Students
MECO830 – Creative Entrepreneurship
2014 – S1 Day
General Information
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| Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Unit Convenor
Kathryn Millard
Contact via kathryn.millard@mq.edu.au
Y3A 157
Mondays 2.00-4.00
Lecturer
Guy Morrow
Contact via guy.morrow@mq.edu.au
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|---|---|
| Credit points |
Credit points
4
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| Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
Admission to MCrMedia or PGCertCrMedia or MFJ
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| Corequisites |
Corequisites
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| Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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| Unit description |
Unit description
This unit examines collaborative modes of production and models of entrepreneurship for creative media through critical readings and the study of in-depth case-studies. It considers models from artist-run spaces and studios through to creative industry practices.
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Important Academic Dates
Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- Produce a video interview focussed on the development processes of creative entrepreneurship
- Analyse a range of practices in creative entrepreneurship
- Synthesise critical and creative approaches to contemporary issues in creative media and future journalism collaboration practices
- Present a proposal for a creative media or future journalism project, product or service
Assessment Tasks
| Name | Weighting | Due |
|---|---|---|
| Creative Start-Ups Dossier | 20% | 11th April |
| CE Database | 30% | April 29th |
| Demo Day | 40% | June 10th |
| Participation | 10% | June 10th |
Creative Start-Ups Dossier
Due: 11th April
Weighting: 20%
Assessment Outline
Please write up the weekly preparation tasks from Weeks 3, 5 and your Start-up Log entries from Weeks 2-6. Each entry should be a maximum of 300 words plus any links. The dossier can be submitted as a digital dossier, blog, written report - whatever suits your particular contribution best.
Assessment Criteria
- Evidence of in-depth research in its field
- Level of reflection on your own and others' work
- Clarity of expression
- Level of presentation
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Analyse a range of practices in creative entrepreneurship
- Synthesise critical and creative approaches to contemporary issues in creative media and future journalism collaboration practices
CE Database
Due: April 29th
Weighting: 30%
Assessment Outline
Each student will contribute to a Creative Entrepreneurship Database via an edited video interview with an entrepreneur in their field. You will be responsible for researching, editing, shooting and editing an interview with someone whose project, product or service in the field you find inspiring. Think of this as a recorded field report. Each interview will be added to a CED database to build our community's knowledge. Please note that this assessment task is more focussed on the research and insights you can uncover rather than your technical expertise.
Video lighting/interview and editing workshops will be offered in advance for those who would like to participate.
Assessment Criteria
- evidence that you have run with opportunities as they arose
- awareness of research in the field
- structuring/flow of information presented
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Produce a video interview focussed on the development processes of creative entrepreneurship
Demo Day
Due: June 10th
Weighting: 40%
Assessment Outline
This is a group assignment with an additional individual component.
As a group, make a presentation to the seminar on your idea for a new project, product or service in the field of future journalism or creative media and field questions. Please incorporate support materials ( video trailers, recordings, slides, prototypes) as appropriate.
Individually, please write up a 1000 word account reflecting on your contribution to the group project. Waht were some of the challenges and opportunities involved in developing your idea and working collaboratively?
Assessment Criteria
Group (30%)
Evidence that your Start-Up Idea combines ideas from more than one field
Level of innovation
Evidence of openness to group skills, resources, contacts and opportunities
Flow of presentation
Individual (10%)
Evidence of reflection on key concepts i creative entrepreneurship
Awareness of collaborative dynamics
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Synthesise critical and creative approaches to contemporary issues in creative media and future journalism collaboration practices
- Present a proposal for a creative media or future journalism project, product or service
Participation
Due: June 10th
Weighting: 10%
Assessment Criteria
Actively contribute to seminars via
- contributions to to discussions
- sharing of information and resources
- feedback on other students' work
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Analyse a range of practices in creative entrepreneurship
Delivery and Resources
Delivery Mode
Day
Seminar Times
All seminar times are available on the MQ timetables website:
htpp://www.timetables.mq.edu.au
Unit requirements
In order to pass this unit, students need to attend all seminars and submit all assignments on time.
Technologies
This unit requires the use of a computer and the use of a computer. Video production equipment can be booked.
What has changed?
This unit is being offered for the first time.
Recommended Readings
More information on accessing Recommended Readings will be available via iLearn.
David Bornstein (2007) How to Change the World: Social Entrepreneurs and the Power of New Ideas’
David Bornstein, Susan Davis (2010) Social Entrepreneurship: What Everyone Needs to Know
Darren Brabham (2013) Crowdsourcing
Mark Briggs (2011) Entrepreneurial Journalism: How to Build What’s Next for News
Erik Brynjolfsson & Andrew McAfee (2014) The Second Machine Age: Work, Progress, and Prosperity in a Time of Brilliant Technologies
Columbia Journalism Review (2011) The Story So Far: What We Know About the Business of Digital Journalism
http://cjrarchive.org/img/posts/report/The_Story_So_Far.pdf
David Edwards (2008) ArtScience: Creativity in the post-Google Generation
Colette Henry, Anne de Bruin eds. (2011) Entrepreneurship and the Creative Economy: Process, Practice and Policy
Charles Jencks & Nathan Silver (2013) Adhocism: The Case For Improvisation
Ash Maurya (2012) Running Lean: Iterate from Plan A to a Plan That Works
Debbie Millman (2013) Brand Thinking and Other Noble Pursuits
* Alexander Osterwalder and Yves Pigneur (2010) Business Model Generation: A Handbook for Visionaries, Game Changers and Challengers.
* Eric Reis (2011) The Lean Start-Up
Jon Reiss (2010) Think Outside the Box Office: The Ultimate Guide to Film Distribution and Marketing in a Digital Era
Mark A Runco Ed. (2006) Creativity: Theories and Themes: Research, Development, and Practice
Keith Sawyer (2008) Group Genius: The Power of Collaboration
Saras Sarasvathy ‘What Makes Entrepreneurs Entrepreneurial?’
http://www.entreprnr.net/assets/WhatMakesEntrepreneurs.pdf
Saras Sarasvathy (2008) Effectuation: Elements of Entrepreneurial Expertise
Mark Stefik and Barbara Stefik (2004) Breakthrough: Stories and Strategies of Radical Innovation
Randall Stross (2013) The Launch Pad: Inside Y Combinator
Selected Sites
brainpickings
Buzzfeed
ecorner Stanford University’s entrepreneurship program (clips archive)
The Guardian ‘How to be an Arts Freelancer in 2013’
Ted Hope Hopeforfilm
Startup Incubators and Accelerators in Australia
Theleanstartup
narrative.ly
Self-Start
Storology 2013
Unit Schedule
Unit Schedule
Each seminar will include:
- a presentation/discussion foregrounding a key aspect of creative entrepreneurship as a concept and practice
- a student-led discussion about current initiatives in the field based onthe readings and preparation
- group work related to your own start-up ideas
Week 1 Tuesday March 4th
Introduction
What do you need to know about creative entrepreneurship as a journalist, blogger, musician, indie filmmaker, recording engineer, creative curator or screenwriter working in the digital economy? What is the ‘start-up’ mindset? How are new projects and ventures launched? How can you develop a sustainable career in your field?
Week 2 Tuesday March 11th
The Lean Start-Up
Eric Reiss defines a start-up as ‘an organisation dedicated to creating something new under conditions of extreme uncertainty.’ New creative enterprises are essentially start-ups. What are some of the ways to maximise their success? How could you design an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) for your new venture?
http://www.startuplessonslearned.com
Eric Reiss (2011) ‘The Lean Start-up’ pp. 28-69
Weeks 2 -7
Start-up log. Keep a log tracking your reading/viewing/listening and your group’s progress on your project. It is recommended that anyone undertaking a new creative venture do something to progress their idea every day. (Well, almost every day). What steps are you taking?
Week 3 Tuesday March 18th
How to Get Ideas for Start-Ups
We will look at some thoughts on how you might ideas for new start-ups – projects, products or services. Saras Sarasvathy did extensive research on the practices expert entrepreneurs and came up with an approach she calls effectuation. Paul Graham, one of the founders of the Y Combinator Lab suggests, for example, starting with problems that need solutions. In this seminar, we will discuss these ideas and consider how you might apply them to generating ideas for this semester’s ‘hands on’ project.
http://paulgraham.com/startupideas.html
Preparation for Week 3
Inspiring start-ups. Track down 3 examples of inspiring start-ups in your field (future journalism, screen or music production). What is the project, product or service? What need does it address? How did it get off the ground? What resources did the founders have available? What were some of the challenges they faced?
Week 4 Tuesday March 25th
Collaboration
Across journalism, screen media, music, performance, design and architecture, practitioners are getting together to form self-managed collectives, ateliers or studios to do projects. Some focus on one art form or media. Others cross several media. We will look at some examples. Plus, we will consider the dynamics of collaboration.
‘Media collaborations bring better results’
Sawyer, K. (2007), Group Genius: The Creative Power of Collaboration, New York: Basic Books: 3-57.
Week 5 Tuesday April 1st
Rapid Iteration: Prototypes, Demos and Scenarios
Prototyping, experimenting and rapid iteration play a critical role in the development of ideas and products. Failure – when designed to occur early in a process and cheaply – can reveal new options that nearly always lead to better outcomes. We will consider a number of approaches to prototyping and scenario building.
Catmull, Ed (2008), 'How Pixar Fosters Collective Creativity', Harvard Business Review
Alexander Osterwalder (2010) Business Model Generation pp. 146-169
Preparation Week 5
Find an example that you consider to be a demo or prototype in your field. Come along ready to discuss.
Week 6 Tuesday April 8th
Generating Business Models
Alexander Osterwalder and Yves Pigneur asked 470 entrepreneurs in 45 countries how they generated their business model. The result was their book Business Model Generation: A Handbook for Visionaries, Game Changers, and Challengers. We’ll discuss some of the insights their project generated –and consider
Erik Brynjosfsson & Andrew McAffee The Second Machine Age pp. 70-87
SEMESTER BREAK
Week 7 Tuesday April 29th
Crowdsourcing
‘Crowdsourcing’ is an online, distributed problem solving and production model that leverages the collective intelligence of online communities for the specific purposes of an organization. It combines a bottom-up, open, creative process with top-down organizational goals. Creative media has been at the forefront of crowdsourcing, drawing on it to fund films, recordings, productions and new products.
Jennifer Fox ‘The First Six Tips for Generating a Six Figure Kickstarter Campaign’ http://hopeforfilm.com/?p=6973
‘The Cosmonaut: A Film Made By More than 5,000 People’
http://en.cosmonautexperience.com
Preparation Week 7. Compelling pitch. Find a compelling pitch on kickstarter or another site. Why does it work? Find a not-so-compelling pitch on a crowdfunding site? Why do you think it misses the mark?
Week 8 Tuesday May 6th
Beta Day: Student presentations of work-in-progress
Week 9 Tuesday May 13th
Social Media
Social media is often touted as a necessary component of artist marketing strategies. However, if it is used incorrectly, use of social media can backfire. The issue of social media fatigue is also an issue due to the fact that most musicians, indie filmmakers, journalists, bloggers, recording engineers, creative curators and screenwriters are using social media in similar ways. Making social media work for your entrepreneurial venture necessitates smart and creative thinking. We will conduct a case study featuring experts who know how to work the social media field.
http://mrtrick.net/tag/social-media-is-bullshit/
http://www.amazon.com/Social-Media-Bullshit-B-J-Mendelson/dp/1250002958
http://digitalmusictrends.com/tag/darren-hemmings/
https://soundcloud.com/upwardspiralpodcast/the-deep-dive-the-top-music
Week 10 Tuesday May 20th
Distribution Models.
In Think Outside the Box Office Jon Reiss has proposed a new distribution for independent filmmakers and other creative content producers. He suggests turning everything we know about audiences and distribution on its head. Controversially, he suggests that we now need to spend 50% of our time making work and 50% promoting and distributing it. We’ll discuss shifting distribution arrangements across creative media. The Self-Start movement for creatives also rethinks our relationship to audiences (drawing on theatre and performance). How could these ideas be applied to our respective media?
http://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/getmedia/c50f71f8-83a0-4aa0-9062-d4ad00d1952d/Reiss_NTTOTBO.pdf
Preparation Week 10 Recommended Websites/blogs. What are your top three recommended websites for those setting up projects and initiatives in your field? Why?
Week 11 Tuesday May 27th
Telling the Story
How do you make the future tangible? What are the advantages of telling an engaging story about your new creative venture via a talk, a trailer, a comic strip or words and images? We’ll look at some examples - and ask your team to devise a story about your own venture to be presented to the group in Week 13.
Week 12 Tuesday June 3rd
Business Matters
Guy Morrow will take us through the practicalities and challenges of setting up small businesses, co-operatives and start-ups. What are the minimal structures you need in place? Where can you get help and advice?
Week 13 Tuesday June 10th
Demo Day: Student Presentations
Note: 'Skilling Up’ Video Workshops
Video Interview/Lighting
Video Editing
Two ‘skilling up’ workshops in Weeks 4-5 are an optional part of this course. Each workshop lasts two hours and introduces you to some basics. They will be presented by Technical Officer in Screen Production, Marcus Eckermann.
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Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
Academic Honesty Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html
Assessment Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy.html
Grading Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grading/policy.html
Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html
Grievance Management Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grievance_management/policy.html
Disruption to Studies Policy http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html The Disruption to Studies Policy is effective from March 3 2014 and replaces the Special Consideration Policy.
In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.
Student Code of Conduct
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/
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Graduate Capabilities
PG - Discipline Knowledge and Skills
Our postgraduates will be able to demonstrate a significantly enhanced depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content knowledge in their chosen fields.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- Produce a video interview focussed on the development processes of creative entrepreneurship
- Analyse a range of practices in creative entrepreneurship
- Synthesise critical and creative approaches to contemporary issues in creative media and future journalism collaboration practices
- Present a proposal for a creative media or future journalism project, product or service
Assessment tasks
- Creative Start-Ups Dossier
- CE Database
- Demo Day
- Participation
PG - Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking
Our postgraduates will be capable of utilising and reflecting on prior knowledge and experience, of applying higher level critical thinking skills, and of integrating and synthesising learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments. A characteristic of this form of thinking is the generation of new, professionally oriented knowledge through personal or group-based critique of practice and theory.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- Analyse a range of practices in creative entrepreneurship
- Synthesise critical and creative approaches to contemporary issues in creative media and future journalism collaboration practices
Assessment tasks
- Creative Start-Ups Dossier
- Demo Day
- Participation
PG - Research and Problem Solving Capability
Our postgraduates will be capable of systematic enquiry; able to use research skills to create new knowledge that can be applied to real world issues, or contribute to a field of study or practice to enhance society. They will be capable of creative questioning, problem finding and problem solving.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- Produce a video interview focussed on the development processes of creative entrepreneurship
- Analyse a range of practices in creative entrepreneurship
- Synthesise critical and creative approaches to contemporary issues in creative media and future journalism collaboration practices
Assessment tasks
- Creative Start-Ups Dossier
- CE Database
- Demo Day
- Participation
PG - Effective Communication
Our postgraduates will be able to communicate effectively and convey their views to different social, cultural, and professional audiences. They will be able to use a variety of technologically supported media to communicate with empathy using a range of written, spoken or visual formats.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- Produce a video interview focussed on the development processes of creative entrepreneurship
- Present a proposal for a creative media or future journalism project, product or service
Assessment tasks
- CE Database
- Demo Day
PG - Engaged and Responsible, Active and Ethical Citizens
Our postgraduates will be ethically aware and capable of confident transformative action in relation to their professional responsibilities and the wider community. They will have a sense of connectedness with others and country and have a sense of mutual obligation. They will be able to appreciate the impact of their professional roles for social justice and inclusion related to national and global issues
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcome
- Synthesise critical and creative approaches to contemporary issues in creative media and future journalism collaboration practices
Assessment tasks
- Creative Start-Ups Dossier
- Demo Day
PG - Capable of Professional and Personal Judgment and Initiative
Our postgraduates will demonstrate a high standard of discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgment. They will have the ability to make informed choices and decisions that reflect both the nature of their professional work and their personal perspectives.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- Analyse a range of practices in creative entrepreneurship
- Present a proposal for a creative media or future journalism project, product or service
Assessment tasks
- Creative Start-Ups Dossier
- Demo Day
- Participation