Cirque du Soleil and Paramount to release 3D movie later this year

Posted: Wednesday, January 25, 2012 by Damian De Luca in Labels: , , , , ,
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The connection between Cirque du Soleil and the world of film started several months ago with the creation of IRIS, a major live production that invites audiences to take part in an imaginary journey through the evolution of cinema. The show was designed to be performed exclusively at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, home of the Academy Awards.
The artistic bond between live entertainment and movies is now moving to the next level as the Canadian company plans to release a 3D feature film entitled Cirque du Soleil Worlds Away. According to its producers, the movie will include a timeless story especially written for the occasion, featuring acrobatic performances from some of the most memorable shows ever presented by the Quebec-based troupe. 
James Cameron, Executive Producer for Cirque's 3D movie
Cirque du Soleil is one of the world’s leading entertainment companies. Since its creation in 1984, the company has created 31 unique shows that have delighted over 100 million spectators around the world. With that in mind, it is no wonder that the creative team behind Cirque du Soleil Worlds Away is comprised by a group of extraordinary talented people. The film is written and directed by Andrew Adamson, known for his work in the Shrek and Narnia franchises. Moreover, Adamson’s creative force has been coupled with the brilliance and expertise that only James Cameron can provide, especially considering Cameron’s accomplishments in the world of 3D movies. Along with Cirque’s production staff, several world-class production companies participated in the creation of this film, including Warner and Adamson’s Strange Weather Productions, Reel FX, and Cameron Pace Group. 
Paramount Pictures has acquired worldwide distribution rights for Cirque du Soleil Worlds Away. The studio plans to release the 3D feature film later this year.
Jacques Méthé, the head behind all television, film and DVD projects for Cirque du Soleil, said: “This 3D event brings the spectator beyond what they could see at a show, it takes them on the stage [...] Jim [Cameron] and Andrew have masterfully captured what a Cirque du Soleil 3D experience could offer and Paramount will present it to the world”.
As Cirque continues to expand its endeavor to deliver joy and excitement to millions around the world, this movie seems like a great opportunity for entertainment companies to keep exploring 3D technology and discover applications that can truly enthrall audiences.



Sources:
http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/press/news/2012/3D-Wolds-Away.aspx
http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/press/news/2011/cirque-27th-anniversary.aspx
http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/press/news/2011/iris-premiere-sunday-september-25.aspx
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C05E1D6133EF932A25752C0A9649D8B63&ref=cirquedusoleil

Photo retrieved from:
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/sites/default/files/2010/12/james_cameron_2010_a_p.jpg

PLASA Focus: Bringing Entertainment Professionals closer to each other

Posted: Thursday, January 12, 2012 by Damian De Luca in Labels: , , , , , , , , ,
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Entertainment professionals who take their careers seriously attend trade shows on a regular basis. They understand that the combination of business networking and advanced learning can be powerful, constructive, and certainly rewarding.

In previous posts, I have discussed how systematic collaboration is crucial for the live entertainment industry to continually grow and move toward excellence. Accordingly, trade shows are the perfect way of connecting the entire industry and bringing world class professional knowledge to the same place. However, many industry professionals often miss the opportunity of attending events such as LDI or PLASA. These types of first class trade shows are often held in major cities of the world, such as Las Vegas or London, and therefore costs and traveling distances become significant restrictions to many of us.

Thankfully, PLASA came across a groundbreaking solution known as plasafocus.

PLASA is the UK-based trade organization responsible for running the renowned PLASA Show in London's Earls Court every year and publishing two of the industry-leading magazines, Lighting & Sound International and Lighting & Sound America. This year, PLASA will introduce a new type of event that intends to shake up the traditional trade show model. For the first time in the U.S., regional events will showcase the same characteristics of a world-class trade show.


PLASA Focus


Austin, Texas, has been selected to be the first city to hold the two-day exhibition and education program that features the industry’s hottest technology, the most innovative exhibitors, and the region’s most prominent lighting designers and sound engineers.

The way this new style regional event will manage to tour across the nation seems quite simple, but surprisingly it has never been done, until now. The secret lies in convening local and regional exhibitors, limiting booth size, providing prebuilt hard wall booths, and running a professional development program with local specialists, which is free to attend.

PLASA Focus will open February 22, 2012 at the Austin Renaissance Hotel. Both the general admission and the two-day Professional Development Program are free!

PLASA Focus Austin 2012 is the first of a series of regional events that PLASA is planning to organize. So watch out for future announcements as PLASA Focus selects other cities throughout the U.S. to bring industry specialists together. 



Sources: 
http://www.plasafocus.com/austin/

Lighting&Sound America. (2011, December). Plasa Focus, first such U.S. event, opens February 22. Lighting&Sound America, 8(13), 18-19.

Photo retrieved from: http://www.plasafocus.com/austin/press/photos/img/11FOCUS-0014.jpg

Richard Branson and Ken Davenport on Business Plans (Part II)

Posted: Thursday, December 15, 2011 by Damian De Luca in Labels: , , , , , , , ,
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When I was developing the first section of my own business plan, the first thing that came to mind was Richard Branson’s appreciation of how business ideas should be solid and straightforward. While I was attempting to describe the company’s mission, strengths, and strategic position, I had multiple ideas on how the business could rapidly diversify and at the same time conquer several market niches. However, I noticed that I was sprinting in many directions and consequently diluting the core of my company's vision.


After reading Branson’s articles on successful entrepreneurship, I understood that investors are more likely to select business formulas that are founded on just one or two unique ideas. Therefore, I decided to solely focus on describing how the business is going to take full advantage of the fact that no other company in the Internet broadcasting industry specializes in live-streaming concerts. 

My main goal was to convey that the company can benefit from creating a brand that users will perceive as the one-stop platform for enjoying concerts online. Branson’s advice made me realize that building a strong and concise differentiation strategy is crucial when it comes to attracting investors attention. 

With that in mind, I believe that one of the most important sections of a business plan is the executive summary. In just a few paragraphs the entrepreneur has to outline the key points of the entire business strategy and action plan. In other words, on an executive summary the entrepreneur’s power of simplicity and the ability to articulate the company’s vision is put to the test.

Naturally, having a solid executive summary is not enough to obtain the funds for launching a business but it will most definitely grant the entrepreneur the chance to exhibit the rest of the business plan. For that reason, investors such as Broadway specialist Ken Davenport suggest that entrepreneurs should also pay close attention to characteristics that lie behind the main idea. 

Davenport highlights the importance of having the appropriate team with the necessary skills to guide the business to success. Therefore, a compelling management section is another way of proving that a business is likely to thrive. 

Since investors are particularly interested in knowing who is going to make the day-to-day decisions, I spent a great amount of time selecting the right type of people to include in my company’s management team. Describing their backgrounds, critical tasks and major responsibilities within the organization helps investors foresee what lies ahead. Therefore, I developed the management section of my plan with the idea of showing investors that I, as the leader of the company’s staff, have the required expertise to take the business plan to the next level.


Sources:
http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/220743
http://www.theproducersperspective.com/my_weblog/2009/05/how-to-invest-in-a-broadway-show-part-ii.html
Photo retrieved from: http://www.sharpastoast.com/tag/business-plan/

Richard Branson and Ken Davenport on Business Plans (Part I)

Posted: Monday, November 28, 2011 by Damian De Luca in Labels: , , , , ,
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Richard Branson is known for building one of the most prominent business empires of all times. The first Virgin company started in 1970 as a successful mail order record retailer as well as a record shop in Oxford Street, London. Shortly afterwards, Virgin expanded to become a promising record label representing groundbreaking artists such as Sex Pistols, Mike Oldfield, Culture Club, and the Rolling Stones. 
Richard Branson
Richard Branson’s vision of embracing bold and innovative musical styles, such as progressive rock and punk, helped Virgin Music flourish and become one of the top six record companies in the world. 
Since then, the Virgin Group has been continuously developing pioneering business ideas and creating thriving companies involved in leisure, travel, tourism, mobile, broadband, TV, radio, music festivals, finance and health.
Richard Branson has written many books and articles in which he shares his business experience and describes his approach to setting up new business ventures. On several occasions, Branson has expressed that entrepreneurs should pay special attention to one of the fundamental principles of business plans: to clearly and concisely convey a business idea. Many entrepreneurs fail to formulate an attractive business plan simply because they show a lack of commercial focus; “they get too far ahead of themselves and end up sprinting in many directions” (Branson, 2011), which eventually weakens and blurs the original vision.
Another valuable contribution that Richard Branson has shared with entrepreneurs who are trying to launch a new business is strictly related to the importance of carefully estimating the funds they will require. Branson stated that many business founders tend to “diminish their chances of success by undercapitalizing their start-ups” (Branson, 2011). 
In one of his online articles, Branson shared a great example of someone who was extremely confident about the start-up capital required to turn a unique vision into reality. He told his readers that when trying to establish Jet Blue, David Neeleman was asking for $160 million in start-up capital, an exceptionally high sum for a company trying to enter the airline industry featuring a low-cost strategy. However, Neeleman stuck to his original plan and strived to raise that particular amount. As a result, Jet Blue had a historical debut and was able to turn a profit in only six months after its launch.
Along with Richard Branson, there are other entrepreneurs that have relied on the entertainment world to introduce new business models and achieve success. Naturally, not all of them have managed to become billionaires. However, we can still learn from their business experiences and advices. For instance, Broadway producer and investor Ken Davenport has shared invaluable insights into the principles of raising funds for the start-up of theatrical productions. 
After graduating from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, Ken Davenport soon became a respected manager for various renowned musicals such as My Fair Lady, Grease, Show Boat, Gypsy, Jekyll & Hyde, and Chicago. 
Ken Davenport
In 2010 and after ten years of managing several successful productions, Ken founded Davenport Theatrical Enterprises with which he produced Oleanna starring Bill Pullman, Speed-the-Plow starring Raul Esparza, Will Ferrell's You're Welcome America, Blithe Spirit starring Angela Lansbury, 13, Altar Boyz, My First Time, and other plays. 
Ken’s blog, TheProducersPerspective.com, has been featured in Vanity Fair, New York Magazine, and The Gothamist. He has written articles for Forbes, Mashable, Imedia and other online and print publications. In 2010, Ken received the 2010 Award of Distinction from the Musical Theatre Society 
Ken has given several seminars and written various articles exploring the world of investments in the Broadway community. As an active Broadway investor as well as a producer continually undertaking the responsibility of raising funds, Ken Davenport believes that a remarkable business plan should evidence the experience that the management team has in dealing with that particular type of project. Potential investors not only look for promising business ideas, but also for business plans that can effectively convey the entrepreneur’s knowledge, skills and devotion to the project. According to Ken Davenport, investors need to know “who will make the day-to-day decisions, what is their track record, where did they learn to do what they do, and how long have they been doing it” (Davenport, 2011). The answer to these questions will also help to determine how risky the business is.
Taking a closer look to your potential competition is another thing that shouldn’t be underestimated. Ken Davenport explains that investors want to thoroughly understand who your competitors are and what they are offering. Most importantly, they want to ensure that your project is capable of providing something valuable, unique, and innovative; something different that the market has not yet experienced. 
Even though business plans tend to be extended documents, it is important to understand that investors will initially read only a few key sentences before deciding to dig into the entire plan. Researching and understanding what the majority of investors like to read in an auspicious business plan, will increase your chances to raise the money you need to launch your business. 
Let me know if you find other experts of the entertainment world who are sharing their reflections on business plan development.



Sources:
http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/220743
http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biographies/richard-branson.html
http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/220199
http://www.virgin.com/richard-branson/autobiography
http://www.theproducersperspective.com/my_weblog/2009/05/how-to-invest-in-a-broadway-show-part-ii.html
http://www.theproducersperspective.com/about.html
http://www.davenporttheatrical.com/company-history.html


Photos retrieved from:
http://assets.portfolio.com/images/site/editorial/lifestyle/2008/09/ken-davenport-slide.jpg
http://www.entmoney.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/richard-branson-picture-1.jpg

You Can Now Watch Live TV on Your iPad

Posted: Thursday, November 10, 2011 by Damian De Luca in Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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The Internet revolution that we are currently experiencing is rapidly, and almost imperceptibly, changing our daily habits and routines. Advanced Internet technologies are progressively redefining the way we purchase goods, pay our bills, read the news, share our experiences, and explore the world. 

As a result, multimedia content distribution is evolving at an increasingly fast pace, providing users with groundbreaking ways of consuming entertainment products. Recently, a group of prestigious cable operators have very proudly announced that their customers can now watch live TV on their iPads, at no additional cost. 
Namely, DirecTV, TWC, Bright House, and Dish have published fabulous user-friendly apps on the App Store that allow cable subscribers to immediately access dozens of cable networks directly on their iPads. Since there’s no need to use a remote control, the experience of watching live TV on an iPad is remarkably different yet delightful and gratifying. Having to use your fingers to scroll up and down, tap, select and perform “gestures” on the screen, represents an ingenious new way of turning an iPad into a state-of-the-art portable TV.
Surprisingly, iPad users were not able to watch live TV before. To enjoy TV shows, documentaries, TV series, and movies, iPad users had to rely exclusively on downloads or video-on-demand services, such as Hulu, Netflix, HBO GO, and Crackle. 
Bright House Live TV App for iPad
Video-on-demand technologies are attaining a great level of success and gradually becoming people’s favorite method of watching TV. However, it is important to understand that allowing users to receive a live broadcast HD signal over the Internet opens a whole new world of possibilities.
As this technology continues to grow and the world evolves toward online delivery of multimedia content, users will be able to choose from a new array of entertainment alternatives. Imagine yourself using a tablet, mobile device or Internet TV to watch a performance of the Vienna Philharmonic live from Tokyo, a West End musical live from the Palladium in London, or an Aerosmith concert live from Johannesburg. 
The possibilities are endless. The technology that allows to live stream content with pristine image quality over the Internet is here to stay and will most definitely change the way we experience TV. 
If you’re a DirecTV, TWC, Bright House, or Dish customer, you’re welcome to download their Live TV Apps for free.

Let me know if you enjoyed the experience of watching live TV on your iPad and if you would like cable companies to introduce apps for other mobile devices.

Feel free to share any other app that allows you to watch live TV.

Sources:

The Importance of Social Media in Live Entertainment

Posted: Thursday, October 27, 2011 by Damian De Luca in Labels: , , , , , , , , ,
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When promoting a concert, Broadway musical, or theater play, producers shouldn’t ignore the power of social media. In fact, social networking can represent one of the few marketing tools that productions with low budgets can afford. Moreover, it is important to realize that, in the digital era, ‘cheap’ doesn’t necessarily mean ‘ineffective’. For instance, several Off-Broadway musicals such as "Altar Boyz" have proved to the entire industry that a serious social media plan can obtain outstanding results. On the other hand, companies that have greater resources tend to think that utilizing traditional marketing channels is the best option to attract potential audiences. Thus, they underestimate what social media can truly accomplish. Thankfully, ‘expensive’ is not a synonym for ‘successful’. Accordingly, live entertainment producers who have already put social networks to the test dare to assert that viral campaigns should be included in every marketing plan, regardless of how large—or small—their budgets can be. 
The Book of Mormon
Today, the number of Broadway musicals that benefit from social media is substantial. Producers are getting very creative when planning viral campaigns. For example, when “The Book of Mormon” was about to debut, producers developed a clever Facebook game that encouraged users to actively play and compete for free tickets to the final dress rehearsal. This type of viral activities can become extremely powerful ways to make people share their thoughts about a show with other friends online. Other productions are displaying live Twitter feeds during their shows, playing trivias with their followers through Facebook, or performing their entire show via 140 character tweets.
Producer Ken Davenport is considered to be a specialist and pioneer of social media campaigns within the Broadway and Off-Broadway communities. He has learned to embrace digital marketing and has shown others effective ways to capture people’s attention. Ken is also known for imparting his knowledge on the industry and giving a great diversity of seminars in theater production, Broadway investment, and more. He has now added a new workshop cleverly entitled “The Show Must Go Online: Connecting with Future Audiences via Social Media” The course teaches how to master the art of marketing shows through Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, and Google+. Other topics that will be covered include location-based marketing, cross-platform marketing campaigns, and turning past patrons into active promoters. This represents a great opportunity to see how the Broadway pros have managed to take full advantage of online tools to turn buzz into ticket sales. Since it will be dictated at DTE Studio in New York, Ken’s followers around the world are already suggesting that the workshop should be live streamed. After all, this is all about exploiting the latest Internet capabilities.
The Show Must Go Online:

NEW YORK:
Thursday, November 17, 2011 from 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Location: DTE Studio, 250 West 49th Street, Suite 302
For more information about the course, click on the following link: http://goo.gl/4QYWA





Sources:

Photo Retrieved from: 

U2 360° Famous Stage Design

Posted: Thursday, October 20, 2011 by Damian De Luca in Labels: , , , , , , , , ,
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There are legendary rock concerts that have inevitably conquered a piece of our memory. The perfect combination of powerful sounds, stunning visuals, and the fascinating interaction between crowds and artists can very effectively touch the soul of many music enthusiasts. Concerts such as the 1969 Woodstock Festival featuring Jimmy Hendrix has become a real icon in the history of music and a huge inspiration for many artists to come. Even though the most important element of a performance is undoubtedly the artist’s creative spirit, there are other things that help concerts turn into unforgettable legends. 
In the live entertainment world, stage design is one of the most acclaimed artistic disciplines. It is virtually impossible not to recall the magnificent and immense white polystyrene brick wall when we think about Pink Floyd’s The Wall series of world shows. There are incredible gifted minds behind the inception of such ideas. Mark Fisher, the man responsible for designing and building the white wall and other famous concert stage designs, is probably the most respected entertainment architect of this era. Fisher’s talent was showcased on numerous occasions during the past three decades. By creating some of the most distinguished stage sets for artists like The Rolling Stones, Tina Turner, U2, AC/DC, and Robbie Williams, Mark Fisher proved to the world that architectural designs can also become part of the history of rock and roll. 
The Claw
For U2’s 360° tour, Mark Fisher worked closely with Stageco and production manager Jake Berry to build an engineering masterpiece known as ‘the claw’, which is also likely to become a rock and roll legend.
Since the 360° tour has already ended, the stage will return to Stageco to be maintained, refreshed and left up for sale. This iconic piece of engineering was not only the concert’s most prominent visual element, but was also responsible for holding the show’s 50m-high PA, video screen, and lighting systems. 
Even though the price is still unknown, potential buyers will have to consider that the superstructure is a major breakthrough in theater technology. According to Hedwig de Meyer, president of Stageco, ‘the claw’ is years ahead of its time and represents a groundbreaking step in the world of technological innovation. Furthermore, Hedwig argued that “whoever buys the system will be able to create a very distinctive venue and we’ll have a Stageco team ready to assemble it anywhere in the world”.
Although reusing the set means that we will have the opportunity to see other artists take full advantage of this technology, I must admit it is an unusual marketing decision, especially considering that people may forget that it was first used by U2’s record-breaking tour. Nonetheless, it would be great to see more of this amazing high-end architecture set foot in the entertainment world.
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