Disney's "It's tough to be a bug"

For this assignment I decided to do something that was fun and very much related to the entertainment field and company I am targeting as a potential employer. I have the privilege to know someone who works on crowd control at Disneyland and California Adventure resorts in Anaheim CA.  His name is Tom J. Sullivan. The reason I wanted to see the park from a cast member perspective is because I would like to get a job as a project manager running on of the shows or assisting on ride supervision at this world renown resorts.

The list for the day included the “Is Tough to Be a Bug” show, the Pixar Parade, and the new addition to California adventure, “Electronica”.  My main goal was to learn about crowd control and why Disney runs things they way they do. The first thing that Tom pointed out was how important crowd control was handled. If you ever have the chance to go here you will see that the park is designed from day one to accommodate the parade and shows present and to come. The focus is always guest safety and comfort. After the night shows was over Tom pointed out a few things about crowd control

To begin with, a show will take place in a strategically chosen area where guest can enjoy the show but passersby won’t be block and unable to go forward. The crowd control cast member setup ropes within with watching guest will be, and cast members placed on different ends of it will direct guest to continue moving if outside the robe. 

Once the show was over we stood by in a corner and I watched the crowd disappearing in a matter of minutes with no problem whatsoever. Another interesting point was the fact that you could enjoy the show no matter where you were standing, right, left, far or close it made no difference.

In a different note, when I saw the  “It’s Tough to Be a Bug” show I was amazed at how it involve many of your senses into it. For instance, you can sense smells, the visual is outstanding, and you can feel bugs’ crawling around you so is also palpable. The theater offers a great view from every single row (I saw it twice, once in the front raw and once from the back).
I believe that a job as a project manager will be both challenging and exciting. The responsibility is grand but the rewarding feeling will be priceless. This is the one thought that keep me going and makes me more determined to finish my degree. Be part of this entertainment giant is no easy to accomplish but it will be a lot of fun to try. 

One billion videw views.

Being interested in the entertainment industry I think is more than natural to want to learn about what is happening on that environment and what the trends are. I found an article on Lady Gaga and in it; the focus was how she has broken on record sales and video views. In fact, her first 2 hits reached 5 million sales. Hits such as Poker Face and Just Dance manage to break this record quite recently.

This fact to me is very interesting. I have mentioned in the past, on previous assignments, how the success of today’s artist depends a great deal on downloads. In fact, Lady Gaga has been referred to as the “queen of the downloads”. However, the article emphasizes how she is the first artist whose videos hit an outstanding 1 billion views.

Some of my views on the subject highlight technology and a formula Madonna used back in the 80’s to create her persona. To begin with, technology today has made it easier to view, download, buy, communicate, and more; faster than ever before. Think about a time when teenagers needed to buy records or tapes, or even listen to the radio to enjoy their favorite artist. This is definitely one of the reasons that billion views record was broken. Having said that, I do believe Lady Gaga has earned it hands down.

 This brings me to the formula I was talking about. When Madonna came out back in the 80s she was very outrageous. Her music, style, and clothes were so unconventional it became a sensation and has been ever since. Many artists tried to do the same but they failed. For example Cindy Lauper, she was equally outrageous but she failed to reinvent herself soon enough to keep her career going. Lady Gaga is following Madonna’s steps. She reinvents her self with every single, every appearance, and every video.

For someone like who is pursuing a career on entertainment management, it is important to know what is happening today and ask questions like: What sales today?, What do the public want?, How will your product reach the audience?, and such. To read more about the article go to http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1634663/20100325/lady_gaga.jhtml.

Central Casting

I chose to research Central Casting located in Burbank California. This organization also has a branch in New Your, NY.  This is organization I have consider joining. All you need to join is to fill out an application, the usual documents for employment in the U.S. and a $25 fee. I did some research and found out that the $25 fee is for a photograph that will go on their file, sort of a publicity still they will use to match your looks and features to different parts that may become available for actors. This organization does not require acting experience but it is a plus. 

This organization has been around since 1925 and according to their website they are today the largest provider or entertainment industry services and solutions in the U.S.  Their services go from complete background casting to payroll services. Their payroll services are provided by the Entertainment Partners, a sort of affiliate. Aside from providing Central Casting with payroll services they also have other products that include accounting systems, budgeting, virtual production office and more.

I found out that in order to become a member and get started if you will, you must download all the forms and fill them out in advance. Their doors are open to candidates only twice a week for 2 hours only. Needless to say you have to be there much earlier in order to be admitted that day.

To put in simple words central casting will match the candidates with the clients, whether is the casting directors, producers and such. Under the product tab in the website you will find casting, payroll and resources.

 On reading about their casting terms it appears to be the place for new actors to start their careers The websites emphasizes the need for thousands of background actors most likely for non-speaking part in some instances.  This means that the organization helps the actor get his or her foot in the door to start building a reputation on the industry. Thinking logically this would be the best way to start for someone who wants to become a character actor. In the industry being what it is today being a character actor can be a huge deal. This would mean landing parts on TV series, movies and plays. Being a character actor can sometimes immortalize him or her. 

A perfect example of a hard working character actor that went down in history is Margaret Hamilton who plays the witch in the Wizard of us. She had already made about 6 pictures for MGM when she landed the role.  The website below provides a lot of information about the organization’s goals, history, and more. http://www.centralcasting.org/LA/actors/index.html

Ted.com Video

In watching the Ted.com video on our student website the first thing that caught my attention was the fact that the speaker approach the audience with a sense of humor and charm couple with what appears to be a British accent. The visual material used for this presentation was fun and self-explanatory.

The visual material was just enough to make a point but was not distracting the audience to a point where the speaker would lose their attention.  Another factor that made the presentation a success was that the speaker knew the topic and it did not seem like a scripted speech like the famous “I Have a Dream” speech.   Don’t give me that look now. Have any of you see the footage of the actual speech. Mr. King hardly ever looked up as if he was reading from a book. Having said that, yes it was very powerful and made history.

Now going back to the visual portion on a speech, I believe that in order for the audience to understand the message an image is conveying it must be as simple as possible, almost as though one is teaching children.  Now I will give you the best example I can give. Remember the movie “An Inconvenient Truth”?

If memory serves me, when Al Gore was explaining the reason for global warming he had a sort of animated show where the little sunshine guy came to visit the Earth but the pollution bullies kept him from leaving by knocking him unconscious.  Yes this would seem like a video for kids you may say but I understood what he was trying to say.

On a different note, in some of my past classes back when I was pursuing my Bachelors I did get some insight on public speaking. It is amazing to me the amount of information you need to know before the actual event. I am not even talking about the material that you will cover. You see, when you are preparing a speech you need to ask yourself many questions. For instance, ask yourself who is the audience? What is the language that will get through to this audience? What can and can’t talk about when addressing this audience? The list goes on and on. 

I had to present many times in school using a PowerPoint presentation and overtime I learn that when speaking to a crowd you should pretend you are talking to an old friend. Be yourself, don’t apologize even if you make a mistake. Use it instead to your advantage and amuse the audience. They will definitely appreciate it.  

Along with this posting, and as per the assignment instructions I attached another link that shows what I believe to be a good example. Notice how the speaker begins with remarks about his childhood and delivers the material once the audience is engaged.

http://www.youtube.com/TED

Disney's World of Color.

For this assignment I chose to visit California Adventure to watch Disney’s newest show “A World of Color”. This show was like nothing I have ever seen before.  Having said that the basic concept of it all reminded me the water show at Bellagio in Vegas.

The first thing that I noticed about the show itself is that Disney can try something new but still stay true to itself. One can still see the Disney signature in all the beloved characters the show presents from beginning to end. I have to say, at first I was expecting a sort of sequel to Fantasmic, one of my favorite shows of all time, but this was a brand new concept.

Having enjoyed the show so much I decided to search some behind-the-scenes information about it. I found an article by Lisa Liddane, which provided some interesting information about some aspects of the show. For the purpose of this blog I will focus on planning, and customer satisfaction.

In an interview with Steven Davison, Linda (2010) inquired about how the ideas originate and the planning that went with it. This was the answer to that question:

Like our other theme parks, we wanted to create a nighttime  ‘E-ticket’ destination entertainment experience. The idea was to create a ‘kiss goodnight’ for our guests, a show that would wow and inspire them and leave them with a special feeling and a memory of a lifetime.  As w worked on the show over the years some of the show moments changed. After we began testing we realized what worked and what didn’t work. (Para. 3,5)

The article also provided some information on how the images where projected by using mist screens, which are very fine sheets of water created from a high-pressure fountain head (Liddane, 2010).  This effect is also used in Fantasmic during a few sequences of the show, which I have seen countless times.

In terms of customer service, I had to opportunity to speak with some of the crowd control people who kindly explained to me how the bay area was strategically built to enjoy the show even before they new the type of show they were creating. Crowd control in the park ensures that all guests who have waited to see the show remain on designated areas and those walking by, do not block exit-designated areas.  I paid special attention after I learned this and I stepped aside by the bridge as if waiting for a friend to observe the process after the show was over. Everything went just as clockwork.

I decided to see this show because as a project manager this is exactly the kind of job I would love to have. Working as a project manager supervising a show or a ride at an amusement park such as Disneyland, or even be part or the team creating a show would be just amazing for me. This is a show that I definitely recommend. I am lucky enough to work just a few exits away from these parks and for those who are not I definitely recommend the trip destination as a must-see in Southern California.

The importance of teamwork in my current industry.

In the industry that I currently work in teamwork is a must.  In the department that I must recently worked for I was a member of the escalation team. Each of us had specific skills that the average associate did not have. We also had the authority to make decisions on a customer’s account. The importance of teamwork came into place when handling a customer’s issue. For example, if the associate that escalated the call did not provide enough information this would cause a delay in the process and therefore a negative customer experience.

Along the same lines, in my current department, teamwork plays a crucial part. As a lead in the recovery department I must work closely with account managers to determine settlement amounts on delinquent accounts. Open communication between lead and account manager will help determine the best way to settle an account and at the same time assist a customer to start re building their credit.

The best way to put a team together is to match people with similar interests and skills. In my department I select the associates with the highest performance scores to put together the nesting coach team dedicated to train new hires. In this example the idea is to have your best performers teach new associates so they can learn and duplicate best practices.

Technology has provided us with new and easy ways to communicate. Team members have access to outlook for e-mails, team chat, and a lead walking the floor consistently throughout the day. Regular team meetings are setup to address hot topics and questions from the team members to ensure everyone is in the same page. The management team encourages associates to provide feedback on policies and procedures. The changes that take place at Bank of America stems from employee and customer feedback even though it may take a while to implement based on the challenges that change presents. 

My new career goal

I am currently taking a class that presented me with some challenges. The biggest challenge was to interview some individuals that have created a name for themselves in their field. By the way, thanks are in order to Max, Joel, and Jermaine.
The more I do the readings and complete the assignments the more interested I become in the entertainment industry. I truly believe I can accomplish something great with this degree. I have had the opportunity to work with some great teammates in previous classes and they're contribution to the team was outstanding.
I know I keep talking about wanting to work for Disney Inc. and I don't mean to be going on and on about it but I am truly excited. It's been a dream of mine for a long time. Although I actually wanted to be a performer but I guess priorities can change.
On the other hand, I do live in L.A., Hollywood is here, the entertainment capital of the world no less. I will have to keep my options open I suppose. A friend of mine just to work for Sony Studios and we also have Warner Bros. around here somewhere. Anyway is 10:00 P.M. and I am dead tire. Nutella and Peanut butter sandwich for dinner.

Interview with Joel

Joel Peisinger, is among other things a music teacher. I have been lucky enough to be his pupil and friend for a number of years. Joel's positive attitude and charisma made him the obvious choice for this interview. He has many students who seek his help when in need for a music, voice, and language lesson. That's right, Joel speaks a number of languages proficiently too. I sought Joel's help once when I was trying to join this choir that required me to learn how to read music. This is when I realized what a fine educator Joel really is. Below is the pleasant conversation I had with Joel.


1. In 3 of 4 sentences can you provide an overview of your teaching background (specially music teaching)?I have taught music for over 30 years, specializing in piano and music theory.  I teach both privately and in the school setting.  I also teach foreign languages and ESL.
 
2. What would you say prompt your students to continue with their lessons and/or recommend you to others (whether is teaching styles, a positive attitude, etc)?My students have told me that I have a passion for teaching and that I am particularly good at adapting lessons to the needs of the individual student.  My teaching style involves a lot of student participation in the learning process, having students resolve new challenges.
 

3. What do you think is your most valuable contribution to your students?I feel that I am more of a 'learning coach' than a 'teacher'.  I encourage the students to use their minds and skills and learn.  In music, practice outside of the lesson setting is more important than the lesson itself.
 

4. Would you consider yourself a leader and why?I prefer to lead by example and suggestion.  I excel at putting things in order and finding efficient ways to accomplish goals.
 

The clash of the entertainment industry and the Internet.

I found an article on Diigo.com with no author first published in June 15, 2009.

The title of the article was “the entertainment industry plays a sour note online”

I chose this article because I had previously said on another posting that the future of the recording artists, actors, and such lie on the Internet. The article in Diigo says:

Three pillars of the entertainment industry -music, movies, and video games- are facing economic challenges due toe the disruptive influences of digital distribution.  The music industry has knocked off balance by the emergence of MP3 in the late 1990s and has not recovered. (Para. 1)

This is further proof that technology can bring not only benefits but also challenges. For instance, I previously pointed out how some of today’s recording artists relay on downloads sales as much as they do on CD sales. The challenge is obviously financial.

Anyone can go online and buy a download for as little as $1. The same goes for movies. With the economy being what it is today, many times people to see a movie when it comes out on DVD. However, the challenge here is that people can also see these movies online through different channels such as YouTube, Movies.com, and such. Movie rentals have also become more affordable and accessible then ever. For instance, Netflix now allows you to pick a movie right out of the website and play it on TV. Soon, going to a video store or ordering a movie online will be a thing of the past. Technology brings challenges that the entertainment industry need to adjust to if should it want to continue successfully turning a profit.  This is where the human factor plays a part. Entrepreneurs in this industry, like any other, should look at how the market changes and customer needs evolve in order to cater to those needs. 

My new career goal

This was an eventful week for me. Just find out that the reward for slaving away all those year behind a computer monitor is that some doctor is considering cutting my wrist open to remove a cyst. His word of consolation were and I quote: the problem with these kind of cysts when they develop is that they keep coming back onquote. Isn't that reassuring? Anyway, this week I had the hardest time finishing my homework that included a keynote presentation due today. I was literally doing everything with one hand as I am wearing a splint on my right hand.
So, I have a little update on my last posting. I did some further reasearch on the possibilities that my Business Entertainment Master of Science offer. I found the types of possible jobs and they are awesome. For example, you can be  casting director, or a project manager overseeing operation, sound, and overall quality on amusement park rides. I could be great doing this for Disney.
The biggest problem I find is that a lot of companies today want you to have not only the degree but also the on-the-job experience. How will I ever overcome that unless someone out there is willing to give the opportunity without enduring a salary cut due to lack of experience?
Anyway, I have set the goal and there is no turning back. I must stop now. I can already feel my wrist pulsating.
Take care and keep moving forward.

Blog Assignment on Sundance short films online

I had the pleasure to interview a fellow classmate and outstanding entrepreneur Jermaine Deshields.
Thanks Jermaine for your valuable contribution to my project.

Jermaine DeShields has always been influenced by music since the day he was born. He has been in dance groups, sung in choirs, and played in bands. He was born in Tacoma, Washington on February 20, 1985. He graduated at Bethune Cookman University with a BA in music technology. During that time, he worked in recording studios, such as Audio Logic located in Daytona Beach, Florida, where he learned and crafted his recording skills as well as his production skills. He also studied piano while at Cookman and now works at a church in Stone Mountain, Georgia as a musician. He is currently the CEO of Black Congress Music Group, which is a production group that he started in college, and is building his own recording studio right in Atlanta, Georgia.

1.     In a few words describe the nature of your business? Black Congress Recording Studio was built to allow people who can’t afford to go to a major recording studio but still get professional quality. We do almost every genre so anyone is welcome. Not only do we offer studio time but also we do flyers, CD duplication, web design, and vocal lessons.

2.     In a few words describe the nature of your business? Because this business is still new and in its growing phase, we have time to shape and mold our services to fit the customers needs. The fact that we do all types of genre helps us grab more customers because we do know that people do other genres then rap. We also offer vocal lessons and web design which makes us different from most recording studios who just offer studio time.

3.     How do you determine market trends and customer changing needs? After a session, we have the customer tell us about their experience they had with us, and what we could do to make things better. We also randomly talk to people at music events and ask them what they look for in a studio. When then try to apply the information, which helps us satisfy our customers the best that we can.

4.     Where do you see your business in the next 5 years? In 5 years, I see our company in a new building because we are working out of my apartment right now. I also see us allowing out of town clients to be able to stay as long as they need to at the studio. That means that we will have rooms for such a situation. I really see us being one of the top recording studios because we have the talent and the drive.

Blog Interview on Panatron

I chose Panatron because is a company that I have worked for. The V.P. sales manager Max Cherubin has worked for Panatron for over 25 years. The company operates in the manufacturing environment. The industry is not related to the entertainment business directly but Panatron does cater to major broadcasting giants such as CNN. This is as close as I get to the entertainment industry but I am working on fixing that with my degree. Max is a Microwave engineer that handles customer relations and is the middleman per say, between clients and repairmen.

Question: What is exactly the nature of your business?

Answer: Panatron manufactures parts for different companies including parts for broadcasting companies such as CNN in Hollywood and Sunset in Los Angeles. In addition, the company specializes in both obsolete and new equipment (won’t go into details), which allows us to cater to a broader market.

Question: What makes your company innovative and more diverse?

Answer: Funny you should ask. The approach is a bit different as you can see. We do cater to new technologies and customer’s changing needs but by catering to those customers wanting to keep their equipment a bit longer we can extend the business relationship. Many customers approach us when they have a part or piece of equipment that the manufacturer will no longer fixed because is outdated. That’s where we jump in.

Question: where do you see the company in 5 years?

Answer: We will continue to maintain our relationship with our long time customers by catering to their needs. A big key for us is that length of time Panatron has been in business. Starting a business like this from scratch could be very challenging.  Anyway, by keeping up with technology updates and continue to work with equipment that is good today but obsolete tomorrow we will hopefully remain in business for years to come. 

Blog Assignment on Sundance short films online

I conducted some research on My Diigo account library and found an article called: Sundance by Laura Zima published September 9, 2010. The article main topic is a series of short documentaries shot in Bangladesh, India, Haiti, Kenya, and Conge. The article addressed issues regarding living with HIV and finding success at an urban American school.

The reason I picked this article is because I believe that the future of audio-visual entertainment lies on the Internet. Today we can already see the effectiveness of the Internet when it comes to entering people’s homes.

The article stresses the fact that many interesting stories shared will be sources of valuable information. In addition, it points out the accessibility of this information when made available on line.

One perfect example that relate to this channel phenomena is the music industry. Think about a top artist making a new single. The release of the new single will be advertised and promoted an different ways causing the consumer to walk into a store to buy it. On the other hand, people have the access now to buy a download on the Internet; this download most likely contains a favorite song. Another benefit of the download is the affordability.

Instead of buying a CD, which is still a popular choice, the consumer can choose to pay a dollar or two to buy a song he or she can download right on an MP3 player for instance. The flip side to this scenario, at least for now, is that the success of a new single is measured by CD sales and not downloads.

In closing, I believe that technology today will continue playing a critical part in how this or any industry reaches the consumer. The new generation of consumer will most likely look for nothing less than the fastest and easiest way to find entertainment in their lives. 

My new career goal

Most of us has an clear idea or at least an inkling of where we want to go or what we want to accomplish with a degree. In my case, this is not the case. I have always been interested in the entertainment industry. In my country I always participated in anything to do with performing arts including singing in choirs and participating in small plays.
A friend told me why not pursuit a degree in this industry. I feel I am starting on the hole already when I look at some of my fellow classmates who are already operating in this industry. However, someone I love told me to look at the positive of it instead of the negative. I was told to take advantage of their knowledge instead of wallowing in defeat and self-pity. That's right my rear end got kicked.
Here I am today,takingon a crazy assignment. Figuring out what to do with a degree while working toward it. One thing I know for sure. This is the path I choose to follow.  Everyday I tried to research and decide my first move after graduation. Of course this would not be as nerve-wrecking if it wasn't for the repaying of the student loans. I will post as much as possible and to you out there reading my words (you are, aren't you) any word of advise will be greatly appreciated.