Behind the Scenes
First of all, I should admit to being a big fan of American Idol. Yes it’s far too commercial and sure the jokes and group songs are a bit hokey, but at its core, the show represents something we all hope is true…that anyone has a chance to be discovered. But this blog posting is not about the ideal of hope or the underdog story that is a 17-year-old winner this year (never mind that she’s the daughter of an ex-NFL football player who certainly has been provided opportunity along the way).
This is a posting about what it takes behind the scenes to make a successful event or project or television show. On TV, things almost always look slick. The host, the band, the lighting, the camera angles…all functioning in harmony to produce a high-quality product. It takes far more than the push of a button, however, to make it all work.
As I watched the Idol finale last night, I was struck by all the moving parts that are required in such a production. Here’s just a simple list I was able to come up with:
- The Host (Ryan Seacrest)
- The Judges (Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell)
- The Band (Ricky Minor and band)
- Lighting technicians
- Sound technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hairstylists
- Wardrobe Consultants
- Procurement Agents to purchase items for the above list
- Stagehands
- Everyone working at the Kodak Theatre (including greeters, security, maintenance, ticket-takers, etc.)
- On-air production crew
- Programmers working with on-screen graphics
- Film crews, producers and writers for all the video clips/taped segments
- Advertising and Marketing for the show
- Account Managers for sponsorships
- Agents for booking talent
And I’m certain that I could list at least twice that number of roles if I did some homework. All told, how many people does it take to make sure an American Idol finale goes off without a hitch? 200? 500? Did 1000 people within Fox touch that event in some way?
The bottom line is that I’m amazed at what must go into a project like the AI finale in order for it to be a successful production. In reality though, I’m no less impressed by the simple projects that take place in any office or factory in any town around the world.
How many people does it take to give a presentation? If that presentation is given by a C-Level leader, I’m guessing it takes at least 8 people to make it happen. Someone handles the scheduling and logistics, someone prepares the PowerPoint slides, and at least 5 different employees (minimum) supply information that will go into the presentation. When all are added to the presenter him or herself, you’ve got at least 8 people on board in some capacity. So why is this fascinating to me?
- It means that hiring the right people in ALL levels of an organization is crucial to its success
- It means that keeping a large number of people moving together towards one common goal is inherently difficult yet crucial
- It means that the leader giving the presentation has to have a great deal of faith in the other folks contributing to the outcome
- It means that a successful outcome should be shared by all involved; and all should be involved in any learning that can be taken away
- It means that it is very easy to take for granted the work of those behind the scenes in the course of daily work
It in turn means that any project or task or production requires strong leadership. That leader must hire the right talent and then motivate them to continually produce great work. That leader must trust his/her team and then share the praise and learning opportunities with all involved (not just a select few). And finally that leader must find ways to recognize and reward the work of those behind the scenes….those that do not see the camera or the audience or the accolades. If all do not feel recognition, all will not feel compelled to create a successful outcome in the future.
The American Idol finale provided me with 2 hours of enjoyable entertainment. When I think of the number of people, processes and working hours involved in making it all happen, I am in awe. That awe will no longer be limited to the big productions I see on television – I hope to reserve that same level of awe for the successful work projects I see around me in organizations I work with every day.
This is a posting about what it takes behind the scenes to make a successful event or project or television show. On TV, things almost always look slick. The host, the band, the lighting, the camera angles…all functioning in harmony to produce a high-quality product. It takes far more than the push of a button, however, to make it all work.
As I watched the Idol finale last night, I was struck by all the moving parts that are required in such a production. Here’s just a simple list I was able to come up with:
- The Host (Ryan Seacrest)
- The Judges (Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell)
- The Band (Ricky Minor and band)
- Lighting technicians
- Sound technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Hairstylists
- Wardrobe Consultants
- Procurement Agents to purchase items for the above list
- Stagehands
- Everyone working at the Kodak Theatre (including greeters, security, maintenance, ticket-takers, etc.)
- On-air production crew
- Programmers working with on-screen graphics
- Film crews, producers and writers for all the video clips/taped segments
- Advertising and Marketing for the show
- Account Managers for sponsorships
- Agents for booking talent
And I’m certain that I could list at least twice that number of roles if I did some homework. All told, how many people does it take to make sure an American Idol finale goes off without a hitch? 200? 500? Did 1000 people within Fox touch that event in some way?
The bottom line is that I’m amazed at what must go into a project like the AI finale in order for it to be a successful production. In reality though, I’m no less impressed by the simple projects that take place in any office or factory in any town around the world.
How many people does it take to give a presentation? If that presentation is given by a C-Level leader, I’m guessing it takes at least 8 people to make it happen. Someone handles the scheduling and logistics, someone prepares the PowerPoint slides, and at least 5 different employees (minimum) supply information that will go into the presentation. When all are added to the presenter him or herself, you’ve got at least 8 people on board in some capacity. So why is this fascinating to me?
- It means that hiring the right people in ALL levels of an organization is crucial to its success
- It means that keeping a large number of people moving together towards one common goal is inherently difficult yet crucial
- It means that the leader giving the presentation has to have a great deal of faith in the other folks contributing to the outcome
- It means that a successful outcome should be shared by all involved; and all should be involved in any learning that can be taken away
- It means that it is very easy to take for granted the work of those behind the scenes in the course of daily work
It in turn means that any project or task or production requires strong leadership. That leader must hire the right talent and then motivate them to continually produce great work. That leader must trust his/her team and then share the praise and learning opportunities with all involved (not just a select few). And finally that leader must find ways to recognize and reward the work of those behind the scenes….those that do not see the camera or the audience or the accolades. If all do not feel recognition, all will not feel compelled to create a successful outcome in the future.
The American Idol finale provided me with 2 hours of enjoyable entertainment. When I think of the number of people, processes and working hours involved in making it all happen, I am in awe. That awe will no longer be limited to the big productions I see on television – I hope to reserve that same level of awe for the successful work projects I see around me in organizations I work with every day.
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