Production
You’ve mapped it all out, set your goals, and gathered your resources. Now it’s time to roll up your sleeves and bring your vision to life. Welcome to the production phase, where the real magic happens!
Pre-Production
Rights & Intellectual Property
One of the many questions you should ask yourself when putting on a show is “Do I have the right?”
By this, we mean the right to put on the performance, the right to use the music, the right to use any images, designs, choreography, etc. Basically, the right to use anything in the production that you didn’t create yourself.
A royalty is a payment made to the rights holder for the permission to use their property — this is usually the creator of the artwork.
An artist may negotiate this payment themselves with the producing company, or royalties may be negotiated through the Professional Associations and Unions they belong to. Professional Associations and Unions may also set standards for what the royalty rate may be.
Venues
Auditions and Casting
An incomplete list of audition boards, casting sites, and resources. Find your next audition or post your next opportunity!
Production Supplies & Rentals
Permits
One of the many questions you should ask yourself when putting on a show is “Do I have the right?”
By this, we mean the right to put on the performance, the right to use the music, the right to use any images, designs, choreography, etc. Basically, the right to use anything in the production that you didn’t create yourself.
A royalty is a payment made to the rights holder for the permission to use their property — this is usually the creator of the artwork.
An artist may negotiate this payment themselves with the producing company, or royalties may be negotiated through the Professional Associations and Unions they belong to. Professional Associations and Unions may also set standards for what the royalty rate may be.
Awards
Production Management
Timeline
When is the best time to produce your show? An important consideration when planning your event is what other cultural events are happening at the same time. Is it beneficial for you to schedule your production during the Fringe festival, or immediately before or after it?
Do research into other performances that may be opening or running at the same time as your production. Understand that if there is a higher density of productions, that might require more attention on your part to let audiences know about your show.
Rehearsals
A well-organized rehearsal period will help ensure everyone on your production feels productive and efficient. You want to have a clear plan of how each person on the team is going to use the allocated time to bring the production to life. First rehearsals often set the tone for the entire process so you want to prepare as much as you can for a joyful and fulfilling rehearsal period. Structure frees up the brain and the heart to enable the creative process!
Front of House
Front of House (FOH) encompasses all aspects of the audience experience before, during, and after your performance, including the comfort and safety of each of your audience members. The Front of House team will be led by the Front of House Manager - this role may be filled by an employee of the venue or you may be hiring a Front of House Manager to work your production specifically. The FOH Manager is directly responsible for the comfort and safety of the audience and works directly with the Producer, the Stage Manager, and all FOH personnel to ensure that the transitions from pre-show into the performance, possibly in and out of intermission(s), and transitioning out of performance go smoothly, stay on schedule, and consider the needs of the audience, the production team, and the venue.
Programs
Most shows have a theatrical program or playbill of some kind, as (generally speaking), people like to know something about what they are about to see, or want to read more about it after they have seen it. In North America, programs are usually included with the price of admission, in the UK, programs cost an additional fee. Here is what a program may include, but is not limited to…
Land Acknowledgements
When is the best time to produce your show? An important consideration when planning your event is what other cultural events are happening at the same time. Is it beneficial for you to schedule your production during the Fringe festival, or immediately before or after it?
Do research into other performances that may be opening or running at the same time as your production. Understand that if there is a higher density of productions, that might require more attention on your part to let audiences know about your show.
A well-organized rehearsal period will help ensure everyone on your production feels productive and efficient. You want to have a clear plan of how each person on the team is going to use the allocated time to bring the production to life. First rehearsals often set the tone for the entire process so you want to prepare as much as you can for a joyful and fulfilling rehearsal period. Structure frees up the brain and the heart to enable the creative process!
Front of House (FOH) encompasses all aspects of the audience experience before, during, and after your performance, including the comfort and safety of each of your audience members. The Front of House team will be led by the Front of House Manager - this role may be filled by an employee of the venue or you may be hiring a Front of House Manager to work your production specifically. The FOH Manager is directly responsible for the comfort and safety of the audience and works directly with the Producer, the Stage Manager, and all FOH personnel to ensure that the transitions from pre-show into the performance, possibly in and out of intermission(s), and transitioning out of performance go smoothly, stay on schedule, and consider the needs of the audience, the production team, and the venue.
Touring
You’ve just produced a great show and would love more audiences to see it. Touring can be a great way to do that. It can also continue the life of the work, and sustain the livelihood of everyone on your team for longer than one run.
Funding for tours can come from various sources. The main ones are federal (the Canada Council for the Arts) and provincial (example: the Ontario Arts Council and Ontario Foundations).
Having a presenter usually means that a company and/or venue has booked you to perform your show in their space (or in a space they provide), and they are paying you a guaranteed fee and/or a split of the box office for that performance. You and your presenter will negotiate the necessary terms to execute the performance successfully. This will include but is not limited to: required production elements, technical considerations, travel requirements, sleeping accommodations, hospitality, marketing, and so forth (more on that below).
Your tech (technical) rider is a very important document that should be generated at the end of the tech period, and it should reflect the technical requirements of your show. This is not only an important archival document, but you can also use it to introduce potential presenters to the technical requirements of your show when you’re considering a remount or a tour. Your rider will help them understand if they have the right resources to present your show in the most successful way possible.
There are specific considerations to take into account when touring across borders, whether you are presenting in a festival, or planning a multi-stop tour.
There are many opportunities for Canadian artists to present their work abroad.
Festivals
When is the best time to produce your show? An important consideration when planning your event is what other cultural events are happening at the same time. Is it beneficial for you to schedule your production during the Fringe festival, or immediately before or after it?
Do research into other performances that may be opening or running at the same time as your production. Understand that if there is a higher density of productions, that might require more attention on your part to let audiences know about your show.
A well-organized rehearsal period will help ensure everyone on your production feels productive and efficient. You want to have a clear plan of how each person on the team is going to use the allocated time to bring the production to life. First rehearsals often set the tone for the entire process so you want to prepare as much as you can for a joyful and fulfilling rehearsal period. Structure frees up the brain and the heart to enable the creative process!
Front of House (FOH) encompasses all aspects of the audience experience before, during, and after your performance, including the comfort and safety of each of your audience members. The Front of House team will be led by the Front of House Manager - this role may be filled by an employee of the venue or you may be hiring a Front of House Manager to work your production specifically. The FOH Manager is directly responsible for the comfort and safety of the audience and works directly with the Producer, the Stage Manager, and all FOH personnel to ensure that the transitions from pre-show into the performance, possibly in and out of intermission(s), and transitioning out of performance go smoothly, stay on schedule, and consider the needs of the audience, the production team, and the venue.
Alternative Spaces
Live streaming allows you to broadcast audio and video directly to your audience in real-time from anywhere, using a recording/filming device and the internet. Although the COVID-19 has exploded the use of livestreams to disseminate live performance worldwide, live streaming has been around for a while. It is a tool used by artists, gamers, and professionals all around the world.
Working outdoors can be filled with gifts and opportunities you may not experience in conventional, indoor spaces. Sharing your process with the public, attracting people who may never have experienced theatre, and interacting with a community and environment are just some of the joys of working in outdoor spaces. Those joys need to be planned and accounted for in ways that an indoor venue doesn’t often require (though they may inspire you to work differently inside!). The most important thing to remember is that when producing outdoors, we can plan as much as we want, but there are certain things we simply cannot control. Back-up plans, generosity, and a spirit of community will be your best friend when you create outdoor work.
Producing content for online platforms has tremendous benefits for independent artists. You can easily disseminate your work nationally and internationally, as well as broaden your audience to include individuals who may or may not attend live performance. Instead of pitching your performance project by sending a script, you can send potential programmers an online link, which can be an exciting way to showcase your work and incorporate important creative elements into the experience.