Entertainment can be found in Second Life 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, but many venues struggle to stay afloat because they lack two very important components to make it work and succeed. First, a venue has to have a marketing plan in place that allows them to extend its reach across the grid. The second important part of it is a strong team of individuals who take what they do seriously and follow through with their plan.

InWorld Entertainment (IWE) is a business collaborative of like-minded individuals who brainstorm and investigate fresh and innovative means by which to drive their business models forward. Using the Professional Learning Community model, IWE works together to scaffold one another through the navigation of the entertainment world. The SL Enquirer is excited to sit down with two very innovative professionals dominating the entertainment scene in Second Life.

Dresi (dresella joubert) former President and CEO of Club Ring, the original club networking collaborative in Second Life and owner of Biology Club along with Ninja Antwoord (ninjaantwoord), co-owner of Terry's Place. Known for Open Mic on Friday nights and their Sunday Showcase. Ninja also has years of regional and national broadcasting, television, film, and radio production expertise. Both have extensive knowledge and backgrounds in entertainment in Second Life and in real life.

Interview with Dresi and Ninja

SLE: We want to thank you two for sitting down with us. Exciting times right now with you two. So, enough with the Cheshire Cat grins, Can you tell our readers a little about yourselves and why you created Inworld Entertainment?

Dresi: Having previously been the CEO of the Club Ring, founded by Dave Gran in the early entertainment days of SecondLife (SL), I had seen the power of a group of serious-minded entertainment professionals working together. As Ninja and I started to work together to collaborate on what our respective venues were doing in the live performance scene, one thing became clear - the two of us had the same vision for SL entertainment. As we continued our discussions we began to see how Ninja’s talents in the world of broadcasting and production coupled with my expertise in business development and organization could really be a boon to the SecondLife end-user experience, and the InWorld Entertainment Group was born.

Ninja: Having worked in the entertainment industry on a professional level for over a quarter of a century in the real world, one thing that has always fascinated me is how things change over time. For example...when was the last time you actually purchased a CD? Watched a movie on your VCR? Picked up a newspaper to read the comic section? You’ve probably also noticed that Second Life itself has changed significantly over the years, especially in light of the recent pandemic. You could argue some of these changes were for the greater good, some perhaps not so much. What Dresi and I have envisioned and what InWorld Entertainment was designed for is to take these basic concepts to the next level, using an experienced collaborative approach to both tackle challenges practically as well as explore new growth opportunities that everyone will be able to enjoy, no matter how you choose to spend your time in SL.

SLE: An experienced collaborative approach is a great start in building a strong relationship with venue owners, artists, and event-goers. Having a strong team is very important too as we all know. Who makes up the Inworld Entertainment team and what are your goals?

Dresi: Ninja and I are the co-founders of InWorld Entertainment. Our roles are really to drive the organization based upon the collective needs and desires of the organization's membership. The goals of InWorld Entertainment Group are to both further existing and develop future entertainment potentials utilizing a collaborative approach between member organizations, while really hearing the needs and desires of SL end users. It is a part of our dream to elevate and escalate entertainment growth and enrichment, not only in SL but, eventually, in other virtual platforms, as well as in REAL LIFE!

Ninja: Our core members will consist primarily of established business owners specifically related to the world of Second Life entertainment, however eventually we’ll be looking for input and participation from just about everyone, from venue patrons to DJs, live performers, sponsors, and even Linden Labs itself!

SLE: Ever hear “It takes a village to raise a child”? That is also true about creating something that everyone's input is important and contributes to the growth of a business. Why would a venue or artist/creator want to be associated with InWorld Entertainment?

Dresi: This is a great question, Lanai because it truly is at the heart of what InWorld Entertainment is all about. There are a plethora of benefits of being involved with IWE. First of all, it should be said that this is not an organization that tells entertainment professionals how to run their businesses. We can certainly offer strategic advice and information on requests, but issuing directives to business owners and creators is not in the scope of the mission and vision of IWE. What IWE members can expect is a collaborative that is dedicated to the advancement of entertainment and all that comes with that - brainstorming new ideas; joint events and ventures; communication and problem-solving surrounding issues and challenges in the industry; information about opportunities for advancement; establishment of a community of individuals who can be a united voice to Linden Labs on industry concerns. Additionally, the collaborative will work to support one another as venues create special events and will hold and sponsor these types of events with its members. But really, this only scratches the surface of the benefits of this organization to any entertainment professional in the world of SecondLife.

Ninja: If you’ve ever attempted to run a business on SecondLife, you know it’s not exactly easy, or cheap to say the very least. Working together, Dresi and I firmly believe that IWE’s collaborative efforts will be rewarded with actual results, such as increased venue donations and attendance. And our plans don’t just stop there, as membership within IWE can have real-world benefits as well. Owner coverage due to vacation or illness, charity support and even assisting those who may have outgrown all expectations with identifying exciting new opportunities in order to further enhance their talents and help their dreams become reality are all available to explore as a part of InWorld Entertainment.

SLE: Putting your heart and soul into a project you believe in is worth the hard work. It’s a labor of love that we see growing into something special. Can you give more details on how the company will offer help and what positive actions it will do for the people and the venues that will be part of IWE?

Dresi: In addition to all of the benefits that come with the collaborative aspect of the organization, members will also have advertising opportunities through our website, our Discord channel, and our Facebook page. The ability to post large-scale events to our IWE calendar will be readily available to members of the organization. They will experience the potential to call on neighboring professionals to assist with specific issues such as staffing, coverages, marketing, and cross-over needs for developing and promoting joint ventures within organization members.

Ninja: IWE’s perks will likely extend to each member’s individual interests, too, particularly with regards to major events. Each month, periodic member events will be chosen to be highlighted by the organization with a priority on increased promotion and support, giving everyone an opportunity to let their projects shine. All members will be encouraged to distribute marketing for these featured events amongst their patrons and staff in addition to their own, as well as to avoid direct competition whenever possible.

SLE: What a great support system. It’s about sharing the traffic rather than competing for it. What are your criteria for inviting venues into Inworld Entertainment Group?

Dresi: Ninja and I have talked about this at length. InWorld Entertainment Group is looking for member organizations that are true professionals and pioneers in the field of entertainment. Our organizations will have exhibited staying power and professionalism in the industry by having been in business for at least 6 months in a stable location. They will have a business plan that includes a mission statement and will be able to communicate these. Member entities will hold regular events per their industry standards that employ multiple entertainment professionals (multiple DJs, live performers, models, actors, etc.). Members will have locations that are open to the general public and list their events in the SecondLife Events calendar.

Ninja: It really should go without saying that our focus here is on QUALITY, rather than quantity. There are plenty of clubs and live music venues on SecondLife that may not share IWE’s mission and ideas, as well as even more that, to be quite frank, should not even exist. Keeping that in mind, we’re looking primarily for people who are both willing and able to contribute actively to the collaborative efforts of IWE as a whole. This organization has been from its inception designed to be a game-changer, and will very likely benefit SecondLife residents from all walks of life for many years to come.

SLE: You said it best Ninja, it’s about quality over quantity. I believe that is what separates the successful venues from the struggling ones. We are excited to see it growing outside of just the music scene. What other types of businesses are you looking for to be part of the IWE family?

Dresi: Our hope is to have representation from every aspect of entertainment. Visual and performing arts, clubs, fashion, entertainment news, galleries, and quite possibly other entertainment professionals we haven’t even thought about yet! We are interested in connecting entertainment moguls to develop a new brand of entertainment in SL - because “Together, we’re better!”

Ninja: The idea is to have each member bring their own individual strengths and experiences to the IWE table, essentially creating a one-stop resource for virtually all entertainment needs. Obviously, as the old saying goes, Rome wasn’t built in a day, though over time we should easily be able to develop a much clearer picture of the challenges we all face within the industry, as well as identify additional tools and resources to confront those challenges, thereby facilitating our organization’s path to success.

SLE: We love that you are expanding beyond just musical entertainment and providing a space for other talents to be showcased. One of the major things to consider while planning events is the popular time slots as well as availability. How can you ensure that those venues and talents that are part of InWorld Entertainment get traffic when they will be competing with other venues listed in the events lists in Second Life?

Dresi: As a matter of fact, Ninja and I have discussed this in great depth. We have talked about how important this very question is to our organization. In our discussions, we came to the conclusion that there are major and minor events. We discussed how we will absolutely have overlapping minor events and those will continue forward as they have always done in our own club venues. We can support in other ways with those events. However, there are major events that we all plan for purposes of gaining visibility and/or for the elevation of entertainment as a whole at our respective venues and it is beneficial to all of us not to plan these events concurrently and, perhaps, even to plan them as joint ventures. Then, to support one another by our promotion and attendance wherever possible. We have created a calendar whereby venue owners can view major events that other venues are holding, as well as, enter their own events in an attempt to minimize events that will draw away from the attendance at minor (or other major events) that a venue may be hosting.

Ninja: Excellent question! I think the best way to tackle this particular challenge is to first take a closer look at the goals we’re trying to accomplish. For instance, does the event we’re trying to plan necessarily need to occur on a specific day, or at a specific time? Are there other competing events already in existence that might stifle participation and/or attendance in IWE’s event? Is there interest and/or a way IWE members might be able to get more directly involved with a competing event, effectively eliminating the impact it might have on our own organization’s needs/desires? No one venue will ever possess all of the traffic available on SecondLife all of the time, so Dresi and I believe it’s important to explore the successes of others to learn how best to improve ourselves.

SLE: Great approach. Research is so important. Do you have plans to expand Inworld Entertainment into real life? If so, how do you intend to merge the two worlds?

Dresi: We certainly do! Ninja and I are discussing some of these opportunities to expand and there are extraordinary implications in real life for the combination of our skills including but not limited to real-life performance opportunities, broadcast, and marketing possibilities, organizational initiatives, and much more that we really aren’t at liberty to divulge at this time. Trust and believe, Ninja and I are big ideas people and we are developing a solid 1/5/10 (1 year/5 years/10 years) plan that branches into a multitude of expansion opportunities in both SL and RL.

Ninja: Absolutely! There are hundreds of opportunities available in the real world that would appeal to those who have proven themselves to have somewhat outgrown what SecondLife has to offer, both from an educational and a career perspective in entertainment. You may already be aware that in the past there have been several “jams” held by live performers for SecondLife residents at various locations around the US and Canada, and I could easily see IWE pursuing an active role in the planning and/or execution of either all or a portion of these events in the future. Record labels, distribution/marketing, artist management, television, and film production...as you can see, the possibilities really are endless.

SLE: They truly are endless. Soon there will be no excuse for those struggling to find something to do in SL. Are you currently hiring team members, if so what are you looking for?

Dresi: This is an interesting question because IWE in and of itself isn’t really a hiring body, so to speak. As we grow, I can certainly foresee the potential need for some administrative and organizational folk to help us in branding and messaging, paperwork, communication, and the like. However, at this time, we really exist for the support of the venues we serve and their staff/leadership. So, work distribution will be across the charter and owner members and their respective management and staff, as they find it appropriate to delegate responsibilities.

Ninja: Well, having an extra set of helping hands is ultimately never a bad thing, however, I’d say it really depends more on what sort of talents you have and are willing to contribute to IWE. Anyone is always welcome to contact Dresi and/or myself directly if you’d like to learn more about our organization’s current needs and how you personally might be able to become more involved, and we will be more than happy to get back to you as soon as we possibly can!

SLE: That makes sense. How can followers be kept up to date with your schedule of events?

Dresi: As mentioned above, we do have a calendar of events that can be located at https://tinyurl.com/22tyxbcf . IWE has a website that can be found at: https://www.inworldentertainmentsl.com. Dates and details about major events and happenings offered by IWE member organizations can be found in either of these locations. Major events hosted by IWE will always appear in the SL Events calendar and, depending on the enormity of the event, may even be found on the Firestorm or SecondLife login screens. Additionally, through our affiliation with SL Enquirer, we will have regular press and other media releases that will be communicated through SLE and other multimedia sources.

Ninja: All IWE events, along with those highlighted in support of our members, will be posted on our website at https://www.inworldentertainmentsl.com. Eventually, Dresi and I plan to offer a promotional kiosk to be placed strategically around the grid in order to further our organization’s marketing and initiatives.

SLE: When we see people who take what they do seriously and have a professional approach to business in a virtual world we are confident that it will succeed. We are excited to promote it! Does IWE have a brick-and-mortar location in Second Life that people can go to for some more information?

Dresi: IWE has a headquarters for purposes of meeting with members and affiliates of the organization. This is a largely private holding, however, we do have an Information Center located at http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Scalisi%20Isle/74/158/28

and you can also gain information through the kiosks positioned prominently on location at any of our member organizations.

Ninja: While Dresi and I both own and manage our respective venues, we have created a headquarters location for IWE in Second Life, however for the time being it is utilized primarily for meetings, interviews, and other more private purposes. Of course, this may be reassessed as IWE’s membership continues to grow so that we may best serve the needs of the organization.

SLE: We look forward to watching InWorld Entertainment Group grow! Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers?

Dresi: I’d like for your readers to know that Ninja and I are hard at work to improve, create and promote a brand of nouveau entertainment that features some of the most innovative dreamers on the grid. We hope that our brand will bring these individuals together to weave the cloth of the most creative ventures ever to be presented in-world and beyond for your enjoyment! We are ALWAYS looking for input from the general public and from venue owners and entertainment professionals alike! If you have an idea of any kind that you would like to see implemented in SL or in RL, consider contacting me or Ninja to share those ideas and allow IWE to investigate the possibility of bringing your dreams and ideas to fruition! Thank you so much for spending this time allowing us to share our dream with you today!

Ninja: Thank you so much for the opportunity to share these exciting details with your readers today! It is our hope that IWE will become a model for serving the entire entertainment community of Second Life, not just its individual members. If you have ideas or suggestions that you feel might help us with our mission, we encourage you to fill out the IWE Interest Survey posted on our website (also available here). Dresi and I are both tremendous supporters of live music, so it’s not unusual to see us wandering around at various events all across the grid. If you do, please don’t hesitate to stop for a moment to introduce yourself and say hi!