2011 has certainly started out with a bang for The Game Show Source. Game show productions really kicked into high gear around the middle of January when Marc and I flew to Buffalo, New York to produce and host The Challenge game show for Independent Health located in Williamstown, New York, just outside Buffalo. This highly respected company is a health insurance provider that has received numerous awards for their quality health care plans and customer service.
The Challenge game show provided them with the prefect event to inform, educate and motivate their employees. An overnight snowfall didn’t deter anyone from arriving early to pack the ballroom at Samuel’s Grande Manor. The use of six large screens made it easy for everyone in attendance to see the fun interaction and competition unfold. We played a twenty minute round of The Challenge game show which had the contestants answering clues in the form of a question, just like you see on the very popular TV game show Jeopardy. Marc did an excellent job as host and every aspect of the show was perfect. As soon as we were done we packed up our gear and headed to the airport. We got a seat on the next flight home and were back in Fort Lauderdale that afternoon to begin preparing for our next show.
The following day started with a show at an elementary school in Hollywood, Florida. The Face-Off! game show was scheduled for forty-five minutes, but it was so popular that we extended it an extra half hour to make sure that every student had a chance to play. It was great seeing all kids participate. One of the benefits of the game show format being featured in a school is creating a fun way to learn.
The next morning we were back on a plane to San Diego, California. We were heading to the Hilton Bayfront which is located literally next-door to the San Diego Convention Center and just steps away from the charming Seaport Village with its unique shops and distinctive restaurants. Across the street was the famous Gaslamp Quarter where you can find stylish boutiques, a myriad of eateries and PetCo Park where the San Diego Padres play their games.
We had a few hours the next morning to enjoy the blue sky and warm sunshine. As soon as Sir Richard Branson, founder and president of the Virgin Group concluded his keynote speech, it was time to kick into high gear and get ready for our show. The Challenge game show looked incredible since we were using a 12 by 72 foot screen across the entire stage. Our contestants were CEOs of worldwide hotel chains who were attending the ALIS Conference. Debbi Fields of Mrs. Fields Cookies fame made a surprise appearance to award the final trophies to the winners. This is the tenth year we have done this show and every year it gets better. Our thanks to Mike Watt of American Audio Visual Center and his professional crew who took this production over the top. Everything from the sound, lighting, video and special effects was state of the art!
The next morning wake up call was at 4:00 a.m. to catch a flight from San Diego to New York City for my next game show. The flight was delayed due to snow in New York. We boarded the plane and headed out, only to be called back from the tarmac after a forty-five minute delay. The captain made the dreaded announcement that our flight was cancelled. They pulled the plane back up to the gate and we deplaned. A few phone calls later I was able to secure a seat on a Delta flight that put me in the City at 10:00 that night. I was pleasantly surprised when I arrived at the City Club Hotel. I was not familiar with this property but the front desk staff was very welcoming and they even upgraded my room at no charge. The staff went out of their way to accommodate me by printing numerous pages of last minute show questions and other documents at no charge. There was even an excellent restaurant located on the street level which meant I didn’t have to venture out in the ice and snow.

As you can see, the contestants had a great time representing thier teams while playing Ultimate Countdown.
The Ultimate Countdown game show was being held at the Cornell Club about a block away from my hotel. Set-up and a quick run through with the client was Friday afternoon. All of the content for the questions was provided by the client and pertained to their business. Ultimate Countdown was the perfect game show for this application because all of the questions had between three and eight possible correct answers. Everyone had a great time playing the game. The competition was fierce. The team scores were tracked on separate software which was loaded on a second computer and the transition between the two computers was smooth. The way we distribute the points after each question keeps everyone in the game all the way to the very end. The client asked bonus questions so the team with the lowest score could catch up if they answered the question correctly.
After the show I had limited time to tear down the equipment. I provided all of the sound equipment, video projector and screen, and of course the Game Show player positions and software. All of the gear needed to be boxed up for return to our warehouse in Pompano Beach, Florida. I had very limited time to catch my flight out of the Newark airport. I needed to get back home because we had a Fabulous Feud a/k/a Friendly Feud game show at The Township in Coconut Creek, Florida the following morning.
Coconut Creek, Florida is a suburb of Fort Lauderdale that has been rated the 48th best small city in the United States by Money Magazine. We were asked to provide our Friendly Feud game in the Theatre at The Township for the annual Township Day which is a special day full of fun, food and activities for all the residents. The competition was open to everyone in attendance. The different clubs who are part of the Township, and even the TCMA Board of Directors got in on the action. At the conclusion prizes were awarded which consisted of gift cards and free tickets to upcoming musical productions at the Theatre.
The Game Show Source can be part of your next big event. We look forward to hearing from you soon.