The Special Event Guru

Friday, 14 February 2014


Posted by Doug Matthews at 17:45 No comments:
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The Special Event Guru

The Special Event Guru

About the Author

Doug Matthews
Doug is a retired special event producer and college lecturer with 30 years' experience in North America. Presently he is a freelance writer and photographer with interests in special events, ancient celebrations, archaeology, and travel.
View my complete profile

My Web Sites

Books

www.gearsixcreative.ca

Photography

http://doug-matthews.artistwebsites.com

My Books

For a description of my current books or to order them, please follow these links:

1. Special Event Production: The Process, Second Edition - This is an updated version (published fall 2015) of my original book of the same title (see below). This has additional chapters on Event Design, Information Technology, and Sustainability, as well as a complete changeout of images and a new "Voice of the Industry" section in each chapter. It may be ordered from Routledge.

The Process

The Process
2. Special Event Production: The Resources, Second Edition - This is an updated version (published fall 2015) of my original book of the same title (see below). This has completely updated content in all areas, including entertainment, decor, audio, lighting, A-V, staging, special effects, tenting, and other tech resources. As well, there is as a complete changeout of images and a new "Voice of the Industry" section in each chapter. It may be ordered from Routledge.

The Resources

The Resources
3. Stumbling Toward Applause: Misadventures in Entertainment - My latest book is a compilation of stories and anecdotes from my career as an entertainment agent and special event producer. It may be ordered from Amazon in either paperback or Kindle version. Check out a preview of the stories.

Stumbling Toward Applause

Stumbling Toward Applause
4. Special Event Production: The Process - This book addresses the topics of event definition and organization, creativity, budgeting, proposal-writing, human resources, contract management, risk management, and production management. It may be ordered from Amazon. It has been updated in the Second Edition (see above).

First Edition

First Edition
5. Special Event Production: The Resources - This book explains - in detail - entertainment, decor, audio systems, visual presentation technology, lighting systems, special effects, staging, tenting, electrical power, rigging, and other temporary structures. It may be ordered from Amazon. It has been updated in the Second Edition (see above).

First Edition

First Edition
6. How to Create Fantasies and Win Accolades: A Practical Guide to Planning Special Events - This book is a general overview of event planning. It may be ordered from Trafford Publishing.

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My Recommended Special Event Resources

  • Biz Bash
  • Canadian Event Perspective Magazine
  • Canadian Special Events Society
  • Corbin Ball Associates
  • European Festivals Association
  • Event Management Body of Knowledge
  • Event Solutions Magazine
  • International Festivals and Events Association
  • International Special Events Society
  • Live Show Producers Guild of America
  • Meeting Professionals International
  • Meeting Tomorrow - Meeting Planning Resources
  • National Alliance of Special Event Planners, Inc.
  • Special Events Magazine
  • TEAMNet: A TEAM of NETworked event experts
  • World of Incentives

And Now For Some Silliness

And Now For Some Silliness
Doug and fans

2.

2.
Another friend in Africa near Victoria Falls

3.

3.
Me and my buddy in Thailand

4.

4.
More loyal followers

5.

5.
This guy will do anything to get attention

6.

6.
I've made a new friend

My Blog List

  • Ancient Celebration
    Domitian's Terrifying Dinner
    11 years ago
  • Brass Tack Thinking
    The Artist I Buried
    8 years ago
  • DesignDawgs
  • Event Manager Blog
    Clarion Events Makes Another Acquisition – Are More Deals Coming?
    4 hours ago
  • eventjuice
    Planning The Christmas Party: 18 Steps to Organising the Perfect Celebration
    8 years ago
  • PlanAnEvent.org
    The World of Corporate Event Planning
    3 years ago
  • Strategic Business Value of Meetings and Events
    Team Up – Working Together to Move Forward
    6 years ago
  • The Beacon Blog for Writers
    MY PET PEEVE ABOUT ACCESS COPYRIGHT PAYBACK
    7 years ago

My 10 Most Popular Posts

  • Determining Stage Sizes
    I'm going to go back to some technical stuff for this blog. One of the problems I have always had is trying to figure out just what size...
  • Determining Room Capacity
    Event planners often have trouble determining how many guests can fit into a specific room. I have been in too many situations, especially d...
  • Seeking a Definition of Special Events
    At this point, there is no question that special events have taken on all aspects of an “industry” in that their organization and management...
  • Calling a Show
    A producer works hard to create and bring together all of the elements of an event - and today's events can be technically complex. Howe...
  • Determining Vertical Stage Size
    My most popular post to date has been the one about determining horizontal stage size for an event. In this post, thanks to several questi...
  • Banquet Seating
    One area that continually causes problems at events in hotels and conference centers is the capacity of a dining room and the discomfort tha...
  • Portable Toilets for Events
    The question of how many portable toilets, what kind, and where to put them is always a concern, particularly for large outdoor events. The ...
  • Kickbacks, Referral Commissions, Finder's Fees, and Bribes
    Bribes - or their euphemistic relatives kickbacks, referral commissions, and finder's fees - exist in the special event industry. Like p...
  • 10 Hot Tips for Production Management
    I am occasionally asked what are some key tips, in simple terms, for running a good event from the technical point of view. Here are my top ...
  • Cool Event Venues Around the World
    Here are several unique outdoor sites and indoor venues that I have found in my travels. I will update the video as I do more travelling....

Content and Intellectual Property

The content of this blog is based on original research and personal opinion. As such I, the writer (Doug Matthews), own the full copyright to this content. I leave it up to the conscience of readers to respect this intellectual property and to ask for permission before reproducing any of the content, including original writing, images, or videos, for any purpose. This may be done by contacting me directly at gear6@shaw.ca. Please have the same consideration for any of the content that has been contributed by others.
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