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The Promotion Packet

Important: I have not produced stand-up comedy shows since Spring 2002; therefore, please:
do NOT send me your materials.
Except as part of a one-on-one, coaching and co-writing appointment.

This information is provided only as an example for:
•would-be comedy producers
•and stand-up comics auditioning for work from said producers.

This web page will give the comic auditioning for work in their local area
•an idea what the comedy producer needs to see in your promo packet.

Note: if you get a color photo printed in the local newspaper,
•you may very well catch the attention of a Meeting Planner
looking to book a clean comic for a corporation's annual convention.
•This pays roughly 10 times what you get for club work.

Never hold back giving relatively inexpensive promotional materials to the comedy producer.
Why?
Because that producer can get your photo in many local newspapers.
•An ad in that newspaper the size of your photo might cost several hundred dollars.
Hey.
The comedy producer does this for you at no cost to you other than the photo itself.
This is a great deal!

Q: Can't I just sent the producer a digital scan of my photo?
A: Ask the producer what he wants.
But first, ask yourself:
•Are you actually knowledgeable about scanning photos for newspaper and magazine print quality
which can be different from what you have been printing from your desktop printer?
•If the producer will accept your digital scan, ask him at what d.p.i. should you print?
("Dots per inch" or d.p.i. is a carry over from the printing industry that is oddly still used today to mean "Pixels per inch" or p.p.i.).

You may be used to printing out photos at 150 ppi at home.
But a professional newspaper or magazine printer may start at 300 ppi, or higher.
Reason: different newspapers and magazines have varying policies about what they will accept.
•Many publications prefer to do their own photo scanning from glossy prints.

To be on the super-safe side, go with traditional ("last century") photography
•and save turnaround time that can mean missed daily newspaper and monthly magazine deadlines:
Even if the producer will accept a scanned photo sent to him via email,
•still snail mail glossy hard-copies made from an emulsion negative;
i.e., created through traditional darkroom "wet" printing.
Here is a forum with some photographers debating the pros and cons of digital vs. non-digital camera quality:
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-95334.html

The great master of "view camera" filters and printing paper was Ansel Adams.
Click on the image below to check out this interactive explanation of the view camera used by Adams.
•Flash player is required which is not available on Apple iOS devices like iPhone, iPodTouch and iPad.
But is available on 98% of Mac and Windows desktop and laptop computers:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/ansel/sfeature/sf_camera_flash.html

In short, expect to plow 20% of your annual comedy income back into your business . . . on-going.
In the early years, that percentage may well be 1,000% of your comedy income
which will hopefully pay off in succeeding years.

See: the The Producer's "Audition Requirements" letter I sent out to comics auditioning for work.
It includes the requirements for laughs-per-minute, seconds of exit applause and other hints
from the producer's point-of-view which will put you "in-the-know."

Here's the Promo Packet letter we sent out to already hired comics:

REQUEST FOR PHOTOS FROM COMICS

Name:_________________________________________________

Phone number (if changed): (_____)___________________

Cell phone number (if changed): (___)________________________________

Address (if changed):_________________________________

City:_________________State:________Zip:____

I have checked my files.
Yours is short the number of 8" x 10" black and white glossy photos I need to adequately promote stand-up comedy shows.
Option: you may also include color photos.

At this time, many of your previously sent photos may still be out to clubs and newspapers.
Some get returned, some do not.

However, as a comedy producer, I need to continually expand bookings
at new venues in various cities throughout northern California.

To do so, I must always have on file the following number of photos for each performer:

1) Headliners: 20 photos.
You currently have only _____ on file.
Please make up the difference by immediately mailing me _____ more photos.

2) Middle Acts/Feature Acts/Openers, M.C.'s and Paid Guest Sets: 12 photos.
You currently have only _____ photos on file.
Please make up the difference by immediately mailing me _____ more photos.

Please send me _____ photos ASAP.

In addition, please enclose one (1) copy for updates on any new:
Newspaper articles
Quotes
TV and film credits
that you may have received since I last got such information from you.

If your:
Moniker
Epithet (or epitaph!)
and/or Resume
has changed, please send me an update on those as well.
     One copy of these items is plenty, since I can copy your original if I need extras.

Thank you for your help with the business part of Show Business.

Sincerely,

Jim Richardson, comedy producer

encl.: Maps and directions to upcoming bookings you have made through ORGANIZED COMEDY.