Natalie Fulton is the special events sales manager for Warner Bros. Studios, where she markets, sells, and coordinates all events held at the Burbank studio. She previously worked in event and group sales for companies and venues including AlliedPRA Destination Management, Cirque du Soleil, Mr. C Hotel Beverly Hills, and House of Blues. Fulton has a bachelor of science in hotel administration from Cornell University and lives in Los Angeles.
What are you working on right now? As a salesperson, I'm always working on the future business. While I'm trying to focus on 2019 bookings, I'm still seeing a lot of interest in October/November events. I also historically see most of our holiday parties confirm in September, so I'm looking forward to a busy fall.
What's in your event-day bag? I have a fantastic team that does most of the event-day planning. Phone chargers are important, but even more specific, charged phone chargers. We work a lot outdoors so sunscreen and sunglasses are also a must.
What movies or TV shows are inspiring you right now? Working for a studio, I am an entertainment junkie. We pull a lot of inspiration from our DC universe. We had a lot of fun with Wonder Woman and are hoping to do the same with Aquaman this holiday season. If you are an incentive planner, what better way is there to treat your employees like the heroes they are than to have a dinner surrounded by Batmobiles, for example.
Another inspiration is Crazy Rich Asians. Not only is it a fantastic movie, but I can see us pulling from the incredible color palette, including rich jewel tones, for a lot of fall events.
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What's your favorite new piece of tech? I love the ability to 3-D print onto food items. We are all about personalization, and with this the options are endless. From printing logos to photos or inspirational quotes, it's a slam-dunk Instagrammable moment.
What was the most memorable event you've attended—or worked on—lately? AT&T held its annual Shape event with us for the second year, and we had a lot of fun transforming our Midwest Street into a technology town that showcased the future of products and services. Different sponsors built innovative exhibits in our facades and an incredible main stage took over one of our sound stages. I enjoyed seeing branding taken to the next level.
What's the biggest thing affecting the event industry right now? Security. I feel very lucky to work at a venue that already has a security procedure in place for entering the premises.
How is your job different now from what it was five years ago? Having to keep up with social media. While it was something we had before, we now have a very strategic plan for how we use it to promote the venue. Whether you rely on a third party or it is something you do internally, it has to be part of every day. It's also important to know what you can and cannot share to protect your client's content.
What do you love about your job? What don't I? I get to work at a venue that is so rich with iconic entertainment history and still producing innovation every day. When I walk through the studio gates, there is instant excitement and my job is to share that experience with others. The people that work here are true professionals in their respective fields and it is a pleasure to work beside them.
