Adlib Managing Director, Andy Dockerty takes the hot seat.

ANDY DOCKERTY

Adlib Managing Director and TPi Awards’ Outstanding Contribution winner.

How did it feel to be recognised by your industry peers at TPi Awards 2022? “I feel incredibly awkward accepting awards. I am genuinely humbled and honoured that I would even have been considered for such an award – especially as I can think of many other worthy winners who have contributed considerably more than I have. The entire #WeMakeEvents Campaign team has been amazing and has helped me considerably over the past two years. Similarly, if there was not an incredible team alongside me at Adlib, I would not have had the time to dedicate to the #WeMakeEvents Campaign efforts. Finally, thank you to those who voted. I am truly honoured and humbled.”

How do you feel about the past two years? “The past two years have proven to me that those within the sector, on or off stage, are passionate and dedicated with the utmost professionalism. We have proven to be viable and I am certainly proud, even more so after the pandemic, to be a part of our incredible industry. Providing lifelong memories and experiences for people is incredible and the skills involved in delivering shows are hugely underrated. However, we have learned that on top of all the goodness we provide for people’s entertainment and mental health, we also need to ensure our worth to the economy is understood and valued by the government and financial establishments.”

What lessons should the sector consider? “We need to continue to prove our financial worth to the government. If we can get all organisations to submit their tax returns to HMRC to sign off to the same SIC code, we can prove our financial stature. Hopefully, then should another pandemic arise, our sector will be recognised and supported and we won’t have to feel like second-class citizens with a ‘begging bowl’ out, asking for support. In addition, as we return towards normality, we have to appreciate that a lot of experienced, skilled technicians have left the sector.

Bringing in the next generation the right way with the right skill sets is more important now than it has ever been before. We need to get youngsters ‘gig ready’ considerably faster than before COVID-19, and with a greater degree of honesty from various establishments about the sector they are seeking a career in.”

How has Adlib prepared for the season? “We have all gone from one set of unprecedented circumstances to the next. From next to no income to plenty of work but with shortages of experienced crew and ever increasing failings in delivery of equipment. Production companies are somewhat sympathetic to the position of the distributors and manufacturers, as we understand all the broken promises they are having from their suppliers. That does not necessarily translate to the ‘end user’ whose expectations have not changed, meaning the pressure to deliver is still as it has always been, but with huge constraints. At Adlib, we have approximately £5m worth of equipment on back-order that should have been with us months ago. Fortunately, we have great sub hire relationships, which helps with the late supplier cancellations and we have booked crew early – although we still have a few shortfalls.”

What does the future of the sector look like? “I believe we are 18 months to two years away from the tech/crewing side of the industry recovering and consequently, staffing is a considerable issue. At Adlib, we have spent long periods of lockdown redeveloping our infrastructure and systems and although we are fine-tuning everything as we evolve, we are in a reasonable space. Aside from this, we have put an emphasis on bringing youngsters through faster than ever before. This year, we have set up a ‘mini venue’ in the warehouse to be able to provide hands-on experiences for some of the new technicians. This is definitely working and I, along with the other directors and mentors, get a great amount of pleasure from watching these youngsters reach their goals. While we relish it, I still can’t wait for it to be over and to be able to gain a more manageable level of control as we progress into September and the touring season. I would like to take this opportunity to wish all production company suppliers all the best of luck for the next few months with their gigs. I also would like to wish everyone in the industry good luck with their financial recovery as we all head out of this with huge debt.”

Read the full interview at: www.tpimagazine.com