Floriade Nightfest - a perspective

BTW, I’m not anti short films, a couple could easily be shown prior to the main feature, plus if nightfest ran the entire time of Floriade then overall more short films by the up and coming would have been shown over the length of the festival.

I went last night, the short films they where showing where all good, I loved the ironing board film. But none of them can be called “film which shaped our nation”. There are so many Aussie films out there which can be counted as films which shaped our nation, or at least our film industry, and many of these received international distribution.

For example

Babe
Crocodile Dundee
Dirty Deeds
The Castle
Mad Max
Ned Kelly (maybe not the mick jagger version. But you’ve got the Heath Ledger version which isn’t to bad, plus the very original (The Story of the Kelly Gang) was the first feature film to be created in the world (1906), it predates anything the US has done (check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ned_Kelly#Films_and_television))
Shine
The Wog Boy
Two Hands

Don’t get me wrong I think Strictly Ballroom (the one actual movie they are playing) is a good example of an aussie film, but it ain’t the only example. Given the popularity of the event I think they are missing an opportunity to run good aussie films throughout the entire of the festival. Given that they are charging $15 per ticket, price wise it’s around the same price as any other cinema in Canberra, surely they’d be able to get permission to screen a few more big aussie movies.

Is that right, Jenny? I was trying to remember if that was the case or not. Not that it’s ever been really on my radar, but since the interest in music, it is.

To whit, go see my choir (1) Canberra Union Voices singing there on 3 October. (They’ll be sans me as I’m running or MC-ing or kidleting elsewhere.)

And Jenny, if that’s your real name and if you used to work at a large organisation that’s related to Granny’s post above, I know you! (Mind you, there may be a couple of Jenny Greens around.) Or is that a political statement? In which case, watch this space soon — actually, I’d better make it very soon, about a little gathering I’m MC-ing on behalf of the GetUp! organisation on Sunday 12 October.

On, bringing it all back home, the last day of Floriade 2008.

Next they’ll be bringing in the statistics!

*chuckle*

tickboom said :

Floriade used to be open at night, back in the day when there was no need for a gate and a fence. I presume they stopped that because people were stealing the flowers? It was nice though. Maybe the trick is just to have it open at night, but forget any idea of making it a ‘fest’ and charging for entry.

Indeed it was. But I heard an ACT Gov marketing bloke on the radio last week telling us us that this is the first time it’s ever been open at night. Lies.

Sigh! It happened again. Mid-strength post disappears in a puff of: Error connecting to database.

Dot points:

* First Floriade: present from Nederland Government to Australia — at the time, I was on the cusp of getting fianced to a first generation daughter of Dutch nationals;
* Great experience, wandering around with her plus my folks — eek, meet the parents!
* All about the peripheral stuff and the flowers were the back-drop, and that’s become stronger as more and more peripheral stuff is added, especially musical elements;
* Though, longer we were together, she’d go with mum and family while I’d avoid — now we’re apart I go with kids or partner of the time;
* Something about photos and how I don’t take photos without homosapiens these days (or very rarely do).

That’ll do.

I know. It was lovely.

The first year Floriade was on, I wandered down there from work one evening (we’d worked late). In those days, there were no fences and stuff, it was a local council flower display. so anyway, it was dark, and I went over one of those arched footbridges and went for a bit of a look before heading home.

It was deserted, there was just the odd light, there was music coming through the speakers embedded in the beds, and you could smell the perfume of the flowers. It was quiet, it was warm, and it was quite brilliant.

I didn’t see floriade by daylight until the following year.

Why can’t they just open it for people to wander through in a simple way during the night?

vg said :

Not a boring story, you just sound like a boring person. I have spoken to half a dozen people today who went to Nightfest. Each and every one of them loved it.

But they aren’t miserable people like you. You whinge about spending $15. Jesus H Christ, that’s 3 beers in a pub, but you sound like you’ve never been in one of those either

Hehe, spot-on vg, I’m not a drinker either! 😉
Like I said, I also had a cold coming on, so I wasn’t feeling great to start with.
A few degrees warmer and feeling a bit better, I think I might have really enjoyed it!

Not a boring story, you just sound like a boring person. I have spoken to half a dozen people today who went to Nightfest. Each and every one of them loved it.

But they aren’t miserable people like you. You whinge about spending $15. Jesus H Christ, that’s 3 beers in a pub, but you sound like you’ve never been in one of those either

miz said :

I found it dark and dull, even with free tickets. Couldn’t see anything properly.
My advice, if you can’t stay home or do something more interesting, is ‘take a torch’.

I will now have to go by day, to see the flowers properly.

And the coda to my marketing spiel above is this: I wouldn’t go for the flowers. I’d go for lots of other things — gnomes, even — but not the flowers.

Hey, grundy. Good on you for posting this well-balanced perspective on the Floriade Nightfest.

For me, I was driving past there at about 7pm en route to another event and part of me thought, ‘Damn, wish I could get there’.

What you’ve written hasn’t turned me off, but it’s good to have some factual detail and some perceptions. Flowers are not my thing at all, but music and community are so anything that enables that is not a bad thing, albeit that at $15 you may struggle to get your bang for your buck.

Arguably, mid-September is ambitious, but then our fickle weather dictates that you may get satched in December (Elton John anyone? – I didn’t go but I heard enough reports) or you can have a balmy evening in April (sublime memories of some, not all) National Folk Festivals, and anything and anything in between.

I personally believe that there is merit in differentiating a standard service, offering something slightly different and whacking a price tag on it. Your marketing, PR, price structure and service levels you build to support that will dictate how that works for you.

Call it a ‘premium membership’, if you will.

If you get any of the above wrong, it may collapse in an uneconomical heap that makes you question the wisdom of your plan OR you need to tweak a few inputs and your price and the next time you try it, you’re away.

I really hope it works, because it gives Canberrans one less excuse to erroneously declare, ‘Canberra’s boring/There’s nothing to do in Canberra’, and there’s another ready market for more of the great music that so many here know and love so well. Another chance to play for and promote to the muggles.

Floriade, I’ll send you my bill. (Wink, grin, chortle — that’s the sort of stuff you say when you’re taking the pi$$ out of yourself online, ’tis it not?)

Floriade used to be open at night, back in the day when there was no need for a gate and a fence. I presume they stopped that because people were stealing the flowers? It was nice though. Maybe the trick is just to have it open at night, but forget any idea of making it a ‘fest’ and charging for entry.

I found it dark and dull, even with free tickets. Couldn’t see anything properly.
My advice, if you can’t stay home or do something more interesting, is ‘take a torch’.

I will now have to go by day, to see the flowers properly.

tylersmayhem said :

I’m a real fan of outdoor cinema. I used to go to summer/autumn time oped air cinema fairly regularly in London – I’d love it if they brought it to Canberra.

I picture Stage 88 fenced off, sponsored by someone decent, charge $10 and come with a picnic, beanbag and lounge under the stars and watch a great movie or 2. For instance – Friday night have a cult classic like Pulp Fiction and/or start wars then Saturday night have a more family focused film like The Castle, then when the kiddies have gone home – chuck on Donnie Darko or the likes.

do this a few times over the year and I reckon we’d be on to a winner.

You mean like the movie by the lake held at commonwealth place or NGA each summer ? or the ones in Garema place people hardly go to ?

Good work, Ticketmaster. ALLCAPS – PUNCTUATION = BETTER COMMUNICATION WITH YOUR CUSTOMERS. DONT ARGUE ITS SCIENCE.

another triumph, then, of the no-hope government and its capacity to communicate effectively and appropriately with the electorate…

I purchased tickets online for tomorrow night and I just recieved this email:

From: Customer Service [mailto:CC.Service@ticketmaster.com.au]
Sent: Thursday, 25 September 2008 1:44 PM
To: Customer Service
Subject: FLORIADE NIGHTFEST

TO AVOID THE NIGHT TIME QUEUES PLEASE COLLECT YOUR TICKETS FROM 9AM DAILY FROM REGATTA POINT GATE BOX OFFICE OR FROM PARKES WAY BOX OFFICE FROM 9-AM TO 5PM DAILY.

Customer Service
Ticketmaster Australasia

Level 12, Freshwater Place, 2 Southbank Boulevard, Southbank Vic 3006
t: 136 100 | f: +61 (0)3 8632 2344
e: customer.service@ticketmaster.com.au | w: http://www.ticketmaster.com.au

I went with a few friends, took a great picnic spread, champagne, rugs, etc got in at 7pm a little late but still found an ok spot (was quite crowded!) and had a great time.

I agree the price was a little steep but I still thought it was worth it and the acrobatics act was a little long in the cool night air but I still would highly recommend it for people who enjoy the arts. Some new tropfest films would also have been an improvement but as I’ve missed the last couple most of the stuff was new to me so all good 🙂

I’m a real fan of outdoor cinema. I used to go to summer/autumn time oped air cinema fairly regularly in London – I’d love it if they brought it to Canberra.

I picture Stage 88 fenced off, sponsored by someone decent, charge $10 and come with a picnic, beanbag and lounge under the stars and watch a great movie or 2. For instance – Friday night have a cult classic like Pulp Fiction and/or start wars then Saturday night have a more family focused film like The Castle, then when the kiddies have gone home – chuck on Donnie Darko or the likes.

do this a few times over the year and I reckon we’d be on to a winner.

Ok, what a great opportunity for a whinge! Thank goodness for Riot Act! What a HUGE palaver it was to get tickets for this non-event. After ringing the ‘hot line’, I was told I could buy tickets online (which may or may not be working). When I asked could I collect them at the gate, I was told I’d have to collect them from Manuka newsagency! Instead, I went to the tourist office on NB Ave and stood in a queue for 20 mins to buy the last two tickets they had. We got the line up to enter at about 7.30pm, just before the films were to start. People were just walking through willy-nilly, tickets or not. I was holding my two tickets, expecting to show them to one of the totally disinterested volunteers (and wouldn’t you be too in such a ridiculous situation). My husband got in with NO ticket, as did many others around us. So much for all the big deal about prebuying. And I agree: it was freezing, and the food was ridiculously overpriced. $6.20 each for an ordinary sausage sandwich! Many of the stalls were closed, Strange Fruit were just a bit too quiet and esoteric for a cold spring night. Sorry for the huge whinge, but isn’t that what RA’s for? So for anyone who’s thinking of going to these ‘night markets’, don’t waste your time. It’s just too cold still to be sitting on soggy grass watching films, even on a rubber-backed rug.

I should clarify that for the very dark shots of the performers during the red lighting, I set the ISO to 800. 😉
There was enough lighting on the tulips to get away with ISO 200 and about 0.6″ TV.
The quicker shots around 1/15-0.6″ using ISO 200 were of the acrobat performers during the brighter parts of the act.

This is all I was using:
http://www.canon.com.au/products/cameras_lenses_accessories/standard_zoom_lenses/efs17-85mm.aspx

ISO 200 on 1/15 to 2 seconds – (Insert borat accent)wow waa wee waa wee

I am a nikon user myself – but that must be fast glass 1.4ish ?

I’m surprised nobody is twigging to the fact that this is an attempt to charge entrance fees without charging entrance fees. Offer something new and charge for that while keeping the normal daytime activities free. My bet is that next year they’ll introduce some special daytime activity that has an entrance fee too.

Thin edge of the wedge…

It looks quite beautiful really. With any luck they will have used up all their mistakes on Grundy, and the night will be warm.

*grin*

Danman said :

Nice low light photos – what gear you using there grundy ?

Canon 400D using a 17-85 Canon IS USM lens. (ISO 200, TV set to anywhere between 1/15 – 2″, auto AV)
Combined with an Infrared remote and tripod, it made for some nice shots!

Ah, great. I’ve been roped in by Ms Thumper to go along…

Sorry Thumper, if I had to get dragged through it, so can you! 😉

Great pics.
I have to agree with you…$15 was a bit much for what was on offer. A good moive would’ve been a better choice…and warmer!
My friends and I have pre-paid tickets for tonight too, so we’ll see if it’s any better.
Even the “[hunting] for treasures at the bustling night markets” was pretty ordinary and not really bustling.

Nice low light photos – what gear you using there grundy ?