Search

Fringe Festival Independent Artist Soundstage

What is the FringeArts Soundstage?

FringeArts is excited to announce a new offering for independent artists, borne out of the need to adapt in-person performances into high quality digital content for safe, stay at home theatre experiences in the 2020 Fringe Festival.

The Soundstage is a small recording studio space in the FringeArts theater that is staffed by the FringeArts Master Electrician and Head of Audio. With their assistance, artists will have two options to create their content: 

  1. Live Streaming which will take place during the Fringe Festival and will be streamed on your platform of choice
  2. Pre Recorded which will take place in the late summer. 
    • Artists who wish to edit this material will receive raw video and pre-mixed audio files. 
    • Artists who do not want their piece edited will record their show in one take.

* Please note that FringeArts production staff cannot edit your material for you, however we can provide a list of video editors who may be able to assist you.

Each artist will have 8 hours to load-in/out, tech and film. Submit your application for the Soundstage here.

What type of work is best suited for this format?

Not all performance types will fit comfortably on this stage and will be best suited for the technical setup we have created.

Types of performance best suited for the soundstage: 

  • Standup, storytelling, or spoken word performance
  • Solo or duet dance/movement piece
  • Small scale puppetry
  • Solo or duet musical acts 
  • Small scale straight play with minimal scenery (ex: a couch)

Types of performances we may not be able to accommodate: 

  • Any type of aerial acrobatics, fire dancing, etc. 
  • Large musical acts
  • Musical theatre performances with large scale dance numbers
  • Large set installations

Theater Layout

  • Stage Dimensions: 10’x17’
  • 2 Cameras
    • The tracking camera will be on the stage floor. 
    • The master camera will be in the risers. 
  • 1-3 performers on stage at a time to maintain a safe distance 
  • The Lighting Tech Table will be set up in the risers
  • The Sound Booth will be at the top of the risers, the Head of Audio will communicate with you through a God Mic

Safety

  • Artist and their creative team cannot exceed 7 people
  • Artists and their creative team are required to wear a mask at all times, unless in the performance area.
  • Artists will have access to the stage, dressing rooms, the studio and the backstage bathrooms. For your health and the safety of others, please do not enter any other area. Technicians have similar rules; they will only have access to the risers, sound booth and 3rd floor.
  • We encourage artists and their creative team to wash their hands every 60 minutes. If that is not possible, there will hand sanitizer throughout the backstage and performance areas.
  • The space will be cleaned at least once a day by a professional cleaning crew.
  • Eating will be designated to the studio adjacent to the stage.
  • You will be asked a series of questions to screen for potential COVID symptoms before being allowed to enter the space. 

Audio

Microphones

  • Four (4) wireless microphones are available. These can be handheld, lavalier/clip-ons, or a combination of both styles, adding up to 4 or less total.
  • Wired microphones, including SM58s, SM57s, and SM81s, are available for vocals and/or instruments. 
  • Four (4) DI (direct input) boxes are available to route instruments through the sound system. Two (2) are Stereo DIs and two (2) are Mono DIs.
  • FringeArts owns a guitar amp, bass amp, and keyboard amp. Please reach out to the Head of Audio at taylor@fringearts.com if you are interested in potentially using these amps.   
  • Up to two (2) “Room Mics” can be set up on either side of the soundstage to capture overall/ambient sound if requested. Not intended for capturing specific vocals or instrumentation.
  • Artists bringing their own audio equipment (mics, amps, loopers, etc.) must provide details of these items to the Head of Audio to ensure compatibility. 
  • Each mic that is spoken into can only be used by one artist per performance to ensure safety. All mics are cleaned daily.

Playback

  • All music, sound cues, audio files, Spotify playlists, and/or QLab files can be sent via email to taylor@fringearts.com or can be provided to the Head of Audio, on a USB flash drive on the day of tech/performance.
  • All playback must be received and in performance-ready condition within the first hour of tech at the latest. Sending playback prior to the day of is preferred. There is no guarantee that content provided after this time will be used in the final performance. This will be at the Head of Audio’s discretion.
  • Artists may use their own device (laptop, phone, etc.) for playback if they prefer. The Head of Audio will provide the connection, but cannot run an artist’s personal device, so artists must take responsibility for playing sound cues if using their own device. Device must have ⅛” input (headphone jack). 

Input Limit

  • The maximum available audio inputs is twelve (12). This means the GRAND TOTAL of all wireless/wired mics, “room” mics, DIs, and playback devices must not exceed twelve (12). 

Monitors

  • Two (2) monitor speakers (one on each side of the stage) will be available for artists to hear whatever audio they need during their tech/performance. 
  • Up to two (2) additional monitors may be added on the stage if an artist needs specific monitors for instrumentalists, vocalists, etc.

Pre-Recorded Audio

  • DEFAULT: FringeArts’s Head of Audio will live mix and record all audio during the performance and give the artist a fully mixed audio file at the end of the day. Artists’ specific mixing requests will be taken into account, but ultimately, the Head of Audio will be making the on-the-fly mixing decisions. 
  • If an artist prefers, the Head of Audio can provide them with the “raw” audio files that have been recorded. This means the artist would be given individual tracks of audio for each input, all at the same sound level. The artist would then be responsible for editing all of the tracks together in post to create a cohesive mix. This option should only be chosen if there is a professional on the artist’s team that feels confident editing/mixing in post.  

Live Streaming Audio

  • FringeArts’s Head of Audio will live mix the performance as it is being streamed. Artists’ specific mixing requests will be taken into account, but ultimately, the Head of Audio will be making the on-the-fly mixing/balancing decisions.

Lights

There will be a rep plot installed, composed of both conventional tungsten and colored-LED fixtures. FringeArts will provide artists with a “look book” that consists of stills for a number of pre-recorded lighting cues. Artists will use this as a reference when planning out their shot list. The director will work with the FringeArts Master Electrician to create a lighting design for the performance, either scene-by-scene (if live-streaming or recording in a 2-camera style), or shot-by-shot (if recording in a 1-camera style).

Cameras

Pre-Recorded

There will be two cameras, a master and a tracking camera for close-ups/medium shots. Camera 2, for close-ups, will be downstage left by default, and can move in between shots, but must stay outside the space perimeter to maintain social distancing. We have the option of shooting sitcom-style, with both cameras running, shooting a scene in its entirety, or cinema-style, with a single camera doing multiple takes of individual moments. Artists will receive the raw footage from both cameras.

Live Stream

There will be two cameras, a master and a tracking camera positioned downstage left. The livestream will be cut live between these two viewpoints by FringeArt’s Video Technician, in accordance with a shot list provided by the artists. Artists will receive a recording of the cut livestream.

How will the decision of choosing artists be made?

This is an emergency program designed to accommodate artists who have had to change their Fringe Festival plans due to the pandemic. FringeArts Programming and Production staff  will make selections of projects for the soundstage based on feasibility determined by our technical staff. 

BIPOC will be given particular consideration to take advantage of this program and resource. 

Notifications will go out no later than the end of day June 29, 2020.

What we can NOT do for you

Edit your video (however we can provide a list of video editors who may be able to assist you)

Hang any props/additional lighting

Provide you with any props or scenery

Help with a load in (we cannot be touching and interacting with you and your team) 

Steps to a successful digital recording

  • If you have sound cues or tracks, please arrive with your audio either on a thumb drive or a laptop. If you don’t have either, please email files to taylor@fringearts.com
  • Plan out your Shot List. You are welcome to use our shot list template here.
  • Create an annotated script with tech cues and reference to the Shot List. 
    • FA Production will provide you with a Lighting Look Book to help you with this process. 
  • Bring external hard-drive (formatted for MacOS) or large SD card with enough memory to receive your files.
  • Anticipate having a production meeting with the FringeArts Production Department 2 weeks prior to filming. We will discuss your annotated script with a keen eye towards audio cues, shot list, lighting cues and- if you are live streaming- your preferred streaming platform.

After you have been chosen, if you have further questions, please contact us at production@fringearts.com. We will also be hosting a Q&A Session on Thursday, June 18 at 5pm over Zoom.

Be Part of the Story

Help FringeArts present world-class, contemporary performing arts that challenge convention and inspire new ways of thinking.