Are you heading up to the Edinburgh Fringe this August? On Saturday 7th May, Julian Hall and Funny Women would like to extend an invitation to all performers, men and women, to join us for a special workshop entitled An Edinburgh Fringe Survivor’s Guide designed to guide you through that trails and tribulations of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Julian Hall is the former comedy critic of The Independent and the author of The Rough Guide to British Cult Comedy. He now runs Textual Healing PR and his clients have included Spencer Jones, Steve Hall, Rebecca Humphries, Sajeela Kershi, Anna Emerson, Ria Lina and Joe Bor. This year he will be representing Spencer again with Liz Miele, Abi Roberts and Olaf Falafel.
In this workshop you’ll learn how to write a disseminating press release, creatively promote your act, get the most out of the festival, know where to be seen and where to go for help! To book click here! Check out our interview with Julian below to get an idea of what the workshop will be about:
Funny Women: So, deadlines have now passed, what are the next steps for those travelling to perform at The Edinburgh Fringe?
Julian Hall: You should seek out various press and PR opportunities to plug your show. Flyers and posters are key marketing tools and you’ll need to think about how to distribute them prior to your arrival in Edinburgh. Getting features and reviews is crucial too – this is something I will cover in the workshop along with other publicity tips.
FW: And if someone has missed the deadline, what can they do to boost their PR and marketing?
JH: The Fringe brochure is just one part of the promotion process, so don’t panic, all of the things mentioned above now come into play and you can still get listings to publications and websites.
FW: For those taking part in the free festivals, what can be done to promote shows on a tight budget?
JH: For anyone on a budget, whether at the free festival or not, cutting the costs of print and distribution down is a good place to start, so sharing flyerers etc. There are a lot of marketing opportunities through the Fringe office. I will expand on specific promotion tactics in the seminar.
FW: When in Edinburgh, during the festival, what can be done to promote shows?
JH: There are many open air opportunities to plug shows while in Edinburgh – some on Royal Mile which is a central hub of activity, but others are in the surrounding areas. Shows are promoted through word of mouth and face-to-face interaction, so flyer distribution and actively promoting on the streets is vital. The Fringe Office can help with opportunities that literally go from A to Z, covering Edinburgh Airport to Edinburgh Zoo!
FW: You mention posters and flyers as being a key way to promote shows, are there any examples that have really caught your eye?
JH: Luisa Omielan’s, ‘What Would Beyoncé Do’ was a very captivating title which caused lots of public interest. Other posters that have caught my eyes have come from Viv Groskop, Spencer Jones and Olaf Falafel – this is down to eye catching, vivid imagery and imaginative use of colour.
Julian’s workshop: An Edinburgh Fringe Survivor’s Guide is on Saturday 7th May at the Museum of Comedy, 10:30am – 1.30pm and is only £49.50/£39.50 (concs/Funny Friends). To book click here!
