Sunday, January 31, 2010

Getting Metrics

The most formidable initial task is compiling the various advantages a specific project has to the similarly extensive array of potential patrons and sponsors.

This is what I am undertaking at present.

It's about compiling raw data and also deconstructing other festival's marketing shells to compare and contrast potentially similar relationships as well as using tried forms to spark new ideas and applications in an ever-changing playing field.

Friday, January 8, 2010

Why I'm embracing an open source attitude.{a personal statement]


I have pre-internet experience. Pre-internet people held their cards close to their chest because information was power. Post internet, information is relatively worthless in that one afternoon with google can give you or anyone all the information about anything you might ever need.

Post internet is about networks and mutual generosity and common goals realised and the power of collective application and many micro inputs and above all relationships.

I get gigs based on relationships, sometimes 2nd hand, sometimes third, recommendations etc far more than I do by sending shiny bits of paper to complete strangers in an effort to impress.

That said I will fully admit that I cannot, nor would I want to, do this project on my own. Rather than exploiting goodwill hard earned for profit I'd rather use my formidable social skills, my performance experience, my festival experience and my friends and associates to create something that embodies sustenance on many levels for myself, other individuals and beyond that communities of which I am a proud and grateful member.

Because without this [lets call it 'love' because that's a suitably vague concept] I've noticed I become profoundly ill or at the very least a wee bit jaded.

I refuse to apologise for my honesty and I will not be dissuaded from my ambition to produce wholesale laughter where none existed before. That's what we do essentially is it not?

`Ok that's my personal philosophy out of the way.
Give me what you have to spare and I'll reciprocate and let's see where it takes us.

First draft of planning overview for review. Please input.



OK here's the broad picture.
It's going to be an exercise in community celebration, local community, clown community, street theatre community.
The signature aspects will be.
***Performers are free to stay as guests for 5 days after the fest to enjoy themselves.
1;this is calculated on a few levels, it will increase the adoptive potential of the festival by the community in allowing performers time to further links with the community and vice versa.
2; is life not too short? You deserve a break. Kona has much to offer. It's winter back home. Lets go swimming.

***It will be a 'for profit' run festival. [this is open to those with more experience telling me that's impossible and I'll listen BUT Ch-ch is run like this and halifax is run like this.
The profit [still looking for revenue stream ideas] will be divided into 3 equal parts. I get one, one goes into expansion of the festival and one goes towards a fund that directly benefits the local community. Ideas for this include clowns in residence, hospice and hospital programs, school programs and mutually beneficial projects of that nature.

Obviously ways are going to have to be devised, new creative ideas by which this 'brand' can be sold. Mass media is the first deep pocket I'm looking at but in the meantime I will be creating a youtube channel that will include content, interviews, snippits etc and that will be an experiment in bypassing MSM to generate an international audience that will in turn give the project bargaining power if MSM [mainstream media] do want part of our audience.

Admittedly my thinking is all over the place at this stage. I have spent the last 2 years floating the idea and pondering and will spend another 4 /5 months in loose mode before tightening up and stormproofing the concept.

I need your input, objections, [I'll indulge gratefully up to a point] suggestions, ideas, contacts, etc.
I have some consultants as it is, by april/may I intend to have my feasibility confirmed and looking to lock in staff.
From now to then I want to engage my people, [this means you] in extended conversation.
So........