Gettysburg evernt being "produced"

[Jari]

Received this email (below)

Is the Gettysburg event being "produced" by event companies? Anyone know about this?



Hello!

I'm the production manager and assistant to producer, Kurt Uebersax of Showcall.

Showcall has been invited along with several other event production companies to submit a bid to produce a live event for the 150th Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg - July 2013.
Some fellow production colleagues who also participate in re-enactments recommended your group to us as an excellent group to have participate in the event.

I am sure you receive a number of requests to participate at different events.
The focus of this event is a more somber commemorative reflection on what happened at Gettysburg.
Once we receive approval for the job, we can discuss more details.

However, in order for us to submit our bid in the next week, we want to know:

1 - Would you be interested in participating in this event?
2 - What your performance fee is?
3 - What expenses would you need to have reimbursed/covered (if over and above the performance fee)?
4 - Where is your group based location-wise?

If interested in participating, we would like to receive a letter on your letterhead or with your contact information on the header.
Please address the letter to: Kurt Uebersax, Producer - Showcall.
Indicate that your group is interested in participating in the July 2013 - Live Commemoration of the 150th Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg.

Please feel free to direct any questions or email the letter attachment to me at XXXXXX
I can also be reached at XXXXXXX.

Feel free to also visit Showcall's website at: XXXXXXXXX

Thank you for your attention to this request.

Nancy Commeree
Assistant to Kurt Uebersax

[indguard]

Some of those questions seem to bespeak of people that don't know what a reenactment is.

WTH

[Brakax]

I just looked through their website. They are not officially working on this yet. I would keep an eye out though.

[Rob Weaver]

I think this is a phishing scam. It's pretty sophisticated in that it takes your indicated interests into account. Responding to that email would verify that the scammer found a live email address, and there is every possibiity that logging onto the website will take you to a piece of malware or spyware. This is like nothing I have ever heard of in reenacting, nore is it consistent with any language used in planning or promoting traditional events.

[Radar]

Looks like this is an indication of a major circus in the making. Let's all send them info on what we want. Mileage, 3 squares a day, indoor plumbing, motor coach to/from the event, and on and on and on.

Just kidding folks. As Indguard stated, this group doesn't have a clue.

[wheres_my_horse]

If it is phishing, Mr Weaver, it is one of the best. Both names are in IMDB listed in these roles. Kurt Uebersax is also from New Market, Md.

Is there any reason to not think that GAC has put out an RFP for a Full blown movie of the 150th? If they did, but didn't put in the RFP that we all sign away our rights re:film and we PAY to go, then this email would make sense. I would want to know how much the talent is going to cost me before I submit a price point that says I could create the requested product.

YMMV.

[Rob Weaver]

If it is phishing, Mr Weaver, it is one of the best. Both names are in IMDB listed in these roles. Kurt Uebersax is also from New Market, Md.

Is there any reason to not think that GAC has put out an RFP for a Full blown movie of the 150th? If they did, but didn't put in the RFP that we all sign away our rights re:film and we PAY to go, then this email would make sense. I would want to know how much the talent is going to cost me before I submit a price point that says I could create the requested product.

YMMV.

Well, I was really just reacting to the awkward syntax of some of the sentences. They sounded like "insert field here." Others seem to indicate a certain legitimacy to the correspondence, if not the concept.

[lincolnsguard]

This event has been for nothing but profit for years. The 150th is not going to be any different. Don't even hope it won't be, it's not going ot happen. The event organizers are going so squish as many folks as they possibly can on to the land they have and count on it. GAC has used production companies in the past for their "for profit" DVD sales. Dont' get wound up like this is something you didn't expect would happen. This crap (emphasis on crap) is what it is and will have little to do with history and much to do with making money. Wake up folks, you get what you pay for and you've been buying the product for years. Why should the GAC change?

And, don't act surprised when folks get shut out of registration. That piece of land will only hold so many folks. It's going to happen to someone who's saying right now, "that'll never happen to me." BTW, registration's open as are spectator ticket sales.

[S.D.Swart]

I think I will just go to Chickamauga and save me the troubles......

S.D.Swart

[Anders]

Probably putting out bids for the event logistics...

Wonder if Rear Rank Productions will get a bid packet....

:)

Pards,

[Bob Minton]

Eli-it will indeed be different than prior years.....it will be much, much worse....

Regards,
Bob Minton

[Anders]

Folks,

Gettysburg is what it is and always will be. 5 years ago I put on At High Tide to provide a historical reenactment of the battle. We have close to 2,000 show up.

From all accounts everyone was happy.

But the time I put into that one event I could have put on 5 more....and one aspect that hurt was the number of folks who decided to go to the big show instead...financially crushing Western Maryland Heritage Foundation. AS we never touch spectator money, that goes straight to the charity groups, and we live off of reenactor registration.

Now I have created Rear Rank Productions....we are the force behind Lee Takes Command, Maryland, my Maryland and assist with other events this year.

I toyed with putting on another At High Tide, calling it instead, Anders' Culloden...lol...

[lincolnsguard]

Eli-it will indeed be different than prior years.....it will be much, much worse....

Regards,
Bob Minton

"Still goen to the wrong events?"

[Frederick14Va]

At many such large events its not uncommon to have some local film production company(s) involved to create a commemorative DVD or cheap documentary of sorts of a given event to generate more profits. And/Or could be a local generic event management group trying to get its foot in the door...

The verbage contained in this gives the impression that the company in question has been inquired or approached on this endevor... however has not done any research or gleened any understanding on how these things generally operate... Typically used to having to coordinate and hire participants as fodder for whatever film project or event it might be... Also to inquire and try to figure out what things would cost in advance so have idea what to bid it for.... Most likely this company has little to no experience in historical based film fodder... or anything related to reenactments... so is stumbling about...

[Bob Minton]

Not me Eli, I'm proud to say I was at High Tide, not the GAC event. I don't think I've done GAC in about 10 years.

Regards,
Bob

[dogcompanylt]

Chris,
If rear rank has anything to do with hosting a Gettysburg event next year, count me in.
Ryan

[lincolnsguard]

Not me Eli, I'm proud to say I was at High Tide, not the GAC event. I don't think I've done GAC in about 10 years.

Regards,
Bob

I was at G135 & 140 as a tater and was appalled at the things I saw. What a rape of history and the honored dead still on the battlefield on that hill in town. But, hey, you get what you pay for now don't you? G140 was the reason I took the direction I did in re'nacting. "Anything goes" isn't history, your mileage may vary.