Picture This

This past weekend I volunteered with Snap! Orlando, a photography celebration that showcases amazing works of national and international photographers. The main event took place in a warehouse in Downtown Orlando. I worked Friday, which was the opening night of the art exhibition and also Saturday, which was a continuation but included a fashion show. I really enjoyed helping out with the event but how I found out about this event was through a friend via a social media network the day before! The event opened my eyes to spectacular works including a live work done entirely by the use of a Sharpie marker up against a 20-foot wall (as shown in the picture below). I was more wide-eyed because the event gave me an idea of the kind of things I could work with since I want to be a Creative Director for live events and productions.

I also realized that I should start getting into photography more. It’s something I enjoy doing as a hobby every now and then but since I don’t own a fancy ultra expensive camera, I don’t think I can convey that artistic side of me to others when those around me look like real photographers. A book I am currently reading for class is Rich Dad, Poor Dad and the author talked about how “fear” is the most powerful emotion that prevents us from achieving success. Another chapter of the book expressed how we should want to know a little about everything; this is something I tell people but many things cost money and that financial fear is what holds many, including myself, back from doing it. I like how my weekend experience and my class readings tied in so perfectly.

Overall, this event was a joy to work with and I plan to do this event again next year. I also hope to find more treasures like this that I can volunteer with that will give more experience and allow me to explore the city of Orlando more.

Not So Funny Fee

This past weekend I attended a comedy show at The Improv Comedy Club in Orlando. I was excited to go see Lil Duval, a comedian from Jacksonville who I have been following since his 2005 Coming to the Stage days, AND it was only $20! Anyone who knows me knows I’m cheap, so for a well-known comedian to be that price I had to hop on.  I’ve caught him on television and the Internet and gotten a good laugh but the real experience (and low price) was my driving force. So I proceeded to go to the website and purchase my ticket. I forgot there was a dreaded convenience fee...darn.

In terms of live entertainment, the expenses put into putting on the production aid in determining the ticket price. Online registration and event ticketing systems most certainly charge for its service so these fees are passed onto the patrons, which can range upwards to double digit numbers. What I would appreciate is a bundling or lowering of these fees for multiple tickets. I bought two, one for a friend of mine, and spent more than I originally got excited for. Unfortunately there are not many of us who can get out of these fees. Unless we go to an actual ticket box.

Ticket purchasing isn’t the only place where we see these fees; they may be attached to other bills we pay. Some have deferred it if you enroll in automatic payments so I wonder if this or something similar will work with online ticket purchases to live shows. Maybe if you are a member of the site? With the takeover of technology, I’m slightly confused as to why they are taking advantage even though this is the way a large majority of people make purchases now. Other than that tidbit, I thoroughly enjoyed the show.

Speak No Evil

Speakers provide a lot of insight from their experiences and have something important to say but most are boring let’s admit. As I was searching through TED.com, which is a site devoted to ‘Ideas Worth Spreading’, I was hoping to find something about creativity and directorship. I found many interesting topics but the story by Gary Vaynerchuk kept my attention while delivering a great message. In his motivational speech he explained how his business came about. He worked with the family business of selling wine for seven years but then decided he wanted to do something else. That is when he came up with Wine Library TV in which he educates people on all aspects of wine. It is now a very large community. This may not sound interesting but his delivery was amazing! He kept it very real through humor and cursing, which is something I appreciate, and you can check out his speech below. I promise you you’ll enjoy it. No matter what career path you want to pursue, there were a lot of great points made in that speech.

His approach to business storytelling has led Gary to be featured on many various media outlets. This particular speech essentially was about doing what you love and not making excuses. One must have two things he said, patience and passion. There are so many people who are doing things they hate and not asking themselves “what do I want to do?” He explains that on building your personal brand you must listen to your users and care about your user base but you have to start with YOURSELF. He advises however that if you do not believe in your personal brand, to get out of it.

In his speech, he pointed out that “legacy is greater than currency”. Gary wants his family to be proud of him, which is exactly how I feel about my Dad. I believe that in today’s society a lot of people do things just for the money. Too many are willing to throw their pride or ethics away for it. His speech gave me a better understanding of going after what you want and utilizing your time to do what you enjoy. He showed that you could build your brand equity after hours (after working your regular job) if you want to succeed. In other words, position yourself to succeed.