What does it mean to be 'Live'? Part 4

What does it mean to be 'Live'? Part 4
Following from our previous posts on the 'The Virtual Presenter', “What does it mean to present in the ‘live’ world?”
In this series of blog posts, we’ll take a tour of some of the industries that have already grappled with this question.

4 Comedy
The role of an audience for a comedian is typically the opposite of most presentation styles.

For starters, comedians need a live audience to practice and test their material.
They might begin with a local audience or small group.
And, as they comede they take note of which lines provoked a chortle, which ones got a smirk and which ones brought the house down.
Over time, they’d accumulate, repackage and compile a single show with all their best jokes lined up like ducks.
Then, in the right setting and on the big occasion, they’d launch their material into the crowd almost certain they’d get a big laugh.

Whilst we often like music the more it’s played, the opposite can be the case for the comedian.
A comedian’s jokes are like watching sport. It’s just not the same when you know the final score.
Likewise, how many times have you laughed at your Dad’s tired and familar lines? I’m sure they’re just a snigger of their old selves.

The goal of a comedian is to be original, startling and surprising.
And, what is currently happening is destroying their business model.

One audience member recording a comedian’s act and distributing it on the internet can destroy months of work.
A great one-liner may be distributed, attributed or not, as a tweet.
A joke may be retold in someone else’s YouTube video.
And a complete manuscript may be rewritten as someone else’s blog post.
Gone are the days of repeating the same old lines.
If their audience has heard it all before, the laughs will be as muffled as a motorcyclist in a helmet.

It may be that live comedy suffers and more and more of it goes online. Perhaps their future is better suited to a YouTube Channel, Comedy Radio Station on iTunes or a book of Tweets.

Question

• What is the repeat value of your work? Does it get better the more time we hear it? Or does it go stale very quickly?
• Should you guard your content or give it away?
• How prolific are you? Are you mostly good and occasionally brilliant?

What does it mean to be 'Live'? Part 3

What does it mean to be live? Part 3
Following from our previous posts on the 'The Virtual Presenter', “What does it mean to present in the ‘live’ world?”
In this series of blog posts, we’ll take a tour of some of the industries that have already grappled with this question.
1 Theatre
2 Music

3 Movies
When movies were released as videos and DVDs, it was commonly thought that cinemas would close too.
They haven’t.
Movies continue to be attractive because it’s worth seeing something on the big screen with big sound.
Currency is also vital. Seeing a movie before your friends do is worth bragging rights.
It also becomes a place to hang out for various reasons…
I love a movie on a hot summers day with an ice-cream. The air-con is worth the price alone!
Note: The snack-bar can be the most profitable part of the movie for the cinema owner.
Also, think back to the back row. What have you done during a movie that you won’t tell you grandchildren about? Does a darkened room help your story?

Questions

• What can you provide in a movie, recorded YouTube format that you can’t provide live?
• Think of your play reel. You can edit out the bad bits, stack in the good bits, time it perfectly, add sound, add special effects and…
• Also, what’s the timeframe for your story? Do you have a latest release? And, who gets to see it?
• Are clients paying for a re-run or new release?
• What's your snack-bar? Are you leaving profits behinds?

What does it mean to be 'Live'? Part 2

What does it mean to be live? Part 2

Following from our previous posts on the 'The Virtual Presenter', “What does it mean to present in the ‘live’ world?”
In this series of blog posts, we’ll take a tour of some of the industries that have already grappled with this question.

2 Music
Talk about comebacks!
The rock concert has seen a Creedence Clearwater Revival of spectacular proportions.
Many of the golden oldies have returned… The Rolling Stones, The Eagles, even Simon and Garfunkel.

What happened?
Were they not content in retirement, living off their record royalties?
May be, may be not.
Whilst recorded music sales have dropped, there has been a rise in the demand for live music.

What happened?
Let’s take a step back in history and find out…
The music industry began with live performances. You just had to be there.
Later, they were complemented by the sales of sheet music.
This was the closest you could get to hearing a maestro at work – learn it and play it yourself.
Then along came the phonograph and the birth of the recording industry.

Through records, cassettes and CDs the music industry literally went in-house.

1. Studio recordings dominated live performances.
2. You could listen to the results in your own home.
3. And, the industry was controlled by the big players. If you're weren't in their chorus, then you weren't going to be seen or heard. As a result, the recording artist - like authors - received only a fraction of the total sales. And, if you didn’t sing to the songsheet that was demanded of you, then the volume was turned down on your music future.

Then along came Napster and iTunes. One cracked the digital code illegally, the other didn’t.
They both helped to break the stranglehold on music held by the big four recording companies.

Performers soon realized the big money was in performing live and selling merchandise.
Kiss are reputed to be earning $50 million from their upcoming world tour.
The sound of music has changed.
It’s now swung back to live performances.
The performers are back in charge! And, back in the money!

Questions

• What sort of experience are you providing for your live audience?
• What's the difference between your recordings and your live performances?
• Are you performing in front of, reciting to or interacting with your audience?

What does it mean to present 'live'?

What does it mean to present 'live'?
Following from our previous posts on the 'The Virtual Presenter', “What does it mean to present in the ‘live’ world?”

In other words, as a presenter, what’s your physical presence worth?
And, what's in it for your live or virtual audience?

If you’re going to take a day off from your family to fly to a conference event what’s it worth to you?
If the conference organizer is going to pay you big dollars to be there, what’s in it for them?

And, your audience? Why not just show your video to the audience.
Better yet, why get an audience together in the first place? Why don’t we all just stay home and watch it on YouTube?

In this series of blog posts, we’ll take a tour of some of the industries that have already grappled with this question.

1 Theatre
Early movies were literally recordings of stage plays.
It was first thought that theatre would wither away as a result.
They haven’t. Live theatre continues today.
Different audience, different ticket premium.
It’s all about being there… experiencing the breath, sweat and tears.

Interestingly, stages shows have sometimes become movies, like Phantom of the Opera.
In other cases, movies like Mama Mia have become stage plays.
Either way, it seems that musicals do best of all.
Selling the soundtrack can be the best selling part of the package.
Theatre shows are expensive.
It costs a lot to assemble a top cast, build a stunning set and hire a worthy theatre.
In contrast the cost of putting together a CD makes it way more profitable as an add-on.

Questions
What’s can we smell, hear, see, feel and taste because we’re in the room with you?
What’s the premium you’re offering your audience for being in the room with you?
What’s your soundtrack worth?