Throughout this project, I have developed my existing skills as an event manager and promoter whilst also learning new software. The initial idea, to me, was ambitious but interesting and exciting. The thought of projection mapping was quite intimidating because there was limited information I could find about it and the grand installations I found online looked complicated. One strength in this area was that I created a successful-looking above bar projection. But, during the setup of this installation, I struggled to align it. This was a continued problem for the days leading up to the show. One visual element that I wish I had spent more time on too was the back wall because the design was good but the execution looked slightly low budget.
The promotional elements are always an enjoyable part of event managing. For this project in particular I enjoyed using Canva.com to create a brand identity for not only the showcase but for myself too. For the social media, I made sure that every element of what I posted matched the branding. One downside to this form of promotion was that even though it was effective, with it being the only form of promotion I used it did not generate as much attention as the use of multiple promotional materials. As for my own personal branding, I found it incredibly difficult to come up with a name and logo for my own future endeavors that would continue to be valid in the future. I spent many hours comparing names until settling as I felt that I was running out of time. Thankfully, a few days later a better and more suitable idea came to me and I managed to change the branding in preparation for the show.
This is a common issue I have, indecisiveness. Although it was a quality that only affected my choices in names for my show and branding. Next time, I would prefer to work on being assertive and confident in my decisions.
A huge positive that came from this project was learning about the local support for Bradford’s music scene. I was anxious that I would be unable to find sufficient funding for the night, but then I discovered a Council funded grant for late-night entertainment. This covered the cost of the venue and staff. Knowing about this elevated a lot of stress so when it came to the ticket costs being counted up at the end of the night, it was extremely rewarding to find out that we had pulled together £200, which would of course pay for the bands and my own hard work.
Finally, booking the bands. This was a long process. One successful element of this was that the bands I ended up choosing were both musically gifted and had great stage presence. One thing I would change to improve on this process is possibly holding auditions or attending local open mics and gigs to scout local artists. This will allow me to decide on artists based on their performance skills in an audience setting and personal preference. Due to the fact I had not heard the bands play live before or that some I chose had never played live in general, it was something I found myself doubting a lot.
In conclusion, I have to admit that finally being able to complete a live gig in person has filled me with so much joy and satisfaction. I sincerely enjoyed the feeling of standing at the back with the video, sound, and lighting crew as a member of the team whilst being able to simultaneously enjoy the show and watch the crowd interact with the bands that I had chosen. I plan to do the same again in the near future, by applying the improvements that I have reflected on.