Team Regen Willz – “Sometimes it’s good to make mistakes along the way”

We spoke to Will Savage, better known to the Smash community as Willz, the Managing Director and Team Regen Event Organizer.

How’s Team Regen’s first event since moving?

Willz: It’s been quite a spectacular experience. We’ve got to scale up, so we’ve got to find a new venue. We went pretty much across the Midlands trying to find a new venue. I think the perfect location for it, logistically, maybe somewhat selfishly, was Leicester.

I live here, so I know a lot of the venues around here. Tou kind of look [upstairs] like, wow, this is pretty damn crazy. I had that more than five years ago. Five years later, we’re here now. So this venue in particular is something special for us.

Andrew: Crazy to be in like the same place that the X Factor has been previously.

Willz: Exactly. I think it is the start of something special and something greater and it’s the next step in Team Regen and the Regen series.

What’s the main big change that you found since moving?

Willz: I don’t want to say we were panicking, but it was more of a case we need to step it up in every single aspect of what we’re doing. The production side, especially Cara and her whole team. She’s been working with a French team, and a few other people who’ve put on the best stream production we’ve ever produced.

We’ve had a whole campaign with posters for the past 4-5 months where lots of movie reference posters has been the key marketing point. It’s given a unique touch to it.

Andrew: Yeah, I was wondering how that came about, whether that was just an idea that you had or like, linking it back to the Athena.

Willz: It was. It was precisely that. This is one of Leicester’s oldest theatres, which has now been transformed into an events venue. How can we kind of fit the theme of it and what’s the best way to do it? Just do film posters, film style. We had a lot of ideas which were created by Zach. We’ve got 100 plus posters now of all these different designs which look amazing and reference so many movies.

because a lot of people have been asking, im happy to announce that I’ll be making every single one of the 72 posters for regen 2024 available to be bought, printed n shipped at a later date!!

im aiming for a late september launch so stay tuned to this account for updates!! pic.twitter.com/108BwrPP2t

— HARTHUR (@realHARTHUR) August 26, 2024

What does it mean to be like the biggest UK major now?

Willz: It is quite surreal in a sense. The purpose of Regen is that we wanted to regenerate the Midland scene at that time was in a bit of a slump. I wanted set a new precedent of how we can move forward. And we did that then, but I never envisioned it would reach this scale. It’s now the de-facto major of the UK.

I feel we’re also on par with a lot of the European majors now.

People will look at this event especially, and I feel like it will compare to some of the top events in France, maybe some of the top events in the US and Japan as well. But, the work’s not done. We’ve got to crack that 1000 person attendee capacity at some point.

What’s your motto for growing as a TO?

Willz: I try and engage with as many people as I can because I want the feedback. Like, yeah, I don’t want it sounds weird, but it’s like if I get constant feedback that’s just positive. You don’t learn anything. Sometimes it’s good to make mistakes along the way. So the next experience is even better.

Do you have tips for a burgeoning TO that wants to try and escalate from a local to anything bigger?

Willz: Finding the right people. Team Regen has been around for about six years now. Find people within the communities. There’s people who have skills within that, just discuss, find out what you guys want to do, how you want to scale it.

Speak with venues. Like, you won’t know unless you ask. We just asked, “can we run something?” Places like pubs, bars etc, they want the business so you can scale up from there. Get it going to a nice few weeks, months even.

We’re in top four. Who’s going to take it all?

Willz: Leo’s the GOAT. I want Leo to win. When we started Regen, I was like, man, how cool would it be to get [him]? And this was back in Smash 4. When Leo was popping up. Back Then he was the GOAT, and still is the GOAT to me. The fact he’s finally here is incredible. And in my city, which is the craziest thing, so definitely awesome.

Andrew: Congrats on your first, hopefully many successful Regens in the Athena theatre.

This interview has been edited for brevity.