Michael Kelly

Elsewhere at the Madcap Motel
Creative Producer & Head of Operations

Project Summary

Elsewhere at the Madcap Motel was a viral experiential entertainment experience in Downtown Los Angeles. A bustling cast of eccentric motel staff guided guests through check-in, setting the stage with whispers of magical happenings and lore of the motel’s past. Upon entering their room, guests soon discovered the portal into the alternate dimension of “Elsewhere” and were transported back into 1966 where they experienced a whimsical version of reality. Interactive sets and installations were enlivened by a cast of immersive actors, who embodied fantastical storylines that blurred the lines between fantasy and reality.

Impact

• Sold +40k tickets, generating $1.7M in revenue in 8 months during a Covid impacted market

• Earned over 1.1B social impressions through top-tier media outlets and influencers 

• Featured in: LA Times, Forbes, KTLA, NBC, and ABC

My Role

Throughout this entrepreneurial venture, I worked directly with our CEO/Creative Director and Head of Production to execute a bold and large-scale creative vision from concept to launch. During the creative and business development phase, I produced creative for the “show”, brand, and corresponding marketing initiatives. Upon receiving build permits, I supported in project managing the contracting and set build of a 17,000 sq. ft. space. As we neared launch, I accepted the additional role of Head of Operations to operationalize our creative and lead ongoing marketing initiatives to drive ticket sales.

Throughout the creative and operational process I:

• Formulated business and creative pitches with CEO/Creative Director for capital raise

• Developed creative and business strategies based on market trends

• Concepted storyline and creative design for 20 immersive sets and aligned experiential flow according to operational and business goals

• Collaborated with architects and contractors to convert 17,000 sq. ft. warehouse to public assembly usage according to building code, creative, budget, and timeline

• Sourced, onboarded, and managed an 85-person production team for construction and creative build

• Designed organizational systems, hired and trained +100 staff for operations and theatrical performance

• Implemented operational and creative protocols to ensure creative concepts translated to the guest experience

• Sourced all operational vendors and managed relationships and contracts

• Strategized and led marketing initiatives based on ticketing and marketing data

• Project managed creative teams to deliver effective messaging through short films, social media, web, CRM, and print