One Producer in the City

Awesome Person Thursday: NeilTotton

This week's Awesome person Thursday is devoted to Neil Totton. For those of you who don't know Neil yet, he is an artist who is passionate about helping other artists. Over the years he has helped produce benefit concerts for major charities, connected numerous artists to great opportunities in music and film, and has served as a source of inspiration for dozens of people. 

I know we are all inundated with crowd funding camapaigns, but when I see campaigns that have a bigger purpose, I have to promote them. What Neil is doing with his current project is building a platform to help other artists get their performances seen not for the purpose of becoming famous, but for the purpose of giving them opportunity they might not have due to lack of finances. This first project is the launching pad for him to build his platform and I urge all of you to support it. When people are doing good things, I spread the word, so here we go. Tell your friends. 

Nuff' said.

Excelsior!

P.S.- We are at 70% capacity already for Solving for X! Only a handful of seats left! 

 

 

What if wastes time

I recently sat down with a friend who expressed some concern about things going wrong. At the time, nothing was going wrong and she told me she was in a really good place. When I asked her about this, she said, "What if things change?" 

My response:

What if wastes time. 

Your show may be a colossal success or it may be a colossal failure. 

Your business may be the next Google or it may be go the route of AOL 

The person you are with could be the person you'll marry or the person you'll make a voodoo doll of. 

The fact of the matter is, there is very little hope of predicting the future, so it makes more sense to enjoy the present. 

Now I'm not saying you shouldn't plan for future scenarios, but I am saying you shouldn't worry about them. 

That's time you could be spending making something awesome happen.

What if the time you are spending on your What if, is time you could be spending on starting something brilliant? 

What if you stopped worrying and started doing? 

Food for thought. 

Excelsior!

What if there were no seats left by the time you clicked this link? 

What to do when you have no money

Recently I have met with a number of people who are plagued by the same thing:

Very little or no money. 

The common thinking is that if you have no money, you're stuck and that there is nothing you can do about it, but get a job and if you can't get one, then you're pretty much still stuck.

So today I'm going to suggest some other things you can do that may yield better results than a basic job search and could possibly lead to starting a business of your own. Who knows, some of it may even get you a job if that's what you really want. 

1. Write- Whether you decide to blog, tweet, scribble in a notebook, or write a note on facebook, writing is one of the best tools out there for solving problems. If you have no money right now, why not write about it? Write how you got to this place, what didn't work, what you wish could happen etc. You may feel better. I started this blog because I had made a ton of mistakes as a producer and wanted to make sure other people didn't make the same mistakes. There could be a blog in your future too, who knows? You'll never know until you write, so why not get started today? 

2. Speak- Is there something that you are passionate about? Have you ever wanted to tell your story? Why not do it today? It's free. Invite some friends over and tell a story. Maybe some of your friends will also want to tell one. Go to your local community center or library and see if there is an area where you can do a speech. You may not give a TED talk, and you may only talk to three people, but again when you start putting information out there, it helps solve problems. It also helps you connect with others. 

3. Teach- Whether you lost a job, got fired, or just quit, you learned how to do something. There was a set of skills that someone else paid you for. Think about those skills and go out there and teach someone else. You may or may not be the best at that thing, but if you teach it, you'll get even more proficient at it. Now I'm not saying that you should teach someone to juggle chainsaws if you only took one lesson with bean bags, but who's to say that you can't be a great teacher? Why not try it? Who knows, someone may even start to pay you for it.

4. Connect people- Maybe you know a really great baker who is looking for somewhere to sell her cookies, or a playwright who is seeking out a director. Maybe you have in your mind two people who should know one another. It costs you nothing to send an email introduction to these people. Why not take the time to connect them? You may be able to help someone find a job and maybe that person might help you find one or hire you? You never know, so why not use some of that spare time to make connections. You'd be amazed at how powerful that is. 

5. Produce SOMETHING- So you don't have the money to rent a theatre or a studio. So you don't have the money for anything elaborate. You could still organize a reading in your living room or at a park or a community space. You could come up with your own little book of cool things and send it out to the world. You could find actors and audience and do some improv on the subway or on the street. You could experiment with a business idea you have. You can produce SOMETHING and the no money part just makes you more creative. 

The most important thing to realize is that you have a CHOICE. Having no money can limit your options, but it can also expand them by increasing your creativity. Too much of our lives are spent chasing the almighty dollar and not enough of our life is spent chasing our dreams and ambitions. 

You may have an empty wallet, but your cup runneth over with opportunities to do something new. 

drink up. 

Excelsior! 

P.S.- Only a few days left to become a part of the next Solving for X. 

5 Tips to help you be a better boss

Once you decide to take on the role of producer, you are also making the decision to take on the role of being in charge of a team. This is something that is not to be taken lightly as others will look to you for guidance. So today I wanted to share with you all the top five things I have learned about being in charge of a team. Hope they help.

1. A team helps you execute, they do not do the job for you- This is the top failing that I encounter when working on shows, in new businesses, or even in starting groups. Once you have become the person in charge, you will be tempted to find anyone to do all of the things you don't want to do. You'll also want to give instructions and walk away. This is a VERY bad idea. If you want to be a great leader, you need to make sure that you are invested in your team and that you are working with them to execute on the vision. You need to check in and see if those tasks are being done and provide guidance throughout the process. Do not walk away from your team or your team may end up walking away from you. 

2. Recognition is essential- We all like to be thanked for the work that we do. Many times it seems like we are doing something simple, but still we crave that recognition. Make sure you give it to those you work with. They need to be thanked often and shown appreciation. Take some time to think about the work your team has done. Have you said Thank you yet? If not, stop reading this and fix that now. There are plenty of people who ask us to do things and never thank us. Strive to be one of the few who say Thank You whenever you can. Your team will be that much stronger and they will feel appreciated. 

3. Make the work mutually beneficial- If you are asking anyone to do something for you, you should be making sure that they are either learning something from it, getting an experience they need, or receiving some form of mentoring. Avoid ever giving "busy work". Take the time to sit down and ask what you can do to make working with you a learning experience. Ask the other person about their goals and dreams and do your best to give them opportunities to achieve that by working with you. You want your team to be intrinsically motivated and you want them to grow with each bit of work that gets done. If you push for this, you will find that everyone is growing as you move towards the common goal. 

4. Be clear about your expectations- Being vague helps no one. For any project that you are working on, make sure you sit down with your team and discuss the specific outcomes that you would like for the project. Set goals and be realistic about what you would like. Come up with milestones and check-in points. Make sure that everyone on the team is clear on the vision and the expectations and very few people will end up being surprised. This also makes it so no one can say "That's not my job" 

5. Calendars are your friends- When you meet with the team, create a calendar. Choose due dates and stick to them. Take the time to reverse-engineer the project so that everyone is clear how much time they actually have. One of the biggest mistakes I made in the past involved not adding something to my calendar and thinking I had loads of time. The more clear you are in these instances, the more successful you'll be. 

So there you have it, some tools to get your team working with you to get to that next level. Remember, you're the boss and that's a big deal. 

No go out and show them how it's done! 

Excelsior! 

P.S.- Early bird sales on Solving for X end this week. Grab your tickets HERE

Awesome Person Thursday: Fractured Atlas

If you are a member of the Indie Theatre Community you have no doubt heard about this amazing organization. In the earliest stages of my producing career, they made it possible for me to secure affordable insurance, get tax deductible donations, and understand many elements of producing. I even wrote an online course for them on producing at one point. I can honestly say that I would not have produced nearly as many shows without their help and support. Many of my colleagues in the Independent Theatre world would say the same thing I'm sure. So that's why I am making them the focus of Awesome Person Thursday. 

Fractured Atlas has just been added on a new rating website called Great Non Profits where users can write reviews and testimonials about the non profits that they have worked with. I urge you if you are currently sponsored under Fractured Atlas, have taken one of their courses, or have friends who have worked with them, spread the word. You can write a review by going HERE.

Fractured Atlas has been a major source of support for so many artists. A review, a blog, or a tweet is a small thing to ask as a thank you for such noble service. I hope you'll join me in getting the word out.

Excelsior! 

"George Lucas" it.

When I think of people who have influenced my childhood, teens, and now adult life, George Lucas is at the top of my list and here's why: 

His stories enchanted me as a child so I went to see them again in my teens, and then was happy to see new stories in my twenties, and will regularly watch his films when on cable. 

This is the result of great marketing and many shows as well as businesses could benefit from taking a few pages from his book. Here are the top five things that Lucas did that you can apply to your marketing on any show or business.

1. Tell a story with multiple points of view- One of the coolest things about Star Wars was the fact that we got to be a fly on the wall as a villian was plotting, we got to be inside a starfighter, we got to see what the other characters saw from all angles. Often marketing is focused in one direction and we never provide alternate points of view. Have you ever shown someone what is behind the curtain of your show? Your business? How about done an email blast about what the director of development actually does in your organization? By taking alternate points of view and giving more people access, you can increase your level of outreach. 

2. Leave things out- In all of the films in the trilogy, the scenes usually ended with some sort of cliff hanger moment. Whether it was Han in Carbonite or Luke about to face Vader, Lucas would leave the scene to tell another part of the story which made you want to keep watching to find out what happens. Good marketing leaves something out so that your clients have a cliff hanger. They are waiting for some new piece of information or the conclusion to a point. You see this the most in email marketing when you have to click through to get the answer to a question. Think about your own marketing efforts. Is there a reason for people to stay on your mailing list? Is there a story you're telling that people are hungry for? 

3. If something's a hit, take it away- One of the smartest things Lucas ever did was wait to bring the original movies back to the big screen. He could have done a weekend with all three films as a massive welcome back, but instead he made his audience wait for each film to be re-released on the big screen and when he gave us one, he took it away as the next one came in. If people are clamoring for something, and it's not readily available, they will wait if they want it bad enough. All too often in marketing, we find something we're doing is working like gang-busters, so we milk it as fast as we can. Imagine if just when people started going crazy for something, we made them wait a bit. It may make the demand that much bigger. It did for Lucas. 

4. Galvanize your fan base- There is a reason that people go to Sci-fi conventions and Comic Con. It's because they are passionate fans of the material. Passionate fans want more than anybody else, so what did Lucas do? He took the trilogy, and added bonus features, collectible sets, merchandise and guess who bought them? The super passionate fans. Are there people who are really excited about your show or your business? What are the special bonuses that they get? How do you get your fan base to go to a convention and spread the word about you? 

5. Cultivate a new generation- Whether you loved or hated the new movies, there is one thing that is certain. If you went to any of those films with a kid, they had a good time. While many of us will comment on the power of the original trilogy and our issues with the acting, story line, etc. in the newest films, there is still a whole new young generation running around swinging light sabers. Once your fan base gets older, you have one of two choices, start cultivating a new young crowd, or keep pushing the older crowd to choose you over the others. By exciting a new group of youngsters, there will be teens and adults in the future still spreading the word about Mr. Lucas' stories. 

So the next time you are feeling stuck in your marketing efforts, stop for a second and ask are you George Lucas-ing it? 

If not, the force may NOT be with you. 

Excelsior!

Thanks to all who came out for the Webspinner's event last night!

P.S.- The next Solving for X is coming up! Grab your ticket HERE. 

 

Tonight's a great night for problem solving

One of the best things you can do at any event is solve problems and that is why tonight is such an exciting one for me.

As was announced on Thursday, tonight there will be numerous F.O.D.'s gathering and helping one another solve problems. I hope you'll take the time to join us. 

You may meet your next collaborator or an amazing resource. Who knows? Info is below. 

Look forward to seeing you there and if we've never met, come on up and say hello.

Excelsior!

WHEN:	Tuesday March 20, 2012  7:00 PM to 10:00 PM
WHERE:	People, in the Loft upstairs  163 Allen Street, New York, NY  See below for directions or go to the Google Map
COST:	No cover, cash bar
RSVP:	Yes, an RSVP would be very helpful. Please respond to the Eventbrite invitation here.

 

We'll have the upstairs lounge all to ourselves with the Wall of Rain, meat on a stick, delicious fanciful beverages, and excellent company. If you have an event coming up or a service you provide (PG-13 please), bring your cards/flyers and we'll spread them around on the tables. 

Our mission with Webspinners is to connect our people to those that can help them and we're going to let this FODapalooza be a vehicle for those connections!

Here's what you're going to do:
1. RSVP to the Eventbrite invitation and say YES! I will be there!
2. Enter your pertinent information and in the last field, fill in WHO YOU ARE LOOKING TO MEET (Professionally, socially, or otherwise).

For example: "Looking to meet advertising executives," "Looking to meet interior lighting designers," or "Looking to meet fellow foodies who want to try a different restaurant every week." (Brevity is your friend.)

3. Check back on the Eventbrite invitation regularly. You will be able to see the attendee list and who everyone is looking to meet. Scroll through the list and find out who needs your help.
4. Come to FODapalooza on March 20, find those people, and be of service!
.....or, just show up, have a beverage, and enjoy everyone's company.

But WHO are these Webspinners, you may ask? A pretty darn amazing group of people, I'll tell you. They are:
Michael Roderick
Jessica Porter
Lauren Logiudice
Bradford Nicoll
Neil Totton
Andrew Romano
Shawn Cowls
and Doug Shapiro, at your service.

Directions 
People is just a block and a half below the intersection of First Avenue and Houston (the east end of the F train).

 

Lessons from my first year of business: "No response" is unacceptable

We've all been there before. 

We made a call or sent an email and waited.

And waited....

And waited....

We followed up

And waited....

And... Well, you get the idea. 

It's really irritating to have someone not respond to you at all, so why would you do that to ANY potential customer?

I have a rule that I go through my business email at the end of every day and make sure I have answered any question my clients have before I go to to bed. I have this rule because I have been on the waiting side of things before and I know how difficult it is. 

Now I'm not saying that you have to respond instantly whenever anyone emails you, but I am saying that every time you decide not to respond, you are losing that customer's respect. Do this enough times and they will not come back. 

So how do you keep from being guy/girl who never calls back?

Simple: get back to the person even if it's just to let them know that you're busy and you'll return the call or email later in the day. 

Some response is better than no response any day of the week. 

So take a look at that inbox.

Have you missed getting back to someone? 

If so, fix it.

Or your customers will go to someone who will. 

Excelsior! 

PS- Solving for X early bird tickets are still available. Get them HERE

 

Awesome Person Thursday: Doug Shapiro and the F.O.D.'s

 

This week's A.P.T. is dedicated to Doug Shapiro and the F.O.D.'s I'll let Doug tell you more below. A while back, I decided to reach out to the people I identified as connectors and we created a group of connectors called Webspinners. We've been helping one another make connections ever since and Doug has been great for that. He's going to tell you all about a gathering he has that the webspinners group is joining in on. I hope you all will join us. Take it away Doug!

Hello Friends and Friends I've Yet to Meet,

Doug Shapiro here: actor, career coach with The Savvy Actor, and good pal of Michael Roderick: the best relationship builder I know. Michael and I are part of Webspinners: a group of like-minded people who are passionate about making the world a better place through effective introductions.  

Connectors.  

Webspinners.

So, stretch out with your favorite saucy beverage and enjoy this little bit of e-lovin' because I'm going to share one of my favorite ways of bringing people together.  It's called FODapalooza.

At The Savvy Actor, we try to steer clear of the term "networking," as it tends to conjure up images of desperate, self-centered smilers flinging cards at one-another in a loveless rectangular room.  

We prefer say "I'm going out to build my support system."  Better, right?

In my support system, I'm blessed to have a huge amount of delicious and interesting people from various parts of my life: co-workers from various day jobs, fellow creatives from tons of shows and readings of new musicals, high-school and college friends, fun people I've met on the train, and more.  These Friends and Family of Doug (who have coined themselves "FODs") all need to know each other.

So, I created FODapalooza for my FODs.

About three times per year, I invite all my FODs to People Kitchen and Lounge and get to spend the night enjoying their company.  Composers meet lyricists. Heads of non-profits meet grant writers. People who like sailing meet each other. And in the middle of it all, I'm comfortable in a large social situation for two reasons: 

1. I know everyone in the room.

2. I get to enjoy being a connector...a role in which I'm the most comfortable.

Even better, all of the guests have a starting point for conversation (How do you know Doug?) and then they can get to know each other. 

So, won't you Join us for the twelfth FODapalooza? This time we're joining forces with our networking group WEBSPINNERS so that we can not only enjoy each other's company, but help each other achieve our goals! 

Read on for details...

WHEN:	Tuesday March 20, 2012  7:00 PM to 10:00 PM
WHERE:	People, in the Loft upstairs  163 Allen Street, New York, NY  See below for directions or go to the Google Map
COST:	No cover, cash bar
RSVP:	Yes, an RSVP would be very helpful. Please respond to the Eventbrite invitation here.

We'll have the upstairs lounge all to ourselves with the Wall of Rain, meat on a stick, delicious fanciful beverages, and excellent company. If you have an event coming up or a service you provide (PG-13 please), bring your cards/flyers and we'll spread them around on the tables. 

Our mission with Webspinners is to connect our people to those that can help them and we're going to let this FODapalooza be a vehicle for those connections!

Here's what you're going to do:
1. RSVP to the Eventbrite invitation and say YES! I will be there!
2. Enter your pertinent information and in the last field, fill in WHO YOU ARE LOOKING TO MEET (Professionally, socially, or otherwise).

For example: "Looking to meet advertising executives," "Looking to meet interior lighting designers," or "Looking to meet fellow foodies who want to try a different restaurant every week." (Brevity is your friend.)

3. Check back on the Eventbrite invitation regularly. You will be able to see the attendee list and who everyone is looking to meet. Scroll through the list and find out who needs your help.
4. Come to FODapalooza on March 20, find those people, and be of service!
.....or, just show up, have a beverage, and enjoy everyone's company.

But WHO are these Webspinners, you may ask? A pretty darn amazing group of people, I'll tell you. They are:
Michael Roderick
Jessica Porter
Lauren Logiudice
Bradford Nicoll
Neil Totton
Andrew Romano
Shawn Cowls
and Doug Shapiro, at your service.

Directions 
People is just a block and a half below the intersection of First Avenue and Houston (the east end of the F train).

See you there, my friends, and allow me to compliment you on your choice of blogs.  Ain't Michael grand?

Have a well-lived day,

Doug

Doug Shapiro

Fearless Mensch

http://www.dougshapiro.com

http://www.knob-o.com/dougtoons/dougtoons.html

http://www.broadwaydemo.com/dougshapiro

And there you have it. Hope to see you there and don't forget the next Solving for X is right around the corner.

Excelsior! 

A quick tip re: Pitching for new producers

Having been pitched myself a few times in the past week and watching a few pitches, I wanted to offer this piece of advice. Feel free to take it or leave it.

Stop pitching on the first meeting. 

It's awkward for everyone. 

Think about it.

If you go on a date, do you start the date with a passionate kiss and some heavy petting?

Do you ask the other person what positions they like in bed?

Do you ask the other person what they'd like for breakfast in the morning? 

Of course not. 

So why make your first meeting with someone who may invest or know someone who may invest all about pitching a project?

Here's something that works better:

Get to KNOW them. Ask the other person about the projects they are working on, answer questions they have about the producing world, discuss their goals and aspirations. 

If you do this well, they will be more than happy to hear a picth or pass your pitch on to someone who can help you. 

It ultimately comes down to delayed gratification. 

We live in a world where we want everything now and as a result, people have become presumptuous and often downright rude.

Our business lives and dies on relationships. 

Get someone to fall in love with you.

Then they'll be more likely to write the check instead of ask for it at the end of dinner.

Excelsior! 

Join me for the next Solving for X! Want more info? Check it out HERE.