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THE 2006 SUNBURST CONVENTION

by Linda Collins

Major kudos to Greg and Jackie Thompson and their staff for another wonderful, productive and informative event!!!!!!!!!!!

Having just attended the Sunburst Convention, presented by Greg and Jackie Thompson and the Vagabond troupe, in Orlando, Florida, I must say I was totally impressed with the entire event.

From the first moment upon arrival until the last "party", it was a class act all the way.

Being a attendee and not being involved with the actual production of the event, I may not have been privy to any "behind the scenes" problems and challenges, but as a attendee, it appeared to go off without a hitch!

The first nights registration and welcome reception was a great time to renew old friendships and welcome new people into the family that is the key to the Sunburst Convention as you instantly feel like family with the warmth and open arms attitude of the staff and other attendees.   The registration was smooth and painless and the karaoke party and fun games that Greg and Jackie had the attendees play, gave everyone a chance to meet almost every person in the room and created a loving and caring relationship between the attendees and the Sunburst staff that was to prevail throughout the weekend.

 A good time was had by all.

I did not attend some of the events like the breakfasts so will only comment on the events that I did attend.

So, the first day, my first event was the morning meeting with Greg discussing the ins and outs of our business and then opening the meeting up to questions and discussion between the artists and some of the agents in attendance.   This was done very casually and the smallness of the group in attendance made this a "safe" environment for people to openly ask questions.   This meeting was repeated on day two as well and was pretty much the same idea both days. 

To be bluntly honest, which is what I seem to be known for, I would have preferred a bit more structure in these morning meetings and although on the second day, John McConnell from "Book It Entertainment" did a great talk on how to elevate your income in the industry, I felt the subject material could have been a bit more defined and could have been geared toward the new people on one day and the more experienced artists the second day.   The groups at the morning meetings were small but would grow as the meeting progressed.   I was disappointed that some of the talents did not attend these morning meetings as I feel the nuts and bolts of the industry is something all need to hear over and over again.  I applaud those talents who were there to soak up as much knowledge as was available.

After the morning meetings, the artists were required to attend a production meeting to work out the logistics of their showcases with the production crews and stage manager.

I will discuss the showcases below but I do think these mandatory meetings are one of the reasons the showcases run so smoothly.

The showcases themselves were well executed and seemed to be almost flawless.

Of course, some minor glitches occurred which is expected in this style of a production but for the most part, no noticeable "train wrecks".

Lots of talent for us agents to view in a short period of time, many of which were new and many of which we were able to evaluate for improvements from the last time we saw them.

The showcase spots sold out so I suggest early registration next year to insure a spot.    

The Sunburst event is still small enough to present a warm and family style atmosphere but it is big enough to draw some wonderful talent and many agents and producers and talent buyers who, I am sure, would say it was time well spent for both the talents and the buyers.  

I will say some of the things that were special at this convention and are, in my opinion, some of the reasons for the success of the Sunburst event are things like the Hospitality Suite, the Artists Comfort Station, the control over the Promo table, the tables for the agents to sit at so they can take notes, the acting stage hands who do not just set up the podium, for example, but do their tasks with animation and comedy and actually become part of the show, the professional but personable sound and lighting crews and registration people and the overall "family" feeling of the event.  Greg can tell you who did what so appropriate thanks can be given to those who donated their time and money to these "perks".   

I did not attend the party on Sat night so can not report first hand on it but the buzz on Sunday was that it was a great fun and exciting event.

The press was well represented with the Jay Leno Show filming and Channel 4 Television from the United Kingdom doing an entire show around the event with one of their own television personalities, Justin Collins,  transforming into a celebrity impersonator as the "hook" of the show.   The UK Team was respectful and very supportive of the event and I expect some great coverage on the show they will be presenting.   Justin, who looked nothing like Tom Jones, actually did a creditable job of "becoming" Tom Jones for his showcase and he was a wonderful singer who, with some fine tuning on his look and stage mannerisms, could actually become a Tom Jones Impersonator if he was serious about doing so.   

The event on Sunday night was a wonderful Buffet with great food and then the awards show which was a fun and worthy event with the Sunburst staff giving out the awards to the performers as voted on by the attendees and then the Best Show award as voted on by Universal Studios and Walt Disney World executives.   I did not write down all the award winners but am sure Greg will supply those to you.

One nice surprise, was that, since IGCITA decided against presenting the Cloney Awards at this event as was originally planned and instead just mailed out certificates, one of the IGCITA members, Bob Pasch and his lovely wife, Lenore, had trophies made at their own expense to present to the Cloney Winners and did so at the Awards event at Sunburst.   The trophies said something like "in recognition of your winning a Cloney award for "best..." 

This was a very classy thing for the Pasch's to do and was warmly received by all.

The hotel was great, the food was good, the Sunburst Staff was excellent and I truly believe this was a highly successful and productive event that will garner work for many of the talents.

We finally left the hotel at 4 AM and the party was still going on.   A good time was had, for sure...maybe too good of a time, ha ha.   

 Linda Collins/ Classique Productions

 

 

GLENN’S TEN (The Way I See It !)

By Glenn Arnette, lll 

SUNBRUST CONVENTION 2006

 So you think conventions are boring?  Not the Sunburst Convention held each year in Orlando, Florida.  It is like being at the Oscars and having a front row seat on the “Red Carpet”.  Celebrity Impersonators are everywhere from Marilyn Monroe to Jack Nickleson.  You will even see a George Bush, Colin Powell and Hillary Clinton.  That certainly makes good company when they are all in the same room!

 Greg Thompson and his wife Jackie are responsible for the Sunburst Convention, one of the largest conventions of this kind in the United States.  Participants come from everywhere including Europe to perform in hopes of being booked throughout the year.  It is a talent search by agents to find the best Impersonators (look-s-like) performers for their venues. 

 If you think you look, sound or perform like a “star” this is the place for you to be each Fall.  The audience will cheer you on and give you your moment in the “spotlight”.  Each showcase is open to the public and they all say it is better than any concert in the country.  Why you will have up to 35 acts in one afternoon and they have two days of showcases for performances.

 For information contact Greg Thompson at (407) 226-9088 or go to their website at www.sunburstconvention.com

You can email Greg for additional information at FlaSunburst@msn.com

 Now, take a look at all the Impersonators and see how many you can guess.  To see who and what about each one, go to www.sunburstconvention.com to see each name and how to contact.

Thanks, Greg and Jackie, it is always so “professional”.  You are the tops!  

Until next year, visit our National website at www.travelstorymagazine.com or email me with your thoughts at VGArnette3@aol.com.

Les Vogt represented The Entertainment Network this past year at our annual convention.  This is his un-edited review.  We humbly and graciously publish his reports.

2005/ 3rd Annual Convention

The Sunburst Convention In Orlando ...

Simply The Best!

The primary focus of this event was to present the talent to agents, producers and buyers instead of highlighting awards to a small core of insider favorites. It was a refreshing option in the mind of this informed and experienced observer.

The third Sunburst Convention of Professional Celebrity Impersonators in Orlando, Florida November 17 thru 20 came off without a glitch... and I am certain everyone who attended came away with the feeling that they got their money's worth. The most familiar sight was a very calm and collected Greg Thompson continually issuing instructions to his very capable assistants all week-end long. It was a perfect joy to watch it all flawlessly unfold as it did.

Greg is very much a hands-on producer with an eye for detail and catches most problems before they occur. He is learning from other conventions, and his own previous efforts, what it takes to stage a successful industry event. All the ingredients were there... including a direct "to the point" simplicity which, for the greatest part, was not hindered by annoying technical problems that are usually attached to such events. I believe Greg is very close to perfecting the model that all our convention producers should make an effort to follow. Congratulations Greg!

There was a get acquainted gathering on Thursday evening which involved a large appetizer buffet, some light entertainment and social games that took the edge off and established a sense of unity among the delegates. A high quality 11am - Noon brunch with entertaining speakers preceded the Friday and Saturday afternoon showcases 1:30pm - 5:30pm on both days. Agents, producers and talent buyers were seated at reserved tables immediately in front of the stage... which was a very simple low-rise set with large video screens on either side showing up-close images of the performers during their 5 minute showcase performances. The big screens also served as a video showcase opportunity for artists unable to attend the convention. Performer videos could be viewed between acts, during breaks and the meet and greet periods following the showcases. Most of the videos were quite entertaining and very well done. At other times, an animated Sunburst logo would swirl across the screen reminding us where we were. No overkill... just a professional touch of good marketing which was continuous throughout the weekend.

During the showcases, the general public was allowed to purchase tickets and sit in the rows of chairs that were placed behind the agents, producers and talent buyers. Friday's attendance was weak, but Saturday looked quite successful. I'm sure the public show concept will eventually take hold as it is very entertaining and extremely good value.

The means by which non-musical talents were showcased was nothing short of brilliant. Joan Rivers was the fictitious host of a "Red Carpet Show" where she interviewed celebrities on her red carpet set. This allowed these artists to be seen and heard in a simple, easily staged environment that didn't require any serious development, props or rehearsal time. The segments were all well paced comedy sets and came off seamlessly.

After each afternoon showcase, the performers of the day would stand behind their promo material at a long 60' table along the side wall while the agents, producers and talent buyers strolled through to meet them face to face collecting their promotional materials, business cards and/or chatting about up-coming show opportunities. At this point (5:30pm - 7:30pm) there was a dead period with nothing planned so all could mingle and network with each other. A late night hospitality suite was open nightly to 3am for those that network best in the wee hours.

The Saturday Night Awards Dinner & Show was another ingenious concept... no complicated musical entertainment... no hoopla or pretentious, big-deal glitz for a series of insider awards that are supposedly voted the best by a small segment of our peers within the industry. Maybe someday, if and when an industry gathering lures the majority of the best talent available to an event, someone can present an awards show with some actual legitimacy. But, until that time, let's follow Greg Thompson's lead and accept things as they are... with some simple, fun entertainment and a fun set of awards where winning or losing have no serious consequences.

The photo studio stall in the foyer provided an excellent opportunity for many of the performers to get a professional photo shoot done at a very reasonable price. And, the photo duplication company on display was another bargain for anyone wishing to order 8x10 duplicates for promotion or back of the room sales. I am certain there will be many other valuable services looking into booking space at future conventions, all of which will add to the overall value of these events.

I would personally like to see a "How To Get More Work" & "How To Maximize Your Income" forum on Friday and Saturday morning at these events. This could feature a moderator (Greg or whoever) and a panel of 3 industry people who introduce some of their ideas and encourage questions and general discussion from the attendees. Also, I thought the "Off Property Dinner" via passenger coach was a waste. While it was enjoyable and a good opportunity to socialize, I believe an alternative gathering at the host hotel would be just as effective at half the cost.

In closing, I believe all industry events must focus on job-seeking activities...  with increased motivational efforts directed to agents, producers and talent buyers.

Les Vogt/Entertainment Network Staff Member

THE CONVENTION CRASHER

The show started with Justin's journey from the Uk to the US with him explaining what he was attempting to achieve and it was explained early on that the title for the show "The Convention Crasher" was due to Justin and the Crew travelling the world to attend different types of Conventions, the first was to be the "Biggest Impersonator Convention in the world" then he named the impersonator convention he would be attending.

Before Justin set off on his travels he seeked advice and guidance from a Music Director based in Blackpool UK "Mr Frank Chance" and also a Vocalist Coach and guide for the UK TV show "Stars in their eyes" one of our biggest talent shows on TV where normal people transform into the Star they can sing like, the Look usually comes second to that in this show they focus mainly on the voice. Anyway.....

Justin looking most like one of The Bee Gee's naturally (until a disastrous visit to the hairdresser!) attempted to portray Barry Gibb to much embarrassment to himself and the Vocalist Coach with his singing/impersonation attempt, however once he started to sing what he was clearly most comfortable with "Tom Jones Delilah" it was a much better improvement and he was most confident with so that was the chosen impersonation he would travel to the US as "Sir Tom Jones".

Back to the hairdresser again looking slightly better than before as Barry Gibbs I still felt their was room for improvement with his Look as Tom but After a final visit to Mr Chance and upon speaking/watching a few UK Tribute/impersonators perform in (again not my personal choice) off Justin set for America with his crew.

They showed Justin registering at the Convention and going up to his hotel room (very lovely looking Hotel).  On his travels through the hotel Justin got quickly acquainted with other bubbly and Friendly impersonators.  He spoke to a very charming and bubbly lady who I thought I recognised, then she introduced herself as ..

"Samira Blinko" A Tina Turner impersonator and I was excited and amazed (one of my members) who I had only seen as Tina Turner so was exciting for me!!! Justin was just as amazed as I was and the Samira said that most people are shocked when they realise who she transforms into. I think this gave Justin a boost he soon realised that not everyone Looked spot on naturally and sometimes people actually look totally different to their chosen impersonation I think when he saw so many spot on lookalikes he was rather concerned.

Samira gave a FANTASTIC performance and Justin was amazed and Clearly impressed, maybe a hard act to follow!

Justin went onto meet others I clearly recognised "John Allen" as Bond! (Another Member of mine) Justin chased him to the lift and re-opened the door they had a conversation "Bond style"  and John did a fine act as usual for the camera. John gave a fine performance on stage again Justin realising the standards were high.

Justin then bumped into someone that made his eyes light up! Marilyn Monroe  who introduced herself as Dawnn.

After a little song and kiss (clearly smothered in Red lipstick) Justin was smitten and said he was going to enjoy this Convention. He was thrilled that Dawnn sang to him and referred to him as "Tom Jones" in her little tribute.

Justin went onto meet a Bill Clinton Lookalike, apparently new to the industry and Justin clearly referred to him as "His mate" throughout the show, it appears he made many Friends (his words).  But Bill Clinton he, I think, found being relatively new they could boost each others confidence and go through the experience together; a bit like your first day at School you always meet that one special Friend. At the end..........

They watched each others performance and Bill Clinton went first nervously but was a great act and he went onto to be a great support for Justin; waiting for him when he came off the stage with a hug and some kind words at the end.

Back to the before the actual performance of Justin....

Justin Met "President Bush" (John) and "WOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW" that guy really made me sit up!!

The highest paid impersonator in the world! Justin nearly choked on how much he earns as an impersonator, He was clearly intrigued by how much John resembled The president" in looks and sound and the mannerism's "They could share the same Dad" he commented!!! Clearly taken back by John and his performance.

Justin settled in and practiced in his room you could see that he really wanted to go through the experience and pass the tough test ahead. He could see that their was some fine Talent around and a few hard acts to follow clearly.

That is when i think reality hit in and the nerves started to get the better of him after watching the performances and rehearsals and meeting so many Professional and very Talented Impersonators/Lookalikes. I think the Judges scared him most though in all honesty, they made the "X Factor" with Simon Cowel Look tame.

He soon realised that a Lookalike could NOT just go up on stage and pose.  That the judges would be looking for the whole package and entertainment.  They did show a few lower quality acts who, in their own eyes were good enough to be at the convention,  but I think the point was to show how serious a buisiness it is and not in anyway did it come across that they were taking the mickey out of people who beleived they had talent but didn't in truth.   In my opinion it just made the higher quality acts look far more professional but showed that everyone was welcome to have a go.  However,  the judges would be honest with their views. The show focused on the journeys of some and the talent they had to offer as performers.

They showed how hard it was to get up on a stage and actually perform as an impersonator.  Justin is a comedian, Entertainer on TV and stand up comedian here in the UK and a very professional and popular one and that.  To see him nervous and sweating made you soon realise how much pressure is on the impersonator to deliver their act to judges or to an audience.

Justin finally grew with confidence thanks to those who welcomed him and guided him in the USA. To be accepted was a huge thing for Justin and that he was in his words.

His performance finally came and you couldn't help but sit and feel you was on that journey with him, after all he is representing the UK we didn't want him to fail as much as he didn't want to and look The Fool; eyes were watching but he had his mate Bill with him every step of the way.

Then to our amazement he delivered!!! "Wow" what a performance!!!!! He certainly had the voice and act but I do agree with Linda Collins that his Look needs work. But even Justin admits that was a bit rushed and I think wardrobe got his costume and props... even he complained ha ha.

After getting the thumbs up and approval of some of the US Agents and even a booking, he came home to the UK with a smile on his face and his mission accomplished. What he didn't bargain for was making some great Friends along the way and fitting in as well as he did.

He went onto perform in Blackpool (One night only) As Tom Jones on stage to an audience with much applause and to the amazement of "Mr Chance" who if you recal had first guided him before his journey to the US. Full of confidence you could see that the convention had made a huge difference to him and his act as a whole.

So My Friends, all in all a very good show and a very good insight into the world of the Impersonator and Conventions. "Well done"!!!

It will be interesting to hear how the UK Impersonators viewed the show and their opinions.  I'll keep you posted.

Regards, Jo 

This is Jo Wiskin's report and views on the Uk show.

Joanne Wiskin 

Managing Director Lookalikes-Unite / Jo@lookalikes-unite.com