assignment I felt really helped strengthen my knowledge on artists within the entertainment industry was the live event project. This assignment required me to create a daily agenda for a hypothetical artist performing in concert. Gathering a list detail was somewhat difficult and time consuming because I never had to create someone else’s agenda before. Doing so, I put myself in a production manager’s position and thought of tasks needed for an artist during a show. The assignment also went hand in hand with time management because each task had to be done in a timely manner in order for everything leading up to the show to be successful. The correct term for the agenda I created was an artist rider, which includes specific requirements from an artist in regards to their transportation, meals, wardrobe, dressing room, and all other a

http://topics.info.com/Entertainment-Law_3674
ccommodations. Completing this assignment really helped me in learning how to successfully manage an individual according to their preferences in combination with what is best for the business.