The second-to-last installment in our intern series comes from Effy Yizhou Yang, HFF17 Set Design Intern. 

I consider myself really lucky to be able to participate in the Fringe internship program. There are not many programs out there that has specific intern categories, such as Fringe TV, Volunteering Organization, Set Design, etc. Those specific categories allow the interns to focus on tasks that they are actually interested in and develop skills accordingly.

For example, not only was I helping in the execution and installment of the design, I was also encouraged to participate in the design process from the very beginning. The openness to ideas and collaborative working environment surprised me. However after meeting all the staff member in our intern luncheon, I realized this harmonious working relationship exists everywhere within the fringe team. Everyone works together towards one goal, which is to present a memorable and special theatre festival for participants.

My advice for next year’s interns is to think like you are the director of the fringe team, no matter what position you are on; to think about how you can make this year’s fringe better. You might just have the next great idea to help fringe to be better. 

I got interested in being a part of the Fringe after visiting Scotland in the summer of 2016. I was a stage manager for a show in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and I fell in love with the entire process. When it came to this summer, I knew that I wanted to be a part of something similar. I also knew that I wanted to be an intern during the summer, so when I saw that the Hollywood Fringe had a set design internship I was ecstatic! Everything was coming together, and it felt like the puzzle was completed.

I expected to be a part of something big, which isn’t wrong, but I didn’t realize how interconnected everyone is. I recognized people as they walked through the door, and I realized that while I helped create a huge thing that would be seen by hundreds that I was a part of a Fringe family. That blew my mind.

My favorite moment has to be when we finally finished the Fringe Central set. We had been working for nine days straight, and the space had completely transformed. The space started as a gutted and dirty room, but we made a new elegant home within it. You wouldn’t believe that it is the same room as before. All of us were looking around, and we realized that all of the sawdust, sun burns, and sweat were worth it. 

My most memorable moment has to be day one in the space. Here I am a fresh intern, and I am told, “go destroy that wall.” I was handed a hammer and a crowbar, and I went to work. I think I was laughing the entire time. The entire day was destroying things. It is so cool to think that I helped build the space from the ground up.

For next year’s interns, I would have to say work hard. Work hard and relentlessly. Everyone respects a hard worker and it opens up new doors. You will meet a lot of really awesome people who know how to do a lot of really awesome stuff. Listen to them, and make your impact. 

The newest installment of our intern series comes from HFF17 FringeTV Intern Rachael Garcia.

I have gleefully attended the Hollywood Fringe Festival over the past few years. I was drawn to its anything-goes spirit and supportive community. I’m a film production major so when I saw that Fringe TV was looking for an intern I thought it’d be the perfect opportunity to gain more hands on production experience, as well as contribute to and see the inner workings of an organization that supports local art.

All of the Fringe staff have been so supportive and welcoming. Working with Beaver, James and Stacy was always a fast-paced, fun, entertaining, and creative experience. I’ve learned more about lighting, green screening, comedic writing (and Star Trek) from this internship. I was always encouraged to ask questions to gain the most out of my experience. Working with Fringe TV allowed me to see wonderful productions and meet the masterminds behind them as well as see the goofier side of staff in front of the camera. Through this experience I’ve met an array of talented and kind individuals and attended fun events at Fringe Central. The internship was also a great way to network, as a filmmaker, with actors, directors, artists and supporters of the arts. It was a rewarding experience and I’ve been shown gratitude and guidance from staff the whole way through.

This is the first installment of a series of blog posts written by the HFF17 interns. Our yearly group of interns are an essential part of our festival team and this year’s bunch was absolutely outstanding. We owe them our deepest gratitude. 

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Upon graduating from college, your world is turned completely upside down almost immediately. The structured class schedule and being steeped non-stop in your studies and peer group requires some serious transitioning out of. This was the place I was in when I applied and interviewed for the Fringe Events internship, and I was slightly terrified at the inevitable rebuilding, relocating and re-establishing that was about to take place. I knew that I would miss the community from college the most — I went to a small liberal arts college in Boston, and was very fortunate to find student theatre, a cappella, fitness, and a fraternity that would serve as my supportive tribe throughout college.

I was drawn to Fringe for this very reason, a convening of people driven by their passion for theatre-making, brought together for three weeks every year to celebrate their collective artistry. This is especially invaluable in the disjointed Los Angeles theatre scene, where the aftershocks of these connections will enrich the remaining eleven months of the year in tremendous, undetermined ways. It was truly a privilege to contribute my time and energy to such an event, and it was inspiring to see an organization accomplish exactly what it intended with the help of a talented, generous and hardworking staff.

It was a running comment through this year’s Fringe that it was “blowing up” in a way different from past years, there was a sense of infectious momentum throughout the entire festival. My specific area of responsibility was producing the networking & social events, such as the Opening Night, Runway, Prom, Awards and Closing Night, and this energy could not have been more apparent. The creative spirit was palpable and participants were so eager and enthusiastic be there, I knew very quickly that I found the community that I had set out to find. I look forward to supporting the Fringe and its mission in any and every way in the future, and will be riding the wave of inspiration I’ve gained from the experience in the meantime.

This year’s numbers reflect a growth trend that has been in place since the festival began in 2010: 

• The festival sold over 65,000 individual tickets (from 17,000 in 2010).
• The festival sold an estimated $540,000 in tickets this year (from $50,000 in 2010, almost 1,000% growth).
• In its eight year history, Hollywood Fringe has returned over $2.3 million to artists.
• 375 productions participated in this year’s event (from 180 in 2010), mounting 2,064 performances at 51 spaces throughout central Hollywood and some West Hollywood locations.  
• 1,802 artists and producers participated in this year’s Hollywood Fringe.

The central Fringe organization doesn’t retain any of the ticketing proceeds; all $540,000 have been returned to Fringe artists and venues.

Want to see Fringe continue? Please make a tax-deductible donation at hollywoodfringe.org/donate.