Buckle up!
As I let my outrage of Liz Truss being allowed to honour idiots who collectively wiped thousands off the value of my pension in the New Years honours list subside, I have had to remind myself that what’s done is done and accept it. If is infuriating, however, to see incompetence on such a grand scale not be at all humbled or apologetic on any relevant level, but I am also reminded by my amazing partner of 30 years, that it was ever so.
Deep Breath!
So we are in a new year, and as many others will be, we are looking as to how we can adjust and move on, with not just the business, but also as people. Sadly, there is so much turmoil in the world, and without wanting my new year’s missive to be too turgid and too morose, we can all feel a bit depressed and useless as there are so many people in crisis, and worrying about whether my next scenic construction management project is going well, seems a bit trite.
However, this is what the current world has to offer, and we all still need to make a living, so as long as we always look after those we come into contact with and give time, and cash, if possible, to those who need it most, that seems to be the best we can do. I will be doing more this year to make that so, as I think forward not backward.
So, what are we up to this year, well as I have my last cup of tea in my Santa mug and I watch the sun starting to make its way up the mountain sides to bless us with more beautiful skies, I have that new year energy that I am determined to keep past the 3rd of Jan.
We are working on projects this year that have been built in legacy of many years with one major exciting development. For many years I have worked as the scenic and stage management HOD as part of an annual project for Forever on their global rally. It’s a heady mix of corporate event with speeches, interstitially marked with live music from local talent sources, a massive amount of video content, lots of props and major product launches, all in two sets of 4 hours with high energy audience participation. Chaos, closely managed as it would happen now, by myself!! I have been handed the reigns as Technical Director of the whole piece which is an amazing opportunity for me and one of which I am hopefully stepping up to the plate. Having worked with so many of the great TD’s, whose names I shall spare their blushes, except Mr Phil Grief, whose name I am mentioning, because he will really blush, I know there is a lot to learn and an enormous amount that can, and no doubt will, bite me on the bum, and hard! As it would happen, this project is in Delhi too, so throw in all the magic that the city operationally has to offer, and this year is off to an amazing challenge. We have three months left before we hit the ground and with some more visits and plenty of supplier wrangling to do, it is everything that I wanted it to be. It is a major opportunity to stretch myself and learn new things which will help guide us forward as a business and make me more useful to other productions I am part of.
We are also in cahoots with Brands at Work again this year on a major project which as usual we can’t talk about, but suffice to say, it will be stretching too with its own set of unique challenges to negotiate our way around.
This does, however, still leave enough time for other projects, which I am looking for, for this year at home and abroad. In the last few years, we have managed to build upon our initial faltering start here in Italy,helping mainly, but nor exclusively, UK production companies looking for local suppliers and help on the ground to negotiate their way through the craziness that can be event reality here. Last year we did 11 projects here in Italy, in Rome, Florence, Venice and Milan for UK (and other countries) production companies. I have a very reliable and energetic supply chain here and we supplied, full technical backup of screens, staging, people, lighting, audio, production management and graphics for everything from corporate product launches, a private party, exhibitions, as well as for two medical events. Last year WRG (inizio engage) Aspect Communications, Bd.com, Eventful Management GmbH, Muster and Vortek Design, were our key clients here in Italy with a few more shy clients in the mix, so if we can be of help here for any element of technical production, please let us know.
We are also continuing with our global supplier reach in finding suppliers for clients, we are currently looking at projects in Jeddah, Paris, Florida and Rome for this year and with it being an Olympic year the France aspect will pick up no doubt and hopefully some work for us based on our sport hospitality design and build experience, so if you are a Paris based supplier, please let me know and we can forward your details on when we get enquiries.
So, looking forward is our key motive for this year, learning from our experiences and driving us forward with more energy and in new roles and living up to our expectations of ourselves. We will keep you up to date in how we are doing in our new world of positivity.
(This absolutely does not mean I still wouldn’t give LT a few words if I ever met her!!
Buon Anno .
Pictures :Shutterstock and Richard Penhaligon
