My Mastery Journal - Mark Bracich @bracich-fullsail - Tumblr Blog

(via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-5KzDNYeSE)

Superb Branding Examples

The following three companies have excelled, in no small part, because of their brilliant branding.

1. FedEx (http://www.fedex.com/us/)

The FedEx logo is instantly recognizable. Most no longer recall that the actual name of the company is Federal Express. A simple name made into a simple logo based solely on the name. Brilliant. Also brilliant: the embedded arrow in the “Ex”, which imparts the idea of motion...even, perhaps, hustle.

The juxtaposition of purple and orange was another marketing stroke of genius. Who, in America, sees those two colors together and does not think of FedEx?

The logo and the colors carry through all pages on their website and in all advertising, as well as on all trucks and packaging.

2. ProFlowers (http://www.proflowers.com) Again, the logo is the name. The consistent use of soft greens on all pages, packaging and advertisements supports a consistent format on all webpages. Spin-off businesses that aren’t “mainstream flowers and plants” get their own brand (Shari’s Berries, Personal Creations, gifts.com) to eliminate diffusion of the main brand. ProPlants, however, looks exactly like ProFlowers, with dirt.

3. Apple (https://www.apple.com)

Who doesn’t recognize that logo? Again, the logo is the name, literally The genius of making all their revolutionary devices white devices created a community of “different”. The company infused its brand with excitement by relating to customers by focusing on making their lives easier.

The brand is supported and proliferated through smart, efficient, simple packaging...even down to the fonts used.

I’m working on a Graphic Novel that will reveal the history and follow the struggles of a former Special Forces medic who suffers from severe PTSD. Each issue will have one or more self-contained B-stories that highlight a particular character, event, or aspect of PTSD, while further developing the protagonist's A-story. This is not intended to be an open-ended series. Eventually, all the episodes would be included in one "feature-length" book. This storyboard frame is for a panel taken from a key point about 3/4 of the way through the novel.

#full sail university #mfa creative writing

On Media Convergence

Fascinating. Just fascinating. Today, we have so many tools at our disposal for sucking up information (or maybe just data): television, satellite radio, Google, Twitter, Facebook, and the old (read “dated”) standards--newspapers and magazines.

Personally, the biggest “media convergence” influence on my life has been in the area of news. I follow all the major news networks and wire services on Twitter. This allows me to quickly see what the news industry as a whole sees as newsworthy. It is also one of the first places source place their upcoming stories. Then I dive into those of interest to me. This “diving” usually ends up at a news website with links to deeper (and, hopefully, primary) sources. I rarely watch TV news anymore because it has turned into ratings-chasing sensationalism with little interest (or ability) to provide in-depth news coverage. When I do watch TV news or read a newspaper, I usually end up back on the internet for more information. TV and newspapers are both limited in their usefulness by time; the former by lack of it, and the latter by the passing of it. Even Facebook, that self-licking-ice-cream-cone-tribal-echo-chamber can sometimes be useful in motivating me to dive deeper into a story, usually to prove my “friends” are posting untrue “facts” and are, therefore, morons. I like having morons for friends. It makes me feel smarter than I am.

Reality TV contests demonstrate another fine example of media convergence. Both American Idol and The Voice use internet and text voting to influence the outcome of their respective contests. The Voice also uses paid downloads of iTunes versions of the contestants’ performances to place even more weight on your vote. In others words, if you really want your contestant to win, buy their music. Genius. Pure genius.

Speaking of music, another media convergence example can be found in music services that customize your “playlist” by monitoring your likes and dislikes. Web-based music services like Pandora and IHeartRadio allow you to create “stations” that you can customize to play music you like. So much for those pesky "play what they want" radio stations. The service “learns” what you like and offers music based on the genre, beat, tempo, artists, etc. that your “likes” indicate might appeal to you. Now, the fact that this also allows them to target marketing to you, is, well, just icing on the cake…for them, and maybe for you.

Sources: Lightning has struck me brain. We don't need no stinking' sources.

Thoughts on Being Part of a Writing Staff

I did not intend to become a screenwriter. I like to write short stories, creative nonfiction, social commentary, poetry, and songs. I think I may even have a novel or two hidden deep between a few wrinkles in my brain...very deep. One day, not long ago, a random synapse fired in said brain, leading to a chain of events that landed in me in the Creative Writing for Entertainment Masters in Fine Arts program at Full Sail University. And now, I’m writing screenplays, and I am enjoying it immensely. Go figure.

“Creative writing” was a staple of my military career, but not in the way you might imagine. I authored flying regulations, government policy, military doctrine, and, the most “creative” of all, performance reports. Such writing was usually a collaborative process, but not for creativity as much as compliance with some objective or standard. In writing technical military publications, I was often the sole author that would incorporate reviewer comments. I also served as a sort of “creative director” and Chief Editor on several publications. This latter experience best prepared me for what I found as part of a creative writing team with the objective of entertaining.

I have been on writing teams where I was not working with my own creative property, so I was not bothered by that. In fact, I found I enjoyed, and was quite adept at, editing to a specific purpose and building on the ideas of others. Being on a creative writing team for entertainment was not much different. I enjoy being part of a creative process where the product is better for having been developed by a talented team where the sum of the parts is greater than the whole.

Now, would I do this for a living? No, I would not. I have no desire for a job, and no need of a lifestyle change. I may take on a writing project here and there, but, for the most part, I will remain a freelancer.

#fullsail #mfa creative writing

My Antagonist’s Blog

https://martinportnerblog.wordpress.com

Character Pinterest Boards

https://www.pinterest.com/mebracich/

...and you might not be as boring as you think you are.

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There is always something to write about. Get out of your comfort zone.

I’ve learned more about what I believe by writing about what I think I believe.

I’ve learned more about writing...by writing.

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As I work on my screenplays, I have to remember this. Always.

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Fear is a choice. Choose something else.

#inspration #fullsail #mfa creative writing

All verbiage by Mark Bracich. Royalty-free image courtesy of openclipart.org.

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I don’t need to change the universe, but if I can just nudge a few of us closer to each other...I’m good with that.

Hey, there’s only 7 billion other people out there. Not all of them write in English. Not all those who write in English write much. Not all those who write much are very good at it. Not all those who are very good at it hang out where you do, see the things you see, or care about the things you care about. Your odds are good. WRITE!

#full sail #mfa creative writing #inspration

to-write-my-book-deactivated201

When talented people write badly, it’s generally for one of two reasons: Either they’re blinded by an idea they feel compelled to prove of they’re driven by an emotion they must express. When talented people write well, it is generally for this reason: They’re moved by a desire to touch the audience.

Robert McKee, Story: Style, Structure, Substance, and the Principles of Screenwriting (via to-write-my-book)

...or...they rely on spellcheck instead of proofing their work before posting. -- Mark Bracich

Carry your notebook...ALWAYS!

(Modern Translation: “Make sure your phone is charged...ALWAYS!” If you keep your eyes open, inspiration is everywhere. You just have to notice it, capture it, ponder it, then, most importantly, DO something with it.

#full sail #inspiration #mfa creative writing

promptsgalore

Write something that takes place under a tree.

bracich-fullsail

Roots.

Already been done.

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