Blog/News

It is Better to Give Than to Receive - Lessons Learned at Comic-Con

2011-07-30T04:19:51Z

This was the second year I was asked to assist MKTG with staffing and to help produce their CBS Interactive marketing event at Comic-Con. Last year's event was pretty much a bust. The TV.com Awards at Petco Park did not seem to make it on the radar of Comic-Con attendee's list of "things to do". In my opinion, the event owners put too much time, money and attention on their own needs and wants and not on those of the event attendees.

This year, however, they nailed it with the CNET Base Station! Thousands of attendees walked through their event doors and most left with a smile of satisfaction. CBS Interactive and MKTG figured out what the Comic-Con fans wanted and needed and then they gave it to them...for FREE! It appears they made a few new fans of their product along the way too. Here's the how and why:

Convenience. The new location for the CBS Interactive event was at Lou and Mickey's restaurant at the corner of 5th Ave right across the tracks from the Convention Center. BINGO! To get into the Gaslamp District/downtown San Diego from the convention center almost all attendees had to pass by CNET Basestation's front door.
Free Food and Drink. Every 15 minutes trays of sliders, chicken skewers, coconut shrimp and a variety of sodas were passed through out the venue. After 4 o'clock - adult beverages were part of the treat. I have to admit, if you were not in the right place at the right time, you'd miss out on the hot grub, but there was almost always full plates of cheese and crackers, fruit and cupcakes stationed around the event space.
Re-charging Stations. Comic-Con conventioneers are constantly on their phones, snapping photos, taking video, emailing, texting, blogging, etc. Inside the CNET Base Station there were dozens of "re-charging stations" with adapters for almost every type of cell phone on the market.
A Place to Sit. Walking all day on city streets and convention center concrete floors can take a toll on one's feet and legs. The CNET Base Station lounge provided comfy seating with complementary wifi, laptop and tablet use.
Cool Technology. The new Chrome laptops were situated throughout and guests were encouraged and actually rewarded for taking them for a test drive. If you showed a crew member that you "liked" CNET or GameSpot on Facebook, or posted on your wall, sent a tweet, or any kind of blog mentioning the CNET BaseStation or GameSpot, they gave away t-shirts and sunglasses for sharing the love. It was a win-win for both parties.
Gaming fun. Where else would you want to test out some of the newest games on XBox and Playstation? I think Comic-Con is a great place to start and so did our client. We had 7 large flat screens with some of the hottest, not yet released games for guests to play.
Cool Prizes - Not only did they have t-shirts and funky sunglasses to give away, a couple of times a day they had "Prize-Pow-Looza" where raffle winners were awarded tablets, cameras, gaming systems and Best Buy gift cards.

In just two days there were well over 3,000 Comic-Con fans that walked through the doors of the CNET Base Station. This is a huge increase compared to the TV.com Awards of 2010. Because MKTG and CBS Interactive gave the Comic-Con fans what they wanted and needed, many of them became new fans of CNET and GameSpot too. I'd say our client hit their mark. I look forward to seeing how they will comeback in 2012! I am sure there are a lot of Comic-Con attendees who share my anticipation.

Production Peeps – The Way We Are

2011-06-29T02:12:37Z

I've worked with a lot of fabulous event professionals over the years, but one who stands out among the best is Michelle Newbon. WOW! This lady is OR-GAN-IZED! But then again, as a content manager for some of the world's largest shows, she has to be uber-organized in order to keep track of the hundreds of moving parts that make up a live event. I also think I have a little more love in my heart for Michelle, because she is more than just a hard working woman, she is also an outdoor enthusiast like me! Over the years, Michelle has been kind enough to share with me some of her personal writings. They usually revolve around surfing, running or some other adventure. But after her latest little story that was about the event production life, it appeared to me that she should be a guest blogger on Tempo's site. So without further adeau...here is a great write up from Michelle.

__________________________________________________________

It has occurred to me on more than one occasion that the people who gravitate to the freelance life – specifically to the freelance life of Corporate Production – have a lot in common. And beyond that, we have a lot of accumulated experiences that bond us.

Here are the top 10:

We can never ever completely articulate what it is that we do, period. I don’t care if you’re a producer, a coordinator, a technical director, a graphics designer or a deck manager, you will never be able to convince the average person that what you do is normal. You will be repeatedly asked at family gatherings “what is it that you do again?” and you will explain it again and smile, knowing that it really doesn’t matter if they get it or not because no one ever does, no one ever will and that’s ok with you.
It is not conceivable to the average person that we are always traveling to Vegas but that our main complaint is that we can’t get a good night’s sleep. Or that the only serious real bonus of Vegas is 24/7 room service not because you’re partying so hard, but because you’re up at 4am working on that damn grid and you need coffee and you need it now.
We are always planning in contingencies – there is a primary and there is a back-up. That’s all fine and well but translate that to a home life and it starts to get weird. I don’t even feel comfortable any more unless I have 2 laptops and 2 printers. I have 2 AC adapters for each laptop so that one is always plugged into the wall and one is always in my computer bag. I have back-ups to my back-ups – with thumb drives, external hard drives and a back-up server in the cloud – in this case I’m triple “contingencied”…this goes for food in the fridge and boxes of cereal, canned goods and Trader Joe’s receipts that make the cashiers’ ask me every time how many kids I have (and I sheepishly have to say none); as well as supplies in the household…and even our pets - we now have 2 cats, so there it is.
Not only must we remain fully in the present at all times to manage the information barrage; we must have an equal and accurate grip on the immediate past; the way-back-when past – and be able to recall what happened at each event in every year with every client; while also simultaneously planning and living in the future - as we move to gather more clients, more projects and more opportunities. I love Eckert Tolle, don’t get me wrong, but what I’m here to say is “Be Here Now, But Also Be There Now and Make It Snappy.” Just sayin’.
We all have a love/hate relationship with transportation services. Moving bodies and equipment is its own nuanced thing. I have been accused a few times of carrying way too much luggage, but I defer to item #1 re: primary’s and back-ups and I accept the full ridiculous load of what I carry with me on all jobs and what I put in the overhead bins. It’s not pretty but you should see my biceps, to die for. However, that pales in comparison to the new tap dance of deciding whether I would rather be x-rayed into oblivion each time I go through security; or frisked within an inch of my life while four bin-loads of my stuff is stranded on the TSA belt and two dudes are ogling me from the sidelines since I simply do not have the time or desire to request a ‘private pat down room!’
We’ve all been wined, dined and dumped by the wireless internet goddess and like a bad country western song we love and hate her too. End of story.
We’re wired, tired and fired up all at the same time. We thrive on the variety and the excitement of different people, places and cities; while in equal and opposite measure - we have all come “this close” to passing out from the sheer monotony and boredom of 12 hour technical rehearsals in dark ballrooms…it is a hurry up and wait game that demands no less than I don’t even know what…but we all seem to keep coming back for more…
We’re into efficiencies and systems – we live and die for Excel. There isn’t a budget out there worth its weight in its own bottom line that wasn’t born and bred here.
We all have an uncanny ability to forget the most horrendous clients and shows – and to forge ahead and focus on the rewarding ones instead. No one has escaped the all-nighter scenario that stretches into 36 and 48 hours…where you’re so spent and leveraged beyond all previously know capacity – that you would scream uncle if you could but you can’t…so you eek your way through it and swear never again….never again. But there you are after a good night’s sleep in your own bed only few days later, planning for you next adventure…
We wouldn’t change a thing.

MICHELLE NEWBON

Freelance Producer - Fortune 500 Content Management

Tempo Featured on BlogTalkRadio with Hera Hub

2011-05-08T01:00:38Z

It was my pleasure to spend a few minutes on blogtalkradio with Hera Hub founder, Felena Hanson. She is running a series on the Success Secrets of Enterprising Women. We covered topics from how I got started in the event industry, the creation of Tempo Live Events, struggles of running a business to success tips for fellow event freelancers.

Listen to internet radio with HeraHub on Blog Talk Radio

What's in Your Deck Manager's Kit? (or giant road case!)

2011-04-09T21:32:57Z

After my previous blog, What's in Your Production Kit? 20 Must-have Items for Stage Managers, I received a lot of additional comments, feedback and suggestions from fellow event professionals on Linked In. I love over-achievers! But ya know what? I couldn't help but notice a handful of items that one would need if they were back stage and operating as a (what some in the biz would call) Deck Manager/Back Stage Manager/Assistant Stage Manager. It made me think there is no reason to stop my blog with the top 20 stage managing tools that I keep with me, front of house, in my little leopard print make-up bag (free gift with purchase). I too am on deck/back stage for a number of shows and that's a whole other scene/monster back there. So here goes the new list of items we can all use as Deck Managers/Back Stage Managers/ASMs. I've compiled this list with the help of my aforementioned Linked In buddies (noted below).

Be aware - if you plan to pack it all - leave your small (in my case - makeup) bags behind and be prepared for extra baggage fees. But in the end, you will be more prepared than a boyscout and your client will love you for it. And isn't that our goal?

Some Basic Necessities:

Clipboard - like Tracy Cameron says - it makes you look "official"
Gaffers Tape - we all agree that we need this in many colors (also known as stage tape or spike tape). I love the spike tape corners. It makes life easy when you have a lot of people and props to spike on the stage.
LED light - so you can see where you are going - and assist any guests you will be escorting on and off stage. The iphone 4's LED light works great in a pinch.
Office Supplies - highlighters, Sharpies, pens, paper clips, stapler/remover, 3 hole punch, notebook/pad, thumb drives, etc.
First aid kit with band-aids, cough drops and vitamin C packets
Sewing kit with double stick tape to help prevent "wardrobe malfunctions"
Stopwatch
Protein bars for when catering food just won't cut it
Altoids or some other kind of mint to keep your breath fresh
A set bag/satchel/tool belt - not only will it help keep your office supplies close at hand, it is a great way to wear your intercom pack around your waist if you are not wearing a belt.
Local emergency room phone numbers and addresses - thanks to Elizabeth Davis for the helpful reminder
Updated union guidelines - thanks again Elizabeth Davis

Below the list continues with even more useful items if you also act as a Technical Director or for those of you who carry "Road Warrior" boxes (pictured above) like John Scott Ross!

Utility knife like a Leatherman or Gerber (do not attempt to bring this in your carry-on luggage!)
Luke meter, decibel meter and voltage tester - John Wallis keeps these nearby
VGA Adapters - Chris Murray recommends you pack one for the iPad too!
Red LED light - Nathan Frye uses this to warn the cast when things are getting a bit too loud back stage. Or you can take notes from John Scott Ross and flash your yellow card at the noise makers!
Batteries
Treats for your crew - Peter Hoffman is known sharing his "Big Red" chewing gum and candy to help boost moral!
Personal headset
MiFi - or other personal internet device - Chris Murray brings this along to assure he can get internet access whenever he needs it
Infrared thermometer - Richard Davis carries one of these items to confirm the house is meeting his client's request of a comfortable room temperature

Thank you to all who commented and and suggested! Please, don't stop suggesting now - let's fill those road cases!

What's in Your Production Kit? 20 Must-Have Items for Stage Managers

2011-01-04T16:36:40Z

As I sit here waiting for my team to show up for rehearsal, I look around at my control deck and realize over the years I have come up with quite the little production kit. As a freelancer, you never know what the production company will provide, so I always try to bring my own stash of supplies to be prepared, organized, looking and feeling good. I have some friends that ship a whole suitcase that can pass for an Office Depot superstore, but I like to keep it simple and carry just the basics in a cute little leopard print make- up bag. Here is what I think every stage manager should have at his/her disposal.

Mini stapler
Scotch tape
White paper tape
Highlighters
Pens
White out
Paperclips
Tissues
Chapstick
Breath mints
Powerbar/Cliff bar
Stop watch
Emergen-C Packets
Hand lotion
Post-its
Scissors
Hole punch
Thumb drives
Business Cards
Cell phone charger

I also buy water, coffee and Diet Coke when I get on site. But it is a delicate balance figuring out my fluid intake needs in relation to accessibility and time for restroom breaks.

What do you think I missed? And what do you carry in your kit?

All the World is a Stage - (It's a good thing for producers!)

2011-01-02T07:22:56Z

I have had the opportunity to speak to Event Planning and Stage Management classes over the past few years and I always get a kick out of explaining to the students that there are so many other events out there besides weddings and Broadway shows! Looking back at 2010 alone, Tempo Team members helped produce national sales meetings for pharmaceutical, audio as well as automotive companies. We directed rally car races, motor cross competitions, world class tennis, gymnastics and Olympic competitions. We had significant roles in red carpet operations, award shows and celebrity VIP parties. And in October I was personally thrilled to "produce" my own wedding and then heartbroken, yet, honored to turn around and coordinate my own mother's memorial service just a couple of weeks later.

My point is...the world is full of stages! And every stage needs a producer, stage manager, audio engineer, graphics operator, etc. As we face 2011 and the economy struggles to turn the corner and recover from the recession, I encourage all of my fellow event contractors to look outside the ballroom/control room/convention center for new opportunities and working relationships.

In the coming months I plan to cover more topics which can help you become a more successful event production freelancer/contractor. So stand by for my tips on organization, networking, taxes, outdoor event survival and whatever else pops into my head. I'd love your comments, topic suggestions and any feedback you'd like to share.

We DON'T Do Weddings (unless it is mine!)

2010-10-12T22:12:41Z

10-10-10. Three perfect tens! That's how I'd score our wedding day! Al and I got engaged on August 1st which gave me plenty of time to plan an October 10th wedding . We chose a friend's backyard with a phenomenal view of La Jolla Shores. I rented some tables and chairs, a few heaters, hired a caterer, a day-of coordinator, a good friend to DJ, a girlfriend to shoot photos and bought some cupcakes, wine and beer, put up a few lights and away we went!

I want to thank fellow Tempo Team Member Joshlyn Turner for helping coordinate last minute details so that I could enjoy the wonderful day. She did a fantastic job making sure everything ran smoothly. My good friend, and professional sports DJ (Dodgers, Lakers, X Games), Patrick Sweeney, played our favorite tunes with the help of some rental equipment from Ken Feeman at MSI. Catering credit goes to Dennis Dahl of Mint Catering whose Mediterranean food was phenomenal! The guests would not stop talking about how delicious it was. They were also blown away by the fantastic cheesecake cupcakes from California Cupcake Company! The gorgeous photos were taken by my good friend, surf buddy and ICU-RN Angela Klinkhamer whose hobby of photography is nothing short of fabulous!

The amazing sunset was brought to us by God and my angles in Heaven! It was an excellent day and we were surrounded by close friends, our amazing families and a whole lot of love and laughter. It was by far my favorite produced event to date!

Stuff MY Dad Says - Success Tips For Freelancers!

2010-06-30T03:25:52Z

Dale and Carol Spooner Mother's day 2010

He has owned a modest welding shop in the Mojave Desert for over 30 years, has been married to my mom for almost 50 and has raised 3 successful (in family and business) daughters. It's not like Dad was purposely teaching us how to freelance or build our own businesses - he was just raising us kids with his own "Book Of Wisdom" that transferred beautifully into the "real world". Because of my upbringing, I can tell within moments of meeting someone, if they have been brought up by a mentor or father like Dale Spooner. Here are a few things he taught me, and things I look for when I hire contractors to represent Tempo.

YOU ARE FIVE MINUTES EARLY - OR YOU ARE LATE. It is about respect for your colleagues, clients and career.
ALWAYS DO MORE THAN YOUR SHARE. And take out the trash without having to be told.
WHEN YOU WALK INTO A ROOM, LOOK AROUND AND SEE WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. Then do it.
WHEN THE WHISTLE BLOWS - START HAMMERING. Don't look for your hammer.
MEASURE TWICE - CUT ONCE. It will save you time and money.
WORK HALF DAYS. You can do what you want with the other twelve hours.
IF IT IS TO BE, IT IS UP TO ME. YOU are the one who can make it happen!

With these pointers, anyone can go far in life! Success has to begin with YOU. Like my dad, I believe that with right attitude, work ethic, morals and motivation you can accomplish whatever you want in this world.

Please feel free to share your favorite pointers in the comment section!

Got event? Get Help! Top 6 Reasons to Hire Contract Event Professionals!

2010-05-10T23:45:06Z

(A few contract Tempo Team Members toasts after a successful National Sales Meeting with InVision Communications)

Due to the economy, downsizing seems to have been the theme at production companies the past few years. But with the event world starting to get back on its feet, freelancers/event contractors are getting the calls to help pick up the slack and supplement understaffed event production departments. Contractors can be a win-win with the cautiously smaller budgets that still call for the best in event professional talent. Below are the top 6 reasons why event contractors belong on your contact list!

LOW OVERHEAD When I ask production companies and contractors what they think is the best reason to hire freelance workers - the number one answer is almost always the cost effectiveness. Contractors carry their own benefits packages! They are responsible for their own taxes, healthcare and vacation days! The ones that work remotely have their own computer, printer, office supplies and copier (or they are great friends with the people at Kinkos!).
TALENTED On every show I am impressed by the versatility of my contractor colleagues. I often work with producers who wear multiple hats. They can produce, stage manage and wiz through revisions on Power Point with your client. They know they should be multi-talented because it makes them more marketable. They spend their own time and money educating and training themselves to become more valuable to you!
FRESH PERSPECTIVE Contractors get around. In one week I saw a contractor stage managing at the X Games and turn around the next week and produce a trade show booth at an Internet Securities conference. The client loved the flair and creative action-sport-type ideas the contractor brought to their project. Contractors come to you with innovated and new ideas because of their experience on numerous events.
CUSTOMER SERVICE Contractors are only as good as their last gig. If the client is not happy, the contractor is out of a job next go-round. Contractors do not make it very far in this industry of they cannot perform at the highest level of professional competency and with a smile on their face. Give them a project and they will find a way to make it work to your best interest. I like to compare event contractors to Golden Retrievers - they aim to please!
FAMILIARITY Repeat events are a contractor’s dream. If they do a good job for you, bring 'em back! Odds are, it gets better every year if you become a loyal client to them. Repeat contractors can take a lot of work off of your hands because they get familiar with your company’s SOP. They know how to read/write your budgets, where to pick up their radios and credentials on site. They know all of the key players so they know who to see for travel, catering, audio/video, etc. And finally, your client will be very comfortable knowing they have familiar and trustworthy staff working with you on their project.
NO COMMITMENT The uncertainty of these times makes it difficult to hire full time staff, so independent contractors hired on a project basis are your best solution. Also, if you find that your contractor is not a good fit for your company, letting them go is a breeze. Without a long term contract, you can end your relationship with the contractor without any hassles. Odds are, if the synergy is not there, they will be happy to move on to their next gig too.

So don’t turn down those RFPs for fear your company is not properly staffed to handle another event! You can hire event contractors at all levels of skillsets. From Executive Producers, to Stage Managers, Graphics Operators and Production Assistants - talented and capable event contractors are available world wide and ready to “fetch”!

"I have known Nancy for a couple years but this was my first opportunity to work with Tempo. It was marvelously seamless and I especially appreciated being able to communicate with multiple producers through a single point of contact. Being a producer myself I sometimes had that special feeling of actually being a client! All the producers were excellent and functioned as integrated members of the InVision team." - Corey Burton, Producer, InVision

From Rice Lake (Wisconsin) to Salt Lake and Beyond!

2010-04-15T01:23:40Z

What do you get when you take a girl from Wisconsin – have her travel all over the world, settle in San Diego and get her a degree in Media Arts? A producer extraordinaire who can wear several hats! Heather Salter is our Featured Tempo Team Member for April. Heather spent the past month as a field producer at the Richmond Olympic Oval in at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. This was not Heather’s first time producing at the Olympics, she was also in Salt Lake in 2002. Let's learn more about this fun-loving hard working production professional!

TLE: How many years have you been in production?

HS: 18 year.... YIKES!

TLE: What types of events do you do?

HS: I mostly work as a Location Manager and Production Manager on commercials, videos, print ads and infomercials; however, I've also done eight years for ESPN’s X Games as a Field Producer and two winter Olympics as a Field Producer and an Associate Producer.

TLE: What’s the most interesting job you have ever had?

HS: Working on a sheep farm in Australia when I was 18 yrs old... Oh! You meant in Production! Well, for three summers I had the opportunity to travel to 56 different cities throughout the US and Canada to do commercials for a hotel chain. It gave me the opportunity to visit different cities and towns and work with crews throughout North America. We shot in cities from Nova Scotia, Quebec City to Boston, NYC and Seattle to name a few.

TLE: What do you LOVE about your career?

HS: I love what most people don't like - the inconsistency. I am not always working or tied down to a desk. I can do other things in life, like travel, hang with my dog, and go to my B&B in New Hampshire. I also love the people I meet and the locations I am fortunate to shoot in around the world. There have been many times I am at a location like a multimillion dollar mansion or a high security building and think, “Wow this is a great job!”

TLE: What frustrates you most?

HS: The Inconsistency, ha! No just joking... kind of. Ego's. There is no reason for egos.

TLE: What was your role in Vancouver at the Olympics?

HS: I was the Field Producer for Long Track Speed Skating at the Richmond Olympic Oval at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver. I produced the live interviews inside the venue for the big screen. We interviewed crazy fans, coaches, athletes, former athletes/ legends in the sport.

TLE: What is your favorite part working the Olympic Games?

HS: Meeting people, athletes and getting to know a new town! LOVED Salt Lake City and LOVED Vancouver! Also just being a part of History is amazing. You can't help but to catch the Olympics Spirit! It's an honor to be part of the Olympics.

TLE: What is your favorite memory you have of these Games?

HS: Oh so many, however, being from Wisconsin and meeting Eric Hieden was pretty amazing. Eric Heiden won gold medals in all five speed skating competitions at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, NY -- 500 meters, 1,000 meters, 1,500 meters, 5,000 meters, and 10,000 meter.

TLE: If you were not working in production, what would you be doing?

HS: Something in fitness.

TLE: What else keeps you going?

HS: My family, friends, dog and traveling.

TLE: What’s next on your calendar?

HS: A couple car commercials and I might be going on the road with an architectural TV show. That is the one I am excited about!

TLE: Heather, it is obvious you love your career. Congratulations on a good one! Thanks for sharing your story!