Creative Business: Industry Preparation and Entrepreneurship
LVC Hall (Fine Arts Bldg)
Rooms 2016 (Design Lab)

Instructor: Dr. Tony M. McEachern
Email: tony@tonymceachern.com
Course No.: Undergrad. 16984-125-01  Grad. 17084-312-01
Day/Time: Fridays 10:10 am – 12:00 noon

Download the Course Manual (PDF)

Course Description:
Students will explore the dynamic world of the creative industry from the perspectives of the staff artist/designer, the freelancer, and the entrepreneur.  This multi-disciplinary seminar will help prospective graduates learn the fundamentals of business, marketing, and self-promotion as it pertains to media artists, photographers, and designers.  Course topics consist of careers in the visual arts, self-promotion, pricing your creative services, contracts and negotiations, intellectual property issues, and entrepreneurial ventures in the visual arts.

Pre/Co-requisite: Production and Portfolio Techniques I (Some exceptions may apply.)

Course work will consist of discussions, reading assignments, field research under faculty direction, weekly assignments, and a comprehensive semester binder (dossier). Students will also experience a trip to a local design studio, ad agency, or magazine publisher to meet industry professionals.

Course Requirements:

1. Attendance: For this course, attendance is a requirement. Every effort should be made to attend class on a regular basis.  This is a seminar-styled class delivered through lecture/discussion situations.  These valuable discussions, workshops, and studio times are difficult to make up, therefore, three or more absences during the semester will be considered excessive.
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2. Timeliness of Projects: The course assignments are modeled after professional practices, thus meeting deadlines will be essential.  Late work will not be accepted without a legitimate reason.
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3. Class Discussions and Guest Speakers: Assignments will be discussed in class during the group discussion on specified days.  Students will be required to attend and present work during these times. Professional dress is required for guest speaker presentations and for trips to the field.
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4. Semester Dossier: Students will work on various assignments throughout the semester that will culminate into a self-promotional dossier.  The development of this packet is the semester project and is intended to work in union with the portfolio development of Production and Portfolio Techniques I & II courses and the self-promotional project of Advertising Design I.
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5. Required Text / Ready Assignments

• Myers, D. R. (2009). The Graphic Designer’s Guide to Portfolio Design. Hoboken, New Jersey: Wiley & Son. ISBN: 978-0-470-18476-9

• McEachern, T. (last edited for 2010). Careers in the Creative Field: A Designer’s Guide to Self-Promotion for HU Students.

Students will be assigned, and required to read, specific articles and sections of the class manual as designated by the instructor. The readings will be assigned prior the presentation of a related lecture. The class will discuss the reading assignments during our lectures, so it will be imperative that the readings be completed in advance of he class.

Supplies:

• Writing Utensils (Pen, Pencil or Digital Table) 
• Notebook (Spiral or Digital) 
• Folder w/ Pockets (for class handouts.)
• Presentation Binder for Dossier and Self Promo Materials
• Digital Media Storage (Jump Drives, Flash Drive, Portables, etc.)
• Entrepreneurial Spirit!!!