Lessons Learned From the 2013 Emmy Awards

Most of us will never have the opportunity to plan a large-scale, televised event like the Emmy Awards. If, however, you are planning a local award ceremony, an event that has an awards portion, or any other event with a similar format, the 65th Primetime Emmy Awards telecast is a great example of what works and what doesn't.

The Host

What happened: This year's Emmy Awards telecast was hosted by Neil Patrick Harris, star of comedy series How I Met Your Mother. People had high hopes for Harris, who won an Emmy for his turn as host of the Tony Awards. Unfortunately, he didn't quite hit the mark. It's not that he was a bad host - you can tell he took the job seriously and was having a lot of fun. The problem is that nothing really memorable happened. Harris started with a dreary opening sketch of him trying to binge watch every episode of every series that aired in the last year. He tried to keep the energy up with jokes and a number in the middle of the show called, quite fittingly, "The Number in the Middle of the Show," but everything seemed stale and didn't quite live up to his Tony performance.

What we learned: Just because someone is a great host one year, it doesn't mean they'll be great another year. Find a host who is passionate about the subject of the ceremony, will keep the ceremony on track, and who will bring something fresh and new to the table.

Entertainment vs. Time Constraints

What happened: An award show that runs at three hours long is by nature going to get a bit dull, but this year's Emmys were harder to sit through than usual. The usually fun banter between presenters felt strained. Many of the acceptance speeches were cut short by the 'wrap it up' music before the winner had time to say more than a few words. It seemed as though producers were so focused on keeping the show on time that they wouldn't give anyone room to breathe. The problem is that they cracked down on the parts of the show people love. It's one of the rare moments on TV where we get to see celebrities completely unscripted. Fans eat up stars' emotional reactions to their wins. Cutting all of this short brought an overall feeling of emotionless to the show that shouldn't have been there. It also took away the moments from the show that are the most talked about the next day.

What we learned: The Emmy Awards are a televised event, so of course the producers have to worry about keeping it within the designated time. The way to do that is to cut the fat from the show. Were the two musical performances that were only loosely TV-related really necessary? No. Do we really need Shemar Moore's weird backstage segments? No. Focus on the awards and anything relevant to them. The presenters and the award speeches will bring the entertainment. If you want extra entertainment then do a big opening number, but don't waste the audience's time with things that they don't want to see throughout the show.

Tributes to Those We've Lost

What happened: Modern Family creator Steve Levitan summed it up as he was accepting the award for Outstanding Comedy Series when he said, "This may be the saddest Emmys of all time, but we could not be happier." The "In Memoriam" montage is always a nice way to honor and celebrate those in the entertainment industry we've lost over the last year. The problem with this year's Emmys is that we were smothered with five individual tributes throughout the show on top of the montage segment that aired later in the show. While they were heartfelt and appreciated, they also made the evening a bit of a bummer. Any time the show had a good pace going, the somber tributes brought the mood back down. Many viewers were also a bit put off by the fact that certain actors received individual treatment, while other big names in TV industry, such as Larry Hagman, Jack Klugman, and Annette Funicello, were lumped into the standard group memorial. If you're looking to offend family members of the deceased, that's the way to do it.

What we learned: It's great to pay tribute to those who've been lost, but do it right. Do them all at once so as not to offend anyone and to keep the pacing of the event going. Having some lighter entertainment after the tributes will help bring the mood of the room back up.

Creating a Frightfully Delightful Halloween Event

Halloween is one of the most exciting events to plan for because you can let your imagination run wild! It's also a time where you don't want to hold back because people are expecting a lot.

Your greatest planning efforts should go into decorating and setting the atmosphere. Halloween is the one night a year where everyone wants to be scared, so it's important to set the right mood. Jack-o'-lanterns and fog machines can be placed around the event entrance to start building up anticipation right away. Keep the lights in the event space low and use candles to create a spooky glow. Have creepy music playing as guests walk in to invoke that horror film experience  where you hear the music and know something bad's about to happen. Then hit them with something horrifying! Whether it's an life-size animatronic prop from the Halloween store or just someone popping out, use that opportunity to give them a good scare.

Decorations should be everywhere you can possibly put them to continue the scary effect. If you can't afford to buy out your local party shop, purchase a few key pieces that you think will really be spine-chilling and then be thrifty with the rest! Thrift stores are a great place to find decorations that are extremely marked down, or pieces that you can use to create decorations for a fraction of what they would cost in the store. Buy some dolls, spray paint them white, and black out their eyes with marker to create Dolls of the Living Dead! Buy a white sheet and cut out some bats from construction paper to create a fun Photo Backdrop.

The food at your event can be an extension of your decorations. Start with savory appetizers that will balance out all of the Halloween sugar. Try a Yummy Mummy Spinach Dip or chicken fingers shaped like Monster Claws. If you're short on time and decide to  serve a "normal" menu, put out tags in front of each item and assign them a creepy name. Sandwiches become sandwitches. Steak and potatoes becomes spooky steak with mashed boo-tatoes. Have fun with it!

Of course, what's a Halloween party without candy? Set out glass jars and fill them with different types of candies and mini scoops so guests can fill goodie bags to take home. Cookies and cupcakes are another great item to have because they're easy for guests to eat and fun for you to decorate. You can go simple by using orange frosting on a chocolate cupcake, or show off your decorating skills with Jack Skellington cupcakes or mummy cupcakes that have white frosting strips and red M&Ms for eyes!
 

Don't forget to plan for something to keep your guests entertained! Costume contests, pumpkin carving, and bobbing for apples are classics that people always enjoy. If you have a theme you can center your activities around that. Here at zEvent, our Halloween party theme will be Wizard of Oz. To go along with that theme, we're having a scarecrow contest, a band that will play creepy covers of songs from the movie, and a photo booth with a green curtain to elicit the idea of the man behind the curtain.

If you have any tips or creative ideas for Halloween party foods, decorating ideas, or activities, share them in the comments below! Happy haunting!

Sell Merchandise the 'ez' Way!

ezEvent® is excited to announce our new merchandise with custom questions feature! 

Now with ezEvent®’s powerful event management and ticketing software, you can list t-shirts, program books, and any other merchandise you may be selling right alongside your event tickets! Gone are the days of guessing the quantity of each item you need to bring to your event. Custom questions give you the ability to obtain a buyer's shirt size, preferred item color, design choice, and any other information you might require to give the buyer exactly what he or she needs!

This feature can be set up when you create an event. After you define your Ticket Type, Price and Fee, click the Enhanced Options link. The Item Category should be changed to Merchandise. From there you can add in any information you'd like about the item, including a picture and detailed description. Click the +Add Custom Questions button to create questions specific to your item. Answers to these questions can be in the form of a dropdown box or radio buttons.

Go try out the new feature and let us know what you think!

Plan the Perfect Football Event!

Are you ready for some football? Over the next few months many of us will attend a fantasy draft, pre-game tailgate, tournament, or viewing party involving our country's favorite sport. The tips below will help you host an A-list NFL celebration!

Your instinct may be to invite only diehard football fans, but don't neglect those who are simply fans of social events. The most fun parties are those that bring together people you've known your whole life and people you're just meeting. Always mix things up!

After you send your invites, choose the setup of your room and assess the seating situation. If you have a big group, plan for enough seating to make sure no one is left standing. Set up some tall bar stools and tables behind the couch so that even people in the back have a great view. No matter where people are seated they should have a clear view of the television screen. This can be used as a great excuse to get a new, larger TV!

The game should be the focus of your event, but the aesthetics are half the fun. For game-viewing parties, functional decorations work the best. Pick up football-themed plates, napkins, and cups to give guests something to look at during commercials. Set out face paints in your favorite team's colors so guests can get in the spirit. If you decide to get more elaborate with your decorating, make sure nothing you put out blocks the view of the TV!

For some people, viewing parties are all about the food. Foods that are easy to pick up and don't distract from watching the game are the best. Classics like pizza, wings, and chips and dip are easy to put together and are always a hit. Have fun with the presentation of your food! Make a football out of pepperoni on your pizza or buy some white icing and draw laces on chocolate desserts such as brownies and cupcakes. Don't forget about drinks! Beer is always a favorite. Having an assortment of Gatorade in team colors is also a nice on-theme touch. If you end up with a large group of guests, you may wish to offset the cost of refreshments by creating a 'cover charge' and selling tickets in advance.

If you'll have kids around during the event it's important to keep them occupied. Give them their own place to celebrate by painting a faux football field in your backyard and setting up an inflatable goal post so they can play a game on their own! If you have multiple TVs in the house you can also set up a separate viewing area for the kids.
  
With a great group of friends, sensible decorations, delicious food, and distracted children, your event is sure to be a touchdown!

Choosing an Event Theme

A theme is an underlying concept or notion that is easily recognizable. Your theme can be pretty much anything you want it to be, but the main requirement for it to be successful is that is must be recognizable by your guests. For example, you should be able to tell that the photo on the right is of a Hollywood theme from the film canisters, red carpet and director clapboards.

A theme is a valuable for an event planner because it can be used as inspiration for everything from food to decorations, and focuses decisions during the planning process. Whether the theme is very specific, such as Parisian Cafe, or as general as your favorite color palette, having a theme will guide your decisions and keep you from getting overwhelmed.

But how do you choose a theme? It's important that the decision isn't just pulled out of thin air. You need to carefully consider how it's related to your target markets and the purpose of your event. Ask yourself these questions:

• Event Type: Is this a social celebration where people are coming just to mingle, or a high-profile product launch? 
• Mood: Should guests be feeling playful or somber? 
• Guest of Honor: Are you honoring a specific person? What does this person like or what is their industry?
• Guests: Is it a young audience looking for fun, a family event, or a conservative business event? 
• Venue: Is the event space a standard banquet hall, or an exotic location like a beach or castle?

The answers to these questions will help you select a theme that will be appropriate to the situation.

You can find inspiration for themes all around you! If you're planning an event for a holiday, you already have a pretty good set of guidelines about what fits in with the theme. For example, if you're planning an event with a St. Patrick's Day theme, you would be expected to use the color green, and not pink or blue. Seasons can provide great inspiration for your event. The warm summer season, for example, is great for luau and garden events. Another great place to look for theme ideas is what's popular at the moment. When the film The Great Gatsby was released back in May, there was a sudden surge in Roaring 20s events. Party stores always stock merchandise from the latest trendy movies, current events, and other pop culture phenomena, so it's easy to plan for something popular.

Keep in mind that not all events need a theme. Some activities on which your events are based are theme enough, like a picnic or afternoon tea. These activities have have their own special requirements and adding anything extra would not be necessary. If you're planning an awards ceremony for a local hero who rescued someone from a dangerous situation, a theme wouldn't make sense. The purpose of the event is honoring the hero, and that's why the target audience is attending. Any competing themes would be distracting and take away from your event. That's not to say that all awards events don't need a theme though! Sometimes it can be appropriate and helps entertain those who are attending but aren't receiving awards. Use your judgment when deciding whether to theme or not to theme.