sangeraldortiz

[sangeraldortiz]

Mastery Journal: Final Reflection

When I was looking at masters degrees I really wanted to go into a on-campus classes, but due to needing a job it ended up being online and it has been quite a journey.  It got to a point because my management job at Disney World and transition to become a flight attendant I took a break from school. Sincerely I couldn’t have chosen a better institution and like Full Sail University to do my masters degree.

The program has 12 classes, which you take one class every month for 12 months in order to graduate. I did end up mixing up my MFA in Digital Media Production with their Masters of Science in Entertainment Business. The knowledge I have acquired will never be forgotten and has been a great deal to me. Each class has shaped me into the graduate student that walks down the aisle and graduate with a masters degree this year.

The classes are definitely in sync since they all back up each other. The first class I took was Mastery: Personal Development and Leadership. Is hard to recall all the classes since there were ones I want to get over with to be honest. In the other hand there was one that I will always remember because they impacted me somehow and were a lot more interesting.

Personal Development and Leadership was more like an introduction to the whole course into the entertainment business. Best way to be a leader, how to develop and be the best and what you do. Learn the types of leaders, which are basically three and how they can difference with each other. At the end of the day a leader with all three types of leadership can be the ultimate leader, as long they know how to balance them.

Follow by Project and Team Management goes along with it since went more in depth on how to manage a successful project. It taught me how to improve in sense of time management, prioritizing and knowing my team. Is definitely when working with other on a deadline and with a purpose to know their skills set, what can they deliver and succeed on what they do.

Project Management was one of those classes that kept me on the edge due to I was a manger before at Disney World and this brought me so many memories. It doesn’t only apple to design projects, entertainment, etc. This is a class that you can use the knowledge in all the aspect of you professional and personal life. In order to succeed we got to know our team, empower it, push them, celebrate them and support them.

Business Storytelling and Brand Development was one of the classes I enjoyed a lot, due to all the design that was involved in it. I got to learn a lot about how to present a business in this case was storytelling. Also how to this would help me as a business owner in the future to be able to provide then best of the customer service out there.

The fun part came when we got to create out own brand and identity for a business. Where the main project was to create that personal brand identity for the business. It helped to make sure that we know what is considered to make the business unique with a logo, business cards, audience, etc.

Entertainment business finance class was though and a lot of knowledge was acquired as well. The amount of research done in crowd funding was intense and will never make forget was it is. I think is something any future entrepreneur and business owner should know about. It seems like crowd funding is the new way to get ideas, items, business, etc. funded through multiple websites out there.

The rest of the class was spent in answering sheets where a lot of math as involved and excel sheets. I learned everything from capital budgeting, personal finances and assumptions for businesses. Rich Dad Poor Dad book, which is the second time I have read the book for school purposes and every time I think is an mazing book for people and how to deal with finances at the end of the day.

Digital Marketing was one of the classes I did pay a lot of attention, because like I said in my business plan I would love for my business to be digital at all times. This class helped me to research and provide a case study in social media marketing. I’m a huge fan of the show named #1 in social media marketing, which is “Pretty Little Liars”.

The class showed me how to research and look at the competition, the other way to create that online presence and how to succeed at it. Because as the entertainment been so big, there’s definitely a need to look what’s the smarter, easier and successful way to create that online presence as a business. Either is through mobile apps, websites, ads, etc.

Negotiation and Deal Making was intimidating class. This is something I have always failed to succeed as a person since I never seemed confident enough to negotiate. This class just gave me that boost of confidence on how is needed for this business and how to overcome it and succeed at it.

We studied multiple scenarios and some videos where the negotiations were going on and how we could have changed it. Also all the ways the negotiation could have gone, but what was the right and correct path to follow in order to succeed. Something I learned and I will never forget is that in the entertainment industry you need to knowledgeable and make sure that research is done before you head out to any negotiation or even to speak to a client.

Product and Artist Management gave me the tools that are needed to know to overcome any issues as an artist or product manager. At the end of the day either is a product or an artist that you’ll be managing this course is ideal and super knowledgeable towards it. The class taught us some scenarios and through lessons how to choose the best solutions to them.

Not only was addressed everything needed to be addressed according to be an artist manager it did follow with the next class. It was like the two classes could have been taught together and would have been perfect. The class gave us the opportunity to connect everything learned at the end in order to apply it in the future business plans.

Advance Entertainment Law followed PAM class and this pair couldn’t have been more perfect. Everything about law and entertainment was learned. Is definitely a lot of information but the way was taught couldn’t have been more perfect. Not only the lectures but the case studies were so in depth was hard to miss it. It was scary when I thought about the class but I was impressed with everything I learned and would lobe to continue learning.

The class teaches you the basics, but when it comes to this type of terms is really learned in the field and from the mistakes we commit. It makes you want to go back and remember how research needed to be done before a negotiation, the same applies here. This class, negotiations and PAM class are just one big topic just cut in three classes in order to learn a lot more seems like it.

Entertainment Media Publishing and Distribution was an intense class. I did wanted to get it over with at the beginning because I didn’t know what I was expecting, but at the end I wanted to learn more. The class is a lot of material for four week but is just perfect at the same time. Case studies where according to your type of business is chosen and worked on.

Is like building a business plans, but in this case was building a business strategy. I did built a whole TV show treatment within the business strategy where would be presented with the business plan at the end. All the documentation needed for this is just a lit, the class book is amazes me that the own professor wrote it as well. Amazing class and wouldn’t mind taking it again with a different business aspect.

Business Plan Development was that class where you’re so excited is just one class left to graduate but at the same time nervous to no mess this up. At this point every student have worked so hard this is the time to put all your knowledge learned put to work. Creating a business plan was something I did enjoy and was so amazing turning in that whole business plan section, after weeks of just typing, researching, typing and typing away. The result of seeing Sangerald Ortiz Productions, LLC Business plan come together was definitely rewarding.

Last but not least, but really important was the Final Project: Business Plan class. This class was a little challenging because after the last class it feels like I needed a breather from typing my life away. The class was putting everything we have learned through the past 11 classes to work and fulfill that final business plan. We got to work on the final finances touches of the business, put together the whole business plan and see it flow through a whole presentation to future investors.

All the sweat, blood and tears shed through the whole year was put it together on one class and see the end result on that graduation day. The journey has been an amazing one and nobody would be more proud on us than ourselves when we receive that diploma, put our business plan to work and be able to be business owners in the future.

[sangeraldortiz]

Entertainment Business Finance: Mastery PDL Timeline

The Entertainment Business Finance class really have helped me a lot to realize in what and what not i should spend my money. I really thought even though I would love to have my own business, I always thought you will have somebody in charge of this and you wouldn’t need to deal with it. After taking the class I realized that even if you have your own business and try to get somebody to so all this, you should know all this too so that way you don’t fooled by people or played. As a business owner we should know every aspect and be able to run it on your own, since there’s not better judgment to trust than your own.

We also read the book “Rich Dad Poor Dad” which is an amazing book, if you never read it I recommend it. It doesn’t matter of you have financial issues or not, it is a great book and it just inform you how everybody could be rich if we learn to create assets instead just creating liabilities. An asset is something you are basically investing money in it and you’ll be making a profit with it. Liabilities are just investment but you get nothing in exchange like bills that doesn’t produce any profit (rent, car payments, utilities bills, etc.)

Another thing we learned is how to use formulas and calculate different factors that will help you determine if is worthy to do an investment or not. For example if you decide to invest in your business, you will need to calculate factor like Opportunity Cost and realize if is really worthy to do certain sacrifices and see if it will pay off at the end. The same with WACC (Weighted Average Cost of Capital) will calculate if at the end you’ll be making enough money to pay off what you invested and make a worthy profit out of it. It all comes down to calculate everything and have a plan, sometimes if not about just taking chances and see if you’ll fail or succeed, sometimes when it comes to finances is about making the smart choice by planning and calculating. It is not like you’re skydiving which it just last for a couple minutes and you’re done, investing in a business is basically your financial future being played.

[sangeraldortiz]

Mastery: PDL Business Plan Development

Mastery: PDL Business Plan Development

I was kind of afraid for this class since is the one class before the last one for graduation. The title itself was intimidating since I haven’t really thought of opening my own business, but this class made me realizes that could be a great possibility. I personally hate writing and when I saw the first week assignments, it was challenging to just start a business plans without having an idea at all. But when I just started doing research, looking at the archive and the examples provided they were all really helpful and the class has been challenging but I have learned a great deal. After four weeks I can say that no only the goal for the class was met which in reality was just to pass the class and learn, I have learn more than I thought I would and definitely have created confidence in me to create a future business plan as well anytime I need one.

I never thought a business plan class will take so much writing and it does with a limit of 20-25 pages in length. It doesn’t only require the information of your future business like I thought it did, it requires from competition, competitors, sales, marketing plan, budget, staff, etc. It is a really complex deal and it can be done from one day to another and neither a company. The amount of deal that requires for a company or business to be created is intense and this class provided me all that knowledge to be able to create my business plan and my budget/expenses spreadsheet as well through the four weeks.

After all I have learned in this class it really feels like I have the challenge to really take this business plan and get it to work so Sangerald Ortiz Productions, LLC can be opened and into work and see where the future takes it. Is not only a lot of work in order to open your own business but it also takes a great deal of responsibility, compromise and determination to get where it needs to get. This knowledge definitely stays with me after graduation and I will be applying this in the future because this class gave me that piece of mind of what if? What if I would like to really have my own business where I’m my own boss and don’t work for somebody which is all we all dream of one day.

[sangeraldortiz]

Mastery: PDL Timeline Entertainment Media Publishing and Distribution

As I get closer to my goal of graduating with my masters in entertainment business I have been able to take deeper courses into the industry and with just two more left I can say that the Entertainment Media Publishing and Distribution course has really taken me there. The course since day one prepares you to practice what you will be doing in the field as soon you graduate. Includes but not limited to on how to promote yourself in the field, get an agent, write a pitch letter, practice on getting your own demo reel, press kit, etc.  The masters courses are only 4 weeks each, and it feels like at some point might be too short of a time, but when you’re taking the course all the information id given to you so professionally and short, precise, to the point that you learn a great amount without feeling overwhelmed through the 4 weeks.

 Every week the information is given to you and you get to out it on practice with either a blog post showing your knowledge, discussion board by sharing opinion with other classmates and the professor by attending the live class. Either would be having a case evaluation, test, essay or research paper you get to prove all the knowledge learned in class and by reading the text book. It helps to realize how the industry world will be after graduating, how to be professional, be able to be short, precise and to the point when presenting a press kit whenever you’re trying to get a position in the production or you’re presenting the production to be founded and filmed.

 In the industry time is money and the less time wasted the less money invested and wasted as well. Got to be professional, do research, have people who will back you up anytime no matter what you’re presenting because they are believers of your work and know you professionally and will help to sell your work and get you where you want to be. These classes has taught me a great deal so far and still have a final week to finish and two more courses in order to graduate and can’t wait. There’s no turning back.

[sangeraldortiz]

Mastery Journal: Advance Entertainment Law

This is one of the courses I been looking more forward to and it definitely meet my expectations. I always wondered how much law was mixed in the entertainment business since I follow several websites where people suing people always are on there. I did imagine that copyrights and trademarks are definitely the biggest cases out there and it does amaze me the cases we study in the class how people could just try to defend a case of copyrights, because they think is okay to just use other people works to gain profit out of it. The class was super informative even though 4 weeks is such a short time the deal I learned has been amazing.

 Everything started with learning all the liabilities, which basically there’s one for every case it seems like it. My plan as always become a director, producer, casting director, etc. in the film industry I definitely will be working a lot with everything we learned in class from liabilities, way of building a contract, way to study court cases and learning to do a full research on what should be done whenever we think of a project or something we are trying to create. Learned how to protect that from people getting it from us or just the safer way to then start that project so we don’t brake any laws and been successful.

 Even though everything I have learned in this class will help me in the field out there one day after I graduate and reach one of my goals in my professional life. I know that there’s still a whole great deal out there where I will learn been in the field and maybe by making mistakes, because we are not perfect but those are the things that will give us experience, make us great, make us grow and the practice will make us some-kind of perfect in some way. That way we will avoid those mistakes, bumps or lawsuits along the way and succeed at what we want as individuals, company, professional and life. I would definitely recommend the class to anybody who can take it and are interested in the entertainment industry as well people who are going to take it make sure you give your all in it and acquire as much knowledge as you can.

[sangeraldortiz]

Product and Artist Management: Mastery Journal

During the past four weeks I’m being taking Product and Artist Management class. At first the class seemed to sound easy and just like an average class. I can tell you that all changed when I started the class since is it didn’t seemed to be that easy. It has been a tough four weeks, since the class requires a lot of dedication and I’m a flight attendant. I’m traveling through different time zones everyday and sometimes even outside the country and still needed to meet the deadline and do all the work in my hotel room and sometimes even on the plane.

 I have learned a great deal as well though. Sometimes I feel like a class like this, should be taught over more than four weeks in the graduate level since been online there’s some many questions after reading, watching the archive or just reading the assignments as well. I can say that the artist and product management is far beyond than just setting up events or telling an artist what and what not to do. The amount of responsibility, dedication, desire, time and hard work is a lot if you really want to succeed in the business.

 It comes down to everything is a business and you really need a revenue and money. After all is a business and needs to be run like one, where your main focus is to make money out of it and get the artist money as well. Also we learn how to launch a whole line of products to make the brand, artist, company, etc. to gain more fans or revenue while selling marketing products. This way you’ll be managing an artist and a product as well which can be challenging but not impossible as long the proper work and research is done properly. The class has been a lot way more than all this explained and I have learned a great deal as well, can’t wait for the next classes to come and just getting close to graduation time.

[sangeraldortiz]

Negotiation and Deal Making: Mastery Journal

When I saw on my schedule the negotiation and deal making class I was really wondering how this would help me in the entertainment business career. That was my first impression but since day one I been learning a great deal and how in the film industry negotiations are basically everything. The first assignment was full of excitement, because it was about this director trying to cut a deal with a tennis athlete in order to film a documentary of her life and training sessions. From all the classes I taken so far, this one is super important since my dream is to become a film director, casting director or producer. I have seen that negotiations are everything in the film industry where you start negotiating script, actors, pay, locations, budget, etc.

 The class has taught me to always be prepared and do my research before any type of negotiation or deal making. Also to always separate the problem from people, use objective criteria, research my client beforehand and use game theory as well.. This class has definitely has made me a better person, in sense of thinking, teach me to listen more, think before speaking out loud and prove a point with every argument I’ll encounter.

 In the film career I will need to always use objective criteria and do research about the current deal and the type of deal the actor, writer, director if photography, editor, etc. has accepted and executed in the past.  The class is definitely useful for anybody who takes it, doesn’t need to have the same degree as me. We deal with negotiations in our life all the time. It all starts when we decide to pick a college, college degree, job interviews, buying a car, house, etc. They are used in our daily lives we just don’t realize it is actually happening. Next time you’re talking to somebody take all this in consideration and you’ll see how everything just goes smoother and everybody wins.

[sangeraldortiz]

Instagram for Business

I decided to watch the tutorial “Instagram for Business” from Lynda.com, because I love using Instagram for my personal benefit which I always post with hash tags since I’m currently a flight attendant and travel the world, I love using social media to share my travels, my success and my own doings. After watching the video was amazing how just choosing the correct hash tags, time you post and actually interacting with the Instagram community can make your profile more successful.

Some other points mentioned on the tutorial is knowing which filters to use for the business use instead of the ones being used for personal uses. There are so many differences between personal and business. Also the type of content posted and the need of researching the competition according to the business you’re trying to promote. Researching and not copying but trying to keep up or surpass the competition will get you more followers, better promotion of the business and get the name of your business out there.

This will definitely help me in my personal account and in the future after I start promoting my work and myself to be called for projects in the film industry, because the business is a hard one to get in but not impossible. That’s why I took this course so I could see the differences and what it takes to get to a different level in the Instagram world. Looking at the right hash tags, keeping it professional, the quality of the pictures, the content, the time of the post, keeping a schedule, etc. Those are some of the things that I learned with this tutorial that needs to have in consideration in order to become successful in social media, because just like Instagram there’s Facebook, Snapchat, periscope and some other new apps to get your business out and be recognized.

[sangeraldortiz]

My inspirational week post is Lucille Ball. She's was an amazing actress, comedian, woman, wife, mother, business woman, etc. She was the first woman to direct and manage a television/entertainment company. She didn't became successful till her 40′s and so was the rest of her life like having her first child. It reminds me everyday that there’s no age limit to make into these business and that everything is possible. For her time this was an amazing success as woman and it was admire by every women in the world. Lucille Ball is a legacy that a lot of people follow, her shows were outstanding and so was the first interracial couple on the tv with her first Husband “Desi”. Also she was the first woman to appear on tv pregnant. She broke so many records, taboos, barriers and just showed that everything is possible as long you want it.

[sangeraldortiz]

This has been my logo that I created for my portfolio before I graduated for my BFA in Digital Media Production in 2012. I love it because is who I’m and the kind of design I love. Sleek, clean, classy, stylish and detailed. It stands for my name “Sangerald Ortiz”

[sangeraldortiz]

My Linkedin Profile is posted above to make professional connections. 

[sangeraldortiz]

This is my Feedly Journal and Reader. Here I will be choosing possible blogs and articles where I will gain knowledge and research for the future in my mastery journey. I will choose blogs where I will enrich myself with knowledge that I will need to keep myself into the right path of the journey and not fail on false path later on in my career and my journey thru the Full Sail masters degree .

[sangeraldortiz]

Here is my Diigo PLN for my Mastery Journal. I’ll be adding more articles, videos and research that will motivate me during my Mastery Journey. This will be my motivation, my research for future projects or just a brainstorming idea bucket as research. 

[sangeraldortiz]

Introduction

I started at Full Sail about last year to pursue my master’s degree in Entertainment Business. I decided to take a break for about six months since I had a manager job for two years at World Disney World and it just got more challenging. I finally back and have over six or seven classes left and I’m planning on finishing this time around and finally graduate to pursue that career goal I had since I moved to the states.

I have a BFA in Digital Media Production and Film. I would love to become a director, producer or casting director at some point in my life. I have worked hard since I moved alone to the states and there’s no stopping now. I have invested time, money and a lot of dedication. I’ll be documenting my progress of this journey for the next 7/8 months till graduation day and maybe after that with this journal. This will be definitely will help me to keep myself accountable every week by posting more post, all my work through my graduate school journey and even some motivating posts related to that career goal that I been working towards all these years. 

For the meantime I can say that I’m currently working on my masters degree, traveling the world since I’m a flight attendant when I’m not being a student. I’m looking for current internships, small or side jobs which where I can gain more experience and keep moving myself forward towards that mastery career goal. The industry I’m trying to get on is a really hard to get in and you’ll need to come with experience and such. That’s my current goal and focus is gain experience in the film field, do some work as production assistant like I did after graduating with my BFA.

We watched a video this week in class where Dr.Pausch explains how he has limited time to live, but he decided to live it to its fullest and not let anything get him down. There’s a phrase that he uses and I quote him “Experience is what you get, when you don’t get what you want.” This quote meant a lot to me, because is true a lot of people feel let down when something doesn’t work out and this has made me look a things differently because you gain experience of everything no matter if it works out or not. So “Don’t complain, just work harder” and you’ll see the difference and nobody out there can stop you, the sky is the limit and you’re the only person allowed to put a limit on yourself.

References:

Pausch, R. (2007). Randy Pausch - The Last Lecture reprised [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BODHsU3hDo4)