ORGANISATIONS IN THE PERFORMING ARTS

INDUSTRY By Danny Mouskovias

Services Throughout the Performing arts industry,

there are many services that intertwine with each other to make the industry so successful

I will go into detail about a few different services that you would find within the business

Lighting

STL PRODUCTION GROUP Responsible for event lighting, rigging, sound and power

and provides just equipment installation services all the way to full production management of an event

Prices based on a 1 week hire period Follow spot lighting equipment

(LDR Followspots from £55 to £120) Generic/Theatrical lighting equipment

(ETC Profiles & Pars from £8.50 to £20) (LDR Fresnels & Coda's from £6.50 to £8) Have provided lighting and equipment services to popular

UK nightclubs, festivals, concerts, theatres and also product launches

http://www.stlproductiongroup.co.uk

White Light Entertainment Lighting supplier providing services

ranging from complete lighting systems installed and ready to a single spotlight

Type of stock they provide includes ; • Spotlights/ follow spots

• Fresnels & pars• Floodlights• Coloured lights• LED lighting• Special effects lights• Outdoor lights

Mainly known for providing lights for theatre, Film and Tv. http://www.whitelight.ltd.uk/

Stage Electronics Based in Bournemouth with 9 locations across the Uk They provide stage, sound and lighting equipment for indoor

and outdoor use. Including for live events, theatre and TV, Prices for 1 week hire •Moving lights/ light heads

(from £20 to £480)•Theatrical Lanterns(from £5.50 to £88)•TV Lanterns(from £6 to £252)•Exterior Lanterns(from £5.50 to £145)•Exhibition Lanterns(from £7.50 to £70)

http://www.stage-electrics.co.uk/

Props

Keeley Hire Based in Hoddesdon Provides props to film, TV and Theatre industries Orignallly est in 1830 Keeley hire has a wide variety of props with over half a million items ready for

hire. Prop categories include:period barrels,bicycles, blacksmiths, candelabra, chairs, dock equipment, fairground, farm equipment, gravestones, Greek, Roman & Egyptian, lampposts & lighting,military, market stalls, street dressing, rickshaws, pewter,tavern dressing

http://www.keeleyhire.co.uk/index.php

A + M Hire Ltd. Based in London One of the largest Prop houses in Europe Offering over a million items Big and small Providing services to film, TV and Theatre Their range of stock includes:

Function furniture(e.g. bedroom, office, seating & tables)Accessories(e.g. mirrors, clocks, rugs, kitchen & luggage)Art Deco(e.g. furniture & accessories)Egyptian(e.g. figures/ statues, coffins, baskets, jewellery)Pub & Café

http://www.amhire.com/php1/base12.php

Newman Hire Company Based in London Prop hire company specialising in props for Film and

TV Lighting – Wall, ceiling, table and floor Shades- Art deco, period, contemporary Church, clocks, figures, contemporary Portfolio includes; Casino royal Alice in wonderland Heartbeat Sherlock Holmes http://www.newmanprophire.co.uk/Default.aspx

Costume

National Theatre Hire Shop Based in London Offers a wide range of costumes Over 60,000 costumes in their collection All in house made costumes Costumes ranging from; period costumes,

armour and chain mail, military costumes, circus outfits and a wide range of masks

http://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/costume-hire-store

Bath Theatrical Costume Hire

Based in Somerset Providing a wide range of costumes for productions, Fancy

dress and also themed events such as weddings. Over 25,000 costumes Costumes for different even such as modern & period

plays, Musicals and Pantomime Specialising in period costumes Also available is theatrical makeup and props. http://www.baththeatrical.com/index.htm

Crescent Theatre Costume Hire Based in Birmingham collection of costumes that cover many time periods for

example roman, medieval, Victorian, Edwardian, 20's, 30's, 40's, 50's, 60's and they also stock uniforms & dinner wear.

Provide services for Theatrical hire and stock a range of fancy dress costumes.

Ticket Agencies

London Theatre Bookings Have huts situated around London Have online Booking services Provide Cheap and discounted tickets for west end shows Member of S.T.A.R ( society of ticket agents and retailers) Tickets to all musicals including Wicked Mamma mia Jersey boys The Phantom of the opera Billy elliot http://www.londontheatrebookings.com

Encore Tickets Established in 2000 Focus on providing a service to third

parties in travel industry, group organizers and online disruptors.

Provide tickets for west end shows, attractions, river cruises, sightseeing tours

http://www.encoretickets.co.uk/

Official London Theatre London only official theatre website run by

society of London theatre. Offering many services from; Book tickets for west end shows Special ticket offers Video footage of current shows Hotel packages Great restaurant deals Latest news relating to theatre land http://www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk/

theatregoers-guide/ticketing/

Publications

The Stage Est in 1880 Provides news and services for the uk

entertainment and performing arts industry Private limited company over by the family

of one of the two founders Main product is the weekly newspaper

available worldwide Newspaper is published every Thursday for

purchase for £1.70 www.thestage.co.uk

Employment Giving information about the types of

unions within the performing arts sector

Equity Negotiates the minimum terms and conditions of employment Ensures they are up to date and representative of any

changes socially, economically and technologically. Equity also; organises, supports, protects, advises, takes

action. Professionals such as; actors, dancers, singers, models, stage

management, directors, presenters and supporting artists use equity.

To join equity, prices range from £116- £349 per annum. People join equity for many reasons including; setting

minimum rates of pay to avoid exploitation, treated fairly from meal breaks to working hours, provide legal services on your behalf if you are injured and are seeking compensation.

www.equity.org.uk

Casting Agencies Work as the middle man between the talent they

represent and the client looking for people to cast

Hired by the clients, producers and directors to find the right type of people to cast for TV and theatre etc. with the characteristics such as age, gender, nationality and skills

Casting agencies then seek out people that fit the criteria to arrange audition date between talent and client.

Examples of casting agencies include, ray knight, fab casting, 2020 casting

Broadcasting, Entertainment, cinematograph and theatre union BECTU is an independent union for people

working in the Theatre, film, entertainment and broadcasting industry.

Provides services such as; Negotiating pay, Personal advice, A union journal.

The key aim of the union is to protect jobs, increase membership, improve pay and conditions including pensions.

Subscriptions range from £135- 400 per annum www.bectu.org.uk

Literary Agencies Agent who represents writers and their work to publishers,

theatrical and film producers. Negotiate deals and assist in the sales. Often represent novelists and authors as well as screen

writers. Literary agent gets paid an agreed percentage of the sales

after successfully getting the work published. huge part of being the agent involves networking, knowing

which editors like what type of books, keeping up with industry news and gossip.

Once a project has been submitted, the agency will then keep on at the editors until they get a response regarding whether or not to move the project forward.

Examples of agencies include; green heaton, ma- agency, conville and walsh.

Production Companies Here you will find two different

production companies I have researched within the performing arts sector

Birmingham Royal Ballet Founded in 1947 One of the top three ballet companies in the uk Resident company at Birmingham Hippodrome. Have extensive facilities including dance studios. Birmingham Royal Ballet has since become an

independent ballet company so no longer has official links with the Royal Ballet or Royal Ballet School. Once it became independent of the Royal Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet formed a new association with Elmhurst School for Dance in 2002 which led to Birmingham Royal Ballet having their own official ballet school.

Royal Opera House Constructed in 1732 Major performing arts venue Home to the royal opera, royal ballet and

the orchestra of the royal opera house. Originally called Theatre royal Can seat 2,256 people and consist of four

tiers of boxes and balconies.

How does it all link? The royal opera house and Birmingham

Royal Ballet both have their own in house technical team who are responsible for lighting, props and costume. Usually, they do no require and services offered by companies I have talked about. However, they may need to hire lighting, costume or props for one off shows or if the companies go on tour they may use local companies such as ‘white light’ to supply their lighting and props.

Ticket booking agencies would be used to distribute tickets that are on sale for shows at the royal opera house and the royal ballet.

The clients of the companies would specify a price of the tickets that the agencies will sell in relation to the quality of seats.

The ticket agencies would then add on an agreed booking free which charges the customers extra for booking the ticket through the company.

The fee is a percentage of the original value of the ticket and for west end productions, the percentage is rarely higher than a 25% commission charge.

Employment The dancers area in equity would be used by

the dancers in the companies of the royal opera house and Birmingham royal ballet as they would most likely be members of the union as they are working in the performing arts industry.

Also, the musicians union could be used by the operating company with the royal opera house as that is the corresponding union for all musicians.

Casting agents could be used to find new dancers and musicians for the company