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Constructing a Business Model Part 1. Business Summary & Skills – Music & Sound Studies

Writer's picture: Toby Ellis Toby Ellis

Updated: Jul 18, 2019

Toby Ellis Music – Immersive Audio for Film, TV & Games. Aiming to provide you with unique music for your projects.

In this blog post I wanted to share the first part to my research and current development of my own company ‘Toby Ellis Music’ and in doing so a constructed business plan to accompany my already constructed industry CV for my endeavours after my masters degree. Taking into account all features you would expect, from Business summary, to industry skills and experience, industry research, SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats), marketing strategy and the financial plan and year one income and expenditure sheet (not included here for reasons of confidentiality). 

Toby Ellis Music – Business Plan P.g 2 Info & Contents


1.Business Summary  


1.1 Value Proposition

  1. A Bespoke Music Composition & Sound Design Service for Film, Television and Videogames. Providing memorable music, authentic audio designs and in-engine implementation.

Offering a worldwide service of Original Music, Foley, Sound Design, Environment Location Recordings, implementation and Project Management services. All for the use of media professionals and amateurs with a focus on Indie Festival Film makers, Podcast/Television Series shows, Indie Video Game companies, YouTube Channels and College andUniversity Students who are in need of an edge over their competitors by having fresh original music/sound on their projects.


1.2 Current State


Film, Television, Video Game Composer fromNorfolk (UK), currently studying BSc (Hons) Music Composition and Technology for Film and Games at University of Hertfordshire. Gaining vast experience and learning a variety of industry focused skills by working with a variety of Music and Media students, writing music and developing original sounds for various directors, video game developers, animators and screen writers at the institution on 2D +3D animations, documentaries, video games and short trailers.


As part of my coursework, my final major project will spearhead my aspiration of Toby Ellis Music becoming a part of a licenced/production library network. Through this, I hope to get my music onto big television networks around the world and into the hands of Indie Film or Videogame creators for my music to be played at festivals registered with PRS.


In 2017, I have gained industry contacts, knowledge and experience working with BBC Norfolk in Radio and Television, co-operating with visual editors and presenters on BBC Look East, Inside Out and BBC RadioNorfolk.  


1.3 Short Term Goals

Targets I should be aiming to achieve within the first 12 months:

  1. Publishing – Publishing Music and other informative industry related content. To publish at least one piece of new music online per week through Soundcloud, YouTube or Bandcamp shared on to social media: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter etc. To produce Film and Videogame related articles, with the to show my passion for the industry and continue with publishing soundtrack reviews online that showcase my knowledge of composition.

  2. Networking – Establishing key partners. To gather close relationships by attending industry networking events, game jams and film composing competitions. To open new avenues by receiving placements in Film, Video Game and Music Studios so as a company I can expand my contacts in the pursuit of new and exciting projects.

  3. Promotion – Promoting content through purchasing sponsored posts for Facebook and Instagram; targeting IndieFilm Makers and Video Game Developers, Music Supervisors and Visual Editors for television shows.

  4. Register – Making sure my business is set up in a proper in an efficient manner for the future. Register as self-employed (sole trader) no later than 3 months after I have made money from a commission or track sale.

  5. Structure – Keeping the momentum going. A mandate to keep to a strict work regime, with composing and sound design hours locked in place and a content target to produce ‘x’ amount of music per day.

  6. Royalties – Copyright website and material. Register with PRS & MCPS to protect original musical copyrights as soon as any of my music is being broadcast on TV, used in film or radio, performed or played in public, whether live or through a recording and/or steamed or downloaded online.

  7. Marketing – Gradually work out my geographical and demographical customer archetype and social characteristics through website, social media promotions and Soundcloud play data collection analytics.

  8. Education – In the final year of myUniversity Degree, work towards achieving at least a 2:1 BSc (Hons) MusicComposition and Technology and for Film and Games to show to further collaborators that I have good academic quality and understanding of music’s marriage with the visual elements of Film and Videogames. Begin studying aMasters Degree in my chosen field of Music and Sound for Film and Games, to further advance my knowledge in designing music and sound for multimedia platforms and give myself time to learn how to use specific highly required industry software’s and audio manipulation techniques.

1.4 Long Term Goals


Targets I should be aiming to achieve after the first 12 months:

  1. Publishing – To have achieved publishing a consistent rate of 1 production library music pack in a range of different styles, with adaptation to the current market per month. To be posting tracks from film and video game projects to further showcase and further enhance my portfolio. To never be out of work, that there is always something to move me forward. To have concept albums on Spotify/Deezer.

  2. Networking – To have established Key partners, for my name to be in the pockets of many industry professionals, to be having to attend less game jams and networking events that in the first 12months of my business.

  3. Promotion – To have submitted music to YouTube channels such as Epic Music Channel (55k subscribers) and have them regularly promoting my music. Promoting directly to my social media and music channels with more exciting news of bigger upcoming projects updates on my current affairs where I can.

  4. Register – Upgrade from a digital and register to a professional BASCA membership.

  5. Structure – A more intensive structure if working as a full-time composer, producing more content per day.

  6. Royalties – Should have made enough income in royalties that it has surpassed the one off PRS & MCPS licencing fees.

  7. Marketing – Have a clear customer archetype and be promoting directly to those people. Growing my network by engaging with them online (in person where possible), offer extra value, over deliver/go the extra mile, ask for referrals and testimonials to understand my customer’s satisfaction and key frustrations, improve customer service skills, create a community for them to share information and ideas.

  8. Education – Have completed myMaster’s Degree to a high standard and show that I am a competent composer/sound designer in my field.


2. Industry Skills and Experience


2.1. Skills

  1. Composition for film, television and videogames

  2. Sound Design

  3. Foley

  4. Conducting

  5. Orchestration

  6. Arranging

  7. Logic Pro X

  8. Sibelius 8

  9. Adobe Audition 11

  10. Avid Pro Tools 12

  11. Unreal Engine 4.18

  12. Unity 5.51

  13. Reason 10

  14. Performance (Drums)

  15. C++

2.2. Experience

  1. BSc (Hons) MusicComposition and Technology for Film and Games – Alongside my studies I gained experience working with a variety of Music and Media students by writing for directors, animators and videogame developers at the institution on documentaries, games and short trailers:

Completed Student Projects

  1. Journey – Animated Short Film – Music Composer – Mar 2018 – May 2018

  2. TRI-AM – Video Game – Audio Lead, Music Composer & Sound Designer – Mar 2018 –May 2018

  3. Tail of Inari – Video Game – Sound Designer – Mar 2018- May 2018

  4. BBQ Sauce – Short Film – Music Composer – Mar 2018 – Apr 2018

  5. Bloodbath – Short Film – Music Composer – Mar 2018 – Apr 2018

  6. University of Hertfordshire: Fashion Show – Returning Music Composer – Mar 2018 – Apr 2018

  7. Aurok – Animated Short Film – Audio Lead, Music Composer, Foley & Sound Designer – Mar 2017 – May 2017

  8. Cloud Service – Animated Short Film – Foley & Sound Designer – Apr 2017 – May 2017

  9. It’s A Ruff Life – National Animal Welfare Trust Documentary – Music Composer – Feb 2017 – Mar 2017

  10. Home and Away – Music Composer – Mar 2016 – Apr 2016

  11. Red Shirt Blue Tie – Short Film – Music Composer – Feb2016 – Mar 2016


Toby Ellis Music Commissions

Upcoming Projects

  1. Untitled Horror Film – Short Film – Music Composer

  2. Untitled Web Comic – Interactive Book – Music Composer

  3. Untiled Musical – Short Film – Music Composer


Completed Projects

  1. Untitled Short Film – Short Film – Music Composer – Feb 2018 – Mar 2018

  2. Befriended – KLFM Radio Show – Dec 2016 – Jan 2017


Placement

BBC Look East, Norwich

  1. Worked in a variety of roles on a range of local BBC News stories, alongside the visual editing, engineering and production teams shadowing ‘Look East’ and ‘Inside Out’ on current stories television stories and new and exciting projects. Collaborated with the visual editors, journalists, graphic designers, producers and presenters performing tasks and supplying creative input where I could throughout the week.


18th September 2017 – 23rd September 2017 (5 Days) 

BBC Look East, The Forum, Millennium Plain, Norwich, NR2 1BH

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