The money: your comments

Balancing the books

APPARENTLY, IT makes the world go round. It also makes the Fringe go round, although nobody seems very sure where it all goes. Let's just say you need quite a lot of it.

The message of this chapter in The Edinburgh Fringe Survival Guide, though, is that with careful budgeting and proper management of your expectations, you shouldn't have to remortgage your house to pay for your show.

Those offering tips include producer Guy Masterson, comedian Ed Byrne, singer Martyn Jacques, Assembly's William Burdett-Coutts, the Stand's Tommy Sheppard, the Underbelly's Charlie Wood, the Pleasance's Anthony Alderson and producer James Seabright.

If you have comments about this chapter of The Edinburgh Fringe Survival Guide, please add them below.

The next step: your comments

Author Mark Fisher with a backdrop of Edinburgh Castle

Beyond the Fringe and back again

FOR MANY performers, the Fringe may be the first step towards a professional career. For many others, it is the place they return time and again to solidify their reputation and try something new.

This chapter of The Edinburgh Fringe Survival Guide considers your prospects beyond the Fringe and looks at how you can capitalise on your success.

Sharing their experiences of exploiting Fringe hits are practitioners including Judith Doherty of Grid Iron, Suzanne Andrade of 1927, Cora Bissett of Roadkill fame and John Clancy of Clancy Productions.

Also sharing their advice are international producers such as Tina Rasmussen and David Sefton, as well as Eugene Downes of Culture Ireland. 

If you have comments about this chapter of The Edinburgh Fringe Survival Guide, please add them below.

The show must go on: your comments

Author Mark Fisher outside the Fringe Office

First-night nerves and second-night wobbles

GETTING A show together and finding your way to Edinburgh is only the start of your adventure on the Fringe. Once August arrives, the serious work starts.

This chapter of The Edinburgh Fringe Survival Guide looks at the pressures you'll be under and offers loads of tips about how best to deal with them.

Among those sharing their first-hand experience are anthropologist Mark De Rond, playwright Simon Stephens, directors Alexander Wright, Jethro Compton and James Wilkes of Belt Up, venue managers Tomek Borkowy and Tommy Sheppard, actors Cora Bissett and Siobhan Redmond, singer Martyn Jacques and comedians Ed Byrne, Nick Doody and Phil Nichol. 

If you have comments about this chapter of The Edinburgh Fringe Survival Guide, please add them below.

The awards: your comments

I'd like to thank

THERE'S NOTHING like rounding off a successful run on the Edinburgh Fringe with a vote of approval in the shape of an award.

Often, there's not much you can do to maximise your chance of winning one, beyond putting on a good show, but if you know what's out there, you can try to put yourself in the running.

This chapter of The Edinburgh Fringe Survival Guide rounds up the major awards and talks to key players such as critic Joyce McMillan and award-giver Carol Tambor about the kind of thing they're looking for.

If you have comments about this chapter of The Edinburgh Fringe Survival Guide, please add them below.

The media campaign: your comments

Read all about it

THE COMPETITION for audiences is intense on the Edinburgh Fringe which means the competition for media attention is pretty ferocious too.

This chapter of The Edinburgh Fringe Survival Guide puts some perspective on whether or not press coverage can help you and suggests the best ways to go about getting it.

Sharing their advice are Fringe experts including playwright Ella Hickson, comedian Nick Doody, comedy critic Brian Logan, theatre critics Lyn Gardner and Joyce McMillan, editor Jonny Ensall, producer James Seabright, publicist Claire Walker, venue manager Tommy Sheppard and producers Aneke McCullough and Guy Masterson.

If you have comments about this chapter of The Edinburgh Fringe Survival Guide, please add them below.

The marketing campaign: your comments

Author Mark Fisher in front of the Fringe shop

Sell, sell, sell

YOU MAY be experienced at selling shows elsewhere, but once you get to Edinburgh in August, you realise the rulebook has been thrown away. This chapter of The Edinburgh Fringe Survival Guide deals with the various techniques you can use to let people know about your show, remembering you're up against phenomenal competition.

We talk about the audience, about images, about word of mouth and that old Fringe favourite, flyering.

Sharing their experiences from the Fringe frontline are experts including Charlie Wood of the Underbelly, publicists Liz Smith, Claire Walker and Fraser Smith, producer Chris Grady, Forest Fringe's Andy Field, comedian Nick Doody, producer James Seabright and magician Paul Daniels. We also meet Fringe performers working the crowds on the Royal Mile. 

If you have comments about this chapter of The Edinburgh Fringe Survival Guide, please add them below.

The law: your comments

Rights and wrongs

SORRY TO get all heavy on you, but you can't escape the small-print when you're putting on a show. It's nothing impossible to deal with, but you have certain legal obligations when it comes to copyright, performing rights and contracts and you should go in with your eyes open. 

This chapter of The Edinburgh Fringe Survival Guide is a clear and straight-forward breakdown of the main legal areas you should be aware of. Dot the "i"s and cross the "t"s at the start and you won't find yourself in an awkward corner when you're too far in to do anything about it.

If you have comments about this chapter of The Edinburgh Fringe Survival Guide, please add them below.