ThinkTank Entertainment, Inc.
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The ThinkTank Philosophy & Work Ethic

Preface

Some in business and finance might find this section amusing.  

With that risk being evident, this document will proceed in expressing the underlying foundation of ThinkTank Entertainment.  

It has been indicated that often more profit is realized when a business is synergetic to the community, its workers, the public, the government and is necessary to the market in which it “lives” (“Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream” as one example).  It must also be true to, and focused on, its business' core.


Guidelines

ThinkTank Entertainment has an aggressive business ethic driving its profit-minded existence.

The leaders of ThinkTank Entertainment believe that the underlying guiding force of a business is important to its long-term success.  

These guidelines will probably grow during the course of business, but company leaders believe this list is a solid start.


Idea Construction Client Satisfaction (Out-of-House)
     Top-level service and interest in client needs

     Creative “out-of the box” thinking

     Can-do, no excuses attitudes

     Useful and individual employee training

     Creative and open employee environment

     Competitive pricing

     Individual service attitude toward client

     Working from or creating a useful physical plant that is affordable and assists  with the efficiency of product and service creation.

Revenue Generation and Product Creation (In-House)

     Finding needed product niches and filling them economically and rapidly

     Entertainment product must have good stories with solid characters

     All budgets will be carefully prepared and trimmed of wastefulness (see “Fiscal Efficacy)

     Creative “out-of the box” thinking

     Support of local and regional independent film efforts
     Involvement in the film and video industry with associations, networking and charitable support
     Involvement in civic and charitable organization needs

Fiscal and Management Efficacy
     Controlled, well-planned spending and saving

     Material conservation and management efficiency

     Short-term objectives that efficiently meet long-term goals
          (Not short-term objectives parading as long-term goals, as is often the stability- killing custom in modern business)

Focus on the purpose of the business

Smart delegation and accountability procedures (micro-managing avoided)

Suppression of personal egos, greed and ambition for the good of the overall development, or project, is cultivated

Honesty and fairness starts at the executive management level.  If project leaders are not honest, hard working and ethical, why would management expect other employees to be?     


Effective Marketing
     Detailed marketing research utilized optimally
     Public relations a priority
     Personal contact with motion picture producers and creators
     Smart implementation of marketing plan

 ThinkTank Entertainment equally fuses art and business into a beneficial union.

If motion picture creation is based solely on marketing statistics and focus groups, the result is often superficial, “throw-away” product that has much less staying power than other, fresher works.  

Hollywood itself is realizing this contention.  This is why Hollywood is turning more and more to independent producers than to marketing firms, departments or business analysts in the creation of its product.  

The public is now more sophisticated and demanding than ever in what it wants from its motion picture and television products.

To achieve wide public acceptance, thus product longevity and profitability, then industry artisans must be allowed to create (within fiscal limitations of course).  

For instance, if one had a hand-made pottery shop, one would not ask the CPA of the firm to go and make the pots.  

The sculptor is employed to create the work within guidelines of the styles that are known to sell.  
A lesson could be learned from this analogy.

On the other hand, if art is the only driving force, then important success-creating boundaries such as budget considerations and market need could go ignored, thus inviting financial disaster and the ending of development altogether.  

So, a smart balance between the two, using the best of both, is the logical answer.  This is what ThinkTank Entertainment strives to achieve.

The ThinkTank Entertainment philosophy removes minimalist thinking from its practice. Mr. Walt Disney understood this and unfortunately not many others have picked up on one of the reasons for his success.

Many of his contemporaries derided his masterful vision, but Mr. Disney's strategy was proved correct.  Buena Vista distribution, Disney's releasing company, was the highest industry revenue generator in the entire world for the year 2000.  Disney attractions are the most visited and profitable in the world.  

This is no accident or fluke.  Disney strives to meet customer needs optimally, not minimally.  Taking a lesson from Disney, “Let's try and get away with that” or “they'll never notice” are phrases and attitudes ThinkTank vigorously avoids.