- Well, we mentioned the lack of discussion on the Tulane appearance yesterday, then suddenly a bunch of folks flooded in with their reports! Seems that some folks were disappointed in the event, mostly due to the fact that Kev’s actual time on stage was shorter than usual, and moreso that the staff cut off the autograph signing session so they could go home. We understand that’s frustrating. But keep in mind that Kevin’s got no control over these appearances, he’s basically brought in and does what he’s told. He talks as late as he’s allowed and he signs until everyone has a chance to meet him and get anything they want autographed. Those of you that have read about past appearances know this. The only time the guy’s forced to not do either of those things is when staff members who put on the appearance cut him off. And it sounds like that’s what happened here. It’s obvious the board who put the event together doesn’t read this site very often, or they’d have known how to prepare.
And so, in the effort to keep stuff like this from happening again, we’d like to present a few guidelines for those of you hoping to schedule Kevin for an appearance at your venue sometime in the future:
- Don’t plan anything else EXCEPT the Q&A. Tulane showed Dogma from 7:30 – 9:30 before Kevin even got on stage. This was a BIG mistake. These extra 2 hours could have made up for the time lost at the end of the night. If you want to show one of Kevin’s films along with the event, show it earlier in the week, or even the night before. Not on the day of the event.
- Have the event in your largest available room. These things tend to sell out and become standing-room only, but at least this gets the maximum number of folks in.
- Plan an early start time. Start your event at 7 PM, and open your doors at 6 PM. Have some entertainment planned before everything starts to keep those who come early entertained. Play the View Askew soundtracks over loudspeakers. One venue we attended had a raffle for View Askew swag that went up until Kev came onto the stage. That was perfect.
- Expect things to go late. Don’t go in there expecting a 2 hour Q&A session. Sometimes Kev’s talked for 4 or 5 hours. He usually states that he’ll talk as long as the audience has questions. Make sure your event staff is aware of this.
- Have a VCR and projector/screen in the room with the event. Normally, Kevin brings something on video to show. In past years, it’s been Chasing Amy cut scenes, the Dogma trailer, and now, an episode of the Clerks cartoon. Kevin likes to travel with an extra bonus that only those who attend these things get to see.
- Have a spot available for Kev to sign stuff and meet fans after the show. Kevin always takes the time to meet every fan and sign stuff when the venue allows it. He’ll even sit on the stage or stand in a corner to take care of it. Make it easier on the guy. Plan for a couple hours AFTER the Q&A for autographs and have a table or something ready just in case.
Keep in mind, these are just guidelines, nothing official. It’s just that after covering about 10 or so of Kev’s appearances, we’re starting to see patterns of what works and what doesn’t. Nothing’s a certainty, especially since Kevin’s schedule may not allow all the stuff we listed above, but it never hurts to be over-prepared. Anyway, that’s about it. Hopefully those of you planning to have Kevin in your area sometime will keep this list and remember it. It should make things better for everyone. The way the venue handles the situation can make or break these appereances, but Kevin will always do the best he can with the hand that’s dealt.
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