The Role of the Producer

This short course is designed to be of use to all Theatre Practitioners regardless of their chosen role. It is a very broad brush examination of the Producer’s and General Manager’s role, with particular emphasis on the relationship between the Producer/General Manager and the Creative Team.

SCHEDULE

Tuesday 19th January 2010

• Introduction and background to the course

• What we want to achieve - The Producer's Function and The Director's Function, and bringing the two together, with each understanding the nature of the relationship

• Budget

• Understanding the administrative process and the reporting structure of the producing organisation as well as the production itself

• Commercial or funded theatre - a brief introduction

• First stages: The script, the size of the production and therefore the target venues.

• New work or revival?

• Driven by subject, writer, director or cast?

• Invitation to suggest particular topics for each of our guest speakers to address

• Finding and agreeing the creative team

• The Producers office and support staff

• Differing sizes of organisation - the need to recognise the difference between 'bought in' specialist staff and a Producer providing a full resident organisation

• Production manager

Tuesday 26th January 2010

• Guest speaker TBC

• What does the Production Manager take responsibility for?

• Where does the Production Manager lie in the chain of command?

• A brief talk about the many areas that fall within the Production Manager’s remit, and how that relates to the Creative Team and the Producer or General Manager

• Q&A

Tuesday 2nd February 2010

• Guy Chapman from Target-Live. Marketing and Press

• What ideal processes to pursue with producers to drive sales

• Marketing and Box Office

• Daily responsibilities of a Marketing Manager or outside Contractor relative to the individual production and individual venue

• Relationship between producer and venue from a marketing and advertising perspective

• Q&A

Tuesday 9th February 2010

• James Seabright – Producer working in the small scale - how small is small?

• Fringe Festivals - Edinburgh as the prime example

• Advantages of working in the small and mid-scale

• Using the small and mid-scale as a workshop for future projects

Tuesday 16th February 2010

• Robert Israel – Gordon and Co. Why and what do we need to insure to ensure?

• Working towards a cost effective recognition of risk

• Special risks - Flying, Fight, Fire etc

• Children and animals

• Protecting the producer

• Understanding insurance provided typically by venues

• Understanding what to ask venues about their insurance before agreements made and relating that to existing or planned production insurance

• Between venues on tour - travel etc

• Insuring your Star?

• Understudies

• Medical/Injury

• Q&A

Tuesday 23rd February 2010

• Neil Adleman – Harbottle & Lewis. Why do we need a legal line in the budget - surely we are not doing anything that new or untried?

• Examples of what could and does go wrong

• Co-Production agreements

• Venue agreements

• Commissioning and rights agreements

• Limited companies

• Understanding Working Time Regulations, Health and Safety regulations, Data Protection and the many legislative hurdles that make a Producer convinced that 'they' are out to get him or her!

• Q&A

Tuesday 2nd March 2010

• Guest Speaker TBC

• Production accounts

• What is needed to keep the Investor/Funder satisfied?

• What is needed for Tax purposes?

• Payroll and contract requirements

• VAT

• Q&A

Tuesday 9th March 2010

• Recap on previous sessions

• Exploring budget lines

• Casting

• Design - Set, Costume, Sound, Lighting, Movement, Choreography, Fight, Ropework and Flying etc.

• Scheduling

• Rehearsal space

• Different Manager's organisations - ITC, TMA, SOLT - and the agreements existing between Equity, MU and BECTU

• Q&A