Victoria Fringe Artists 2015

FRINGE PREVIEW #2 – TUESDAY 26 AUGUST 10PM – FRINGE CLUB (1501 Douglas St) – RUNNING ORDER

PLEASE CHECK IN WITH THE HOSTS AND BE READY TO GO 10 MINS PRIOR TO YOUR TIMEBLOCK

10:00pm

1. Mochinosha Puppet Company – Oni

2. Kirchmann Productions - Deranged Dating

3. Life & Depth – James & Jamesy in: High Tea

4. SNAFU - Kitt & Jane: An Interactive Survival Guide to the Near-Post-Apocalyptic Future

10:20pm

5. May & Alia do Things - May & Alia do Pirates! (of Penzance)

6. Tasha Diamant - Human Body Project Vulnerability Vigils

7. NOW! Theatre – Patch

8. James Jordan – Vaudevillian

9. Sisterscene - Red Hot Mama: A Sophie Tucker Cabaret

10:40pm

10. Sharon Mahoney - The Lion, the Bitch and the Wardrobe

11. Broken Turtle Productions - Roller Derby Saved My Soul

12. Thunder Blunder - The Quitter

13. The Beaver Valley Players - Rosie Delight and the Amazing (Almost) One Woman Burlesque Show

14. Big Word Performance - jem rolls ATTACKS THE SILENCE

11:00pm

15. Annette Roman - Animal Love

16. WONDERHEADS - The Middle of Everywhere

17. Fishbowl Collective - An Ode to Dyads

18. Gemma Wilcox - Magical Mystery Detour

19. You Rung? Productions - Mr and Mrs Alexander: Sideshows & Psychics

20. Travail Rouge - For Body and Light

Remember your clip/promo can run ONLY 2 MINUTES! If you have to do anything more than walk on and off the stage (i.e. set anything up) this will be part of your 2 minutes. Please time yourself before the preview.

If you can’t come at the start, please make sure you are ready to go for the time-slot section you’ve been assigned. 

VENUE + TECH REHEARSAL ETIQUETTE & FAQs

We know we've told you these things before, but in the interest of you having the best and most productive tech rehearsal possible, especially if it's your first time, please take a moment to review.

- Please don't go by your venue before your tech to see the space. Some spaces are being built early next week, and may look different than you think, even if you've been there before.

- Be on time at the start of your scheduled tech time. If you don't need all the time you've been allotted, you can end the tech early. Do not show up late just because you don't need all the time, or we will assume you're not coming.

- We provide the technician at your venue, and they'll be your contact. You don't need to bring one to run sound or lights - you can if you wish, but it's rare. The technician can help you create a lighting design with the festival plot.

- Please bring a clean copy of your script for your tech, with your sound and light cues written in in pencil, and a list of sound and lighting cues you'd like to create.

- Please appoint one tech person to speak for your company during your tech - our technician will be better able to help you move through the rehearsal quickly and help you get you what you need.

- You can't store stuff at your venue before your tech rehearsal.

- Not all lighting or other equipment in the theatre is available to you at the Fringe. Your technician will show you what is available.

- Ask your Technician when you can come in to set up your show before each performance.

- There is usually 45 minutes max between shows. You'll usually have about 20 mins to load in or out, and 10 mins for "backstage" set up/packing up, ie props and costumes, while the next company comes in or leaves. Please be considerate and let the company ahead of you clean off the stage before you take the space, and clear the stage as quickly as you can when your show is done. You will need to be long gone before the next show starts. Please leave the building quietly.

- All shows start on time, so you need to be ready to go on time.

- Your show must run on time. If you already know that your show runs under or over by five minutes, notify us and we will let the audience know in our program updates. Remember, they are running from your show to another show - and if you make them late, they'll miss their next show! They will hold this against you.

- If your show is running more than 5 minutes over, you need to cut your show. If you don't and it runs over, we will notify you after your first performance, and we may stop the show after your second if it continues to run long.

- Most venues do not have dressing rooms per se. If you are in a venue with one, or a "performers only" washroom serving as a dressing room, you need to hang up your stuff after every show, wipe down the counters and sinks so they're clean and free of any makeup, and dispose of your garbage.

- Never ever leave valuables or "stage weapons" overnight in the theatre, even if they are really, really fake. (Ask us about our recent encounter with a "gunman"! We'll be happy to tell you the story.)

- While you can sell merchandise to patrons from the stage as they exit the theatre, there is absolutely no reception time after your show in the theatre or backstage for your many fans. Ask them to wait outside until you are clear of the theatre.

- Ask your tech where it is ok to put up posters at your venue before you tape them to anything. Each venue will have designated areas/surfaces where you can poster. Painter's tape is your friend!

Look out for the Fringe Preview at Centennial Square  (outdoors) on Wednesday 26 August from 5:30-8:00pm. Join us at 4:30 for a VIP event. Meet fellow artists, grab a slice of pizza, and get ready for the festivities!

PLEASE CHECK IN WITH THE HOSTS AND BE READY TO GO 10 MINS PRIOR TO YOUR TIMEBLOCK

Fringe Preview Lineup

5:30

Welcome! (5 minutes)

SMUS Band Geek

Bema The Best Meal I Ever Ate

Andrew Wade The Most Honest Man In The World

Trent Arterberry Think Bigg

Story Theatre Rumpelstiltskin

6:00

Shoshinz Kiss Around Pass Around

2hoots Pretending things are a cock

Corin Raymond The Great Canadian TIre Money Caper

Jill Vice Tipped & Tipsy

Outpost 31 Ian Fleming's Casino Royale

Song in this world Soul

Lightning Theatre Improvised Tragedy

DamnSpot Wyrd Sisters

TheatreTheatre The Problem With Facebook

Windy Wynazz UnCouth

6:30

Random Sample Sperm Wars

Sunshine Clown Dancing with Fish

Garibian The Traveller

Grindstone 11 o'clock #

Brendan McLeod Brain

The Birdmann Birdmann in Momentous TIming

Catador Two

Headstrong Todd Woman with Horns

Gemma Wilcox The Honeymoon Period is Officially Over

Sizzle and Spark The Sama Kutra

10 minute break!

7:10

Mochinosha Hitodama

Regina of Light Fires Do I have to do everything my fucking self?

Tim Motley 2 Ruby Knockers, 1 Jaded Dick

Shanebob Productions Fallout

Whistling Kettle The Other Side of Alive

Glitter Gizzard Camel Camel

ASAP Theatre Company From Where We Stand

Hawk Mom Productions The Dangers of Daphne

Windwhistle Theatre Neil Gaiman's Fortunately, The Milk

Chimera Theatre The Untold Tales of the Brothers Grimm

7:40

Puente Theatre & SNAFU Dance Theatre Lieutenant Nun

Hairpin Curves The Daughter of Turpentine

workingclasstheatre The workingclass Café

transitus how often do I dream...

Human Body Project Skin in the Game

R U Kidding Me I Can't Tell You

Martin Dockery The Exclusion Zone

Wired On Words For Body And Light Presents: BEAR DREAMS

Beans Theatre Collective Jizz Sock

BC Circus Two

8:10

Spec Theatre Sid: The Handsome Bum

Jem Rolls The Inventor of All Things

Weeping Spoon Trampoline

Ticket Giveaway

8:30

The Tourist Company

Bring any sound cues on a CD labelled with your show title. Do not bring them on an iPod/phone.

You MUST use a microphone or you will not be heard - "projecting" won't cut it in this environment. If you can avoid taking it off the stand, that’s best. The mics will not be wireless.

Remember your clip/promo can run ONLY 2 MINUTES! If you have to do anything more than walk on and off the stage (i.e. set anything up) this will be part of your 2 minutes. Please time yourself before the preview.

If you can’t come at the start, please make sure you are ready to go for the time-slot section you’ve been assigned.

If you think you should be on this list but don't see yourself, please give me a shout ASAP at [email protected] !

DIY Marketing and Promo Guide 2015

HAVE AN ONLINE PRESENCE!

Make an “electronic press kit”—a website where you have posted all of your press kit ingredients—and then you can send your web link to the media inviting them to have a look. Here's a sample: infinityliveproductions.com/html/poison_the_well.html. It's really easy to make a free web page these days, via Wordpress, Facebook, Wix, and other free web resources. We put your web links in the program guide and website. Your presse kits contains information about your show that you will send out to the media. If it grabs them, they may want to give your show additional preview coverage or interview you before the festival starts.

Your press kit can be as simple as a one-page press release and a good photo. You can also include company bios, reviews of your work, and even additional story ideas—“hooks” about your show or company that a reporter might be interested in covering (i.e. this is your 20th Fringe tour, or small children designed your costumes, or people have been protesting about your show across the country).

Press Release Pointers

How to write an exciting and original press release:

➢ USE A HOOK to catch the media’s attention. What makes your show special or different from the others? Consider what makes it unique—the media want to highlight the smallest/largest/oldest/most unusual performers and productions at the Fringe.

➢ YOUR FIRST PARAGRAPH should include the ‘must know’ points—a vibrant and exciting ‘hook’ and an overview of the who, what, when, where, and why of your show.

➢ KEEP IT SHORT – a press release needs to be clear and to the point (like a news article). Use short sentences and short paragraphs. Make it no more than one 8.5x11 page. Include in the body of the release a one-paragraph synopsis of the plot of your show or what it is about, and a short paragraph with biographical information on the key performers or team members. Mention high-profile events or productions they have done in the past, any awards won, etc.

➢ BE SELECTIVE – only include pertinent, attention-grabbing detail. Remember journalists read countless press releases every day and won’t necessarily have time to read every single word, so are likely to scan it for something that jumps out.

➢ BE NEWSWORTHY - think about newsworthy links to current affairs/events for your production. Does your show include an actor who was in a TV show, film, or high profile theatre production? Is the director an asylum seeker from Sudan, an artic explorer, or an ex-con? Did the script-writer win any awards?

➢ REVIEWS - if you’ve been touring and have rave reviews, you can send copies or “excerpt” the best lines (crediting the source) on a single separate page, or include one or two of the best lines in the body of your press release.

➢ PROOF your press release for spelling and grammatical errors, then get someone else to check it too, just to be sure! Mistakes on a release will make you look unprofessional.

➢ VITAL STATS - include the name of your show, company, where you are from, the media contact person for your show and their phone number/email, where to get tickets (phone, website details)...

Other Publicity Ideas

➢ With increasing lay-offs, the media are even more under-resourced than before, so one way to get in the newspaper is to volunteer to write something. If you are a writer, offer to write an article or blog for a publication/radio station. It could be about anything that includes a local angle—your experiences on the Fringe circuit and Vic Fringe, adventures getting to this year’s Fringe, issues related to the Fringe, etc. Pitch this to an editor first and maybe provide a small sample to give them an idea.

➢ Events listings – most newspapers and radio stations do free events listings. Try and get your show listed; it is also worth sending a photo with your show info to all print media.

Advice from a Veteran Fringe performer

Jonno Katz (The Accident, 2009) has performed at Canadian Fringe Festivals for many years. Here is his advice on what works from experience for Fringe publicity in Victoria:

“Send the press releases and press packs 1 month before the festival. Ring them. Don't hassle them but let them know who you are. Pitch them story ideas. What would their readership/viewership find interesting? Are you dyslexic? Then you overcame your dyslexia by being an actor or a writer or a comedian and it ended up informing your style so that your limitation ended up helping you, or something like that. The press are looking for stories. Are there other companies who could be part of a feature article? The press often look for "umbrella" stories: Women Comedians doing it at the Fringe, Physical Comedy at the Fringe, Dramatic Dance (Why is it so popular?). Basically try and do the Press's work for them. Although I've never done this, stunts can get you publicity. Your show is about street kids so have your company all sleep on the streets one night. Call up the press and get them to come down and take pictures of it. Your show is about an old age home so invite an old age home to one of your shows and get the press there too.”

--Jonno Katz, 2009

Victoria’s Mike Delamont (God is a Scottish Drag Queen) has sold out Fringe venues across North America. Here is his advice on selling your show:

“Have good strong action photos with simple plain backgrounds.

"Remember that you are selling a product that you want people to buy. So keep your press releases short and sweet. Media knows what the Fringe is so don't waste their time telling them about the festival. Tell them the best about your show. Pitch them the story. Why should they be talking about you? What makes you stand out?

"Word of mouth will sell a show faster than any review. Fill your first houses with friends and hardworking volunteers. Those folks work hard to help out and they deserve your kindness."

Contacting the Media

Contact, but don’t pester, these media-types, by sending them your press kit. There are notes about how they prefer to be contacted and what is interesting to them. If we haven’t provided their phone #, it’s because they don’t want you to call (same with email) – our small number of arts reporters just get overwhelmed with the volume of shows.

A good time to approach most of them with your press kit is around about 4-6 weeks before your show. Earlier and your stuff will be buried under a pile, later and you’ll miss out.

For specialty publications (towards the bottom of the list, like those for kids and seniors), their deadlines are far in advance (around 2-4 months), and they'll only consider you if your show has a specific appeal for their audience.

MEDIA LIST

Longlead (4-6+ months)
Intrepid handles all long-lead media pitches for our festivals, programming and series.

Shortlead (4-8 weeks)

Island Tides
[email protected]

James Bay Beacon
[email protected]

Moss Rock Review [email protected]iew.com

Oak Bay/Saanich/Victoria News
Laura Lavin
[email protected]
NOTES: send press kits by email, high res colour photos good, send anytime late July onwards. Do not follow-up. Focuses on local performers, but also takes interest in some international performers.

Monday Mag

Laura Lavin

[email protected]

Nexus Magazine
Camosun College
Greg Pratt, Managing Editor
[email protected]
NOTES: send press kits by email, high res colour photos good, send anytime late July onwards.

The Martlet
University of Victoria
[email protected]

Times Colonist
Adrian Chamberlain – Arts reporter
[email protected]


TV/Radio

CTV/CFAX
Adam Sawatsky – arts reporter/ Eye on the Arts host
[email protected]
NOTE: press kits/press release by email; email is best for follow-up and general contact. If you have broadcast quality video of your show, send CD or link. He also does CFAX radio’s Sunday Arts program. All pre-record – contact 2 weeks out.

CFUV
Randy Gelling, Station Manager
[email protected]
NOTE: Check out their on-air programs there might be one that’s a good fit for your show, do some research. Very supportive of Fringe.

 CBC
[email protected]
General submissions: [email protected]
NOTE: email best for information/press releases; prefers audio clips; follow-up ok, email is best, send 1st or 2nd week of August, they do a series of PSA ‘spots’ during the Fringe featuring excerpts from shows


Online

CVV Magazine
Online arts and entertainment magazine
Leanne Allen
[email protected]

The Marble
Online theatre reviews and previews
[email protected]


These are web calendars where you can list your shows for free. If you know of others, let us know and we'll add to the list.

Harbour Living: http://www.harbourliving.ca/

Monday Mag online events: http://www.mondaymag.com/calendar/submit/

Live Victoria: http://www.livevictoria.com/

Play in Victoria http://www.playinvictoria.net/

YYJ Events www.yyjevent.com

Our list is not exhaustive, so have a browse and find a niche market for your show and there may be a corresponding event listing, community calendar or media contact. Think gay/lesbian/queer content, seniors, medical profession, film lovers…

Promotional Photos

The best investment you can make in the promotion of your show is having professional photos taken. It's all about the first impression. A picture is worth a thousand words, and if you have pictures that make your show look great, the media and the public are more likely to pay attention. In a relatively small city like Victoria, it is possible to get attention in the form of a full-page, full-colour cover of the weekly arts mag or Go! Section of the daily paper. Think of how valuable this free publicity could be to your show.

1-2 really great shots are all you need – we don’t even want more than three. All the images you send will be available to the media online in our Fringe Web Gallery to be used in Fringe preview articles, editorials and reviews. We'll give you the link as well, so you can also access your own hi-resolution photos here any time.

General Guidelines for Photos:

It’s harsh, but we can tell in less than a second if the print media will be interested in your photos. These are general rules, but if you want to see good exceptions, visit the Artist Page Photo Gallery  which shows good examples from last year’s fringe with a little commentary about why they work. (COMING SOON)

Please think twice before sending:

1. Long distance shots.

2. Outdoor Shots

3. Shots with more than three people in them.

4. Non-theatrical “location shots,” such as your living room

And don’t bother sending:

1. Group shots of your company being themselves (ie “the cast photo” )

2. Still-lifes of inanimate objects (“art” )

3. Anything out of focus or poorly lit

4. “Resume” style head shots, unless you are really, really famous.

5. Any image that is under copyright that you don’t have permission to use (ie. a photo of a famous person or work of art from a museum.)

6. A low resolution image that is not print quality. It must be high res (300dpi).

7. An image that is more than 3MB by email. The best way to annoy a journalist is to clog up their email in box.

Your goal should be to produce a well lit, in-focus photo that features no more than three humans against a neutral background. Think visual impact. Consider spending the money to hire a professional photographer. It may cost you more initially than taking snapshots yourself, but if we can’t use your photos, you’ll be wasting money and losing the audience that may have more than paid for the investment in a professional photographer. If your great photo gets printed in the paper, the box office return will pay for your investment over and over.

FAQs

Colour or Black and White? Colour.

Should I use a "graphic filter" in photoshop to add a texture or tint to my photo? Definitely no.

Should I include show details as part of my image, like on my poster or flyer?: Nope, just the photo. A photo with details on it is considered an ad, and won't be used.

When should I send them? You can send Promotional Photos any time, up to July 30, for inclusion in our Web Gallery for media. However, if you send them sooner, and they're good, we will start sending them out to long-lead publications that are looking for photos now (monthly and quarterly magazines, summer tourist guides) to promote the festival in advance.

Quick Links for Promoting Your Event

Free online events listings in and around Victoria

• Harbour Living (harbourliving.ca)

• Monday Mag online events: mondaymag.com/calendar e-mail to [email protected]

• Live Victoria: http://livevictoria.com/

• Greatervictoria.com • Hellobc.com • www.gobc.ca

• Tourism Victoria – http://www.tourismvictoria.com/Eventcalendar.aspx

• Eventsbc.com • Vancouverisland.com

• Dance Current - www.destinationdancedanse.ca (online submission, contact is • Kate, listings editor - [email protected])

• www.seniors101.ca - [email protected]

Social Media

This is a fantastic and FREE way to spread the word about your show. Victoria has several local bloggers, tweeters and general social media inclined arts lovers. Get the buzz building around your show before you even arrive, no posters needed – share your reviews, or promo photos.

Twitter - To be included in the word of mouth of the festival and to maximize your views and get retweeted, be sure to include the hashtag #yyjfringe and you can tweet directly to us @IntrepidTheatre (tweets by Sean, Marketing & Development) or @vicfringefestPA (tweets by Jenson, summer intern). The best way to build a following and get a good buzz happening is to make your tweets engaging (ask a specific question – Quentin Tarantino themed show? Ask what the favorite Tarantino heroine is? Well you are at #tarantino to increase your exposure), use photos and links to reviews or press or YouTube videos. Be sure that it is your voice and reflects on your own show and your marketable brand.

Facebook – Create an event or page or group. Update it often. Add pictures of your travels across the country, post your reviews, be engaging, be creative (same as above). Did your #tarantino get you a tweet pack from Quentin Tarantino himself? Great – post about it. Share this with other performers, friends, and social media activists – stay current and active. Don’t focus on just your show either, post about other great shows you saw, post about the great time you had at The Fringe Preview or the new friends you made.

YouTube – Make a promo video, or a teaser or a trailer for your show. Include it in your other social media, put it in your electronic press kit, share it on twitter. Make an engaging, professional quality concise summary or teaser of your show that people will want to watch and share. Include your show info: festivals, dates, venues etc.

Blog – Tie it all together and share your entire Fringe experience. Sometimes, people are tired of reading reviews and hearing how many stars you got, be a human, make a connection. Write about your travels across the country, all the friends you met, the best fish n chips in the city, etc. Don’t forget the show, but approach it from a different angle – what was creating the show like, how did it feel to play to a sold out house, how is each city different?

Please feel free to use our crest logo on your promo materials.

For ticket information you can add our website victoriafringe.com and the ticket rocket phone number 250-590-6291

Download PNG

 A while back we asked you to fill out a form that included a 60-word Show Description, to go in the program guide. If you have been confirmed in the Fringe, it is time to review your show description, and either approve it or make any changes. There are two easy steps to this process.

In STEP ONE, you'll go the the link below and find your show description proof - information you sent us a couple of months ago. Scroll down through the page til you find yourself. This is an unformatted view of how your description will look in the program guide. A colon may appear behind your recommended audience with nothing after it, but this will not be visible in the guide.

Please review carefully for errors, inaccuracies, spelling, major and minor revisions. Make sure you proof everything, including names, show titles, and running time. It’s not a bad idea to have someone else look it over, too. Some of you sent notes about changes that arrived after we compiled this information, so check anything you wanted altered to ensure your changes are incorporated, and if you sent the form more than once, now is the time ot pull your info together in the form you want it. 

STEP ONE: Click Here to Review Your Show Description Proof!

Review quotes, newspaper names, and titles of shows in the body of the text will be formatted using a consistent style throughout the guide, so don’t worry about italics, bolding, etc.  Make sure you want capitalization where you've put it.

Once you've decided whether it's good to go or you want to make changes:

STEP TWO: Click Here to OK or Make Changes!

Everyone needs to do this, even if it all looks ok. In this form, we'll ask for your company name and email,  and then either tell us your proof is OK by clicking "Good to Go" or make changes before submitting the form. You don't have to fill out the whole form, just the bits you want to change. PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR COMPANY NAME and email!!! If you don't, we won't know who it's from.

Deadline: June 30

We will need your show description proof and your program guide image (see the Blog Post for details) by June 30, so we can put the guide together and have it back in our hands and out on the stands at the beginning of August. You can send us your image by email or use the file uploader at the end of the online proof form.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact us - but please only use theform in STEP TWO to make program guide changes - do not email them directly to us or they will not go in the guide! 

FRINGE TUTORIAL #2: Program Guide Images and Promotional Photos

This is kind of a long tutorial, but there's lots of important info so please read it carefully. We talk about two different but related things in this section.

PART 1: your program guide image, which will illustrate your 60-word show description in the Fringe Program Guide (in print and on our fringe website). This is due June 30.

PART 2: promotional photos, which the papers or online media might print alongside a review, or might be used to help promote the Fringe itself throughout the year. You can send these any time.

PART 1: Program Guide Image

What we call your Program Guide Image is the small photo or graphic that will accompany your show description in the Fringe print program and website. This can be one of your promotional photos, or, if you prefer, a logo or illustration. Our print guide is full colour, and it’s also posted online, so by all means send your image in colour.

Program Guide Images can be one of the following (see samples below):

1) your best Promotional Photo

2) another photographic image that is representative of your show, that you have the rights to use.

3) A logo or illustration

4) A "doctored" photo, for example, with your show title in it.

Here's a sample at full size next to a show description, so you can see it's not very big.

 Specs for Program Images

 We prefer electronic files. The  program image should be

• 300 dpi
• 2 inches minimum size ( or 600 pixels square minimum) but larger is better particularly if it’s supplied as a JPEG)
• RGB mode - Full Colour
  
• TIF or DNG or best-quality JPEG format

Bigger files are welcome - we can crop and scale your image to the appropriate size. If this is all greek to you, go to your local copy, photo or computer rental place and they will be able to help you.

Have a look through last year’s guide online , and it’s easy to see what works and what doesn’t.

PART 2: Promotional Photos

This is the most important tip we will give you all year. The best investment you can make in the promotion of your show is having professional photos taken. It's all about the first impression. A picture is worth a thousand words, and if you have pictures that make your show look great, the media and the public are more likely to pay attention. In a relatively small city like Victoria, it is possible to get attention in the form of a full-page, full-colour cover of the weekly arts mag or Go! Section of the daily paper. Think of how valuable this free publicity could be to your show.

1-2 really great shots are all you need – we don’t even want more than three. All the images you send will be available to the media online in our Fringe Web Gallery to be used in Fringe preview articles, editorials and reviews. We'll give you the link as well, so you can also access your own hi-resolution photos here any time.

General Guidelines for Photos:

It’s harsh, but we can tell in less than a second if the print media will be interested in your photos. These are general rules, but if you want to see good exceptions, visit the Artist Page Photo Gallery, which shows good examples from last year’s fringe with a little commentary about why they work.

Please think twice before sending:

1. Long distance shots.

2. Outdoor Shots

3. Shots with more than three people in them.

4. Non-theatrical “location shots,” such as your living room

And don’t bother sending:

1. Group shots of your company being themselves (ie “the cast photo” )

2. Still-lifes of inanimate objects (“art” ) - this may work in your program graphic but media won't use it.

3. Anything out of focus or poorly lit

4. “Resume” style head shots, unless you are really, really famous.

5. Any image that is under copyright that you don’t have permission to use (ie. a photo of a famous person or work of art from a museum.)

6. Logos, titles, or any image with text on it. Again, in your program image this may be fine, but the media won't use anything that has text in it.

Your goal should be to produce a well lit, in-focus photo that features no more than three humans against a neutral background. Think visual impact. Consider spending the money to hire a professional photographer. It may cost you more initially than taking snapshots yourself, but if we can’t use your photos, you’ll be wasting money and losing the audience that may have more than paid for the investment in a professional photographer. If your great photo gets printed in the paper, the box office return will pay for your investment over and over.

Technical Specifications

We prefer electronic files, no smaller than 4x6 inches, up to 11x17 inches is fine, jpg only, at 300 dpi. Label each photo with your company name first, ie: mycompany1.jpg, mycompany2.jpg, mycompany3.jpg, and when you send them to us, include photo details in your email - who is in each picture, and a photographer credit.

You can email or dropbox them to us at [email protected]

FAQs

Colour or Black and White? Colour.

Should I use a "graphic filter" in photoshop to add a texture or tint to my photo? Definitely no.

Should I include show details as part of my image, like on my poster or flyer?: Nope, just the photo. A photo with details on it is considered an ad, and won't be used.

When should I send them? You can send Promotional Photos any time, up to July 30, for inclusion in our Web Gallery for media. However, if you send them sooner, and they're good, we will start sending them out to long-lead publications that are looking for photos now (monthly and quarterly magazines, summer tourist guides) to promote the festival in advance.

Where do they go? We post all (or up to 4 shots per show) of the photos you send on the https://www.flickr.com/photos/intrepidtheatre/sets/72157642507899055/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Fringe Flickr Gallery , and we direct the print and online media to it when they are looking for images for specific shows or the Fringe in general. It's handy for artists too, because if you are on the road or away from your computer, you can still access your own photos there.

Program Guide Image - Deadline June 30

By June 30, we will need the image to accompany your show description in the Program Guide. For complete details, have a look at TUTORIAL #2.

In brief, we are looking for

• 300 dpi
  
• 4 inches square minimum size (= 1200 pixels square minimum, but larger is better)
• RGB mode, full colour
  
• TIF or DNG or best-quality JPEG format

Don't know what any of this means? Send us what you have (like a large, high-res photo) and we can crop and scale it to size. This year the graphics will be SQUARE (in the past they have been slightly letterboxed.)

Make sure you label your image file with your show title so we know which description to put it with. Please get us your program graphic, be it logo, illustration, or photo, by email by June 30, or use the file uploader on page 3 of the online Program Proof form.

PROMOTIONAL PHOTOS:

These were covered in Part One of Fringe Tutorial #2, if you need a refresher. We can definitely use Promotional Photos now, or as soon as possible. We've posted most of what we've got so far in the Fringe Flickr Gallery. Some of these photos have already been used by the media, and by us, for advance promotion for the festival. The sooner we have yours, the sooner the media will have access to them through the Gallery. If you need a deadline, July 15. Don't miss out on our first big promotional push for the festival, which we launch August 1.

You'll also have access to your own photos via the flickr gallery - so if you are on the road and need a photo, you can download your own photos at high resolution to send elsewhere. But you'll need to get us your photos first! Email them here - you can also post to the gallery on the artist page, but please email them to us as well.

Want some tips on promotional photos and program guide images? See Tutorial #2: Promotional Photos and Program Guide Images!

Victoria has very strict posterling bylaws, so please do not go poster crazy when you arrive. Posters are limited to in stores and on specific poster poles downtown. You cannot poster on the outside of windows or buildings, utility poles, construction hoardings, or any city property.  There are a few options:

1. Metropol has a postering service, they can print your poster and do in-store or outside postering. More info on their website HERE!

2. Here at Intrepid, we use the postering skills and know-how of Eugene, who distributes posters by contract.  His minimum is 200 posters, but he can do up to 1100. Contact us for more information or to get his contact.

Eugene Emde

250-744-5962

It is best to call in the mornings, as he is out postering in the afternoons. Leave a message with contact info and he will call you back. He can distro posters and rack cards, they can be sent to his house.

 The Fringe Program Guide is your primary sales tool at the Fringe, so it pays to lavish attention on choosing the perfect 60 words to promote your show. Think of newspaper movie listings or TV guide, and how they describe a feature film in just a few words. The Fringe Guide is kind of like this.

Keep in mind that the reader is looking at the guide to decide what shows to see. On average, Fringe-goers attend only four of 50 shows on offer. They are usually scanning show descriptions rather than reading the whole guide, maybe circling a dozen or so to check out, and they will make a judgment based on your opening few words if this is the kind of show they'll be interested in.

Your audience wants more than anything to know what your show is about, and what kind of experience they'll have at your show. Think about what would sell YOU on seeing your show. What is it about? What kind of experience is it? Who should see it?

Here's a good show description from Seattle company Wonder, for their show Cherry Cherry Lemon:

A twist of fate brings together an awkward woman and a party girl. Their friendship develops through erotic stories about love, sex and how one doesn't always mean the other. Accompanied by live solo guitar. "One of the best shows at this year's fringe!" -Minneapolis Star Tribune "Precise and priceless performances" (5 Stars!) --Edmonton Journal "...So beautiful, wise and hilarious, it may as well be the first time the story is ever told..."-The Stranger

That's a good balance of information and credentials that tells the audience a lot about what the experience will be like. Here's another kind of show description - for The Power of Ignorance by Chris Gibbs - that uses the show's own "voice" to convey information about both the format and comedy style of the show:

If you don't know who you are, you can be anyone you want to. Join Vaguen, master of ignorance and motivational speaker ordinaire, and learn how to stop thinking and start living! "One of the funniest shows I've seen in years. Cleverly written and beautifully performed, The Power of Ignorance is satirical comedy at its finest." 5 Stars - Times Colonist.

The great review quotes never hurt if you have them, but don’t sacrifice your entire 60 words to reviews unless you’re already well-known here. If you don't have any reviews yet, don't worry - there will be lots of other people in the same boat. Although it is tempting, avoid reviewing yourself (“If you see one show in your life, this is it!”;). This kind of hyperbole usually backfires. Likewise for phony reviews from your mom, roommate, or ex. It might seem funny to you now, but when you see it in print, perhaps less so.

A FEW FINAL TIPS:

If your show has a clear appeal to a segment of our audience (a murder mystery, a political play, a family show, a show with live music, or a play that deals with seniors or gay issues, for example), use this to your advantage and aim your description at your target audience.

If you have a website, definitely include the URL. We will link directly to it from your show description on the website and include it in the print guide.

Finally, if this is your first time on the Fringe, it's a good idea share your description with others before you send it in, and get feedback. What might seem obvious to you from the inside can be vague or confusing to a reader. Read it out loud - does it hook you right at the start?

If you’d like to look at more examples of show descriptions, see last year’s archived fringe website. Which descriptions "work" to make you want to see the show?

Below you'll find a link to  the online forms of Artist Package #1, Deadline April 30

CLICK HERE FOR ARTIST PACKAGE #1 FORMS

This package contains the following forms: 

- Company Contact Info

-  Show Description

-  Basic Technical Information

-  Billeting Request for Visiting Artists

You can also email photos or additional technical info if you have it to [email protected] It's early, though, so don't worry if you don't have stuff to email, just fill out the forms as best you can before the deadline. 

Before you fill out the show description area, check out TUTORIAL #1 - Crafting a good show description in the Tutorial Area of our blog. Same for Billeting Info in the ARTIST NEWS, if you need a place to stay.

Please read the following carefully before you apply to be billeted in Victoria!

The Victoria Fringe provides billeting in area homes to visiting performers. We will provide billeting for you from the day before your technical rehearsal until Monday, September 2. If you are coming a week early, or staying after the Fringe ends, you'll have to find your own place to stay for that extra time.

“Billeting” means we find you a free place to sleep and leave your stuff in the home of a local person or family - food and rides are not part of this deal. Very often, beds with box-springs are also not part of the deal - you may be sleeping on a couch, futon, or air-mattress, in a spare room, a living room, or a basement, and you may (probably) be a bus-ride away from the Fringe site.

Your host will give you a place to rest your head, as much privacy as their situation allows, the use of their facilities, which usually includes the kitchen, and relative autonomy provided you come and go quietly and respect their house rules. We expect you to clean up after yourselves, and behave. If you behave disrespectfully to your hosts, you will lose this privilege and they have the right to give you the boot. Remember, they don't know you, yet they are inviting you to stay with them, for free.

It will probably be a short bus-ride away from our site. We may not be able to billet your company together if there are many of you, although we assume that if there are two of you, you could double up - and we can billet couples together. We will absolutely not, under any circumstances, billet pets of any kind.

We know this is not for everyone, so think about it if you want to use this service. We endeavour to provide you with the most suitable free accommodation possible. If you need something better or closer, we highly recommend that you find your own accommodation - we can recommend inexpensive hotels and hostels downtown, and Paul's Motor Inn offers a special Fringe rate - cheap and very close to all of our venues.

If you have friends/family in Victoria who might put you up, or if you stayed with someone last year, please make sure to let us know so we can contact them first. We will offer the same perks to your billet (2 festival memberships and 10 tickets, or one festival membership and a Fringe Superpass.) It's a nice idea to bring your billet a little gift from your home town - just a thought. Treat your host well and, more often than not, you'll make a friend or two who will insist you stay with them the next time you're in town.

The people who offer up their homes to touring fringe artists pretty fantastic, friendly, cool individuals, who love the Fringe and want to help. If you appreciate that fact, and require billeting, please complete and return the billeting form. it's part of Online Forms Package #1. There is a small administrative fee for this service: $25 per person in your company. That's for the whole time, not per night. This allows us to hire a billeting coordinator - it's a big job, as you can imagine!

We will try to have your billeting assignment about two weeks before you arrive. It won't be before then. Our Billeting Coordinator will contact you a week prior to your arrival to confirm your arrangements and give the particulars of your billet, so make sure we know where you are. We have always billeted everyone who has requested billeting, so don't worry. Just get your form in on time and we'll find you a place to stay.

When you fill out a billeting application, you are agreeing to the terms and conditions we've outlined above.

Non-Resident Tax Withholding Info for international artists

If your company is not from Canada, there are a few things you'll need to think about this spring.

1. Travel Documents (make sure everyone in your company has valid ones - all the rules changed recently so what you used to be able to enter Canada with may no longer be enough.)

2. Letter of Invitation - we will email you a pdf of this letter shortly. Please "file" it somewhere safe on your computer or print off several copies so we don't have to resend later. There is a line on the letter for your signature - the letter will function as our contract.

3. Regulation 105 Withholding Tax - non-residents are subject to a 15% withholding tax on earnings in Canada, to be deducted by us at source and remitted to Revenue Canada on your behalf. You can apply to have this tax waived in whole or in part, but you do need to fill out a form. There are 2 forms you need to complete.

Have a look at the table "Schedule A" (and other information) about non-resident regulations here:

Guidelines for Regulation 105 

Go here to get the form for your Individual Tax Number (ITN) if you don't have one already (it's a short form.)

ITN Application

 Then go here to get the Reg 105 Waiver form.

Regulation 105 Waiver Application

You can send both forms in together.

We strongly recommend that you look into this at least 30 days prior to the festival - by the end of June is recommended. If you don't fill out the form and have a waiver approved, we have to withhold the tax and send it to Revenue Canada - that's all there is to it.

If you apply well before the Fringe and your waiver is not approved, there is often time to appeal and they have been known to reverse a decision based on additional information - but not for last-minute applicants. If you have questions about the form, please contact us.

 We are putting  together an online gallery of everyone's fringe promo photos so the media can access them easily. Its also useful to artists - say, if you need to get a photo somewhere and find yourself away from the computer that has your hi-res photos on it, but you have access to the web elsewhere. If you can remember howto get here to the Fringe Artist Page, you can access them from anywhere! 

Here is the link to the 2014 Fringe gallery.

PLEASE NOTE: You are also welcome to post photos to the rotating slide-show gallery on this blog, BUT this is not a public or media forum. We do not use this blog to get your photos, and the media and public don't have access to it - so when you post photos here you are only doing it to show other artists your work - maybe. Send your photos to us and we will post them to flickr - that's where we send the media.

We will continue to post your photos on flickr as you send them to us. Please email any new promo photos to [email protected] Best to keep them under 3 MB, there's really no reason to go larger than 2 MB for any purpose for which we'll be using them. If you need more info about what we're looking for when we talk about promo photos, visit the Tutorial #2(Part 1).

PLEASE NOTE: a 2014 updated media list will be provided in the summer. This is from last year -  FYI only. If you choose to contact any of these media outlets before the update, please check their websites for contact information.

This list is part of our Press Kits & Press Releases Tutorial - but we've put it here as well to make it easy to find.Please pay attention to the NOTES section for submission and followup guidelines.

General Print Media Sources

Grant McKenzie (editor) / Mary Ellen Green (Arts Editor)

Courtney Smith (Calendar Editor)

MONDAY MAGAZINE

818 Broughton Street

Victoria, BC V8W 1E4

[email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

NOTES: email with link to website is first choice; downloadable photos very welcome; 2nd choice is press kit with good quality photos, 300dpi at 4 x 6 at least; send it before Aug. 10; don't follow-up; no multiple copies of any kind.

Adrian Chamberlain (Theatre Reviewer)

TIMES-COLONIST

2621 Douglas Street

Victoria, BC V8W 2N4

(250) 380-5211

[email protected]

Event listings: listings[email protected]

News/story idea submissions: [email protected]

Feature article pitches: [email protected]

NOTES: Email is best; artist weblinks are great, fax is not so good; send by mid-late July; phone/email follow up OK; send hard information such as old articles and reviews; send colour photos by email.

VICTORIA NEWS

Laura Lavin - Arts Reporter 

818 Broughton, Victoria, BC V8W 1E4

Phone: 250-381-3633

Email: [email protected]

NOTES: Email is best, send high res colour images, artist weblinks are great, send by late July, don’t follow up, focuses on local performers but also will take info from international artists.

Leslie Campbell, Editor

FOCUS MAGAZINE

PO Box 5310

Victoria BC V8R 6S4

[email protected]

NOTES: Email best for information; send information and photos; send 2 months ahead of time.

Broadcast Media

Amanda Heffelfinger

CBC Radio One

1025 Pandora

Victoria, BC V8V 3P6

Emails: [email protected] / Ph: 250 360 2227

General submissions: [email protected]

NOTE: email best for information/press releases; prefers audio clips; follow-up ok, email is best, send 1st or 2nd week of August, do a series of PSA ‘spots’ during the fringe featuring excerpts from shows.

Gordie Tupper

CHEK News

780 Kings Road

Victoria, BC V8T 5A2

[email protected]

NOTES: email best; website link good for background info, not too many attachments; press kits and cds ok; likes dvds with video clips; no follow-ups.

Adam Sawatsky

A-CHANNEL

1420 Broad Street

Victoria BC V8W 2B1

[email protected]

NOTE: press kits/press release by email; email is best for follow-up and general contact. If you have broadcast quality video of your show, send CD or link. Also does CFAX radio’s Sunday Arts program. All pre-record – contact 2 weeks out.

Dave Dickinson

CFAX 1070FM - Afternoons

1420 Broad St,

Victoria BC V8W 2B1

[email protected]

NOTE: press kits/press release by mail; email is best for follow-up and general contact.

University/College Papers & Radio

THE MARTLET

Culture Editor

University of Victoria

Box 3035 SUB

Victoria BC V8W 3P3

(250) 721-8361

[email protected]

[email protected]

NOTES: press kits by mail or email; follow up by email; send information at any time.

Nexus Magazine

Camosun College

Jason Screurs, Managing Editor

[email protected]

NOTES: send press kits by email, high res colour photos good, send anytime late July onwards.

Randy Gelling

CFUV 102 FM

P.O. Box 3035

Student Union Building, University of Victoria

Victoria, BC V8W 3P3

[email protected]

NOTES: UVic’s Radio Station, check out their website for the kinds of programs they have and gear your pitch to one that suits your show. Arts program: Wild Orphans.  Very supportive of Fringe.

www.cfuv.uvic.ca

Brad Edwards

Village 900 Radio

Camosun College

3100 Foul Bay Road

Victoria, BC V8P 5J2

[email protected]

NOTE: Prefers press kits to be sent via mail; interested in audio clips or any content with reference to local (or at least Canadian) performers; email follow up is great; send beginning of August until August 15th at the latest.

Online

CVV Magazine

Online arts and entertainment magazine

Phillip [email protected]

Special Interest

Senior Living Magazine

Bobbie Jo Sheriff, Managing Editor

Box 153, 1581-H Hillside Ave.,

Victoria BC V8T 2C1

[email protected]

NOTES: Monthly. Contact by email is best. Send photos ASAP.

Families/Children (contact in June)

Sue Fast, Editor

ISLAND PARENT MAGAZINE

Ste. A-10, 830 Pembroke Street,

Victoria, BC, V8T 1H9

[email protected]

Deadline 1st of month for editorial; calendar is for low or no cost family events; info must be of interest to parents and families.

Gay & Lesbian (work 3 months ahead)

Robin Perelle, Managing Editor

XTRA WEST

501-1033 Davie St

Vancouver, BC V6E 1M7

[email protected]

NOTES: send pitches to Managing Editor; highlight shows with queer content; send information via email, the sooner the better as issues are done one month in advance.

The 2013 Fringe Flickr Gallery is now up and running with the promotional photos we've received so far.

The sooner you get yours to us, the sooner they will be available to print and online media who .

Want some tips on promotional photos? See Tutorial #2: Promotional Photos and Program Guide Images!

List your fringe show for free on these web calendars Posted by Janet Munsil on June 20, 2011 at 1:00pmView Blog These are web calendars where you can list your shows for free. If you know of others, let us know and we'll add to the list.

Harbour Living: http://www.harbourliving.ca/

Monday Mag online events: http://mondaymag.com/calendar?cal_path=/events/add

Live Victoria: http://www.livevictoria.com/

SwankyAnts Free Event Listings: http://www.swankyants.com/index.php?option=com_posting&task=add...

And these websites can help you find "niche audiences" for your show -

looking for seniors groups, cultural associations, kids clubs, people

learning to speak spanish, knitting circles, environmental activists?

Have a look at these:

List of Victoria community groups: http://society.victoria.tc.ca/show_rec_browse.cgi

City of Victoria list of Rec/community Centres, Seniors Centres:http://www.victoria.ca/residents/prksrc_fac.shtml

Online Forms of Artist Package #1 now available - Deadline April 15.

Before you fill out any forms, please visit our BLOG section for information and tutorials that will assist you. Then visit this link and fill out the CONTACT INFO, SHOW DESCRIPTION, & TECHNICAL INFORMATION form online, plus the BILLETING FORM if you need a place to stay while you're here.

CLICK HERE to fill out the online form for Package #1

Questions? Email or call (250)383-2663