One helluva job. Behind the scenes of Dubai Lynx.

The Lynx Crew (from my post on Adweek)

As might be expected, the Dubai Lynx is less frantic a pace than the festival at Cannes. Judging the proceedings has been painless by comparison. It also afforded me opportunities to get to know the personnel involved with putting on the show: members from the International Advertising Festivals and other vendors.

Much like a stage crew who goes on tour with a concert act, the festival promoters are in constant motion, from one creative festival to the next. These same Dubai “roadies” will be working feverishly in Cannes this summer.

While the work can be time-consuming and relentless, I still found myself envying these young men and women. What a terrific job, right? You travel to terrific locations (Miami, Hawaii, New York, Dubai, Cannes, etc) and are housed in those areas premiere locations.

A gentleman I spoke with last night from Beam TV said his team did the Andy awards last year, among others. He spoke fondly of the experience and was quite keen about the people he met there as well.

I see what he means. Hob knobbing with some of our industry’s leading lights would be a thrill for any twenty something with aspirations to marketing or the creative arts.

Still, this is not a job for slackers. One must be up well before the proceedings begin and remain long after they are over. Setting up the viewing rooms (and breaking them down), assembling technology, collating scores and countless other tasks is hard, hard work. The fellow I spoke with had to be an usher at one particular awards ceremony as well. Whatever it takes, the show must go on.

And if Dubai Lynx is any indicator of the promoter’s integrity, we are in very good hands.

For the record, today we went through press and outdoor. A lot of work, and much of it was very good. More often than not, I found myself on the higher end of our scorecards.