Hiya Kent - your post has me thinking a few things ...
I give Derrick credit for driving around as he did that day, asking for donations. My impression of it was somewhat grassroots and showed that he was willing to do pretty much anything to make this work. I'll never fault anyone for caring. No matter what went on behind the scenes to bring this about, it was both sad and inspiring to see someone do this.
I would suggest to those involved (planners, artists, sponsors, etc.) that it would be a good idea to sit down and hold a formal & private "retrospective" for Movement 04. That's where you review your original goals/objectives against what really happened. People get to have a say as well (it's important to talk about what went well & what didn't in equal measure). At this time you would also talk about ideas for what might be done differently or occur next time. It would be a good idea to have someone experienced in facilitation run the session who was not involved in the festival, that way they can be objective and help keep it balanced. As you might imagine, these sessions can easily get out of hand.
I can tell you there is always a debate (amongst those who do this kinda stuff) about how this should be done. Should the planner know the content/project intimately or be an outsider? My opinion is that it works best if the person is an outsider *but* someone able to understand just about anything that goes on (i.e., you can ask the right questions) and make it happen. The best arguments for an "objective" person is that they can see things that others cannot, if only because they are an outsider and they don't let ego and politics get in the way (if they're good, that is - LOL).
Another argument for having a person dedicated to planning/management is that others can focus on doing what it is that they want to or are supposed to be doing, instead of wearing so many hats that their head is spinning and it ends up being an unpleasant time for all (at no fault of anyone other than the situation itself). Of course there has to be status meetings and such, otherwise things get out of hand.
Sorry if this is kinda geeky, but I think that if it can work for complex, multi-million dollar projects, then some of the ideas can help with any large undertaking, like a festival.
Lisa Kent williams wrote:
We can go on and on about Movement, and I don't intend to do that here, but I have a few things to say on the subject: 1. There has been much criticism of Movement '04, some of it valid and constructive, but every picture I took at the Festival had people smiling in it. There was a vibe there that is rare. That, to me, is the most precious thing about the Festival. 2. Without discounting in any way the time, money, and heart Derrick May put into the festival, the disorganization and last-minute drama didn't help. There needs to be someone involved with the festival who can sell it to large-dollar sponsors, manage logistics, and get ahead of the curve. Booking the lineup is the fun part, and only about 1% of the job. Kevin Saunderson seems to be poised to take on this role. I don't know Kevin personally, but in the press conference he seemed calm, articulate, and tactful. The fact remains that these guys are at the top of their game in the studio or in the DJ booth, but the skills required to put on a 3 day festival are completely different. Beyond that, everything I have to say about the festival has already been said by Brian Mccollum in the Free Press. http://www.freep.com/entertainment/music/move1_20040601.htm
