Schooled at the Academy

Oscar night offers lessons for every special event florist — big or small.

By Steve Gideon

icture the moment. You are in charge of floral decor for the biggest awards show in the world. After months of preparation and days of installation, Southern California’s famous weather turns fickle and rain no threatens to dampen the proceedings. Two days before airtime, the producers decide that tents must now be brought in. Thousands of dollars worth of flowers and hundreds of arrangements have to be moved and re-installed, very quickly.

The King of Calm
For everyone else, this turn of events could be cause for more than a few heart palpitations. But for Larry Crain, president of Charisma Floats, the company in charge of floral design at the Academy Awards for the last seven years, months of preparation and a thorough game plan allow him to breathe easy. Not only will his staff re-do the floral designs in order to accommodate the new tents, they will re-do them again less than 24 hours later when the weather miraculously clears and the tents are hastily removed

Staying Flexible
"Changes are the only thing you can count on with special events," Crain notes with a smile. "As long as you keep that axiom in mind-and prepare for it-you’ll come out the other side with a happy client and a wonderful event."

Crain tackles this media extravaganza with a staff of approximately 50 people including 15 volunteer floral designers, headed by Betty Lou Barker AIFD, Charisma’s floral production manager. Many of these designers, most of the AIFD members, return year after year for the thrill of the challenge. This year’s team included only three new members along with 12 Oscar veterans. "This kind of experience gives us a real leg up," Crain comments. "They’re all great designers and most know the drill."

In the main press area, Hollywood media icon Army Arched interviewed arriving stars on a platform guarded by a larger-than-life Oscar, made even more impressive by the addition of elegant floral treatments.

Set up a chain of command. On site at the Academy Awards, Charisma sets up a tent that serves as the company’s command post. All activity is coordinated from here. Barker, as head of floral production, is in charge of all the instructions to the designers and staff. Crain handles all the communication with the client, which includes his liaisons from the Academy. "It’s crucial that you keep the communication from the client and to the staff going through one conduit," he notes. "If comments or changes start happening from the client directly to a designer, chaos quickly results-the overall plan starts to fall apart. If you advise you staff to politely direct all requests to the right person, you eliminate 90% of your possible headaches."
Put everything on paper. In addition to the site plans, Crain makes sure that his instructions, including inventory and staff assignments, are outlined on detailed work sheets. "If it’s on paper," he explains, "then everyone is on the same page. It minimizes possible miscommunications."

Do a walk through before the event. While Crain does a site visit well in advance of an event, he also makes sure to do a walk-through with the staff on the first day. "I want to make sure that everyone has a clear overview. Even if they’re not assigned to a specific area, they may be moved there later to cover an emergency. If they’re generally familiar with the site, it can really save time," he notes.
Plan for surprises by having extra product on-hand. This year’s Academy Awards provided a perfect example of the kinds of surprises that can happen at any event. The client had originally specified soft pastel-colored flowers for the red carpet walkway to coordinate with the interior colors. Once in place, however, it was clear that the soft palette was overpowered by the carpet. Crain notes, "It wasn’t a problem. I always order about 10% overage and pulled from that stock. In addition, I was in constant touch with my suppliers and had the same flowers in brighter colors delivered that day."
Communicate with you staff. In addition to starting the day with a staff meeting, Barker and Crain check with their designers throughout the day to make sure that work is on schedule. "It’s better to be proactive and find the problem rather than wait for the problem to find you," he notes.
Keep you cool-even when you’re not. An air of calm and confidence go a long way in smoothing over rough spots, preventing the kinds of confrontations that could cost you the next job. "No one attending an event-especially the client- should ever be aware that you had to scale a mountain to pull it off," says Crain. "The end result should appear effortless.

The Payoff
After all the obstacles he’s overcome and bullets he’s dodged, does Crain still enjoy the pressure-cooker demands of the Academy Awards? Crain’s face lights up as he enthusiastically exclaims, "I wouldn’t miss it. It’s the world’s biggest party."
I two years, the Academy Awards will move to a brand new location in the heart of Hollywood next to the famous Mann’s Chinese Theater. "They had hoped to complete construction for next year, but not it’s slated for 2002," says Crain. "It makes ma a little nervous," he confides. "There are always bugs to be worked out with any new facility, and this location also includes retail space, which presents a new challenge."
But rest assured, with Crain’s organizational savvy and team of dedicated professionals, no matter what the challenge, they’ll rise to the occasion - smelling like a rose.

Reprinted with permission. Copyright © 2000 Flowers &