Theatre performances engage many of your senses—sights, sounds, speeches. Smells, though, aren’t usually covered, unless the person sitting next to you is having a bad hygiene day. But maybe there’s a time and place for scents during a play.

“I split up scent design into two categories. One is an ambient smell or scent, which is scenting the theatre or the performance space as the audience is walking in. It’s part of the initial impression. It’s more like an installation, so it serves to transport the setting, or to make it ‘other,'” said David Bernstein, a scent designer, profiled in The Clyde Fitch Report. “The second is more like scent cues. Rather than scenting the space when you walk in, it’s the introduction of aromas to coincide with the action on stage.”

Writer Dillon Slagle spoke with Bernstein to learn more about how scent design integrates with other design elements and how it affects an audience’s expectations.

“When you make a space smell different from wherever the audience came from, immediately you have this fast lane to the part of their brain that’s connected with emotions, that’s connected with memory,” Bernstein told Slagle. “You’re making a very clear and a full transformation of their perception of the space that they’re walking into that a set can’t do, that lighting can’t do, that nothing else can do. That’s the most positive effect it can have on the audience. It’s the most dimensions you can have.”

That sounds great; however, I have the same question one of the article’s readers posted: How do you protect those who are sensitive or allergic to certain scents?

Please read the rest of the article to learn more about scent design and Bernstein, and let us know your thoughts about scent design during performances. Good, bad, indifferent?

(photo credit: bradleygee via photopin cc)

There was a lot of news this past week. Here are some stories that caught our eyes.

Player-tracking System Will Let NFL Fans Go Deeper Than Ever
—USA Today
“The NFL partnered with Zebra Technologies, which is applying the same radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology that it has used the past 15 years to monitor everything from supplies on automotive assembly lines to dairy cows’ milk production.”

Robots Replace Fans at Korean Baseball Stadium
—CBR
“Some movements of the robots can also be controlled over the Internet by supporters who are not able to get to the stadium. They can also upload their faces for that personalised ‘touch.'”

Globe Theatre Takes Out 100 Audience Members With Its Gory Titus Andronicus
–The Independent
“The Independent can disclose that more than 100 people either fainted or left the theatre after being overcome by on-stage gore – making it a strong candidate for the most potent show in British history.”

Wyly Theatre Welcomes Six Small Companies as Part of New Collaboration
—The Dallas Morning News
“Six small, acclaimed local companies will make their Wyly Theatre debut as part of the Elevator Project, a new collaboration between the AT&T Performing Arts Center and the Dallas performing arts community that kicks off Aug. 22.”

Walk This Way: These “Smart Shoes” Vibrate to Point You in the Right Direction
—Digital Trends
“Wouldn’t it be nice to just know exactly where to turn at any given moment?”

(Image: USA Today/NFL)

Your biggest asset is your staff, and now you can train them for much less with IAVM’s new Venue Group Membership program.

Venue Group Membership delivers an affordable discount pricing structure that enables venues to sign up to 20 employees who are involved in venue management. Applicants (members) must be a direct employee of the venue, a stakeholder (mayor, city manager, CVB professionals) or student interns. Venue Group Membership also follows the same voting guidelines as Professional Members.

All current venue types are eligible, and the cost is US$3,000. One individual shall be designated the Primary Member/Representative for the Venue Group Membership.

Stipulation: Single venue, one address per membership. A single payment is required to establish Venue Group Membership–a check or credit card payment.

In addition to a discounted rate, IAVM’s Venue Group Membership offers the convenience of one single renewal payment.

Transition: Memberships are transferrable when an employee departs. If the new venue does not participate in IAVM’s Venue Group Membership program upon the employee’s arrival, the departing member will be responsible for Professional Membership dues. The initiation fee will be waived. The departing member will have 60 days to set up his or her individual membership with IAVM at the Professional dues rate. If the new venue is participating in the Venue Group Membership program and has space under the maximum number allowed, the member will assume the new venue’s renewal date.

If the Primary Member/Representative departs the venue, responsibility for the IAVM Venue Group Membership will be assigned to the next-highest ranking member by IAVM unless otherwise notified.

It’s time to groom the next round of industry leaders. Identify your superstars, and sign them up for IAVM Venue Group Membership now!

If you have questions or you’re ready to sign up, please call IAVM Member Services at 972.906.7441 or membership@iavm.org.

(Image: Orange Photography)

Reawakening the spirit of creative confidence in people is important to Kevin Carroll, the closing keynote speaker on Monday, July 28, at VenueConnect 2014.

In an inspiring and often funny presentation, Carroll told attendees his life story and how he discovered that learning and playing are important, especially in relation to innovation.

“Play is serious business,” Carroll said. “I often like to quote Albert Einstein, who said, ‘Play is the highest form of research.'”

Carroll explained the concept of the red rubber ball he carries with him and how it opens up lines of communication.

“We all speak ball,” he said. “It’s an instant connection.”

He asked attendees to reflect on what they’re chasing in their lives, what their rubber balls are, and to always be present and curious.

“There are two great days in a person’s life,” he said, before receiving a standing ovation. “The day you’re born, and the day you discover why.”

You can read more about Carroll in the June/July issue of FM magazine.

(Image: Orange Photography)

Attendees at VenueConnect 2014 experienced a wide range of educational offerings on Sunday, July 27. Some of the sessions included “The Future is Here: Certified Venue Professional (CVP) Coming to You in 2015,” “When a Crisis in a Venue Occurs,” and “A Conversation with Chris McGowan, president and CEO, Portland Trail Blazers & Rip City Management.”

Many of the sessions were well attended, especially the “Live Nation: Standing Out In A Crowd!” panel featuring Gerry Barad, chief operating officer, Live Nation Global Touring; Mike Evans, president, Live Nation Arenas; Brad Wavra, SVP, Live Nation Touring, Live Nation Concerts; and moderated by Cole Gahagan, executive vice president, North America Client Revenue, Ticketmaster.

It was an honest discussion with some key insights from the panelists.

“We need to grow our arena business,” Wavra said. “Honestly, though, the place with the best deal will get the most attention, because you go where you make the most money.”

One strategy the panelists offered is for venues to really know their customers.

“Tell me you can sell tickets,” Wavra said. “Your relationship with your fan base is important to us.”

Attendees were encouraged to really get to know data about what’s happening not only in their venues, but also in the immediate and surrounding community. For example, if you’re in an university town, get data on how many students attend the colleges, what percentage of those students go to events, what’s their gender and ethnic backgrounds, etc.

“The people who pay attention get our attention,” Barad said. “We don’t want robots. We want people who understand their markets.”

Check out some of Sunday’s educational sessions in the photos below, courtesy of Orange Photography.

[Show as slideshow]

(Image: Orange Photography)