Showing all posts tagged #production-management:


Ward Planning Process

Posted on August 18th, 2019


As the Creative Director, I’m responsible for leading us in the tactical now, the strategic near, and the vision of what we’re steering toward.

Now - Every weekend we have another event! I’m responsible for everything that is presented in each of our 3 venues.
  • I directly lead the Worship Directors to lead the art and presentation in each of their venues.
  • I lead the Production Department to support and enhance the art and communication with excellence - not only for the live experience, but also the broadcast audience web streaming and listening to radio.
  • I am coaching the hosts and teachers in navigating transitions and delivering their content with authenticity, tone, and clarity.
  • We’re always iterating and we’ll make any audible to the plan necessary to better tell the story and inspire life.
Near - We have Production Meetings every Monday. We break the meeting into three parts:
  • 3-Weeks-Out - PCO (our online production order and scheduling tool) 60% - The production order is mapped out with at least placeholder elements ("Song 3" or "Focus") in place to estimate timing of the day. Casting roles band/vocal positions are slotted.
  • 2-Weeks-Out - 85% - Order is filled in with specific song names and intended feel of moment in Producer column. Casting of band/vocalists is scheduled.
  • Week-Of - 95% - Order is detailed with who is leading each moment and talking points are outlined. Arrangements for every song is uploaded with accurate detail of what will be rehearsed. (If a change is realized during rehearsal; that’s totally fine, but we communicate any alterations by noon on Thursday) Musician backline support requests are fully detailed with what they want from Ward and what they’re brining.
Far - In the winter and spring, we begin mapping out the following year.
  • We try to maintain a road-map that is over a year in advance. I have created a master document for every event (weekends and special event) that happens in our main venues.
  • By 12-weeks-out, I work with the lead teacher for each event to write a paragraph of vision for the narrative of the experience, the angle of the teaching, and the hope for response. I’m also working with our Executive Staff and key Directors to make sure that we know any necessary elements, promotions, or calendar notes that must be factored in to the planning.
  • I have lead us to be 12-weeks-out in that "treatment" that we can plan from. I lead our team in a meeting where we look at each sermon series and we brainstorm ideas we might plan. We fill up the whiteboard with ideas, sketches, stickie notes, and optimism.
  • I followup with our Worship Directors and Lead Teacher and we hone in on what we want to develop. Storyboarding, writing, "braintrusting", re-writing, producing, designing, ordering, shooting, editing, prototyping, etc.


Volunteer Celebration

Posted on May 29th, 2019

Event Producing
The request was to find a way to show appreciation to >900 volunteers. I was offered the support of the other directors on the staff and a budget of $10,000. At first glance that sounds like a lot of money, but I had to use that for catering for dinner and desert, decorations, entertainment, awards...as well as invitations, childcare, photography, table hosting, setup, strike, dishwashing; also what presenters and MCs would be responsible for what communication...

I took survey of all the stakeholders - directors and key leaders. I learned what worked well with similar events in the past. I assembled a team of key partners whom I could brainstorm with and develop concepts. We did research to figure out what our ideas might cost. We met again and leaned into what had good value and scrapped what didn’t. We surveyed and used statistics to determine how many we thought would actually show up; and how many might. We put it on the calendar and after figuring out a brand for the night we sent out invitations. We worked through details with the caterer and the band. We made certain sacrifices from our ideal hopes, but ended up with remarkably clever innovations to our plan. We created a signup sheet for directors to own delegated chores and presented the vision to the staff with the request for ownership… In addition to my team of co-leaders, our whole staff stepped up and helped make a really special evening. The video above shows a few of the highlights.Download PDFDownload PDF


Event Pre-production Coaching

Posted on June 29th, 2017

Im often asked for coaching in how to prep for events with proper pre-production. Here’s a compilation of questions I ask the promoter or executive that I work with to determine the scope and develop with the proper plan. So read below to see the list of starter questions that I lead my PM to get answers on. Further below, I’m also including a starter list of gear; as well as a timeline for the event—both day of and checkpoints for week and month or so prior.


Event Pre-production Questions - A good Production Manager should be asking these questions

Who is the Producer? Who are additional "clients" we might serve? Who has the information we need and when can we meet?

Vision/Purpose of event?

Times of event?

Who is on stage? Artists? Communicators?

Who is our host?

Who is keynote speaker?

Any additional communicators?

Any Musicians? Vocalists?

What else happens during production? Any Video playback? Any Dance?

Production Design Requests?

Stage decor?

Supplemental decor?

Who has action steps? Who is responsible for further answers/direction?

What we know and are planning on: (what the capabilities of the event are - venue and crew)


GEAR
*2 handhelds
(for MC and the sharing mic)
*ProPresenter
(slides, videos, audio playback)
**Spotify for walk-in playback music
(They said they have an account login so that it wouldn’t play commercials)
*live music reinforcement
(likely a vocal mic and a DI for acoustic guitar, holding on final casting)
**lighting for the stage, photo stage, and wall of fame
(photo stage and wall of fame lighting theoretically provided by Video Dept.)
*what venue offers as part of base package (or what we agree that we are renting)
**what client is providing


TIMELINE (month of)
2 weeks out - final draft of production concept (casting and programming)
3 days out - final plan of production and plan of what set up is.


TIMELINE (day of)
4:45 setup
6:00 rehearsal
6:45 doors open
7:00 welcome, call to grab deserts, 10min warning
7:15 event starts
5 monologue
3 video
25 awards ceremony (10 interns)
3 montage video
15 awards ceremony (6 interns)
5 song
4 Producer - thank yous
12 Pastor - prayer, vision
30 deserts and mingling
9:00 strike
9:45 leave

Teach Us To Pray - DigitalJournal

Posted on June 21st, 2016

It was a great experience to partner as Producer for the Teach Us To Pray series that we’re starting. I’m very proud of this Journal that we created instead of our regular programs. I’m hopeful for the fruit from these next seven weeks


Eric G Wolfe

Creative Director | Process Architect. Design Strategist. Leadership Coach.