Blue Man Group

Engaging brilliant minds to create
more than the sum of their parts

Role

Creative Producer

Timeframe

2006 – 2017

Design Deliverables

Project Management

Strategy

Prototyping

Conflict Resolution

Stakeholder Management

Analytics

Marketing

Branding

The Company

Recognized as a creative powerhouse, the worldwide theatrical sensation uses music, multimedia, and three trickster characters to explore modern life through a party.

The Challenge

After an initial two decades of non-stop growth, the company needed a new model of creative development. The founders could no longer be the sole drivers of new material and run a 500-person organization with creative studios working in silos. The new model required a cohesive mentality and someone to champion creative collaboration.

The creative process is a fragile one; without proper support, new ideas can die on the vine. On the other hand, creative requests are born out of business opportunities – ones where the stakes can be high with strict deadlines, fast turnaround, and limited budgets. A delicate balance is required to foster creative work and meet client requirements.

Responsibilities & Results

I worked with the four creative studios as we developed some of the company’s freshest content in over a decade.

I managed timelines, budgets, and project directives that satisfied both the Marketing and Production departments.

I worked closely with the Legal department to ensure IP compliance and copyright law.

I had forthright conversations with top company leadership that encouraged lasting change throughout the organization.

My favorite projects included leading development on the company’s World Tour – through Oceania, Asia, Africa, and Europe – and several others that I’ve linked to below.

Statistics

Creative Team Total: 20

Studios: Audio, Video, Tech, Story

Cardboard Prototypes: Countless

Creative Team Total:

Studios:

Cardboard Prototypes:

Audio, Video, Tech, Story

Countless

Takeaways

Throughout my time with Blue Man Group, we consistently strived towards better working processes. Weekly or even daily conversations between individuals within each department were necessary to figure out where relationships were improving and where they weren’t.

It’s hard for companies to change directions. Progress is possible, however, if the whole team has their sights on the same vision and as long as you play to people’s strengths.

The driving force of the company’s initial success was a trio of characters with clearly defined and highly unusual traits. However, those same qualities became a barrier to creating original content that said something new. Within the last few years of my time with the company, we began developing new content that didn’t rely on the Blue Man character but maintained overall creative aesthetics and objectives. Such flexibility can be the key to an organization’s long-term resilience.