Inside Asian Gaming

INSIDE ASIAN GAMING JAN 2019 48 FEATURES “You really have to be able to do a wide range of events [in Macau] because there aren’t enough events to specialise in just one genre such as weddings or expos. If you are in Hong Kong you can just be a wedding emcee and you can do a wedding every night. It’s not like that in Macau. “The other challenge for me is how I can make each show different. I have been doing G2E Asia for many years but if you give the audience the exact same thing each time they can get a bit bored. They see you all the time and I think they have a higher expectation of Jose nowadays so each time I try to be a bit different to give the audience a new feeling.” In the space of a month, Rodrigues and Cano – whose paths cross with relative frequency these days – can find themselves emceeing everything from conferences and private corporate events to gala dinners, awards presentations, charity events, festivals, roadshows and various events for local associations. Gaming industry events, Cano notes, tend to be “very well organized: the attendees are very respectful and are interested on what is happening on the stage. They are also informed and like to attend these types of events as most of them get some kind of recognition.” Yet with such diversity awaiting at every turn, preparation is key to ensuring a flawless performance on stage. “I make sure to practice any names and surnames beforehand so my pronunciation is on point,” Cano adds. “I normally learn the script by heart so I don’t require any queue card support to express my message, which makes the presentation more real and relatable. I also theme my wardrobe to the event colors or theme, making the whole experience better for both myself and the guests. “And for any event size it is very important to prepare with some vocal and breathing exercises to control the pitch and be able to enunciate properly. “The rest is just to have fun and really enjoy the moment – the stage is my playground!” Jose Chan Rodrigues can be contacted via Facebook at Josethemc, Instagram at Jose_c.r or by email at pitch. emcee@gmail.com Yamilette M Cano can be contacted by phone or WhatsApp at +852 6935 4663, by email at ymc@mayahk. com or via her website at www.yamilettemc.com .