Written by: Lesroy Louard

Currently, Chief Engineer in Charge for live event productions as a freelancer, Kenny Banning started in theatre and theme parks. He moved TBN (The Christian Broadcast Network) before becoming one of the most sought after engineers in the concert and live event production industry.

The Production Channel presents Banning, as a self-proclaimed “nerdy guy”, who overcame a troubled and mischievous childhood. He shares stories of sendin

g his brother to the emergency room and being arrested for making a “bomb” and taking it to class in high school. He found purpose after those “terrible and really stupid” ordeals by finding his passion, always asking questions and wanting to be a light instead of a dark detractor.

With his background at TBN, his faith is strong. Despite a negative past, Kenny Banning does not have trouble staying positive and out of trouble these days. Even during long touring trips, especially while in Vegas, away from his family for months, he occupies his time ministering to the homeless and anyone willing to listen. Banning and Harrod are a classic interview, one that touches past, present, family, faith, consciousness and comedy; among the many tales and words of advice, Banning admonishes to “…always eat breakfast, especially show bacon.”

Lesroy Louard, 36 and a graduate of Florida State University, can best be described as a visual thrill seeker and story-teller. With 18 years of experience in the world of production as a videographer, writer, and editor, Lesroy is also an aspiring filmmaker. He never shies away from the opportunity to chase a new challenge and expand his skill set. Lesroy has previously done this with several corporate marketing companies, the NBA, and many major cable networks. As a growing producer/writer, Lesroy derives most of his inspiration from classic cinema, music and pop culture.  He adds, “I enjoy the use of word, sight and sound to evoke emotion and convey powerful messaging.”

Written by: Lesroy Louard

Written by: Lesroy Louard

The Production Channel invites you to attentively soak up the humble beginnings of Drew Lawless, the Live Event Graphics, ARS (Audience Response Systems), and Tele-prompting guru. “I built my website, and it became official. We were in business!” exclaimed Lawless, as he shared with Clem Harrod, about his journey.

Seemingly astounded at the breadth and reach of his career, Drew Lawless has never been satisfied with just one thing. Until that one thing became live events and production. “In 2008 [after 20 years], I said ‘wow’, this turned into a career! I did not mean for this to happen.”

Lawless explains how he began. Scratching and clawing to find his place in the professional world, his finance degree led him to a path that many would have dreamed of. As a financial analyst for Odessa Corporation in his hometown of Indianapolis, the days and hours could not move fast enough. Lawless moved to Orlando where his freelance career was born, and Taylor Events soon thereafter; somewhat mistakenly, became a success.

In this episode, learn some of the key technologies used in the live event graphics and tele-prompting arenas. Absorb the secret to Drew’s networking and connection-making that land frequent high end gigs. From music DJ at Church Street Station, to loading trucks filled with AV equipment for $10/hour, Drew Lawless found and grasped his passion somewhere in between and 20 plus years later, he has not let go.

Lesroy Louard, 36 and a graduate of Florida State University, can best be described as a visual thrill seeker and story-teller. With 18 years of experience in the world of production as a videographer, writer, and editor, Lesroy is also an aspiring filmmaker. He never shies away from the opportunity to chase a new challenge and expand his skill set. Lesroy has previously done this with several corporate marketing companies, the NBA, and many major cable networks. As a growing producer/writer, Lesroy derives most of his inspiration from classic cinema, music and pop culture.

Written by: Lesroy Louard

Many successful people who work in the Live Event Production Industry find themselves with the ability to hyper focus and achieve greatness in the area of their gift. From engineers to content creators, tapping into one’s talents can help you understand how, and why, it is you do the things that you do.

Short of enrolling into the X-Men school for the gifted with Professor Xavier, you can locate Sarah Meers and allow her to assess your personality; then, equip you with the tools to thrive in the world as a high IQ individual.

Professionally, a gifted coach and mentor, Sarah Meers, analyzes the gifted brain among children and adults. After initial dialogue and testing, she offers strategies to capitalize on brain activity, turning weaknesses into positives and provide balanced interaction and stimulation in your daily life.

Clem Harrod, an expert in video production and lighting [laughter], mistakenly titled by Sarah before being corrected as a “Video Projectionist”; was the subject of an on the spot bar graph assessment by Meers.  This jovial exchange, albeit hypothetical, allowed us to see the exchange between Coach and Patient.  Meers lists the daily tasks and attributes of a gifted and hyper focused Harrod…“Projection Talent – 9, Home life/taking care of the kids – 5, Communication to others/spouse – 2, Communication to himself – 10”, and so on. Meers, establishes that the gifted brain is often hyper focused and two deviations (15 points) above 100.

In Harrod’s on the fly assessment, we see that “the gifted brain is typically very strong in one or a few areas, but weaker in others where you are not the expert” says Meers.  To combat these barriers, she promotes self assessment and implements a strategy that allows you to cope with daily tasks and frustration, improve time management, and stimulate executive brain function.Whether on the job, or in your family life, we all care to be fulfilled.

Even if not high IQ, the stress of day to day interaction can build, and expert coaches like Sarah Meers have the tools to bring everything into focus.

“You have to know yourself, and what your cues are when deciding to take a break.”

In this podcast discussion, the identifying of gifted traits, promotion of work-life balance, handling emotion and recognizing when the brain needs a break are the key takeaways.  Take a listen to find out some of the terrific ways Meers achieves optimal performance for herself and her patients.

Lesroy Louard, 36 and a graduate of Florida State University, can best be described as a visual thrill seeker and story-teller. With 18 years of experience in the world of production as a videographer, writer, and editor, Lesroy is also an aspiring filmmaker. He never shies away from the opportunity to chase a new challenge and expand his skill set. Lesroy has previously done this with several corporate marketing companies, the NBA, and many major cable networks. As a growing producer/writer, Lesroy derives most of his inspiration from classic cinema, music and pop culture.

Written by: Lesroy Louard

Union member since the age of 17, Miki, is ecstatic for the life afforded to him by the Stagehand Labor Union, the Local 720 in Vegas. It was reluctantly, that he joined, at the coaxing of his father; initially with no skill or desire to become a Stagehand. Music was his real passion, and his monetary vice. Taking jobs just to support his band and his auditory addiction, it would be a few years before he took the Union’s offerings seriously.

In 2002, Rosta dove into his career; lighting, and rigging, became his passions. Now a local HTD – lead manager, Rosta explains, “As you find your niche, you start moving into that sector, and as you impress the crews you’re working with, you will get more work”. He’s now responsible for putting teams together and assigning jobs for various clients that the union represents.

In this episode of the Podcast Channel, Miki Rosta elaborates on the benefits of becoming a union member. “…full benefits, health insurance, retirement plans,” are just a few praises Miki divulges, on top of great hourly wages.

In this conversation we learn the duties and different sectors stagehands can specialize in. Among them – lighting, audio, video, projection, and rigging. “They know their stuff, and often times know the building or venue better than we ever could,” Clem Harrod attests, “…having local union help, is often convenient and time saving.”

We invite you to dig deeper and hear more about the Labor Union industry through the mind and experience of Miki Rosta, “…it’s like riding a bull, I love it – its one hell of a ride!”

Written by: Lesroy Louard

Written by: Lesroy Louard

Written by: Lesroy Louard

Roger  Desmond,  Technical  Director  and  Staging  Supervisor,  momentarily  takes  us  on  the journey  of  how  he  landed  his  dream  career:  Wicked  (New  York),  The  Phantom  of  the  Opera (New  York),  NBC’s  The  Sound  of  Music  and  The  Whiz  live.    He  is  the  unsung  hero  of  a  handful of  your  favorite  broadway  and  television  productions.  Desmond  recounts  how  the  industry  has made  him  feel  like  “the  luckiest  man  alive.”

It  began  in  high  school.  A  scheduling  error  landed  Desmond  into  “Technical  Theater”  instead  of “Woodshop”.  His  patient  and  receptive  demeanor  gave  the  mistake  a  two  weeks  chance  to  be resolved;  however,  he  found  a  passion  and  interest  in  staging  and  production.  Remaining  in that  high  school  class  as  well  as  enrolling  in  Technical  Theater  at  Stevens  College  Missouri, Desmond’s  relationships  in  the  industry  matured;  and  with  experience  and  networking,  so  did his  obsession  with  delivering  a  successful  product. 

Recognized  for  strong  work  ethic  and  attention  to  detail,  Roger  Desmond  was  recruited  to work  on  several  large  broadway  productions.  After  a  college  colleague  connected  him  with  the marketing  production  company  George  P.  Johnson,  he  fostered  relationships  and  was introduced  to  various  network  directors,  who  would  also  be  smitten  by  his  talent.  Desmond credits  “putting  my  best  foot  forward  on  every  job,  learning  vector  work  and  drafting,  and staying  three  steps  ahead”  as  his  keys  to  making  successful  impressions.

With  New  York  Broadway,  NBC,  MTV,  and  PetCo  Park  San  Diego  on  his  resume,  Desmond  is no  stranger  to  spotlight  and  pressure  situations.  He  describes  the  duties  of  a  Technical Director/Staging  Supervisor  as  a  dual  meaning,  depending  on  the  corporate  or  broadcast sectors.    In  the  corporate  sector,  his  position  as  Technical  Director  is  to  make  sure  that  all technical  needs  are  met  for  a  production,  assuring  that  equipment  and  labor  needs  are accurate  to  execute  a  seamless  AV  experience.  In  the  broadcast  sector,  Desmond  is  titled Staging  Supervisor. Offering  setup  suggestions,  loading  and  unloading  of  set  pieces  and managing  the  crew  and  equipment;  he  works  closely  with  the  technical  manager  to  execute  the broadcasts  live  visual  flow.

Desmond  laments  on  the  pitfalls  of  coordinating  sometimes  ten,  sometimes  sixty  semi  trucks  in San  Diego,  or  even  tougher,  Times  Square  New  York.  These  semi  trucks  are  vital  to  every  live production,  as  they  hold  the  sets,  lighting,  LED  boards  and  so  much  more.    He  credits  a positive  attitude,  staying  three  steps  ahead,  and  managing  relationships  that  allow  for  pulling off the  most  strenuous  of  situations. 

The  use  of  automated  software  wenches,  a  program  popularized  and  perfected  by  PRG Scenic,  is  widely  endorsed  by  Desmond.  After  studying  and  completing  courses  in  vector  work and  drawings,  he  began  to  understand  the  need  for  accuracy  and  the  benefit  of  software  in collaboration  with  a  producers’  visual  dreams.  Through  applying  real  work  knowledge  of  his course  work,  and  imparting  his  broadway  background,  Desmond  implemented  this  intelligence into  his  staging  and  pitching,  suggesting  a  cost  effective  alternative  to  NBC  executives.  The use  of  automated  wenches  during  the  live  NBC  production  of  The  Whiz  was  a  hit,  and  created a  seamless  visual  spectacle  –  his  favorite  production  to  date.

When  not  executing  and  elevating  his  work  standards,  whether  broadway  or  live  television, Roger  Desmond  ironically,  very  much  enjoys  retreating  to  the  very  thing  that  he  wanted  to  do originally  –  wood  shop.    Perfecting  shelves  and  building  simple  sculptures  allow  him  to  relax and  keep  things  in  perspective. Sometimes  life  steers  you  in  a  unexpected  direction  of  which  you  may  be  grateful  all  the  same. Follow  your  dreams,  but  be  open  to  life’s  detours;  perhaps  like  Desmond,  you  too  can  feel  like the  luckiest  of  anyone  alive.

This week, we’re leaving the chatter of the Production Channel and switching over to the Private Channel. This series, within the Production Channel Blog and Podcast, is meant to be an educational tool for independent contractors in the Live Event Production Industry. Here, we will speak to Bobbi Grant, a bookkeeper specializing int he QuickBooks format, about managing money and being financially responsible.

Bobbi began her bookkeeping career in the construction industry and developed her skills to become the best bookkeeper she could. After 10 years with that company, Bobbi decided to leave the construction business and transitioned into bookkeeping for an international hamburger chain. She then became an independent contractor and, via friends and word-of-mouth, has been able to expand her customer base.

As a freelancer in the production industry, income often varies from month-to-month depending on the number of gigs worked. Bobbi understands that and has developed a way to teach independent contractors how to manage inconsistence cashflow. Contact her today about her practices.

Until then, enjoy the episode as Bobbi Grant sits dow with Clem to discuss how independent contractors can achieve financial peace, manage their finances, and live off a budget.

The moment Beth Forbes realized Live Event Production was something she wanted to pursue, she was twelve years old and tangled up in rope, trying to stop a 200 lb. disco ball from falling on a stage full of dancing actors. She was successful and walked away from the experience wide-eyed, full of adrenaline, and thinking, “I know whatever this is, I want more of it!”

Beth grew up on a dairy farm in Middleville, Michigan with her parents and two older siblings. Working hard and as a team was daily life for her family. When Beth turned twelve, her mother encouraged her to attend a Summer camp. Beth thought theatre camp sounded interesting and gave it a try. The camp required participants to work both sides of the curtain, allowing the aspiring thespians to learn both acting and the technical aspects of theatre. Beth loved it. Her parents supported her enthusiasm for theatre and encouraged her to pursue this new interest, even driving her back and forth on a 45-minute commute so that she could stay involved.

At age seventeen, Beth realized she had a talent for managing people. As stage manager for her local community theatre, she was oftentimes both working on-deck and calling the show at the same time. She began to view herself as a hub of a wheel, channeling information to and from different crew members.

Beth was introduced to the world of corporate production soon after, when she was approached by a lighting designer and asked if she’d be interested in Production Assistant position. Beth accepted. Fifteen years later, Beth is a Project Manager in the corporate production field and still likes to recall her hub-of-a-wheel analogy from her young theatre days, saying, “I get to manage this huge group of highly qualified, extremely talented professionals. And I get to be the one to set them up to succeed.”

In this episode, we are live on show site in Las Vegas as host Clem Harrod interviews Project Manager Beth Forbes. Listen-in as Beth shares her wisdom about researching clients, valuing crew members, and keeping a work-life balance.

We’re live on show site in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil during this episode of the production channel, as hosts
Clem Harrod and Stephen Bowles speak with Brent Armstrong, owner of Alpine Rigging.

A self-described “reformed mountain climber,” Brent spent over a decade of his life devoted to climbing
before diving into the live event industry as a rigger. Years spent climbing mountains and studying
climbing patterns allowed him to better understand connecting points in the ballroom and how heavy
equipment can be suspended safely from a ceiling. Of course, the heights never bothered him either.

When Brent met his wife, his life began to “equalize” as he puts it, and he fell into the Las Vegas rigging
scene. Brent quickly realized that to be successful in the entertainment industry, one must be more than
just skilled at the technical aspects, one must also excel at the “people game.” “It’s about dealing with
five varied kinds of people that have different authority levels and making it all gel, and that’s the trick
to this.” Brent also noticed it was better to have a solution or different way of doing something than to
quickly and outright say no. “You have to have a solution, right? You have to have a work-around, if you
want to be successful and you want to move up in the game. You can’t just be the ‘no’ guy.”

Brent’s positive attitude and helpfulpresence has helped make him a recommended rigger for those in
the industry. For a guy who was once living out of his car, focused on what mountain to climb next, the
Owner of Alpine Rigging has learned to climb the mountain of the live event industry. Tune-in as Brent
shares about the pre-production process, the value of communication, and offering solutions rather
than the stereotypical “rigger no.”

Max Monsegue, a Producer and Project Lead, has been in the live event production industry for 22 years. As Max puts it, this industry is “something you don’t really know exists until you fall into it,” which she did while studying Art and Design at the Fashion Institute of Technology (F.I.T.) in New York. At the time, Max was in-between degrees when her friend, Suzette Wilson, offered her some work on a show in San Francisco. Max accepted and made the trip out to California for the three-week gig. The company for whom she did the show, Drury Design Dynamics, had an office just a block away from F.I.T., and Max continued to work for them while attending classes. She would often copy show books and study them to better understand what was happening onstage. After two years, Max was asked if she wanted to train to be an Associate Producer and she accepted the offer.

However, Max didn’t always believe production was the right path for her. She twice tried to leave the industry in order to pursue her interest in fashion. Yet, both times Max found herself pulled back into the production world. Over time, Max saw an outlet for her creativity in parts of the pre-production process as she worked with creative designers building content.

In this episode, Max Monsegue sits down with hosts Clem Harrod and Stephen Bowles to discuss different elements of her life as a Producer and Project Lead, including building a show’s agenda in pre-production, getting budget adjustments on show site, and maintaining a day-to-day work-life balance.Lean in with us as we listen to Max Monsegue’s story.

   Author: Leizl Bala

As we exit baseball season and ramp up into basketball season, host Clem Harrod sits down with sports camera operator, Tucker McFall, in this 15th episode of The Production Channel. Tucker lives a gypsy lifestyle of shooting camera at multiple sports venues, and he gives us his view on how he makes it all balance out.

Tucker McFall’s interest in video production started in middle school when he would assist for an older friend’s television projects. Upon entering high school, Tucker was admitted to the TV production class where he learned the basics of producing the news, music videos and small features. He progressed to film school at the University of Miami, hoping to be the next Quentin Tarantino, but he found interest in doing coaches’ videos for college sports. This opened Tucker’s eyes to sports video, and he knew that world would be a part of his professional future.

After graduation, Tucker started at the UCF Arena then joined various sports organizations until he landed the in-house Orlando Magic position in 2010.  He continues to work with the Tampa Bay Rays, the Tampa Bay Lightning and more. Tucker says you should be versatile in different camera positions, however, you should try to master at least one position. It’s all about helping the video director tell the game’s storyline. Tucker says, “Any camera operator that tells you that they don’t want the tally and they don’t want the replay, they’re lying. We all want every tally and we all want every replay. If you don’t, you’re in the wrong business in my opinion…”

Join Clem Harrod and Tucker McFall as they discuss the importance of having a good support system, watching the cash flow during sports season, and finding good camera op mentors to give you a “Whole Lotta Love” along the way in your career.

The live event industry is a tight knit group of people working all types of jobs in many different places and jobs, each relying on another position to their job so that another one can run smoothly. Episode 14 of the podcast series covers the importance of being able to rely on your coworkers, friends and family for help inside and outside of work.

Episode 14 of The Production Channel’s podcast series is a one-on-one conversation between Clem Harrod and Kirk Garreans (pronounced Gar-ins). Kirk is an industry veteran who has worked the last 30+ years in many different aspects of the live event industry. Episode 14 discusses many things such as his start in radio as a child and his movement from lighting to photography and finally to television, but most importantly it touches on the importance of having a support team within and outside of the live event industry.

Kirk Garreans got his start in the live events in South America doing voice acting in radio as a young child. He caught his initial buzz from doing radio dramas in Quito, Ecuador and from then on he was hooked and knew he wanted to work in radio and television. A major turning point in his career was when he volunteered at a local television station during a telethon where he was able to take still photography and run cameras. Kirk was able to secure a job by being in the right place at the right time and proving his worth as a camera operator. When asked about what to do when things go wrong Kirk explains that the Boy Scouts were right when they say “Always be prepared”. This mantra is something that all live event production-ites know, but Kirk emphasizes that it is important to do make sure to do your best at not letting the crowd see the problems.

Kirk Garreans is an industry veteran, but more importantly is a father and husband who is currently fighting cancer. Clem and Kirk talk about the value of a great support system within the industry of live events, both agreeing that being on the road or at a gig is tough for everyone involved. Over the past year, from that same support system of relatives, friends and family along with doctors, he is grateful to be spending more time with his family while battling cancer.

Listen in as Clem and Kirk talk about the ups, downs, and successes of a long career in the live event industry as a High Resolution Operator and the importance of a support system within and outside of the live event industry.

Click here to donate to Kirk’s battle with cancer!

We’re all ears this week at The Production Channel as Clem Harrod interviews long-time audio designer, Billy Walsh. Billy is an industry staple in the corporate event world with almost 40 years of audio experience, and due to his positive energy and solid work ethic, everybody knows when Billy Walsh is in the room.

Billy got his start in the entertainment world as a young guitarist and secured professional gigs at the age of 15. At a turning point just after high school, he went to an Army recruiter who got him an audition for the West Point Jazz Band. Long story short, Billy aced the audition and became the West Point Jazz Band guitarist for 12 years. Due to his frustration with cutbacks in the Army, he realized he needed to make a change, and in 1988, he connected with a friend who had the AV contract for IBM. Billy made the big jump into the AV world–and he’s been doing corporate audio ever since.

When asked about his longevity in the live event production industry, he says, “I just think it’s the caliber of the people that I’m working with that…I mean, I still love traveling and walking into this room that’s got nothing in it and turning it into a theater and having this amazing thing happen from nothing.” Billy realizes mentoring aspiring audio designers is important to the future of the industry so he takes the time to share his knowledge out of the passion of the business. One of his key pieces of advice is, “If you don’t like what you’re doing, get out because you’re that angry guy. You’re that angry guy in the ballroom that nobody wants to be around.” So far, Billy still loves his job and has future hopes of making a living from his basement studio.

Listen in as Clem and Billy share lots of laughs philosophizing on the creation of corporate shows, the trials of staying connected to family while on the road, and how learning new technology keeps a seasoned audio guy on his toes.

The table is turned in this week’s episode of The Production Channel as Clem focuses the interview on fellow host, Stephen Bowles. Stephen is the Founder and CEO of Shoflo, a software platform developed for production teams as a more efficient way to create rundowns and productions schedules.

About 15 years ago, Stephen originally wanted to become the next big feature film director, but a college drawback led him away from film school and into the live event industry. His first lessons in live video work was at an Orlando mega-church where he concentrated on video direction. He also took a video position with LMG and moved on to cutting cameras for concert events and tours. From there, Stephen stumbled into the unique realm of corporate show production.

One day after taking copious notes during a cue-to-cue rehearsal, a new version of a paper show flow was dropped on Stephen’s desk. He wondered, “So you have to sit there in that moment and make that decision. Am I going to transfer this information from one version to another, which is just tedious work. Or am I going to not take the newest version, and see if I can make this sort of assessment on whether or not there’s any significant changes?” He knew that efficiencies to the process could be made, and the idea for Shoflo was born. Stephen soon pared down his video work and assembled a team to develop the collaborative software full time. Their hard work paid off through the years, and Shoflo is now utilized by corporate clients, sports broadcasts, worship services, and more. “We work with producers and coordinators every single day, trying to identify what their problems are and move them over. And that makes me happy, right there, to know that there are people working on that for this industry every day.”

Join the conversation as Clem and Stephen discuss Stephen’s early interests in making James Bond films, his views on the art of video directing, and his thoughts about the best feedback he’s ever heard about Shoflo.

This week on The Production Channel, we look into the ingredients that make up a successful keynote speaker. In Episode 11, Stephen and Clem interview Mark Sanborn, a professional speaker and a best selling author – penning titles like The Fred Factor and You Don’t Need a Title to be a Leader. Mark, a 30+ year veteran of professional speaking, currently is a keynote speaker for many events around the world speaking mostly to business leaders about leadership and how to make things extraordinary.

Mark Sanborn has spent the last 31 years crafting his skills so that he can begin to boil down what makes a good speech and how to be a good part of a show. Mark talks a lot about being a positive experience for the audience, but also focuses on the idea that he tries to be a good experience for the audio techs and stage hands too. He states, “The interesting thing to me is that once you get the big things, then it’s the little things that people remember, your attitude…”. Mark is a industry leader and talks about how he keeps it fresh for himself and for the clients he speaks for. Explaining that he knows there will always be a new “go to guy”, but his lengthy and successful career proves that his thoughts about delivering on the basics and continuing to reinvent yourself yield positive and inspiring results.

Join the conversation to learn Mark Sanborn’s key tips on how to be a successful keynote speaker, how to deliver on the basics and hear about the lessons learned within his best selling books.

This week on The Production Channel, we explore the educational side of live event work. In Episode 10, Stephen and Clem interview Bob Murdock, the National Director of Education for the Evolve Media Group in Orlando, Florida. Evolve Media Group is a video equipment rental house specializing in short and long-term leases, however, the company also has a successful learning academy. Bob, a 37-year veteran of broadcast news and live events, currently leads the creation and development of the video technician training curriculum at EMG’s learning centers in both Orlando and Las Vegas.

Bob and his instructors all have extensive live show experience, and together they have instituted classes in basic projection and projection warping and blending. Their team also administers manufacturer-certified training classes for Barco and Analog Way. Bob says he’s really excited about a new offering that started earlier this year called the Trailhead Program. He states, “I really wanted to start a program where we could take somebody, maybe perhaps right out of high school, or right out of a two-year degree college program or maybe someone who’s gotten out of the military, and they need a direction.” The program is essentially designed to give young people a career path or to provide additional training to technicians wanting to learn a new discipline. Bob’s team also provides training in one of the most important skills to learn as an event tech–the proper way to troubleshoot. He says, “Nowadays, that’s just not learned, and it’s not taught so we target troubleshooting as a main part of our instruction.” Knowing just what to do when things go wrong saves time onsite for the crew, and in turn, saves money for the client.

Join the conversation to learn Bob Murdock’s plans to continue attracting young blood into the live event industry, his number one rule for freelancers, and that “teaching old dogs new tricks” can actually be done with proper instruction and a good work ethic.

In this episode of The Production Channel, Stephen Bowles and Clem Harrod discuss deep thoughts and live event philosophy with stage manager, technical director, and owner of Technical Designs, Jon Allen. Jon is a 39-year veteran of the live show industry with a varied background in theater, concert touring and corporate shows. Jon has longtime experience being both onstage and backstage. He started off in show business as a 10-year-old community theater actor, and as the years progressed, he also found interest in technical roles including stage lighting, rigging, and camera work.

As a show caller, leading a production crew has its challenges, and Jon says taking the time to connect with people makes a big difference, especially in their response to you as a leader. He says, “You affect people in many, many more ways than just what we’re dealing with to get that cue done…you get more than you ever give if you sit and talk with people, and it took me a really long time to learn that.” Jon said he’s wired to adopt best practices, and “because of the best practices philosophy, I’m always listening to people who do stuff better than I do…if it’s slightly more effective, if it’s slightly better, if it’s slightly kinder, whatever it is. You can figure out a way that’s slightly better, and that’s best practices, man.”

Stop to listen in as Jon Allen tells Stephen and Clem about his holistic views on production life, the importance of downtime for his hobbies and his teenage daughter, and how the satisfaction of teaching his craft to new production professionals contributes to having the best job in the world.

In this latest episode of The Production Channel, Stephen Bowles and Clem Harrod take time out to speak with network television and live event producer, Dave Nuckolls. Dave has a versatile resume that includes leading teams to develop and execute special feature projects for television at CNN, large-scale productions like Walt Disney World grand openings and press events, and international celebrations like the Olympic ceremonies and the Pan-American Games. When asked about how he got into the event production business, Dave says, “I guess I’m kind of that overused cliché of not knowing what you want to be when you grow up. That’s me. Even today, I still don’t know what’s next, and I think I kind of like that about myself.”

Dave Nuckolls grew up in a small Nebraska town, and at an early age, he started working for his father’s local newspaper business. He gained valuable experience in journalism doing writing, photography work and even some advertising and selling. Later, in college, he realized that working in print wasn’t stimulating enough so he decided to major in broadcast journalism. Just after graduation, Dave was busy sending out resumes when his parents attended Walt Disney World’s 15th Anniversary press event. They told him that Disney was his best bet for a job, and he should head down to Orlando. Upon arrival, he didn’t land his dream job immediately, but he did manage to get a position working the front desk at the Contemporary Hotel. This job opened many doors to him. He met the right people in the audio/visual department, and over the years, he was put in line to transfer to the Disney creative entertainment division where he eventually became a producer of special events.

In this interview, Dave tells Stephen and Clem several stories that shaped his career. One of his experiences was instrumental to his involvement with Disney Chairman and CEO Michael Eisner. Dave saved the day by writing a speech for Mr. Eisner that was delivered for a press event with the President of the United States in attendance. Dave says, “Somebody had to do something. I figured what the heck, let’s give my best shot, and it paid off.” From that day on, Dave became Eisner’s right-hand guy for future special events.

His adventures at Disney led to him to working with ABC network executive, Rick Kaplan, who later became the president of CNN. When Kaplan went to CNN, he tapped Dave to lead the new special projects division. Dave produced a series of sponsored feature stories called “Voices of the Millennium” where he interviewed many recognizable people about topics affecting the approaching millennium. Dave’s journalistic skills came full circle at this point, and he stayed at CNN for 13 years.

Dave went back into the special events world with production company Five Currents, and this time, he tackled the international arena by producing Olympic ceremonies in Sochi and the Pan-American Games in Toronto. He says he learned some memorable advice. “When you first go into a location to do a ceremony for a country, or for a city, or for whomever, you just have to spend time learning, just spend time listening… When it all comes down, I think, in what we do, large show, small show, whatever it is, it’s about storytelling.” Dave continues to do special events and corporate shows as a freelancer. “When I stop and think about it, I am very pleased with how my career has gone, but I tell you, I always am wondering what’s next.”

Join the conversation as Stephen, Clem and Dave Nuckolls discuss about how being ready for anything is the key to success in the production world and that ultimately putting family first is a priority in this crazy business.

In this latest episode of The Production Channel, Stephen Bowles and Clem Harrod take time out to speak with network television and live event producer, Dave Nuckolls. Dave has a versatile resume that includes leading teams to develop and execute special feature projects for television at CNN, large-scale productions like Walt Disney World grand openings and press events, and international celebrations like the Olympic ceremonies and the Pan-American Games. When asked about how he got into the event production business, Dave says, “I guess I’m kind of that overused cliché of not knowing what you want to be when you grow up. That’s me. Even today, I still don’t know what’s next, and I think I kind of like that about myself.”

Dave Nuckolls grew up in a small Nebraska town, and at an early age, he started working for his father’s local newspaper business. He gained valuable experience in journalism doing writing, photography work and even some advertising and selling. Later, in college, he realized that working in print wasn’t stimulating enough so he decided to major in broadcast journalism. Just after graduation, Dave was busy sending out resumes when his parents attended Walt Disney World’s 15th Anniversary press event. They told him that Disney was his best bet for a job, and he should head down to Orlando. Upon arrival, he didn’t land his dream job immediately, but he did manage to get a position working the front desk at the Contemporary Hotel. This job opened many doors to him. He met the right people in the audio/visual department, and over the years, he was put in line to transfer to the Disney creative entertainment division where he eventually became a producer of special events.

In this interview, Dave tells Stephen and Clem several stories that shaped his career. One of his experiences was instrumental to his involvement with Disney Chairman and CEO Michael Eisner. Dave saved the day by writing a speech for Mr. Eisner that was delivered for a press event with the President of the United States in attendance. Dave says, “Somebody had to do something. I figured what the heck, let’s give my best shot, and it paid off.” From that day on, Dave became Eisner’s right-hand guy for future special events.

His adventures at Disney led to him to working with ABC network executive, Rick Kaplan, who later became the president of CNN. When Kaplan went to CNN, he tapped Dave to lead the new special projects division. Dave produced a series of sponsored feature stories called “Voices of the Millennium” where he interviewed many recognizable people about topics affecting the approaching millennium. Dave’s journalistic skills came full circle at this point, and he stayed at CNN for 13 years.

Dave went back into the special events world with production company Five Currents, and this time, he tackled the international arena by producing Olympic ceremonies in Sochi and the Pan-American Games in Toronto. He says he learned some memorable advice. “When you first go into a location to do a ceremony for a country, or for a city, or for whomever, you just have to spend time learning, just spend time listening… When it all comes down, I think, in what we do, large show, small show, whatever it is, it’s about storytelling.” Dave continues to do special events and corporate shows as a freelancer. “When I stop and think about it, I am very pleased with how my career has gone, but I tell you, I always am wondering what’s next.”

Join the conversation as Stephen, Clem and Dave Nuckolls discuss about how being ready for anything is the key to success in the production world and that ultimately putting family first is a priority in this crazy business.

In this 6th episode of The Production Channel, Stephen Bowles and Clem Harrod delve into the entrepreneurial side of the live event business with Joe Mertz, CEO of Mertz Productions and MertzCrew. During his 20 years of entertainment production experience, Joe Mertz has successfully created and developed two companies—Mertz Productions, a full-service live event production company and MertzCrew, a payroll and staffing service designed specifically to assist live event industry companies and freelancers.

Joe, a native Pennsylvanian, got his first taste of the entertainment business working a summer job during college as a technician for a small theme park called Sesame Place. He was all set to graduate with a mechanical engineering degree but later decided that he wanted to pursue more interesting and exciting work in film and television. After graduation in the late 1990s, he followed some of his Sesame Place colleagues to Orlando, Florida to see if he could become involved with any of the production slated for the newly-built Disney soundstages. Upon arrival, he realized that the bulk of the film and TV work was done in Los Angeles and New York City so he found an alternative, live event production at Walt Disney World. Joe started as a freelance production assistant in the live events department on various corporate shows, including the Super Bowl Halftime show in 2000. He naturally progressed into a freelance stage manager, often calling shows for Disney or getting hired by other production companies.

Soon afterwards, Joe evolved his freelancing business by starting his own company, Mertz Productions, by planning and executing events for his own clients. He started off creating Halloween theme park entertainment while acquiring a small list of corporate clients needing additional help. He states, “My key demographic is those clients that don’t have any type of production…we get them as they are growing out of hotel A/V, when they’re getting frustrated with the lack of creative design.”  Joe says the success of his business is just to really take care of the clientele. “Like I try to tell my clients, you guys focus on the content, on what you want to say. We’ll make sure it is heard and comes across to everybody in the audience.” Many of Joe’s clients have stayed with his company for years because “they’re very happy with our progress and the way we do things…that’s the kind of slow and steady growth I’ve focused on with Mertz Productions.” Aside from theme parks and corporate shows, Mertz Productions has increased their offerings in recent years to include high end cruise line entertainment.

When Joe isn’t acting as a show producer, he is often found involved in meetings with his MertzCrew team. MertzCrew, an online staffing and payroll service used by freelancers and production companies, came about to help friends and co-workers get paid correctly and hold the necessary insurance to accept jobs. At first, it was a small home business with a handful freelance clients, but the load quickly changed when a large production company, LMG, asked Joe if MertzCrew could process their whole freelance payroll. Joe says that MertzCrew has become successful because “it came from an existing need that was out there. And I feel like, the benefit we offer, we work the way the industry works.” Joe understood the way people needed to be paid, and he created a team to implement tools to make it easier. MertzCrew decided to focus on the rental and staging arena and really attend to the nuances of contracting and payment. Joe states, “My end goal with MertzCrew, we want to be a software platform that really handles your personnel and your labor on a show site from the beginning of when you need that role, all the way to the end when the guys get paid…we want to own that.”
In this episode, listen in as Stephen and Clem ask Joe Mertz to reveal how his innovation came from necessity and how he continuously juggles his responsibilities amongst his family and all the Mertz Madness.

In Episode 5 of The Production Channel, Stephen Bowles and Clem Harrod discuss life in the live sports realm with Orlando Magic Broadcast Director, Greg Hartung. With over 35 years of experience stemming from local television news and sports, Greg chats with the guys about directing live sports, putting together a great game day broadcast and reminisces about his roots in the news room.

Greg began his career at the only TV station in Bowling Green, Kentucky; he gained news experience doing everything from TV directing, audio, graphics and teleprompting. Fast forward 20 years and several promotions through various news markets, Greg decided to make a change from the news room to the control room working sports TV. He expressed that he was “really kind of burnt out on the whole news thing. So, it was just an easy decision to make once the opportunity presented itself for enough work.” In the year 2000, he became a full time freelance technical director and director. His first NBA break was directing for the Denver Nuggets, then a couple of years later, he moved south and started his run with the Orlando Magic. Greg has been a permanent fixture for the last nine years leading the broadcast for The Magic and Fox Sports.

Once the basketball season starts, Greg and his producer receive all their truck, transmission and crew info from the team office, and they hit the ground running to develop the game day. Just like most live productions, the broadcast crew holds a production meeting at the beginning of their work day with all the “team players” such as the announcers, sideline person, graphics operator, tape operator, etc. and discuss the pregame show. Then, they move on to brainstorm what happens when the game is on air. He states, “The most important part of the meeting is deciding what we are going to do at the open of the broadcast. That is where we get most ideas and discussion.” In the truck, Greg talks to the technical director regarding camera shots and video effects. He also has his own responsibilities for several hours designing the “Fox Box” with the presentation of the sponsors, team rosters and statistics. Ultimately, Greg has a meeting with the camera operators to hand out head shot sheets and talk about the overall schedule for interviews and sound bytes. It’s a busy day, but Greg and his team can make it look like clockwork.

The basketball season can be demanding on the basketball players and the broadcast team alike – business travel for the Orlando Magic broadcast team is extremely demanding. When asked about the season schedule, Greg reveals, “It’s fun, it’s exhilarating, and then they’re days that it’s grueling…we’re traveling after the game 41 times a year.” He says that though they take luxury charter flights, the team never takes off before 11:00 PM, often arriving to their destinations after 2:00-3:00 AM and many times through multiple time zones. Greg says his wife is also in the TV production business and recognizes the attention his job requires. “She gets what I do. She understands the demands of being on the road…she understands that’s what I need to do.”

Tune in as Greg Hartung, Stephen and Clem scratch the surface on the life and responsibilities of an NBA broadcast director and what it takes to make a successful game day production for both the crew and fans alike.

In this 4th episode of The Production Channel, Stephen Bowles and Clem Harrod chat with Clem’s longtime friend and co-worker from the Orlando Magic, Melissa Ward. Melissa is a freelancer who mostly works in the live sports industry in various roles, such as audio, labor management, production management and more. She also spreads her talents into the entertainment and corporate world. In this episode Melissa will explain the nuances of working in live sports and how it can be challenging and rewarding.             

After suffering an injury as a student athlete, Melissa started working in the sports information office at the University of Central Florida. In the 1980’s sports jobs for females were not plentiful, however, one day she was given the opportunity to become a paid statistician at a basketball tournament. She loved the job, and the TV crew loved her. From there, her career in live sports began, and she was given the stats job for 15 more games. Melissa’s sports industry path stayed in Orlando, and she became a member of the broadcasting crew for the Orlando Magic in 1989. She’s one of over a dozen crew members still working with the Orlando Magic from day one. Her networking skills have led her to partnering with large sports outlets such as ESPN, recently covering the NCAA Football National Championship.

When asked about the difficulty of working in sports, Melissa says that unlike corporate work, there are no rehearsals. There is one shot to get it right in sports. You anticipate or you miss the play. She tries to be proactive when covering a game. She states, “This is my plan A, if everything works and everything goes as it should, we’re golden. But my plan A needs a plan B…I try to have multiple plans and go through the possible scenarios of failure so that I can be prepared.” Melissa says that the crew members working sports develop a special mindset. “I think people who do live sports and do it well have to be some of the smartest, brightest, most reactionary people because you don’t get that second chance, you don’t get that second take…”

Being a woman in a male-dominated field may be intimidating to some, but Melissa is not shaken. “I think I’ve spent my whole career not really thinking of myself as a female in that situation. I don’t want someone thinking ‘that’s the token female so that’s why we are going to hire her.’ That’s never been my aim or goal. I want to be hired because I can get the job done.” She says being a woman as an A2 has advantages, especially when working with female talent. Also, she says that the network of females working professional audio in live sports is very close-knit. “The funniest thing is that we’re all friends…we will dump work back and forth to each other as much as we can, especially because we have to have each other’s backs.” Melissa mentions that women still aren’t always considered for the high-profile events. “At the network level, traveling or big show type of audio person, it is a very, very minimal market for females, legitimately.”

Melissa tries to mentor the next generation of production professionals. She helps them out, male or female, whenever she can because she sees an overall trend in today’s crew structure. “We are a work group that is aging out. If you look on shows and you look around at the average age, you see that age rising and rising as far as broadcast technicians in live remote situations.” She realizes that due to the physical and mental capacity of production work, younger people are not wanting to get into the business of sports and live shows. “The business is changing a lot, so it’s changing how the opportunities are available.”

Listen in this week as Stephen and Clem get a unique perspective from Melissa Ward as she speaks her truth about being a working mom, adapting to the changes in live sports, and prioritizing life along the way.  

In Episode 3, we talk about mixing audio for live shows with Steve Mitchell, seasoned audio designer from The Audio Distillery. Located near Nashville, Tennessee, The Audio Distillery provides refined audio consultation, design and production for all types of live shows and events.

Steve started out as a musician with rock star dreams but became interested in studio work after realizing that “keeping a band together was like herding cats.” He began developing his audio chops in a music store studio, and he also started recording band demos for his friends in high school with his father’s hoard of music equipment. Just after college, Steve got his first job with a large company when his roommate dared him to interview with Walt Disney World representatives on campus. Months later he got the call to move to Orlando, Florida and continue his professional career.

“The biggest experience I got from working at Disney is what it feels like to work in a company that is so huge and you just feel like small fish in the pond.” Steve expresses how working in a large operation has its pros and cons. While the stepping-stone experience of Disney exposed him to big productions and high-end gear, he quickly learned that the standard operating procedures were sometimes inflexible. He said that he often heard, “You know, it doesn’t make sense that we do it that way, it’s just how we do it. I’ve learned to accept that.”

After a few years working for The Mouse, Steve moved on to LMG, a smaller gear and production company in Orlando who had recently hired some great audio technicians he met at Walt Disney World. He says working for LMG helped him expand his horizons as an audio designer because he had more free reign. “I think a lot of these big companies, you see them bogged down in the big corporate aspect of things…I think it’s a breath of fresh air that we’re not bogged down in that, and we think outside the box.” As an audio lead, he talks about how he became more familiar with the non-technical side of production such as working with labor unions, labor companies and the important aspect of risk management.

Currently producing live shows with The Audio Distillery proves to be a constant learning experience when working with different generations, like millennials, for example. They changed his frame of mind. “They’re skilled at what they do, it’s just that they approach it a bit different.” At any level, exposure to new and innovative ideas is important. Steve claims, “I love working with other people and being able to pick up on what they know and what they do. I learned something. If you’re not learning something, then it gets boring, right?”

Listen in as Steve gives Stephen and Clem his feedback on the importance of down time, “growing his brain” by learning about new technology, and doing the projects that are “better for your soul.”

“The definition of making it in the business is making a living doing what you love to do.”

–Steve Mitchell

In Episode 2, Stephen Bowles of Shoflo and Clem Harrod of CLEMCO.AV interview Andrew Stone on his switch from live production touring to Church Production. He explains that during a tour, you go from city to city giving thousands of people the same experience in different venues. Working in church production, however, you stay in the same venue with the challenge of keeping things fresh on a weekly basis for one congregation. He states, “We do have to figure out how to make the content and the experience of what’s hitting people in the seats be unique and exciting, enough so that they want to come back next week and repeat it. That’s a challenge.”

His new calling came from out of the blue about 12 years ago. Life was about to change for concert touring manager, Andrew Stone. He was suddenly contacted by a music director friend from a church in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Andrew was asked to consult on some ideas they were tossing around to make the church service more inviting, and after listening to their pitch, he ended up being the guy to help make these ideas come to fruition. Andrew realized, “This is a medium that is going to be huge, and these guys are wanting to embrace it and see if it can be a life-changing effort.” In 2005, Andrew Stone became the production manager for Church on the Move, a place of worship where church-goers can attend services and events resembling state-of-the-art live concerts.

At Church on the Move, the production timeline for the week takes on a “Tuesday to Sunday” mentality. The church production team starts planning the creative core of their service on Tuesday, and they are “show ready” by Friday. Saturday is a big day where the church volunteers are incorporated and immersed in the plan for final show execution on Sunday. “We’ve got live feeds going on between campuses, back and forth and open COM channels…all that technology comes into play.” Each campus is fiber connected so sending high quality, HD video and multichannel audio and COM can be easily synched, and all locations can stay in communication. Andrew explains how training crew volunteers opened his eyes to a different type of leadership. Since he came from the rough and tumble life of the concert world, he had to consider the alternative environment and have a more passionate frame of mind leading in the worship realm. “I had to get into a pastoring mindset, not only for myself, but in order to lead my team and to help cultivate them…I needed to relax a little bit. I needed to be a little more sensitive on some subjects.” Not only does Andrew lead a crew, he’s a mentor and a teacher, and he takes that role very seriously.

With an office full of gold records and his fond memories of touring on the road, he simply hopes “The legacy for me, I literally want people to say ‘That guy led us well. That’s it.’” He knows he had great mentors when he started in the concert business, and he says “I owe it to the universe, to God, to whatever, to try and do the same thing to the guys I’m around now.” Andrew tells Stephen and Clem how grateful he is for the opportunity to speak with The Production Channel about his experiences. “My only hope is that somebody listens to this, who this resonates with, because every single day there is something to be learned about how we can do this better and how we can be a bigger part of reaching people and being an example to them.”

Join in the fellowship as Stephen and Clem discuss Andrew’s passion for passing on the weekly word of God to people of all ages in this modern, quick-paced, HD world.

In The Production Channel’s first episode, Stephen Bowles of Shoflo and Clem Harrod of CLEMCO.AV, shine the spotlight on lighting design with industry expert, Richard Dunn. Also known to the world as viral video sensation The Lonely Airport Guy, Richard explains how his self-proclaimed “obnoxious dreamer, glass half full” personality helped catapult himself from a college concert lighting technician to designing a diverse portfolio of live events in the U.S. and abroad.

Richard Dunn is a Canada native, and he always had the desire to work for The Walt Disney Company. Through an unfortunate misunderstanding, he didn’t land his Disney dream job initially, but he turned a negative into a positive and got the chance to meet with the Tech Department supervisor at the Magic Kingdom. “I literally had nothing to lose and said, ‘I’m going to put myself out there.’ That, in a nutshell, is how I ended up as a lighting design professional.” Richard tells Stephen and Clem, “There’s basically three Cs in life that dictate everything–who you are, what you do, and where you’re going.” In this podcast, Richard expands on the three Cs, which are circumstances, choices, consequences. He states, “You only have control over one of those things, and that’s your choices.”

Light design is a very tangible job – “You walk in, you see it, the haze is going, the lights are going, and you can see what I’ve done. You can absorb it.” Richard eventually moved on as a freelance lighting designer, where he creates what a producer or a production company sold to the client, trying to fit everything in the room in a finite amount of time and within a specific budget. When asked about being overwhelmed and coping with those moments where you think “Is this the time we don’t make it?”, often the crew bonds together to solve the challenges, the show goes off without a hitch, and the client is thrilled. He says, “That’s the drug that keeps me coming back.”

Listen in as Stephen, Clem and Richard shed some light on the triumphs of work/life balance, the power of visualization during times of stress, and creatively seizing the day as a lighting designer.

The role of live event projection for events and shows is crucial & demanding. We interview Clem Harrod with CLEMCO.AV to hear how he balances the road, the life, and the pixels.

Episode zero, of The Production Channel, focuses on the demanding role of event projection for live shows. Stephen turns the tables to interview Clem, who explains his journey of building his business, and personal brand, into CLEMCO.AV from his beginnings working three jobs simultaneously in sports, news, and corporate events. Stemming from his mother’s love of still photography, dance and music, Clem has been a long-time fan of visual art. He realized through his mentors and intense learnings at LMG that “what we do in this industry is an art form. I look at what I do as an event projectionist as an artist. That is my foundation.”

Clem gives us the details on how he has managed to make money doing something his loves while maintaining a connection with family during an often-hectic travel schedule.

“Each person needs to think about their own situation, their own schedule. There are things you can do to maintain that balance of your life, of your family life, while you are gone.”

In his pursuit to educate the next generation of live event professionals, Clem has developed Projection101, a way to pass on knowledge and skill of the craft in an organized curriculum. He explains how sharing information and his life experiences will not only help students become better event projectionists, they will become the architects of their own lives.

Listen to the chatter as Stephen pushes Clem to reveal how he blends all aspects of his world to achieve the vision he has projected for his personal life and CLEMCO.AV.