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What's the business climate like in your neck of the woods?
So how has the economy hit you or your company so far? Is there some positive news out there, anywhere? Have you developed your own personal "stimulus package?"
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Jason Epperson on -
Here in Chicago, trade show and industrial work is down (at least the budgets are, they still need L.D.s) the biggest change I've seen was with the auto show, it was very pared down. I don't know how much of that was due to budgetary concerns, or just trying to look more somber while asking the government for money. Film and theater, however, seem to be doing ok. We have a jam packed year of tours, although the sit down of Chitty-Chitty Bang-Bang was cancelled, along with the pre-B'way tryout of the Rob Roy musical, our mid-size commercial houses all seem to have hits. The indication is that the NFP theatres are seeing a slight drop in sales, which is causing tightening of budgets for the fall season. On the educational front, signs indicate that enrollment for the fall will not be down, but the assumption is many kids can't afford to come back to school, but this is offset by people who have lost their jobs who want to come back to school to retool themselves. My full time gig at Columbia College has seen a hiring freeze, but not much else. We'll see what happens with tourism this summer, but the positive outlook is that people can't afford to take european vacations so they are going to take weekend trips to U.S. cities instead. That's yet to be seen. I produced a tour in December of a holiday show, and I do believe the economic turmoil had a negative impact on sales, but I think a lot of the insecurity has died down, and people are begining to spend money again.
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Permalink Reply by Gary Curtis on -
Yeah I am out of the Indianapolis area but don't do many local shows, but between 3 of my clients I lost 19 shows this year..that makes a total of 27 shows lost since this economy crap started.. man do I need some new gigs..
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Permalink Reply by Levi G. on -
In the Minneapolis, MN area things are down in the corporate rental and show/events market. Shows we've done for years have been scaled back by a large factor. Some of the hotels we work with are flourishing but some are at all time lows. My company has experienced significant lay-offs and we're now at skeleton crew levels. The upside is that the next couple of weeks will be busy! Hope it keeps up.
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Permalink Reply by AJ Brown on -
Business Climate? I think Hostel would describe it quite well. Orlando area is horrible. Most shows are skipping the area completely. Those that are not are skimping on techs. Heck Universal Studios has managers running light boards. It's ugly here. Disney is on a hiring freeze, and most of the business events at convention centers are canceling. I think it's time to look for a new city.
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Permalink Reply by CL Jahn on
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Ticket sales are down an average of 15% across South Florida. We've lost a major classical promoter, Concert Association of Florida, and a dance company, Ballet Gamonet.
A lot of groups have cut back on the number of shows in their season, and Miami City Ballet has eliminated live orchestral music from its performances entirely. Several smaller regional theatres have changed out larger shows for smaller shows or shortened their scheduled runs. Several of the much smaller theaters haven't officially announced that they're done, but they haven't announced their new seasons, either.
For my company, rentals have thinned out, and we're finding it hard to just break even on concerts. Acts that were selling out a year ago can just break 50% this year. Fortunately, Broadway Tours are still doing well. So far we're still taking in more than we're spending, but it's going to be a very lean and painful summer, I think.
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Permalink Reply by Peter Smith on -
We are involved in the meetings industry. Our company's forecasts for the year have us more than 50% lower than last year. Lay-offs and salary cuts have followed, just to balance the books. The doors remain open, thank goodness, and we keep landing jobs.
Every proposal has been scaled to fit tighter budgets, and then trimmed further. Any business we have won has been renegotiated after the client selected us.
It seems that everything is now negotiable: hotel F&B, talent, gear, in-house rigging charges, day rates, etc. Even cancellation fees.
On top of all of this, US Senators are calling for legislation banning the use of TARP funds for meetings.
This is an unprecedented situation, and everyone in the meetings industry is nervous.
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Permalink Reply by Carlos Manuel Simoes on -
Hello from Portugal
First I hope you all know where this is; it is said that the average american cant distinguish Portugal froim spain.
Beyond that, we are living in a globalized environment, so as already seen through all the earlyer statements, it is pretty bad in all economy areas. Also her in Portugal as well as in teh rest of europe. Lets hope we will overcome this crises fast.
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Permalink Reply by Rick on -
Orlando Florida is like a ghost town if you are a freelancer like me. If there is work to be had, most of the companies are abusing the full timers and burning them out. good for them, bad for us. I have been somehow lucking out and getting last minute calls, and a lot of half days. but man i need to find something with some more substance.
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Rick said:...most of the companies are abusing the full timers and burning them out. good for them, bad for us. I have been somehow lucking out and getting last minute calls, and a lot of half days. but man i need to find something with some more substance.
I think my situation with a union crew is a little different than you're seeing in Orlando, but I know that I have two halls and only one of them booked at a time, so we're not using as many free-lancers as we have. And while the house crew may be pulling lots of overtime now, remember that in a couple of months the season ends down here; they're only on the clock when we have shows in. When the hall is dark, they aren't getting paid. So any hour I can get for them is beneficial - to them. We recently went almost 36 hours straight with our house crew; but that 36 hour stretch is all they had for the week. Rough, yes. But not one of them will call it 'abuse.'
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Permalink Reply by Randell Gillespie on -
I live in Philadelphia, but do most of my "local" work in New York City and all around New Jersey.
Most has been quite slow this year so far, no surprise there.
I have had some calls about possible tours since the beginning of the year but they either went up in smoke because of last minute budget panic or they were asking for way too much for entirely too little. Compromise is always in play, i'm not above that ... doing three other things PLUS trying to find time to get the lighting in order for that day's show so someone can save a few bucks is quite another.
I am fortunate enough to have a few gigs i seem to work out every year at the beginning of the year to keep me "ok" busy right now and i seem to be doing quite well with booking stuff later in the year so far, so i'm not complaining.
It does break my heart to see so many people out there right now scrambling for work .... and even worse, having to succumb to anything just to pay a few bills.
I'm optimistic that the industry as a whole will see us thru some tough times and will not make us all wait much longer .... certainly not as long as some seem so quick to get in a panic about anyways. This will all turn around shortly and the masses in waiting will be back to a more steady stream of business and options.
Everyone just stay strong.
- Randell G.
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Permalink Reply by Rick on
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Ok so abusing the full timers was a poor choice of words, was just trying to make a point.
CL Jahn said:Rick said:...most of the companies are abusing the full timers and burning them out. good for them, bad for us. I have been somehow lucking out and getting last minute calls, and a lot of half days. but man i need to find something with some more substance.
I think my situation with a union crew is a little different than you're seeing in Orlando, but I know that I have two halls and only one of them booked at a time, so we're not using as many free-lancers as we have. And while the house crew may be pulling lots of overtime now, remember that in a couple of months the season ends down here; they're only on the clock when we have shows in. When the hall is dark, they aren't getting paid. So any hour I can get for them is beneficial - to them. We recently went almost 36 hours straight with our house crew; but that 36 hour stretch is all they had for the week. Rough, yes. But not one of them will call it 'abuse.'
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Fair enough. And I've been in your shoes, too, so I can relate.
I just now found out we lost another ballet company: my crew lost 4 days work this week when Ballet Gamonet wen belly-up, and now this is another 3 days next month they've lost due to another company canceling the rest of its performances while they regroup. Not good.
Rick said:Ok so abusing the full timers was a poor choice of words, was just trying to make a point.
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