Breaking Murphy's Law - Latest Comments

Re: Bookmarked: I survived a speaker’s worst nightmare at BlogWorld! (Birmingham Blogging Academy)

banquetmanager — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 09:02:37 -0000

I just posted a story about a recent issue I had with a/v equipment and a private party we hosted the other day. Hope you enjoy it:
http://soyouwanttobeabanquetmanager.blogspot.co...

Re: Big screen blue screen of death

leepotts — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 14:33:14 -0000

Thanks for taking the time to write that all up, Rick. It really brings it all back for me and those are really great tips and suggestions for anyone who is going to have to deal with these situations. Back when I was doing this sort of meeting they would usually schedule a reception for the speakers that overlapped the slide working session the night before the show. Needless to say things could get pretty interesting as the evening wore on folks went back and forth from one to the other. But that's a story for another day.

Re: Bookmarked: Presentation nightmares (British Airways Business Life)

leepotts — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 13:54:38 -0000

Rowan, I've been trying for a couple days now to come up with a response adequate to your comment and I have to admit, I got nothin'. However, I do have a mental image I wish I didn't have.

Re: Big screen blue screen of death

Rick Pillars — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 13:41:56 -0000

I remember one show we did where we had what we called a Sneaker Net. Every room had a full desktop computer with a 100 MB Zip Drive attached. We asked speakers to come to the Speaker Ready room at least 2 hrs before their talks so that the transfers could take place.

It was a convention that consisted of Doctors and every presentation had hundreds of photos. Some were as much as 70 MB or more even. Well, back then computers were ultra slow. It would take up to 5 minutes or more to file transfer such large files.

We had many doctors who would show up right before their speech and expect immediate results. It just didn't work that way.

We still have that same problem occurring today. Presenters showing up right before their speech, thumbdrive in hand, and expecting immediate results out of the AV Tech. Sometimes even while the speaker prior to them is giving their presentation and thus, unable to load it up right then.

Here's a short list of things we techs need to know:
1.) Is there a video file attached?
If so, is the video file also in the folder (some won't play if they aren't)?

We need to be able to test it beforehand to make sure it actually works. This is one area where Microsoft glitches alot.

2.) Is there audio embedded or attached in the presentation?
Our audio guy needs to know so that he can make sure to make the computer input live.

3.) What version of Microsoft Office was used?
If you build your presentation in Office 2007 and then use a computer that has Office 2003 or even XP during your actual presentation, then some of your fonts and builds and transitions just aren't gonna work. In addition, some of the slides just won't look right.

Some tips for speakers.
1.) Label your thumbdrive with your name and number on it.
2.) Label your presentation with your name, the date and time of presentation, and the name of your presentation.
3.) Show up well ahead of your time in order to get it loaded. It makes all of us look like idiots when you don't.
4.) Bring your own notebook (with power supply) just in case.
5.) Think you will need a wireless lapel/lavaliere mic?
Then talk to Conference organizers well in advance of the conference. They are the ones who authorize such expenditures.

Presenters and their audiences are the most important people in the room. We AV Techs are there primarily to support you and make you look good and professional. Help us to help you.

Re: Bookmarked: Presentation nightmares (British Airways Business Life)

twitter-6967342 — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 05:26:35 -0000

This reminds me of the time I offered to demonstrate how it was the content of the presentation that mattered and not the surroundings / fluff of the boardroom. I told my boss I would be happy to deliver the next client presentation wearing Speedos and disco-boppers. She declined my offer and we won the pitch.

In my defence, I was 21 ...

Re: Hypotheticals

leepotts — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 09:56:04 -0000

Here's one answer that showed up in my feed reader this morning:

"And prepare for the worst in AV problems. I once heard Denis Reggie present an entire program without one slide when the AV system blew up. He never missed a beat and the audience never cared. His message was solid and he knew his material so well that he didn’t need his slides!"

(http://mei500.com/blog/2009/10/so-you-think-you...)

Of course not everyone is capable of pulling something like that off.

Re: Bookmarked: Presentation nightmares (British Airways Business Life)

leepotts — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 01:40:23 -0000

Did it make you feel better knowing you aren't the only person it's happened to?

Re: Bookmarked: Presentation nightmares (British Airways Business Life)

twitter-7851472 — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:43:48 -0000

Wow. Latte on a white shirt! Been there! De ja vu!

Re: Moore Speakers: Trilogy of Terror

Lisa Braithwaite — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 01:33:32 -0000

These are some harrowing stories; truly a trilogy of terror!

Re: The Weekly Might Have Missed List (06/28/09)

banquet manager — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 21:37:46 -0000

You're invited to become a guest blogger and have one of your stories featured on my site in August.
For more info see my post:
Wanted: Guest Bloggers

Re: The Weekly Might Have Missed List (05/31/09)

coachlisab — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 01:00:00 -0000

Thanks, Lee!

Re: Rikk Flohr: Lest you lead your flock astray

coachlisab — Thu, 28 May 2009 00:47:31 -0000

Great example, Lee! Thanks for pointing out this post.

Re: Don’t Kick the Bucket

leepotts — Mon, 25 May 2009 15:09:15 -0000

Can't go wrong with bread and water.

Re: A rapid cascade of events

leepotts — Mon, 25 May 2009 15:07:44 -0000

My equipment table was once set up next to the seam between two sections of an airwall that wouldn't close all the way. The gap was only a couple inches but it let in enough noise to make it difficult to follow the speakers on my side of the wall. On the other hand the slight breeze that also came through the crack kept me more comfortable than I would have been in the overheated room.

Re: Don’t Kick the Bucket

leepotts — Mon, 25 May 2009 15:03:49 -0000

Hope she's okay and was able to find help. You can do everything in your power to eliminate the possibility of external factors causing a disaster but sometimes there's nothing you can do against the internal.

Re: The Weekly Might Have Missed List (05/24/09)

banquet manager — Mon, 25 May 2009 14:34:42 -0000

Thanks Lee.

Re: Don’t Kick the Bucket

Laura Bergells — Mon, 25 May 2009 10:52:43 -0000

Gosh! That's one for the books! (Or blog.)

Working with wildly creative yet unstable people sometimes yields similar results. Watching a presenter imbibe in improbable amounts of inebriates the night before the show, I found myself thinking,

"This isn't going to be good."

Attempts to get her to stop seemed to make her angry -- and determined to drink all the more.

Sure enough, the next morning, the presenter was in the hospital. Alcohol poisoning.

The show went on... without her.

I imagine it impacted her career. Or her life. Haven't heard from her since -- nor do I care to. Can't imagine who would hire her after such shenanigans.

I've seen self-inflicted sickness like this go on before the show -- and word spreads, quietly and quickly. Presenters who self-inflict sickness soon become non-presenters.

Re: A rapid cascade of events

banquet manager — Sun, 24 May 2009 07:00:31 -0000

Lee,

I just wrote a post about the problems with the airwalls in my ballroom. Not an a/v issue but you should relate to it. Read it here:
http://soyouwanttobeabanquetmanager.blogspot.co...

I've also put a link to you on my blogroll.

Take care.

Re: Don’t Kick the Bucket

coachlisab — Mon, 11 May 2009 17:09:41 -0000

This is sad but hilarious, Lee. When I'm traveling before a presentation, I may not be concerned about food poisoning, but I do try to be careful the day before and day of not to eat anything too heavy or anything that will disagree with me. I know what kinds of foods might trigger a digestive "incident," and I may eat them at home for fun, but not the day before a speaking engagement!

Re: PowerPoint Design in 2009: “Very Superstitious…

PowerPointing — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 08:06:21 -0000

Three bullets per slide and they can’t be sentences. Is good rule of thumb, but how about NO BULLETS at all :-)

Thx for sharing

Re: But I can’t find a Pepsi anywhere…

rajgarat — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 00:36:43 -0000

The El Conquistador is an amazing resort. I would like to visit one day. I've been to San Juan on a cruise but next time would like to stay in the El Conquistador.

-Raj
http://beachhotelpackages.com

Re: The Weekly Might Have Missed List (02/22/09)

Expats in Belgium — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 18:11:25 -0000

Hi, just an extra check to your third item.

I have never done this myself, but I have seen presentations where the presenter goes to search for his file, and there in the explorer window are a bunch of embarrassingly named files 'My CV.doc', "Urgent extension of overdraft.doc' etc etc.

Re: The Weekly Might Have Missed List (02/22/09)

banquet manager — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 21:34:25 -0000

I put up a link to your site as a thanks for being one of my "assistant banquet managers". Hope you get tons of new visitors. Maybe you can link back to me too.
So You Want To Be a Banquet Manager

Re: The Weekly Might Have Missed List (02/08/09)

Ian — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 23:26:10 -0000

Thanks for putting up our Obama video. We're hoping that 2009 will be the year of AV crews getting thanked. Or if that isn't possible, maybe getting fed.

Re: The Weekly Might Have Missed List (02/22/09)

jennifer — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 20:16:12 -0000

Hi Lee - thanks for visiting my blog Meet N' Chuckle! I enjoy your lists and the material is great! I'll continue to visit...