Posts Tagged ‘event planning’
7 Crucial Reads for Entertainment Event Professionals
Wednesday, June 22nd, 2011
I’ve been planning and producing events for ten years, most of which has been in the entertainment sector. While there is absolutely no substitute for experience, I still find it important to round out my knowledge of corporate event entertainment and employee team building activities by reading whatever I can get my hands on. Below are seven must-reads for event professionals who create entertainment events, be they concerts, performance art, stand-up comedy, scavenger hunts or (you guessed it) live trivia parties:
1) Entertainment Industry Economics (Harold L. Vogel) – When I was in graduate school studying music & entertainment industry management, this was the book which we were assured was on the shelf of every executive from Hollywood to Broadway. A comprehensive economic overview of each industry sector, this book provides a broad foundation of the market forces at play in creating entertainment events. It also has a significant portion devoted to the nature of leisure time, which I find to be very intriguing and useful.
2) This Business of Artist Management (Xavier M. Frascogna, Jr. & H. Lee Hetherington) – Part of the acclaimed BillboardBooks imprint, this is an essential guide to all aspects of working both around and directly with event talent, from contracts and “green M & M” type stuff to reputation management.
3) Guerrilla Publicity (Jay Conrad Levinson, Rick Fishman & Jill Lubin) – A terrific resource for event professionals with limited PR experience or know-how, this extremely easy to follow book provides a comprehensive overview of how to get free publicity and exposure for your events in a variety of traditional media.
4) Concert Tour Production Management (John Vasey) – Even though this is a book specific to the concert industry, I often find myself referring to it because it’s such a simple and easy-to-use guide to event production, from tech stuff to dealing with unions to terminology.
5) The Power of a Positive No (William Ury) – From the co-author of the landmark negotiation book Getting to Yes, learn how to practice one of the most useful skills an entertainment industry professional can master: how to say no in a constructive, useful and productive way.
6) How to Work a Room (Susan RoAne) – The bestselling book by “mingling maven” RoAne remains popular for a reason: within its pages lie the secrets to how to socialize professionally, effectively and respectfully. An absolute must for those seeking to meet the right people when the opportunity rises.
7) Confessions of a Public Speaker (Scott Berkun) – Being the entertainment event organizer often means having to speak in public, be it for orientation/closing remarks, talent introduction or providing the “voice of god” announcements over the house PA system. This newer book provides a fresh and realistic approach to public speaking, covering everything from anxiety to attire.
Are you an industry professional with other book recommendations? We’d love to hear your suggestions, please feel free to leave some in the comments section below!
Taking the Terror Out of Running Huge Trivia Events
Tuesday, June 21st, 2011
When I first started hosting pub quiz nights 5 years ago, my approach was completely low-tech. With a small crowd of fewer than 25 people, I found that all I needed was a stack of trivia questions, a pen and paper to jot down scores, and piles of answer sheets for the participants. When my sleepy quiz suddenly exploded into the biggest bar trivia night in Manhattan, I upgraded to a laptop to keep score – a tool which I use to this day when running private events or large pub quiz nights of up to 100 people or so, and which allows me to handle the entire event by myself.
However, what happens when suddenly the event calls for entertaining 250 people? That’s exactly what we faced last week, at our special trivia fund raiser in support of VH1 Save The Music Foundation. With a massive audience and the same 2-hour time limit as our other live trivia parties, how could we possibly deliver a trivia event which would run smoothly and efficiently?
The first thing I had to address was manpower. Much as I love running events on my own, with a trivia night of this scale, it would be simply impossible for me to grade and input all of the team names in a timely manner. I arranged for more than enough extra hands to assist, and divided them into two teams: graders, and runners. The graders were seated at a long table near the stage, with one being designated the laptop operator/data entry guy. Runners were deployed at the end of each round, and given the task of collecting answer sheets. A 1-minute hand-in rule was also implemented, which helped keep things moving along swiftly.
Next item: seating. With so many people, what is the optimal way to configure chairs and tables? The solution here came from the clever mind of the venue’s general manager, who understood instinctively the unique challenges of configuring a large trivia event- namely, people need to sit, in groups, and can’t block the aisles or exits. The answer came in the form of long rows facing each other, a-la speed dating; the result was natural order, structure, and ample space for people to get up and hand answer sheets, or visit the bar. Brilliant!
Finally, there was the issue of event flow. Even with an army of graders and runners, it still takes time to grade literally dozens of answer sheets, and we don’t want to interrupt the natural rhythm of the event by having to call extended breaks in between rounds. The solution? Mid-round “mini-games,” whereby we called individuals up by drawing raffle tickets, and letting them answer 1-on-1 trivia questions for prizes. Not only did this add a new dimension of trivia to the event, but it allowed our graders the time they needed to do their job without the crowd growing restless.
I’ve run many large trivia events, but this one in particular required extra love and attention, and I was very pleased with how it turned out. Do you have any thoughts or suggestions as to how we could have made this or other mega-trivia events run event more efficiently? I’d love to hear! Please leave your recommendations below.
Expert, Schmexpert: 6 Details Even Professional Event Planners Overlook
Monday, June 13th, 2011
This week, TrivWorks will be producing several large-scale trivia events in Manhattan and Brooklyn, including a fund raiser for VH1 Save The Music Foundation and a brand awareness event for The Economist. As any event planner will tell you, big events are made up of countless small details, and with the many stresses which inevitably creep up as you approach Game Day it’s easy to accidentally let a few slip through the cracks – especially if you’re like me, and not a naturally detail-oriented person (I find the big picture stuff way more fun).
Even though I have planned and produced events professionally for nearly a decade, I’ve unfortunately learned the hard way not to let certain aspects of the event slip off of my radar, especially when the turnout – and expectation – is huge. Below are 6 important event details which I’ve at some point forgotten until the last minute, and why I’ve learned never to do so again – so that hopefully you won’t, either:
1. Signage – Back when I was working as an advance staffer on the 2000 Gore/Lieberman presidential campaign, someone once told me, “If you think you’ve put up enough signs, you haven’t put up enough signs.” That stuck with me, and I encourage you to think the same way when hanging directional signs for your audience, talent and crew in an unfamiliar venue.
2. Comp List – There is always a list of people who are coming as guests. However, with all of the hullabaloo going on, actually putting this list in print and disseminating it to the right people is easily forgotten until the last minute. Get your comp list to the box office or sign-in table early, and you won’t have to worry about it when the crowds start arriving.
3. Cash – Is your event being handled off-site or low-tech, without box office support? Don’t forget to get plenty of cash in order to make change for people buying at the door, or you’ll find yourself in a bad way real quick.
4. Sharpies – I always carry one of these around at events. Perfect for making alterations to run-of-show schedules, on-stage scripts, passes and signage, it’s also the quill of choice for your talent to sign autographs with. Don’t be caught empty handed when something needs to be written down!
5. Cell Phone Charger – Most large-scale events are day-long endeavors, requiring countless calls, texts and intense Smartphone usage. In the heat of the function, the last thing you’ll be thinking about is whether or not your cell battery has enough juice to make it through the party.
6. Tape – So simple, yet you don’t realize how much you desperately need tape until you don’t have any handy. At the very least make sure you have scotch tape for signage & securing tablecloths, masking tape for talent stage direction & positioning, and duct or electrical tape to secure cables from electronic equipment, extension cords, microphone cords etc.
I’ve made more than my share of mistakes at events over the years, but have committed to learning from each and every one so as not to repeat them. Forgetting small details is so simple to do, yet so easily avoided; keep the above details in mind when you’re preparing to produce your next big to-do, and it will hopefully make things run a bit more smoothly for you.
What are some other easily-forgotten details that even the pros sometimes don’t remember?
What Does the Perfect Trivia Team Building Event Look Like?
Wednesday, June 8th, 2011
Ah, perfection- that most elusive of goals. For those of us who work in the live event industry, we know how hard – actually, impossible – it is to run a “perfect” event, what with so many plates spinning and balls in the air at once. With team building and corporate entertainment activities, the usual event fare of planning, logistics, crisis management and all the rest are compounded by the need to develop creative content which people will respond favorably to- so much so that it leaves a strong, indelible impact. Of course, without knowing who will be there and how they will respond, creating experiences which leave a lasting positive impression is virtually impossible to predict or prepare for. How, then, can “perfection” be achieved, when so much is left to chance?
I can’t answer that. I can, however, conjure up in my mind what that ideal event of mine would ultimately look like, if all of the stars aligned and things fell perfectly into place. Below is a snapshot of the “perfect” live corporate trivia party:
Everyone Arrives Happy – Employees and managers alike arrive with smiles on their faces, armed with awesome attitudes, clever team names and witty jabs to lob at other teams in the spirit of good, clean fun and competition.
The Questions Are Spot On – Everyone loves all of the trivia questions, which fit the group like a glove in terms of categories, variety difficulty level and humor.
The Competition is Fierce, Yet Friendly – Teams are playing to win, but are not cutthroat. If the better team wins the round, other teams show support (maybe with a biting comment or too, also in good fun).
The Timing is Perfect – Neither too long nor too short, the event naturally builds in both excitement and competitive energy, each answer feeding off of the next with the event ending with a perfectly-executed crescendo.
People Have Fun the Entire Time – The group enthusiastically finds humor in everything, from the trivia questions to the team names and the wrong answers, to the silly “graffiti” they draw on their answer sheets. From start to finish, everyone is laughing their heads off, enjoying each other’s company, and basically having an incredible time.
Surprises Abound – The boss erupts in song, the quiet guy dances on the bar, the intern nails everything in the “1970s Movies” round. People erupt from their shells and let loose in a way they never, ever have before at the office, and it is enthusiastically well-received by all.
As a live trivia company in New York City, it’s easy to find people who love competition, challenging mental exercise and good times. However, I strive to make each and every event look as close to the “perfect” event above as possible, as I know this will produce a team building activity which is truly effective and memorable.
Are you a trivia event enthusiast, event professional or group dynamics expert? What other elements might you suggest incorporating here, to create the “perfect” event using trivia for team building?
Frequently Asked Questions About Trivia Team Building
Thursday, June 2nd, 2011
With the rise in popularity of pub quiz has come a growing interest in using live trivia as a corporate team building activity. However, as a relatively new approach to an area long characterized by ropes courses, scavenger hunts and 3-legged races, companies probably have a few questions of their own about how trivia can motivate their employees and improve teamwork among their staff.
Below are the most commonly asked questions I receive from people interested in using trivia for corporate party entertainment. All are quite valid, and should be carefully considered before making a decision on whether trivia is right for your group:
“What kind of trivia? What are the questions about?”
People assume that live trivia parties are all about asking questions based on the industry of the participants. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth; while trivia does allow for a high degree of customization for individual groups, as an “escape” from the daily grind it’s best to actually stay away from the kinds of topics which folks typically deal with- in fact, the opposite is probably best. Bankers will be asked about reality TV, but not derivatives.
“So are people in teams, or playing individually, or how does this work?”
Lots of team building activities involve breaking down the larger group into smaller sub-groups who will engage in friendly competition, and live trivia is no different. By doing so, people can practice collaboration, communication and decision making in a way which replicates the typical work team, and that can’t be done alone or in a larger group setting.
“Where is this held, in our office, or…?”
It can be in the office, but like other team building events, it’s best to get outside of the company “comfort zone” and go somewhere else where people can feel relaxed, such as a restaurant or bar.
“We don’t have a lot of time to devote to planning this; how much effort will it require?”
This depends on what kind of event you’re looking for. If done right, a live trivia party will be fully-customized for the attendees; however, this requires an investment of time and research by the organizer, which they may not want to devote. Decide in advance how much of your company’s time you are willing to commit to tailoring the event, as this will affect the overall experience of the participants.
“Last year we went bowling, and everybody loved it. Are you saying this will be better?”
That, unfortunately, I can’t tell you. Every group is different, and trivia is by no means for everybody. It will certainly be challenging, mentally stimulating and engaging- however, if your team enjoys vigorous physical activity or shies away from vigorous competition, than perhaps this isn’t the right activity for them.
I may love trivia as a team building activity, but know in my heart that not every group will share my passion here. What other questions might you have about live trivia, and determining if it is a viable entertainment alternative for your company? Leave your response here – I’ll address as best I can!
TrivWorks founder David Jacobson blogs daily on a wide range of topics relevant to corporate event entertainment, team building and live trivia. 
