DCI's Next Director

[cixelsyd]

2 minutes ago, LabMaster said:

Props are not necessarily the big expense you might think they are.  Housing, fuel, food are the big money eaters.

Right on cue.  See how the mere suggestion of cost consciousness brings instant resistance?

Regarding props - even if they are magically provided free of charge, just the cost of transporting them is a significant burden for the corps.  And no one talks about the added burden to the DCI office and others who have to address issues like participant safety, turf damage and stadium gate access for these absurdly large objects.  

My earlier post referred to the cost of "cosmetic changes".  Fuel and food are not cosmetic - we actually need those things.  Props are merely a recently added luxury.  Some group of activity mover-shakers had the opportunity to choose between a more inclusive, cost-conscious activity and one with props, tarps, and unlimited electronics... and they chose the latter.

[LabMaster]

30 minutes ago, cixelsyd said:

Right on cue.  See how the mere suggestion of cost consciousness brings instant resistance?

Regarding props - even if they are magically provided free of charge, just the cost of transporting them is a significant burden for the corps.  And no one talks about the added burden to the DCI office and others who have to address issues like participant safety, turf damage and stadium gate access for these absurdly large objects.  

My earlier post referred to the cost of "cosmetic changes".  Fuel and food are not cosmetic - we actually need those things.  Props are merely a recently added luxury.  Some group of activity mover-shakers had the opportunity to choose between a more inclusive, cost-conscious activity and one with props, tarps, and unlimited electronics... and they chose the latter.

If you do a comprehensive line item breakdown as others have you will see that props are controllable in terms of cost.  In all line items the year to year big costs remain, housing, food, fuel.  If you are moving 200 plus people everyday on tour, this is especially true. And each of those items increases every year.  You can spend $50k on props one year and the same or less the following year.  You can spend $200k on housing, food and fuel one year and a modest cost increase of 3% raises the cost to $206k the following year.  Always an increase.

[DWW11]

54 minutes ago, cixelsyd said:

Right on cue.  See how the mere suggestion of cost consciousness brings instant resistance?

I was going to let this pass, but it REALLY bugs me.  What you see as resistance, i see as simply a response to your point.  Every counterpoint is not necessarily a push back. 

 

[Mello Dude]

41 minutes ago, DWW11 said:

I was going to let this pass, but it REALLY bugs me.  What you see as resistance, i see as simply a response to your point.  Every counterpoint is not necessarily a push back. 

 

Yes, but people talk about being inclusive but in the end don't want to do anything about it.

[TOC]

1 hour ago, cixelsyd said:

 Regarding props - even if they are magically provided free of charge, just the cost of transporting them is a significant burden for the corps.  And no one talks about the added burden to the DCI office and others who have to address issues like participant safety, turf damage and stadium gate access for these absurdly large objects.   

Don't forget the extra time spent by the mm moving them during rehearsals and shows.  Got to be great being an on-field percussionist. 

[cixelsyd]

1 hour ago, DWW11 said:

I was going to let this pass, but it REALLY bugs me.  What you see as resistance, i see as simply a response to your point.  Every counterpoint is not necessarily a push back. 

My point was that with certain cost-added cosmetic changes, the activity has chosen luxury over inclusivity... and the proof of that is seen in the nature of the response (resistance) whenever the idea of trading luxury for inclusivity is brought up.

I was going to let this pass - even as the topic of diversity came up here, no one seems the least bit perturbed about inclusion at the corps membership level.  We all seem concerned that the top jobs, like this DCI CEO position, go more often to underrepresented groups.  Meanwhile, the activity that used to be largely about offering incredible life-changing experiences to underprivileged youth no longer even penetrates the communities where it did all that in past decades.

[Jeff Ream]

5 hours ago, TOC said:

The school janitors and security officers must have great unions as well.

it's not just that. many schools turn things like air conditioning off during the summer, so then you have to have HVAC running. also after several weeks of no water, boom lots of water used, even in a 2 day period. same with lights and other power sources. it's not just staff that has to be paid.

 

my local schools turn off as much as they can without causing issues with the building the day after classes end. in fact on weekends they make it that way for the whole building and often tell staff to stay out on fridays....it keeps costs down. plus liability concerns......

[Jeff Ream]

4 hours ago, LabMaster said:

Well the thread is about the Director.  Your entertainment concern could go to a different thread.  But your point is understood.  Regarding the throne sitter comment does do a disservice to Dan Acheson.  So you may want to read back on some of his throne sitting work.  Could he do more?  Sure if corps directors and the BOD allowed it.  Much of the staff payroll you assume is costly may not be quite costly when you consider what staff members are actually on the payroll.  Techs aren’t making much.  Props are not necessarily the big expense you might think they are.  Housing, fuel, food are the big money eaters.

now.....transporting the staff and props and feeding the staff does add to those costs. so there is some correlation, but not the one most want to make.

[Jeff Ream]

3 hours ago, LabMaster said:

If you do a comprehensive line item breakdown as others have you will see that props are controllable in terms of cost.  In all line items the year to year big costs remain, housing, food, fuel.  If you are moving 200 plus people everyday on tour, this is especially true. And each of those items increases every year.  You can spend $50k on props one year and the same or less the following year.  You can spend $200k on housing, food and fuel one year and a modest cost increase of 3% raises the cost to $206k the following year.  Always an increase.

yes but 1-2 extra trucks....there's costs there for the vehicle, prop crew, food and fuel as well as transporting them. so there is some added costs to the key drivers just because of hauling them and their handlers around.

[Jurassic Lancer]

4 hours ago, Mello Dude said:

Yes, but people talk about being inclusive but in the end don't want to do anything about it.

Not entirely true … I have skin in the game for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Bluecoats 

Edited September 27, 2023 by Jurassic Lancer