Entertainment Through The Years: A Planner’s Perspective
Leave a CommentToday, we shine the spotlight on one of our senior team members, Vicky, about her experience of working at Big Foot Events and the changes that have shaped the Entertainment Industry throughout her time here:
‘I started at Big Foot Events in 2007. I was fresh out of school and starting an apprenticeship in Business Administration. My background in entertainment wasn’t as defined or prestigious as others might be, but my family has always been musical, mostly in the Folk & Irish music community, so it was big part of my upbringing and live music always surrounded me.
I learnt my trade from the ground up, starting with general office administration and building relationships with artists and clients, eventually moving to the bookings side of the agency and then training new staff members.
When I first began working at Big Foot, it was very different to how it is today! Contracts, invoices, act diaries and publicity would all be sent through the post or via fax! We would receive and send music “demos” of acts via CD for clients to listen to, and act videos were only just starting to become a thing, and always as a physical DVD! Social media wasn’t really utilised for events and marketing, and we had just started our very first one – a Myspace page!
It feels like worlds away to today’s digital world, where everything can be done by the click of a button and digital paperwork saves time and trees.
Back then, we worked primarily in live music and celebrity appearances. We provided bands, tribute acts, vocalists and musicians to some of the biggest leisure chains in the UK – as we still do today. Some, sadly, no longer exist, but others are still thriving, fantastic chains that continue to provide holiday and entertainment experiences to millions, such as Butlins, Warner Leisure, Haven and Away Resorts. The Nightclub industry was also very different, we would see high-demand from club venues for weekly celebrity appearances, as reality TV contestants from shows like Big Brother and X Factor were huge draws and would tour such venues as they left each elimination.
Appetites have changed so much over the years. Trends are constantly evolving, and we’ve made sure to stay ahead of the curve at every step. We are now hugely involved in a much wider range of events and entertainment, in particular, family entertainment. Our expertise has grown exponentially over the years and it’s exciting to be part of such varied experiences, catering for festivals, family fun days, corporate & trade events, theatres, public interactive experiences and so much more.
As well as the ever-strong demand for live music, people are looking for new experiences, hands on opportunities and occasions to take that perfect Instagramable photo.
I’ve seen the industry face challenges that we’ve always overcome, from economic strain to the unprecedented pandemic. Each has solidified the need for entertainment, something that brings happiness, time spent with family and friends, a much-needed break from worry, and a time to just have fun and make great memories. I’m a firm believer that we need music, we need theatre, we need entertainment.
My highlights have been vast and varied! I have taken an empty field and turned it in to a Greatest Showman Circus for a company weekend away, changed a warehouse canteen into a Hot Air Balloon, transformed a university foyer into a 1920s ballroom and programmed Festival line-ups that have entertained tens of thousands of happy audience members. Working with incredible clients and performers has allowed me to build lasting, trusting relationships that result in continued collaborations and achievements. Knowing that what we’ve done has made people happy is always the best result.
The biggest change I don’t think I could ever have predicted in the beginning, is our work with the prehistoric! I remember getting our first ever T Rex Dinosaur and booking it into schools and museums. We now have a whole herd of Jurassic beasts, props, interactive workshops and a theatre production, Jurassic Earth!
It’s incredible to look back on when I began here, to where we are now. We’ve built a wonderful team who are all equally as passionate about providing the very best for our clients. I’m excited to see what’s to come in the next 20 years!’
