[TheForge] Conference electricity

[Grover Richardson]

Well, likely we cancel each other's votes!!! (humor with a slight grin<G>).

Yes.

Demoing for the public is totally different from a conference.  I do public
demos as well several times a year.  A good demo will have people stacked
up.  I was doing a demo last year that lasted 3 hours after the event ended.
So long as there is a crowd, we don't shut our doors (also vendors<G>).
Note that if the event had asked up to shut our doors. we would have.  But
in this instance, not only was the event happy, but a bunch of people who
worked the event were there, primarily because this was their only chance to
see what I was doing.

The public is a fickle beast, at best.  Long stories.

Still, if we had a public conference, we would have to have essentially two
conferences.  Instead, if we were to open the doors with reduced admission
to other people who would possibly be (or become) interested, this would
allow us to continue with a bs conference for bsers (pun intended) and
expand draw, attendance, and interest.

I think that someone mentioned also bringing in possible architectural types
to see what is done and how.  Though this would likely not be an immediate
paying venture, it could open doors for future work.  Since we are at a
conference hammering like crazy, or standing around intentive; this is a
good place for possible clients to mix in.  They would be obvious.  They
ain't got black all over 'em.<G>

All the Best.

-----Original Message-----
From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Jerry Frost
Sent: Thursday, March 15, 2007 5:23 PM
To: Sponsored by ABANA
Subject: Re: [TheForge] Conference electricity

We're not so very far apart now are we? <grin>

As you say, bringing fresh blood in is important though 
from the other forums I read there seems to be quite a 
bit of interest in smithing from youngsters.

Holding the public's interest for more than about 15 
mins. can be a problem. I manage a bit longer but I'm a 
natural at entertaining patter. . . BS. <innocent grin> 
Something I learned doing demos that really helped is 
the difference in demoing for smiths and demoing for 
the public.

An audience of smiths wants to see a better way of 
doing things, new tricks, tips, materials, etc. An 
audience of tourists wants to see a show.

To the ends of making my smithing demos theater I 
always had something BIG in the fire so the folk got to 
see sparks fly. I had to practice bad fire management 
to get their attention, they want to SEE FIRE not a 
well controlled closed dome. I rapidly discovered if I 
broke the dome open exposing it's exceptionally hot 
innards I got oohs and aahs from the audience. Many 
stuck around for the next demo.

I also discovered that doing a repair job or making 
something to order drew a larger audience than simple 
demo projects. Big hot iron draws more audience even 
though there's less really going on. Smoke, glowing 
iron and noise are what attract tourists. The smiths at 
the event will be at the educational events.

Heck, we could demo how to do demos for the smiths in 
the audience.

Anyway, my point is not closing the doors to anyone 
who's interested, even if it's just a way to get out of 
the house for an afternoon. Deciding on how to charge 
spectators may be a problem but I think it's already 
been solved in the main.

When you go to a large fair you pay general admission. 
This gives you access to the midway, food consessions, 
vendors booths and public shows. If you want to go to 
the concert, see the standup comedian, etc. you pay 
admission at the door.

This would serve to stratify admission prices and 
audiences. It would be an intuitive guide to spectators 
about what they were paying for. For instance if 
general admission was $35/day and they were looking at 
a fenced in area wondering whether they wanted to watch 
this show they'd have a good clue if the admission was 
$50. Nobody would be excluded but they'd be filtered. 
Only people with serious interest would pay the 
additional charge to see something primarily of 
interest only to blacksmiths.

Package deals, day rates, weekend passes, etc. would 
all be in order. Basically it'd allow the general 
public to attend for a reasonable price and still cater 
to the professional.

Brainstorming is good.