So here we are once again living in Lockdown and learning a whole new way of living and working. Well, it certainly is new for FINDING THE WILL. One of the major learning curves for us in 2020 (the year that keeps on giving) is digital technology – how to use it to our best advantage. For technophobic bears of small brains such as us, this is not so much a learning curve as a very steep hill!
In the old days (2018/19 let’s say) we used to type emails daily, send out online Teachers’ Packs, Marketing Packs, Newsletters and Christmas cards. We still do all of that of course, but now we do it (to use the vernacular) “with knobs on”! Zoom Meeting Invitations, Online Trailers, Promotional Videos, Social Media Posts (on at least three different platforms) all fly off around the world at the click of a button. Webinars, Online Conferences, Courses, Networking Online – we are doing them all! Nice to be able to do all these things whilst still wearing your slippers but it’s exhausting isn’t it? And don’t you just miss a bit of real life, physical human interaction? What a joy it will be to have a face to face conversation, when you can judge when there is a break in thought, so you can speak without talking over someone. Just imagine being able to speak without having to raise your hand to be unmuted!
Learning a new way of working.
So with little choice but to be dragged, kicking and screaming, into the new digital way of working, here at FTW HQ we’ve decided to embrace it. We freely admit that we have a lot of learning to do but we’ve been open to all advice and guidance going! So now, not only do we have a presence on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn but also, drum roll please………………Instagram! Look out for our Profile Pic:
Learning how to Live-Stream has been a brilliant lesson. In Lockdown#1 we live-streamed Call Me Oz and The Third Witch From The Left. Between lockdowns we streamed The Whirligig Of Time and The Dust Behind The Door. And in Lockdown#2 we are streaming Happy As Larry and The Queen’s Speech. In fact the last two are this very month (19th and 26th November) so if you would like to book your free spot (on your own sofa of course!) click here! And the new found fun and innovation doesn’t stop there – we are thrilled to announce a partnership with Tortive Theatre to bring all six shows back to the live screen in early 2021. Keep following us on all the social media platforms to keep abreast of some more exciting collaborations throughout 2021.
Now, for all our Primary Schools out there who might be thinking, “hang on what about us?” here is some more good news! The first Covid-Safe Interactive Macbeth Workshop will take place (Coronavirus permitting) on 22 January at Fieldhead Carr Primary, Leeds. We are delighted to be making our first visit to this school and also to be able to bring a little bit of our new normal to Year 6. In March we’re heading north again to spend a couple of days at another new school to us, St Brigid’s RC Primary, Manchester – Covid -Safe Interactive Tempest and Macbeth Workshops are on the menu here with Years 3&4 and 5&6. Our learning will hopefully make your learning even more exciting! And in between we are back at the ever innovative and wonderful Anson Primary School for a whole Covid-Safe Macbeth Project Week! We can’t wait for this and for our own digital education to be ramped up another level!
So lots to be positive about as we sail into unchartered waters in 2021. I won’t lie, learning a new way of working so we can bring you quality entertainment and education is a little daunting but, as scary as it sometimes seems, we’re going for it! And, if you’re up for it, we’d love you to accompany us on this exciting voyage of discovery……!
