Early Morning, Pride SF 2013, June 29. Let the Weddings Begin…

Becoming and being a Leader does not require one to know “everything.”

The best, most effective leaders are those who recognize their own limitations, know how to and who can get things done, motivate others to do their best work and acknowledge those who deliver.

A Leader must know what s/he wants to accomplish, gathering those onto a group who can catalyze into an actual team and get done what needs doing.

The best course is to Be Open to what the process may reveal itself to be. Rather than steadfast adherence to a system or process that has worked before, perhaps hold past experience as a model or guideline while remaining prepared, nimble and ready to adjust or amend as the skills of the team come to light or the unique particulars of a given project manifest themselves.

While The Leader is responsible for delivering the result, product or production, leadership can be found throughout any good team. Wielding one’s leadership capabilities, wherever one is positioned within a hierarchy, is about bringing the best out of people one is working for, or with, or under.

One can lead from within a team or lead upwards from below. One can lead from another team. Leadership is not seen only in “bosses.” In fact, a team in which every member has some of the qualities of leadership is probably a great team.

A team of leaders is a team of professionals who reach out to one another when they can be of help to each other. The spectrum of “…need some help with that…” to “…hey, can I run something past you…” is a continuum of learning and bonding situations; all of which will show up in the final product, again and again.

A leader sees no shame in not knowing how to do something. When presented with a task or situation through which s/he might not be certain of the best way; call in the reinforcements! The sooner the leader throws open the door with, “…who knows how to do…,” the sooner the potential resolutions to a given situation or problem are addressed and likely solved.

It is the weak leader who keeps the cards close to the chest. Trust your team.

I come to the table with my own systems and procedures, honed and evolved over the succession of projects delivered with these tools. Each time, though, I look at how others on my team might approach a given task or set of responsibilities and see if there might be something in their method that would enhance the effectiveness of how I am working. Not always, but every so often, I see something in someone else’s work tools that I can weave into my own; then share with s/he from whom I’ve borrowed this new component.

Often, too, I’ve adopted something that looked good but turned out to be not as effective as a system I’ve already honed.

No harm, no foul; but if one doesn’t look at it all, the unique will ever be out of reach.

Gather the trusted “cabinet” or team and dissect the problem, ask for suggestions from the perspectives of the individual team members, then take responsibility for the resulting course of action by Making the Decision.

Leadership is taking responsibility: showing respect and appreciation for the knowledge and skills of others, listening and making appropriate decisions. Hearing an idea from one’s team and responding with, “…okay, let’s give that a shot…” perhaps following that by vesting the author of the idea with responsibility for applying the approach. “Adriana, why don’t you oversee that, then…? Keep me posted on how it’s going…” is an opportunity to imbue a strong trust in oneself by one’s team. Leadership.

Should above-hypothetical-approach prove other than effective; the Leader points no fingers. Rather, s/he responds with something along the lines of “Well, we learned that didn’t work! Let’s tackle it another way…”, and keep Adriana on the project, partnering with her to take the problem through to resolution and completion. Give her the credit for resolution as it materializes.

Guide; granting ultimate ownership to others…

Another opportunity to strengthen one’s relationship with members of one’s team, as Leader, is to approach people for assistance in situations that may not be under their purview but are encompassed within their skill sets. In production, especially, people specialize at things they do generally because they love doing them. Keep that in mind.

Ask for help when you need it, as hoarding knowledge gaps helps no one. Sharing knowledge gaps both closes those gaps and offers opportunity for relationship-building, empowerment and trust.

Remember; the vision with which you may enter a situation or project thinking you may apply may not, in fact, be that which evolves to become most effective in that situation; you may learn of another way, better suited to the task. Be open, and ready to relinquish hold on your own preconception.

Production is no place for Posers. Be open, share the problem and the solution will become apparent; share approbation and credit and your leadership will grow…and you’ll experience a Loyalty that cannot be bought.

In doing this, you’ve shown the team that you trust them, will stand behind them, and are not one of those “producers” compelled to pose as though s/he knows “everything.”

Who wants to know everything, anyway? Then, there would be no surprises, no learning; and it is the daily and weekly learning that takes place on any project that keeps me interested and engaged.

imho

Download “imho” free; eBook for iPad 2 and beyond from the iBookstore…containing the first 20 posts along with interactive galleries and keynotes, “imho” Volume 1 contains the basic methodologies and myriad applications and extrapolations in the context of creation of compelling experience in a world full of data and distraction.

Opening Ceremonies Gay Games VII – Chicago

You may have been told that one should not choose a career to make money. Rather one is best served by listening to one’s heart and following one’s instincts; choosing a pathway of passion and fulfillment…making the difference in the world in a way that speaks to and nurtures oneself.

Do this, I’m sure you’ve been told, and the Money will come.

Don’t. You. Believe. It.

While I fully endorse the authenticity and validity of the first part, I’d be very careful of expectation inherent in “…the money will come.” That’s not necessarily a Bad Thing, depending on one’s definition of “money,” and it applies, I dare say, to pretty much any career choice. If you love the Law, be a lawyer; if you love cars, drive, design or repair automobiles…do what feeds you, feeds your muse, keeps you excited and inspired about what you do.

Be aware, though, that there are no guarantees of financial security, job security or what one might describe as “success” – especially in the realm of Entertainment and Creation of Experience – if such success has a material quality of life attached.

While it is possible to make a lot of money in this / these fields; the overarching reality is that a few do fantastically well, some do very well, many do comfortably well, most get by and no small number scrape-by from gig to gig with absolutely no security, at all. For many, the price of a can of tuna remains relevant for a great deal of their lives.

You’d best absolutely love what you do; as that is from whence the fulfillment must flow.

If creating an experience that makes audience gasp or cheer or cry out or laugh or go so deeply into their heads that the silence becomes palpable or leap from their seats before they know what they are doing fulfills and excites you; then, Come on Down! There is plenty of room for you, here.

If, on the other hand, you seek to make Big Money as a Producer, Director, Creative Director or Designer…and that money is important to you…perhaps you ought to look for something else; as you’ll sweat blood before you make Big Money in this spectrum of occupations and careers.

Not attempting to throw cold water on a career choice. Realism is, at the point of entry, a good discipline to exercise before setting oneself up for disappointment. While the perceived Gold Standard of Walt Disney Imagineering will always (we hope) offer long-term opportunity for hundreds of creatives and producers and short term projects for hundreds if not thousands more; that remains, still, just one company.

Outside of WDI, Disney and Universal there are hundreds of entities that hire for thousands of jobs of longer and shorter duration, better and poorer compensation, sporadic to regular work all of which is in support of creating experience to move and inspire people. That world outside of The Big Guys is a panoply of opportunity for the peripatetic; those willing to travel and move from project to project, month to year…

During a recent sojourn in Dubai, I worked on three shows. On the first – a huge spectacle for National Day – we had a team of Independents from all over the world. The show-caller came straight from the London Olympics, one of the choreographers came directly from the Eurovision contest, the Production Manager came from South Africa – departing for Hong Kong the day after the close of the show. Even one of my stage managers, within two weeks of the show close, was on the production team for the New Year’s Eve broadcast from the Burj Khalifa.

These are short gigs, and there are thousands, out here, who make a fair living – not a GREAT living – by moving from place to place, creating something where there was nothing, then moving on to the next thing.

On a larger scale there are installations of all sorts taking place all the time, all over the world: resorts, theme parks, civic installations, museums and even churches are creating experiences that take months and years to create and build. On one of these teams, one might find oneself in Shanghai or Dubai for sixteen months to a couple of years, then on to Brazil to work on an Olympic Ceremony.

For me, this is exciting and fantastic…and it is not secure. At all. Be sure you are in this for the Passion.

Recently, I spoke on a panel of Themed Entertainment Association Board Members before an audience of students at the Savannah College of Art & Design. What struck me, most, was that the first questions after the presentation were about quality of life in The Business…from both male and female students. Questions that never even occurred to me, back in the day(s) of career launch…

What about family? What about travel? Questions that pertained to the personal, the family environment, downtime and regenerative activity. Not overwhelmingly, but notably, these questions shed light on a bit of a new perspective on career and where it fits in one’s life…

A friend of mine, the VP of Sales for a company in Southern California, recently vented with me about the point of view of her millennial sales staff. She was getting questions about how many hours a day and time off at a level and a time frame that would have been unheard-of a decade or two ago. They were asking how much time they would need to put in to meet their goals, she said, “…they just want to know when they can get off work; it’s more important for them to spend time with their friends than to meet quota…”

Of what is this a harbinger?

Observing these questions in the context of the larger conversation articulated in trade mag after business blog after panel discussion in myriad iterations of “How to Deal with Millennials,” I sense something positive out of this gradual (or perhaps not-so-gradual) tectonic shift in the work culture as Millennials come of age. I sense that they seem to want fulfillment, they have a passionate and achievable sense of morality and fairness (and Equality), they want to be fulfilled in their professional pursuits…but…they want to have energy left over to enjoy what they’ve done and time left over to enjoy their families and friends.

Can you imagine?!

So, as I write these words of caution to those about to enter the work force, a part of me is aware that making “Money” may not be the priority for Millennials as it was for the Baby Boomers and the following generations. I am also not experiencing the sense of Entitlement experienced of the GenX and GenY’s – those who wanted it all; seeking a big salary and expected to be on a first-name basis with the CEO from Week One. While some did get that, most did not and they were not happy about it.

Meanwhile, the Business Leaders and writers seemed to keep analyzing the dynamic as though the young people coming up were the problem to solve. How to enlighten ‘em to How It Is so that business can continue to be run “right.”

I don’t know; perhaps this refreshed consciousness will manifest in other ways…

Looking closer, working alongside 20-somethings on my own production teams and teaching Apple Workshops, I see a fresh-faced, aspirational population that may have a more profound effect on the American Work Ethic than many might envision. For the most part, these kids (I say that affectionately and respectfully – even enviously) are happy with less of the material and seem to find more value in personal experience and levels of intimacy. In my experience, relatively few are motivated to acquire; more to enjoy.

This could change the infrastructure of Society in a healthy way, perhaps.

Rather than feeling pressure to succeed, I sense a desire for the freedom to accomplish. Rather than needing to make a lot of money, there seems a deeper desire to enjoy and be fulfilled by what they do.

This being the case, what it perhaps portends is that our Quality of [Material] Life may in fact diminish as the Quality of Living increases as a result of this evolved perspective. And that just might be a very good thing.

Somewhere in there is a great future for the world of Experience Design, of Creation of Compelling Experience. If one is protective of, a contributor to, the resonant qualities of one’s own life; will that person be even better equipped to create powerful and resonant experience for others? Will they be able to conceive of more effective ways of immersive storytelling, of weaving narrative, of new ways to express narrative or story that can engage on deeper levels? I’m thinking, maybe so.

I am struck by something else in these New Kids…a level of respect for those who have gone before that I have not experienced in a long time. A desire to learn what is or was combined with a complete absence of fear of sharing their own ideas and approaches that yields some brilliant, collaborative energy; teaching everyone and benefitting all.

Is it a New World? I dunno. It’s certainly a new ethic.

At the close of one of my Stanford Show Tours, I wrote an epic poem about the 12-city journey, closing with this:

But there was a moment, in every city

When what we did went to profound from pretty.

When guests became silent, when hearts skipped a beat,

When each person settled more into the seat.

The air in the room became quieter, still;

And breath was abated as hearts took the thrill.

That’s when we touched them, that’s when we knew

We’d delivered completely on our Mission, true.

No one will ever accomplish again

What we have given to those where we’ve been…

…and it is That Moment that keeps me in this business. The thrill of being able to create an experience that takes people so far into their heads that they are no longer conscious of their mind, they aren’t thinking, they are feeling and seeing through some deep, personal portal to which I have found the key.

Rarely will you ever be paid what you are worth; the choice is to let go of, to relinquish any such expectation and to embrace what you do realize from it. This work must nourish you; then, while “The Money” may not come rolling in, you may find peace with the compensation you do receive and find yourself wealthy for having touched others.

imho.

Please download the eBook, “imho” for iPad2 and beyond from iTunes or the iBook store. It’s free.

Head’s Up to Those Who Eschew Social Media – 

and a Specific, Transitional Warning to Those, Just Entering the Workforce.

While building and then navigating one’s transition or expansion from Social Media as Bonding Platform to Social Media as Networking Tool; it will serve one to keep in mind the full nature, features and ramifications of each and every platform into which one ventures and maintains a presence.

I am a fervent believer in the value of embracing social media, and to those Professionals out there older than 50…or 40…I say this; learn it, know it, use it…or risk the very real possibility of being perceived as irrelevant, outdated and out of step…

It’s work, yes; frankly, it has become part of our job – for many, this has happened while looking the other way, being busy on Other Priorities – and, the longer this catch-up is put off, the greater will be that very job. If left too long, catching up will not be possible. My admonishment is to not put this off.

I get it when, as I hear from many of my peers, the prospect of wading-in to the perceived maelstrom of social media platforms and pathways seems daunting: so much so that I see it often dismissed as irrelevant and unnecessary.

Beware this POV; it will come around and bite you in the butt.

As I’ve posited, before: the simple reality is that, year by year, the decision makers in our industries are becoming younger and younger; connected with and agile in the navigation and use of social media…and they have inherent, critical opinions about those who eschew or simply cannot utilize these platforms. We “elders” need to meet, network and work with these people on their communicative terms, as ours must evolve.

You gotta keep up.

Recently, I encountered a man for whom I have the deepest respect – this man is brilliantly creative and an icon in our industries – and mentioned, in passing, FaceBook. “Oh, I don’t ‘do’ FaceBook,” he says…

Frankly, this particular guy can probably afford to ignore FB. He is of a stature and reputation that he probably doesn’t need to market beyond his already strong and powerful network of professional relationships and clients, and that’s great…enviable, in some respects.

I dare say that most of us are not in that position. Social media is where The Conversation is Taking Place, and we who want to be a part of that conversation must participate in that conversation where it is happening. This means being willing and aggressive about learning the in’s and out’s of the various platforms, assessing which of them can best serve our specific and general goals and objectives…drive business, spread the word, expand visibility…for our own needs and mission; then, jumping-in.

The first thing I do upon meeting – or scheduling a meeting – with a new business associate or Contact is:

• Google ‘em,
• Look ‘em up on FB,
• Check to see if they have their own domain,
• And Twitter feed,
• Check out their email address (“aol” shrieks “irrelevant” – just sayin’…)

…with the intent of gauging awareness of how the world is currently working.

Granted; we aren’t teens with hours of free time on our hands to post, pin, tumbl, vine, flip, tweet, path and share every minuscule moment of our lives to our pals. That’s not what is called-for. Selectivity and specificity is key in boarding the social media rocket but, once boarded, full commitment is paramount.

In my own sphere of work and professional relationships, currently (and, any more, I pretty much always say, “currently…”), I am actively present on FaceBook, LinkedIn and Twitter, I publish this blog and follow a host of others, participate in a number of smaller, networking groups specific to certain areas of my industries and sniff around on Tumblr and, more recently, Vine. This list is by no means comprehensive; but these are the avenues I see as most relevant to me and what I do in the current context.

FaceBook – imperative. One can share a photo of lunch if that’s important to One; but that’s not the primary focus, any longer. A few things my own FB presence does, primarily;

• it allows me to keep in touch and reconnect with friends and business associates from all over the world. People who’s business cards I may have lost become newly reach-able.
• I can share photos and previews of shows on which I am working; expanding the potential audience for that show.
• It is a great spot for locating unique resource anywhere in the world.
• ‘Tis a tremendous outreach tool for Casting Calls.
• Scanning through, I am able to see what is interesting to others; this serves me when writing or creating experience,
• I’m able to, thanks for my scores of twenty-somethings with whom I’ve been fortunate to come to know and befriend through my stints of teaching workshops at Apple, see and hear things that might not otherwise come to my attention: this has expanded my taste and experience in music, most especially, and through that is a window into huge segments of audience I must reach in other contexts.
• Sharing blog posts – my own or those of others I follow – expands readership and concomitant visibility.

And, if you need a good restaurant in Abu Dhabi or a Dry Cleaners in Hong Kong, y’nevah know…

Just a note on the above, too: one must be authentically present in these forums. The necessary depth of culture absorption can’t come from simply observing; one must participate to truly get it all. This can’t be faked, and it can’t be “digested” and fed to you by a Marketer unless you are also familiar with the milieu.

Twitter – the single most powerful marketing tool in the world. The thing about Twitter is that it must be used to be of value. One cannot simply sign up and launch a campaign. It is the network of professionals and friends with whom one connects that brings value to one’s own twitter feed. The value of twitter is in the number of people who see what you share, like and retweet it to their own network. The exponential visibility of what one shares on Twitter is magnificent in scope.

As long ago as 2011; the top 300 tweeters had a combined first-pass audience of half a BILLION followers.

Great value in Twitter lies in the ease of sharing information. I share the links to this blog via Twitter. With a simple tap, those who see, read and like my stuff can and do re-tweet it to their networks in seconds…often with a few of their own endorsing words attached. Readership expands exponentially, and through that easy approbation my audience grows.

A key component: participation. Retweeting tells the people whom you are retweeting that you like what they are doing and are sharing it. Doing your friends and peers the respectful favor of retweeting what you like both shows them you support their work and shows their own networks that they endorse you. Retweeting your respected peers is part of the deal; it isn’t a one-way thing.

LinkedIn – the Professional “FaceBook”

• Far less chatter
• Focused on business, business-related discussions, Best Practices
• More of a structured environment
• Networking & Professional job- and resource-seeking
• Highlighting trends, methodologies, discoveries in specific areas of business, across the spectrum of industries.

These are, imho, the three “biggies” for current virtual participation. There are scores more, the rest of which can be useful, depending on what’s needed. New ones will come and many of them will go as some reveal themselves to be more gimmick than value; but, I offer we keep our eyes on ‘em all, then adopt what proves of value while jettisoning those which have outlived their value or usefulness.

As an aside; I’ve found that Flipboard is an exceptional tool for keeping track of and expanding one’s relevant network. Great filters and an exceptionally intuitive set of algorithms that, I’d say, offer worthwhile value.

Some of these technologies will go the way of the Answering Machine. I suggest the occasional virtual housecleaning; don’t collect or “hoard” technological tools.

Second to Lastly, on this, take a look at how information is gathered and shared and how decisions are made. I offer that the day the Conference Call becomes history cannot come soon enough. Skype and Google Hangout (and myriad others) can handle face-to-face, realtime conference calls of small groups of people with multichannel audio so that people don’t inadvertently cut one another off when conversations overlap. Holding meetings in this context also cuts down on “multitasking” by the non-speakers when what is called-for is focus on the issue on the table.

Such meetings can be shorter; they will be more productive.

The Road from FB to LinkedIn

Be on guard against the Overshare.

Last week, a brilliant young person with whom I am in communication posted a personal revelation on FaceBook about a problem with an employee at work and a realization s/he was having with respect to how this was going to need to be handled. It was an honest Share, best voiced among friends. There was enough oblique information contained in the post, however, that anyone close to this poster or any co-worker could probably readily deduce the identity of the recalcitrant employee.

This would be a great way to alert the problem employee to the fact of the problem and the imminent addressing thereof. Further, ‘tis a great way to escalate the intensity of subsequent conversations with said employee; having alerted the entire team to the problem and causing the subject of the post to Lose Face.

Remember: Not all your FaceBook Friends are actually your FRIENDS. Don’t share anything you wouldn’t want shared with someone else. The level of security with which one might have been (un)concerned when dishing the algebra teacher in junior high becomes a great deal more important and volatile when one is in the actual work force.

Discretion being the better part of valor, keep your cards close to your chest and don’t share that stuff on FB.

That being said; it is highly likely that one can find a conversation taking place on LinkedIn that addresses the very problem before you, without you having to share anything that could undermine your purpose.

As you evolve your professional life and make the expansion into the sphere of LinkedIn and professional groups and blogs, my suggestion is to be completely liberal with honesty, and circumspect with candor.

Not everything need be shared.

Lastly, in my most recent post I shared an anecdote about an experience I had in conversation with a great young student in the context of memory and assumption. Remember, I said that the memory can often prove to be faulty when remembering and that it’s always a good idea to check facts? Well, my memory got the anecdote wrong.

That student wasn’t reading the blog because he’d already downloaded the book; not the other way around, as I’d “remembered.” He had assumed, actually, something pretty fantastic; that by downloading the book, he would be automatically receiving post-by-post updates to it on his iPad. With that assumption, there was logic to him not subscribing to the blog. Unfortunately, that is not the case with Apple eBooks.

But what a great concept, yes? Hello, Apple? How great would that be, for successive blog posts to be automatically formatted and downloaded to owners of an eBook?

So, first I must apologize for and acknowledge the inaccuracy of my memory of our conversation and, second, must thank said Student for calling it to my attention.

I now have a call in to the Retirement Home…

imho.

Download “imho” free for iPad from iTunes or the Bookstore on iPad.

I was approached by a student at a conference a few weeks back who told me how much he enjoys reading “imho” and that he looks forward to every post. He then asked, “…but how do you apply your techniques to dark rides and installations?”

The question surprised me. (I thought I’d made that clear…) It seems obvious to me that these tenets apply to all Experience. (Exploration of Assumption, Kile…) So, I asked him if he’d downloaded the book; to which he responded that he had not, as he thought it was probably all the same stuff (Assumption!). I held myself back from questioning him as to how he thought a book that was published a year ago would hold the same information as the blog he reads, every week…besides,I suppose that there are writers out there who do seem to say the same things, over and over.

(If ever I… / …then, shoot me.)

So, I addressed both of these, thusly…

First, about the book. If you haven’t downloaded it and do own an iPad, download it. It’s free. Articulated and explained in that book are the five, key tenets of creating Compelling Experience:

There is quite a bit more in the eBook; all of it foundational to pretty much everything that has been and will continue to be written and discussed in this space since original publication. In successive posts I often refer to one or more of the five tenets, and explore the myriad applications of them across contexts as I continue to encounter and build Experience, myself.

Check it out!

Turning to the above encounter with this student, then. I’ll say at the outset that he is terrifically sharp; inquisitive, highly intelligent, creative. But, he missed the very first of the Tenets in assuming anything.

Take note: pretty much anything is worth a look before rejection over assuming one already knows what’s there. Even – especially – with documents, venues, drawings, reports of one’s own past projects, anything that may have been seen or studied, before: Assume Not.

The human mind is a feisty partner; prone to hiding details and sometimes even changing things in our memory, just to mess with us.

Always look.

The nominal resources expended in the quick google search or scrolling through a document or whatever the source of the memory material might be will very likely pay off, more often than not, in the recovery of a lost detail or – who knows – discovery of something new to add to your arsenal of artistry.

You know what else, unexpected, can happen? This has happened to me when doing this very exercise…sometimes midway through development of a particular project. All the ideas, concepts, approaches, resources and even artists that perhaps didn’t fit the original concept or make the budget cut for that previous thing and had since been forgotten are suddenly reconnected as synapses grown dusty come to life and revivify the memory. “Oh, YEAH,” one has been known to cry, “…remember that guy who did that thing…?” and this new Experiential project suddenly gets a huge boost from the excitement of rediscovery.

Y’never know. Take a look.

Finally, to the actual question. Each and every one of these tenets is absolutely applicable to the custom, immersive experience of the Dark Ride. In fact; from one perspective, it becomes even easier to manage and manipulate audience expectation when every, single facet of the Experience is to be created by you and your team. When the entire experience is under your control, start to finish the panoply of stimuli that will create the Experience broadens, significantly. It may not be not less work, mind you, and probably more; as every, single one of those fantastic facets must be designed, built and paid-for, taking much more time, money, effort and people.

At the end, though, a well-crafted Dark Ride Experience will suspend disbelief from the first moments and take your audience on a fantastic journey…while they are, of course, being Comfortably Disoriented throughout.

It is actually equally difficult if not more so to create Experience in a pre-existing venue or retrofitted theatre; there, one is dealing with set parameters of an actual, physical “box” that may even carry it’s own legacy of preconception around which one must work to erase. Fortunately for the Type A’s, there is no dearth of Challenge in this business.

And while you are at Not Assuming Anything; embrace the concept that no matter how much one knows, one probably doesn’t know Everything (well, except for that one client; you know the one…). I offer that keeping this awareness close keeps one open to suggestion, option, opportunity.

We all simply never know where the Next Good Idea will come from…or came from and gets remembered…

Imho.

Seriously: download the free eBook, “imho” for iPad from the iTunes Store; available in 38 countries. Thanks for readin’…

Two, brief points to make… First, a quiz.

#1. The Long View

Scenario:

A few days ago, I was standing on a sidewalk in a local neighborhood, chatting with a friend and deciding where to go for dinner. As we were speaking, a police cruiser pulled up behind a vehicle that was double-parked in front of the row of restaurants where we were standing.

The officer didn’t do anything, just sat in his car…it looked as though he was catching up on paperwork; but, of course, I don’t know for sure. After about ten minutes, as my friend and I were getting underway and crossing the street for our dinner destination, the pizza delivery guy responsible for the illegally parked vehicle exited of the pizzeria with his pizzas for delivery.

As he opened the hatch of his car, the officer tapped on his horn, lightly, and said, “Sir, your car is parked illegally…”

Question: What did the Pizza Delivery Guy do? Did he…

1. Say, “I’m sorry, officer, I didn’t mean to take so much time picking up these pizzas. I won’t do it, again. Thank you!” …and drive away? Or, did he…
2. Say, “Geez man, cut me a break! I’m just trying to earn a living, here, man. Why you pigs gotta harass me?”

Ready with your answer?

You got it: B. (And those were his exact words.)

Whereupon, the cop got out of his car, closed the door, leaned in through the window to grab his ticket book and began walking up the street toward the Man of the Cooling Pizzas.

My sense is that, had Delivery Guy gone for Option A, no ticket would have been written. Thus, herein lies today’s metaphor. On the heels of “It’s Easier to Apologize Than to Ask Permission” comes “Weighing the Value of Making a Point versus Realizing One’s Goal.”

Okay, Delivery Guy was out of line; yet, even when a point you may wish to make is valid, even when you are right, it’s never a bad idea to assess and be aware of the ramifications of taking a particular stand as might affect your project, production or deadlines.

Whether it’s another town, another state, another country or simply another union leader; best to keep one’s eye on the overall goal when negotiating one’s way to Production.

When being treated disrespectfully or condescendingly, when some bureaucrat, official or Relative of the Client is throwing weight around or simply being obstructive; remember that this is most likely not personal…this person probably treats everyone this way.

So, the choice is

1. To attempt to enlighten this person to the waste that negativity and obstructionism engenders, to the value of you and your team and the importance of your own priorities and deadlines…and fail. Or
2. To be aware of all those things, yourself; keep them to yourself and find the best way to most easily navigate your path to successful production…sometimes acquiescing to what you may believe is beneath you or acceding to some requirement that seems ridiculous (I say “seems,” as the fact is that you may not actually have all the pertinent facts…see “Exploration of Assumption”). After all, really, who’s gonna know and what’s it gonna matter? Frankly, when the bowing and scraping results in a show going up on time and coming in under budget, who’s gonna care that you had an Obsequious Moment or two in insuring that success.

Fortunately, as a Westerner, I am not as culture-bound to the concept of saving face. In fact, having the sensitivity to that very powerful cultural dynamic has more than once informed my own actions in the face of what may seem Ridiculous. Giving the guy across the table the sense that he has won something can only help you, down the line. It’s not personal to you; but it may be very personal to your Obstructor.

Have a slow fuse and, as I believe I’ve mentioned previously, take your time in reacting or responding. Consider all variables and possible results and take the path of least resistance and best possible result.

Save the sarcasm and vitriol for the Cast Party, an illustrative anecdote in a future conference presentation, some time later. Avoid losing by Winning.

#2 Information as currency

While I do appreciate the philosophy and fact that Information is Power, I extrapolate from that that the more people on my team in possession of that Information, the more Powerful my team becomes. So, I share.

Many a time will come when a manager, client or executive will be encountered who considers Information to only have value when only s/he has it. There are people who withhold information until they deem you need it…usually shortly after irrevocable and costly decisions have been made that would have been made differently had said Information been made available, up front. (I know; wtf!)

Ergo, my position is generally to share as much as possible, when it’s possible. Share with your team how you are making your decisions, early on. Give them a sense of parameter, client idiosyncrasy, possible roadblocks and eventualities that may materialize down the line and they will be more trusting of your judgement when the pace ramps up and decisions have to be made and actions taken more quickly…they will be a team willing to trust, as they’ve been trusted.

The added advantages to this is that

1. The way is paved for ad hoc delegation of responsibility. An informed assistant can make better on-the-spot decisions if s/he has the information…information there will not likely be time to communicate when delegating in situ. And,
2. When a situation arises that calls for rapid exploration of options and concomitant decision-making; the information-sharer is more likely to be surrounded with an informed team, capable of making recommendations from disparate perspectives, thus increasing the likelihood of the best possible solution being found and implemented.

Granted, there will always be things that need to be kept confidential or situations that would require expansive, laboriously-told backstory to catch-up. One cannot share everything. I simply offer that it is likely more productive on several levels to eschew hoarding; share what can be shared.

Imho.

“imho” is also the title of the free eBook, available for iPad (not iPhone, sorry) from the Apple iBooks Store, containing the first 20 posts of this blog and the foundational bases for the methodologies and approaches to creating compelling experience that are cited and applied throughout this blog.

Weeks of conferences, speeches, proposals and meetings have filled the time since my previous missive with myriad experiences and exchanges with some brilliant and accomplished minds, with some brilliant, fresh and hungry minds…and the occasional time-waster.

During this period, and pretty much always, azfarzat goes, I jot down ideas for posts on this blog; things that I believe or “know” from my experience that someone may have shared with me back in the Day, or something I learned from making my own mistakes or simply through the testing of my own limits. As I look over this post-it note collection of thoughts, rants and points of view, I’m seeing a cornucopia of content: tidbits of perspective; some, each or all of which apply to many contexts in addition to the primary audience of imho…

So. Wander through and see if you find anything enlightening, inspiring or engaging.

Photo by Paul Natkin – Chicago 2006

I came across this quote, some time ago, and have been moving the note around on my desk, collecting coffee stains, re-copying it and moving it again, ever since…

“We are natural storytellers. Our brains create complex visual journeys for us to take. We average 2,000 daydreams per day, each lasting an average of 14 seconds. That’s a lot of imagination. While there is no inherent problem with this—it is who we are—when we use our inner world as an escape for what the outer world is presenting, we’re not dealing with the challenges right in front of us. If we crave security, we’ll find it by dealing with what confronts us. Running from challenges into the inner world of thoughts will never provide the security we seek.” – Derek Beres

Mr. Beres, while quoting the above, is writing about the Art of Loneliness, and the reference (and link) is to what I found is a compelling article on Jonathan Gottschall’s “The Storytelling Animal.”

Maria Popova, in that article, posits, ““The universe is made of stories, not atoms,” poet Muriel Rukeyser memorably asserted, and Harvard sociobiologist E. O. Wilson recently pointed to the similarity between innovators in art and science, both of whom he called “dreamers and storytellers.” Stories aren’t merely essential to how we understand the world — they are how we understand the world. We weave and seek stories everywhere, from data visualization to children’s illustration to cultural hegemony. In The Storytelling Animal, educator and science writer Jonathan Gottschall traces the roots, both evolutionary and sociocultural, of the transfixing grip storytelling has on our hearts and minds, individually and collectively. What emerges is a kind of “unified theory of storytelling,” revealing not only our gift for manufacturing truthiness in the narratives we tell ourselves and others, but also the remarkable capacity of stories — the right kinds of them — to change our shared experience for the better.””

Everything I say or write in this space is about my ongoing quest for compelling, resonant, experiential storytelling… Sometimes it’s about thought process, at others about practical, real-world processes and disciplines…

To wit:

Prevent Details from Becoming Tasks…sometimes, it’s better and more productive to Just Do It. I have an acquaintance who spends up to an hour each day, making lists. Gradually, I watch that list become oppressive to him and watch as so many things that were originally simple tasks become Projects.

The real-world metaphor for this can be found in this same guy’s kitchen. He can’t bring himself to wash a dish until the sink is completely full – which can easily take days. Rather than spending 20 seconds to quickly scrub and rinse a plate from breakfast, he sets it in the sink; and this happens until that sink contains an ugly (and smelly) pile of dirty dishes. This makes something that could easily be a completely negligible routine become a Job; not only does washing that sink full of dishes take actual Time, now, but each dish – now dried and crusted with days-old whatever – takes longer to clean, in and of itself.

It’s an accurate metaphor. Don’t let things pile up. Do them, or delegate them; but get them off your “list.”

Responsiveness and Spontaneity. Hold these qualities close. While it’s good to have a plan – in fact, imperative to plan – do not eschew the possibility of changing direction on discovery or revelation. The plan is not sacrosanct; the Vision is the Thing.

As a Director, Creative Director or Producer, I am leading my team of professionals toward the realization of something – a vision or mission or goal – to which I have (hopefully) inspired all to strive. They trust me. They trust and respect me more for flexibility, responsiveness, humility (and the ability to accept and admit as I make mistakes or change direction based on new information or simple collaborative revelation) and fairness far more than would be elicited were I to exhibit an unwavering grip on a previously proscribed pathway or method.

• Stalwart and Committed  = Good.
• Resolute and Unbending = Perhaps Not So Much.

Be open to Hear and willing to Change.

Keeping the Speeches Short. You know what I mean. Nobody likes a filibuster and a monologue is only good in theatre. When building a program for a launch or gathering of any kind (and in this case, we’re speaking more to those who create one-off events, ceremonies and celebrations), one of the most egregious sins is that of losing control of one’s speakers, resulting in the dissipation of audience attention – which, of itself, usually heralds the departure of Interest on the part of the suffering audience.

…and, there is consequence to making an audience suffer.

“Five minutes” sounds short. It is not. Hold your breath for one, full minute [I’ve said this, before] and see how long that feels. There’s your Rule of Thumb. Further, telling a speaker “five minutes” generally results in twice that…or more. Telling a speaker “one minute…okay, 90 seconds,” and then negotiating an additional 30 seconds will impress on the speaker that you mean what you say and result in a better speech, embraced far more receptively by the audience than would likely have been, otherwise.

Winnowing one’s speech to less than 3 minutes, more often than not, results in the most powerful, clear, compelling and resonant delivery of Message.

In 2011, I worked with an organization and their signature event in massaging and evolving the “program” part of the evening into a tight and powerful 17 minutes. This 17 minutes included ALL speaking parts (welcome, acknowledgements, thanks, introduction of honoree, honoree) as well as the entertainment component which, of itself, was 4 minutes long. In that 4 minutes, by the way, the audience was taken deep into their hearts, fell absolutely silent, then transitioned to standing and clapping and cheering.

Four minutes. This can be done.

The speakers had been unambiguously apprised of the importance of keeping the program brief and pithy, and were well aware of their respective constraints. Underscoring the seriousness of the parameters, each could see me in clear view, standing adjacent to the stage and prepared to step onto the stage, take the microphone and thank them, mid-overrun. While this resulted in good-natured ribbing from the lectern, the parameters were respected.

This is your job, as Executive in charge of any such production – ANY production; to ensure the message is delivered and the audience is happy. NO single component or participant in a theatrical production, ceremony, celebration or simple program trumps the importance of the Audience Experience. None.

Your job.

The 2011 event was a huge success; the word on the street for the ensuing year was at the “you should have been there” level. As a result, tickets exceeded sell-out in 2012.

In 2012, however, that same organization chose to relinquish all parameters and advisories to the speakers, resulting in over 45 minutes of speeches in a 3-hour stand-up event. This, separate and apart from the “entertainment” portion of the experience. Nearly 1/3 of the evening was given over to the presenters and honorees; with the rationale given that the organization’s leadership didn’t want to offend the honorees and the donors, specific them, in the room, that evening.

This may prove to be a very costly capitulation; as the casual reviews of that evening continue to cite the oppressive length of the speeches, pre-empting the “…otherwise, it was fine” more or less tepid reviews. It remains to be seen what the effect will be on future iterations of that event.

“You should have been there” Versus “…otherwise, it was fine”

Which brings me to Audience Expectation. Is Meeting Audience Expectation Enough?

In Exploration of Assumption, discerning Audience Expectation is a key part of the methodology. Once we know what the audience is expecting, we can manipulate and exceed that…and, exceeding expectation does not necessarily mean an increase in magnitude. Indeed, it can often mean the opposite. Sometimes, taking a quieter road, one of less (but with standards high) “production” and stronger substance, can result in a far more powerful experience.

Never, though, am I happy with simply meeting audience expectation. In many instances and contexts, in fact, audiences subconsciously accept and “expect” to make excuses for an experience…

• Well, they’re on a small budget…
• Well, the weather…
• Well, it’s their first time trying that…
• Well, it’s hard to deliver to an audience in a stadium / park / rooftop…

And the worst:

• Well, it’s for charity

Anathema.

None of these are acceptable. This is what Creativity and Commitment is all about.

This. Is. Your. Job. Exceed audience expectation. Respect your audience and never give them a reason to excuse what you create; be it a one-off, a theatrical run or a permanently-installed attraction. Audience First.

Okay: some Nickels and Dimes

“Testing…testing…”

Don’t smack the microphone. Seriously, that’s not cool. Frankly, it’s amateur. A microphone is a delicate instrument and should be treated as such. To test the instrument, to see if it is working, simply snap your fingers over the head of the mic. It’s classier and more professional. Don’t smack the poor thing.

Digital Note-Taking (see, “know your audience”)

It’s cool and it’s green to take notes, digitally. But, here’s a distinctive nuance. It’s one thing to take notes on your iPad, during a meeting. People see what you are doing and tend to…

• Respect you
• Admire you
• Envy you
• Hate you for showing off but still respect you for being efficient and Green

…or some combination of the above.

Using one’s laptop, while the keystrokes may be irritating to some (watch your demographics!), seems to be, overall, accepted.

However, taking notes on one’s iPhone (or other smartphone, to be democratic) is likely to elicit a different reaction from others in your presence (again, depending on the demo). Why? Because it looks as though you are texting.

So, imho, my suggestion is, in the absence of an iPad, paper is probably the best option for taking notes in most contexts.

That being said; if you work for Google, Apple, or any of the plethora of Millenial-heavy corporate cultures, that skews all this toward the digital device. Just know your audience.

Lastly: Peevs.

Peev #1. “yeah” versus “yay”

When writing about a cheer, the word is “yay.” When writing about agreement or a response in the positive, the word is “yeah.” The two are pronounced quite differently. A crowd does not cheer “Yeah” when their team wins, the crowd cheers, “Yay!”

And Peev #2. “Niche”

last, but not least, the word is pronounced, “neesh.” Sheesh…

My post-it’s are cleared-away. I hope you found something interesting and perhaps enlightening and, hopefully, informative amongst these rants and observations…

“imho” is also the title of my free eBook in the iBooks Library and iTunes; consisting of the first 20 posts of this site, it articulates and demonstrates the key tenets and methodologies of creating compelling experience. Take a look.

Call it what you will: TimeLine, ShowFlow, RunSheet…

This is the single, most important document to any production; whether one-off, theatrical tour or “permanent” installation.

The Document begins as a simple list of Deadlines;

• initiation of processes,
• building of teams,
• hiring of principals, professionals, craftspeople,
• completing designs and scripts,
• sign-offs and contract signings,
• scheduling of all key Production and All Hands meetings,

…all the Big Picture Stuff.

But that’s just the beginning. As this document evolves, it must evolve to encompass every move and position of every component of and in every moment of the Production. Every one. The Person who builds this document must be assiduous in going deep: deep into the Nuts & Bolts (staples, thumbtacks and glue…) of Timing and Logistics at every level.

This document – I refer to it as a TimeLine – becomes the very real Map of the Show.

As the show comes together each act and scene, then each action and speech, is woven into this document; it effectively becomes the working document for every production meeting, replacing an Agenda with successive talk-through’s of the production.

This process highlights each and every duplication of effort – thus saving money and time; it brings parallel needs to the fore, long before load-in or show day – thus saving money and time; it opens the door for creative collaboration between and amongst talent, craftsmen, technicians, management…thus saving money, time, effort and all the while building a strong sense of team and personal investment in the product.

Do not stop there, though; the process and this document remains far from complete without the information on the supporting action that makes each Thing happen.

This is, imho, where most Producers / Directors fall short; where most stop.

Nothing must be assumed. Every action, function and moment must be timed, responsibility must be assigned and these, too, woven into the TimeLine such that it becomes clear what is happening, when, where, how and by whom at Every Single Moment of the Process.

This means that nothing is Assumed.

F’rinstance…

You have a Production Assistant / Talent Wrangler who is meeting your talent at the airport? Your TimeLine should reflect

• that person’s departure from home or office,
• arrival at the hotel to pick up the room keys,
• arrival at the airport before the flight lands,
• estimated delivery to the hotel of said talent.

Then, go on to reflect:

• Wrangler-initiated wake-up or “I’m on my way to pick you up…” call
• Arrival at hotel to pick up talent
• Departure from hotel in order to be at the theatre or venue by Call Time
• Delivery to Dressing Room
• Report to Stage Manager / Director / Whomever that Delivery is complete

So, what is that, nine entries on the TimeLine for one (albeit protracted) process.

The difference is that most such documents I’ve seen rarely go further than noting when the talent’s flight arrives and when they are expected to show up at the venue.

Not enough.

This thoroughness, carried through to every piece and moment of your show or production, will yield not only a crucial, critical and critically valuable document for the running of the show, but it also gives every single person involved a very clear picture of where their responsibilities lie and how the responsibilities and work of everyone else dovetails with their own.

Be clear on how long each action will take, and build your document accordingly. If it takes 15 seconds to walk from standby position to ready position, then insert that quarter-minute into the TimeLine, accurately. No kidding.

First-time team members who work on my projects – especially when I am in a new town or country – often laugh when they see listings at 08:45.25, then 08:45.75… and the humor is not lost on me; it can be seen as funny… The fact is that these things may well not happen at exactly these times, certainly. However, building the TimeLine in this way and to this degree of complexity and specificity will effectively communicate to all involved the critical intricacies of timing and respect for the timing and structure of a show.

Your success will be far greater.

This also gives the showcaller or PSM (Production Stage Manager), the Producer and the Director the most complete lay of the land as the show unfolds.

Finally, the actual script is dropped into the TimeLine such that, in most of my productions – especially the one-off’s, that document becomes the show script. The PSM can drop her cues into the appropriate points and we’re good to go. Everyone on the Production Team has the same document and is in virtual lock-step communication as the show goes up; we’re all playing with the same deck.

Something goes wrong?

The Executive Team has an instant sense of available solutions and alternatives, as each is clear as to what resources are how far from being on your stage and how to reorganize a show on the fly, if that is what is necessary.

There is no substitute for building this document, and it must be in the process of being built from Day One to, through and beyond Curtain.

And, a Footnote

Staff your Talent. All of them.

Every principal in your show should have one person whom s/he can identify as their go-to, their font of knowledge, their Responsible Person. Never leave Talent to their own devices for anything. To do so goes beyond straightforward Protocol and the avoidance of being perceived as careless, ignorant or rude; it’s simply The Way One Treats People.

Remember; often, these people are not familiar with the venue, much less the town or the audience. Don’t leave these people to fend for themselves, no matter how secure or self-possessed they may seem. Staff them.

Especially for those who do charity work: don’t unleash your Talent into VIP receptions without a Staff person at their side.

At. Their. Side.

Whether it’s Streisand, Miss America, Joe Montana or Leo DeCaprio; provide them someone whom they can trust who will not be afraid to take them by the arm and say to the Krazy-Glu Throng around them, “I’m sorry, Miss Knowles is needed in the Press Room…” and protect them from having to fend for themselves.

This applies even when they arrive with Their Own People. In such cases, your Wrangler becomes resource and teammate to Their People, though no less valuable. Don’t overlook this; you will be respected and remembered for having handled this responsibility, professionally.

Assiduous. Thorough. Complete. Respectful. Respected.

“imho” – book one is available for free download from iTunes or the Bookstore for iPad2 and beyond…

Giza – 2003

Timing may or may not be Everything. Without a strong sense and control of it, however, you have Nothing.

We’ve talked a bit about this, before, in a post, distantly past. In the wake of a recent meeting I attended at which program timing and the commitment to it was discussed, I thought it might be helpful to go into the subject a little deeper.

As Director, as Producer, our job is the integrity of the show or program; seeing that the message is delivered sans distraction or obstruction and as evocatively or compellingly as possible. The experience of the Audience is the single, most important criterion.

Yes. More important than the happiness of the speaker, the performer, the sponsors, the caterer: above all, you want the audience happy and receptive.

Now, that being said; if any of the above are not happy, chances are you are risking the quality of experience you most want for your audience. So, yes, it’s a tightrope. No one needs to be unhappy to protect the audience experience.

What it takes is commitment to the best delivery of the message or experience on the part of the creators, and a Stage Manager who appreciates that s/he is responsible for seeing to it that plans are appreciated, understood, accepted, kept.

Now (and, I am generalizing, here…), more often than not, a microphone can be like crystal meth. Once a performer has a grasp on one, it can be as though it and the performer are one. That mic can become remarkably difficult to wrest out of a grip. For politicians and Social Leaders, this dynamic is exacerbated by the genetic predisposition to meld the molecules of one’s hand to the handle of the microphone such that the Jaws of Life are often necessary to relieve the audience of the speaker’s burden…or the burden of that speaker.

So, lightheartedness aside, How…?

First, a pair of anecdotes from which I learned in a practical way how important adherence to program timing – and the value of brief, tight, pithy programs:

• adds value to and keeps the integrity of an experience,
• is greatly appreciated by one’s (often pleasantly surprised) audience and
• is most usually embraced by the Professionals with whom one might be working.

Audience Appreciation

Way back in the dark ages, post-television but pre-web, I was producing an event for a high-end group of political donors in Northern California. The only speech that stood in the way of progress from cocktails to dinner was that of a State Representative from the area, known behind-the-scenes as a tad long-winded. His speech was slated for 5 minutes. In pre-show conversation, I raised that time constraint and he nodded. I was young and relatively inexperienced; I thought we had an Agreement and didn’t worry about it.

Later, as he passed the ten-minute mark with no signs of slowing down; I took things into my own hands. On headset, I said to my stage managers who were holding-closed the doors to dinner, “hm….I think I might be having trouble with the sound, here…somethings funky…be prepared to respond to me, just in case…”

I then turned off his microphone.

He began smacking the mic and gesticulating to me that he was having sound trouble. I nodded, held up my hand in the “wait” signal and looked to be fiddling with the board as I said into my clearcom, “open the doors.”

The doors opened as I looked back across the room to him and held up my hands in the “wow, I have no idea why you don’t have sound” gesture as the audience rapidly flooded into the dining room. That anteroom was cleared within about two minutes. Happy audience, mood and energy preserved.

The client came over to me to commiserate; “Damn, too bad about the sound…but I don’t know if he’d ever have stopped speaking, otherwise…”

[Note: “It is always easier to apologize than to ask permission.”]

Confidence

When Directing the Candle Light Vigil for the National AIDS Memorial Quilt at the Lincoln Memorial in 1992, Joel Grey offered me an experience that taught me much in moments.

When he arrived for Sound Check, the day before the event, it was the first I’d met him. He arrived and walked onto the set. We’d never met, and I was just some young guy from LA while he was pretty-much my first, A-Level celebrity performer. I introduced myself. He said, “Are you the Director?” “Yes, I am.” “What would you like me to do?”

Of course, the piece he was to perform had already been agreed. So, respectfully and clearly, I said, “Well, Mr. Grey, here’s how I had envisioned this piece, this Moment, unfolding…” and proceeded to walk him through where I’d like him to stand, to move, to time the verses and explained the giant, absolutely silent skyrocket that was to punctuate the end of his performance and close the show.

“What do you think, Mr. Grey?”

I was ready for him. And, I was ready to compromise, to submit and be told how he would do it. That is not what happened.

What he said was, “Great; then, that’s what I’ll do!” One rehearsal and we were done.

What I learned from that encounter (and, btw, that performance remains at the apex of the litany of Experiences I have been vested with creating. I have seldom since heard or felt an audience go as palpably quiet as during the final moment of his song, “Jonathan Wesley Oliver, Junior” and that extraordinary, silent skyrocket over the Potomac) was this:

• A true professional looks to the Director to understand the vision, and trusts that the Director knows the Big Picture and how each performance plays into that.

So. Be confident. Don’t act confident; be confident. Know your show, know why you have made the decisions you have made, placed components where you’ve placed them, written entrances in the manner and position(s) in which you have done so.

It is only the insecure artist who will make trouble and insist on things that may not work inside your vision. Ergo, a Heads Up; beware of making any artists insecure through communicating doubt, through not knowing an answer, or for simply being obsequious.

Frankly, a Director who is starstruck should be in some other business, not dealing with Talent. A Pro can sniff an amateur a mile away; then you’ll see who calls your shots!

Be Confident; be patient, ask for advice and listen to your talent if they are compelled to offer suggestions. Talent may well know how they might look their best; but you are in charge of the show. A pro will collaborate; you may have to take a hard line on someone who’s ego might supercede their entertainment value or compellingness quotient. Take that line or open your show to sacrifice.

Getting Down To It.

So, How to Build a Program that is Pithy & Compelling & Entertaining…and make sure that it remains that way…

Step One: Take a deep breath. Hold it for one, full minute.

Step Two: Okay, nice try. Try it again. Deep Breath. Keep it in! ONE FULL MINUTE!

Step Three: Yeah, right? Not so easy, is it? One Minute is a loooong time.

So, there’s your reference, your Building Block. As you build or write a show, remember how long a minute is. So, as you tell your performers or speakers that they have three minutes, two minutes, even as seemingly brief as a one minute introduction; you are not limiting them. Rather, you are offering them an opportunity to deliver something powerful, direct and memorable. Your audiences will appreciate this restraint and discipline.

Step Four: Delivery is Key. Tell your performers and speakers how much time they have, don’t “ask” them. Set their expectations and share the importance of respecting the overall Experience. There is a marked difference between…

• “Could you please try to keep your comments to about 3…3 and a half minutes? You know, we want to keep the program tight and if you could keep yours short, that’d be great. If you go to 4, no big deal, just keep it under 5, okay…?”

And

• “We are very tight for time on this program and you are the main part of it. It is important that we keep your segment to 3 minutes. Will you do that? 3 Minutes, I’ll give you a signal at 2:30.”

Can you see the difference? If not, I hope someone else in your home does the cooking…

The moment you offer leeway is the moment that your speaker / performer thinks s/he’s Bill Clinton or Barbra Streisand (and even then…just sayin’).

There is nothing wrong with a one-minute intro or a three-minute speech.

• Most pop songs are under three minutes
• Operatic Arias
• The Pledge of Allegiance
• Late-night monologues are usually about 3 minutes…(and when they’re not….)
• Marriage Proposals
• Wedding Vows
• Even multi-million dollar television commercials are 30 seconds

Singers will always want to perform one more song than the one you’ve requested, comics another joke or character, speakers another minute or ten… Do not accept this.

Make it Fun and Make it HAPPEN

So, after all that; you want to know how easy it actually is to do this? Very easy.

From the outset, one must be confident, definite and respectful of the parameters of time to which you are committed to adhere. Communicate fully and completely and with a smile and even offer to help with speechwriting if that is in your skill set. Most people (again, the pro’s) will respect you and your position and adhere.

Some may find themselves incapable of keeping themselves within a given time constraint. This, too, is easily addressed.

My basic approach, which I again communicate from First Meeting, is:

• A light or some signal from the back of the House at 30-seconds to wrap.
• At 15-seconds to wrap, I (or my trusty stage manager )appear at the edge of the stage, offstage, or just below the stage in very plain sight of the speaker.
• At 5-seconds, I (or said trusty stage manager) am clearly approaching the lectern, ready to take the mic, thank the speaker and introduce the next act or component of the show.

I have rarely had to actually step in and take the mic. (Though, I have always been clearly and obviously ready to do so.) More often than not, it becomes a joke that is shared with the audience, “…I see my time is about up…,” or, “uh-oh, here comes Kile with the Hook…” and all continues swimmingly.

You, one, Producer, Director, Stage Manager, simply must be confident and not intimidated by or afraid of your talent or speakers. They are depending on you to deliver an experience as designed, envisioned. An ego or two may occasionally be ruffled, though with the mitigating upside that you’ll be appreciated by your audience and ultimately thanked by your audience.

…and probably develop a reputation for running tight shows.

That’s worth money.

Exceptions? Certainly.

You have a singer who brings down the house? Give her an encore. Maybe bring her back at the end of the program in response to a perhaps unarticulated, audience-wide wish for more. This exceeds expectation in a way that still respects the integrity of the show or story arc you have created, while offering the proverbial “more” in an unexpected way.

All of this should be flexible, given the specifics and particulars. But you keep on top of it. The moments in shows that to this day continue to give me chagrin and regret are those times I caved to another song, a third recital, one more speech that resulted in dragging down the experience of the entire program.

Do not cave (though, always consider). Your job is the result.

“Always leave ‘em wanting more…” is not fiction. Build that into your experience. Inspire them to return.

Imho.

It may be a virtue, but that doesn’t make it all bad…

Patience.

This has become one of my most valuable tools: that, combined with the realization and knowledge that there is always time for Patience. Always.

I just said goodbye to a brilliant young man. He’s worked at my side for just over a year, and is so well-suited to this work – these industries of entertainment – that he is now on his way to Abu Dhabi to take on a mid-level management position at a fantastic, huge, new, destination Waterpark. I’m proud of this guy; he is learning lessons, rapidly, by necessity and rising to new challenges every day. Through these tests, as his self-awareness is being expanded, he is growing into a man and Producer who will meet, exceed and set standards in expected levels of competence by example, for those around him.

My last words of advice to him were, “…don’t be the first person to speak at a meeting…”

What do I mean by that?

Literally, I do mean the exercise of patience in any context; especially meetings. First: listen. Listen to everyone. Learn the lay of the land, discern how the subject on the table is perceived by and affects each of everyone in the room.

As conversation and debate continue and said subject is discussed, the Listener may find his own opinion or point of view changing and growing into more comprehensive a scope; incorporating points of view and appreciating ramifications as they reveal themselves through the discussion. This gives the Listener the opportunity to, when s/he finally does speak, incorporate all that has been expressed in an encapsulation of the situation and possibly articulate the best course of action toward a most fully supportable and valuable result.

Eyebrows rise, words of acclamation are uttered, phrases such as, “…wow, you really nailed it…such clarity from one so young…” result and the seeds of peer and superior respect are planted and nurtured. This, because listening was happening and, along with that, learning.

This does not mean enter the room, knowing what one wants to say and and simply waiting to say it, last. We’ve all been in conversations / arguments with others where we can see, as we are making a point, that our “adversary” is simply waiting for the sound to cease coming from our mouths so that s/he can rebut what s/he assumes we are saying…

No: It means entering the room knowing one’s point of view and also knowing that there may be some unseen assumptions in one’s own POV that can come to light in the ensuing conversation that can affect anything from nuance to critical component. Thus, exercising this Patience allows the conversation to inform and evolve one’s own position before that position is stated.

More than in Meetings…

This Patience Thing applies far beyond the walls of the Meeting Room, however. It applies to virtually every step in the creative and production process and, as I posit above, applies no matter how much or how little time is at one’s disposal to create and deliver.

As I was being driven to the airport by my Producer (Adam Proto – profiled a few weeks ago in this space), after the WaterWorld opening show, he mentioned how much he had “learned” from me.

Usually, when I hear that; I offer a heartfelt thanks for someone even listening to me. I do appreciate that! But this gent is one of the best producers with whom I’ve worked; a brilliant man. So, I asked him what, in fact, he could possibly have learned from me. His response was to cite my Process over the extremely tightly-scheduled rehearsal time in the run-up to the Show.

What he was referencing was this…

• The Show was to be up and ready by 10:00am on Saturday.
• On Wednesday, my partner in Direction arrived from London.
• Thirty disparate (not desperate; though, some of them…) acrobats and street performers were to arrive on Wednesday night.
• Blocking, rehearsal, costume fitting, tech were all to take place on Thursday, with
• Rehearsals and Dress Rehearsal on Friday
• Show on Saturday. No extensions.

So. On Wednesday evening, Steven Grindle (also known as Dingle Fingle; this Wacko Creativo descends from a long line of Court Jesters, Minstrels and Magicians. He is virtual royalty and a Legend, not only in his own mind but for anyone with whom he’s worked) and I met to synch ourselves on the Beats of the Show.

We had not met, prior to this evening, but had corresponded with script ideas and possibilities and both came highly recommended by Mr. Proto; so were inclined to expect good chemistry. We were not disappointed.

Still, one never knows what another might mean by virtually any word, term or phrase. My “blue” might be Cobalt while your’s might be Azure…or something. So, even though we went gangbusters on the paper script we built; we really didn’t yet know how the other man worked.

But, we knew what we wanted to create.

Thursday morning, we gathered at the site; touring the newly-formed corps de fantasy through the park, then talking through the script, then beginning the blocking of these artists for the show.

Mind you, most of these performers had not previously worked together. This was not a corps until we all became such through these two days of rehearsals.

Between we two, Steven speaks far better acrobat than I can even pretend. [Another Rule of Production: never pretend.] So, for most of Thursday, I pretty much stood back – watching, listening, observing, supporting Steven, making suggestions and keeping us as close to schedule as possible.

What I did not do is impose my Vision on this group of performers who are skilled, talented and creative in their own rights, nor on Mr. Grindle, who works very differently than do I. My focus on Thursday was to learn how Grindle works, learn who we had in our cast and how they fit or played together and – in being passive and observant – communicating that I trusted Grindle and the Corps to do their best work.

This is what Adam was referencing as my Process. This is my Process.

It is common for Directors to step in, assert themselves, get all alpha on the project and take the reins from the beginning. Though common, probably not always the best approach for full realization of an evolved vision and maximum value drawn from each and every artist.

[…and, this is something to which attention ought be paid, as well. When a producer or director genuinely respects the heretofore unknown depths of talent in the individuals that make up a cast and communicates said trust by practical exhibition; the wealth of creative collaboration that becomes available between all concerned is immeasurable. Our cast was brilliant beyond expectation; working together and offering suggestions as we built the show, and we realized far more than could have reasonably been hoped in the minuscule, two-day rehearsal period that we had. Note this.]

So, on Thursday, I trusted and learned…nudged a little when necessary…and kept working over where we wanted to take this show, as I watched. Writing and re-writing in my head.

Friday, adding 40 local performers to the mix, I took a stronger position in directing rehearsals, working through difficult or cumbersome scenes with Dingle and partnering with him in making key decisions.

The two of us have very, very different management styles, and the revelation was how great we could toss the ball from one to the other without conflict. It was pretty fantastic.

Trust. Respect. Patience.

I would say that this was due in no small part to Patience. Taking the time, no matter what, no matter how short the time seemed, to learn what lay before me, what tools were in our box and to massage a show out of this bounty of talent and energy. (Which isn’t to say that Dingle’s trust in and patience with me didn’t contribute just as greatly to our mutual success. I can only speak for myself, and I’m sure he did his own share of watching and patience.)

Thus, I leave you with this: “Don’t be the first to speak at a meeting” applies, across the board, to any context in which one find oneself. Look and Listen first, no matter how pressured one might feel to take action.

Taking action without full knowledge will almost inevitably result in delay, difficulty, cost overruns and wasted time. Take it, up front; the investment pays off.

Imho.

Download “IMHO” – the eBook for iPad. Free from iTunes or the iBook store.

Last year, as we were deep in rehearsal for Dubai’s National Day Celebration and the show just days away, I was approached by one of our wonderful actors, Bilal Abdullah, with whom I’d connected in auditions and had a good, friendly relationship…

“So,” he says, “…how have you found it, working in the UAE?”

“I’ve got it figured out, Bilal, and now it’s easy. When I say to my team, ‘rehearsal at 6pm,’ it means that rehearsal begins at 6pm, sharp. When I say  to you, ‘rehearsal at 6pm,’ it’s a suggestion…”

He laughed out loud and said, “Ah, you now understand us…”

——-

There is much going on in the UAE. A very different mix of myriad, disparate cultures, different from and including the West. I see tremendous opportunity to contribute and, ultimately, to push the boundaries of creation of compelling experience and, for just the right (and very patient) investor to make a great deal of profit along with significantly raising the bar in the production of event, ceremony and spectacle in the Middle East…and globally.

Patience in this endeavor will be Key: I will get to that.

——-

I first visited the UAE in 2003. The Emirates had been on my radar for some time, and after Condescending Traveler featured the Burj al Arab on the cover, I sensed that it would not be long before people would stop asking “where’s that?” when I mentioned Dubai.

Meanwhile, in the [themed entertainment and marketing] trades, article after article had been published, citing the amazing, groundbreaking shopping malls, the Family Entertainment Centers and Themed Destinations being installed, there. I wanted to get over there. I wanted to see what was going and and see if I might get my creative hands on a nighttime spectacle or two.

What I found was far from cutting-edge.

I was startled and disappointed to find that these installations were comprised, predominantly, of second-hand, off-the-shelf, carnival-esque kiddie rides; as though they’d been dusted-off and sold to an unsuspecting, ignorant-due-to-non-exposure audience. While there were some state-of-the-art attractions and destinations — Jumeirah’s Wild Wadi Waterpark paramount among them at the time and Ski Dubai / Mall of the Emirates under construction — most of what was being presented and sold wouldn’t get a second glance in the West.

From what I could observe, overall, customers in this part of the world were being sold a Bill of Goods.

It was a very Gold Rush-y time in the UAE, and it seemed to me that a population of Nouveaux Carpetbaggers were on the prowl; selling to [low] expectation rather than to possibility or state of the art.

Which is not to say that there were no Principles or Integrity at play, as well; many trusted, iconic companies were exploring possibilities over there, at the time. A few truly envelope-pushing projects were underway and have since been realized. It was clear to me, however, that advantage was being taken of a lot of local investors. I could not imagine that this dynamic would not come back to haunt the Westerners and Europeans doing business in the UAE.

——-

Returning to work in Dubai and Abu Dhabi in 2011 and 2012-13, I have been witness to what I see as a culture of expensively skewed values; one that has developed in this industry out of the almost profligate culture of the Emirates. While of much higher quality and closer to a Platinum Standard than that merely of Gold, although everything bought is big and grand and “the-best-that-money-can-buy;” most of what is delivered remains, still, an off-the-shelf product.

Everything has, through this, become more sophisticated…as have the customers, in a limited sense. There is cachet to be found in the ability to obtain The [recognizable] Best in the shortest amount of time. Labels are everything. Magnitude is the Measure, and a subtle (or not-so-subtle) one-upmanship seems to underlie a lot of what is bought to be produced.

Hypothetically, it would not be unusual – in fact it is not unusual – for a Client to approach a company with, “I want a party for 1000 in a tent that looks like the Taj Mahal, far out in the desert…next Friday.” And it would happen.

Buying things, flying things in, obtaining the Best of the Best, overnight; that is the crux of Spectacle and Event Production in the UAE. The Culture is not currently attuned to the value of resonant, compelling, engaging original content and Experience. Rather, it is about mounting spectacle with what is, essentially, off-the-global-top-shelf.

Not to downplay; fantastic spectacle is produced in the UAE. Massive stages and overwhelming special effects, huge casts and fireworks and projections… Truly awesome stuff happens, there. Just little that might be considered Original.

——-

I approached one of the principals of a company for which I was doing work, there, in 2011; saying that while it was great to have these giant budgets on projects with shockingly short lead-times, that such structures don’t truly deliver the best, possible result…especially in the context of custom, original Creative.

I offered that, were such projects to be initiated as much as a year out – giving time for actual Creative Development of a given concept – that not only might a great deal of money actually be saved (though, that is rarely a concern) or, at least not wasted, but the product would be far better. Far more value for the money, a far more powerful Experience delivered.

“My people will never think that way…” he said.

——-

Exacerbating this is an Undercurrent of Fear that pervades Vendors and Royal Staff in the UAE. I witness an almost craven approach to client relations on the part of production companies. A fear of rejection that filters any and all original ideas from concept development for fear of frightening-off the potential client and losing the gig; resulting in a near-obsequious tenor of relationship. There is often an eagerness to please and meet the in-reality low expectations and standards of the client that precludes innovation and evolution of Experience.

I get it. There are staffs to support, mouths to feed, doors to keep open.

The source of this problem dynamic, as I perceive it, resides within the staffs of the clients…especially of Royalty. There is a deep-seated (and perhaps borne of historical reality) fear of displeasing the Sheik. This keeps the box very small with respect to program and presentation, resulting in one of two avenues being followed:

• Bring in Acts that have proven successful elsewhere in the world, and / or
• Tell the same story told, last year, in a bigger or different way…but don’t change the components.

As I posited in my most recent post; I believe that the Sheiks and Primary Royals, themselves, would embrace something new. These are people who travel, who’ve been everywhere and probably seen some fantastic, original work produced. Personally and professionally, I believe the UAE is ripe for experiencing something with far more substance, originality, connection…the limb is strong and ready to be ventured onto.

I believe, as well, that Emirati audiences are unknowingly currently impressed with what the rest of the civilized world would consider average if not less-than, and would (or will) respond enthusiastically to true state-of-the-art-and-craft, emotionally-connective Spectacle. They simply have not experienced what is truly possible.

We can fix that.

——-

I believe that a company or collaborative that holds the line on quality, integrity of concept, effective and waste-free spending can ultimately be profoundly successful in the UAE.

It is a matter of educating the client, of guiding clients up the pathway and revealing the power inherent in well-crafted, original, immersive and Experiential Storytelling.

The ideal scenario will require a large investment, a great deal of patience and strong commitment to quality over expediency.

Here’s the idea:

Possible Name of Company: Bespoke [Experience]

Methodology:

• Gather a small group of world-class creatives and producers.
• Put them on exclusive regional retainer with commitment to be present in UAE on 48-hours notice when called.
• Commit to Only Doing the Best Possible Work.
• Open an office in Dubai / Abu Dhabi.
• Introduce the company with an event of magnitude; possibly a tribute to the UAE, approached from an angle and from a perspective different than the historic…possibly not. Perhaps a “What is Bespoke (or whatever the company is named)?” created by your team, an Experience that is at once emotionally compelling and professionally enlightening. Show what is possible.
• Be exclusive. Take only clients and projects with the requisite lead time to properly develop and deliver the highest quality. Decline business, no matter what the budget, that would compromise this principal.
• Make the above Commitment clear: We Only Deliver the Best.
• Set Decision-making Deadlines, with penalties for lateness and changes.
• Adhere to these deadlines, resolutely.
• Be willing to say, “no.”
• Be willing to wait. A while.

What I believe will happen is that many potential clients will approach within the currently-deemed-acceptable parameters, to be politely and graciously declined with referrals to other companies who are willing to work on short deadlines for lesser result.

This may go on for a while.

Finally, a client will approach with the enlightened wherewithal to obtain the best quality; one who will accept the deadlines, give the appropriate amount of time and be introduced to the rewards of this well-managed process.

Once this first project has been delivered such that it eclipses what has come, before; I believe the gates will open and this company will become The Company (hm, that’s a good name for it, as well) for all who truly want The Best.

It is simple, it is daring, it is audacious, and I think it would work. I’ve run this scenario past a number of Professionals – Arabs, Westerners and Natives – in the UAE to universally enthusiastic response.

It may never happen; as the investment would be large and the patience necessarily great. But, were this to be attempted, it would be successful.

imho.

The eBook for iPad, “imho,” is free from iTunes and the iBooks Store.