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Wize Fellaz Nursing Home’s Vision for our NFT Collection Launch and Beyond
Abstract
We aim to be beautiful, ingenious, nurturing, generous, and outlasting. In the following paragraphs you will find:
Who we are and what we value;
Why are we doing this collection;
How we are structuring the collection to make it fair and successful;
How we plan to develop our brand beyond the launch to bring long-lasting value to the communities we serve;
The Founder
Bruno Vilela | @NFTremor
Born and raised in Brazil, Bruno studied Architecture and later moved to the US to work in the Hollywood VFX industry. Bruno has 23 motion pictures under his belt, 3 of them being Oscar-nominated films (Spiderman 2, Superman Returns and The Aviator). Spiderman 2 won the Oscar in 2005.
American by heart, Bruno is married and has two awesome kids.
Since returning to Brazil from California, Bruno took on the mantle of Chief Digital Officer at one of the largest media groups in Brazil, leading its digital business unit to develop and launch innovative news-media products including Expresso!, the web app winner of the 2015 INMA (International News Media Association) World’s Best News Mobile App Award. Since 2019 Bruno is Head of Product at Estudio37, a Luxury Collectables design studio.
Bruno’s Contacts:
Our Values: BINGO!
Beauty: We believe in orienting our efforts in the pursuit of what is creatively rich and rewarding. Everything, no matter how trivial, can be made special through art.
Ingenuity: We believe that improving the world requires curiosity, inventiveness, and believing that the road not yet travelled may hold incredible riches.
Nurture: We believe that the Web3 is, in its essence, about us coming together. We nurture each other and promote initiatives that foster greater success for the community we serve.
Generosity: We believe that the world is a tough place and those who manage to do well have a responsibility to improve the world for those who didn't.
Outlast: We believe that financial success is essential in order to accomplish all of our other aspirations. We focus on creating high quality products that deliver real value and generate sustainable returns.
"We cannot build our own future without helping others build theirs."~B. Clinton
Why Are We Creating this Collection?
Web3 is changing how we work and play online. New solutions never before possible are now presented as reality and we are building as part of this movement.
We are players in this creative community and are helping shape the future that is being built by it.
This collection will help fund our operation so we can build a thriving web3 brand, while helping initiatives that are desperately needed by older adults suffering from exclusion and poverty.
Building a Web3 Native Brand
Created by award-winning Hollywood VFX artist Bruno Vilela (Spiderman, Matrix, Superman Returns), Wize Fellaz is a Web3-native brand about a secret society of older men who have learned to stop aging to fight against the forces of Chaos.
Wize Fellaz is launching a collection of NFTs for investors seeking Web3 projects that consistently deliver high-end artwork, engaging storytelling, and an exciting world setting.
Enter the world of Wize Fellaz
The world of Wize Fellaz exists in a universe full of magic, conspiracies, and political intrigue. It is a world where secret mystical societies fight for supremacy in the shadows of public awareness. Some are evil beyond reasoning while others defend humanity against terrifying odds.
Wize Fellaz is an IP developed for the fans of 80’s Saturday morning cartoons, packed with exciting adventure and silly humor. An animated property for adults who love to collect.
The Setting
Across the entire planet, mysterious occurrences have contributed to a general sense of danger and unease among nations. Authorities are baffled by these threats and seek to cover them up from the general population in an effort to avoid scrutiny and panic.
The few people in the world who understand what is happening and are capable to mount a resistance have gathered in a secret location in… Miami Beach.
The Wize Fellaz Nursing Home for retired gentlemen operates out of an imponent beachfront art deco building. Officially, it houses hundreds of older men who have flocked to Florida in search of mild weather and stiff drinks. Unofficially, it houses the secret underground headquarters for the Fellowship of the Wise, a secret organization of eternal warriors who, despite their aged appearance, are gifted with extraordinary powers that they have used to fight Chaos for the past 5.000 years.
Each Fella lived a full and fruitful life prior to being recruited into the Wize Fellaz team and is kept from further aging by drinking the mythical cocktail known as Spring Tea. Known for its delicious flavor and refreshing aftertaste, Spring Tea goes great with rum and grants the drinker unique powers at the cost of slowly driving him senile.
The Villain
For time immemorial, a secret network known as the “Fellowship of the Strong” fought to keep the forces of evil at bay. in a bid for absolute control, their leader, Ajax, betrayed the timeless warriors, hunting and killing all who dared to oppose him.
The survivors, led by Phaidros, understood that strength, in place of wisdom, was the wrong motivation for warriors, and vowed to recruit only new members who had already lived a long and fruitful life. Thus they became known as the “Fellowship of the Wise.”
Over thousands of years, Ajax has weaponized his version of the Spring Tea into a brew known as Chaos. Greatly more potent than its original cousin, Chaos grants enormous strength and rage for a brief period, followed by totally spending the drinker’s health and death. Only Ajax understands Chaos and is immune to its deadly effects, distributing small doses of it to his armies for carrying out his terrifying desires.
How we are structuring the collection to make it fair
As Vitalik outlined in his article on fair launches, there are 5 goals we would like to meet for this collection. They are the following:
Fairness: Give low-income folks a fair entry point into the collection, and promote “a larger and more diverse initial token holder community.”
Don’t create races: Avoid creating races to mint and gas wars.
Don’t require advanced knowledge of the NFT game: The launch should be noob-friendly.
Make it Fun: Make it so people enjoy participating in the launch process.
Give buyers the conditions for winning: Structure the launch in such a way that buyers have a good chance of making money.
Financial Goals
From a financial standpoint, the collection has two objectives:
To raise money to fund the development of our web3 native brand.
Provide assistance to institutions that care for older adults;
We find these two objectives to be harmonious as long as we can provide the needed transparency to give collectors the full view of how much money is being generated through the sales and where it is being allocated.
Tokenomics
In designing tokenomics that reflect our values we attempted to satisfy the following criteria:
Have a tier of tokens (Diamond Tier) that is directed to Philanthropist Investors, priced higher, and with a reduced token count;
Have intermediary tiers (Gold and Silver Tiers) that are priced for more experienced buyers who are concerned with resale value and appreciate donating to a good cause;
Create an entry-level tier (Bronze Tier) designed to be accessible to enthusiasts who are just starting with NFTs or require an inexpensive entry point to participate.
Copyrights for Wize Fellaz NFTs
We believe that a project built in partnership with a community of enthusiasts must share the fruits of its success with the community fairly and transparently.
By purchasing an NFT from our collection, the person is also buying its underlying art and all commercial rights over it. In providing the NFTs along with a copyrights clause, we want our supporters to truly own the work they purchase.
The founder will retain the copyrights over the Wize Fellaz intellectual property and brand.
What happens after the launch?
After we have successfully launched we will begin the work to build the pipeline to deliver additional brand value, improving the valuation for the community.
Gamification of Trade Mechanics
We believe that there are several interesting ways that we can use the combination of existing and new tokens to deliver engaging and profitable experiences for the community.
We will continue to use tokens to create incentives that foster the kind of community that is worthy of attention and participation.
Animated Series
Bruno Vilela, the founder of the project, has 16 years of experience with computer animation. It’s in the project's DNA.
We will develop the screenplay for an animated series about the Fellowship of the Wise and the historical battle between its grandpas and the forces of chaos. Behind every unassuming Fella, there is an agent with special gifts employed in the defense of the free world.
It’s “Ocean’s Eleven meets Cocoon and Scooby-doo”
Merchandizing
We all love to show our love for collections in ways that are both personal and public. We will make available to the community the channels for acquiring hoodies, hats, and accessories that are stylish like only grandpas can be ;-p
Wize Nanas Collection
Most grandpas are but half of a whole. To make our collection complete we need to bring the nanas to life. Wize Fellaz holders will have the right to first buy Vow-Renewal Tokens that will pair their current Wize Fella with a unique Wize Nana.
Two sets of tokens will be issued:
Soulmates Token: Produces a Nana that is thematically equal to her Fella;
Remarried Token: Produces a random Nana;
Following the Wize Fellaz approach, a portion of the revenue will be used to continuously support institutions dedicated to caring for older adults.
Why support older adults (instead of kids)?
Aging in a Technological World.
The world’s population is aging faster. The UN estimated in 2019 that over 700 million people in the world are over the age of 65. By 2050, 1 in 6 people will be 65 or older, up from 1 in 11 in 2019.
This massive shift is happening while the world becomes ever more reliant on digital technology to carry out daily tasks. From the simplest tasks, such as calling an Uber, to the most important, such as investing one’s life savings, the world is becoming increasingly difficult for older adults to keep up with.
This Digital Divide must be addressed if we are to include millions of people in the future we are building.
Stereotypes, Prejudice & Discrimination:
Ageism refers to how we think (stereotypes), feel (prejudice), and act (discrimination) towards others or ourselves based on age. Although it is not as popular a topic like racism, ageism has serious and wide-ranging consequences for people’s health and well-being. Among older people, ageism is associated with poorer physical and mental health, increased social isolation and loneliness, greater financial insecurity, decreased quality of life, and premature death. An estimated 6.3 million cases of depression, globally, are estimated to be attributable to ageism.
People's negative attitude toward aging intersects and exacerbates other forms of disadvantage including those related to sex, race, and disability. As a result, ageism ends up taking a heavy economic toll on individuals, in particular, and society as a whole.
Digital Divide:
What separates our older adults from fully participating in the digital economy goes far beyond their capacity of learning new skills. The divide is emotional and financial much more than it is intellectual and calls for a humane response from the rest of society.
Costs:
The price of smartphones and tablets can be prohibitive for many older adults. The lack of programs that offer devices at a discount to seniors, and the difficulty of distributing these devices to those in need means many are physically cut off from the internet. For those fortunate enough to gain access to a device the cost of bandwidth can still be prohibitive.
Fear:
Research points to older adults feeling overwhelmed with the task of learning “everything” about the internet thinking one needs to know it all to be able to use it. Common responses include:
I’m too old to learn;
I could break this device beyond repair;
I will come across as an idiot trying to use this device;
I will fall victim to online scams;
Some of this fear is well justified as research also shows that online scammers disproportionately target older adults.
Ageism:
Ageism is well-entrenched in the systems that govern the internet. Apps and websites are designed with a young target demographic in mind and, too often, lack functions geared towards making it easier for seniors who frequently suffer from impaired visual, auditory, and fine motor capacities.
Research shows that older adults are, on average, much less patient with complex UX/UI. It is common for seniors to give up on an app or website if the desired function takes more than 3 clicks to succeed.
Beyond the unfriendly interfaces, older adults often express that they have no friends online, therefore, feel no need to learn digital skills.
Lastly, older adults must not be treated as one homogeneous block. Seniors in their 60s are likely to have already been exposed to tech at their workplace and need much less assistance than seniors in their 80s who may be coming into contact with digital devices for the first time.
Lack of Trust:
Older adults have a hard time trusting services such as online banking, particularly when it comes to disclosing their finances. This lack of trust extends to online payment systems.
Since most low-income programs that offer subsidies for purchasing devices require financial disclosure to ascertain the individual’s need, older adults will commonly refuse to disclose and fail to qualify for financial help.
Consequences:
The internet removes the middle-man from all the activities that it touches. Taxis were replaced by Uber and Lift. Brick-and-Mortar stores are being replaced by eCommerce. Health services have adopted apps for booking doctor’s visits and issuing drug prescriptions.
Without access to the analog service infrastructure that they were used to relying on, older adults may skip an important doctor visit because they can’t be driven to it, or not have access to their investments because the local bank branch has been closed and they don’t trust online banking.
The feeling of separation from the world erodes self-esteem and heightens loneliness, anxiety, and depression. Quality of life falls dramatically and physical health deteriorates.
Our seniors deserve so much better!
“While it is essential to address the exclusion and vulnerability of — and intersectional discrimination against — many older persons in the implementation of the new agenda (2030), it is even more important to go beyond treating older persons as a vulnerable group. Older persons must be recognized as the active agents of societal development to achieve truly transformative, inclusive and sustainable development outcomes.”
Who are the non-profit initiates we support?
While searching for reliable non-profits that we could provide support to, we decided that, as our primary criteria, the candidates must be dedicated exclusively to the care of older adults.
To execute this mission we decided to finance initiatives that attacked two issues:
Minimize the impacts of the Digital Divide on older adults and help them to bridge it;
Mitigate the effects of poverty on low income older adults, particularly homelessness, hunger, and fading health;
In America, we will support communities that help older adults feel welcome, valued, and included. These communities should offer educational opportunities for older adults to understand and use digital tech. They should also help them overcome day-to-day challenges related to negative biases against aging.
In Brazil, we will primarily support communities that offer housing, regular meals, and medical attention to the underprivileged. Here, we will fight the effects of poverty before addressing the Digital Divide.
Shepherd’s Center of America
In America, we will support the Shepherds Center of America to deliver educational and logistical services to older adults affected by the Digital Divide.
Comprised of a network of more than 55 hard-working affiliate centers across the U.S., the Shepherds Center of America offers a continuum of enriching services to over 165,000 individuals every day, including support services such as transportation, handy helpers, friendly visits, grocery shopping, and respite care to help older adults remain living in their own homes and communities.
lifelong learning designed for personal growth and enrichment;
health and wellness opportunities that enhance and maintain physical and cognitive well-being;
volunteering opportunities that provide purpose and personal satisfaction in giving back to the community
Their work not only alleviates loneliness, but provides exciting opportunities for older adults to take on new challenges, learn new skills, make new friends, and serve others.
To learn more about the work being done by Shepherds Center of America please access their site at: https://www.shepherdcenters.org/
Torres de Melo Nursing Home
In Brazil, we are partnering with Torres de Melo Nursing Home to fund housing, food, healthcare, and social services for hundreds of older adults living with the effects of poverty.
Lar Torres de Melo is a non-profit association that operates in one of the harshest regions of Brazil, welcoming older adults who are not able to age with dignity. Created 116 years ago to care for drought refugees, they are currently responsible for the well-being of 223 older adults. That represents 23% of the 1009 beds available in the entire state of Ceará, Brazil.
Torres de Melo Home Offers the following to poor older adults:
Housing
Balanced meals
Health care
Social activities and Education
We believe that their mission “to welcome and integrally care for older adults, to protect their rights, and to offer the option of living the last years with dignity and dying a humane death” is 100% aligned with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and, as such, are a perfect fit for our collection.
To learn more about the work being done by Shepherds Center of America please access their site at: https://www.lartorresdemelo.org.br/
Conclusion
Wize Fellaz Nursing Home is an NFT collection that offers quirky, fun PFPs for collectors who believe in profitability and philanthropy as two mutually supporting causes. We are minded of the desire for profitable investments and sustainable returns as well as the need for mechanisms that offer all participants a fair shot at seeing their NFTs rise in value.
We have designed a set of mechanics that we feel will promote a more fun, transparent and equitable experience.
Segmenting the launch into separate tiers of philanthropic interest;
Allowing common NFTs the ability to be upgraded;
Partnering with credible institutions actively making the world a better place;
We have invested great time and energy in designing a project that is worthy of support and excitement on the part of the community and would like to count on your help in taking it, successfully, to the finish line.
Thank you for taking the time to read this paper. We look forward to seeing you at the mint.
BINGO!
Wize Fellaz Nursing Home team