The Producer’s Producer: Steve Hand

When was the last time that “due to situations beyond our control,” seemingly everything for your event changed—and all at the last minute?

That’s the moment when you need a producer’s producer. Steve Hand, principal of The HAND Company, is just this kind of producer—one who is respected by other producers for his ability and style.
Using Hand’s production expertise for the three General Sessions at the 2005 Event Solutions Idea Factory as the model, we asked Hand to discuss his experience and insights.

The Idea Factory’s General Sessions presented a number of unique challenges. Hand brought together strategic partners from every region of the United States to provide all the elements of full-production general sessions, so only a few resided in the Atlanta area, where the show took place. In addition, the venue was new to them. They were also new to each other. They had three individual productions to produce in three days. Each required its own theme, look and atmosphere—and all were to be produced in the same exhibition hall using the same stage.

Hand’s techniques and talents can help any planner or producer deal with unexpected challenges. Here are some of his highlights for creating a winning team.

Communicate by Listening

Communication is as much a listening skill as a speaking skill. My leadership approach for a project of this nature begins with asking all those involved what they want to contribute and what they expect to get in return. In this initial stage, it is critical that all members feel comfortable and know that their ideas are highly valued. Remember, everyone comes to the table with his or her own agenda, and not listening to it doesn’t make it go away. Knowledge is power.

Showcase Each Team Member’s Talents

Enabling each member to do what he or she does best is extremely valuable. It promotes confidence and helps team members showcase the skills that best demonstrate their talents.

Claim Ownership

I considered how to make each person or company an integral part of the endeavor by taking all the information available and incorporating it into the production, while still nurturing my own vision of pulling all three shows together. However, please don’t misunderstand my emphasis on including others—there comes a time when as the producer, you put your foot down. Never be afraid to say no if you need to. You are still running the ship.

Embrace Technology

A major goal of the General Sessions was to provide the audience with ideas they could take home and use. To demonstrate state-of-the-art technology, we looked to Mark Wathen of Hi-Tech to provide technical use of the 20-foot by 60-foot seamless screen for all three General Sessions.

I am a great fan of multiple screens around an event space, but when given the opportunity to work with a screen of that size—that can use six projectors with the capability of six picture-in-pictures with different sizes and configurations—how could I refuse?

Integrate the Content

Each session was driven by its primary speaker. For the Opening General Session, keynote performer Michael Gold and Jazz Impact delved into team building using jazz as the vehicle. Corbin Ball’s General Session emphasized technology. The team created media and atmosphere to enhance both concepts, calling upon the expertise of Planning the Globe for video production—which, I might add, they did superbly, as they are an unbelievably creative team. In the Closing General Session, Michael Cerbelli of Total Entertainment gave the production team the opportunity to produce a fast-paced variety show presenting 15 live performances and 26 media presentations of hot event and entertainment ideas. Oh laaaaady!!! Jerry Lewis would have been proud.

Develop and Maintain Strong Relationships

I relied on long-established relationships with top event industry professionals to complete my team. Frank Del Medico, international sales manager for Event Mall, came on board as stage manager for all three sessions. Joey Solmor from In Awe Event Productions came to Atlanta early to call the show. The incomparable Anthony Bollotta of Bollotta Entertainment, whose creativity is only surpassed by his generosity, wrote and performed all the audio introductions (live for the videos!). The people involved were enthusiastic and excited, and I knew their energy would help make the show a success.

Seek out Professionals

Each team member was focused and responsible. True event professionals have a positive and cooperative attitude with a good feel for the big picture. They understand
that it’s about making everybody look good.
No tantrums, no prima donnas.
Look for people who know what to do and how to proceed and who show up on time for rehearsals and setup. And be sure to reward them with food and drink!

Deal With Negativity

Appropriately handling negativity is critical to the success of your event. Talking privately with someone who disparages others or criticizes ideas is effective. Find the cause of the negativity, move that person around if possible, emphasize the positive and add humor—but keep an eye on the person. If the negative behavior persists, make a mental note not to work with that person again. Of course, in producing the Event Solutions sessions, the talented professionals I worked with helped create a “happy hall” and a successful production.

Use Time Wisely

When producing a show of this magnitude, time is a key element. Stay on top of the scheduling of load-in and setup. Things can get behind, so you need to be able to adjust accordingly. In the case of these events, juggling rehearsal times and run-throughs was a challenge. Keep in mind that you can rehearse elements on different days and that some things can be done simultaneously. For example, you can run through videos and program lights while blocking a dance number onstage. Remain calm and accomplish all you need to in the time you have. Make sure you have time for cue-to-cue rehearsal and a complete run-through. Orchestrate all the elements, and keep it moving.

Be Open to Ideas

Perhaps the most telling of the anecdotes that evolved from this series of productions is that of the Closing General Session. All sorts of ideas had been tossed around as to how to finish the Idea Factory with an experience everyone would remember. Given the creative freedom and degree of trust among team members, many ideas were considered. So when Gary Bias of EventCo Productions and DanceTrance Entertainment (who, by the way, is a creative genius in his own right) proposed bringing in live camels and having Michael Cerbelli, the speaker, close the show by riding in on a camel…it was definitely a go!