Student Entertainment Events Official Blog

Event Survey Opportunity

2012-03-02T09:43:00.005-08:00

Hey UMD Students! What types of events do you want to see on campus after spring break? Fill out the survey below to let SEE Directors know what programs you want to see this year.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/B3SLVSX

The Thoughts behind Seth Meyers

2012-03-01T18:08:00.003-08:00

Eric Feldman
Comedy Director
seecomedy@umd.edu

My name is Eric Feldman. I am a senior engineering major at the University of Maryland and as part of my campus involvement, I am the comedy director of Student Entertainment Events. As Comedy Director, I selected Aziz Ansari for the Homecoming Comedy Show and Seth Meyers for our Spring Comedy Show.

Since I was a freshman, the SEE Spring Comedy Show has been held in the Grand Ballroom. Freshman year, SEE brought Zach Galifianakis. I decided to go 20 minutes before the show started and I had a great time. My sophomore year, SEE brought Dave Attell and Jo Koy, two very successful Spring Comedy Show events that were held in the Grand Ballroom. Last year, we brought Gabriel Iglesias. We priced tickets at five dollars and held the show in the Grand Ballroom. The show sold out and everyone visibly had a great time as Iglesias performed for an hour longer than anyone had expected.

We have now arrived at the Spring 2012 Comedy Show and I would like to share with you all my side of the story and what led me to proposing Seth Meyers. For starters, the Spring Comedy Show has always been placed in the Grand Ballroom. So it is no surprise that I associate this show in my mind with the Grand Ballroom and thus, when I proposed the event, the Grand Ballroom was the natural venue of choice. Second, I had the unique opportunity to book Seth Meyers for our Spring Comedy Show; an opportunity that students would be overjoyed with—and I was thrilled. While The Diamondback is correct and Seth Meyers tied for first place on our previous comedy survey, I just could not pass up the opportunity to bring Seth Meyers to campus. He was in our budget, popular and would bring with him a great show. I didn’t feel that it was right to bring a less popular comedian and put him/her in the Grand Ballroom, leaving many potentially unsatisfied. I do want to apologize for bringing someone that people wanted to see according to our research and putting him in too small of a venue. But I wanted to assure everyone that I was doing the best job that I could do with the budget and opportunities that I had.

Our job is to please the students. After all, I am a student and no different than any one of you. I am trying to please everyone to the best of my ability. So why would I do anything that would intentionally make people upset by depriving them the opportunity to see their favorite comedian? I wouldn’t.

The truth is, as an organization housed in the Stamp Student Union, utilizing venues in the Stamp, such as the Grand Ballroom, is very economically feasible for us. Special grants for the Homecoming Comedy Show are what allow us to house the show in Cole Field House. However, due to the costs of the stage, lights, sound, video, security and more when we produce an event in Cole, it is difficult for us to afford it for any other comedy shows for the year. If I wanted to put Seth Meyers in Cole Field House, we wouldn’t have been able to bring The Second City in the fall, and we wouldn’t have been able to bring another comedy event in April to be released at a later date. Our mission, as stated on our website, is to program diversely throughout the year. To us, that does not mean two large shows, it means providing the campus community with several diverse shows.

Economic majors may agree that charging more for tickets now will make up for the difference in the production costs associated with a larger venue. And you’re right. However, SEE operates with strict financial and spending guidelines, with few exceptions. As such, we must have the money in our programming line before we can book the talent, venue, etc. That means that charging students more money now for tickets will help us for future shows but will not for this show. This is partially why we raised ticket prices slightly from last year, so that we can ever so slowly build our programming budget to one day be able to bring big talent at big venues all while still fulfilling our mission. Additionally, the talent cost is dependent on the size of venue they are performing in, so SEE would not only experience a jump in production costs bringing Seth to Cole, but also a jump in talent fees.

As much as many of you would like us to charge 30 dollars a ticket now and place the show in Cole, we also recognize that not everyone can afford to spend 30 dollars on entertainment and that students deserve to pay a fair price for tickets. The complaint that tickets are too cheap is selfish and unfair to students on a budget. People complain when tickets are too expensive, when tickets are too cheap, when the venue is too small, when the venue is too big, when the performer is too unknown and when the performer is too recognizable. We want to make you, the students, happy, but it is difficult when the feedback is unconstructive and without research and understanding.

My name is Eric Feldman and I am senior at the University of Maryland. I have done the best I can as Comedy Director for SEE, and on behalf of SEE, I hope that by working together we can develop a mutual understanding of the programming process and continue to bring great acts to campus.

Be Our Guest: Behind the Scenes with the Hospitality Director

2012-02-28T08:33:00.002-08:00

Shadia Weeks
Hospitality Director
seehospitality@umd.edu

Orchids on the coffee table, one bowl of strictly green M&Ms and 24 bottles of room temperature water—imported from Switzerland.

You might have heard stories about the outrageous requests of glorified superstars and the unfortunate souls who kneel at their beck and call. This is not one of those stories.

As Hospitality Director for Student Entertainment Events, I “coordinate hospitality needs for all SEE events, including event staff and performer needs.” What that means is: I take care of catering and other hospitality needs for all event staff, namely SEE employees. In addition, I provide talent, artists, performers and their crews with whatever their hearts desire (within reason) as stipulated in their riders.

The rider is basically a checklist of all the things artists request when they come to a venue. They often include dinner preferences, snacks, drinks, towels and linens, cutlery, gadgets and a plethora of other goodies. Riders vary drastically from artist to artist. Some are long, detailed and tedious, while others are brief, vague and almost completely uninformative. Some artists don’t even have riders. Either way, it’s up to me to make sure whoever visits our campus feels completely taken care of. I want the artist to feel comfortable at our university and have a nice greenroom they can relax in before and after performing. Sometimes they are very pleased. At our Back to School Concert last fall, the headliner Mac Miller even gave me a hug when I handed him a bottle of apple juice after the show. The juice was listed on his rider, so I got it. It doesn’t take much to make the artist happy, just get them what they asked for.

At all-hands-on-deck events, my job gets twice as big. This is where providing hospitality for event staff really comes into play. Not only do I have to prepare for the visiting artist, but I’m feeding all SEE employees, which includes SEE directors, advisors and team members. There are usually three all-hands-on-deck events a year, the biggest being Art Attack in the spring. Art Attack is a two-day production even though the concert is only a few hours on a Friday night. I’ve already stated working on Art Attack, even though the show isn’t until May.

I placed my first official 2012 Art Attack order last week when I ordered all the rental cars we’ll need (including four golf carts, everyone’s favorite part of Art Attack production). Because this event requires two days of production, I’ll soon coordinate all the catered meals for both days including two breakfasts, two lunches and one massive dinner for the 100+ people who will work the show on May 4^th. Once the riders come in for our headliner (sorry kids, you’ve still got to wait for that one) I’ll start making arrangements for his/her greenroom as well.

Being Hospitality Director can definitely become stressful at times, but with everyone’s help and a seriously detailed “To-Do” list, we make it work. My work can be tedious, but in the end it’s so rewarding to see all the students having a great time in the stands at a sold-out event. Don’t let the movies disillusion you; artists are not innately maniacal egomaniacs with ludicrous demands and unforgiving tendencies, at least the ones that have come to Maryland in the past year. Hopefully I’m not proved wrong in the future. *crosses fingers*

Behind the Scenes with the Technical Director

2012-02-14T12:56:00.000-08:00

Adam Reeves
Technical Director
seetechnical@umd.edu

Think of the last concert you went to. Rocking out to your favorite musician and laughing at an awesome comedian is a lot of fun, but most people don’t think about everything that goes into giving you the entertainment experience. Imagine how different the experience would be without a big sound system, cool moving lights or a raised stage. The talent would be standing on the floor simply playing his instrument acoustically. The job of the SEE Technical Team is to make sure you get the best experience at SEE’s events.

I first joined SEE three and a half years ago, as a freshman, when I became a member of the Technical and Security teams. For two years now, I’ve been the Technical Director and Technical Team leader. Before the show, we work with the performers and production companies to build stages, hook up speakers and sound systems, hang lights and set up instruments. During the show, we run spotlights and help set up the stage between performers. After the show, we clean up and take everything down as if the show never happened. Basically, we work to ensure that the audience can see, hear and enjoy seeing their favorite band, comedian or unique act on campus. Oh, and we get paid to do this.

The great thing about the Technical Team is that there is no commitment. You can work as many or as little shows as you want. I’ll simply send out an email when I need the help of the Technical Team and the members email me back with the times they want to work; I let the members choose their own hours. Each person has a different experience on the team; it is what you make of it. Some members join because they are interested in what goes behind the scenes at a concert. Others join because they need some extra cash. Some students join because they have friends on the team and have fun working. Even better is when people join because they want to get involved more in SEE and what we do.

Like other directors have mentioned previously, joining SEE has definitely been the best decision I’ve made during my time here at the university. Not only have I learned so much about event planning and the hard work that goes into campus programming but I have met so many of my friends through SEE. Working with SEE directors, other students and university staff has been a great experience that is unlike any other. SEE is an organization that is so different from other student groups and you really have to be a part of it to see that.

If you are interested in joining the Technical Team or the other two student teams (Security or Marketing), please email me at seetechnical@umd.edu and I’ll get you all the information you need to join. I can also answer any questions about the Technical Team or SEE in general. I hope to work with (or at least see) lots of you at our many awesome events this semester.

Please note, because being a member of the Technical Team and Security Team is a paid position, you must be on the university payroll. To do this you may attend the payroll meeting at 2 p.m., Friday, February 24, in Terrapin Room B and C in The Stamp or turn in the payroll paperwork by Monday, February 27.

SEE Security: My Best College Decision

2012-01-31T13:05:00.000-08:00

Ayelet Kravitz
Security Director
seesecurity@umd.edu

One of the many ways to be involved with SEE is being on the Security Team. The Security Team works during SEE events to secure the venue and ensure the safety of both audience and talent alike. Typically during an event, the Security Team will check tickets, give out wristbands, guard green rooms and make sure people are coming in and going out the appropriate entrances and exits in an organized manner, while also making sure that the artist’s security and privacy is not compromised.

I joined the Security Team my first semester of my freshman year – I went to the SEE General Interest Meeting in the Baltimore Room in the Stamp Student Union and like most freshmen, my new college environment overwhelmed me. I had no idea what SEE was, I was just there because one of my new friends convinced me to go because it sounded “cool.” Honestly, I could hardly hear anything that was said during the meeting, except at the end when I heard “and you get paid!” Paid? Alright, sign me up!

Joining the Security Team (or just SEE in general) was one of the best decisions I ever made. In addition to meeting new people, I had a priceless and unique college experience that only about 150 students on this campus will have each year. Then, in the spring semester of sophomore year, I became the incoming Security Director on the SEE Executive Board. This was the second best decision I ever made. As the Security Director, I was asked “What is your vision for the Security Team? What are your goals as Security Director?” I thought about my year on the Security Team, what I didn’t like and what I wanted to improve. The answer was clear – personalize, socialize, and improve the overall experience for the members of the Security Team.

In the past year and a half as the Security Director, I have worked hard to fulfill my goals and make my vision for the Security Team come true. My first step was creating a Facebook group just for the Security Team members to enable them to reach out and friend each other, keep in touch and create a social aspect to being on the Security Team. Next, I began to introduce name games before working events so that everyone would know each other and be able to make some sort of connection with each other outside of SEE. I could slowly see the transformation of my team, from being shy and quiet to always talking and leaving with a friend or two to walk back home after an event.

My most recent step toward accomplishing my goal was ordering t-shirts that SEE Security Team members could keep and wear proudly. I made sure to ask the Security Team (via the Facebook group) what they wanted the shirts to look like. Once the design was decided on, we ordered the t-shirts from ooShirts at www.ooshirts.com, and began distributing them to anyone on the team who had worked two or more events during the 2011-2012 school year.

I do my best to make the experience of being on the Security Team feel more like being part of a club, rather than a job. I want it to be rewarding, memorable and most of all, fun. I want to make joining the Security Team everyone’s best decision, like it was for me.

If this sounds like something you would like to get involved with, don’t hesitate to email me at seesecurity@umd.edu with any questions you might have. If you’re still not convinced, maybe this video will help!

Happy Holidays from all of us at SEE!

2011-12-17T19:32:00.000-08:00

We wish everyone a happy end of the semester and a happy and healthy winter break! SEE you in January!

Making the most of it: Another financial resource for student groups

2011-12-09T08:46:00.001-08:00

Maddy Bersch
Co-Sponsorship Director
seecosponsorship@umd.edu

This article is a response to “What you make of it,” a guest column written by Traci Siegel and Jimmy Gray on Oct. 27, regarding opportunities for student groups to request SGA Emergency Group Funding.

Attention all student groups: There is more than one resource for students groups looking for financial assistance!

My name is Maddy Bersch and I am the Co-Sponsorship Director for Student Entertainment Events (SEE). I work with the SEE Review Board, or SRB, a group that works to allocate additional funding to student groups who are planning diverse events but are having a difficult time coming up with the necessary funds. The SRB is comprised of student representatives from a large array of student groups at Maryland and also include members from the general student body.

Interested in applying for funding? Read on!

You may find the SEE Review Board application at www.see.umd.edu/cosponsorship.php. This application is not meant to be intimidating; however, it must be filled out completely with applicable event information including performer, venue, production, promotion, and security details and fees, as well as additional information about the groups organizing the event. On the application, there are suggested contacts for booking your venue, printing promotional materials, obtaining security if needed, and other aspects of the event-planning process. We provide you with a step-by-step checklist to make your event planning run smoothly. After all, we want your application to be approved!

Interested groups should be mindful of initial qualifications to the application process. First, the SRB can neither be the only source of funding nor the only co-sponsor. Your student organization must contribute financially and also must gather other student groups’ support in the form of financial co-sponsorships. In other words, this means that another student group includes their name on your event and thereby agrees to help with the marketing and funding of the event. Additionally, the SRB may not co-sponsor any event for which the performer’s fee exceeds $5000, cannot pay for food or clothing rental, or sponsor banquets or philanthropic events.

Most importantly, applications must be received at least 45 days before the event so that we can work together to ensure your application is complete and hold a SEE Review Board meeting at least 21 days prior to your event. There is a lot to include in the application! The SRB wants to make sure your event will be successful, so we want all necessary items to be complete before presenting your application at the SEE Review Board meeting. At your meeting, you will further explain your event to the SRB members, who will ask questions of you and your group to get a better understanding of what you have planned to ensure a successful event that advance the SEE Review Board’s mission of supporting diverse programming throughout campus.

As the semester comes to a close, we are already accepting applications for events that will be held next semester. The sooner, the better—so I hope to hear from you soon!

Maddy Bersch is the Director of Co-Sponsorship for Student Entertainment Events. She can be reached at seecosponsorship@umd.edu or in the SEE office, 0221 Stamp Student Union.

How to Haunt the Stamp

2011-11-14T13:03:00.000-08:00

Eliana Geller
Special Events Director
seespecialevents@umd.edu

It all began when I was an incoming SEE director in March 2011. I was training to become the Special Events Director when, at a weekly SEE Executive Board meeting, the President approached the Board about Pepsi Funding. Every semester, Pepsi will give student groups the opportunity to apply for event grants and SEE had the opportunity to submit two proposals. The SEE Director who makes the proposal has to thoroughly explain the event. He or she must describe how it will appeal to a wide audience of campus citizens, contribute to the development of a campus community and increase the opportunity for cultural and social exchange. After reviewing our proposals, Pepsi will decide if they want to co-sponsor the events proposed.

Because I would be a programmer the next semester, I had the opportunity to present an idea to Pepsi. I chose to propose a haunted house to take place during the month of October, around Halloween. The previous Special Events Director had given me the idea and in researching entertainment companies, I came across one that brings giant haunted houses to locations across the US. I called the company and spoke to a representative who gave me details about the haunted house and prospective dates. This would serve as important information for my proposal. I asked the company’s representative to put a date on hold for SEE. SEE cannot officially commit to any events until we have research based off of student surveys to back it up as well as full Executive Board approval.

Shortly after I sent my proposal to Pepsi, they agreed to co-sponsor the haunted house. Next, I approached the SEE Board about the event at a weekly meeting. I told the board that the company would come to campus to set up a 40 ft x 40 ft haunted house tent structure. I was hoping to have the event on the Hornbake Plaza. In case of rain however, I reserved the Grand Ballroom in the Stamp Student Union. The company brings everything necessary to fill a haunted house. However, they do not bring people to “haunt” the house so I was challenged with finding “scarers.” The Executive Board approved my proposal and so I was able to move onto the next step of reserving the haunted house. The company then sent us contracts that, once signed, would make the event official.

By the time fall semester started, the only thing left to do was find “scarers” to fill the haunted house. I sent emails to faculty at the theatre department, to student groups, and to the SEE Tech and Security teams. I received some responses but not enough to have a completely functional haunted house. And so, I turned to my fellow SEE Directors to help me out. Almost everyone on the Executive Board stepped up to put on a costume and frighten students. I could not have been more thankful. The Directors’ willingness to always lend a helping hand makes me so glad to be a part of this organization. As a Board, we will support one another through anything.

That week, I watched the weather like a hawk. It could not rain on Wednesday (the date of the haunted house)! That would ruin the event! As I sat through an exam on that Wednesday at 1pm and listened to the rain fall outside, my heart broke. I’d been envisioning a giant structure taking over Hornbake Plaza for months and suddenly rain was pushing my event indoors. As I walked to the Stamp, the event’s rain location, I accepted the fate of the event. The show would go on! The company’s van arrived around 2 p.m. and we immediately got started setting up the haunted house. Loading in all of the supplies was hysterical as we were bringing in zombie babies, creepy clowns and giant spiders. It took us three hours to put the whole haunted house together. The haunters arrived and put on their costumes just before 6 p.m. and then we opened the doors.

It was amazing to watch people pour into the Grand Ballroom and hear the screams come from the house. Despite the event relocation, almost 375 students walked through the haunted house in three hours. We received great feedback and all parties involved had an incredible time. Things went so well that we may even consider making this an annual event! Stay tuned with SEE to find out!

The Research Behind SEE

2011-11-02T13:02:00.000-07:00

Amy Waterhouse
Research Director
seeresearch@umd.edu

What most people do not realize about an organization as large as SEE is that there are so many different pieces that must work together to successfully put on events for the campus. As of last year, all proposals made by our programming directors (Cinema, Comedy, Concerts, Lectures, Musical Arts, Performing Arts and Special Events) had to include some form of relevant research to show that students were interested in or were seeking out the event being proposed. This means that if SEE directors wanted to consider having an event on campus, there must first be the student demand for said program to guarantee students would attend and enjoy the event.

How is this possible? That’s where research comes in!

As the Research Director, it is my job to:

1) Work with the programming directors to see if an event is desired by students and would be a good fit on campus

2) Discover from students what they want to see on campus and share the results with the Executive Board

In this sense, my job is both proactive and reactive. On the reactive side, I help SEE’s programming directors look into different artists, comedians, lecturers, etc. and survey students to see the demand on campus so programmers can make decisions about what events to propose. In addition, information that I help SEE’s programming directors find include anything from average ticket cost, number of shows per tour, where the performer or artist has performed before, or average audience size.

But the proactive side is where it gets interesting. For this side of my job, I get to reach out to the student body, usually through online or paper surveys. This side goes beyond merely what students want to see on campus. It also allows us to see things such as, which demographics we’re appealing to, what days and times are best to plan events, and how much students are willing to pay for tickets.

Last year during our biggest survey of the semester, the Art Attack Day Events survey, I collected and input over 1,200 paper surveys. We received lots of interesting feedback on a range of different topics, from what kind of giveaways students love best to who to bring to the fall concert. The SEE Executive Board was very excited to see what information the survey would provide us for the upcoming year.

But when I was browsing through the demographics section, I realized that the results were overwhelmingly female; over 70 percent! I filtered the survey to see what answers male students had put and the results were completely different. This discovery came as a huge surprise for me; from my experience, surveys are one of the simplest, most effective ways to find the likes and dislikes of a group. But with such a skewed perspective, I knew that in order for the results to be entirely unbiased, I would have to view them as two separate surveys.

This had never happened to me as Research Director before, and it definitely opened my eyes to the importance of appealing to different demographics on a campus as rich and diverse as ours. UMD is a campus of over 36,000 students, each with varying interests and opinions. It is our job as the programming board on campus to work to appeal to all of them! So when you see future surveys from us, please take the time to fill them out, no matter who you are. You can influence the events we bring to campus and I cannot emphasize enough that we want to bring events that YOU want to SEE on this campus.

From survey to show: The road to the Homecoming Comedy Show 2011

2011-10-27T10:45:00.000-07:00

Eric Feldman
Comedy Director
seecomedy@umd.edu

Your likely experience of the show:

September 14: You find out that Aziz Ansari is coming to UMD. You get really, really excited and tell all of your friends.

September 16: You wait at your computer for the clock to turn to midnight. Tickets go on sale and you finally get those floor seats that you’ve been dreaming of.

October 13: You show up at around 6 p.m. to get in line for doors to open. Eventually you find your way into Cole and find some open seats, take our survey, and wait for the show to start. Finally, the lights dim, the show is introduced, and then you laugh hysterically to Max Silvestri and Aziz Ansari for two hours. At around 9:45 p.m. you leave to go study for that organic chemistry test the next day and/or go out to Cornerstone, or your favorite bar of choice.

Our experience of the show:

February: I begin to think about potential performers for the show. In mid-February, I attend a conference in St. Louis, in which I meet with many agents (including Aziz Ansari’s agent). Aziz’s agent claims “Aziz would kill it at Maryland.” It sounded fairly biased but I keep it in mind anyway.

March: We send out a survey on Facebook and get hundreds of responses. Aziz Ansari and Seth Meyers top the survey, so it is decided that I will be pursuing one of them.

April: Seth Meyers is not available on the day reserved for the Homecoming Comedy Show; therefore, Aziz has become my target. I begin learning about his price and availability from his agent. It turns out that he is within our range. I then propose the event, with Aziz headlining, to the SEE Executive Board and it is approved. After receiving approval, I send a “bid” to Aziz’s agent, which is an offer to have him perform on a certain day for a certain price. They have a week to respond.

After about a week we still have no response. We discover from the agent that his price is more than they originally had told us, due to his TV and movie career possibilities. We begin to panic a bit, as we currently do not have the extra money and we do not know where we are going to find it.

May: Somehow, miraculously (through several co-sponsorship transformations), we obtain the money necessary to obtain Aziz and I then re-propose the event to the SEE Executive Board. The event needed to be re-proposed because of change in price. The event is once again approved, so I once again send out a new bid to Aziz’s agency. The bid is sent out on Thursday, May 26, and just like last time, they have a week to respond.

Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday all pass by with no response from Aziz’s agency. On Thursday morning, the day of the deadline, we get a message from his agent saying, “I am doing all I can do get this done today. Hold tight.” I am a nervous wreck all day during my internship. I leave work at around 3:30 p.m. and still have not heard back from them. Finally, at 4:18 p.m., less than an hour before the deadline, the agent notifies me that they are able to accept the bid and the show will happen. I begin to yell out in joy and get some strange looks from people.

June/July/August: Over the summer, we work out contracts, eventually getting them signed and completed in late July after a lot of back and forth. The show is now official. I also work with the SEE Promotions Team to determine our marketing strategy for this event and work with the SEE Tech Director and Production Team to work out production requirements.

September: We plan to release the Homecoming Comedy Show on the first day of the First Look Fair, at 10 a.m. We prepare by printing 2,000 handbills.

Once the clock reaches 10 a.m., we all go crazy, yelling Aziz’s name throughout the entire Mall and handing out handbills. The 2,000 handbills, which were supposed to last both days of the fair, have all been handed out within the first three hours of the fair. Needless to say people are excited.

We plan to release tickets that Friday at midnight. In the first day of sales, over 3,000 tickets have been sold; we are shocked. These are the highest first-day numbers that SEE had ever seen for an event.

October: We continue to track ticket sales. Hundreds are selling each day. DC101 promotes the show the week before, which helps us sell more non-student tickets.

We also hold a production meeting with the Police, the Fire Marshal, staff from Cole Field House and SEE’s Production Team to determine stage set-up, the maximum capacity of the event, evacuation plans, entry plans and more. The show is now becoming a reality.

October 13, Day of Show:

7:00 a.m. – We arrive at Cole to begin setting up the stage, sound and lights for the show.

3:00 p.m. – The stage, sound and lights are complete.

5:00 p.m. – Before doors open, the SEE Security Team is trained and prepares for the show. Also, we have our weekly SEE Executive Board meeting backstage.

6:20 p.m. – Doors open and the 8,200 empty seats begin to fill.

7:00 p.m. – Aziz Ansari arrives along with his tour manager. I am occupied with this, while the Production Team is occupied with the tornado warning, which was a bit of an unexpected challenge.

7:50 p.m. – Max Silvsestri arrives. I then find out that I, rather than Aziz, will be introducing the opener, so I meet with Max to plan what to say.

8:07 p.m. – The lights dim, I go on stage to introduce the show, and then welcome Max Silvestri.

8:12 p.m. – I’m running around backstage to address minor details to prepare for Aziz while Max performs.

8:45 p.m. – The moment everyone has been waiting for. Aziz Ansari takes the stage, performing for about an hour. While everyone else is getting satisfaction from the comedian, I am looking the other way, pleased to see 8,200 plus people having a great time because of SEE’s hard work.

9:45 p.m. – Aziz ends his set and comes off stage. The audience empties, and we go backstage to hold our meet and greet with Aziz. We then begin taking down the stage, sound and lights.

1:30 a.m. – We finish breaking down the stage and lighting, and Cole once again looks like a soccer field.

1:45 a.m. – Sleep.

Behind the Scenes of the SEE Homecoming Comedy Show

2011-10-07T14:02:00.000-07:00

Laura Yannai
Venue Director
seevenue@umd.edu

As most (or hopefully all) of you know, Thursday October 13^th will mark SEE’s annual Homecoming Comedy Show in Cole Fieldhouse. Each year SEE strives to put on a great show featuring a comedian at the top of their field, and this year, with Aziz Ansari as our headliner, will be no different. We are so excited about having Aziz come to our campus and we hope you are too! We have been working very hard to make this show a success and if you’ve ever wondered what goes on behind-the-scenes of a SEE event, here is your chance to find out.

The Homecoming Comedy Show is SEE’s first all-hands-on-deck event of the school year. This means that on the day of the show every SEE Director, as well as members of our Tech and Security Teams, will be working from the minute the sun comes up until way after the sun goes down to make sure the show runs smoothly. We build the stage, set up lights and sound equipment, make sure the chairs on the floor are set up properly, set up green rooms and much more. Once the show is over, we take apart everything we worked so hard to put together! It is a day long—and sometimes exhausting—process, but it’s all worth it when we hear the audience screaming with laughter and cheering for our comedian.

As SEE’s Venue Director I am a member of the SEE Production Team, which consists of the Venue, Tech, Security and Hospitality Directors. Once a programmer books an event and our Promotions Team figures out how best to advertise it to the UMD campus, the job of the Production Team is to physically put it together. Whether it is ordering sound equipment for the stage or figuring out where to position Security Team members around the venue, we like to get our hands dirty and take pride in seeing the physical manifestations of our work. A few weeks ago we held an official Homecoming Comedy Show production meeting. Our advisors, the SEE Comedy Director and contacts from the Fire Marshal’s office, UMD Police, Campus Recreation Services and Facilities Management were all in attendance at this meeting. We discussed the production of the show at length, coordinating various details such as the set-up of the chairs on the floor, the position and set-up of the stage and the rooms that would be used as green rooms for Aziz. Even small details such as the number of ambulances that will be present at the event (following regulations set forth by the Fire Marshal’s office) had to be discussed. Any questions, concerns or anticipated problems were discussed to ensure that no details of the event were overlooked.

I have been making preparations for the Homecoming Comedy Show ever since April when I reserved Cole as our venue. Over the past few weeks I have been planning for the event along with my fellow Production Team members as well as with my contacts throughout various campus departments. I have been filling out Facilities Request forms to request tables, chairs and other items for the event and coordinating green rooms and green room set ups for Aziz. I have also been working with DOTS to reserve parking permits. At an all-hands-on-deck event, we accommodate many vehicles on campus, whether it is an 18-wheeler for our tech company or a personal car for our artist. I obtain parking permits from DOTS to make sure everyone has a place to park. More importantly, I have been making sure that everything will be set up and delivered on time so we are not scrambling to set anything up at the last minute!

Overall, SEE’s Homecoming Comedy Show is a great example of what we do best, which is to bring you the entertainment that you want to see the way you deserve to see it. I hope you enjoy the show!

Find Funding for your Events

2011-10-04T10:46:00.000-07:00

Leyla Korkut
Vice President of Finance
seevpfinance@umd.edu

If you’re part of a student group and you want to put on some great events, but don’t really have the funding to do it, here are some ways to beef up your budget.

SEE Review Board Funding: If you already have one student group co-sponsoring your event, then you can apply for SEE Review Board (SRB) funding. The SRB helps promote diverse programming and provides financial support to student groups that are interested in putting on events. Student groups that are interested in getting funds from the SRB simply need to fill out a short application on the Co-Sponsorship page of the SEE website. Applying for SEE Review Board co-sponsorship is easy! All you need to do is fill out various details about the event such as which venue you’ve reserved, what other groups are co-sponsoring and how much the event is expected to cost. If you’re not sure how to plan an event, then you can stop by the SEE Office in 0221 Stamp Student Union, pick up an event-planning checklist and talk with one of the SRB representatives about your ideas. Make sure that you plan in advance! If you’re applying for SRB funding, you need to do so at least 45 days in advance of your event.

SEE Review Board Emergency Funding: Suppose your student group was sponsoring an outdoor event and you paid for everything you needed and took care of all of the logistics. Then suddenly, you find out the day before that it’s going to rain on the day of your event and now you have to move it to another venue. In order to change the venue, you have to pay an additional fee. The only problem is, your group has already exhausted all of its funding on the event and can’t afford the extra expense. What to do? Apply for SEE Review Board Emergency Funding, of course!

SRB Emergency Funding is an option for student groups that have already received SRB funding and have run into unexpected costs and need financial assistance to keep their event going. Your student group can apply for up to $1,000 in SRB Emergency Funding. You must apply at least one week before the event to qualify for funding. The funding is meant to be used as a last resort and for emergencies only. The SRB will generally not cover costs that result from planning within the student group’s control, so make sure that you’re doing your best to plan your event in the most effective way possible.

Student Groups: Many groups underestimate the power of co-sponsoring with other student groups. By simply joining forces with other groups you can cut down the costs for an event by dividing up responsibilities. For instance, one group can handle venue costs while another group handles talent fees. By sharing the expenses, the event becomes much more affordable.

University Departments: If your event may be relevant to a University department, then you should consider them as potential co-sponsors. In the past, student groups have worked with University departments to put on educational events, lectures, seminars, and concerts.

There are also other funding options for students outside of SEE:

These are just a few ideas to help fund your way to a great event. Good luck and happy hunting!

How to Join SEE

2011-09-28T08:50:00.000-07:00

Nate Adler
Membership Director
seemembership@umd.edu

In case you missed the General Interest Meeting on Tuesday, September 20, there are various ways to get involved with Student Entertainment Events (SEE) depending on how much time you are willing to commit to the organization. Since SEE is responsible for coordinating so many events, there are 22 Director positions that make up the SEE Executive Board, as well as three teams that assist with the technical, security, and marketing aspects of our events. Any UMD undergraduate student can join the teams to help out at events; however, applications for SEE Director positions become available in the fall, usually in mid to late October.

The Tech and Security Team members are paid, and allow members to work the events they choose, attend those events for free and get fed well (when working over meal times). For more information about how to join the Tech Team, email Adam Reeves, SEE Technical Director, at seetechnical@umd.edu. For more information about the Security Team, email Ayelet Kravitz, SEE Security Director, at seesecurity@umd.edu.

The Marketing Team is not paid; however, the positions are incentive based; therefore, the more time one puts in, the more swag, autographs, and free tickets one can receive. A new position, Marketing Team Liaison, is being implemented this fall in order to collaborate with the Marketing Director and Marketing Team. The two Marketing Team Liaisons will be responsible for organizing incentives to keep interest in the Marketing Team members, as well as coordinate campus-wide marketing efforts before events. Applications for this position are due by October 5. If interested, contact Seth Backer, SEE Marking Director, at seemarketing@umd.edu for the application and with any questions. You can also ask Seth for more information about how to join the Marketing Team.

Almost all of the SEE Director positions are unpaid, except for the two Office Managers. Although these Director positions are great leadership experiences to have on one’s résumé, one may ask why someone would be interested in committing so much time and working so intensely on planning events without being paid during the school year. SEE offers a diverse range of friendships outside of one’s area of study, with students ranging from the business and engineering schools to even the Arabic Flagship Program. With almost 100 programs a year, the 22 Directors are constantly together, whether it is planning, executing, or just enjoying the event during or post show.

Another benefit for SEE Directors is having the opportunity to work with agents and the entertainment industry. Although this may not be as glamorous as it looks on Entourage, having the professional and social skills to coordinate events with agents and performers is an important life-skill and can still be enjoyable. By having Directors coordinate events in various areas (music, comedy, lectures, films, special events, or performing arts), Directors are able to become involved in the entertainment industry by interacting with those professionals. As a part of the Executive Board for SEE, Directors also have the opportunity to formally introduce proposals for future events, coordinate the promotion or behind-the-scenes execution of events, create recruitment and outreach strategies for the organization, and much more.

Another obvious perk of working for Student Entertainment Events is meeting the performers who SEE brings to campus. While I was driving Mac Miller and his crew to the venue for the Back to School Concert, one of them asked me if I got paid well for my position. I laughed and replied, “No, why would I get paid to hang out with you guys and Mac Miller all day?” For the last week all of my friends have told me how lucky I am to experience that opportunity and actually hang out with such a popular figure. Although some positions in SEE are paid, I have held my position with Student Entertainment Events for only a few weeks and cannot even describe how unforgettable all of the experiences have been. Meeting the celebrities that SEE and the University of Maryland are able to bring to campus is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Being involved in such a significant organization to the University of Maryland campus is an amazing feeling: knowing that you helped bring such substantial entertainment figures for the benefit of the students.

More specific information about all of the Director positions can be found on our website at http://www.see.umd.edu/directors.php, and make sure to watch the SEE website and Facebook and Twitter accounts for updates on the applications. Please note if chosen as a SEE Director, you will serve a three-semester term from Spring 2011 through Spring 2012. Directors must attend weekly SEE Executive Board meetings on Thursdays at 5 pm, participate in “all hands on deck” events, hold five office hours a week, and attend a SEE retreat once a semester. Directors must also maintain a minimum 2.5 GPA. As you know, SEE is an organization in the entertainment industry, so working nights and weekends should be expected.

Feel free to contact me at seemembership@umd.edu if you are interested in becoming involved with the organization. I look forward to helping you become a part of SEE!

Rebranding a Brand

2011-09-16T08:39:00.000-07:00

Seth Backer
Marketing Director
seemarketing@umd.edu

In any organization or company, the use of a poignant and recognizable brand is an essential part to reaching a platform of success. For the past several years, Student Entertainment Events (SEE) had utilized the following slogan, “Entertain the Turtle.” While opinions may vary on the effectiveness of this particular sentence, the slogan itself was never fully utilized on and around campus.

Over this past summer, SEE’s Promotional Team, consisting of the Marketing, Advertising, Communication Systems, and Public Relations Directors, looked to not only rebrand SEE, but also to create and utilize a slogan that could be both durable and flexible. With inspiration from past advisors and SEE Directors, the board officially passed the new and improved slogan: “This is SEE.”

Just as Nike has branded itself with three very simple words, “Just Do It,” SEE plans to use a saying that is easy to remember, and impossible to forget. Think about it this way: freshmen first coming to Maryland or students who may not recognize the many events on this campus often ask SEE Directors and advisors “What is SEE?” Now we can simply answer, “This is SEE.” SEE is Maryland’s student programming board-- the minds behind lectures, comedy shows, concerts, special events, performing arts events, movies and musical arts. SEE is a culmination of teams (Security, Marketing, and Tech) and individuals who work nonstop to bring the University diverse programming. SEE is what you get when you combine heart and passion with the determination to sellout, inspire, and forever impact the collegiate years of Terrapins here in College Park.

So from this point forward, and hopefully for years to come look closely at the t-shirts, posters, and other promotional materials you receive. “This is SEE” is bound to make a positive impact on campus, and I can only hope it will do the same for you. We hope to see you at our events! Go to www.see.umd.edu for more information.

2011 Fall Concert Survey

2011-09-10T18:58:00.000-07:00

Chelsea Soobitsky
President
seepresident@umd.edu

Who do you want to see at SEE's fall concert this year? Fill out the survey and let us know!

2011 Fall Concert Survey

SEE’s Back to School Concert Featuring Mac Miller

2011-09-08T18:38:00.000-07:00

Kiera Zitelman
Musical Arts Director
seemusicalarts@umd.edu

The 2011 fall musical arts concert will follow a long tradition of giving UMD students the opportunity to see an up-and-coming artist for little cost in a small, intimate venue, and this year is no exception. On September 21^st, SEE is proud to bring Mac Miller, Casey Veggies and The Come Up to the Grand Ballroom, which has a capacity of 800 and is the largest venue in the Adele H. Stamp Student Union—Center of Campus Life. I am excited to follow in the tradition of excellent back to school shows – a list that includes a sold-out Chiddy Bang and the White Panda concert last fall and Matt & Kim in 2009.

Some students may be unaware of the distinction between SEE’s Musical Arts Director and Concerts Director. These are unique positions with different missions. The Concerts Director programs large-scale musical events, including Art Attack and a fall concert. These events are aimed at a big audience – this past May’s Art Attack XXVIII featuring Nelly, for example, sold out 8,000 available seats in Byrd Stadium. The cost of talent and production for these events is very high and consumes a huge part of SEE’s annual budget, funded in part by your student activities fee. As SEE’s Musical Arts Director, I work with a smaller budget to coordinate smaller, more intimate musical events and “provide diverse musical experiences primarily in the Stamp Student Union” (http://see.umd.edu/directors.php#musicalarts). I produce a spring and fall concert featuring professional artists, in addition to multiple opportunities for student bands throughout the year, including Battle of the Bands each April.

I am aware that many University of Maryland students are disappointed that the Back to School concert featuring Mac Miller, Casey Veggies, and The Come Up sold out within minutes of tickets going on sale at midnight on Wednesday morning. Unfortunately, we cannot offer more tickets or move the concert to a larger venue at this time. Getting an artist to play to thousands of people in a venue like Cole Field House or Byrd Stadium is in the realm of SEE’s Concerts Director, not the Musical Arts Director, and I can assure you that SEE’s Concerts Director is actively working on a concert of this larger scale for later in the semester.

Many students are requesting a new venue, primarily Cole Field House, for the concert. Though I wish I could provide more students the opportunity to see Mac Miller, it is unfortunately impossible at this point to switch venues from the Grand Ballroom. The university and the artists agreed to and signed legally binding contracts weeks ago specifying the venue and the number of tickets to be sold. Part of the reason we chose to put Mac Miller in Stamp initially is that he plays venues not much larger than the Grand Ballroom. Without agreeing to pay a substantially higher performance fee, which SEE’s musical arts budget could not have offered, he likely would not have agreed to play a venue as big as Cole. Additionally, the cost of production and venue rental fees would be too high for the musical arts budget in Cole or even the next smallest venue, Ritchie Coliseum.

SEE did anticipate the student demand for this event. The research we conducted this past spring demonstrated a high interest in Mac Miller on campus. We had a discussion about the venue size but ultimately concluded that the Grand Ballroom was the best choice for this fall musical arts concert based on the size of venues Mac Miller will be performing at during his fall tour. I personally apologize that the event sold out so quickly and that so many students were unable to get tickets. At the same time, I hope that the students who were able to get tickets enjoy the unique experience that will be Mac Miller on September 21^st. I encourage UMD students to attend SEE’s upcoming fall programs, including our annual Homecoming Comedy Show next month.

I would like to thank all the students who have been respectful with their feedback so far. I am available to answer further questions at seemusicalarts@umd.edu or (301) 314-8498. Thank you.

This is SEE

2011-09-07T18:02:00.000-07:00

Chelsea Soobitsky
President
seepresident@umd.edu

Welcome to the new Student Entertainment Events (SEE) blog! Over the course of the semester we hope this blog will open communication between SEE and the University of Maryland campus community, keeping students updated on upcoming events, involvement opportunities, as well as increase the transparency of our organization.

My name is Chelsea Soobitsky and I am the President of SEE for the 2011-2012 academic year. I hope you find this blog, our latest initiative, a useful tool to learn about the University’s programming board, its’ directors and what goes into the planning and execution of our events. I also hope at this point that you are getting settled into your classes and are as excited as I am for an exciting new year at the University.

If you do not already know, SEE is the campus programming board, comprised of 22 undergraduate student directors. Our overall mission is to program diversely for the university campus community and bring events in varying interest areas to satisfy the very different program desires of the student body. We program in the areas of concerts, cinema, lectures, special events, performing arts and comedy. SEE is proud to have general members, as well as, a marketing, security and tech team, who all play an important role in the creation and development of our events. In addition, we provide ample co-sponsorship opportunities for other student organizations on campus, supporting other student groups with the funding necessary to host events of their own.

I wanted to share with all of you a few of my goals as President this year:

1. Open the doors of communication between SEE and the student body.

2. Provide every student at the University with an event that interests them.

3. Brand SEE so each student on campus is aware of who we are, what we do, and that we are open to new ideas and feedback.

4. Find corporate sponsors for our events so students have the opportunity to see desired artists that are not limited due to budget restraints.

5. Bring artists that YOU, the students, want to see by conducting even more research throughout the semester.

Students, we want to bring who you want to SEE. All of the entertainment brought to campus in the past has been selected based on student research, as this is the most reliable source on which we have to base our programming choices. We are not mind readers, so please; let us know what you think! The only way for us to know who you want to see is for you to tell us. Don’t know how? Go ahead and “like” us on Facebook, send us emails, stop by the SEE office (located in 0221 Stamp Student Union) and help us bring you events you want to see this year.

For more information about SEE, please visit our website at
www.see.umd.edu.