Lighting a small home studio for a Zoom magic show
There is no lighting solution for every purpose. There’s no “tip” I can give you for setting up lighting. Everything changes all the time. This is a response to a magician asking for help in his home studio. Hopefully it will be useful to more people as they see all the problems I try to […]
Performers Making Real MONEY in 2020!
These guys are not just getting by. They are having a great year for gigs. Ben Train & Jonah Babins teamed up to figure out online shows and they’re kicking butt in the pandemic. They’re able to do more shows, make more money, and spread more joy with less sweat.
A Comedy Creator THRIVING in 2020
Steven Banks has an incredible career as an entertainment maker and he isn’t daunted starting over. He has jumped into creating productions by himself online for his fans even though they may make him look crazy. He keeps giving and creating and it is paying off for him. I think we can all learn from […]
WTF! A Live Theater Actor THRIVING in 2020
I’m searching for what’s working in entertainment right now and what can we do to make it work better. Today I talked to Deirdre V. Lyons about her pivot into VR acting. YES! Immersive experiences that require actors engaging with audience members. She’s gotten a bunch of press and awards this year. Deirdre V Lyons […]
Top Of Mind
When we’re in a business of getting past gatekeepers, they often defer us. “We’re going a different direction this time” “Next one” “Keep sending us your new materials” “We hope we’ll find a fit for you in the future” I assume they’re telling the truth. They probably are hoping we’ll be better for them next […]
Do I Be A Specialist in Entertainment?
Myq Kaplan interviewed by Scot Nery about what it means to pursue a single path in entertainment. I’m fascinated by people who try to do one thing really well. When I’m coaching people, I advise them to go all-in on something that they believe in, so that they can… do it well track their success […]
They’ll Love You For Your Flaws + Use You For Your Perfections
There are two traps for entertainment pros. Being pristine and the best Being raw and savage People want to use us Folks want to use us for our popularity, for our vicarious experiences, for our skills, for our “talent,” for our beauty, and whatever else is good about us. I’m talking about “use” in a […]
Don’t Support Local Businesses
Since writing about “Supporting Live Entertainment” I have had some time to refine my ire. As Christmastime approaches, a lot of my friends are saying “Support Small (or Local) Businesses.” It’s more of the same thing! Stop it! The whole concept is backwards People are worried about individuals losing their small corporations due to big […]
How To Undervalue Entertainment!
I am an advocate of value-based pricing. If the entertainment we provide is so simplified, generic, automated, and scaleable all customers get the same price, then that’s a wonderful load off. Unfortunately, that’s nearly never the case. I know it’s hard to look at one’s self and see all that we put in. I see […]
Ultimate Entertainment Advertising is not Subjective
When reaching out to a customer, the honest entertainer doesn’t want to sell them a thing they don’t want. Many of us were raised with this swindling PT Barnum idea of businesses vs. consumers. That’s not how I want to live – trying to keep up with lies; having customers a little dissatisfied. We’re not […]
Zoom Magician Marketing
Magic is probably the easiest solo, live entertainment to sell as an online show. Folks are used to watching magic on TV and it doesn’t need an IRL audience response to work (although it does work better). Audience awareness is changing fast with this kind of entertainment, so the advertising message needs to change with […]
If You’re In Entertainment, You’re NOT Safe
We’re not safe in bed if our house is on fire. I get it, it feels like the best option is to freeze and wait for everything to blow over. It feels like being small, quiet, and still will keep us from getting hurt or hurting the world. That’s not where we are or have […]