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2018 Fringe awards ceremony, photo credit: Matt Kamimura

27

APR 2021

COVID-19 Safety Pack

by lois neville

Last update 6/18/21*

*Please note this is a living document, subject to change at any time.

Today we announced our pivot to a hybrid model festival! Read all about it here. 

HFF21 COVID-19 Safety Pack

How to Fringe safely during a global pandemic

We encourage all participants to honor their own capacities and boundaries. We are still in a worldwide pandemic and while there are reasons to be encouraged and hopeful (vaccines, yay!), COVID-19 is still a risk and has had a profound effect on our lives. It is okay to feel however you feel. It is okay to set boundaries regarding your own re-engagement into the world. It is wise to continue to be cautious. We encourage you to work with those you trust to honor their own limits and yours.

We know that the health situation is rapidly changing/developing and our Festival will make decisions to move forward with audiences if all partners and staff are in a place to support that happening safely. At this time, the Hollywood Fringe is a hybrid festival. This means that you can now host an in-person audience if you perform your show in the Hollywood Fringe Zone, or continue producing virtually from anywhere else. 

We will leave these guidelines for Los Angeles County performances for you to reference, but the most recent Los Angeles County Health Order can be found here: 

http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/docs/HOO/HOO_SaferReturnWorkCommunity.pdf

PROTOCOLS TO FOLLOW

Livestream from an official HFF venue (in the Fringe Zone)

Livestream on-site venue protocols will follow these guidelines: Protocol for Music, Television and Film Production:

http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/docs/protocols/Reopening_MusicTelevisionFilmProduction.pdf

Livestream rehearsal protocols and other information: Protocol for Live Events and Performances (Indoor Seated): 

http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/docs/protocols/Reopening_LiveIndoorEvents.pdf

Livestream from any other location (i.e., from home, a venue outside of the zone, etc.) 

Livestream on-site protocols will follow these guidelines: Protocol for Music, Television and Film Production:

http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/docs/protocols/Reopening_MusicTelevisionFilmProduction.pdf

Livestream rehearsal protocols and other information: Protocol for Live Events and Performances (Indoor Seated): 

http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/docs/protocols/Reopening_LiveIndoorEvents.pdf

COVID-safe, socially distant outdoor theatre

From window display theatre to outdoor COVID-safe immersive work, this category is for those looking to have an audience present in an outdoor setting. This registration type must take place in the Fringe zone and requires proper permitting and an approved safety plan (following city/county guidelines for COVID safety).

This category is for participants who would like to do outdoor performance in a site-specific location in the Hollywood Fringe zone. This will require dialogue between your show and Hollywood Fringe Festival support. 

 

Some helpful resources:

Trainings

LA County Covid-19 Safety Compliance Certificate Program (free, under 1 hour):

http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/eh/covid19cert.htm

 

Health Education Services COVID-19 Compliance Officer (C19CO) training—for film sets ($50, 2 hrs):

https://www.bigmarker.com/healtheducationservices/Covid-19-Compliance-Officer-Training

 

Health Education Services COVID-19 Compliance for Live Events training ($50, 2 hrs):

https://www.bigmarker.com/healtheducationservices/Covid-Compliance-Live-Events-Concerts-Experiential-and-more

 

A reference cited by the Health Education Services training, a free 6 hour contact tracing course offered by Johns Hopkins:

https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/contact-tracing

 

Another reference cited by the Health Education Services training, free COVID-19 courses offered by WHO:

https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/training/online-training

This one is probably most applicable: COVID-19 and work: Staying healthy and safe at work during the COVID-19 pandemic

https://openwho.org/courses/COVID-19-and-work

 

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26

APR 2021

To Fringe, or not to Fringe. Here's what HFF21 looks like.

by lois neville

Welcome artists and storytellers: you have taken the first step into your Hollywood Fringe journey. As always, we will soon provide a detailed participant packet to all registered participants but we know you have a big decision to make before that step. 

Here are some key facts to help you decide to Fringe, or not to Fringe in 2021

This year’s festival is digitally-driven. At this time all participants must livestream without an in-person audience (with the exception of Registration Type 3: COVID-safe, socially distant outdoor theatre). 

IMPORTANT DATES 

  • Official Previews: August 5th-10th, 2021 
  • Opening Night Digital Event: August 11th, 2021
  • Festival run: August 12th-29th, 2021
  • Awards/Closing Night Digital Event: August 29th, 2021 

REGISTRATION  TYPES EXPLAINED 

1. Livestream from an official HFF venue (in the Fringe Zone)- $175 

  • This registration type is for those booking a venue in the fringe zone. Venues currently registered under this category can be found here. 
  • In the event we are able to pivot to a hybrid, live-audience model, this is the only registration type where any indoor in-person audience will be allowed. 
  • You will work with your chosen venue to create your show schedule. 

2. Livestream from any other location (i.e., from home, a venue outside of the zone, etc.) – $225

  • You can participate in this registration type from anywhere in the world. 
  • You can book a venue to livestream outside of the Fringe Zone, livestream from your home, your backyard, or (with permitting/permission) any location you wish. The world is your stage here. 
  • You can book as many shows during the festival run as you wish, but we recommend that you consider your audience base and book as many shows as you think you can market. We strongly suggest between 3 and 6. 
  • This registration type is for livestream only. No in-person audience, even in the event HFF is able to safely pivot to a hybrid, live-audience festival model. 

3. COVID-safe, socially distant outdoor theatre- $275

** From window display theatre to outdoor COVID-safe immersive work, this category is for those looking to have an audience present in a site-specific outdoor setting. This registration type must take place in the Fringe zone and requires proper permitting and an approved safety plan (following city/county guidelines for COVID safety).

  • This registration type is designed for shows performing from a participant-led, location for their specific show, not an outdoor venue hosting multiple shows. 
  • If any outdoor theatres become available, they will be listed on our venue page and you will need to register with the first registration type “livestream from an official HFF venue.” 

4. Workshop/educational experience- $50 

  • These workshops must be live-streamed and can take place anytime between June 1st, 2021, and August 29th, 2021.
  • To schedule a workshop outside of the official festival window email [email protected] after registration.   

You will find a step-by-step guide through the registration process here

WHAT WILL A DIGITAL HOLLYWOOD FRINGE FESTIVAL LOOK LIKE? 

We are diving into the digital deep end, friends. We know that livestream can be a tricky element. Just like everything with live theatre, things can go wrong, and they very well might. But there is no better community to take this risk alongside, and by livestreaming, we will be able to keep the live energy we all love about theatre. 

HFF will make ticketing easy for you, as long as you have uploaded your streaming link to your page, we will make sure your audience has it in their inbox. 

When your ticket holder clicks the link, they will be taken to a digital Fringe landing page on their way to your show. This will unify the festival and allow your audience to also feel a part of this grand community

We will have tons of networking, educational and promotional events that you can take advantage of as a HFF participant starting NOW. We will also have a digital Fringe Central to make it easy to gather with your fellow fringers and your audience during the festival.   

Check out the full list of 2021 Hollywood Fringe Events here.

COVID SAFETY AT HFF21

As a registered participant, you must follow all local regulations and guidelines through every step of your Fringe process. To help you keep up to date we will keep this page updated with guidelines and best practices provided by the county. 

To read more about current health and safety guidelines, please see our COVID-19 participant blog post here.

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Fringe from home

26

APR 2021

HFF21 Events

by lois neville

This year’s Festival is going to be fringier than ever! Join us for some community building, learning and develop those Fringeships! See this comprehensive list of the 2021 Hollywood Fringe digital events.

EDUCATIONAL 

DIGITAL COMMUNITY NETWORKING 

PROMOTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

  • Twitter Chat – Friday, June 4th 12:00pm – 1:00pm
  • Twitter Chat – Friday, June 18th 7:00pm – 8:00pm
  • Twitter Chat – Friday, July 2nd 12:00pm – 1:00pm
  • Fringe Cabaret (pre-fest) – Tuesday, July 27th 8:00pm – 9:00pm
  • Fringe Cabaret (preview week) – Dates TBD
  • Fringe Cabaret (festival run) – Dates TBD

FESTIVAL EVENTS & PARTIES

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8

APR 2021

HFF21 Scholarship Information

by bella luna

Hey Fringers,

We are proud to announce the return and expansion of the Fringe Scholarships program!

Created in 2016, the Fringe Scholarships Program exists to expand and diversify the pool of artists producing work at the Hollywood Fringe Festival. The inaugural program offered free registrations to five Hollywood Fringe productions, and has since expanded to include free registration and a $550 stipend towards production costs.

Fringe Scholarships will be awarded to first-time Hollywood Fringe producers who contribute to the ethnic, cultural, racial, intellectually or physically disabled, or LGBTQ+ diversity of the Fringe community.

This year we will award FIFTEEN awards— more than ever before! Our 2020 winners will also roll over their award to this year, making space for a very full and supportive HFF scholarship cohort.

To accommodate the changes our Festival is facing due to COVID-19, a few additional requirements have been added to our program this year. 

  1. Applicants (and their production crew/actors) must reside in Los Angeles county.

  2. All scholarship recipients must produce a minimum of one livestream event filmed at a Hollywood Fringe venue (see our registration announcement for more details on what this year’s Fest will look like, and which venues are available for participation).

Applications are open now, apply here or check hollywoodfringe.org/scholarships for more information.

FRINGE SCHOLARSHIPS INFORMATIONAL PANEL

Wednesday, April 14, 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm on Zoom

Interested in applying for a Fringe scholarship? During this panel, past scholarship winners, our committee members and Fringe staff will dive into the scholarship application process, what the winners are required to do, and answer all your questions, live! If you cannot attend, a recording of this session will be available on Facebook through the application process! 

Want to learn more, sooner? Look at the 2019 informational panel, here.

Our scholarship winners have gone on to win awards such as: Best Solo Performance 2019: Mr. Yunioshi, Short & Sweet Award 2017: Chatter, O-Face Award for Orgasmic Achievement (Most Orgasmic Performance): Yozmit Walker – Do You: Migration of the Monarchs. They’ve gone on to extended runs at various Fringe venues, a run Off-Broadway at the SoHo Playhouse, Second City, and the steps of the California State Capitol Building. 

“The program helped my artistic vision blossom. I have grown as an artist and a leader.” – Jennifer Linares, from El Hood de MacPuerco, 2019 Scholarship Winner

“This scholarship allowed us to produce the show for a Los Angeles audience, where we were scouted for the Fringe Encore series at the SoHo Playhouse in NYC. Without this scholarship, we would not be going Off-Broadway!" – Callie Prendiville, from Blamed: An Established Fiction, 2017 Scholarship Winner

An external committee (no Fringe staff opinions) will review applications and make selections considering the following criteria:

  • Does the applicant meet the scholarship guidelines?
  • How will the scholarship award benefit this producer/production?
  • Does this producer/production bring unique artistic experience and/or underrepresented thematic or visual content to the Hollywood Fringe Festival?

This year’s committee is made up of former scholarship winners, BIPOC and artists with disabilities who have participated in past Fringes, and representatives from outside arts organizations whose missions align with the program’s goal of expanding and diversifying the body of work being presented at Fringe.

Visit the Fringe Scholarships page to apply. The deadline is May 3, 2021 at 11:59pm PST.  Please share with anyone who you feel may benefit from the program!

Questions? Send them to us at [email protected].

Fringe On!

The Hollywood Fringe Festival Team

 

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7

APR 2021

Announcing Registration Information for HFF21

by bella luna ·
hff21

We are excited to announce NEW dates for The 2021 Hollywood Fringe Festival!

Official Previews:
August 5th-10th, 2021  

Opening Night Digital Event:
August 11th, 2021

Festival Run:
August 12th-29th, 2021

Awards/Closing Night Digital Event:
August 29th, 2021 

 

HFF21 Registration Information

Registration will open May 1st, 2021, with lowered registration rates across the board. With ever-changing case numbers and our community’s health and safety as our priority, we will adjust this model if deemed necessary due to updates in city/county/state guidelines. 

These are the three registration types for HFF21: 

  1. Livestream from an official HFF venue (in the Fringe Zone)- $175 
  2. Livestream from any other location (i.e., from home, a venue outside of the zone, etc.) – $225
  3. COVID-safe, socially distant outdoor theatre- $275
    From window display theatre to outdoor COVID-safe immersive work, this category is for those looking to have an audience present in an outdoor setting. This registration type must take place in the Fringe zone and requires proper permitting and an approved safety plan (following city/county guidelines for COVID safety).


Take a look at our 2021 registration types so you can begin planning your creative journey with us. Without the ability to predict the future, HFF is adjusting this year’s Festival model to create a safe and more fringe-y festival season than ever before.

To address the freak in the room, we know that things are rapidly changing, and we are following the progress daily. When registration opens on May 1, the Fringe will also be sending out a COVID-safety packet with more information on each registration type.

We understand that many members of our community are hopeful that we can host live audiences inside our theaters in August. Still, we cannot count on that at this time, nor should that hope be a deciding factor in your decision to participate. That said, if guidelines allow audiences to safely return to theatres, we will begin conversations with our partners on how to best support our transitions to in-person theatre experiences.

We take our community’s safety seriously, which is why we are focusing our efforts this year on creating a digital platform that mirrors your in-person Festival experience. We are all learning to adapt, and we look forward to exploring, creating, and pushing the boundaries of creative expression alongside you. 

We will still have all of your favorite Fringe events (with the bonus of not worrying about parking)! Town halls, Office Hours, workshops, parties, awards, a digital Fringe Central, and even a few new programs, all available to you from the comfort of your home. 

There are many exciting aspects of the digital theater experience: the amount of creativity that comes from the challenge, the broadened accessibility for audiences and performers alike, and the fact that your work can be shared with the world (and still never run out of seats). This year’s Fringe will be our chance to come together as a community and reinvent the wheel.

There is no doubt that some of these adjustments will expand the scope of what Fringe will look like for years to come—won’t you join us on this voyage into the unknown?

Have questions? Check out our FAQ or email [email protected]. 

Fringe on!

The Hollywood Fringe Staff

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