All arts dispatch | grammy event designer and choreographer doug johnson | season 2023 | episode 8

♪♪ Woman: Hit it. [ Dance music plays ] ♪ One, two, three, four ♪ Every year, we have to top what we did the year before, which is always a difficult process, you know, 'cause we set

the bar, then we have to keep growing. We have to thinking of new and fresh ideas of how we can get above and beyond. [ Dance music continues ] We create the music track that you hear. We

edited and orchestrated that. Costume design, creative direction. My team also does hair and makeup -- everything that you see. We work with our lighting guy. David Flad is an amazing

lighting designer, so we sort of tell him what we like, what we want, and as a team, we mix it all together, and it comes out to be something magical that the audience loves. ♪ No matter

where I go, it's a good time ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ ♪ And I, I don't need to sit in VIP ♪ ♪ Middle of the floor is where I'll be ♪ ♪ Don't got a lot, but that's enough for me,

yeah ♪ Johnson: We have so many of our kids that are now doing Broadway or film or television that we gave them maybe their first job, and they already came to us really talented. It's

like a diamond, you know. You just have to shine them up a little bit and give them encouragement and make them feel planted and secure with who they are as a person. You know, we can't

be too needy in the world that we work in, and we have to be secure with who we are because the number-one word in show business is, "No." No. Too tall, too fat, too skinny, too,

too, too, too. No. And then you get hired. You do something for a while, then you're right back to, "No, no, no," so we have to be tough-skinned. You know, we have to know

that we're talented. We have to know that we love what we do, and it's worth it. The "no" is worth the income, and if we -- if we work hard, more "no"s after a

while, we'll be more "yes"es. And seeing all these people out there that we've nurtured and we've -- it feels like our family. We get to be with them every now and

then, and we get to say, "Bravo. Look at you. You're on Broadway. Bravo. You're in this film. Bravo. You know, you designed that or you made that." And maybe we touched

it a little bit and we helped them live their dreams. ♪ Come on, dance with me ♪ ♪ I got you, moonlight ♪ ♪ You're my starlight ♪ ♪ I need you all night ♪ ♪ Come on, dance with me ♪ You

have to play as hard as you work. That's harder sometimes than the reality is. But we definitely have to play. We have to enjoy ourselves. And we have to kick our heels. I say work

hard and do everything you can. Volunteer for everything you can -- other schools, young schools, nursing homes, elderly, wherever you can give of yourself to learn and grow and give back.

You'll learn your craft, you'll learn what works, what doesn't, and people will respond to you. So when you're ready for a bigger project, because you've done your

homework, you've laid the concrete foundation for where your future can be, you're ready for it. You have to count your blessings because who knows what's happening next? Our

little phone is a great thing. It brings us happiness and it also brings us some surprises. So we have to take it in when we can. So, and that was epic, you know? ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Beautiful ♪