Tips for Gigging Professionally

Rowan McDonagh

 

1. Put together a stage plot

This is a drawing of your setup on stage which should go to the booker or production manager ahead of your live performance.

As soon as you’re booked for a gig, send them this and they’ll pass it onto the venue/stage crew. The drawing should include where you need:

  • power on the stage
  • Direct Inputs
  • monitors
  • elements of drum kit noting if your drummer is left-handed for example.

This will save you time having to explain everything on the spot + it will help everything run more efficiently.

Your drawing should be Landscape orientation and it should fit on one page.

Most stage crew will stick them up on a wall backstage so it should be clear and easy to reference quickly.

2. Compile your tech requirements

If there are outstanding requirements not captured in your stage plot, send an accompanying list. For example:

  • Perhaps you’re going to bring your own in-ear monitors and will need an XLR OUT from the desk
  • Maybe you’ll need phantom power for a particular mic you want to bring
  • Any lighting preferences
  • Whether you’re bringing a sound engineer

Include a link to your music so technicians can get a sense of what you’re about. This can be really helpful.

All in all, your stage plot and list of requirements should capture:

  • what you have
  • where you have it
  • what you need to make your setup work

3. Ask for the venue’s tech setup

Ask your point of contact for the venue tech setup. This list of details should include what the backline is made up of.

If you want the venue to add anything to that, e.g., a specific amp, it could come out of your fee so try to use anything the house has to accommodate you.

4. Be cognisant of your rider

Venues will often offer you a rider, generally it’s a couple of beers and some bottled water. After that, any additional items you request come out of your fee.

5. Rehearse your changeover

You’ll be given a changeover time. This is you time you have to set up right before your performance, i.e., after a previous act has left the stage.

Make sure you arrive at the venue 2 hours before your changeover time and ensure you’re standing at the stage at your changeover time ready to go, guitar tuned/voice warmed up etc.

Rehearse your changeover. If your changeover is 20 minutes long, make sure you can do it in 10 minutes. Have your gear gone from packed to set up in that time and rehearse it before the gig.

If your changeover runs over time, every minute you delay eats into your set time, so perhaps drop a song if that happens.

6. Time your set rehearsal

Adapt your set so that it fits within your allocated time. Rehearse it and time that rehearsal. Any change of instruments or reorganising the stage mid-set should be captured within your allocated time slot so work this into your rehearsal. Stage crews deal in minutes.

If you have found that your set takes less time than what has been allocated to you, tell the booker ahead of time so they can plan accordingly. Any surprise changes to timings on the night will knock everyone’s time out.

7. Prep your gear

Prep your gear before arriving. Don’t have cables in a mess, have everything ready and labelled so it’s easy to take out, set up and pack away afterwards.

8. Introduce yourself

When you arrive at the venue, introduce yourself to the stage manager and ask to meet the sound engineer and lighting engineer so they know who you are.

Get the names of the stage crew and ensure they know you. You’ll likely develop relationships with these people and meet them again gigging.

9. Keep amps low on stage

Always ask for more in the wedge instead of tweaking your amp.

10. Always send a clean signal from the stage

The sound engineer will add EQ and compression to suit the house so leave your signal clean at the source. Go through pedals and any different effects with the sound engineer during your soundcheck.

11. Stage manager is the boss

The stage manager is getting feedback from all angles, across the venue so wait for their signal to go on stage.

If ever they tell you to stop playing, it’s for a very good reason. Perhaps there’s a serious accident in the audience. Always heed their direction.

12. Never show up under the influence

That will be remembered and you will get a bad name.

13. Don’t bring open drinks on stage

Everything on stage is needed by many performers. Don’t bring open drinks on stage, unless it’s a bottle of water with a cap on it. It’s a mark of respect to stage crews. Entire rigs have been destroyed by a pint and it’s dangerous.

Tips to Empower Female Writers in The Business

Jennifer Davidson

 

1. Women don’t have to be exceptional

We’ll have true equality when it’s deemed acceptable for women to be as mediocre as the average man. A lot of men who get their projects commissioned are not exceptional.

It puts extreme pressure on us as women if we feel like every idea that we pitch has to be exceptional. That approach will impact upon the ideas we come up with.

2. You don’t have to be more like a man to succeed

To succeed, lean into your strengths and skillsets. Maybe that includes being particularly sensitive. Embrace that part of yourself rather than trying to fight against it.

3. Feeling vulnerable is an important quality as a writer

We can feel quite isolated dealing with emotional subject matter. You have to go to an emotional place to connect with your characters. Use your own emotional vulnerability as a strength.

4. “Fake it ‘til you make it” is not always a helpful concept

If you’re in the writers’ room or you’re working with a publisher, you’re not faking it. You got there. You’re in that seat because you’ve got a talent. You don’t need to fake anything.

5. Ask for more money

Women always price ourselves lower. Ask for more than you think you deserve, because chances are you’re worth more than you think you deserve. The worst you’ll get is a, “no”. If you do get the amount you’ve asked for, don’t be thinking you need to do extra work. You’ve already proved yourself. There’s a good reason you’re being paid that much.

Your request for more money is not you saying, “Give me more money and I’ll do more work”. Your request is for the task that’s on the table. Anything extra is a different negotiation.

Think about your cash flow. How much money do you want to bring in each month for the next three months. Set yourself a target of how much you want to earn every month and use that to adjust the rates you ask for. That will help you feel much more in control when you’re actively thinking about those numbers.

Act as if you’re negotiating on behalf of someone else. Say your rate and leave a silence. You’re not flexible and you don’t have to explain.

6. Never do a job for free

You’ve put years into your creativity and craft. Don’t underestimate that.

7. Talk numbers, talk money

The more we talk about money among ourselves, the more aware we are of what the standard price is. This gives us power.

8. Have your “assistant” chase payment

Culturally, there can be a shame around money. Make up an accountant or an assistant. Use a dummy email if that helps you have those difficult conversations or say things that you don’t feel comfortable saying.

9. Put yourself forward for more opportunities

Men have a much easier time with this because the system has taught them to ask for what they want, while women have been taught to people-please.

10. Networking is just about connecting with people

You don’t have to be as brash as a lot of men at networking events.
As a writer, you’re a good judge of character. You’ll know who you can trust really quickly. Focus on making connections.

11. We’re not here to teach men about feminism

A lot of men consider themselves to be feminist, however, often they behave in ways that are not feminist and they’re oblivious to it because they’re just being themselves in the room. The patriarchal system has taught them that that’s OK. If you don’t feel comfortable as an individual pointing that out to them, don’t feel under pressure to point it out. It’s not your job.

Networking Tips for Creatives

Eoin Sandford

 

1. Before attending an event, research.
Carry out some research about the people attending. Identify who you wish to speak to and go with a clear goal in mind. Are you looking for a potential new client? Are you looking for specific introductions to other people?

2. Starting a conversation.
Ask the person to elaborate on something you already know about them. Perhaps mention what you know about their last project and ask how it went.

3. Write notes.
Write notes after meaningful conversations if you’ve met someone new. Any little tidbits can always help. The name of the person’s child, the name of their school. Whoever they said they’d be happy to introduce you to.

4. Exit a conversation graciously.
Even if it was not a satisfying encounter always smile and say it was a pleasure to chat and wish the person well on their latest project.

5. Follow up.
Follow up with people you’ve met after every meaningful encounter. Even if you don’t have anything to follow up on, send a message saying, “Really great to meet you. Hopefully we’ll catch up again.”

Navigating the Business of Writing

16 Tips for Writers by Jennifer Davidson

 

1. Think of yourself as a businessperson as much as a creative.

Sometimes we can sometimes get lost between those two identities: artists and businesspeople. It’s a commercial world and we need to find our way of feeling comfortable in that world. Consider the question: Are you solving a problem for somebody?

2. Know your value, creatively.

If you’re writing for stage or screen, keep reminding yourself of how important you are to the process. What are you going to accept as payment for your work? You want the best offer.

3. Know your audience.

This includes producers and other collaborators, broadcasters, publishers, script editors. Who are the people that resonate with you? Or that you feel your work resonates with?

If you have time, think about your customer persona, almost like writing a character biography. Who is that producer you want to work with? For example…

Is it a woman in her 40s who is a massive horror film fan? Maybe she is incredibly busy working during the day but always makes time for her dogs and her cinema dates.

Don’t waste your time with people who you don’t want to work with. Writers need that clarity about who we’re writing for.

4. Focus.

Find the sweet spot between the three following questions.
What are you deeply passionate about?
What can you be the best in the world at?
What drives your economic engine, i.e., what work gets you the highest possible fee as a writer?

5. Trust yourself.

Trust the stories that you want to tell. Often they’re the kind of stories that you like to read yourself. Also don’t be afraid to experiment with different genres so that you can be sure you’ve found the best one for you. That doesn’t mean that you’ve got to stick with the same genre forever.

6. Know your economic value.

Part of knowing your economic value is talking to other writers or talking to the Writers Guild of Ireland. If someone offers you a price for your work, have a look and say, “I’ll come back to you”. Always ask for more than the initial figure you had in mind.

7. Accept you’ll not always be switched on.

There are going to moments and sometimes months, maybe even years where it’s not always going to be happening for you creatively.

To avoid burnout, look at your 12-month plan rather than month to month. What month is slowest for you that you can afford to take off, to recalibrate and enjoy?

8. Writers need other people.

While we might mostly work in isolation, we really need other people to spark ideas. There’s nothing better than sitting in a café and eavesdropping in on other conversations to get some inspiration.

9. The board you can’t afford.

When you’re a fully-fledged business, you can afford to have a board of advisors. Until you get to that point, who are the people that you can talk to as your sounding board? People who have expertise that maybe you don’t have; your peer network. Perhaps a producer or a dramaturg, people you were in college with, or did a course with. Or maybe you met them at a festival.

Make sure that group of people are the right people for you. You’ll know pretty quickly who’s a good match, and who isn’t. You don’t want people to tell you that everything you’ve written is brilliant. You want constructive criticism, constructive feedback, people who can give you support re. where you are in your business. Someone who can empathise with you when you’re not hitting your goals.

You want those people who will say your name in a room when asked, does anyone know a good writer? Have your accountability people. People in the business who are going through it with you.

10. Creative thinking time.

This is an important part of the process. Your work is not just about the physical time it takes you to write the script, it’s the time to think of the idea, feel inspired, outline the idea.

It’s important to have something in your back pocket if an agent, producer or publisher says, “I love this, what else are you working on?”

Within your week carve out half an hour of fun, creative thinking time where you’re coming up with creative ideas as opposed to focusing on money-making ones. Even if it’s 15 minutes every morning. Put that time in your schedule, it’s non-negotiable.

11. To get an agent or not to get an agent…

In Ireland you do not need an agent. There are disadvantages to it being a small industry here but there are advantages too. You can bump into people at festivals. While they can’t take unsolicited ideas, you can strike up a relationship with them. Suss them out, are they the type of people you want to work with?

If you have some success, maybe you’ve won an award or you’ve made a short film, let people know.

If you’re looking at working in the UK or going to the streamers, then you need an agent because it’s a bigger market. You need to have sample scripts before you go and approach an agent. Make sure they’re really, really good because you only have one shot.

Look at who the writers are in the UK, who do you like? Find out who their agent is. Strike up a relationship with them or their assistants because they are the ones building the lists and perhaps looking to establish themselves as agents. It’s a very slow process. There are lots of variables. You’ve got to be patient.

12. It is rarely about you.

When someone doesn’t come back to you, it’s rarely about you. You’ll feel the sting, but don’t let that get in your way or put you off. Understand that rejection is usually just a numbers game. Maybe they have someone on their books who is too similar to you.

13. A good fit.

Before approaching a producer or an agent, know what they do. You want to make sure that they’re producing the kind of stuff that you’re writing. It’s a long haul when you’re working with a producer, publisher or a production company. You want to make sure that you can work together when you’re at your best and when you’re at your worst.

14. Imposter syndrome?

Sometimes this is not a great description to use as the feeling you have is rarely down to you, it’s more about the space you find yourself in. If you’re not the default, then the space perhaps wasn’t designed for you. That feeling your having is usually a result of something that is larger and more systemic. Once you realise that, you can get out of your own way.

15. Say no.

It’s ok to say no to a producer or publisher. You don’t have to say yes to the first one who shows an interest. It’s OK to say no to a bad contract. Get contract advice. Producers are terrible at sending a contract saying they need it back by tomorrow, no they don’t. You can check any details with the Writers’ Guild of Ireland.

It’s ok to say no to a bad environment or if you feel like you’re not being treated with the respect you deserve in the writers’ room. It’s ok to stand up and ask the questions, figure out what’s going wrong. While we don’t want to be the difficult writer in the room and we don’t want to blow our chances, sometimes it’s better to say, “no”, than have something produced that’s a poor reflection of your work.

Don’t be afraid to ask to be part of the bigger conversations about your project. Don’t feel like you just have to hand over your script and away you go.

16. Join the Writers’ Guild of Ireland

We represent writers for film, theatre, tv, radio and animation, any writing that is for any type of performance.

There are two levels of membership. When you sign a contract and have been paid to write something, you get full membership. Before that, you can join for €60 a year and you get most of the benefits of full membership.

We have a directory of full members which is searchable for producers. We give a lot of contract advice, we run awards, networking sessions and more. It’s better to build connections so when you do send that email to that producer, they’ll remember you and know straight away if they feel like you’re someone they could work with.

 

Jennifer Davidson is a Scriptwriter, Development Writer and Chair of the Writers’ Guild of Ireland. www.script.ie