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Spotlight on Grand Rapids

Posted by Bill Binder on August 27, 2015

A few years back, Big Little Comedy hosted an event in Grand Rapids, Michigan. That was the first chance a lot of improvisors got to experience improv in that city. Now Grand Rapids is hosting it’s own festival. I know from experience that Grand Rapids is a great place to visit, so I’m terribly excited about an improv festival and scene happening there. I got a chance to talk online with the festival’s producer Katie Fahey about the festival and what she hopes it will become.

Most people outside of the area don’t realize how big of a city Grand Rapids is? What’s the improv scene like out there. What gives it a unique voice?

One thing I love about GR’s improv scene is that it isn’t afraid to be experimental. There is a weekly event called Comedy Outlet Monday’s. It’s basically a big comedy experiment lab where people come to try out new ideas in front of an audience, and it has lead to some fantastic comedy! Everything from lights-off improv, comedic juggling, and nerdy ‘ted talks’ – there is so much talent, all ready to jump in and collaborate all of the time. We’ve got a really supportive improv community,ready to ‘yes and’ the heck out of anything you give them.

GR also has a lot of cool troupes that give back, and work towards bettering the community, we have an event planned that we’re very excited about called ‘Comedy- Beyond the Laughter’. It’s a panel highlighting 3 different groups in the community that use improv for healing, raising awareness, and giving back to the community.

Along the same lines, your audiences are going to be exposed to new things at the festival. What kinds of shows are you hoping to attract to showcase new kinds of improv to your audiences?

The Grand Rapids Improv Scene is rapidly developing, but it’s still finding its footing with all of the great things happening in Grand Rapids. The festival committee is hoping to attract some experienced long-form troupes, niche troupes, and really troupes from outside of GR to show our audiences what else, and other varieties of comedy are out there.

Why start a festival now? How do you think it will shape the future of Grand Rapids, both for performers and audiences?

Last year was our inaugural year, and it was a catalyst for the local improv scene, so many wonderful things and collaborations have formed in just a year since and we hope the festival keeps collaborations strong and the community working together.

We hope to expose our audiences to the many variations of improv, and hope they leave with a greater appreciation for the art of improvisation!

Michigan has a great history of improv; Detroit, Ferndale, Novi, Ann Arbor, Hamtramck, even Houghton. And of course, you’re not too far from great improv in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois (except for that pesky lake between you all). What are some of the things you admire from other festivals and shows that you hope to bring to Grand Rapids. And what are some of the things you feel are missing that you hope to bring to the scene?

Grand Rapids is a great place for improv. Our audiences have come to love and expect great things from all the acts in this area. But they may not yet be aware just how much variety there really is out there, and just how vast the scope of what “improv” really encompasses. We’re excited to bring the excitement and community love of improv to Grand Rapids that other festivals bring. We’re really focused on helping improvisors connect with other troupes, and work with new people while they’re here! We have several events that focus on this, especially our ‘Improv Chaos’ event, it’s a fantastic night of strangers becoming troupe members.

We’re also very lucky to have a Commedia de’ll Arte (one of or the oldest form of sketch improv, involves masks, many theatrical elements, and is just a super unique interesting art form) presence in GR, which we’re proud to highlight as part of the festival.

For performers visiting for the first time, what kinds of things are there to do around town when they’re not performing? Where are the best places to visit and eat?

Our performance venue is within walking distance of a thriving downtown, full of great art venues, theaters, ballet, museums, markets, restaurants, a zoo, and of course BEER! Grand Rapids is Beer City USA, after all, and you can’t leave here without sampling some of the finest suds our town has to offer!

Downtown, Eastown, Gaslight Village, and the Center of the Universe are all absolutely fabulous and unique neighborhoods to eat at in Grand Rapids.

We highly recomend: http://www.experiencegr.com/
to find exactly what you’re looking for.

What’s the venue like?

The Dog Story Theater, in downtown Grand Rapids, is a thrust stage with great sightlines and an intimate feel that allows for easy audience interaction. It has become an improv hub in Grand Rapids, and has some of the most welcoming staff/volunteers in town, perfect for improv!

Are there going to be activities outside of the shows for imporvisors to do? Workshops? Panels? Parties?

Yes all of the above!

Jams and Parties on the bookends of the festival 10/12 & 10/19 – along with some in-between that those accepted into the festival will know about!

Thursday is our night on the town-think Improv Bar Crawl, where you get entertainment at every bar

We’re having our awesome “Comedy- Beyond the laughter” panel on Saturday 10/17 at 4:00 pm highlighting how you can use Improv for healing, raising awareness, and creating community.

Workshops! Will be throughout the festival, but pretty heavy during the day on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of the festival.

A festival can have a huge impact on the relationship between theatres in town and between performers and audiences. What would you like to see happen between this year’s festival and a year from now?

We’re hoping that the festival planning committee, can become a permanent entity going into next year. No Outlet Improv Troupe financially backed the last, and this years festival, but they’re planning on donating revenue raised this year to a festival committee that can make the festival self-sustaining into the future. Our ultimate goal is to be able to pay every troupe that performs!

One of the biggest draws for submissions for festivals is word of mouth. Of course, in your first year, there won’t be any past performers to spread the good word of your festival. People don’t know you yet. But if the festival goes as planned. What do you hope visitors will say about your festival?

We do have a certain amount of word of mouth from our small but successful first outing last year. The success of that has certainly led to many more local improvisers submitting and getting involved this year. Our hope for next year is that this year’s visiting troupes from Ferndale and Chicago and St Louis and all over, will return home and tell their communities about how great it is in our little corner of the globe, how supportive our community is, and how excited our audiences are to see everything they have to offer!

Submissions are only open until Midnight tonight (Eastern). Get on that and submit.

Currently Bill is an instructor at The Torch Theatre and producer for the Phoenix Improv Festival. He tours teaching and performing across North America.

Marketing & Social Media for Theater Owners

What Is Marketing and Why Should I Do It?

Posted by Drea Elyse on August 20, 2015

Hello fellow improvisors with marketing dreams!

My name is Andrea, and I’m an improviser by night and a marketer by day. After talking to the wonderful Nick Armstrong and Bill Binder at Camp Improv Utopia, we mutually realized that a lot of theater owners are asking questions about how to better utilize their marketing and social media tools. Don´t forget to read your king kong digital marketing reviews before you get started.

Harnessing the power of social media and digital marketing can be a game-changer for theater owners looking to enhance their outreach and engagement.  However, it’s not just about building followers; it’s about converting that online engagement into tangible results. This is where social conversion strategies come into play, focusing on optimizing interactions to drive desired actions such as ticket sales or event registrations.

To maximize the impact of your digital marketing efforts, it’s essential to prioritize increasing your conversion rate through targeted tactics and compelling content. This involves crafting persuasive calls-to-action, optimizing landing pages for seamless user experiences, and leveraging data analytics to refine your approach over time. By fine-tuning your social conversion strategies, theater owners can transform online interactions into real-world outcomes, ultimately driving attendance, revenue, and long-term success.

I won’t pretend to be a marketing expert, but I will do my best to provide advice and tools in this post (and in future posts) on a subject that I spend 8 hours a day thinking about.

This will hopefully be the first in a series of posts on how to bring together all your different and wonderful marketing ideas in order to accomplish your goals and to help your theater and your community flourish.

The Definition of Marketing for Theater Owners

Before we talk about the ins and outs of marketing, we should start by discussing the definition of marketing. I know this will be a review for many of you as I see so many theaters doing so many great things already, but it’s good to get everyone started on the same page.

There are numerous definitions for the term ‘marketing’ these days because the word marketing has become somewhat of a buzz word and any buzz word’s meaning tends to get lost in the cloud of the buzz. Here, for example, is a definition from Wikipedia that abruptly and concisely defines the term:

“Marketing is about communicating the value of a product, service or brand to customers or consumers for the purpose of promoting or selling that product, service, or brand.”

And while I think definitions like this are certainly factually correct, these definitions simultaneously glaze over the most important aspect of marketing: the human connection. Yes, marketing is about communicating the value of a product to a consumer, but more than that, marketing is about making a genuine human connection between your business(you) and another person.

I think a more accurate definition of marketing is the following,

“I believe passionately that good marketing essentials are the same. We all are emotional beings looking for relevance, context and connection.” – Beth Comstock Senior Vice President and CMO of General Electric and overseer of the founding of Hulu.

What does this definition mean? It means that every time you market your theater you should be thinking about three things.

  1. Is what I’m promoting genuinely relevant to my audience (consumers) and/or am I marketing to the right audience?
  2. In what context does it make the most sense to share this information with my audience? (e.g. social media, press releases, flyers)
  3. Is the way in which I’m sharing this information helping me to make a genuine connection with my audience in the sense that they are feeling good about the relationship they have with my business.

The third tier is perhaps the trickiest because it’s the mistake I see businesses make the most. Your first priority when marketing is not to make your business look good. Your first priority is to make other people feel good about themselves in relation to your business. The distinction is small but important because it’s the difference between shouting, “my business is great,” into an empty room, and genuinely saying, “You are great, and my business is greater because of you,” to an actual person.

Everything you do when marketing should first and foremost be about making other people (your consumers) feel significant and in turn your business will look better. That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t deliver a good product (a good product is the root of everything), but it does mean that when you’re promoting your theater you should be thinking about how your products (shows, classes, etc.) are good for others and not how they’re good for your business. If you can remember to ask yourself the above three questions any time you are marketing your theater, you will likely be on the right track to creating a healthy long term relationship with your audience.

Different Types of Marketing for Theater Owners

Since marketing is founded on promoting your business through human connection, it can be comprised of almost anything. However, ‘anything’ isn’t helpful in making definite decisions about how to progress your business, so here is a basic breakdown of some of the more popular types of marketing that may be relevant to small business owners. The terms below are split up for clarification but very often overlap and work together. I will discuss these at further length in future posts.

Online Marketing – Promoting your theater on the internet via online banners, ads, search marketing, email marketing, etc.

Search Marketing – Driving consumers to your website when they do an internet search (through search engines such as Google) via paid or unpaid methods. While search engine optimization (SEO) and pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns are essential for increasing visibility, it’s equally important that once visitors land on your site, they have a seamless and engaging experience. This is where website development comes into play. Effective web development ensures that your site is not only optimized for search engines but also built to convert visitors into customers.

Email Marketing – Directly marketing to current or potential customers via email.

Public Relations – Strategically promoting your business to the public in a positive way. This often includes press & media outreach.

B2B Marketing – Marketing as one business selling to another business. This is relevant for theater owners in things such as corporate workshops.

Partner Marketing – Teaming up with another organization in order to promote both businesses for your mutual benefit. An example of this might be two theaters teaming up together or theaters bringing in outside performers or businesses that have complimentary agendas.

Influencer Marketing – Marketing to key individuals who are highly influential in your community who then further market your product for you.

Grassroots Marketing – Targeting small groups in various, creative ways and hoping it will spread to larger audiences.

Social Media Marketing – Reaching out to your audience through Social Media channels via paid or unpaid methods.

Sales Marketing – Following up with consumers in a personalized way to help them purchase a given a product (i.e. a class).

Content Marketing – Creating content to attract people to your business or content that your audience can interact with. Examples of this would be specific images, blog posts, or interactive tools or training.

Direct Mail Marketing – Advertising through standard mail. This can be used to promote your theater to locals in your city.

Word of Mouth Marketing – As opposed to organic word of mouth, actively pursuing businesses and influencers to spread the word about your business.

Influencer Campaign Strategy – Developing a comprehensive influencer campaign strategy is essential for maximizing reach and engagement. This involves setting clear goals, selecting the right influencers, and creating compelling content that aligns with both the brand and the influencer’s style.

A promising LA influencer agency can provide valuable insights into the local market and assist businesses in crafting campaigns that effectively leverage the influencers’ strengths, ensuring that messages are both impactful and relevant to the target audience.

Why Is Marketing Important for a Theater Owner: Making People Feel Significant

I think the most obvious reason that marketing is important for theater owners is that good marketing can drive people to your theater. Whether you’re trying to fill the seats for a show or get more students into the classroom, good marketing can be the force that helps your theater to grow.

What I also think is interesting and that I’d like to follow up on from earlier is the importance of making people feel significant when you’re marketing to them. Think about a given student you have in your theater that LOVES your theater. Then think about the reason why that student loves your theater. Likely you have given this student a really incredible experience. You’ve given him an awesome class, a great community to be a part of, a caring teacher, and more. Now this student can’t wait to tell his friends about his experience. You’ve nurtured this student in what was probably a very natural way because most improvisors are such caring people.

Now think about what would happen if you marketed from a similar point of view. If through your marketing you made people feel incredible about an experience or potential experience. This is how you create long term followers and long term followers are what make your theater really grow. Because getting someone in your audience for a night is great, but getting someone in your audience every month for a whole year is much better.

This brings us back to the start of the importance of building a connection with your audience and community. These connections, whether they be through a simple email or a face-to-face talk, can be what inevitably make your theater not only the place to be but the place that people truly want to be.

San Diego based improvisor. Loves science fiction books and the show BoJack Horseman. Also enjoys eating food and drinking water and sometimes exercising. During the day time, she markets different things to different people.

Tomorrow is Say Day

Posted by Bill Binder on July 28, 2015

jason-chin-headshot[1]Last January, we all lost Jason Chin. It was a devastating blow to our community. Even those who never met him knew of his love and complete devotion to making improv beautiful. Hundreds, if not thousands of improvisors have been made stronger through his teachings and his friendship.

In the days that followed, at a celebration of his life, T. J. Jagodowski and Charna Halpern agreed that it is all too uncommon for us to remind each other how much we mean to each other, how infrequently we say how much we appreciate each other. What a wonderful thing if we could take just one day out of the year to say those things to each other. That’s how Say Day came to be.

And that day is tomorrow. why 7/29. Simply because a quick glance at a phone revealed that 7-2-9 spelled out S-A-Y.

Many theatres have embraced Say Day. We do too. Tomorrow will likely be a busy day for many of us, but I hope you all take the time to reach out to your cast mates, your teachers, your students, the people doing the business ends of your festivals and venues, your coaches, your families and everyone else who has influenced your life for the better and given you the wonderful gift of growing in improv. Time to say “Thank you”.

Jason Chin has left us. He’s one of the many people we never got to say how much he meant. I hope tomorrow (and beyond) we take the time to say it.

Currently Bill is an instructor at The Torch Theatre and producer for the Phoenix Improv Festival. He tours teaching and performing across North America.

Do’s and Don’ts Part 2: Festival Submission Packets

Posted by Nick Armstrong on July 14, 2015

Looking to make a great submission packet? Ever since co-creating NIN over two years ago, I’ve had the opportunity to see some really good troupe submissions and some really bad ones. I’ve heard and interviewed many festival producers over the last two years and have chatted with them at festivals and here are some Do’s and Don’ts regarding your festival submission packet.

DO

1. Have a full un-edited improv show. This is a no brainer you’d think. Not just 5 or 10 minutes of a show but a full show. Most festivals book you a 25 to 30 minute slot so they need to see your whole show so they know what they’re buying. If you don’t have a video you won’t be accepted. Unless you’ve made special arraignments with the festival organizer then you may get in, but if they don’t know you you’ll be passed up.

2. Make sure your video is clear and you can hear it. You won’t believe how many videos we see that are grainy or you can’t hear it or it’s really bad audio. Also make sure you tape at an angle you can see the whole stage. You’d be surprised at how the Bermuda triangle gets improvisors and you can’t see them perform. Imagine you have to watch 100 videos. What do you think you’re going to do when this one comes up…NEXT! It doesn’t have to be produced with multiple camera angles, we don’t want that, but it should be clear and easy to listen, see and hear.

3. Fill out the application completely! If you’re on NIN we guide you through that process, but if your a non-member going through a google form fill it out. Festival producers don’t want to chase you down for information and they will most likely pass you up. If they are asking for it, they want the information for a reason.

4. Submit early. A lot of times it’s cheaper and festivals don’t usually get a ton of submissions at the beginning so that may benefit you and give you a little more attention.

DON’T

1. Be vague – When filling out your troupe synopsis or your bio don’t just put “We are hilarious” or something weird that doesn’t make sense like “We are funnier then a unicorn,” yes this is for real! We understand you’re being witty, but I can’t sell that to an audience and I still don’t know what you do. Are you trying to outwit a Unicorn? Pretend you’re writing a bio to someone who has never seen your show or an improv show ever. Here is an example of a great troupe Bio from The Bearded Men out of Minnesota:

The Bearded Men began performing together in 2006. They’ve been fortunate to have trained with some of the most talented names in improv, including Jill Bernard, Matt Donnelly, Kevin Mullaney, Joe Bill, 3 for All, and more. They travel as often as possible to national festivals and anywhere else that will have them. In 2014 they formed a second group based in Los Angeles, Bearded Men West. 

The Beards perform short and long form improv. However, they primarily focus on narrative based long form improv they call, Epic Adventures, many times layering on a theme.

Since 2011, Bearded Men Improv has had a weekly show at HUGE Improv Theater in Minneapolis and in 2014 Bearded Men West began performing weekly, currently at the Impro Lab. They are grateful to have such awesome and supportive places to perform regularly.

Simple, to the point and an outside audience can get it. Remember you’re not just promoting yourself to a festival producer and committee you’re promoting yourself to a potential audience. Make it easy for a festival producer to know who you are.

2. Be lazy – Take it seriously put time and thought into your submission as team. How are you going to sell yourself? If you’re a troupe have a logo, have a troupe photo. Nowadays this is easier then ever so there is really no excuse. You don’t want to make a bad impression. Your submission is your first look into your troupe. A festival organizer will see this and take you more seriously and if they’re on the fence about you, this may put you over the top. Here’s an example of a great submission packet from our friends at Switch Committee out of Chicago. If you put some love into it you may just get some love back. These guys book festivals!

3. Let your Show Bio and Show Description be the same thing. Don’t just copy and past your bio and your show description have them be different. A bio is the history of your troupe, when you were formed, what theater you come from, maybe a little info on what you do improv-wise and maybe even what festivals you have done. A show description is just that a detailed description of your show. “A montage that is different” is too vague. Also, 1,000 other teams to that too. How are you different? Explain it. Here is an example of a good show description:

Hot Codlins out of NYC

One troupe, 5 ladies, dozens of characters — Hot Codlins came together over a shared love of telling stories.  You want femme fatales? Greasy gangsters?  Weird aliens and wacky rom-com sidekicks?  We got ’em all.  We do long-form, character-based improv that plays in, out, and around genres and styles of film, tv, and theater.

4. Don’t submit as show that you’re not going to bring. If you’re video is of a Harold and you decide to do a montage at the festival you could potentially risk losing the relationship you have with that festival. When they’re booking shows and putting you in their schedule they are being very strategic about how they’re doing that. And if they wanted a Harold in that spot and you are them and you don’t deliver. Yikes. That’s very unprofessional. So do the form you’ve promised. Also, make sure you don’t submit your team and then come with completely different cast. The people in the video submission are the ones the festival organizers expect to come. If for some reason your accepted and your troupe members back out notify the festival organizer immediately and go from there. But this again, depending on when you contact them could risk you’re troupe giving them a huge headache and not coming. If you do it within the first week or so of being accepted you are probably still okay.

So there you go. This should help guide you of what to do and what not to do when it comes to a festival packet. I hope this has helped and if you’re not a member already become one for free at nationalimprovnetwork.com. We can help you make a great submission.

Nick Armstrong

Nick is Camp Director and Founder of Improv Utopia an improv retreat for adults in California and Pennsylvania. He is also one of the founding members of the National Improv Network and performer and teacher at iO West as well as member of The Sunday Company at The Groundlings. He has also taught many workshops around the country.

 

The Do’s and Don’ts of Getting In and Attending Improv Festivals

Posted by Nick Armstrong on June 25, 2015

So, it’s festival season, there are a lot to submit to now so I thought I’d write some do’s and don’ts about trying to get into a festival and what to do when you get into one.

Do –

1. Have a great unedited video! A lot of festivals want to see what they’re getting and they want to see your show. Tape a bunch of your shows and take one that you think represents your show the best. It’s better to have a few to choose from. Taping just one rarely works out. Also, if you do a festival and they tape your show get it from them.

2. Fill out all the information. Whether your a member on NIN or a Non-Member filling out their application. Fill it all in! They are asking for all the information for a reason. Don’t make them work harder to find it, because they have 100 other teams submitting that have it all filled out and you will get passed up.

3. Put some effort into your submission – Have a professional group photo, a team logo, make it look sexy. You want to make it easy for a festival to promote you. Remember they have to fill your seats so anything you can do to make that easier is amazing to a festival producer. Do you have press clippings? Give that to them too. This shows you care and that you mean business and a festival producer will see that.

4. Network – Have fun, go to the parties at a festival, thank the volunteers, the producers, the bartender. Go support other improvisors shows. It’s a great way to meet people and I can guarantee you, you will find someone there that does another festival or has been to one and can help you get into more.

5. Take Workshops – What a great way to get teachers you would not necessarily have in your community. Most of the time the festival is putting up good money to bring some master teachers out and not making a profit off of it. They do it more for you. So take them up on it and trust me you’ll come out a better improvisor. Plus you get to play with people from all over the country and it’s also a great way to network. I’ve met some great people taking workshops in the past

6. Send a thank you e-mail to the producers after the festival. And if they send out a survey, do it. It helps them tremendously to hear your input.

7. Wear appropriate clothing – Sometimes you should ask what the attire is at a festival, but really what it comes down to is professionalism. Probably not the best ideas to wear shorts and a t-shirt.

8. Ask for feedback – Did you not get accepted. It’s okay to e-mail and ask for advice on your submission. Also, reach out to us at NIN and we can always help give you advice on it.

Don’t –

1. Back out of a festival once you’ve said yes. Recently, there has been a string of this and I’ve heard gripings. If you say yes then you’re in. You have committed and the festival has already put you on the bill, promoting, made posters, programs etc. By quitting you have cost them money and now time to fill your spot. I can guarantee you will not be invited back and the community is a small one it gets around.

2. Submit your team of 7 people and show up with 3 or 4 or different improvisors. When you submit your team and they watch the video with those improvisors that’s who they are saying yes to. If you bring a different team of less then what you’ve promised that becomes a huge issue. Festival Producers go through a lot to try and promote a festival, pick teams and fill seats. Your job is to give them what was promised.

3. Be unprofessional – You’re representing your team and your theater. Show a little pride and make sure you show up to your calltime on time, do the show you promised and respect everyone that worked to get the festival going, don’t be drunk during your show. I know this sounds like common sense but I’ve seen it all.

So if you want to get into a festival, be invited back or go to more festivals these do’s and don’ts should help guide you on your way through the festival circuit. Just keep in mind, once you’re in a festival you are representing that festival to their audience and community. Happy traveling and submit away!

To submit to a festival instantly become a member at www.nationalimprovnetwork.com it’s free to join!

Nick Armstrong

Nick is Camp Director and Founder of Improv Utopia an improv retreat for adults in California and Pennsylvania. He is also one of the founding members of the National Improv Network and performer and teacher at iO West as well as member of The Sunday Company at The Groundlings. He has also taught many workshops around the country.

 

Recording on the Road

Posted by Bill Binder on June 18, 2015

You don't want your shows to look like this.

You don’t want your shows to look like this.

Festival shows are always exciting times; great audiences, geat venues, and the excitement of sharing what you love with someone new. We love festival shows and we often want to record them. Recording festival shows can make for great submissions and also great memories. The reality of it though, is that this isn’t your theatre and you don’t have the same control over your environment. Recoding festival shows can vary in quality from not quite as good as normal to B-roll footage from Cloverfield. We want to be as close to the former as possible. And we also want to do so while respecting the festival and the people putting it on.

There are three ways people usually record shows on the road. Here are a few tips that might make for the best quality recordings and the best etiquette on the road.

General tips

–Respect the tech
This overrides everything else in the article. The producers and the tech controllers at any festival have a lot on their plate. They don’t need to worry about your plate too. If you want to record your show. Don’t ask them to do the work for you. Sometimes, they volunteer to help. And that’s awesome, but never assume. On the other side, don’t ingnore them. This is their house. Try to talk to them well before your show; earlier that day or before you even arrive in town if possible. Ask permission to record your show. Ask what will be non-intrusive to their work. Almost every time, they’re willing to find a way to get you taken care of without interfering with their work. They may even request that you do not record. Respect that too. They’re the boss.

–Set the lighting conditions
The lighting conditions of this space aren’t the same as yours. The contrast between the lit stage and the dark theatre can make a big difference in recording. And the lighting conditions when an audience is arriving is different than during showtime. If you get a chance. Go to a prior show at the festial, or politely ask during your tech time to go to the actual lighting conditions of the performance. That way you won’t have to adjust during the show.

–Power
Don’t assume there will be a power outlet. In fact, unless there is a super-convenient power outlet. Don’t use them. Make sure you have battery power for your show and then some. It just saves a lot of panic and hassle

We’ve got a camera guy who will set up in the corner

–Get out of the way
There are paying audience members. And many of them are getting their first exposure to improv. They get right of way 100% of the time. Don’t take a good seat away from them. Don’t be blocking their view. Don’t be blocking the way to the bathroom. They win. Always

–Speaking of the bathroom
There are areas where people are likely to be walking during the show, most frequently these areas are the walkway to the bathroom and the exit. If possible don’t have that walkway between you and the stage or your going to get a lot of heads. Is that a big deal? No, not really. But something that can sometimes be avoided for a slightly better experience.

–Buy a ticket
If your camera guy is taking a seat. Buy them a ticket. Support the fest.

We’re just going to put this camera on this ledge here

–Don’t get robbed
It’s not a common problem, but use common sense. Don’t leave a camera in an exposed place where no one will see it get ganked.

–Record early
Don’t get stressed about hitting record and then running backstage. Just make sure you have plenty of space and start recording really early.

Our friend is going to hand-hold a camera during a show

–Make that display non-intrusive
The Person behind your friend doesn’t need to see to versions of the show

–Turn off the noise
So help me, turn off those beeps and dings.

–Train them to use a camera
Most of the time when you ask a friend to record a show, they don’t have experience recording shows. Let them know to get a good wide shot of the stage and to not zoom in and out and move all over the place unless they really have to. If someone’s head ends up in front of them, move slowly out of the way instead of jerking the camera around.

–Elbows on armrests
It’s a simple trick to minimize shudder and arm fatigue. Have them find a comfortable place to rest their elbows, either on armrests or their lap. This provides a makeshift tripod that won’t be shaky. But it will also allow them to hold the camera up for a while without arm fatigue. They can also put one arm down for a moment here and there while the other arm holds in position.

Camera Phones

–Consider a phone
Smartphone cameras are getting to be pretty good these days. They might not be quite as good as a good handicam, but it’s one less thing to bring to the theatre and worry about. Not to plug, but I personally use a Sony Xperia Z and it works fantastically. 1080p, 24fps. They’re pretty nice and they don’t require lugging extra equipment.

–Turn off time limits
Many camera phones have a not-well known feature that they will stop recording after 30 minutes to prevent accidentally wasting space and battery life. It’s a good idea, but turn it off for shows that might be longer than that. If you have a camera person, let them pay attention to start recording again if this happens

–Mini-tripods
There are phone tripods now. They’re cheap and they fit in your pocket

–Battery Chargers
Same as above. Cheap and portable.

–Horizontal for the love of all good things
Don’t hold that camera vertical. It’s just… the worst. That’s true of pretty much everything in life, but especially a show on a stage that is longer than it is tall.

Recording on the road is tricky. But with a little thought and a lot of respect for the tech crew, it can work out.

Currently Bill is an instructor at The Torch Theatre and producer for the Phoenix Improv Festival. He tours teaching and performing across North America.

Spotlight on Detroit

Posted by Bill Binder on May 30, 2015

thumbnail_1389710217-300x300[1]Disclaimer: My heart belongs to two cities: Phoenix and Detroit. The Detroit Improv scene quieted down about ten years ago, but it’s back in full force and their festival is quickly becoming a “must go to” event. If you haven’t been up to DIF, I strongly recommend it. And personal guarantee, if you visit Detroit for their festival this year and have never had a coney, I will buy you one with a Vernors’.

There have been some changes to the festival since last year and I got a chance to talk to Jessie Kunnath about the festival this year.

Last year was a big growth year for The Detroit Festival, and also a year of a lot of change. What does that mean going into the 2015 festival?

Last year we really stretched the seams on our festival, extending the activities from a 4 day festival to a 7 day festival. Moving into 2015’s festival we have evaluated what worked and what didn’t and made adjustments. We decided as a board that a 4 day festival is the right length for our community and we’re working on making it as organized as possible.

We’re keeping some of our most popular events such as the Saturday afternoon BBQ and family friendly show. One of the things we are modifying for this year is that we are keeping all the festivities within the downtown Ferndale area, easy for walking and parking.

Outside of the festival, the Detroit scene has seen a lot of growth. What kind of improv are audiences used to seeing in town now?

Within the last couple of years, the improv community has really begun to grow. Not only are classes filling up at all of our local improv theaters (Go! Comedy, ComedySportz Detroit, Michigan Actors Studio, Planet Ant), but other notable groups such as The Detroit Alternative Comedy Collective (DACC) has formed and brings indie troupes into local restaurant/bar/brewing establishments for improv nights.

Improv audiences in Detroit are great! Due to the talent of our local improvisers they have been exposed to everything for fast-paced short-form to monoscenes and Harolds.

Along the same lines, what kinds of shows are you hoping to bring into town to expose audiences too?

One of the most amazing things about DIF is somehow we’ve been fortunate enough to bring in premier, veteran improvisers and this year is no exception. We’ll be releasing the full list of acts in early June.

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Photo by Heather Sejnowski

One great thing about the festival is the proximity of the venues to each other. Where will performers be playing this year?

Performers and audiences can except all activities and shows to be within walking distance of downtown Ferndale. We’ll be utilizing Go Comedy and The Ringwald theaters and also adding in a new partner Local Kitchen & Bar.

The festival is right near the border of Detroit and Ferndale, which means really interesting things in both directions. What are some things visitors should check out near the festival?

Detroit is a revitalized city. Sure there’s still some bad streets but there is so much new life. If you are a foodie, a craft brew lover, a historian, a music lover or a sports enthusiast we have things for you in the Detroit-Ferndale area. If this is your first trip to the city, be sure to drink a Vernors’ ginger ale or Faygo red pop and get yourself to a coney island pronto. We have a bunch of craft breweries popping up all over too. If you have some extra time during the week, be sure to check out a Detroit Tigers baseball game at Comerica.

Detroit doesn’t have a reputation for food, but there’s a lot of fantastic food that just can’t be found outside of Michigan. What are some things or places people should check out to eat?

I don’t know why Detroit doesn’t have a food reputation – let’s change that one meal at a time, shall we? This year we are fortunate enough to partner with Local Kitchen & Bar that has nice higher-end pub/bistro feel to it. Their menu changes seasonally and they have many vegetarian-friendly meals. Try their brunch!

There are also amazing restaurants within walking distance of the DIF venues: Anita’s Kitchen (Middle Eastern), Como’s (Italian), The Fly Trap (cozy diner featured on Diners, Drive-in & Dives), Imperial Bar (gourmet tacos) and M-Brew (all Michigan-products – great burgers). But if you are in the must-eat-in-Detroit mode, there’s the iconic American vs. Lafayette coney island rivalry for the best coney dog (a hot dog in a steamed bun covered in meat sauce chili topped with diced onions and mustard).

Outside of shows, what other activities will be happening for performers this year? Classes? Parties?

Along with our premier shows, we be offering premier workshops taught by those headliners. We’re still confirming the who, what and when but rest assured this year will have an amazing selection to pick from.

Each night of the festival, DIF will be hosting a festival-sponsored afterparty as well. The location will change from night to night, but it’s a great chance for the performers to mingle amongst other performers and volunteers. In the past, our after parties have had karaoke, made-to-order drinks and a live DJ. Do NOT miss.

What are your great hopes for the festival this year?

I’ve been with the Detroit Improv Festival since the beginning, serving as a volunteer, then a director and board member. My greatest hope for this festival is that we can live up to everyone’s expectation because this festival really is top-notch. I want to be able to show that DIF is dedicated to their mission statement of advancing the art of improvisational comedy in metro Detroit. I’d like to show all the attendees (including those laypeople) that Detroit is a blurb on the map that has a vibrant and strong community, mixed with that mid-west niceness.

Submissions are only open for a few more days. Get on that and submit.

Currently Bill is an instructor at The Torch Theatre and producer for the Phoenix Improv Festival. He tours teaching and performing across North America.

Spotlight on Kansas City

Posted by Bill Binder on May 28, 2015

thumbnail_1427051454-300x300[1]Kansas City is just around the corner and submissions are wrapping up soon. If you don’t know much about the festival, I got to talk to Ashley Osborn about what visitors might get to experience this year. And it sounds pretty amazing.

Kansas City is geographically in a great spot. It’s kind of a hub for so many improv cities. What’s the improv scene in Kansas City like right now. What kinds of shows are really growing?

KC’s improv scene just keeps growing, it’s a pretty exciting time. We have three different theaters producing shows every week and more and more troupes lining up to play. Long form shows, including competition shows, house teams and class shows, and harold teams have helped to increase audiences at the Kick Comedy Theater and the Uptown Arts Bar while short form has expanded with more shows per week at ComedyCity in the past year. Sketch has also brought in a new crowd that we want to keep too.

The festival is a great opportunity to showcase different kinds of improv to your audiences. what do you hope to showcase at the festival for local audiences?

We want to show our local audiences what all is out there in the improv scenes across the country so they stay hooked and grow along with us. We also want to show them that we have a stellar scene ourselves by showcasing our local troupes that fill our theaters every weekend. We work hard to keep getting better and the festival is a great opportunity to both learn from our visitors and appreciate our locals.

Will there be any headliners or workshops this year?

Yes! We just aren’t quite ready to announce them yet! As soon as we have all the details locked down, we’ll get it out there.

What are some of the things performers can do while they are in Kansas City?

KC is awesome , we’ve got stuff to keep you busy. Take a tour of Boulevard Brewery or just go drink a few in Westport, the Country Club Plaza, or in the Power & Light District. Check out our signature bbq burnt ends at Joe’s Kansas City, Jack Stack, or any one of our many bbq joints around town. We’ve got museums, live music, Sporting Kansas City soccer and the Kansas City Royals. You won’t be bored.

What will the venue be like this year?

We have two venues this year, same as last year. Our first weekend the festival will be held at the Kick Comedy Theater in Westport, home to the KC Improv Company, the producers of the festival. It is an intimate theater connected to the best burger and beer spot in town, the Green Room, so its basically perfect for improv. Our second weekend will be held at Musical Theater Heritage in Crown Center, an absolute experience to play in with seating on three sides of the stage.

If a performer has never played in KC before, why would you tell them to come?

Come to our festival, you’ll be glad you did. We “treat” our visitors as much as we can, truly inviting you to enjoy our festival. Meet our improvisers, enjoy our audiences, partake at our afterparties. Go Royals.

Submissions are open now. Please check out this great festival.

Currently Bill is an instructor at The Torch Theatre and producer for the Phoenix Improv Festival. He tours teaching and performing across North America.

Spotlight on Los Angeles Improv Comedy Festival

Posted by Nick Armstrong on May 26, 2015

The Los Angeles Improv Comedy Festival enters its 13th year. The festival is held at iO West in Hollywood and is going to have a mix of celebrity shows and improv troupes from around the country even a 7 day improv show trying to break the world record! I was able to interview iO West Artistic Director James Grace about the fest:

NICK: It’s amazing to think it’s the 13th year of the festival. What are some of your favorite memories from the past 13 years of the fest.

JAMES: Each Festival we’ve had, there’s been such a joyful mix of beginners to comedy legends, performing, watching and celebrating the art form that has changed each of our lives, so it’s hard to choose only a few memories but I’ll try.

I loved the SNL vs MadTV shows from the first few years of the Fest, with cast members from each show “competing against each other” in one big montage; they were the ultimate example of collaboration.

I also love seeing the performers from outside of LA as they make connections and friendships during the course of Fest week and then seeing them return year after year. There are also some amazing local groups (who who seem to be at the Fest annually) which are some of the best improv groups of all time like; Beer Shark Mice, Opening Night! The Improvised Musical, Weirdass. The various casts from TV and film coming to improvise is always a thrill like, Community, The Office, Reno 911, Broken Lizard, The Sarah Silverman Program just to name a few. But I have to say, seeing Monty Python’s Eric Idle on our stage was like having the Beetles stop by, it was awesome!

NICK: What do you look for in a submission?

JAMES: With a submission, we are looking for the quality/experience of the group or person submitting and we are always looking for original and unique content to add to the Festival. Try to shoot and edit your submission videos as professionally as possible, so we can focus on your talent and not be distracted by sound or picture problems.

NICK: What can a troupe expect when getting into the festival?

JAMES: Troupes that get into the Festival, not only have the opportunity to perform for peers, comedy heroes and industry; they also have the opportunity to learn in workshops and panels from top instructors, comedy heroes and industry. On top of that they will get to see some of the best improv groups in the world, be a part of history, performing in the 7 Day Improv Show and make new connections and friends that will be with them for life. So I guess they can only expect a life changing experience!

NICK: What kind of workshops will you be offering at the fest?

JAMES: We will have a wide range of comedy workshops and focuses, from individual to group improv to casting to marketing your group and much more. There will be the chance to study with the top improv teachers in the country as well as workshops taught by special celebrity instructors. We will also have several panels at the Festival with topics beneficial for brand new improvisers to veteran performers as well as some special panels with casts of your favorite comedies giving a behind the scenes look into their show.

NICK: This year you’re having 4 competitions. Can you explain that and what do they win?

JAMES: The four competitions are a HAROLD COMPETITION, a DUO COMPETITION, a CAGE MATCH COMPETITION and a STAND UP COMPETITION.
For the HAROLD COMPETITION, two teams are given 25 minutes to perform their take on the classic improv form the Harold. Winning prizes include a showcase at the famous Comedy Central Stage at The Hudson Theater, a 4-week run on the iOWest Main Stage and more.

For the DUO COMPETITION, each two person team is given 25 minutes to improvise, battling against another two person team for the funniest set. The winning prizes include $200 and the opportunity to host a monthly Duo show on the iOWest Main Stage. For the CAGE MATCH COMPETITION two teams are given 20 minutes each to do whatever kind of improv they want. The lights will be cut at 20 minutes. Winning prizes include a showcase at the famous Comedy Central Stage at The Hudson Theater, a 4-week run on the iOWest Main Stage and more. For the STAND UP COMPETITION ten comics per each first round competition, 5 minutes each, and the top two comics chosen by audience vote each night go to the finals. Our Stand Up Competition finalists will get the opportunity to perform another 5 minutes with special guest headliners on the championship night. The winning prizes include $200 and the opportunity to host a monthly Stand Up show on the iOWest Main Stage.

All competition details are listed at http://ioimprov.com/west/festivals/annual-improv-comedy-festival/

NICK: There’s a 7-Day Improv Show! You guys are trying to break a world record. How did this all come about?

JAMES: This year as we looking to set the Guinness Book of World Records for Longest Continuous Improv Show (150 hours straight, starting 7pm Sun Aug 2nd -and ending 1am Sun Aug 9th) with our 7 Day Improv Show. This show will allow for more stage time opportunity for our Festival groups, in addition to their Festival showcase show.

This show was pitched to me by two performers from the iOWest Theater, Keith Saltojanes and Rob O’Connor and I loved the idea of so many improv groups getting to be a part of history, so we sat down and figured out the logistics of doing a show like this. We will be live streaming the whole show and I expect some extremely interesting improv to take place in those early morning slots. I can’t wait to see this show!

If you’d like to instantly submit to the LA Comedy Festival you can do so HERE.

Nick is Camp Director and Founder of Improv Utopia an improv retreat for adults in California and Pennsylvania. He is also one of the founding members of the National Improv Network and performer and teacher at iO West as well as member of The Sunday Company at The Groundlings. He has also taught many workshops around the country.

Spotlight on the Stumptown Improv Festival in Portland

Posted by Nick Armstrong on May 12, 2015

The Stumptown Improv Festival is the answer to Portland’s growing improv scene. I’ve heard tales of cool gift bag for improvisors who attend as well! I was able to interview Jed Arkley of The Stumptown Improv Festival and asked him some questions about the fest:

Tell us a little about the Improv Community in Portland.

The improv community in Portland, like a lot of things in Portland, has its own flavor and tempo. We’re not home to major schools like UCB or iO or Second City, but that has allowed Portland’s improv community (and comedy scene in general) to find a distinctive voice. We’ve got our own theaters and training programs (Brody Theater, Curious Comedy), as well as a slew of independent teams and coaches, that approach improv in their own way. It would be hard to pinpoint Portland’s “style”, but I think it’s fair to say that improv here puts a high value on strong relationships, realism, and playing to the top of our intelligence. We’re really a long-form town, in all the ways that term can be used.

At the same time, our community is going through a really fantastic growth spurt. The past few years have seen a cornucopia’s worth of new groups sprouting up and, most importantly, performing and performing and performing again. We’ve always had a ton of improvisers, but it’s good to see the scene starting to edit itself, push itself, and become stronger.

Why did you decide to start the Stumptown Improv Festival?

I was driving back from the Vancouver International Improv Festival in 2013 after performing with my group, Whiskey Tango, and it just hit me: “Wait a minute. We can have a festival in Portland. There are festivals in Vancouver, Seattle, LA, San Francisco…this is a no-brainer.” Also, Vancouver puts on such an amazing festival, from the quality of the comedy to the way they treat the improvisers, that I was super-pumped after being there. I immediately called Erin and Leon (the other two co-founders) and the three of us have been kickin’ it/rockin’ it/jammin’ out ever since. In addition, as mentioned above, we really wanted to give the improv community a platform from which to shine and an opportunity to kick their comedy into high gear. Bridgetown was a big help for the standup scene here in that way and we wanted to do the same for improv. Exposure to amazing groups from around the country, as well as a little healthy competition, can help out groups immeasurably.

What can improvisors expect when attending your festival?

A preeeeeeety amazing gift bag. A really tight and friendly gang of Portland improvisers. A smart audience who appreciates intelligent and original comedy. A venue that is close to perfect for improv.

What do you look for in a submission?

Be honest, realistic, and listen. When I say “realistic”, I don’t mean that you can’t be at a Space Monkey Farm, but, if you are, make that the most honest Space Monkey Farm that we’ve ever seen. Note: don’t ever name your improv group “Space Monkey Farm”. Don’t be goofy. Trust that you’re already funny enough and let it develop.

What are some fun things your city has to offer an improvisor who is considering coming out to you?

The Greatest Summer Weather in the History of Humankind. So much good food, from restaurants to carts, that it starts to make you a bit angry. An attention to detail in all things alcohol-related (think: craft beers, craft cocktails, craft distillers) that you wonder if Portland is just denying that it has a serious drinking problem. Across the board, attractive and approachable men and women who will be showing their skin.

Where venue is the festival held at?

Milagro Theatre. Low-ish ceilings and ideal capacity (121) make it such a nice stage to play on.

Only a few more days to submit to the Stumptown Improv Festival click HERE.

Nick is Camp Director and Founder of Improv Utopia an improv retreat for adults in California and Pennsylvania. He is also one of the founding members of the National Improv Network and performer and teacher at iO West as well as member of The Sunday Company at The Groundlings. He has also taught many workshops around the country.

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