Running Learn to Fly
Imagine giving a new EH the ability to only worry about getting their ideas out there, they don’t have to worry about the real world technical side of things. This is what Learn to Fly was - John Berrini took out one of the biggest fears and hold-backs from getting New EH’s out there and left the rest up to my group. It was nerve racking for us as things went on as to if it was going to work and how. In the end though it all worked out and I think the stage has been set for more new EH’s to get a chance to shine.
I believe one of the greatest things holding back new EH’s is the cost - between site costs, prop costs, if there are bathroom on the site and a number of other clerical obstacles, many people don’t get the chance to run their first event. This event removed almost all of the roadblocks so my group was able to focus entirely on prop building and building a world for the PC’s to adventure in. Our experience with this event was unique, originally it was only supposed to be a 12-hour segment for us to run but due to circumstances we were given the entire weekend. Not only was the person backing the event having blind faith in a new group but we had been trusted with the entire weekend, much longer of a segment than was originally intended.
My group was approached three weeks prior to the event about if we wanted to do this and we grabbed on with all hands and ran with it. During this time plot was written, props were built, and everything was organized. Between all the people involved it was a whirlwind of work I could only sit back and watch. The only real concerns that were had during this time was having enough content for people to interact with and the amount of NPC’s that were going to be there - the rest was already planned or couldn’t be accounted for until the event started. The credit for everything that was done needs to go to Anthony Quintana, as well as Rosemary Campbell, Edward Lynch, and other members of Gau Dring. Without their time and dedication to getting things done it would have never happened. Even though we were in charge of the props and plot to get done John still stepped up and gave us a basis to build off of with a basic plot idea and even went to another LARP to borrow props that could be used for the event.
Once the event day had come is when we could do no more, this was the test to see if what John had intended for a new EH could work and if what my group had planned would entertain. The weekend was a blur, too much going on to recount and next to no problems to revisit from what I have seen and heard. At the end of it all the best lesson my group took away from this was communication is key, organization while next to impossible to maintain must be kept up with, and know and trust your staff.
All in all this opportunity was great, I do feel that our group did an exceptional job of taking over the duties we were given and then going above and beyond. This was an event run like any other and could have failed like any other. In the end it comes down to the wonderful staff, NPC’s and time and dedication that was given to it. I have a hard time trying to write something for this that seems right, the experience is exactly like it was expected, what was truly amazing was the chance to do it.
My group was approached three weeks prior to the event about if we wanted to do this and we grabbed on with all hands and ran with it. During this time plot was written, props were built, and everything was organized. Between all the people involved it was a whirlwind of work I could only sit back and watch. The only real concerns that were had during this time was having enough content for people to interact with and the amount of NPC’s that were going to be there - the rest was already planned or couldn’t be accounted for until the event started. The credit for everything that was done needs to go to Anthony Quintana, as well as Rosemary Campbell, Edward Lynch, and other members of Gau Dring. Without their time and dedication to getting things done it would have never happened. Even though we were in charge of the props and plot to get done John still stepped up and gave us a basis to build off of with a basic plot idea and even went to another LARP to borrow props that could be used for the event.
Once the event day had come is when we could do no more, this was the test to see if what John had intended for a new EH could work and if what my group had planned would entertain. The weekend was a blur, too much going on to recount and next to no problems to revisit from what I have seen and heard. At the end of it all the best lesson my group took away from this was communication is key, organization while next to impossible to maintain must be kept up with, and know and trust your staff.
All in all this opportunity was great, I do feel that our group did an exceptional job of taking over the duties we were given and then going above and beyond. This was an event run like any other and could have failed like any other. In the end it comes down to the wonderful staff, NPC’s and time and dedication that was given to it. I have a hard time trying to write something for this that seems right, the experience is exactly like it was expected, what was truly amazing was the chance to do it.
