Geoff, Can you get me a good upgrade when we go to Vegas/Florida next time?
oh and on the way back!!

Let me know in advance and I'll see what I can do.

Early start today. Have a job in Regents Park London so here we go wiyh the next lot of answers.

9, What is the most asked for model?
A repeat of the last one I made.

10, What do you tend to do more of if stuck in the 'balloon production line' model?
Without giving away my rehearsed ad lid one liner’s. I cleverly suggest a worm.

11, Who is your market aimed at?
Aimed for the stars.

12, What kind of work do you do mostly - parties? Corporate? Etc
Corporate mainly along with weddings, hen nights and that sort of thing. If I am available I will do a kids party. I love this job. Actually I don’t like calling it a job. It’s what I do. As soon as it becomes a JOB. It’s time to change.

13, What is your favourite/ideal gig to do?
A good paying one

14, What irritates you most at a gig?
The one person that says “Please just one more. I’ve been waiting all day for a balloon.”

Please if anyone has any questions post them here.

Well I am surprised. With over 170 views to this little Q&A only two questions.

Never mind here we go with the next set.
15, How do you book yourself?

Agents, word of mouth and the internet.

16, What’s the biggest thing you’ve ever made?

Nothing big and impressive. When I’m working an event, I like to do quality, quantity and quickly.
A one off I did for an Oscar party last year was an Oscar (30 balloons I think) and a old stile movie camera ( 24 balloons). They took me a day to make as I had never done them before and I was making it up as I went along.

17, What has been your proudest achievement in our wonderful world of twisted latex?
Having someone copy one of my balloon creations. I know some people like to say they own that creation or that was my design and want to keep it to themselves. I don’t mind at all if anyone copies or improves on my design and I don’t get the credit. How many of us give credit to Don, Thelma, Graham or any of the other great creators. I know I spent the time creating it and if I didn’t want it copied I wouldn’t photograph it and put it on my web site

18, What advice would you give to someone starting out, or wanting to increase their business?
Don’t run before you can walk. Practice six, one or two balloon creation so you can do them without thinking about it. Then you can interact with the person in front of you and make it more of an experience from them.

19, What road in latex do you see yourself taking in the future
Maybe making bigger creation. But I like the way I work now and it works for me. Making big racing cars and pirate ships that take two or three hours to make is very impressive but in all honesty it’s not the real world of entertainment.

20, What is your personal goal when you set off to work? Is it money or to entertain etc?
Entertain first and I would be lying if I didn’t say the money next.

21, What are your balloon goals for the future?
To keep on being the best I can be and making every person I make a balloon creation for feel that they are the special one.

Okay Lord G...

- What was it like working for Disney? Would you do so again?

- Who is the most famous person/ event you have twisted for?

- You have the last 2 balloons in the world, what will you make?

- I have read you do some stuff with Video editing. Do you have/ plan to do your own balloon DVDs?

- What do you carry your balloons in when you are working?

Thanks Martin for your Questions. Glad someone is looking.

- What was it like working for Disney? Would you do so again?

First off. Yes I would do it again if the opportunity came my way.
It was a fantastic experience. Not only being in Florida with all the good weather but working for an organisation that appreciated talent. I mainly worked in EPCOT at Honey I Shrunk the Audience entertaining the guest in line. I even had my own Disney poster.
See below

I would start my first set at 9.30 in the morning and finish my last set at 2.20pm. When I was with Disney, it was red hot on set times. You just didn’t go over your time. My sets were twenty minutes on 40 off. As soon as I finished my 20 a magician or caricature artist would take over. The one thing that has stuck with me from my time at Disney World is the end of the speech given to every cast member by the then CEO of Disney Corp. It was this. “Just remember your not here to work your here to have fun. Now go and have fun and out guest will have even more fun.” That is still how I think every time I go on a gig. I made a lot of friends when I was at Disney and still keep in touch with most of them on Facebook.

- Who is the most famous person/ event you have twisted for?

This question comes up later on but I didn’t really answerer it.
So I shell do so here. Well in my time at Disney I have made balloon creations for a lot of well known people. From the then President of the USA Bill Clinton to Michael Jackson and most of his family. A long the way was Kevin Bacon, Robin Williams (one of my ideals) to one of the nicest people I have ever met and who sadly is no longer with us and that’s Jill Dandow. She was making here last holiday program and I just happened to be working where they were filming and got invited to be a part of the show doing balloons. Afterwards she came and had a long chat with me asking who a Brit ended up working for a real Mickey Mouse outfit. I have also made things for Gordon Brown and his Wife.
I’ll stop now as I am sounding big headed. But in all honesty I don’t know who half the people are. I don’t look at OK or Hello Mag’s.

- You have the last 2 balloons in the world, what will you make?

Got to be the Teddy Bear with a Heart.

- I have read you do some stuff with Video editing. Do you have/ plan to do your own balloon DVDs?

I have just bought an HD Camcorder and have started to make a few very basic youtube videos. Whether I will make my own DVD to sell I can’t say. I do like the Editing and putting it all together for other people though.

- What do you carry your balloons in when you are working?

I use the Easy load busking belt form http://www.twistemup.com/busking.htm

More questions!

Have you been to any balloon conventions?
What were they like?

Are you coming to TMJ this year? Go on you know you want to!

How do you end your queues?

I don't have a specific questions, just wanted to comment that I really like your story. And one most important thing from what you had written is the comment about the Disney: "You didn't came to work, you came to have fun". It's brilliant, and a very good tip for any balloon twister....

Well here we go with the last lot of std Q&A

22, If you could start all over again, would you change anything?
No I think not. I have had a blessed time since that day I meet Lyle in 1994. He changed my carrier and my life and I thank him for it. No I wouldn’t change a thing.

23, How would you like the future of balloon modelling to develop?
It’s doing just fine without me tell it which way to go. Just all you balloon modellers keep on pushing the bounds.

24, Who's the most famous person you have made a balloon creation for?
Do you really want me to name drop?
I will if you want.

25, How do you keep the enthusiasm going & what still excites you about our great world of latex
This is show business and there’s no business like it. I just get a high when I start working even if I have the man flu (Which ladies, is almost as bad as child birth. You don’t know how lucky you girls are that you can’t get it) It’s the best thing I have ever done.

26, What inspires or is your thought process in coming up with a new design
Panic!

27, Who would you like to work with dead or alive?
Any one of you reading this. I’m sure you have something to offer or show.

28, What makes you laugh?
Funny things Dah!

Geoff thanks for taking the time to do the interview for everyone, I've had a few people comment to me about they found it to be very interesting.