11

APR 2025

Fringe Marketing 101: Keepin' it Legal

by rody villegas

KEEPING IT LEGAL

We are not lawyers, so we are not able to give legal advice, but we wanted to provide some resources that may help you start your own research journey! Always consult a lawyer if you have any questions.

Reminder, just because Fringe is a non-profit organization and most shows that participate are low-budget (or free ticket) productions doesn’t mean copyright holders can’t claim infringement. You still need to make sure you have the rights to fulfill your vision.

For reference, all primary producers should be aware that there is a paragraph in the registration materials that requires you to assure that you own or otherwise have the rights to any and all intellectual property in your project, in the marketing materials as well as the production itself. Your show’s content is ultimately your responsibility, and you should clear all materials (visuals, music, sound, script, promotional materials, printed and digital images, etc.) before anything goes to print or you perform on stage at HFF. Consult with your attorney if you have any questions.

Below are some examples of issues that may need to be resolved or considered before your guide listing goes to print and tickets go on sale:

If you (or a team member) are not the writer on your HFF project, ensure you have the writer’s permission, OR have the rights to the published work you present at the festival.
You should have the rights to any imagery you use in promoting your HFF show (in the guide, on our website, and any other place you print or publish images) or within the show itself. Taking a photo off a website is likely problematic; please confirm it is copyright-free or obtain a license for the use.
You should not use a likeness that may be protected or is otherwise subject to copyright (for example, part of an image that is slightly modified or re-created but still visibly similar to branding or an image that you do not own).
You should use copyright-free music, music that you (or a team member) wrote, music you have direct permission to use AND/OR music you have obtained a license for (each individual published song needs a license) before, after or during your show.
Parodies (or even imagery/sound/catch phrases/costumes) that resemble a real person, group, company, or organization too closely may be legally problematic, so please consult an attorney to obtain a legal opinion before proceeding.
Public domain is a complex issue, so please consult an attorney and don’t make assumptions that material is free to use.

There are many online resources, but AI or ChatGPT should not be considered reliable for advice.

11

APR 2025

Fringe Marketing 101: Print Edition

by rody villegas

Hello Artists!

This June, we’ll see over 350 show premieres in Hollywood at over 25 venues in LA and while everyone’s been getting ready for their productions, the question of “How do I market my show?” may have entered your mind. Well, no fear! We’ll touch on just some of the ways you can market your show in print media!

However, before we dive in, we have to talk about rights, licensing, and branding.

You must own, have permission to use (copyright-free counts here) or have a license for every element of your show (music, sound, script, visuals, promotional materials/printed and digital images, etc.).

An additional reminder: We strongly encourage placing the Fringe logo on your print materials to indicate your show is a part of the larger festival. All those branding images can be found here: https://www.hollywoodfringe.org/branding

Any materials dropped at Fringe Central without this logo will be filed and available for pickup until the last day of the festival, when it will be recycled.

Now that we’ve covered that, let’s dive into all the ways print media will possibly come into play with your Fringe experience!

Guide Ads

The Hollywood Fringe Festival will be releasing a festival guide, which will feature all of the shows that registered by April 15th. The Guide ads are the only way to have an image of your show in the Guide. Once a show is registered (i.e. paid the registration fee $300) you will get access to discounts on the guide ad pages as well! To check out last year’s 2024 Guide, check it out here.

For information on how to purchase an ad for our guide check out https://www.hollywoodfringe.org/market

More information on specs, Canva, and Photoshop templates can be found here!

Postcards & Posters

Distributing postcards, posters, and/or other creative marketing products is a great way to market your show. And keep in mind, based on last year’s 2024 festival, that 12.7% of surveyed festival audiences made decisions on which show to see based on a show’s poster & postcards. Here are some rules (and tips!) regarding your printed goods.

You MUST…

• Print the Hollywood Fringe logo on your materials.

• You can download the logo at hollywoodfringe.org/branding (if you forget to do this, you can print stickers of the Fringe logo and place them on the flyers).

You MUST NOT…

• Leave or adhere your promotional materials anywhere without permission, especially in public places. The city can issue a fine for unauthorized posters/flyers. If you have a relationship with a local business or would like to put up your posters at a local business, you MUST always ask first!

You SHOULD…

• Use creativity to make your materials stand out from the crowd!

• Make sure the main text is legible, even from a few feet away.

• Include essential info: What, Where, When, and How Much are the most important details. Don’t leave this out, but also don’t include so much text that it overwhelms your materials.

• Spell check, spell check, spell check!

• Offer your materials to people you don’t know, but make conversation first. Be engaging!

• Place your postcards in Fringe Central (where we’ll only be able to take 40 postcards from each production, and we’ll only accept posters no larger than 11×17 inches). Please bring them to any Fringe Office Hours (Wednesdays), and Fringe Staff will collect your materials for Fringe Central.

You can also ask Fringe Venues & Hot Spots (make sure to talk with the venue or establishment manager first). Let them know you are part of the Hollywood Fringe, and they’ll let you know where you can display your materials if they have space.

You SHOULD NOT…

• Move/cover up other postcards with your own. The Fringe staff won’t hesitate to remove your flyers if you do this. If you’re having trouble finding room, consult with the venue’s manager.

• Hand out postcards to an audience walking out of a show unless you have permission.

• Print more flyers than you need – please be mindful of the environment.

• Leave flyers at any business without permission

Finally, Discounts!

Make sure to check out our participant packet (found at https://www.hollywoodfringe.org/participants) that also has some wonderful discounts from local businesses and artists on such services like media packages, graphic designers, and printing!

So go out there, be brave, be kind, and market the hell out of your show!

11

APR 2025

Fringe Marketing 101: Digital Edition

by rody villegas

Hey Everyone!

So we’ve been getting questions on how to start one’s digital marketing journey while here at Fringe— no worries! I’m happy to review some starter pointers that can be super helpful when marketing your show. After all many of us are creating and producing our show so I totally get how daunting marketing can feel. This blog post will give you a couple of ideas on how to market your show in the digital landscape— Let’s start!

Actually! Before we dive in, we have to talk about rights, licensing, and branding.

We live in a world of AI, which means that now, more than ever, it is quick and easy for lawyers to search images, show titles, and show content for potential infringements. You can be held liable years after your show has ended because items on the internet live forever.

You must own, have permission to use (copyright-free counts here) or have a license for every element of your show (music, sound, script, visuals, promotional materials/printed and digital images, etc.).

An additional reminder: We strongly encourage placing the Fringe logo on your digital materials to indicate your show is a part of the larger festival. All those branding images can be found here: https://www.hollywoodfringe.org/branding

Okay, now, back to digital marketing…

Tapping into your Community

Okay, so this one may sound a bit obvious at first, and that’s okay! Many of us have social media accounts and use it to stay in touch with friends and family. Bringing a show to Fringe is no small feat, and letting your circles know what you’re up to is the first step! Now I understand that it can sometimes feel like you’re shouting from the rooftops of Mt. Digital, wondering if anyone is listening— people are! Honestly, when I would be producing a show it even took me a while to make sure that everyone knew what I was up to (in fact, sometimes I still don’t manage to tell everyone— big mistake!).

I understand that there are some nerves you might get even when telling your friends, but you’ll have to know that you’re community wants to support you! Even those closest to you appreciate a reminder about what you’ve got going on— feel free to tell ’em!

Using the Fringe Site’s Ad Impressions

Our site is a crazy wonderful work-in-progress that has continued to change and morph based on the needs of our artists. Honestly, it’s an amazing piece of tech that was created alongside the origins of the Hollywood Fringe Festival back in 2010 (actually, work on the site began in 2008 if I’m not mistaken— thanks Ben!).

The Hollywood Fringe site is a unique platform because it hosts our artists’ project pages, allowing for the editing and curation of these pages, while also hosting our ticketing sales. This means the site gets a lot of traffic from both artists and audiences. In 2024 alone, the site saw 1,385,912 visits— that’s like if the whole population of San Diego visited the site!

Now, what is an Ad impression? An Ad Impression is the singular time your image, followed by a short description of your choosing, pops up on the site ad is seen by a user. This is why when you check out the Hollywood Fringe Market located at https://www.hollywoodfringe.org/market you’ll see Impressions sold in packs of 4,500 all the way to 45,000.

Tip: Be aware of when you buying your Ad and the duration your Ad may be shown for. For example, 4,500 Ad Impressions purchased and activated right now may last a week as fewer users are on the site, but buy and activate that same group of 4,500 Ad Impressions in mid-May when artists and audiences are on the site and you may see that those Ad Impressions last a couple of days due to high user volume.

Discounts to Volunteers and Commissioner Club Members

Get a head start on packing your audiences and promoting your show by providing discounted tickets for Hollywood Fringe club members and volunteers – after all these are the people that make this festival possible! One way you can help us say ‘Thank You’ is by offering them a free or discounted ticket to your show through our Google form.

STEP ONE: Create a discount code on your project page, use HFFThanks. Our suggested discount is $5 off (or more).

STEP TWO: Fill out the Google form so we can add your show to the list!

Tapping into the Fringe Community

We’ve got the Official Hollywood Fringe Facebook Group! Connect with your fellow artists there!

There’s also a couple of unofficial Hollywood Fringe Groups run by past and current theatre artists called Hollywood Fringe Festival 2025 & Fringers Alliance.

Outside of Fringe, other Facebook groups that talk about Socal & LA Theatre at large are Los Angeles Theatre Artists and So Cal Theatre News.

Finally, Discounts!

Make sure to check out our participant packet (found at https://www.hollywoodfringe.org/participants) that also has some wonderful discounts from local businesses and artists on such services like media packages and graphic designers.

And that’s what I have for ya right now on marketing your show digitally! Now go out there and shout from the top of the mountains that you’ve got a great show coming this June!

9

APR 2025

Now Hiring Social Media and Marketing Intern!

by jeannette srinivasan ·
marketing, social media, hiring, internship

SOCIAL MEDIA AND MARKETING INTERNSHIP

Hollywood Fringe is currently seeking a Social Media and Marketing Intern for the 2025 festival! Interning with Fringe is the best way to get hands-on experience behind the scenes of the largest performing arts festival on the West Coast. Interns work directly with Fringe staff to help run various aspects of the festival.

DESCRIPTION

The Social Media and Marketing Intern will work under the supervision of the Marketing and Operations Manager, Jeannette Srinivasan, to plan and execute social media posts for the Hollywood Fringe Festival, the largest performing arts festival on the West Coast, taking place in Hollywood in June. They will analyze social media data from past years to plan new branding for Hollywood Fringe 2026. The intern will assist with the new Fringe podcast, “On the Fringe,” taking creative lead on at least one episode. This position will work 20 hours a week from June 2nd through October 17th, 2025.

QUALIFICATIONS

Must be 18+ years of age. Specific desire to be involved in late-night Hollywood Fringe events and planning. Background in customer service or community engagement (as an employee, student, or volunteer) is a plus. Experience working at large events is great! Experience with social media platforms, especially Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. Ability to keep a level head amid great fun and confusion. DIY skills are a major plus. Must be proficient in Google Docs, especially Google Sheets and Google Forms. Experience with Canva is a plus

BACKGROUND

The Hollywood Fringe Festival is an annual, open-access, community-derived event celebrating freedom of expression and collaboration in the performing arts community. Each June during the Hollywood Fringe, the arts infiltrate the Hollywood neighborhood: fully equipped theaters, parks, clubs, churches, restaurants, and unexpected places host hundreds of productions by local, national, and international arts companies and independent performers. Participation in the Hollywood Fringe is completely open and uncensored. This free-for-all approach underlines the festival’s mission to be a platform for artists without the barrier of a curating body. By opening the gates to anyone with a vision, the festival can exhibit the most diverse and cutting-edge points of view the world has to offer. Additionally, by creating an environment where artists must self-produce their work, the Fringe motivates its participants to cultivate a spirit of entrepreneurialism in the arts.

HOW TO APPLY

Please fill out the following Google form by Friday, May 2nd, 2025, at 11:59 pm PT to apply for this position: 2025 Social Media and Marketing Internship Application

8

APR 2025

2025 Hollywood Fringe Artist Fund Announcement!

by rody villegas

We are excited to announce the 24 recipients of the 2025 Hollywood Fringe Artist Fund!

This past November, we undertook a bold fundraiser with the goal of funding 24 low-income Angeleno artists at this year’s festival. With the generous support from members of our Commissioners Club, we reached our goal! The following productions were selected by random lottery, and will receive a one-time stipend toward registration, venue, and/or production costs at the 2025 Hollywood Fringe Festival:

Leave a Message

A Dad Is Born

Jim McCaffree – National Treasure

Too Much of a Good Thing

Polite Conversations & Wine

Pandora’s Boombox

Road to Hollywood

Gu