gracesdogeventjournal

[gracesdogeventjournal]

During the day

As previously posted i managed the showing of the silent child on the day. although this was a relatively simple role i think the film showed some of the people that deafness affects and who the hearing dogs help. i met many customers, volunteers both from bucks and from the hearing dogs, also many dogs including the labrador used for the mascot. as the showing for the film was every hour at half past, i had some time to take a breather, grab some lunch and talk to people. i also refilled the dogs dog bowl at the front of the cafe and was later given leaflets to place on the chairs during breaks featuring the soon to open new hub, reception and public cafe. after my last showing i walked around the show to ensure no help was needed immediately and then i delivered fresh cold water to my friend and the traffic stewards at the entrance. I noted that while i was there i spoke to a young family who’s two children was desperately thirsty and had water from my own bottle. although im sure there were drinks on offer throughout the day i feel that more water provisions should be made in the case of extreme good weather. Some of the traffic stewards and i were tasked with heading to the main area and starting to break down any tents or areas that could be removed. however it was still very busy with the public enjoying the ska band and was there for dangerous to try and break down and move equipment. although we did collect some of the rubbish and visited another friend who was still stewarding and was severely sunburnt.

[gracesdogeventjournal]

Set up

my initial tasks on the day included setting up tents and furniture prior to arrival. I helped several collegues set up a long wide tent for the security search lanes. as none of us had set up a tent of this kind and size again it took us a little longer than necessary however i found it a great learning experience and when assisted by someone who had set up a tent before it was completed. i then assisted in putting out the deck chairs which had been ordered by the hearing dogs to provide a more relaxed audience for the main stage. i think this was a excellent idea as it contributed to the feel of the event and provided excellent seating as well as filling a large space. however it was later determined that i more organised approach to the deck chairs couldve provided more donations for the hearing dogs if donations were asked for for the chairs. however this is something to reflect on for next year if the weather is good. me and a collegue then assisted in the distribution and placement of parking signs as well as press and artist parking signs attatching them to trees and ensuring they were visible along the car route. i then helped set up the back of the main stage by positioning some tents for the green screen area. i then assisted in the securing of this area by fitting three herris fencing panels which was another learning curve as i had not previously handled fencing. As the opening of the event drew near i headed to my station which was in the hearing dogs cafe and ensured all was set up and nothing needed doing before my first showing.

[gracesdogeventjournal]

Weather

The day of the event will be hot sunny weather which is excellent news as it may encourage more people to buy tickets on the day. however this weather could bring some issues as excessive sun and heat could cause issues. water must be in constant supply during the day and shade must be provided. this could also result in people leaving earlier as they will not want to spent excessive time in the sun. although this doesnt affect the income on the door it may effect this income from other stalls, traders and rides. this could also result in people attending the event later to try and skip the worst of the heat. Dogs also need to be catered for during the day with water bowls refilled often and at other dog charity events i have visited has provided paddling pools for the dogs to cool down in. how viable this is may be unsure but we also must consider health and safety of a wet and possibly muddy area around the pool.

[gracesdogeventjournal]

The Silent Child

During the day of the event i was put in charge of the showing of the silent child which was a short film depicting the troubles of a young deaf girl. My responsibilities entailed starting and resetting the film, i also gave a short introduction and encouraged donations through the contactless point at the back. 

The silent child was held in the Hearing Dogs cafe which had been set up with a screen and a number of chairs. this room also had access to toilets including a disabled toilet as well as fresh cold water which on the day of the event was highly sort after due to the weather. The audience of the film was gathered round the corner from the cafe and brought over by a steward. The film was shown every hour at half past. 

The film showed a conflicted family with a very young deaf girl who was clearly misunderstood and overlooked. It is often hard for mothers who have dreamed of the perfect child to adjust to a child’s disability and do whats best for them. The child is introduced to an interpreter and shows her progress as she learns to communicate and enjoy the interpreters friendship. The change in the child’s mood is obvious as she becomes less frustrated and learns more. The interpreter  However the mother seemed relatively unconcerned and uncaring of her childs needs and happiness.

There are parts in the film that are particularly upsetting including that where the family is shown laughing but through the deaf girls eyes. This seems very sad and lonely as none of the family attempts in interact with her. There is also a clip where the the child signs that she was thinking that her ears are broken and the interpreters face expresses the emotion of everyone watching. The film does not have a happy ending as the little girl is separated from the interpreter and put into a school that is ill equipt to handle her deafness and she is isolated and lonely. when the interpreter goes to the school the little girl signs that she loves her and the interpreter returns her love and leaves crying. 

I both loved and hated this film and as i watched it more through out the day i noticed more and more the changes in the characters and visual cues that lead to the upsetting ending. i think this film is an excellent example of the misunderstanding of deafness. as the film states at the end deafness is not a learning difficulty and with the right support a deaf child can do the same as hearing child. 90 % of deaf children are born into hearing families but 78% go into mainstream schools with no support. the film was frustrating and heartbreaking but an eye opener to suffering of children without the correct support and the need for sign language to be recognised globally in schools. 

My favourite part of my job the day of the event was listening to people at the end of the viewing and talking to some of the audience. A number of people left the viewing stating that they should learn sign language and several of them made a donation using the contactless terminal at the back of the cafe. Some of the audience also spoke to me after the viewing about there personal experience with deafness. One couple spoke to me about their grandson who had been deaf since birth and at 15 months had learnt his first word in sign language. However, my favourite conversation was that of a family with a deaf teenage girl. The family had also determine her deafness from a young age but sent her to regular sign language lessons and fought for her to have support in ever school she attended. The teenage girl was now graduating from college later this year which proved that any deaf child could achieve as much as a hearing one. It was lovely to see an alternative ending where the child got the love and support she needed and could happily progress with her life. 

[gracesdogeventjournal]

Dogs Allowed?!

we have recently and rather abruptly been informed that dogs will be allowed at the event. this milestone was dropped during a marketing scheme which said as always dogs are allowed. when questioned early in the process it was determined that dogs other than disability dogs would not be allowed on site. if we had been informed that dogs would be allowed i feel the planning of the event wouldve been different. the implication of dogs at this late period has little effect on the production as most decisions already made cannot be altered. Although i always thought dogs were a essential part of this event and that all dogs should be allowed this late announcement provides little time for provisions to be made.

from looking at the customers at the christmas market, most of them were dog owners and were local. Many dog owners or dog lovers support dog related charities as they understand the benefits a dog can have on a persons life. dog owners are also always interested in events where their dog can be brought and can join in. I myself love dogs and have been to many dog related charity events including battersea and the dogs trust. these dog friendly events featured mainly dog and child related stools and also dog activities including fun dog agility training as well as competitions for pets including times runs and agility speed. i feel that from a dog owner perspective this would make the event more dog related and could encourage greater support for the charity, however i do also understand that this was a music themed event and that lots of added dog entertainment could draw away from the main purpose. 

Obviously extra provisions must be made for dogs including water, vets and security. Weather issues can be extremely hazardous for dogs particularly hot weather its there for essential that shade, water and rest is provided for the dogs. A vet or animal welfare officer must also be present in order to ensure that if any dogs are injured or fall ill during the event they can be sufficently cared for. I think dog security is one of the most problematic issues concerning dogs at the event. As well as ensuring no dogs are left in vehicles and controlling any possible dog theft. the security for the dogs themselves include how to deal with naughty, troublesome or even agressive dogs. this should include action plans to deal with any dog related incidents such as a dog being stolen, a dog attacking another dog or attacking a person. security should also involve ensuring the site is appropriate for the dogs, specifically enclosed areas and prevention for dogs running onto the busy road or into the carpark. Many foods are also bad for or can cause harm to dogs so ensuring that none of the litter from food vendors is left and also removing any hazardous materials or substances. 

[gracesdogeventjournal]

Communication

On reflection the biggest improvement that could be made is the communication. The communication between the teams, individuals in the teams and with the hearing dogs themselves wasn’t good. Many areas of the event required knowledge and coordination from several teams particularly logistics and production, and talent and marketing. examples would include the site map, artist marketing and decisions being made. the lack of communication resulted in chaos between and within the teams. some teams were unsure of what their team included and what was being done by another team which lead to both duplications and somethings being missed. On reflection the teams should’ve tried harder to communicate ideas, issues, decisions etc to improve the fluidity of the event and ease of production.

The communication issue was also a problem within the teams, tasks and explanations of task were often confused or unclarified. In the logistics team i was often unsure or what needed doing, what my tasks entailed and who was responsible for what. My concerns began very early on when a team leader was chosen as to my understanding there was a continuous vote for team leader, however this was put aside and the team leader was announced with not understanding of how that decision was made. furthermore the team leader failed to inform the team, specificly myself and some colleages, that they were the team leader until later informed several weeks after the decision was supposedly made. this confusion continued though out the planning process where i proceeded to be given tasks and have them given to someone else, misinformed or removed completely. this was both disappointing, disheartening and effected my overall contribution to the event.

The Hearing Dogs themselves couldve improved communication as i believe they were sometimes hard to reach and at other times overly communicative. i believe earlier communication couldve assisted greatly with the production and success of the planning of the event and improved the outcome. if there was to be a repeat event i would advise greater communication between all departments and the teams especially marketing, logistics and production.

[gracesdogeventjournal]

Promotion and Marketing

The promotion and marking of this event was essential due to the fact that it is a new event and that the local area usually show a lot of support for the charity. The initial ideas included a mascot for the event in the form of a very nice young golden labrador, it was issued that one of the teams relatives would produce a festival style illustration for the event. this illustration took longer than expected and when finished was determined that the festival accesories added to the dog were inappropriate. The hearing dogs opposed the image as they said that the dressing up of dogs was unfair and possibly animal cruelty. i wasn’t over whelmed by the illustration and felt the later promotion that included a more cartoony top of the dogs head was much cuter, reusable and family friendly. 

i feel that the physical distribution of promotion material could’ve been better. although there was several flyering events including at the trainstation. i believe that a greater presense around the local towns would’ve had a greater effect. many people lose or throw away leaflets without reading them. the brightly coloured poster with a cute dog illustration wouldve drawn attention and due to the local support of the charity couldve improve earlier interest. 

i also feel that online promotion could’ve been better, although the hearing dogs invested alot of money into facebook ads. i feel a closer relationship with the hearing dogs marketing team and regular photos, videos etc couldve improved the online marketing. i think appealing to peoples love of dogs and puppies wouldve been a good marketing strategy. creating and sharing pictures and videos of the hearing dogs puppies and the dogs in training themselves no only would encourage views and support the event but show what the charity does.

[gracesdogeventjournal]

Alcohol Reflection

it was determined early on that alcohol was both an interest and an issue for the event. the hearing dogs expressed a concern to whether it was appropriate to have alcohol at the event and we recieved conflicting information on whether the inclusion on alcohol was permitted or not. I personally felt that some member of our team both as a whole and logistics did not understand the concept behind the event and associated it more with glastonbury than a family friendly day out. the initial discussion concerning a variety of different alcoholic beverages including wine, beer, cocktails, pimms and bars with spirits. i felt that this was totally inappropriate and that the team was overlooking the target market of the event. although my concerns were voiced several times, particularly when the hearing dogs were yet to confirm if alcohol was to be served i was overlooked. due to this on going issues very little progress was made concerning alcohol and later very close to the event it was determined that no bars or other alcoholic companies had been obtained for the event. my personal opinion was to include alcohol at a moderate level and aim for more sophisticated artisan beers and beverages which could be purchased as a drink or to take home this would provide alcohol but also act as a trader. i was also supportive of linking a local brewer to the event in order to encourage the local people and demonstrate the love of the local culture. i believed a company like the Mad Squirrel would be ideal and could have provided a small tent. 

in the end alcohol was included on a smaller scale and i believe that the change in time from a evening to night even to a daytime event effected the consumption of alcohol beneficially. although beer and cocktails were available on the it was not an unnecassary amount but i do feel if the event went on into the night there may have been more of an issue with alcohol consumption. i feel the inclusion of alcohol improved the day for the customers but that it needs to be appropriate for the event, moderated and precautioned for issues that could occur.

[gracesdogeventjournal]

My Participation and Failed Roles

During the preparation of this event i have been given many roles and tasks most of which failed, were reassigned or removed. My roles included furniture and decor management which i was assigned while on holiday with no explanation of what this role entailed or how to proceed with it. another project i was tasked with was pyrotechnics and confetti, although i did question whether this was appropriate for the event, not only due to the dogs who would be on site the next day but also the target audience and the environment. I researched environmental biodegradable confetti and a variety of pyrotechnics but due to the lack of information about the production, layout and requirement i was unable to determine which would be most suitable. the pyrotechnics required a minimum distance for both the audience and the performers and without stage dimensions it was unsure whether this would be doable. In the end it was decided that neither were necessary for the event and my research was unused. I then visited Beaconsfield with a fellow logistics member to look for suitable traders for the event. unfortunatly beaconsfield consisted of expensive house ware shops and show rooms, several beauty parlours and hair dressers and some small gift shops which were expensive and in my eyes unsuitable. I informed my team leader of the lack of anything suitable for the event but was unsure of whether my participation was noted. 

another research trip i undertook was to the big christmas market at waddesdon manor which is around 20 minutes away from saunderton. As well as christmas vendors the market also contained specialist food companies, craft companies of all varieties and childrens toys and clothes. i gathered some names from the event as well as some business cards and noted that one vintage style craft stall mentioned previous work with the hearing dogs. however, when i brought this information to the team leader it was determined that enough research had been obtained and she was unsure of the suitability of the traders. 

more work included an undetermined carpark signage task which when asked was told it was signage for the carpark which was unhelpful. i proceeded to look at AA road signage for the event and freestanding information signs directing cars. however i was then told the signage was colour coded individual signs for the lanes of the car park. i felt this was extremely unnecassary but proceeded to look at laminated, corogated card and printed signs with coloured pawprints. it was then determined this was an unnecessary cost and if the signs were needed they would be painted or printed. I believe that if someone is unable to find their car in a single field carpark that maybe they should not be driving. after this assignment i was labelled as signage manager even though i had had no information, knowledge or understanding of other signage, what was needed and how it should be made.

after the short unknown departure of one of my team member i was reassigned to look at inflatables, i research many different local companies. i was looking for price, delivery, quality of merchandise and health and safety or insurance. i finalised my list down to three potentials some which were a greater quality but slightly higher price. i had spoken to two of these companies and when i spoke to my team leader she said that her and the lecturer had taken this assignment and contacted a different company and not informed me. ----- it was later determined that the company chosen was very rude to several member of staff and let themselves onto site without permission, it is my understanding they have now been black listed from the hearing dogs and the university and i wonder whether any of MY chosen companies would’ve been more suitable.

me and a fellow colleague were given the task of organising the box office, however we were not told what areas of the box office had already been sorted and what was already in place. due to the fact that it was the easter holidays at the time there were no meeting to ask about this information. me and my colleague did research on different box office provisions, organisation both inside the box office and outside, queue organisation and signage. when i question the team leader on what research was required i was told that once again this task had been given to someone else and all the research we had done was unnecesssary. it was later determined that the aim of our research was to organise the queue line for the box office however we were not told what fencing or provisions we could’ve used. the task itself was done by two other members of logistics in the return lecture during meetings. 

The event management plan - i was later asked to compile a list of prohibited items for the event management plan for the festival. i research other music festival prohibited items lists as well as those for family events. due to the recent understanding of dogs allowed at the event as also looked for dog or dog owner specific items that may need to be prohibited. my research lead me to a dog event which had extensive information not only on prohibited items but on how the dogs themselves were cared for and catered for at the event. i then started to question our own provision for dog related issues. i brought some of these issue to both my team leader and lecturer and was told it wasnt our problem. as one of the issues i was looking at was dog security not just preventing dog theft but also incidents such as violent dogs i felt that any incidents that did happen which were unprepared for would backfire massively on both us and the hearing dogs. i there for undertook the dog provisions section of the event management plan and contacted the hearing dogs on their own provisions as well as any information i needed to complete my task. in the dog provisions section i included provision for car parks - dogs left in cars, dogs in distress as well provisions for weather. i finalised this with a small section on the dog play area however noone was able to tell me what this entailed and what was actually arranged for the dog play area. 

[gracesdogeventjournal]

Site Layout

The site is a large area of a variety of fields separated by trees buildings and fences. although it was unclear who’s team the map and layout of the site should fall under i think it would be a shared discussion between logistics and production. to my understanding little to no communication took place and early, in progress and even later site plans and edits were communicated or even shown to those in logistics team.

On a site walk through i pointed out some initial issues i saw in the current plan including pedestrians crossing over car track ways, pedestrians foot paths going through permanent fences and trees or saplings and other miscommunications including conflicting map ideas like pedestrians walking through areas that also planned to use as storage. another major mistake i noticed was the blue light route which i questioned due to the low hanging of the trees and short width between some fences and trees. 

The progress and process of planning the site layout and issuing site maps appeared to me to be chaotic, misinformed and with various groups working under separate maps to different ideas. 

in my personal opinion - organising the site map should consist of the coordinate and contribution of all the teams. If i was to redo this festival from the beginning i think one of the most important things is the site layout and it contributes to the organisation of all other aspects of the event. i would start with measuring all aspects of the site that can be used for the event to determine which areas are best to be used for which section. i would then draw out a rough map with the measurement and any unmovable objects to help with planning. The car route should come first as this is something that is unlikely to have many options or be changeable but is essential, this would include the entrance of the cars, the car park and the exit route. i would then look into any pedestrian routes focus on the largest aspects of the event and those that can only be in specific places. such as the stages, box office, welfare or toilets. this will allow for the remaining space to be measured and edited based on the other entertainment and aspects that need to be included. 

Placement of stalls and entertainment should be decided on health and safety, power supplies, organisation or production of the site and convenience for customers and staff.  

[gracesdogeventjournal]

Site walk through and early plans

during early meetings, plans and evaluations i feel a lack of communication and realistic ideas were used. initial work throughs went well and although there was said to be aerial photos taken of the site using a logistics members drone. however i never saw these photos or was consulted or discussed any layout or options for the site. it was unclear whose team the site map would fall under logistics or production. in my opinion both had essential parts to play in the development of the layout and i think some serious factors needed to be taken into account which i will address in a separate post. 

[gracesdogeventjournal]

Information on the income of the Christmas market compared to previous years

[gracesdogeventjournal]

Hearing Dogs Christmas Market

This reflective post will look at the Hearing Dogs Christmas market event which was the only event held by the hearing dogs before the festival and there for an excellent opportunity to review the target market, promote the event and see what visitors enjoy at the event.

I attended the event as a guest in order to more easily review the different areas, the target market and what was successful at the event. apart from the low entry price i also noticed the visitors at the event were either disabled people with hearing dogs, dog owner or what seemed to be locals. The event was well signed with a number printed and laminated direction signs as wells as a leaflet containing a map given upon entry.

The event consisted of a variety of stalls, children activities including Santa’s grotto, food stalls and games. i would describe both the event and the atmosphere as quaint, small and simple. There were few stalls and only small areas which were open to visitors including a medium tent, in inside hall and food stalls connecting the two. most of the stalls sold jewellery, children’s toys or books and crafts. The games in the event were tombolas, cuddly toy tombolas and chocolate tombolas. These were aimed at children and although there were only a few when i arrived on the final day of market, many of these games were low on prizes and closed due to no prizes left.

The event was mainly attended by families, older couples and dog owners. There was a large number of dog owners with non assistant dogs as many dog owners enjoy events where their dogs can come along. although most of the dogs were very nice and well trained, there were a few incidents of aggression that i saw which were handled by the owners. as well as a few naughty dogs who tried to take things from other visitors and off some of the stalls.

There was a stall set up for our festival that was run by team members which advertised the festival, and had a competition to win free entry tickets to the event. the stall itself wasnt well prepared and resulted in alot of chaos in the week leading upto the market. As the event has no name, artwork or promotional material the stall was not particularly well marketed and from a distance the subject and purpose of the stall was unclear. the stall was also located outside which on a especially cold day was not ideal as many people were not interested in hanging around to hear about the event and participate in the competition.

if redone i would suggest utilising this event much more than it was. the visitors to this event were the prime target market for our event and could have been used to draw early interest, promote the event and gain extensive market research to follow for the festival. i believe with more planning and a more visually striking stand to draw attention this event could of been utilised to the best of our ability. although there was interest from the event and some research was gathered from willing visitors i do not feel this data was utilised well as many different teams seemed to be operating to different target markets.

[gracesdogeventjournal]

In order to remember all the events during the organisation, i have been making physical notes in class, during meetings, during site walk throughs and on my personal opinions. Which will now be typed onto my blog to update the planning experience. 

[gracesdogeventjournal]

Time Changes

The time of the event in May has recently changed from 3-10? to 1-7pm.

Should this time change effect the event? Yes

This change has moved the event from evening to night event to a day to evening event. This could effect everything from the entertainment and food to audience and music needed.

Previous looks at the target market and local demographics suggest that families, couples and current supporters of the charity are the best people to target for an all day event. Although some in the team would prefer to focus on a younger audience with it being a music event this audience will be harder to appeal to has has shown less interest in the charity in the past. This new timing change is better suited to those in the current demographic and supporters of the charity. The earlier time makes it more family friendly and will encourage people to buy an all day ticket.

However, as the event is now a day event rather than a day into night event. The ticket prices might need to reflect a day out rather than an into the night music festival.

The food and entertainment should also be taken into account for the new time. As people will be looking for more lunch and early dinner food rather than heavy dinners from several hot food carts. Maybe look into sandwiches or cakes in order to gain food income at lunch as well as dinner. During the planning of the event I have always been apposed to alcohol as I believe the prestigious charity and family event should contain spirits of any kind. The revised time of the event reinforces this idea. As many individuals attending the event maybe against drinking before 7 which is the end of the event. Craft and local beers would be acceptable as refreshment, however I feel other alcohols are no longer needed.

In terms of entertainment, an emphasis on children’s activities is now obvious as people would now be interested in taking their children to the event all day. Where as previously parents maybe wouldn’t be interested in all day tickets as the evening wouldn’t be appropriate for children. Fireworks will now also have less effect as the earlier finish will mean there will be more light. There for less expensive and less extravagant fireworks displays will save money but still have the required effect.

[gracesdogeventjournal]

Target Market

The target market of the event determines many other aspects, from the entertainment and the marketing to the layout of the site and the food provided. Having a good idea of the target market early on will help to sculpt the event to suit those most likely to attended.For this event the target market will be the current supporters of the Hearing Dogs charity, the local area and the aim of the event which is music lovers and festival goers. 

A lecture looking at the demographics of the local area indicated that a large portion of the local towns are between the ages 30-59 and are in professional occupations. This demographic includes families with children who will be interested in days out and couples with a larger disposable income who are more likely to donate to charity. This is likely to be a similar demographic to those currently donating and supporting hearing dogs.

The hearing dogs charity get a lot of local support from High Wycombe and Buckinghamshire as well as from the rest of the UK. The charity currently have a good online following with 62 thousand followers on twitter, 50 thousand followers on facebook and 30 thousand on their mailing list. The charity also has 2000 active volunteers who help support the charity at events. The charity is very prestigious and well thought of with a good reputation and rely completely of the funds and donation of others. There for the charitys reputation and consequently future funds is on the line with every event. 

The aim of the event is to educate music lovers and festival goers on the lasting damaging efforts loud music can have on your ears. The age of festival goers range from teenagers to over 50s and there for is a hard demographic to please. I there for think that other target markets should be catered for originally and then branch further into the festival goers market as the event develops. 

[gracesdogeventjournal]

Area Teams

As part of our organisation system for the running of the event, the group will be organised into a Production team, Talent team, Marketing team and Logistics team in order to organise and divide the tasks.

I asked to be placed in either the Marketing or Logistics team. Although I would have preferred to be placed in the Marketing team where I feel I have far more knowledge and experience due to my previous qualifications in art, product design and graphic design and my previous modules on my course. I have been placed in the Logistic team which interested me second out of the two teams. Although I have little idea of what is involved in logistics tasks i am determined to try my best in any area i am tasked with. 

The logistics team focuses mainly on the traders, concessions, catering and attractions. The team is tasked with organising stalls and food traders, as well as rides and children’s entertainment. The team must also focus of safety and legislation both for traders and the public.