When we first started discussing the idea of setting up this co-op/collective, a ‘challenge’ was pointed out early…
This challenge was money focused – not the site’s, but the AmDram companies.
Those involved in AmDram will be aware that keeping a AmDram society running costs quite a sum of money – and the majority of this money comes from ticket sales. So if a committee is presented with a choice between a play like ‘Allo ‘Allo and one of our plays, their first reaction is going to be to go with ‘Allo ‘Allo as they can see how to draw an audience and earn the money to keep the club afloat.
Our ‘challenge’ (or ‘opportunity to shine’ as my boss likes to say) is to work out how to get such societies to want to use our plays.
The ideas posed so far are:
1. Performance Royalties – Rather than charge the flat fee (and sizeable) sums as Sam Frog do, we take a percentage of the box office (say 10%). This removes one of the most sizable expenditures required of an AmDram group – plus, it reassures them, that should audiences be smaller than usual, they payment required is therefore reduced. Equally, should they gain large audiences, they are only required to pay their percentage once they have the money in their hands – not up front as demanded by Sam Frog. 2. Première Incentives – Should this be the first performance of one of our plays, we would request a set sum from the Group in lieu of the Royalties. This would then be used to promote/advertise the production. This would be attractive to the potential producer, as it would significantly reduce their workload – and show that we are proactive in promoting our plays (and their club) to the public. 3. Reviews/Awards – Prominently display reviews (by persons external to the site) and show awards gained (from the likes of AmDram or writing competitions). This would require us to find people of credit to review our work. We could also have a ‘Play of the Month’ dependant on reviews/awards. 4. Patron – Someone with some clout in the theatre business (know playwright/director/actor) who could state what a professional organisation /what a fantastic idea our site is/review a couple of the plays (could be basis for Play of the Month stated above).
So what ideas do you folk have…? Are you involved in AmDram…? If so, what would make you want to take on a new play over what your club perceives as a ‘definite box-office draw’?
All 4 of these are important - but there's a fifth, vital; the communication element.
We can get databases of AmDram Societies and Groups - either £foc by harvesting off the www or buying them, relatively cheaply - but my OWN theatre doesn't even reliably respond to my e-mails; and how the hell do we get to a an unnamed, amateur director who might live 10 miles from the theatre and not have any e-mail?!
Suggest, absolutely critically, we're going to need a media sponsor; national tv or print - to push us. Only alternative to that? A big cash sponsor, so we can buy some exposure.
And for that we're going to need two things; plays (lots of them) and an idea so unique and so clearly beneficial to the theatre communiity (one might almost say altruistic) that none of the other www sites have thought of / used it
And that, I think, is partly the % of box and Premiere incentives.
Just spent hour and half surfing play script websites. There are lots and lots For the Amateur company seeking a new unperformed play, there are literally thousands to choose from. Sam French isn't the half of it. There are writers giving their stuff away just to have it performed. What is the coops USP? I think that's what it's called?
In order to make ourselves more attractive than the competition we need to offer something they aren't. So I was sitting about at some ungodly hour this morning, thinking, hang on...I'm meant to be a designer, and Adman claims he's some kind of...Adman, so why don't we offer them publicity.
Here's how I thought it would work -
For each play we come up with the template for printed publicity material posters/fliers etc. We put our website on it. We send them the templates on a CD when they order the script and then they order their publicity materials through us. We stick their name on the posters, Adman uses his printing contacts and we can sell them back to the AmDram company at a profit.
We get a bit extra cash, and they get fabulous professional-looking publicity material. Plus the writers get to decide what the poster looks like.
What do you think?
-Every rose has its thorns. Mine are all sticking in my side.
Brilliant! Simple, effective and easy - it's what I do (take a look at http://www.kipshop.co.uk as an example). We leave a space for the Society to brand and it's done. Doddle.
So ... the USP is now;
- A very well known, respected 'judge' as a patron - No advance payments for the theatre - The final payment being competitive - Publicity support
That is just stunning...! I can see the homepage now - rotating, professional looking posters! Branded images! And that's what the AmDram Soc will see - from site to production!
Can anyone else add anything to the package that would (a) be relatively unique and (b) would attract an AmDram!
The list so far;
- A very well known, respected 'judge' as a patron - No advance payments for the theatre - The final payment being competitive - Publicity support a la LML
We will enable the company to contact the playwright
being new here I do not feel that I can just jump in... but the above is soooooo vitally important... not only for the theater company but for the playwrites as well.... ootsy
...not learn much from learned books, but from true, sincere, human books, from frank and honest biographies. Henry David Thoreau
- A very well known, respected 'judge' as a patron - No advance payments for the theatre - The final payment being competitive - Publicity support always being available - Writing written for Paying Audiences - Full-length plays, not one-acts and shorts - Enabling the company to contact the playwright - New and exciting, not reworked material
I like the idea of killing the term AmDram and simply calling it a Paying Audience - it goes back to our 'AmDram is often as good as Pro' debate. We may have to 'invent' some new terms here
Can I tentatively suggest; where the playwright is amenable and the theatre will pay at least X's - maybe "the presence of the Author" can be selectively offered, with a few 'bolt -ons' for sale (for Author profit or for charity of for the theatre, subject to Author's wishes)
- Signed copies of the programme / posters / ms available etc - Media interviews (telephone-before and 'on the night')
(There are benefits to both the theatre and the author here. Whilst it sounds like hassle - think of the ability to invite agents to see a play when you can send not only the play but a whole bunch of cuttings and reviews AND an invite to see it performed!)
Can we include programs in our printed repetoire? If the company provide us with the necessary info, we put it together. If they have a professional program they can sell them at their performance for a profit maybe?
-Every rose has its thorns. Mine are all sticking in my side.
I think I might have had a brainwave – but I’m ready to be shot down in flames…
We’re talking about how we can get AmDram Socs to go with us, but we’ve also shown how we want AmDram to look more professional and taken seriously…
How about this: we place an online box-office for all productions booked through us.
Okay, this will cost us for setting up the credit-card and PayPal interface, but look at the advantages it will present the society and us:
A major burden to any society is ticket sales (finding someone that can answer the phone for the entire period tickets are on sale for – cheques and cash changing hands and normally no access to credit-card payment).
With the online box-office, people can buy tickets at any time 24/7, as it is automated. The society also look more professional, as they have a web presence and are not having to ask their audience to call around to the theatre or some random address to pay for their tickets (or the thing I hate, paying on the door for advanced booking placing a huge burden on your front-of-house team).
For us, the advantage is simple – we gain payment at point of sale, know how many tickets we are selling from that form of ordering and can take our percentage at that time, enabling the society to only have to return royalties from their traditional ticket sales media.
This in addition to the posters, program covers and flyers idea raised by LML would mean that our site would not just be flogging scripts, but an entire production support package as well…
Jay. That's a fantastic idea! On-line booking is something most amdrams never have the opportunity to provide.
Lesley - a full publicity add-on package would be a true godsend to most amdrams.
How would this be instigated/organised? Having provided both box office services and taken the role of publicity for a number of groups, it can virtually take over your life.
'To provide publicity services for one group is difficult - to provide it for a number of groups could prove to be a nightmare.'
Can we include programs in our printed repetoire? LML
We can certainly provide cover art and base stuff - but we'd have to charge Socs for the 'personalisation' and print. Could be done, and SHOULD save the Soc money.
We place an online box-office? JAY
Probably only feasible if we get a major sponsor - and I do see difficulties (wouldn't work for my theatre, for instance, as seats are allocated). May be a bridge too far?
I’m doing a bit of research on credit card registration – and it doesn’t cost that much from what I’ve seen.
As for allocation of tickets… I’m not suggesting the society does all of its tickets through the box-office. But in an allocated seat theatre, they could nominate certain rows for sale on the box-office…
But I will see if there are ways we could do seat allocation in a turnkey shop (again, not too expensive).
I'm quite happy to allocate time to making this work. Be it box office/publicity/whatever is required?
I hope that it becomes a success. If that's the case, say 6 months/1 year down the line, everyone stays as motivated and continues with the committment required.
It is a weighty project to develop and continue. I am totally committed long term to the group.
The 'personalised publicity' side of things is a doddle (comparatively). My company does this 7 days a week. Without going into boring details, nobody need worry about that - we can art, print and ship anywhere in the UK within a matter of days, cheaper than any society could.
