MICF losing money and having scheduling woes.

[sharleen]

Alisso has pretty much said everything here that I was thinking.

From the point of view of being a producer, we had the best year so far. The added lead-up actually increased our pre-sales. Dan Willis, who wasn't on at one of the "festival" venues, regularly had audiences of 70+ in, and was selling out on weekends.

A lot of the smaller locals we know also had great years. Trades Hall was pumping on most nights, and lots of punters were turning up there and seeing 2-3 shows and staying on till late to watch the FREE midnight entertainment. So no loss there as far as we're concerned. It's a loss for the festival only. So they should therefore look at their own events, rather than culling of indepedent ones.

The main difference was the Festival Club. It just was lacking in atmosphere, the entry wasn't granted to the club till midnight on most nights (well after most shows had finished) which probably contributed to many people not bothering to queue, and I would have to say that the drink prices (which have always been steep) just went overboard this year and made it rather difficult to celebrate. $7 for a red bull after paying $20 entry? The comedy seemed to be lost in amongst it all. Wedged inbetween bingo and lounge bands and djs. The way I see it, festival club is a showcase for the festival, just like the Gala, so it should a place should be promoting acts by giving them stage-time. And I think thats especially important for the newer/smaller acts. It's hard enough to get a club spot there, this year it was impossible. By all means, give it themes, have music afterwards, but don't forget the comedy.

[Gutter Monkey]

Originally Posted by Mythor

Okay, threads merged.
Were it not for MOSH, I would not have known MICF was on. I didn't see any ads on TV, nor in the paper, nor anywhere else online. Is that because I'm in Sydney? Was there greater exposure in Melbourne leading up to MICF? Or did I just manage to miss everything?

My brother just asked me what I'm doing in the festival. He had no idea it'd been andd gone. But this always seems to be a major problem with festivals.

I think I only saw one or two ads on TV (although I don't watch that much TV).

Hmmm, I should dig out that price list for advertising rates at different hours of the day I got Channel 9 to send me a few years ago. The cost ran from about $100 (15 second ad at about 4am) to well over $20,000 for an ad during a high rating show. You could easily blow $100,000 in just a few days.

[Deadboy700]

Part of the problem is that the Festival has to decide if it's a production company or a festival.

I honestly believe that it comprimises itself putting on - "presenting" - so many shows in the festival. Like the ever-expanding Adelaide Festival it should focus on simply co-ordinating the festival as a whole and not spend so much time and effort on ensuring its own events are privileged.

Then they might have mosre time to spend on promoting and encouraging local, smaller perfromers - not just those locals with radio or TV exposure - and making the festival a little more performer friendly.

[awaywithfairies]

Originally Posted by Mythor

Were it not for MOSH, I would not have known MICF was on. I didn't see any ads on TV, nor in the paper, nor anywhere else online. Is that because I'm in Sydney? Was there greater exposure in Melbourne leading up to MICF? Or did I just manage to miss everything?

I'm in Sydney, too, and saw absolutely nothing about MICF here. In fact, most people I speak to here in Sydney are not even aware that there is a comedy festival in Melbourne at all, let alone one that's been running for 20 years.

I work as a contractor and work with different people most days. Before heading to MICF this year, I had to explain to my various clients that I'd be unavailable for a couple of weeks. The unanimous reaction was "You're going WHERE for WHAT???".

And these people don't live in caves. They watch TV, listen to the radio and read newspapers. There must be some way for the festival organisers to reach this market. If they're anything like me, they'd be seeing at least a couple of shows per night to make the trip worthwhile!

And, as for the Festival Club debarcle, I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one who was disappointed. Apart from Superband, I only went to the Club once over the entire course of the festival. It basically boiled down to there being nobody on the bill that I wanted to see. At the most there was one per show, and I'm certainly not going to pay purely to see the MC!

[dermo]

Originally Posted by Deadboy700

Part of the problem is that the Festival has to decide if it's a production company or a festival.

I honestly believe that it comprimises itself putting on - "presenting" - so many shows in the festival. Like the ever-expanding Adelaide Festival it should focus on simply co-ordinating the festival as a whole and not spend so much time and effort on ensuring its own events are privileged.

Then they might have mosre time to spend on promoting and encouraging local, smaller perfromers - not just those locals with radio or TV exposure - and making the festival a little more performer friendly.

I would agree with that 100%, Maybe they would be better running the festival a little more like Edinburgh and a little less like Just For Laughs.

[Gutter Monkey]

Here's a quote from Susan Provan (from the MICF 2006 articles thread):

We don't subsidise the overseas artists, the overseas artists subsidise the whole comedy festival program. That's how we pay for Raw Comedy, Class Clowns, Jeeze Louise, Victorian regional and national tours, forums, workshops, all the programs that go into developing local comedians.

Developing local comedians (98% of whom will probably never grace a stage ever again, except perhaps at Raw Comedy next year) does nothing for the already existing comedians. I fail to see how ANY of those things help to make MICF a more viable deal for the independent comedians.

[Renee_Turner]

They were advertising the Festival constantly on The Comedy Channel - mind you, I am viewing this in Melbourne, though they have ads for Sydney-based events.

I saw a lot fewer shows this year, mainly becuse things I normally could have decided to see on a whim had already sold out. So pre-booking got good numbers..and the people who missed out get discouraged.

I would really like to see something available to encourage not-so-famous comedians to get a show going. One of the Moosehead recipients was Damian Callinan. Much as I like his work, putting an ex-Barry nominee in a category basically designed for those who are not household names is silly.

[Deadboy700]

Originally Posted by Gutter Monkey

Here's a quote from Susan Provan (from the MICF 2006 articles thread):

Quote:
"We don't subsidise the overseas artists, the overseas artists subsidise the whole comedy festival program. That's how we pay for Raw Comedy, Class Clowns, Jeeze Louise, Victorian regional and national tours, forums, workshops, all the programs that go into developing local comedians."

Developing local comedians (98% of whom will probably never grace a stage ever again, except perhaps at Raw Comedy next year) does nothing for the already existing comedians. I fail to see how ANY of those things help to make MICF a more viable deal for the independent comedians.

There are many things in this statement I find curious:

Raw Comedy is subsidised? It costs to get into every heat and then the finals. The performers do it for free. They get some publicity through their association with Triple J... Surely, through ticket sales alone, it gets very close to paying for itself?

I can see how Class Clowns needs subsidising, as it's a free competition.

Jeez Lousie costs between $40 and $80 dollars to register... But I can see that it can do with subsidising.

The regional and national tours... This is just bad business. If the tours don't cover their own costs then they shouldn't be on. You don't see comedians embarking on expensive tours if the maths doesn't work - why the hell should the festival?

Also, how many local comedians who have to spend 99% of their time desperately trying to get audiences into their shows have the time to attend these mythical forums and workshops?

[Gutter Monkey]

Originally Posted by Deadboy700

Raw Comedy is subsidised? {snip}... Surely, through ticket sales alone, it gets very close to paying for itself?

Every Raw heat I've been to has been absolutely jam packed with punters, mostly friends & family of the competitors. There's ALWAYS a huge audience for Raw. I only wish regular comedy nights had so many punters.
I wonder where the overheads for Raw are?? The TV screening, I guess. TV shows always cost a stupid amount to make, even simple "Just point the cameras at the funny people" shows like Raw.

[Deadboy700]

Originally Posted by Gutter Monkey

Every Raw heat I've been to has been absolutely jam packed with punters, mostly friends & family of the competitors. There's ALWAYS a huge audience for Raw. I only wish regular comedy nights had so many punters.
I wonder where the overheads for Raw are?? The TV screening, I guess. TV shows always cost a stupid amount to make, even simple "Just point the cameras at the funny people" shows like Raw.

That seems daft.
No-one watches the freakin' thing as it is... When is it on? 10.30pm in deep dark July, three months after the festival finishes?
If it's the reason Raw doesn't make money then they shouldn't bother.

[op shop girl]

Originally Posted by Deadboy700

That seems daft.
No-one watches the freakin' thing as it is... When is it on? 10.30pm in deep dark July, three months after the festival finishes?
If it's the reason Raw doesn't make money then they shouldn't bother.

Was Raw even televised last year?

[Mythor]

Was it televised this year?
(It was podcast, which I think is new.)

[Gutter Monkey]

Originally Posted by Mythor

Was it televised this year?
(It was podcast, which I think is new.)

I don't know if it has been yet. I remember askign if it was going to be televised this year and I was told that it was.

[sharleen]

I was told its being broadcast next Saturday - 20th May, but its not on the schedule according abc.net.au

[JD3000]

Originally Posted by sharleen

I was told its being broadcast next Saturday - 20th May, but its not on the schedule according abc.net.au

Whilst waiting for Rage to start on Saturday, the ABC voiceover mentioned that Raw would be on next week (about 10 - 10:30). So I can sorta confirm it!