Comments on: Blogging to promote your show? Who's in control of the message? http://firemark.com/2009/03/10/blogging-to-promote-your-show-whos-in-control-of-the-message/ Theatre, Film, Television, Music & New Media Sat, 24 Jul 2010 00:22:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Blogging and Control « The Dialogue Fringe http://firemark.com/2009/03/10/blogging-to-promote-your-show-whos-in-control-of-the-message/comment-page-1/#comment-634 Blogging and Control « The Dialogue Fringe Thu, 30 Apr 2009 16:13:20 +0000 http://theatrelawyer.com/2009/03/10/blogging-to-promote-your-show-whos-in-control-of-the-message/#comment-634 [...] …Read the full article at http://theatrelawyer.com/2009/03/10/blogging-to-promote-your-show-wh... [...] [...] …Read the full article at http://theatrelawyer.com/2009/03/10/blogging-to-promote-your-show-wh... [...]

]]> By: Gordon Firemark http://firemark.com/2009/03/10/blogging-to-promote-your-show-whos-in-control-of-the-message/comment-page-/#comment-636 Gordon Firemark Tue, 24 Mar 2009 16:35:03 +0000 http://theatrelawyer.com/2009/03/10/blogging-to-promote-your-show-whos-in-control-of-the-message/#comment-636 Thanks for your thoughtful remarks, Kris. Thanks for your thoughtful remarks, Kris.

]]> By: Kris Joseph http://firemark.com/2009/03/10/blogging-to-promote-your-show-whos-in-control-of-the-message/comment-page-1/#comment-635 Kris Joseph Mon, 23 Mar 2009 20:15:12 +0000 http://theatrelawyer.com/2009/03/10/blogging-to-promote-your-show-whos-in-control-of-the-message/#comment-635 In my early days of blogging (as a theatre actor) I used to comment on rehearsals of shows I was working on. Oddly enough, I never had problems with it because I always wrote from the perspective of "if I wouldn't say this to the director or producer directly, I won't say it on my blog". That tempers the writing quite a bit; it's also a rule I use for ALL my online writing, since it is all public. It would be suicidal to vent grievances or frustrations in any forum that bypasses the "professional" way to deal with those concerns -- i.e. talking to the boss directly. Oddly, I did get bitten once for critiquing a show I *wasn't* involved with, because the company that produced the show was a potential employer. Even though the criticism was constructive and was even defended from within that company, it caused some consternation among administrators. Ultimately, though, even that hasn't hurt me. I enjoy being able to tweet or blog about work I'm doing, because it helps sell tickets, gets people interested, and provides a glimpse of behind-the-scenes work. I always ask first, though. I don't mind being told that there are certain things I shouldn't discuss (for reasons of guarding "secrets" about plot or design or what have you) but, frankly, if I'm told that my posts have to be vetted or supervised, I just won't do it. I'm an artist, not a shill; shilling is for marketers. I ask my employers to trust my years of online writing experience, and my readers expect me to be honest about my experiences. Jane Fonda's high profile experience with '33 Variations' is proof that this kind of communication works. Further, it draws attention to means of communication that has been used in nice markets for years already. I think it would be a mistake for producers to start getting too precious about it, or to insist on controlling message. Truly professional artists are aware of their accountability, and act accordingly. In my early days of blogging (as a theatre actor) I used to comment on rehearsals of shows I was working on. Oddly enough, I never had problems with it because I always wrote from the perspective of “if I wouldn’t say this to the director or producer directly, I won’t say it on my blog”. That tempers the writing quite a bit; it’s also a rule I use for ALL my online writing, since it is all public. It would be suicidal to vent grievances or frustrations in any forum that bypasses the “professional” way to deal with those concerns — i.e. talking to the boss directly.

Oddly, I did get bitten once for critiquing a show I *wasn’t* involved with, because the company that produced the show was a potential employer. Even though the criticism was constructive and was even defended from within that company, it caused some consternation among administrators. Ultimately, though, even that hasn’t hurt me.

I enjoy being able to tweet or blog about work I’m doing, because it helps sell tickets, gets people interested, and provides a glimpse of behind-the-scenes work. I always ask first, though. I don’t mind being told that there are certain things I shouldn’t discuss (for reasons of guarding “secrets” about plot or design or what have you) but, frankly, if I’m told that my posts have to be vetted or supervised, I just won’t do it. I’m an artist, not a shill; shilling is for marketers. I ask my employers to trust my years of online writing experience, and my readers expect me to be honest about my experiences.

Jane Fonda’s high profile experience with ’33 Variations’ is proof that this kind of communication works. Further, it draws attention to means of communication that has been used in nice markets for years already. I think it would be a mistake for producers to start getting too precious about it, or to insist on controlling message. Truly professional artists are aware of their accountability, and act accordingly.

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