written by Toksvig
I think the Having Of Ideas is a crucial aspect of being a musical theatre writer. It's also the one of the most fun parts, for me.
There are basically two ways to get your work on: you can either be commissioned by someone to write an idea they had, or you can pitch an idea of your own to someone.
In my twenty-odd years of writing musicals, I’ve had one commission, and every other show I’ve worked on was an idea that came from me.
Here's a starter list of ideas, in case it's useful. And because it was fun to write.
Source Material
Original story
Adaptation
Reinterpretation
Inspired by something free of linear narrative, like a painting
Show Size
Two acts
One act
Short
Mini
Micro!
24 hours long
Three days long
A year long (and why not?)
Venue / Audience Engagement
Traditional prosc arch
Non-theatre venue
Non-fourth-wall engagement
Transmedia presentation
Recorded media / online presentation
Target Audience
Traditional musical theatre audience
Non-musicals audience
Specific audience type
Specific audience size, from thousands to just one person
Performers
Massive cast to tiny cast, and everything in between, from thousands to just one person.
Young performers to elderly
Other specific performer type
Head over to @AnotherNibble on Twitter and add to the list.
Here is today's video.
And here is more about why it's great to have an Ideas List...
I think everyone should have multiple shows on the go, for three main reasons.
You're Always Ready
It
allows you to be ready for any opportunity that comes your way, because
you have multiple projects that are all at different stages of
development.
A reading that would be good for a first
draft? Got one that's ready for that. A full workshop? That's this one.
Local school wants a new show? This one.
You're Always Active
It
allows you to always do work that is deadline- or goal-driven. Instead
of writing on spec, you can always be working on a thing that you know
for sure will happen.
It's also a lot easier for you to
keep organising those goals for yourself. If you're only working on one
show, you will get to a stage where you need a production. If
that opportunity is not there right now, it's great to be able to put
that aside and pick up something else which is in first draft mode and
needs a table reading. So you organise a table reading, and off you go
again.
You're Always Learning
The more you
write, the more you learn. Even when informed constructive critique is
not readily available - and that can be the hardest thing to find
sometimes - you will still be making discoveries about your own creative
voice.
And the more you write, the easier it is to sit
down and write. The easier it is to let go of things that aren't
working, to move the work forwards because you remove yourself from
getting in the way.
If you don't think you have a
#IdeasList, check your creative brain. The chances are you already have a
handful of things in there, hanging around. Bring them out, put them
down in that list, look at it every day. Keep adding, keep making, keep
working.
Monday, 15 April 2013
Sunday, 14 April 2013
How much work are we making?
written by Toksvig
More about the work I'm making can be found here.
You'll see multiple shows on the go, and even the ones that are listed down the side, which look like they might be done and dusted, are still sort of current.
For me, the work I make never really ends. Some of it has been published, and is now out there in the world, on its own. Occasionally, it sends back a postcard, which is nice.
But would I say no if someone asked me to rework one of those shows for something? I'd say yes, of course, if it was a good opportunity. No work is ever finished.
(Which means I sort of understand why my mother still mothers me, despite the fact that I know to put on a coat if it's cold out.)
Making multiple work raises a lot of questions, I know. I think most musical theatre writers have jobs other than writing musicals, not to mention families and friends. Finding enough time to write one show can be a challenge, so the idea of having many shows on the go might seem impossible.
I don't think it takes more time to write more shows. I think it just makes more efficient use of the time you do have available.
There are regular opportunities to develop new work: workshops, readings, dramaturgy, even the chance for you to just invite a bunch of people over for Sunday lunch and do a table reading of something.
Having a bunch of shows available means you can choose the most appropriate one each time. And by 'a bunch' I don't mean three or four.
By my reckoning, I have about nine or ten shows that are currently active in some way, three or four that are quite far developed but temporarily on hold for reasons beyond my control, and... wow. Thirty three shows in the bottom drawer.
Wait. Thirty four.
No, thirty five!
It's a lot. And why not? The more tiny ideas I have, the more chance there is that I can make an appropriate suggestion during a random conversation, that might then turn into the greatest project I've ever done.
Tomorrow's video is about ways in which we could generate multiple ideas that might simultaneously broaden the opportunity for making more of those shows.
So how many shows have you got on the go?
Here is today's video.
More about the work I'm making can be found here.
You'll see multiple shows on the go, and even the ones that are listed down the side, which look like they might be done and dusted, are still sort of current.
For me, the work I make never really ends. Some of it has been published, and is now out there in the world, on its own. Occasionally, it sends back a postcard, which is nice.
But would I say no if someone asked me to rework one of those shows for something? I'd say yes, of course, if it was a good opportunity. No work is ever finished.
(Which means I sort of understand why my mother still mothers me, despite the fact that I know to put on a coat if it's cold out.)
Making multiple work raises a lot of questions, I know. I think most musical theatre writers have jobs other than writing musicals, not to mention families and friends. Finding enough time to write one show can be a challenge, so the idea of having many shows on the go might seem impossible.
I don't think it takes more time to write more shows. I think it just makes more efficient use of the time you do have available.
There are regular opportunities to develop new work: workshops, readings, dramaturgy, even the chance for you to just invite a bunch of people over for Sunday lunch and do a table reading of something.
Having a bunch of shows available means you can choose the most appropriate one each time. And by 'a bunch' I don't mean three or four.
By my reckoning, I have about nine or ten shows that are currently active in some way, three or four that are quite far developed but temporarily on hold for reasons beyond my control, and... wow. Thirty three shows in the bottom drawer.
Wait. Thirty four.
No, thirty five!
It's a lot. And why not? The more tiny ideas I have, the more chance there is that I can make an appropriate suggestion during a random conversation, that might then turn into the greatest project I've ever done.
Tomorrow's video is about ways in which we could generate multiple ideas that might simultaneously broaden the opportunity for making more of those shows.
So how many shows have you got on the go?
Here is today's video.
Saturday, 13 April 2013
Friday, 12 April 2013
The Business of Writing Musicals - survey results
posted by Toksvig
The Business of Writing Musicals
These are the results taken from the survey.
Which writing discipline/s are relevant to you?
Answered: 78
Bookwriter: 47
Composer: 47
Librettist: 37
Lyricist: 61
Playwright: 33
Songwriter: 47
Roughly how many shows or pieces have you written in total?
Answered: 78
One or two: 32
Four or five: 22
About a dozen in total: 13
At least one a year: 4
More than one a year: 4
Full-time multiple projects on the go: 3
How long have you been writing musicals?
Answered: 78
1-2 yrs: 22
2-5 yrs: 16
5-10 yrs: 15
10-20 yrs: 15
20+ yrs: 10
Roughly how much income have you generated from your musical writing in that time?
Answered: 78
It usually costs money to write musicals: 35
Pretty much break even: 9
Pocket change: 3
Expenses covered for the show in question: 7
Expenses covered for writing in general: 4
Supported living costs during specific show: 9
Supported living costs up to 1 year: 2
Supported living costs for more than a year: 3
Set me up for life: 0
Woohoo! : 1
Rather not say: 5
In which country do you predominantly live and work?
Answered: 78
UK / England: 74
Australia: 1
Netherlands: 1
Spain: 1
In which other countries have you had work developed / produced?
Answered: 45
Abu Dhabi: 1
Asia: 1
Australia: 1
Austria: 1
Canada: 1
Denmark: 1
Dubai: 1
Eire: 2
France: 1
Gibraltar: 1
Hungary: 1
Japan: 1
Qatar: 1
Sharjah: 1
South Africa: 1
South Korea: 1
Syria: 1
USA: 16
Venezuela: 1
Form
Answered: 72
Skipped: 6
Book musical: 60
Cabaret: 23
Cantata: 2
Chamber Musical: 13
Concept album: 12
Music theatre: 43
Opera: 4
Operetta: 4
Song cycle: 14
Panto: 1
Rock opera: 1
Revue: 1
Mass: 1
Musical in a day: 1
Storyworld / open space: 1
Length
Answered: 72
Skipped: 6
Micro musical (up to 15 mins): 14
Mini musical (15-45 mins): 18
One-act musical (45-90 mins): 32
Two-act musical (90+ mins): 56
Site-specific / non-prosc arch size
Answered: 62
Skipped: 16
Small scale: 38
Mid-scale: 34
Large scale: 14
Staging
Answered: 61
Skipped: 17
End on: 28
Flash mob: 2
In the round: 9
Promenade: 9
Proscenium arch: 40
Site-specific: 13
Thrust: 13
Traverse: 5
Methods
Answered: 60
Skipped: 18
Aerial: 2
Clowning: 2
Devising: 13
Improvising: 9
Mine: 0
Puppetry: 8
Script & score: 58
Verbatim: 1
Narrative
Answered: 65
Skipped: 13
Abstract: 6
Narrative-led: 60
Non-narrative: 13
Dance
Answered: 63
Skipped: 13
Dance-oriented: 6
Song & Dance: 50
Something in-between: 1
Non-dance: 28
Dance as stage fight: 1
Score
Answered: 65
Skipped: 13
Soundscape: 11
Spoken lyric: 14
Recitative: 15
Scene to song: 56
Sung-through: 24
Underscore: 32
Rap: 1
Audience Engagement
Answered: 64
Skipped: 14
Fourth wall: 58
Audience participation: 12
Interactive with no specific goal: 9
Interactive with specific goal: eg: a gaming element: 2
Immersive: 9
Audience age range
Answered: 64
Skipped: 14
0-4 yrs: 0
4-7 yrs: 8
7-12 yrs: 17
Pre-teen: 18
Teen: 24
Young adult: 36
Adult: 56
Third age / elderly: 15
Family: 37
Other specific target audience
Answered: 2
Skipped: 76
Student audiences: 1
Black audiences: 1
Have you written for a specific age of performer?
Answered: 28
Skipped: 50
0-4 yrs: 0
4-7 yrs: 3
7-12 yrs: 7
Pre-teen: 3
Teen: 11
Young adult: 23
Third age / elderly: 10
How many live performance development stages have you experienced, either self-produced, or produced by others?
Answered: 61
Skipped: 17
Informal reading with friends: 43 (self), 7 (others), total respondents: 44
Professional dramaturgy: 16 (self), 17 (others), total respondents: 27
Formal reading with performers: 31 (self), 27 (others), total respondents: 47
Day-long workshop: 16 (self), 12 (others), total respondents: 23
Multi-day workshop: 11 (self), 18 (others), total respondents: 27
Week-long+ workshop: 10 (self), 23 (others), total respondents: 29
Staged reading: 17 (self), 27 (others), total respondents: 37
How many staged productions have you experienced, either self-produced, or produced by others?
Answered: 59
Skipped: 19
Amateur / community production: 23 (self), 22 (others), total respondents: 38
Fringe production: 24 (self), 19 (others), total respondents: 36
Studio production: 12 (self), 14 (others), total respondents: 24
Studio touring production: 4 (self), 3 (others), total respondents: 6
Festival production: 12 (self), 18 (others), total respondents: 25
Regional theatre production: 6 (self), 17 (others), total respondents: 20
No 1 touring production: 3 (self), 4 (others), total respondents: 6
First class / West End production: 1 (self), 14 (others), total respondents: 8
Overseas production: 1 (self), 14 (others), total respondents: 14
Site-specific: 6 (self), 5 (others), total respondents: 9
University production: 2
Have you received a paid commission / option?
Answered: 66
Skipped: 12
£0-£500: 10
£500-£1,000: 3
£1,000-£5,000: 14
£5,000-£10,000: 5
£10,000+: 5
No: 34
Have you received an unpaid commission / option?
Answered: 36
Skipped: 42
One: 18
Several: 15
Many: 3
Have you participated in a royalty pool?
Answered: 17
Skipped: 61
One: 11
Several: 4
Many: 2
Have you participated in profit-share or other sharing system?
Answered: 19
Skipped: 59
One: 8
Several: 10
Many: 1
Do you receive income from published works?
Answered: 60
Skipped: 18
Yes: 22
No: 38
Have you ever received financial support for the development or production of new musical theatre from any of the following funding bodies?
Answered: 15
Skipped: 63
Arts Council England (eg: Grants For The Arts): 10
Local council funding: 2
Arts funding organisation: 6
Have you signed a stage publishing agreement with any of the following?
Answered: 9
Skipped: 69
Samuel French Ltd (UK): 3
Samuel French Inc (USA): 5
Music Theatre International (USA): 0
Josef Weinberger (UK): 3
Stagescripts Ltd: 1
A&C Black / Mondo: 1
Perfect Pitch: 1
YMT:UK: 1
Yes, but would rather not say who: 1
Have you signed a music publishing agreement?
Answered: 57
Skipped: 21
Yes: 13
No: 44
Have you had a show cast album professionally recorded?
Answered: 59
Skipped: 19
Yes: 13
No: 46
Have you ever signed any of the following?
Answered: 40
Skipped: 38
Adaptation agreement: 3
Agent / solicitor agreement: 10
Cast album recording contract: 2
Collaboration agreement: 13
Development process agreement: 11
Music publishing contract: 11
Production contract, commission (i.e.: producer brings writer existing project): 12
Production contract, option (i.e.: writer brings producer existing contract): 13
Stage publishing contract: 9
Do you feel equipped and able to conduct your own negotiations when dealing with contracts / agreements?
Answered: 58
Skipped: 20
I do conduct my own negotiations, and I feel equipped and able to do so: 7
I do conduct my own negotiations, but I don’t feel that I have the right knowledge to do so: 14
I do conduct my own negotiations, but I don’t feel comfortable doing so: 11
I don’t conduct my own negotiations, but I have someone who is equipped and able to do it for me: 13
I don’t conduct my own negotiations because I haven't yet had the opportunity to do so: 13
What kind of recorded media musicals have you written / collaborated on? (produced or otherwise)
Answered: 19
Skipped: 59
Audio, books: 3
Audio, podcast: 2
Audio, radio: 2
Blog: 2
Documentary film: 1
Feature film: 2
Multimedia: 3
Podcast: 5
Radio: 9
Short film: 2
Social media: 3
Transmedia: 1
TV documentary: 0
TV drama: 0
Vlog (online video blog): 0
WebTV: 0
Have you collaborated with any of the following academic courses:
Answered: 28
Skipped: 50
ANMT (USA): 2
ASCAP workshop (USA): 1
BMI workshop (USA): 0
BML workshop: 7
Goldsmiths College, Musical Theatre MA (writing strand): 8
Grad Musical Theatre Writing MFA, New York University: 2
MMD workshops / seminars: 21
Theatre Building Chicago: 2
Chris Grady dot org Month of Sundays: 2
Have you collaborated with any of the following new musical development organisations:
Answered: 29
Skipped: 49
MMD (Mercury Musical Developments): 24
NAMT (National Alliance for Musical Theatre): 1
National Theatre Studio: 5
NYMT (National Youth Music Theatre): 1
NYMF (New York Musical Theatre Festival): 1
Perfect Pitch: 9
YMT (Youth Music Theatre UK): 6
Are you a member of any British organisation that represents / supports writers?
Answered: 49
Skipped: 29
Guild of Songwriters and Composers (UK): 1
Mercury Musical Developments (MMD): 41
Musicians Union: 10
Writers Guild: 10
If not, would you consider joining any of the following British organisations?
Answered: 42
Skipped: 36
Guild of Songwriters and Composers (UK): 28
Mercury Musical Developments (MMD): 12
Musicians Union: 11
Writers Guild: 24
The Business of Writing Musicals
These are the results taken from the survey.
Which writing discipline/s are relevant to you?
Answered: 78
Bookwriter: 47
Composer: 47
Librettist: 37
Lyricist: 61
Playwright: 33
Songwriter: 47
Roughly how many shows or pieces have you written in total?
Answered: 78
One or two: 32
Four or five: 22
About a dozen in total: 13
At least one a year: 4
More than one a year: 4
Full-time multiple projects on the go: 3
How long have you been writing musicals?
Answered: 78
1-2 yrs: 22
2-5 yrs: 16
5-10 yrs: 15
10-20 yrs: 15
20+ yrs: 10
Roughly how much income have you generated from your musical writing in that time?
Answered: 78
It usually costs money to write musicals: 35
Pretty much break even: 9
Pocket change: 3
Expenses covered for the show in question: 7
Expenses covered for writing in general: 4
Supported living costs during specific show: 9
Supported living costs up to 1 year: 2
Supported living costs for more than a year: 3
Set me up for life: 0
Woohoo! : 1
Rather not say: 5
In which country do you predominantly live and work?
Answered: 78
UK / England: 74
Australia: 1
Netherlands: 1
Spain: 1
In which other countries have you had work developed / produced?
Answered: 45
Abu Dhabi: 1
Asia: 1
Australia: 1
Austria: 1
Canada: 1
Denmark: 1
Dubai: 1
Eire: 2
France: 1
Gibraltar: 1
Hungary: 1
Japan: 1
Qatar: 1
Sharjah: 1
South Africa: 1
South Korea: 1
Syria: 1
USA: 16
Venezuela: 1
Form
Answered: 72
Skipped: 6
Book musical: 60
Cabaret: 23
Cantata: 2
Chamber Musical: 13
Concept album: 12
Music theatre: 43
Opera: 4
Operetta: 4
Song cycle: 14
Panto: 1
Rock opera: 1
Revue: 1
Mass: 1
Musical in a day: 1
Storyworld / open space: 1
Length
Answered: 72
Skipped: 6
Micro musical (up to 15 mins): 14
Mini musical (15-45 mins): 18
One-act musical (45-90 mins): 32
Two-act musical (90+ mins): 56
Site-specific / non-prosc arch size
Answered: 62
Skipped: 16
Small scale: 38
Mid-scale: 34
Large scale: 14
Staging
Answered: 61
Skipped: 17
End on: 28
Flash mob: 2
In the round: 9
Promenade: 9
Proscenium arch: 40
Site-specific: 13
Thrust: 13
Traverse: 5
Methods
Answered: 60
Skipped: 18
Aerial: 2
Clowning: 2
Devising: 13
Improvising: 9
Mine: 0
Puppetry: 8
Script & score: 58
Verbatim: 1
Narrative
Answered: 65
Skipped: 13
Abstract: 6
Narrative-led: 60
Non-narrative: 13
Dance
Answered: 63
Skipped: 13
Dance-oriented: 6
Song & Dance: 50
Something in-between: 1
Non-dance: 28
Dance as stage fight: 1
Score
Answered: 65
Skipped: 13
Soundscape: 11
Spoken lyric: 14
Recitative: 15
Scene to song: 56
Sung-through: 24
Underscore: 32
Rap: 1
Audience Engagement
Answered: 64
Skipped: 14
Fourth wall: 58
Audience participation: 12
Interactive with no specific goal: 9
Interactive with specific goal: eg: a gaming element: 2
Immersive: 9
Audience age range
Answered: 64
Skipped: 14
0-4 yrs: 0
4-7 yrs: 8
7-12 yrs: 17
Pre-teen: 18
Teen: 24
Young adult: 36
Adult: 56
Third age / elderly: 15
Family: 37
Other specific target audience
Answered: 2
Skipped: 76
Student audiences: 1
Black audiences: 1
Have you written for a specific age of performer?
Answered: 28
Skipped: 50
0-4 yrs: 0
4-7 yrs: 3
7-12 yrs: 7
Pre-teen: 3
Teen: 11
Young adult: 23
Third age / elderly: 10
How many live performance development stages have you experienced, either self-produced, or produced by others?
Answered: 61
Skipped: 17
Informal reading with friends: 43 (self), 7 (others), total respondents: 44
Professional dramaturgy: 16 (self), 17 (others), total respondents: 27
Formal reading with performers: 31 (self), 27 (others), total respondents: 47
Day-long workshop: 16 (self), 12 (others), total respondents: 23
Multi-day workshop: 11 (self), 18 (others), total respondents: 27
Week-long+ workshop: 10 (self), 23 (others), total respondents: 29
Staged reading: 17 (self), 27 (others), total respondents: 37
How many staged productions have you experienced, either self-produced, or produced by others?
Answered: 59
Skipped: 19
Amateur / community production: 23 (self), 22 (others), total respondents: 38
Fringe production: 24 (self), 19 (others), total respondents: 36
Studio production: 12 (self), 14 (others), total respondents: 24
Studio touring production: 4 (self), 3 (others), total respondents: 6
Festival production: 12 (self), 18 (others), total respondents: 25
Regional theatre production: 6 (self), 17 (others), total respondents: 20
No 1 touring production: 3 (self), 4 (others), total respondents: 6
First class / West End production: 1 (self), 14 (others), total respondents: 8
Overseas production: 1 (self), 14 (others), total respondents: 14
Site-specific: 6 (self), 5 (others), total respondents: 9
University production: 2
Have you received a paid commission / option?
Answered: 66
Skipped: 12
£0-£500: 10
£500-£1,000: 3
£1,000-£5,000: 14
£5,000-£10,000: 5
£10,000+: 5
No: 34
Have you received an unpaid commission / option?
Answered: 36
Skipped: 42
One: 18
Several: 15
Many: 3
Have you participated in a royalty pool?
Answered: 17
Skipped: 61
One: 11
Several: 4
Many: 2
Have you participated in profit-share or other sharing system?
Answered: 19
Skipped: 59
One: 8
Several: 10
Many: 1
Do you receive income from published works?
Answered: 60
Skipped: 18
Yes: 22
No: 38
Have you ever received financial support for the development or production of new musical theatre from any of the following funding bodies?
Answered: 15
Skipped: 63
Arts Council England (eg: Grants For The Arts): 10
Local council funding: 2
Arts funding organisation: 6
Have you signed a stage publishing agreement with any of the following?
Answered: 9
Skipped: 69
Samuel French Ltd (UK): 3
Samuel French Inc (USA): 5
Music Theatre International (USA): 0
Josef Weinberger (UK): 3
Stagescripts Ltd: 1
A&C Black / Mondo: 1
Perfect Pitch: 1
YMT:UK: 1
Yes, but would rather not say who: 1
Have you signed a music publishing agreement?
Answered: 57
Skipped: 21
Yes: 13
No: 44
Have you had a show cast album professionally recorded?
Answered: 59
Skipped: 19
Yes: 13
No: 46
Have you ever signed any of the following?
Answered: 40
Skipped: 38
Adaptation agreement: 3
Agent / solicitor agreement: 10
Cast album recording contract: 2
Collaboration agreement: 13
Development process agreement: 11
Music publishing contract: 11
Production contract, commission (i.e.: producer brings writer existing project): 12
Production contract, option (i.e.: writer brings producer existing contract): 13
Stage publishing contract: 9
Do you feel equipped and able to conduct your own negotiations when dealing with contracts / agreements?
Answered: 58
Skipped: 20
I do conduct my own negotiations, and I feel equipped and able to do so: 7
I do conduct my own negotiations, but I don’t feel that I have the right knowledge to do so: 14
I do conduct my own negotiations, but I don’t feel comfortable doing so: 11
I don’t conduct my own negotiations, but I have someone who is equipped and able to do it for me: 13
I don’t conduct my own negotiations because I haven't yet had the opportunity to do so: 13
What kind of recorded media musicals have you written / collaborated on? (produced or otherwise)
Answered: 19
Skipped: 59
Audio, books: 3
Audio, podcast: 2
Audio, radio: 2
Blog: 2
Documentary film: 1
Feature film: 2
Multimedia: 3
Podcast: 5
Radio: 9
Short film: 2
Social media: 3
Transmedia: 1
TV documentary: 0
TV drama: 0
Vlog (online video blog): 0
WebTV: 0
Have you collaborated with any of the following academic courses:
Answered: 28
Skipped: 50
ANMT (USA): 2
ASCAP workshop (USA): 1
BMI workshop (USA): 0
BML workshop: 7
Goldsmiths College, Musical Theatre MA (writing strand): 8
Grad Musical Theatre Writing MFA, New York University: 2
MMD workshops / seminars: 21
Theatre Building Chicago: 2
Chris Grady dot org Month of Sundays: 2
Have you collaborated with any of the following new musical development organisations:
Answered: 29
Skipped: 49
MMD (Mercury Musical Developments): 24
NAMT (National Alliance for Musical Theatre): 1
National Theatre Studio: 5
NYMT (National Youth Music Theatre): 1
NYMF (New York Musical Theatre Festival): 1
Perfect Pitch: 9
YMT (Youth Music Theatre UK): 6
Are you a member of any British organisation that represents / supports writers?
Answered: 49
Skipped: 29
Guild of Songwriters and Composers (UK): 1
Mercury Musical Developments (MMD): 41
Musicians Union: 10
Writers Guild: 10
If not, would you consider joining any of the following British organisations?
Answered: 42
Skipped: 36
Guild of Songwriters and Composers (UK): 28
Mercury Musical Developments (MMD): 12
Musicians Union: 11
Writers Guild: 24
The Larder
written by Toksvig
What is The Larder?
It’s an online social-media-based dynamic information resource for makers of musicals.
By which I mean, it’s a gathering of questions.
By which I mean that you, the makers of musicals, are the people who will be providing us with the stuff we need to make it work, ie: questions.
You are also the people who will throw answers at the questions to which you have an answer.
Which is why I say it’s a dynamic resource. It’s not a wiki, not an archive, not a definitive knowledge base.
Musical Theatre is a dynamic art form, and I wanted to make a resource that can respond to that. Something that gives us all the chance to share our knowledge if and when we choose to, and also allows us to change our minds as frequently as we like.
Here's how it works.
@AnotherNibble
The Twitter feed is for you to throw questions at. Any questions. All the questions you have about writing musicals. Business questions, craft questions: anything that can be answered by someone – or begin to be answered by someone – in a tweet.
This might include answers like:
“Writers should expect to receive 70-80% of licensing fees in a stage publishing deal.”
“That single-tweet summary of your show’s story is a bit confusing: which of them is the main character?”
RT: “How do I get my musical produced?” <- too broad a question. Be more specific?
I suspect that might be one of its most useful functions: to help us find and refine our questions into the most useful ones possible.
Not everything can be said in 140 characters, so there’s also a blog:
LookInTheLarder.com
I might post some questions here sometimes, if it looks like longer answers from everyone will be a useful thing.
And finally, there’s a YouTube channel.
For now, it’s playing host to seven short videos which will lead up to 'The Business of Writing Musicals' event on April 18th 2013.
After that, The Copenhagen Interpretation have a sort of plan to make tiny videos in response to questions about 101 aspects of the craft, as well as questions I find myself asking, like "What is a good warm-up exercise for actors?".
We’re also thinking about hosting some online expert panels, who can answer your questions in live streaming broadcasts.
How long is this going on for?
A month, at first. To see how useful it is, how time consuming for how many people, and so on.
There's a boring disclaimer, isn't there?
Yeah. Sorry. I'll put it in small text.
I just wanted to say that, since this is my party, I reserve the right to have the final say on the content of the blog, twitter feed, YouTube channel, and anything else connected with the project. Also, I won't necessarily agree with anything anyone else posts in comments or on Twitter, because there is no one definitive way to write musicals. No matter what anyone says.
I really strongly want to point out that none of the people offering information, including me, will be lawyers, or professional representatives of musical theatre writers or composers, in any way, shape or form, unless they specifically say so at the time. Please don't take anyone's word for anything: all of your business-related decisions should ultimately be made with the assistance of a consummate legal professional. (I recommend Clintons Solicitors.) All of your craft-related decisions are, ultimately, up to you and your personal, unique creative choices, which is what I favour above all else. So if what anyone says doesn't work for you, then remember that the opposite of what everyone says is also, always, true.*
*I nicked this from Phelim McDermott.
What is The Larder?
It’s an online social-media-based dynamic information resource for makers of musicals.
By which I mean, it’s a gathering of questions.
By which I mean that you, the makers of musicals, are the people who will be providing us with the stuff we need to make it work, ie: questions.
You are also the people who will throw answers at the questions to which you have an answer.
Which is why I say it’s a dynamic resource. It’s not a wiki, not an archive, not a definitive knowledge base.
Musical Theatre is a dynamic art form, and I wanted to make a resource that can respond to that. Something that gives us all the chance to share our knowledge if and when we choose to, and also allows us to change our minds as frequently as we like.
Here's how it works.
@AnotherNibble
The Twitter feed is for you to throw questions at. Any questions. All the questions you have about writing musicals. Business questions, craft questions: anything that can be answered by someone – or begin to be answered by someone – in a tweet.
This might include answers like:
“Writers should expect to receive 70-80% of licensing fees in a stage publishing deal.”
“That single-tweet summary of your show’s story is a bit confusing: which of them is the main character?”
RT: “How do I get my musical produced?” <- too broad a question. Be more specific?
I suspect that might be one of its most useful functions: to help us find and refine our questions into the most useful ones possible.
Not everything can be said in 140 characters, so there’s also a blog:
LookInTheLarder.com
I might post some questions here sometimes, if it looks like longer answers from everyone will be a useful thing.
And finally, there’s a YouTube channel.
For now, it’s playing host to seven short videos which will lead up to 'The Business of Writing Musicals' event on April 18th 2013.
After that, The Copenhagen Interpretation have a sort of plan to make tiny videos in response to questions about 101 aspects of the craft, as well as questions I find myself asking, like "What is a good warm-up exercise for actors?".
We’re also thinking about hosting some online expert panels, who can answer your questions in live streaming broadcasts.
How long is this going on for?
A month, at first. To see how useful it is, how time consuming for how many people, and so on.
There's a boring disclaimer, isn't there?
Yeah. Sorry. I'll put it in small text.
I just wanted to say that, since this is my party, I reserve the right to have the final say on the content of the blog, twitter feed, YouTube channel, and anything else connected with the project. Also, I won't necessarily agree with anything anyone else posts in comments or on Twitter, because there is no one definitive way to write musicals. No matter what anyone says.
I really strongly want to point out that none of the people offering information, including me, will be lawyers, or professional representatives of musical theatre writers or composers, in any way, shape or form, unless they specifically say so at the time. Please don't take anyone's word for anything: all of your business-related decisions should ultimately be made with the assistance of a consummate legal professional. (I recommend Clintons Solicitors.) All of your craft-related decisions are, ultimately, up to you and your personal, unique creative choices, which is what I favour above all else. So if what anyone says doesn't work for you, then remember that the opposite of what everyone says is also, always, true.*
*I nicked this from Phelim McDermott.
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