Hey,
Good Morning
It's Monday!
Since I'm emailing you let's talk about Show Prep from a show producer's side.
I always think what would the "perfect show" look like?
Then I try to create that.
Every time I think of the "perfect show" it has more and more production to it.
What does that mean?
More and more choreographed to the music and better and better lighting.
I go through that in my mind daily the way someone entering a show may think about what it may feel like to be on that stage.
Of course the perfect show would be held at Mohegan Sun so after years of trying we booked that!
You really need to be in an incredible venue and not a school auditorium.
That's the first thing.
Quick Background Story from someone that thinks way differently than I do...
I saw a guy yesterday I knew from the gym. The guy is young and gained all kinds of weight (both muscle and fat) since I saw him last - he is all juiced up and prepping for a local show held in a high school. He has no idea what he is injecting into his body weekly and he looks puffy. He is walking with a giant massive cooler and telling me stories about how bodybuilding is a selfish sport even though he hasn't even been to watch a show yet. He has a contest
mentality that it will change his life and even though he won't admit it very low self-esteem. He was talking about his mentor and coach who has absolutely no right telling this young kid what to put into his body. This young guy tells me that he can't enter a show like mine because he isn't natural. I'm thinking to myself that he really has no chance to even place in a show like mine but he used that as a way to talk himself up like is is more intense than people who do my
show... I hear things like that often on how my event has women in theme wear, gowns and guys in suits for awards. The part of acting like they are better still getting on a high school auditorium stage and using boys and girls locker rooms as dressing areas just doesn't really match up. I'm like okay... I hear what you are saying. Good luck and hope you do well.
All that guy thinks about is being 1st place at a show with less than 500 in the audience and maybe 3 people in his class - then he gets upset when he places 3rd out of 3.
What did he really accomplish in the big picture?
Some 1980's DJ with two speakers on the stage blasting out a high school and a old folded banner as the backdrop on stage.
Stage production is always limited by budget and when you look at some of the inspirations I
have like Victoria Secret Fashion Show, Trans Siberian Orchestra and of course KISS, I think about each of these show's productions which are millions of dollars. We work towards that feel.
In most events now the promoters are trying to get as many people as possible to enter and
the main budget is entry fees alone. I have always been taught that entry fees help cover the venue
and the trophy expenses but it's tickets that you need to sell.
Personally I think the perfect number is around 150 athletes for a 3 hour show.
Now it is the families of contestants that buy tickets - that's it really.
Advertising ticket sales for a physique event is not easy. For the most part every audience member personally knows someone in the show. The audience is made up mainly of friends and family members. How do you increase the audience is by contestants promoting they are entering.
Families like going to the casino! (Major PLUS is being at Mohegan Sun)
Most contestants could bring 10 people or more per entry but if they don't tell anyone they are entering they just bring a spouse and sell one ticket. Tell people and bring people!
Many people think sponsors are key. Companies sponsoring a show is always helpful. Part of the issue with sports nutrition companies sponsoring shows is they want to sell and move product. The thing is events like this are consumer events and not distributer events. This is why you might have seen many large shows become expos and the focus is the expo and not so much the stage event.
Expo events need to see mass amounts of attendees so they add martial arts, cheerleading, and multiple events that draw numbers of people. Eventually this large expo show doesn't necessarily help a stage production and they end up with take anyone's money to pay for the large expo hall.
Fans are the key!
You guys know that! If your family doesn't want to come to watch you that tells you the show you picked might be way too boring? Pick a better show.
Please think about that - The show IS NOT ONLY ABOUT YOU - it is about the overall show.
This to me is why the stage and production is so important. You need to be able to grow a personal brand. You need a big venue, a great stage and lights, and to be promoted.
We are in this together.
It's important you leverage the show for your own popularity.
Talk Soon,
Brian
