Be Funko Fun - Draft Videos

Working off of the storyboard I posted, I created the two videos using only my iPhone X. After capturing the footage, I used iMovie on my iPhone to add filters, sound effects, music and text. These are just practice videos, as I would like to make them a bit more interesting. However, the iMovie app on the iPhone is limited to how much customization can be done to the video (example: can't change text size, location, color, etc).

Although these are two separate shows/fandoms featured, the campaign is focused on the tagline "Be Fun. Be Funko Fun." It's meant to entice people of all ages to be interested in collecting the figures that are based on their favorite characters and celebrities.

Be Funko Fun - Storyboard

The product I will be doing an advertising campaign on is vinyl figures produced by Funko Inc. Over the last couple of years, the company has grown in exposure by creating miniature figurines in the likeness of consumers’ favorite fictional characters and real-life personalities. For the campaign, I will be striving to create a video that incorporates popular figures in pop culture in a way that entices consumers to purchase the product.

Storyboard: Video 1

- An image of the popular television heroes the Power Rangers will be shown.
- In text on the screen, it will say, “Why settle for 2D?”
- Next, a transition will happen in which video footage of the vinyl figures would appear.
- Text on the screen would read, “When you can have it in 3D?”
- For the closing shot, the tagline “Be Fun. Be Funko Fun.” would appear.

This tagline is my own and would be the key phrase used throughout the various advertising campaign materials.


Storyboard: Video 2

- A vinyl figure of Daenerys Targaryen would be on the screen.
- Text would appear reading “Fire.”
- The footage could cut to a vinyl figure of Jon Snow from Game of Thrones would be on screen.
- Text would appear reading “Ice.”
- The video would cut to both figures facing off with a sidekick figure on each side.
- Text would appear reading “The End Is Here.”
- Cut to black with tagline appearing “Be Fun. Be Funko Fun.”

Practice makes perfect...excuse to edit videos

This week we were tasked with editing three videos using our mobile devices. I decided to use video footage I recorded a month ago when I took my first ever trip to New York. It was also the first time I've flown on a plane. For the videos, I used iMovie on my iPhone to add filters, music and sound effects. 

Play 'In Demand' to what end...

The goal of my game ‘In Demand’ is to produce awareness for social sustainability. The target audience would be college students who are on the verge of moving into the real world. The game would seem more appealing to business or psychology majors, however, it would still have a broad range of appeal for others outside of those degree plans.

By playing the game, the user would be able to experience taking on a leadership role. At the same time, they will see exactly how their actions can have positive impacts on some, yet negative impacts on others. This would ideally help to further understand the importance of social connections and how to better approach them in their own life.

Finding individuals interested in investing in 'In Demand'

To start, I would want to develop the concept of my game and
have as much of it planned out as possible. Then, I would want to first approach family and friends to see if there would be anyone interested in investing in the game. By getting some money invested by people I know it would help make my case stronger to a potential big money investor. Without family and friends support with funds it could be harder to make a case for a large investor to offer up $200,000.

Once I have funds from family and friends, I would want to develop my game a bit more with the funding received. This will help make my pitch to a larger investor more solid, as I would be showing how getting funding helped with improving the product.

Lastly, I would want to use investor connection sites such as AngelList in order to locate interested investors within the mobile game industry. I would also want to reach out to various mobile game companies in order to see if there would be interest in my idea.

Conflict, free will and limits of 'In Demand'

The game I previously pitched called In Demand would put the player in the position of a newly elected CEO of a company. The player would have the choice at the start of the game to decide the type of company they are running (cosmetics, clothes, industrial, entertainment, etc.). This choice will slightly alter the type of decisions the player would have to make. 

Once the player starts the game, they will see five icons with representing the different groups they will be striving to maintain good relationships with. These groups include the executive team, the board of directors, consumers, competitors, and the media. Each group has a different goal and way of reacting to various situations. 

For example, if one of the decisions to be made was regarding a product needing to be recalled, the player’s choice of choosing to discontinue the product all together might satisfy some (consumers and competitors) and anger others (executive team and board of directors). Essentially, the player would be presented with a decision to make each round (with four rounds occurring per quarter of the year). 

From the very first decision to the last, the player is faced with conflict. No matter what decision is made, some groups will not be fully satisfied and thus cause the relationship to lower. If the relationship with a group sinks too low, the game would end with the player being removed from the CEO in some form (firing, demoted, quitting, etc.). At that point, the player can choose to begin a new game and strive for a higher score and to last longer as CEO.

The story is essentially constructed by the game developer in terms of determining the types of conflicts the player will face. However, the choices and ultimately the end results lies with the players. They have the freedom to choose between two options per decision. This limits the player, but also grants them enough free will to decide how to best handle a situation. 

Game plan for 'In Demand'

If an investor gave me $200,000 in two years to turn my game into a reality I would. I would, however, pay back the money if I failed. 

To get started, I would spend time laying out exactly how I would want my game to work. Theme and storyline aside, I need to know the general mechanisms to make the game I want to function. Once I have that down, I would start conducting research on other game developers with a product similar to what I wish to do. For me, I would want to test out and get an idea of what it is I’m hoping to accomplish.

As I go further into the research phase, I would want to start learning basic coding in order to get a general understanding of how a game works. At this point, I would want to also start merging into the pre-production phase of seeking out advice and potential team members. Drawing from their experience, I would also need to assess what exactly my role would be beyond giving orders. How could my idea be turned into a product, even if something were to take place over the next two years? Contingency plans are needed for a project such a this. 

Once I have all of this established and a clear game plan set, I would begin investing money into hiring a team to help with the game creation. This would initiate the production phase. For one, I would need someone proficient in coding and someone with a more artistic vision. Assuming I am working on the story development portion of the project, these other two team members would take charge of the coding aspect and the artistic aspect of the project. 

To me, this team of three would ideally handle most of the project and get it to a place where it can be tested. Enlisting beta testers and friends to test out the game (ideally for a low to free cost), would help if understanding not only what works, but if the concept itself if viable. After all of the testing is complete and the final project is made, the remainder of the cash would go into potentially hiring a marketing member to promote the game. 

This seems straight forward, but with two years to complete, there is bound to be plenty of obstacles.

Game on social sustainability 'In Demand'

Growing up I used to play games on my Nintendo 64 all the time. Everything from Mario Party to 007. As I got older, I dabbled with my Xbox 360 and some PC games but not to the extent my peers did. I’ve always liked video games, but I also liked reading and watching tv a bit more. 

When it comes to potentially creating a video game, I have to keep in mind what a good portion of people would even want to play. With the topic of sustainability, there is an assortment of ways to go about it. For this assignment, I have decided to focus on social sustainability.

The game I’m proposing would be called “In Demand” or something business related. For the story, the player would be in the position of as a newly elected CEO of an existing company. Modeled after mobile games such as “Dictator,” you will be presented with choices that will raise your relationship with certain groups, but also lower your relationship with others.

The groups would be your executive team, the board of directors, consumers, competitors and the media. Situations would range from launching a new product to handling a crisis. The choices presented would make the player consider what would be in the best interest of all (or most) and how to maintain balance amongst the groups.

If a relationship with a group sinks too low, the game ends with the firing of the CEO. This game would challenge players to not only find the balance to maintain solid relationships but also strive to remain in power as long as possible.

With it being a mobile game, “In Demand” would reach a wider audience while also appealing to casual, non-gamers such as myself.

The power of short films

“Heaven is a Traffic Jam on the 405” is a raw, emotional and moving story of Mindy, an artist battling with mental illness and broken family life. Her childhood laid the foundation for complex relationships with her mother, father and those around her. The title of the film alludes to where she feels safer and at home beyond doing her artwork. The way the film is put together allows for the audience to feel as though they are having these intimate conversations with Mindy. The b-roll of her artwork, process and supplies adds to the visual appeal of the film. With sounds such as the shaking of pill bottles and the selection of markers from a bag, the viewer is more aware of how these elements are a daily part of Mindy’s life. What makes this film powerful is the intimacy established with the candidness of the interviews and fusion of past imagery (home videos and photographs) and present imagery (artwork and the daily life of Mindy).

“Period. End of Sentence” is a bit of a fast-paced short film documenting the struggle for women in India fighting the stigma surrounding menstruation. Additionally, the film documents the creation of a machine to manufacture sanitary pads. The film highlights a real situation taking place in a country and culture that we in America might not fully be aware of. What I found empowering about the film was the women’s drive and fight to not only create the pads but market them for placement in local businesses. It goes beyond showing the issue but places emphasis on the women standing up and pushing for what is right. It is a powerful film about perseverance and sheds light on the stigma around menstruation, even beyond the Indian culture. 

“Black Sheep” is a powerful story of a man who as a teen experienced extreme racism. Later, he would go on to bleach his skin, use blue colored contacts and change his demeanor in order to assimilate with the racists who targeted him. Of the three films, this to me was the most intriguing and relatable. The narrator himself never fully admits his actions were wrong, but rather acknowledges becoming like the “monsters” in order to feel love. It’s a complex story told in an intimate with recreated scenes to keep the viewer engaged. Overall, I felt this film deals with a subject that is as relevant today as ever. The way the film was structured also allowed the viewer to feel as though it was just them and the narrator.