We’ve made mention of the inimitable and creative event management company Frank Wild previously, but because this particular up and comer is fast becoming one of our favourite college partnerships, we feel they’re definitely worth mentioning again.
Frank Wild is a boutique, Melbourne based event production company which focusses on cultural, creative, sustainable and experiential events. But we all know that huge and amazing things come in small packages and some of the latest offerings from Frank Wild director Mark Rochford are truly awe-inspiring. Frank Wild are raising the bar for Australian event management, particularly in the area of sustainability.
Have a look at the Frank Wild creative team in action here:
With a diverse range of events in their portfolio such as Secret Garden Festival, Melbourne Spring Fashion Week, Splendour in the Grass and the Belvedere Vodka Activation, industry relationships with great companies such as Frank Wild are invaluable. They help our students gain a heap of incredible insider touch-points into a very current event scene.
We asked Frank Wild Director Marky Rochform a little more about the workings of such a forward thinking event agency…
Q. What’s the Frank Wild motto?
A. “Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore”.
Q. What FW event are you most proud of?
A. Melbourne Spring Fashion Week, Shop the City Weekend. We not only produced, but ran the Opening Night Runway on Little Bourke Street which had to be closed down for our show. But we also produced and ran activations throughout the city simultaneously. The runway and the activations where all a huge success and gained loads of social media coverage. We were really proud of that gig. We put a lot of work, creativity and attention to detail into the weekend of events.
Q. Can you tell us a couple of events where CoEM students have assisted as volunteers?
A. Melbourne Spring Fashion Week Opening Weekend and the Chadstone Christmas Production.
Q. Were the students helpful and why?
A. Invaluable. Two students in particular basically ran our event office while we were in events mode. They dealt with models, staff and other volunteers arriving, communications and even answered emails for us.
Q. You offered an internship to one of our students. How did that come about?
A. The student that we offered the internship position to showed incredible initiative in her volunteer role at MSFW. We were impressed by her ability to pick up and run with various tasks with aplomb and minimal supervision.
Q. What makes a great event manager?
A. Improvisation skills. Attention to detail. Patience. Ability to work under pressure. Good time management. Good communication skills. A pocket full of cable ties.
Q. Top 2 tips for a student trying to break into the industry?
1) Volunteer as much as possible, be willing and able to prove yourself.
2) It’s not all champagne and red carpets. You must be prepared to work hard and get your hands dirty.
Q. From an employer’s point of view, do you think the training CoEM students receive is industry relevant?
A. Absolutely. The courses we have seen so far are on point, relevant and up to date. The directors, lecturers and course co-ordinaters are involved industry professionals that are woking in the scene now, with their finger on the pulse of what is going on in the events industry as it is today.
If you’re keen to see more about Frank Wild, why not check out their website or their Instagram feed?
College of Event Management offers a range of specialised online event courses. Contact us for more information about the right course to equip you with the knowledge and practical experience to work as an event professional.