FOTC

Question 1

What is your background?

Answer 1

I have never earned a penny from the theatre industry!

I was an actor for 15 years. When I went to graduate uni Covid struck, so I went into business and marketing.

Since then I have spent the last 18 months working on a project that combines my love for theatre and experience in business and marketing - Qor!

Question 2

What is Qor?

Answer 2

If you go to a gig you can take your phone out, film it, then share it.

Anyone who see’s that and respects you is going to think “that artist must be cool, going to gigs is, cool being into music is cool. Then they’ll be more likely to engage in music themselves.

At the theatre, you can’t do that, so the theatre industry doesnt benefit from the free organic marketing. A free audience of influencers gone to waste.

Qor helps theatre companies send their audiences short videos from the performances. Then the audience have something to share and look back on.

Question 3

What are the benefits of Qor?

Answer 3

• Customer satisfaction
• Social media exposure (youth engagement)
• Brand recall
• Email capture
  + more

Question 4

The venue wouldnt agree with emails

Answer 4

Can put both on or none on

Question 5

The venue wouldnt agree with emails

Answer 5

Can put both on or none on

Question 6

What’s the vision?

Answer 6

For every theatre fan to build a digital scrapbook of productions they’ve been to.

To incentivise attendance with the collection aspect.

For theatre to be much more prevalent on social media and more popular within young groups.

For theatre companies to have an additional channel for marketing.

Question 7

What help do you need?

Answer 7

I have only managed to test it in small audiences so far. Mid-Large sized would be useful for testing.

At the moment it’s just me actively working on it and I’ve never worked in the industry. I’d love to bring others on board to help it grow and make it as valuable as possible.

Question 8

What have you found so far?

Answer 8

10 shows, no more than 150 attendees each.

Definitely profitable. 70% profit.

20% downloads, 10% opt in marketing, handful of shares, a few reviews, one donation and a few followers.

Sample size too small. Need tests in bigger audiences.

Question 9

Why hasn’t anyone done it before?

Answer 9

I have gained a unique perspective

There’s been lots of hurdles to overcome.

Question 10

West end wouldn’t let anything but high quality

Answer 10

We could contribute to bigger productions but aim to show there is a positive ROI there

Question 11

Dont have time

Answer 11

Surely they have 30 seconds? Or those over certain capacities, Qor can contribute.

Question 12

Dont want to spoil magic

Answer 12

Doesn’t need to be a piece from the plan. Better than others sharing their own footage. some stuff is shared on ads anyone - rarely not.

Question 13

Not enough will engage in old audiences

Answer 13

It’s gonna be a slow process. The way to get more young people is by letting the young people be influencers and bring their friends. If there was a quick solution it would have been done.

Question 14

Personal mementos

Answer 14

Imagine winning a car and then sending it back because it’s not a colour you’d pick. It’s still something that’s free and valuable. We will find personal solutions ASAP though - we have a few ideas.

Question 15

Reduce programme rev

Answer 15

Maybe, but programmes aren’t shareable and this will increase audience so more sales in the future.

Question 16

What if the company sells out?

Answer 16

Lots of other benefits, plus it’s useful pre show as you go on more from Qor.

Question 17

People wouldnt post it

Answer 17

25% wannabe influencers

Not the only benefit.

Question 18

Wouldn’t wanna give emails

Answer 18

We cant give the service away for free without this, we’d have to put on a small fee.

Need them for the vision.

Would use them to benefit the industry anyway e.g. reminding them of their memories

Question 19

Ruin environment

Answer 19

Would reduce phones and increase sales.

Question 20

Already good marketing

Answer 20

It can be used additionally. Nothing else is as effective post-performance. Unlimited shares, right in front of them when theyre most passionate about theatre.

Question 21

Dont think it’s beneficial to us

Answer 21

I cant prove n you otherwise. However it is about the greater good - increasing engagement in theatre in general. The better others do, the better you do. More funding for those who need.

Question 22

Which Uni’s have stopped their undergrad?

Answer 22

Rose Bruford, Bristol

Question 23

What are problems with youth engagement?

Answer 23

Uni courses
Curriculum
Social media
Attention span decreasing 70% in last 20 years.

Question 24

Why is tech a worry? (4)

Answer 24

Taking IP
Making films even better
VR more popular
Attention spans

Question 25

What’s te sitch with funding?

Answer 25

50% decrease since 2010 Lisa Nandy given boost but not enough ACE funded theatre brought 1.35B into the economy in 2023

Question 26

What are good convo starters? (10)

Answer 26

What has kept you in the industry for so long? Do you think the theatre industry would be more or less profitable if it was shown through VR only? Thoughts on the national theatres streaming site? Young people are studying drama less. Is the reduced interest being portrayed in the audiences as well or is it more down to curriculum? Is it harder to produce things for mainstream audience in an age where offence seems to be taken more frequently than ever? What does shakespearean theatre look like in 20 years time? What is the relationship like between rival theatre venues and companies? What has the effect of increased running costs had? Higher tickets? Fewer actors? Additional revenue streams? Do you have any problems with people getting phones out to film? Is it worse or better than in the past? Which productions have been perceived as cool and how did they do it?