New York Comic Con Exhibitor Event Management Part One

There is no better case study than to embark on an adventure head on.  For more than 5 years I have worked as a contract event manager and event producer.  Every event has it’s own obstacles and challenges and this weekends event was no different.  This week I event managed the Artwork Now booth at “New York Comic Con.”  This event was massive and a huge project.  I worked on the logistics for this event since January of this year.  Everything from the travel, lodging, food, materials, equipment, contractors, vendors and even shipping fall on the event manager’s shoulders.  As crazy as this sounds it can’t be truly understood until experienced.  

New York Comic Con was sold out to the point that exhibitors, which included the Artwork now team had to show up 30 minutes prior to the scheduled time.  Imagine this opening day more thousands of 4-day passes holders flooding the exhibition floor eager to get the exclusive Comic Con deals waiting in line for hours to buy a single limited edition collectable or print.  Lines stretched as far as the eye could see with families, friends and die hard fans.  Do you think you get the picture?  Not even close.  Now imagine isles packed with thousands of polite event attendees moving at a half a step per minute.  It was insane.  This event was a massive undertaking to say the least.

My role as the event producer and event manager meant I made everything happen, extinguished all fires and of course secured sales with a smile.  Sound like an easy task?  Well let me be the first to say I am beat.  As I write this post I am sitting in LaGuardia airport recapping one of the most exhausting careers of my life.   First lets examine the challenges.  On day one I needed to locate and purchase two tools, two sandbags, a New York printer, two box cutters and a custom framing company to get our artwork framed the same day.  This would be easy in Fort Lauderdale with a car, but catching cab in New York carrying these items was no easy task.  On day three our 8.5 x 11 and 13 x 19 printer decided to take a dive.  This was our most important printer because customers found these sizes appealing.  

Where could I find a 8.5 x 11 printer at 6:30 pm on a Saturday night?  Well after calling numerous stores that had closed at 6:00pm including Staples and Office Depot I finally found a decent printer at Best Buy, but it only printed 8.5 x 11.   This was just enough to get buy until midway through day four.  We thought about sending help to get ink, but it was already 1:00pm and if we sent someone to run around New York chasing ink and paper it really wouldn’t have made a difference because the event ended at 5:00pm, so what to do?  Well mail them out on Monday was the solution I came up with in order to keep costs low and reduce unnecessary confusion.  The customers were fine with it and we didn’t need to recreate the wheel.

As I sit here and think of all the things that could have been done better or more efficiently I realize things were done to the best of the situation.  All challenges were given solutions and all barriers were broken the opened up doors that allowed new and potential customers to get a product that both made them smile and gave them something to gush about with friends and family.  Please let me know what you think of the event report thus far.  Also ensure you check out New York Comic Con exhibitor event management part two.

Documentation

This week’s post will delve into the world of non-compete agreement, nondisclosure agreements and contract management.  Some may be familiar with these documents as they are very common in the entertainment industry.  They can be very beneficial when protecting your assets and client relationships. Documentation outlines responsibilities for all parties involved.  It's always exciting to start negotiations for a new contract or deal.  This signifies a beginning of a new relationship that with hopefully yield significant return for all parties involved.

I am building the foundation for Movis Media Group.  I have asked countless industry professionals about how the structure should be set up and each had something unique to add to the puzzle I am putting together.  Although these industry professionals were from different parts of the media and production industry, they all had something equally important to add as far as the administrative part of the business.  When I was first starting out in the production industry I was so eager to get calls about new projects I agreed to deals that wasn't always beneficial for me.  I found myself working for the project instead of the project working for me.  Let me further explain this conclusion.  I would show up for the shoot or production and start working on whatever they asked.  This was my first mistake.  I never outline the roles and responsibilities, so I would do more work than I was being paid for and I wasn't sure how to address the situation during the production, so I would suck it up and do all of the work.  These people were clearly taking advantage of the situation.  I was the only one to blame in the end, because I didn't create a proposal, contract or even get something via email.  I left myself open. 

It took a few times for me to final get it.  I had to ask the question, "What can I put in place to avoid confusion from verbal agreements?"  During the spring of my junior year of my bachelor's degree I took and internship with an animation company.  This was my first introduction to non-compete agreements, independent contractor contracts and non-disclosure agreements.  This was it.  These were the pieces to the puzzle I had dropped off of the table.  They fit perfectly.  The independent contractor document outlined my role and responsibilities with the company.  It also discussed my rate and details of the relationship between the company and me.  I also signed a non-disclosure agreement, which outlined the details of confidentiality.  We worked with many advertising agencies and even animated series that are slated for release in 2013.  These companies didn't want their ideas and productions leaked to the world prior to release. 

The non-compete agreement basically indicates the terms of working with clients in the same industry connected with the initial employer.  For example I invited a peer to work on a freelance set with me to make some extra cash.  This person later went behind my back to work with the company without me.  If I had a non-compete in place this person would have legal obligations to me.  Since I didn’t they were free to do whatever they wanted even if they were wrong for not including me.

I finally saw how big companies do business.  As a project manager with this company I was also responsible for recruiting new artists, negotiating rates, contracts, creating schedules and estimates.  This not only holds the company or artist accountable, it also protects the client and ensures they get everything they pay for.  Although I have worked with various clients and companies in the entertainment industry, I am still learning the ins and outs.  Do you think these legal documents would be useful in your business?  Do you have any documents you have found useful?

Securing the Deal

The entertainment industry is has many different dynamics and is very competitive in nature.  In past posts I discussed the double edge sword of freelancing and doing independent contracting.  Although I love this type of work because it offers flexibility that a 9am to 5pm could never offer.  The problem is that this type of work is a constant uphill battle.  South Florida is a very competitive market as are countless production companies and graduates. This week I interviewed production industry location manager Lyndell Pedis.  He has worked on countless productions with some of the industry’s leading creative minds.  He has scouted locations for more than 10 years working as an independent contractor. 

When discussing how he makes deals and works to create beneficial client relations, he said one thing he had to learn was to refer jobs or turn them down when conditions were not beneficial for both parties.  When faced with the positional bargaining he learned that it is rare a situation like this where both parties prevail.  When dealing with the all or nothing client sometimes it’s best to remove yourself from a situation where you may end up working for free.  Although developing relationships is a vital part of the deal making process, some relationships are not beneficial for the independent contractor.  It may be best to walk away from deals that will cost you instead of yield return.  He further explained that in the event you can accommodate the clients requests without giving away your time ensure you get all agreements in writing and never verbally accept terms as documentation is all that can truly clear miscommunication.

One example he recalled was working with bring a large production company to South Florida.  The company had countries bidding to get the company to move to their area.  They were very interested in taking their business out of the country, but that had certain requirements.  Pedis helped show them locations here in South Florida and showed the many benefits moving to this area had to satisfy their requirements.  His negotiating skills worked perfectly to mutually benefit both parties.  He also said that sometimes people can be very direct or not direct at all, so make sure that you keep personal feelings from business decisions.

Business Financial Option

In past posts I discussed how to deal as a freelancer artist and contractor.  I also discussed what you should expect from your clients.  This week I want to touch on something current in my professional growth, which is finance.  Although this sometimes-discouraging term has deterred me from ever truly delving into the subject, I’d like to discuss the importance that I have over looked in the past.

Financial Decision Making is a huge part of deciding weather to start a business or invest in an idea.  As creative people I have found we tend to have ideas with no plan of how to achieve them or how to create a profit.   What makes a good idea a good idea?  What makes an idea more successful than other?  How do you find investors?  I recently found a few websites to help with financial research and I’d like to share my findings.  Although there are many routes to securing finance for your new business what’s the best and most profitable way?

Recently, I read an article about two guys that took an idea and turned it into millions.  You can read the full article here.  Inc.com reports that Ben Lerer and Adam Rich and their company Thrillist made over 32 million last year and even with their significant growth they are still looking for a cash growth because they are expanding their company.

The author of this article Christine Lagorio, further says “Lerer told me the $13 million will go in the bank so Thrillist can create or buy new brands and hire more people: "When we have conviction of what direction to go in, we don't want to have to forego something."

What does this mean for their company?  Is this a good or bad decision to take on investors after they are already yielding a profit?  I am still researching to find answers to these questions this article is just one of many amazing resource.  Let me know what you think.  What are some of your financial resources?

Olympians & Endorsements; should Olympians tell their own stories?

In my last post I discussed, “the danger of a single story.”  This post I will delve into some examples of Olympians that have amazing stories.  After reading some exciting articles and watching some amazing Olympic coverage I found that the only way to tell your story is to do it yourself.

It’s no secret that Olympians are among some of the most marketable brands in the entertainment and sports industries.  Recently one young Olympian has exploded unto the scene and made a stand as a true winner.  Advertising agencies and product brands are fighting head to head to secure this young super star’s brand in a partnership with their own.   Gabrielle Douglas has won both the hearts and attention of the world during her debut at the London 2012 Olympics.  Additionally her heart-warming story of passion and determination are making her an advertisers dream.

         In 2008 Michael Phelps become a force as the Olympic swimmer.  He took home 18 gold medals and a wealth of endorsements, but one negative action almost caused him to loose it all.  After reportedly being caught smoking marijuana all of the positive publicity became a negative shadow that almost destroyed the Olympians image.  Robert Greene describes this situation in one of his 48 laws of power “so much depends on reputation, guard it with your life.”  Although many may argue smoking marijuana isn’t offensive this one thing damage the image people wanted from an Olympian. 

         Almost four years later, Michael Phelps is still making waves, but he is not as highly regarded as he once was.  The importance of telling your own story is more apparent than ever in this case.  Michael Phelps is an all star, but he is letting the media tell his story and they make it what they want.  The same is true for Gabrielle Douglas, but in her case she is making out like a bandit.  Advertising Age recently released an article about young Gabby and her journey to the Olympics.  They also further discuss her wildfire popularity upcoming partnerships that marketers are looking to capitalize on.  How do you think Gabby could tell her own story?  She is a household name today, but it won’t be long before the media finds another American sweetheart.  What do you think Gabby’s media team should do to keep her from becoming over saturated and washed out in the media?

Chimamanda Adichie: The danger of a single story

It isn’t easy to stand in front of a room of complete strangers from international backgrounds and discuss racial and economic differences; however the TED speaker I’d like to discuss today was able to attack these hard issues with a hint of comedy and humility.  Novelist Chimamanda Adichie discussed the danger of a single story during her 2009 TED talk.  She started her speech with a slight quiver in her voice and smile on her face.  Through addressing her background and upbringing she was able to bring the audience to a place of trust and understanding.  As she described her enlightenment through literature she says she realized after reading African books that, “Girls like me with skin the color of chocolate whose kinky hair could not form ponytails could also exist in literature.”  Although this young woman had grown up in a middle class family, she soon found that stories are more powerful than she could have ever imagined.

Chimamanda describes her personal experiences with the single story including people with a single story of who she is and where she comes from.  One very powerful story she discussed was when she first came to the United States to study at an University.  She describes how her roommate’s single story of Africans left her with first hand experience of a single story hindering understanding from those who only know that story as fact.  Through her words she illustrates how she learned how to understand that learning more than one story about a person or place was more valuable than listening to one popular story or watching what information is simply placed in front of you.  Chimamanda relates to the audience by illustrating that she is no different from anyone in the room, because she is African through the mention of popular music and literature references.  Her ability to expose her background and uncomfortable experiences opened a window of trust that otherwise may have been slighted.

Chimamanda’s speech allowed me to take a deeper look at how the industry uses stories to either develop or destroy a brand’s image.  As an entertainment business professional it is my responsibility to ensure that my brands entire story is told.  Our lives and cultures are a collection of overlapping stories that add to the fabric of who we are.   Chimamanda Adichie expressed how through her journey she found her authentic cultural voice, but she warned listeners that if we only accept a single story as fact about a person or place then we risk misunderstanding them and potentially misjudging their situation.

Florida's Entertainment Industry Financial Incentive Program

There are many very important organizations and associations in the film and media industry nationwide, but in Florida none is more vital than the Florida Film Commission, because it offers discounts and details that can help make a production a success.   The Florida Film Commission is a state economic development program that was created to help with the growth ad expansion of the film and entertainment industry in Florida.   This organization plays a very important role in the production process including working with production teams to navigate government rules and regulations.  They are the subject matter experts when it comes to successfully filming and promoting in Florida.  They work with various organizations and agencies to ensure a smooth production.

This program has dramatically assisted with the film and entertainment industry in Florida.  One recent film shot in Florida is the highly anticipated “Rock of Ages.”  The Florida Film Commission launched the Entertainment Industry Financial Incentive program on July 1, 2010 and sunsets on June 30, 2015.  The programs offer tax credits, discounts and secure locations for approved productions, which are separated in three queues based on the project type and budget.

Due to a constantly changing economy this program has brought more filming to Florida.  This program’s three major categories are general production, commercial and music video queue and independent & emerging media production queue.  Each area has specific application requirements and regulations.   In order to grow and expand the film company these types of programs are important because they entice production companies to spend money in Florida and hire Florida production crews.  This brings jobs to production professionals in Florida and helps to increase and sustain the industry.

The best strategy to create connections with the Florida Film Commission is to reach out to the by email or phone.  Their website offers a wealth of information for production companies.  The programs offered by this organization can save both the production company and client money, so it’s important to stay current on their information.