My first time running a live-action "experience", and boy, was it an experience.
Recently, I led a project on behalf of my Rotaract Club to help raise funds for a charity called ShelterBox. It was the first ever live-action experience that I have ever run*. While I can't disclose too many of the details of the experience, I can tell you the things that happen during the experience are orchestrated to make the participants think about poverty in the world and what we can do to help.
* I call it an "experience" rather than a game, because there is generally very little opportunity for the attendees to make decisions that affect the outcome of the event.
What's Supposed to Happen?
The participants are formed into three groups, one representing the developed world (including Australia and USA), one for the "bottom billion" (including Sierra Leone and the Democratic Republic of Congo) and the remainder as part of the developing world.
Guards and wait staff assisted as I took the participants through a guided journey, which in some cases involved the participants, but for the most part in which they were passive observers.
The passivity is built into the experience, as it provides time for the participants to reflect on their own position within this world relative to those who positions they may be inhabiting for the evening or others whose positions they can observe.
The primary method of delivering the experience is through food, with different groups receiving different types and quantities of food. The behaviour exhibited by the guards and wait staff to people from each group also assist to immerse the participants in the experience.
Guards and wait staff assisted as I took the participants through a guided journey, which in some cases involved the participants, but for the most part in which they were passive observers.
The passivity is built into the experience, as it provides time for the participants to reflect on their own position within this world relative to those who positions they may be inhabiting for the evening or others whose positions they can observe.
The primary method of delivering the experience is through food, with different groups receiving different types and quantities of food. The behaviour exhibited by the guards and wait staff to people from each group also assist to immerse the participants in the experience.
What Actually Happened?
Generally, the event went well. However, it took far less time than expected to hit some of the early milestones and as a result, there were times were the people working in the background were more stressed than they needed to be.
Sadly, some of the additional activities I had incorporated onto the basic structure didn't work as well, or have as great an impact, as I would have preferred.
The food went down well with the participants and feedback from people in the different groups reflected the messages that I wanted to get across.
Sadly, some of the additional activities I had incorporated onto the basic structure didn't work as well, or have as great an impact, as I would have preferred.
The food went down well with the participants and feedback from people in the different groups reflected the messages that I wanted to get across.
What Did I Learn?
A lot. Here are the key lessons I took away from the experience:
For future events, I will ensure that the primary focus is given to the medium by which we expect to deliver the experience.
Clear role notes and a minimum of 1-2 rehearsals should be included into future projects to ensure stunning performances by everyone present.
I'm thinking of including digital elements into future iterations, such as journalists (and citizen, read participant, journalism) to help further immerse the participants in the experience.
- The Medium Matters
For future events, I will ensure that the primary focus is given to the medium by which we expect to deliver the experience.
- Preparation is Key
Clear role notes and a minimum of 1-2 rehearsals should be included into future projects to ensure stunning performances by everyone present.
- Clear Communication is Necessary
I'm thinking of including digital elements into future iterations, such as journalists (and citizen, read participant, journalism) to help further immerse the participants in the experience.
Conclusions
In the end, the event was a success. We raised over $250 for ShelterBox, which takes us over a quarter of the way towards purchasing a ShelterBox of our own, ready to be deployed to a humanitarian crisis from a predeployed location somewhere in the world!
On top of that, we were also asked to run another Global Dinner event for our sponsoring Rotary Club, so technically, it's my first ever commission? Yay?! (Honestly, I can't wait to do it again, but much more prepared this time, much more prepared.)
On top of that, we were also asked to run another Global Dinner event for our sponsoring Rotary Club, so technically, it's my first ever commission? Yay?! (Honestly, I can't wait to do it again, but much more prepared this time, much more prepared.)