Sequoia Slentz and the upsurge of a creative marketing professional? “I’ve learned that if you set out to do what’s important to you in life, you might not wind up doing just that, but you’ll find something along the way that will satisfy your original plans,” Slentz said. He, in collaboration with Cleanbox partner and fellow Lagunan John Bovenizer (son of local artist, Helma Bovenizer, who built the “Another Beautiful Day in Paradise” bench in front of the city library), has wrapped up the 12th episode of their reality show, “On the Road with the Killers of Comedy,” of which the first six were picked up by Howard [Stern] TV and will air Feb 5.
Sequoia Slentz profile in 944 Magazine : Although the world CleanBox inhabits is a far cry from the glossy photo spreads of beautiful people getting their rocks off that fill the mag’s pages, the recognition is still appreciated. Even though we despise the types of people who are into the magazine: the Armani and cologne wearing set, the bitchy, fake-titted chicks who won’t give us the time of day, we are ready and willing to accept all publicity. Plus, Sequoia and I got some free tequila at the photo shoot. Nothing beats a semi-solid excuse to drink hard liquor at noon.
About Sequoia Slentz: Owned and operated CleanBox Entertainment since 2001. Over the past 4 years we have produced major live events nationwide. My company created a television show which was licensed to Howard TV in 2009. We are interested in all ideas. Specialties: Designing, Manufacturing, Merchandise, Producing Live Shows, Creative Marketing on a budget, Event Planning.
Sequoia Slentz creative marketing advices: Whether you are planning the event logistics, identifying the technical requirements, working on content or estimating the budget – all things flow from the wants and needs of the main client. You can save your self a lot of work if you can get a meeting with the main client in advance and discuss staging, presentation style in advance. With all the handlers, you get a lot of filtered information and waste a lot of time getting through the layers. Knowing your location is your best defense against failure. Not only are you able to assess the space for room dimensions, ceiling height, power needs, lighting, noise, Internet connections, access to loading dock, etc… you also get to meet the people who manage the venue – and who will ultimately be the ones that support you and your production. Some venues will let you bring in all your own gear, without any buy-out fee – but some venues have exclusives on lighting and audio, and can even be within the jurisdiction of a local I.A.T.S.E. union, like Local 16 in San Francisco, and you’ll be required to hire union labor. If you’re a producer, it’s best to work with a meeting planner who can deal with the hotel contract so you can focus on the AV and event production. But be sure to make friends with the venue, both the in-house AV and banquets staff. Don’t forget that you’re in their house and they are key partners in your success. The two most important aspects of your site survey are to gain intelligence and build relationships.
Sequoia Slentz on Covid-19 times and the entertainment industry : “In what ways have you seen COVID-19 affect the music industry? The pandemic has been pretty devastating for live entertainment and in general, and especially the music industry. It’s been especially challenging for up and coming artists that want to get out there and play live. Now, clearly, all they can do right now is a live stream, but if they don’t already have a large following, that can present its own challenges. The pandemic has hurt all artists, even larger acts had to cancel tours. Ultimately what we’re talking about is that there has been loads of money lost for the artist, for the promoters, also for the sound engineers, light engineers, stage crew, food vendors, security, stage techs, drivers, venues, and merchandise sales in live music. Furthermore, the pandemic has created a lot of self-doubt and uncertainty for artists. Some artists are now thinking about shifting to a different career or creating side hustles. Multiple income streams are the way to go even during normal times.
Killers of Comedy & Sequoia Slentz : We travel around the country with the Killers, meeting super fans everywhere we go. When you hang out with Beetlejuice before a Killers show, you feel like you’re hanging with freak show royalty. Everyone recognizes him and everyone loves him. To see the party in all its awkward glory you’re going to have to wait for the release of KOC on the Road Season 2.