A previous partner and I started our own business February 2014: Jessaword Productions. Our goal was to bring affordable theatre and entertainment to our audience. Recently, my partner had to back out because of his schedule. He was hardly able to make most of our business meetings. He was the one who approached me with the idea to open the business so that I could have an Avenue to produce the plays I've written. We have already produced a variety show, and one of my plays. This year, I Haven't done anything but attend school. I have lost motivation due to my partner leaving the business, and the cost associated with finding and renting a venue. My partner agreed to pay back half of the loan for a building we rented, but he was unable to help and I'm still paying now. Also the lack of an audience in our last show set us back financially. Is there any advice you could give me as far as the business and getting my motivation back. I wonder if I should dissolve Jessaword and open up under a different name.
Answers
Hi Jessica -
Have you thought about independent film production of your works? Production and distribution costs for indie films are far less than brick-and-mortar play production. There are many distribution channels available to you, and the result is a wider audience.
Having people local to your venue purchase tickets and come sit in a theater for three hours to view your play yields only a small revenue stream. Yet, producing an indie film which you distribute via places like Amazon or your own website has the potential to reach far greater numbers. If ten people bought thirty dollar tickets in the first instance, that represents only three hundred dollars. But, if one million people rented your indie film for fifty cents on Amazon, that represents five hundred thousand dollars.
To get started a camera like the Canon Vixia Hf G30 is a great choice with superb audio. Shoot scenes on-location rather than on a stage.
Hope this stimulates some creativity.
Best regards,
JG
I helped produce successful nonprofit theatre in Los Angeles for several years. To run small independent theatre as a money-making venture (a "business") is a heartbreaker. If what you really want is to get your own works produced, then partner with existing producers/theatres rather than producing yourself.
Apply for grants.
Sign up for your local online communities (in L.A. we have CultureNet Yahoo group) & network like crazy. Volunteer usher everywhere you can to meet people. Approach the local community college theatre dept (or high school) & try to get a reading of your work.
Focus on the art & the business part will follow.
Good morning, Jessica. I am a business consultant and I have a Masters in theater from Washington State. My wife and partner has her degree in theater from UCLA. We own and run a small professional theater company. We developed a Children's theater as a not for profit that has been running for almost 28 years. We have written and published plays and produced them ourselves and had them produced by others. It isn't easy.
Our motivation comes from the people we have touched over the years and the encouraging feedback they provide to us. We have had our ups and downs, but theater has always provided us with the space to grow. We met when I did her makeup for a murder mystery and we have helped each other ever since.
"Start with the end in mind." Think through what your short term and longer term goals and desires are. They may not be the theater you currently have. You may need to find your partner first. Create a plan that will propel you toward your goal. Invite people in or find people who will invite you in. Share! There is so much more energy in sharing.
Hi Jessica, I administer an MFA in Professional Screenwriting program at National university and before that worked at HBO films. During much of that time I was also on the board of directors for the Robey theater company in Los Angeles -a small but well established African American company . What I can tell you is that it is very difficult to run a theater company successfully and next to impossible to do it by your self. I am not saying this to discourage you but rather to give you somewhat of a reality check. Based upon your posting my first suggestion would be that you really make sure you know what your goals are before you make any decisions as to how to proceed. Do you want to be a playwright or a theater producer? Do you want to be an entertainer? I could not tell based upon your post. Also are you going to school in a related area? I would start with sorting out your goals first. Hope this helps.
Hello, Ms. Moss
Thank you for taking the time to respond. My outlook for the business is the overall production of the plays I've written throughout the years. Also, I wanted to make sure we were correct with the IRS and similar entities; and the solution was to open the company. Before that, I would write, produce, direct, design the fliers, and the set, and run the show... (overwhelming, but i did all i could to make the dream happen, but not before much prayer).
My passion is in writing and my dream is to make the writing come to life on the stage and big screen. I want to use that Avenue to inspire others and without being too "preachy," let them know that God exists and He cares about every aspect of their life.
If I was to compare my business to what i would like it to be, i would say compare it to Tyler Perry Productions or David E.Talbert Productions. I don't want to be just like them, but similar with originality.
As for Education, I graduated from Hampton University and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Fine and Performing Arts. I am currently attending Regent University, and pursuing a degree in Script and Screenplay writing for Cinema and Television. The experience I've gained is in directing urban stageplays for a local producer: James Person, and also assistant director for Sister to Sister productions in Norfolk, VA.
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