Quizmastery
Your time starts…. now!
When did the fascination with quizzes begin?
I love History questions. Hard to say. I suppose the thirst for knowledge and being given facts to learn for tests must have driven it – and witnessing the thrill of winning obviously. I won the General Knowledge prize at school (still got it on the book shelf, of course) so that was probably where the initial push began down the road to Quizdom.
Correct.
What kind of quizzes do you host?
All kinds. They are often prescribed by the producers of the event. Some are built around the company information, some around the company people. Some are used as energisers and happen at the start of the day, some as evening entertainment and pepper the gala dinner. Some are based around knowledge and some are practical skill, game-show style involving physical challenges. Some are worked through keypads, some are good old fashioned paper-based. Some are themed around TV shows (Test The Nation, Family Fortunes), some are themed around the conference strapline/message. So, yes, all kinds.
Correct.
What kind of quizwork have you done commercially?
It started back on BBC Children’s when I hosted a TV show called Eyespy. A schools quiz in as much as it was a team game show between schools. There were several rounds and a finale involving gunge I seem to recall. More recently, I was question master for two quizzes for Radio 5Live. 1) Hel’s Bells and Buzzers, a general sports quiz hosted by Helen Chamberlain and featuring pub teams from around the UK and recording in those pubs. 2) Stumped, a cricket quiz initially for celebrity ex-cricketers to take part in and which has now morphed into a World Service regular.
Correct.
How do you keep your hand in?
The thirst for quizzical knowledgey type stuff is constant. I am a regular at the Old Dairy quiz in N4 - blisteringly fun and tricky in equal measure.
Correct.
How would we work together to fashion a quiz?
We would discuss the kind of quiz you wanted, the audience, whether it should be fun, serious, easy, tricky or all of the above, the amount of time it could take, the technical facilities to help run it, be that for teams to answer (picture rounds, video questions) or for results to be shown, etc. Then we can discuss the budget, prizes and go from there!
Correct.
What do we do next?
Contact me here: hiya@thatchrisrowe.com