Rocky Balboa: The Movie Premiere in Philadelphia

This past week I had the opportunity to help with the video production for the movie premiere of "Rocky Balboa" in Philadelphia. I was on hand to help out the company that was shooting the "house video" of fan interviews, scenery shots, and an interview with Sly Stallone himself. This was my first opportunity to be a part of such a project.

Here's my round-by-round recap for this event:

• Stallone doesn't look too bad up close, considering he's 60. Pancaked makeup does help quite a bit, however. Winner: Makeup over Stallone.
  
• For people involved in the setup of the event or the press, the night involved a lot of hustle and bustle followed by long down periods in a continuous cycle. For example, before Sly's arrival, we met with the camera crews and hustled around to plan the shots that were needed. And then we waited. And waited. And waited some more. Then the crowd started filing in and the camera crew hustled to interview them. Then it got close to Sly's arrival, so we waited for that. And then he and the other celebs arrived and it was pandemonium. And so on and so forth. Winner: "Up and down" over "slow and steady".
  
• It never ceases to amaze me how crazy people get just to see a celeb. Ok, so the actor/actress steps into your living room via a movie, performs his/her role, and then people go nuts when they actually see him/her in person. It's not as though these actors/actresses saved the planet. In fact people who are out there actually saving the planet don't get as much recognition as movie stars. I bet if Al Gore were to walk down a busy street, 75% of the people wouldn't notice, 10% wouldn't care, 10% would respectfully acknowledge his presence, and 5% would maybe go nuts. If Brad Pitt walks down the same street, he would probably need a police escort or a really good mask to make it through the crowd. Bizarre world we live in. Winner: Pretty boy over politician.
  
• From a marketing perspective, things were done pretty nicely. Mini-movie posters were handed out to some or maybe all fans. There was a ton of signage outside the theater. Footage of interviews were taken with certain media angels in mind. The road was blocked off, spotlights were blaring and music from the movie was pumped in, creating some extra sizzle around the city. And all the local news stations were set to cover the night's activities, creating a big PR buzz in Philly. Not bad for a Monday night. Winner: Sizzle over fizzle. (Fo shizzle.)
  

So there you have it. A night on (well, around) the red carpet. Now we'll see who wins at the box office...