Rising Sun Performance Company
Media/Social Media Talking Points for 2011
The following is a short guideline for staying on task in media interviews, things that you CAN and CAN NOT talk about, and general language that should be used when referring to RSP in a public forum
Useful guides for preparing for Media Interviews:
http://www.suite101.com/content/keep-it-simple-for-the-media-a23250
http://www.car.org/newsstand/marketmatters/interviewguidelines
http://www.flatworldknowledge.com/pub/business-communication-success/70253#web-70253
General notes:
Always dress presentable and be well groomed.
Represent yourself both as an individual and as a representative of RSP
Be knowledgeable about the company’s history, composition and future- Read the info on our website, read our mission statement and press packets.
Remember! You are an ambassador of Rising Sun and represent not only our work but everyone involved.
Try to avoid controversial language or phrases (Cursing, negative talk about other theatre companies or artists or media outlets)
Be appreciative of the interviewer’s time and attention; be respectful and kind to all members of the media’s team. You NEVER know who you are talking to or where that person will be in 5 years.
General Talking Points about RSP
Co-Founded by Akia & David Anthony, in September 2001
Celebrating our 10th Anniversary in 2011
Veteran Residents of Horse TRADE Theatre Group, our Theatrical Home since 2005
Ensemble is comprised of Actors, Directors, Playwrights, and Designers working towards a collective goal. Approximately 20 full time Ensemble members, and 15 Associated Artists (Extended Family)
Members of/Associated with Community Dish, League of Independent theatre, The Field, ART-NY, Fractured Atlas.
Fiscally Sponsored by the Field
Founded in September of 2001, RISING SUN PERFORMANCE COMPANY (RSP) is a downtown Off-Off Broadway theatre company dedicated to producing ensemble-based work. It is run by artists for artists to allow them to create their own opportunities instead of their opportunities creating them. RSP is the full time artistic home for a wide range of theatre artists, including actors, writers, directors, designers, singers, and dancers. 2011 marks the beginning of RSP’s Tenth producing season and its sixth year of residency at Horse Trade Theater Group, culminating in 35 plus productions and events. This includes the development of twelve world debut plays, over 30 One Act Plays as part our annual series, the launch of an on-going musical cabaret series, free outdoor performances, children's theatre, immersive themed theatrical experiences and its trademark revivals, including sold out critically acclaimed hits: The Shape of Things, An Adult Evening of Shel Silverstein, Hellcab and most recently The Last Supper.
HORSE TRADE THEATER GROUP is a self-sustaining theater development group; with a focus on new work, it has produced a massive quantity of stimulating downtown theater. Horse Trade’s Resident Artist Program offers a home to a select group of Independent Theater artists, pooling together a great deal of talent and energy. It is also the home of FRIGID New York – the first and only festival of its kind in New York City.
Mission Statement: Committed to the principle of ensemble performance through the collaboration of a company of actors, directors and playwrights, Rising Sun Performance Company's (RSP) mission is to advance the vitality and diversity of American theater by nurturing artists, encouraging repeatable creative relationships, and contributing new works and revitalized pre-existing work to the national canon. Rising Sun Performance Company realizes this goal by providing a safe artistic home which stimulates risk-taking without limits of genre or agenda.
Approved Conversation & Social Media Topics for Fall 2011
Playwright Residency- in 2011 we are very excited to further develop our playwright programs and outreach. We have a first time “Resident Playwright” Kate Foster. We will be working with her over the next two years to develop her full length and one act plays. Utilizing “Labs” which are an internal developmental Laboratory to try things on their feet with actors and an assigned director. So far we have work shopped “Mermaids in Staten Island” at the NY FRIGID Festival in March and we have a developmental cast for “Stripper Lesbians”. Kate will also be involved in helping to lend a hand fine tuning the writing of several developmental projects in the works that will come out of the ensemble.
Our One Act Play Process: Selected through a collaborative and intense vetting process, plays are chosen out of over 450 submitted to Rising Sun Performance Company annually. Each piece is reviewed and approved by at least two company members and then moved on to our three month long reading series for audience feedback. The final plays are presented in RSP’s Annual One Act Series were the top scorers from Audience & Ensemble Ballots- only 14 plays from 450 move onto the reading series.
Creative “Pods”: in the fall of 2011, the ensemble will be breaking into 5 “Pods” to spend September thru November focused working strictly on the development of concepts for performance. The ensemble will then regroup, review each others work and determine which projects will move on for performance or public workshop and which will remain in development. Some of the project topics include exploring how Henry the 8ths 6 wives impacted history and our society today, Kate Foster’s new plays, and Current US politics.
DONATE/Support us: We are a small theatre company that supports a lot of artists with very little public funding. We are always looking for volunteers, sponsors and donors. If someone is interested in learning more about us or making a donation they can visit our website www.risingsunnyc.com. Donations can also be made online at thefield.org
We are on facebook, twitter and blogger
Upcoming: We have several exciting projects for this fall and Winter/Spring 2012. Dates have not yet been set but we always encourage people to sign up for our mailing list online to learn more about us and get performance dates.
Your personal experience with the company, talk about your audition/casting experience, the relationships or shows that you’
NOT Approved for Public information, Media, Social Media or Conversation
Internal developmental projects, titles and timelines or specific show dates or venues that are not listed above or have not been distributed in a press release. Keep our internal development work PRIVATE unless given express permission to share details this includes, titles, concepts, and dates.
Personal details (addresses, phone numbers, emails, partners, sexual orientation, etc) of ensemble members, guest artists or staff of Horse Trade
Financial information (we’re paid, not paid, who got paid what, we are or aren’t in debt, etc)
Avoid anything that would seem or feel like “Gossip” about us, other companies, our theatre home, etc
Monday, February 27, 2012
Top 10 Facebook Tips for Marketing Your Upcoming Show
From Kampfire Films PR
Top 10 Facebook Tips for Marketing Your Upcoming Show
Post a status update saying "Like my page" or "Like my upcoming show"
Upload photos of upcoming show, actors, and other production elements
Offer an incentive for people to sign up, such as discounts or special offers
Add a Facebook "Like box" to your website
Use Facebook tagging and tag people in the photos and who you want to like the photos
Make sure to mention Facebook in all your marketing messaging, postcard, and email blasts
Run a "Fans Only" contest
Link your Facebook page to your LinkedIn Page, your Actor's Access Page, your Broadway World page
Upload video to Facebook
Engage with your fans and create an exceptional experience.
Contact Kampfire to run your next Facebook campaign! For more helpful marketing tips check out Kampfire Kounsel or the Kampfire Films PR website.
Top 10 Facebook Tips for Marketing Your Upcoming Show
Post a status update saying "Like my page" or "Like my upcoming show"
Upload photos of upcoming show, actors, and other production elements
Offer an incentive for people to sign up, such as discounts or special offers
Add a Facebook "Like box" to your website
Use Facebook tagging and tag people in the photos and who you want to like the photos
Make sure to mention Facebook in all your marketing messaging, postcard, and email blasts
Run a "Fans Only" contest
Link your Facebook page to your LinkedIn Page, your Actor's Access Page, your Broadway World page
Upload video to Facebook
Engage with your fans and create an exceptional experience.
Contact Kampfire to run your next Facebook campaign! For more helpful marketing tips check out Kampfire Kounsel or the Kampfire Films PR website.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Cravings One Acts Press Release
HORSE TRADE THEATER GROUP
PRESENTS
RISING SUN PERFORMANCE COMPANY’S
5TH ANNUAL ONE ACT SERIES
CRAVINGS
SIX PLAYS THAT EXPLORE HUMAN DESIRE AND ITS CONSEQUENCES
FEATURING PLAYS BY GREG ABBOTT, JOHN PATRICK BRAY, LEN CUTHBERT, MRINALINI KAMATH, & DAVID L. WILLIAMS
JULY 7-23 @ THE RED ROOM
PRESS OPENING JULY 7
Selected through a collaborative and intense vetting process, these plays were chosen out of over 450 submitted to Rising Sun Performance Company. Each piece was reviewed and approved by at least two company members and then moved on to our three month long reading series for audience feedback. The final plays presented in RSP’s 5th Annual One Act Series were the top scorers from Audience & Ensemble Ballots- only 14 plays from 450 moved onto the reading series.
Sit Still
Written by Jae Kramisen
Directed by Tim ErricksonFeaturing Jason Vinoles & Ashley Bloom A woman’s husband disappears and she relives their relationship through a detective’s interview.
Delilah
Written by Len Cuthbert
Directed by Mia Y. Anderson
Featuring Andrea Cordaro & Tedra Millan A girl asks her best friend to cheer her on one last time, the hardest yet. A compassionate, witty way to tell a story about one of the most difficult choices we will ever have to make in our lives.
Some of All Parts
Written By Mrinalini Kamath
Directed By Derek Shore
Featuring: Lindsay Beecher, Jarrod Luke & EJ AssiIf he seems too good to be true… he probably is. Dating in this city just got a whole lot weirder.
VulturesWritten By Greg Abbott
Directed By Ted Gorodetzky
Featuring Rick Benson, Joe Beaudin & TBA1994 Pulitzer Prize winning photographer Kevin Carter's photo of a dying child with a vulture in wait brings him fame, but also controversy on when a journalist also has a duty to help a fellow human being.
The Craving
Written By David L. Williams
Directed by Mia Y. Anderson
Featuring Ashley Miller & TBASometimes a carrot isn’t just a carrot. And sometimes what you think you’re agreeing to in a relationship takes you to a place you never thought you’d go.
On Top
Written By John Patrick Bray
Directed by Jeffrey Woodbridge
Featuring Lindsay Beecher & Joe Beaudin Does it count as cheating if you’re on top? A couple redefines their relationship, and infidelity, in a grocery store.
CRAVINGS presented by Rising Sun Performance Company as residents of Horse Trade Theater Group, will play a three week engagement at The Red Room (85 East 4th Street between 2nd Ave and Bowery), July 7-23, Thursday through Saturday at 8pm. Tickets ($15/$12 students & seniors) are available online at www.horseTRADE.info or by calling Smarttix at 212-868-4444.
Founded in September of 2001, RISING SUN PERFORAMNCE COMPANY (RSP) is a downtown Off-Off Broadway theatre company dedicated to producing ensemble-based work. It is run by artists for artists to allow them to create their own opportunities instead of their opportunities creating them. RSP is the full time artistic home for a wide range of theatre artists, including actors, writers, directors, designers, singers, and dancers. 2011 marks the beginning of RSP’s Tenth producing season and its sixth year of residency at Horse Trade Theater Group, culminating in 35 plus productions and events. This includes the development of twelve world debut plays, over 30 One Act Plays as part our annual series, the launch of an on-going musical cabaret series, free outdoor performances, children's theatre, immersive themed theatrical experiences and its trademark revivals, including sold out critically acclaimed hits: The Shape of Things, An Adult Evening of Shel Silverstein, Hellcab and most recently The Last Supper.
“Rising Sun Performance Company is a youthful, enthusiastic company and I look forward to seeing more from them.” William Coyle, Off Off Online
“It’s worth the price of admission to see the Rising Sun Performance Company’s aspiring talent.” Jennifer Rathbone, Theater Online
HORSE TRADE THEATER GROUP is a self-sustaining theater development group; with a focus on new work, it has produced a massive quantity of stimulating downtown theater. Horse Trade’s Resident Artist Program offers a home to a select group of Independent Theater artists, pooling together a great deal of talent and energy. It is also the home of FRIGID New York – the first and only festival of its kind in New York City.
# # # #
www.risingsunnyc.com www.horseTRADE.info
PRESENTS
RISING SUN PERFORMANCE COMPANY’S
5TH ANNUAL ONE ACT SERIES
CRAVINGS
SIX PLAYS THAT EXPLORE HUMAN DESIRE AND ITS CONSEQUENCES
FEATURING PLAYS BY GREG ABBOTT, JOHN PATRICK BRAY, LEN CUTHBERT, MRINALINI KAMATH, & DAVID L. WILLIAMS
JULY 7-23 @ THE RED ROOM
PRESS OPENING JULY 7
Selected through a collaborative and intense vetting process, these plays were chosen out of over 450 submitted to Rising Sun Performance Company. Each piece was reviewed and approved by at least two company members and then moved on to our three month long reading series for audience feedback. The final plays presented in RSP’s 5th Annual One Act Series were the top scorers from Audience & Ensemble Ballots- only 14 plays from 450 moved onto the reading series.
Sit Still
Written by Jae Kramisen
Directed by Tim ErricksonFeaturing Jason Vinoles & Ashley Bloom A woman’s husband disappears and she relives their relationship through a detective’s interview.
Delilah
Written by Len Cuthbert
Directed by Mia Y. Anderson
Featuring Andrea Cordaro & Tedra Millan A girl asks her best friend to cheer her on one last time, the hardest yet. A compassionate, witty way to tell a story about one of the most difficult choices we will ever have to make in our lives.
Some of All Parts
Written By Mrinalini Kamath
Directed By Derek Shore
Featuring: Lindsay Beecher, Jarrod Luke & EJ AssiIf he seems too good to be true… he probably is. Dating in this city just got a whole lot weirder.
VulturesWritten By Greg Abbott
Directed By Ted Gorodetzky
Featuring Rick Benson, Joe Beaudin & TBA1994 Pulitzer Prize winning photographer Kevin Carter's photo of a dying child with a vulture in wait brings him fame, but also controversy on when a journalist also has a duty to help a fellow human being.
The Craving
Written By David L. Williams
Directed by Mia Y. Anderson
Featuring Ashley Miller & TBASometimes a carrot isn’t just a carrot. And sometimes what you think you’re agreeing to in a relationship takes you to a place you never thought you’d go.
On Top
Written By John Patrick Bray
Directed by Jeffrey Woodbridge
Featuring Lindsay Beecher & Joe Beaudin Does it count as cheating if you’re on top? A couple redefines their relationship, and infidelity, in a grocery store.
CRAVINGS presented by Rising Sun Performance Company as residents of Horse Trade Theater Group, will play a three week engagement at The Red Room (85 East 4th Street between 2nd Ave and Bowery), July 7-23, Thursday through Saturday at 8pm. Tickets ($15/$12 students & seniors) are available online at www.horseTRADE.info or by calling Smarttix at 212-868-4444.
Founded in September of 2001, RISING SUN PERFORAMNCE COMPANY (RSP) is a downtown Off-Off Broadway theatre company dedicated to producing ensemble-based work. It is run by artists for artists to allow them to create their own opportunities instead of their opportunities creating them. RSP is the full time artistic home for a wide range of theatre artists, including actors, writers, directors, designers, singers, and dancers. 2011 marks the beginning of RSP’s Tenth producing season and its sixth year of residency at Horse Trade Theater Group, culminating in 35 plus productions and events. This includes the development of twelve world debut plays, over 30 One Act Plays as part our annual series, the launch of an on-going musical cabaret series, free outdoor performances, children's theatre, immersive themed theatrical experiences and its trademark revivals, including sold out critically acclaimed hits: The Shape of Things, An Adult Evening of Shel Silverstein, Hellcab and most recently The Last Supper.
“Rising Sun Performance Company is a youthful, enthusiastic company and I look forward to seeing more from them.” William Coyle, Off Off Online
“It’s worth the price of admission to see the Rising Sun Performance Company’s aspiring talent.” Jennifer Rathbone, Theater Online
HORSE TRADE THEATER GROUP is a self-sustaining theater development group; with a focus on new work, it has produced a massive quantity of stimulating downtown theater. Horse Trade’s Resident Artist Program offers a home to a select group of Independent Theater artists, pooling together a great deal of talent and energy. It is also the home of FRIGID New York – the first and only festival of its kind in New York City.
# # # #
www.risingsunnyc.com www.horseTRADE.info
Friday, April 9, 2010
Promo Blogs
Mike and I (Anastasia) are bloggers now! We had fun checking out the following blogs and giving a shout out to The Last Supper:
theplaygoer.blogspot.com
off-stage-right.com
timeoutny.com (good one!)
whatblows.blogspot.com
thirdrowmezzanine.blogspot.com
broadwaymouth.blogspot.com
r8ny.com (a political blog)
gawker.com (a hipster blog)
theplaygoer.blogspot.com
off-stage-right.com
timeoutny.com (good one!)
whatblows.blogspot.com
thirdrowmezzanine.blogspot.com
broadwaymouth.blogspot.com
r8ny.com (a political blog)
gawker.com (a hipster blog)
Monday, April 5, 2010
Promo Team Master Toolkit
Welcome Promo Team!
Anyone can be a Rising Sun Performance Company promo team member! You will find stuff on this site that needs to be done all the time. We are trying to create a database/site to have all the information we can put together on promoting our great company. Make sure and check back to this blog often to see new ways you can donate your time to RSP! There are lots of things to do - and it's great for people who can't get away from their computer easily, and who like to gossip online. WHO'S WITH ME? For ANYONE including these new team members and ANYONE with some extra time on their hands - you can help me out NOW. I will be inviting EVERYONE to be a member of this blog page where we can promote RSP all the time. If you are new to the page, I recommend starting from the bottom blog, and go to the top - and HAVE FUN WITH IT! BOOKMARK THIS SITE UNDER "BORED ONLINE!"
Tools/Links
Site Links
Twitter http://twitter.com/RisingSunNYC
Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rising-Sun-Performance-Company/72782700369
Myspace
www.myspace.com/risingsunperformanceco
Blog
http://risingsunnyc.blogspot.com
Café Press
http://shop.cafepress.com/rising-sun-performance-company
The Field
https://www.thefield.org/ContributionToSA.aspx?
Smarttix
www.smarttix.com
Horse TRADE
www.horsetrade.info
New York IT Awards
www.nyitawards.com
Youtube
http://www.youtube.com/rspnyc
Member Log in for Google Docs, Gmail & Blog
DO NOT CHANGE PASSWORD OR SHARE PASSWORD
Rising Sun Members
risingsunmember@gmail.com
rspmember2008
The 5 Basic elements of promoting your show!
1) IN PERSON/WORD OF MOUTH/POSTCARD TO HAND
ALWAYS have show postcards on your person. Talk about it, enthusiasm is contagious. Don’t “sell” talk about your rehearsals, what excites you about the show, and WHY YOU are doing it. Then whip out a postcard and ask them to check it out. Give them your discount code.
2) POSTCARDING & POSTERING
This is a big one and everyone needs to pitch in!
Team up with one to 3 people, have a bag of posters/flyers, rolls of packing tape, and postcards.
Be friendly, polite and smile, always ask a business where you can hang a flyer and drop off postcards. People are much more willing to help if you ask nicely. Team up and give yourself 2 to 4 hours to really sweep your selected neighborhood. I like to work in a grid pattern. For example: Select a 10 block radius based around two avenues, work your way across the “Cross streets” hitting each store front and surface that you think you wont get arrested for plastering with posters for the show. DO NOT Post on MTA or City Property!! Drop off small stacks of postcards. The point is if a person sees the show online, then a poster, and then gets handed a postcard, its name will stay with them. We want people to say “oh yeah” I’ve heard of that show. We want people talking about it! Word of mouth is key!
3) PERSONAL EMAIL
• An Email Template will be emailed to everyone along with a link to our Eblast HTML
• We encourage you to send a personal note to your friends, family, associates
• You should send a total of 4 emails out
• At Three Weeks to show- Send out first Email
• At One Week Send out a reminder “Our show opens this week”
• After the show opens: Share any reviews, let your friends know how opening week went, encourage them to get tickets in advance
• After a month of the show running, send a reminder! Its not too late you didn’t miss it!
Send a thank you email to anyone who attended the show. This includes friends and family. It makes them want to come out and support you again.
4) SOCIAL MEDIA- YUP YOU KNOW IT WELL- TWITTER, FACEBOOK, BLOGS
See the tasks below for the many tips and ways to utilize this
Read the online articles that we’ve posted on our promo blog
5) SNAIL MAIL- YEAH I SAID IT
Write a personal letter or note and include it with the postcard. In this day and age of email and texting, a handwritten note or letter or even typed letter goes a LONG way! Don’t overlook this.
LET’S HAVE A QUICKIE SHALL WE?
Step by Step Easy Mini tasks for Promotions
Try to accomplish one of these per week!
These tasks take anywhere from 15 minutes to 1 hour!
Just think if we are all doing these projects the buzz and word of mouth that we will generate!
1st Task - Find NYC Theater Blogs
This is going to be like a treasure hunt. I want you to find 5 NYC theater blogs - on each blog, find something to comment on, and comment away! As proof, you must copy the blog link and paste all of them as a comment on the Promo Blog!
2nd Task - Chat Rooms!
Find 5 chatrooms with New York theater people in them. No empty rooms and no making new rooms! Find a way to put our website link into the discussion, then copy and paste part of your discussion as a comment here. This is a lot of fun, and you never know who is there!
Try Chat Roulette!
3rd Task - How Many Times Can You Find RSP?
Do a search and see how many places RSP is talked about, reviewed, and listed.
Post a comment on the Promo Blog with links to 10 sites or more. Try not to repeat anyone else's links and see how well you do. Find articles, mentions, etc- post your own comments!
Copy and paste those links to your facebook profile!
4th Task - List The Show!
Find 10 places our shows haven't been listed in yet on the web and create the listings. Copy and paste the listing link to a comment here so we know how to do it for the next time. And make sure to tell us if it's just an email submission, or if we can submit our show listing manually online - it will help speed us up in the future!
Fifth Task- PROMO Ideas
Do you have any great *CHEAP* promotional/fund raising idea? Can you find sites online that can help out non-profit marketing? Do you know people who will give you a discount on printing because you wore a pink tank-top yesterday? Well then - POST IT on BLOG SPOT
6th Task - Do You & Yours Know How To SHOP?
You & everyone you know should be shopping thru our donation site. Have you emailed all of your friends about it? It's something they can do where we both win!
Find a funny way to send out the message to them - and share with us your secret!
Send it out now and don't forget to post some of the funny comments you get back.
7th Task- Promoting the Blogs- Part 1 a 3 step process
1) Subscribe to the blog (Go the the blog and hit subscribe on the left side bar)
2) Send out an email to your friends and associates asking them to check out the blog and subscribe if it interests them. (If you'd like sample text to send)
3) Post the Blog Links on your Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, Website
http://risingsunnyc.blogspot.com --- Company Blog
http://thelastsupperliveonstage.blogspot.com --- Last Supper Show
http://lastsupperroommates.blogspot.com --- Last Supper Roommate Blog
4) Facebook Saavy? Link our RSS Feed to your Facebook account!
8TH TASK- TWEET TWEET
Rising Sun & Last Supper the Show both have Twitter Accounts
You can get account access info from Akia
1) Sign up for a twitter account
2) Follow RisingSunNYC & Last Supper
3) Tweet from RisingSun’s account (Get access from Akia)
4) Take the online Twitter how to tutorial
5) Follow theatre lists
6) Start creating topics
9TH TASK- CAN WE HAVE A PIECE OF YOUR JOHN HANCOCK?
All of us use email right? Include in your auto signature a blurb about the show, link to our ticketing page, blog or website or all 3!
10TH TASK- LEMME SEE YOUR FACE!
There a tons of simple easy things to do on Facebook to help promote
1) Make sure you are a FAN of Rising Sun & Last Supper Pages
2) Once you are a FAN can ask all of your FRIENDS to be fans
a. Go to the top Left of Fan Page, Under photo there is a link that says “Suggest page to friends”. Click on it. All of your friends, at bottom there is a section that says add a personal message. Do add one. Just keep it short “Hi, This is the Show/Theatre Company that I am involved with, I would love your support. Please fan us! Thanks NAME”
3) INVITE to the events
b. Invite ALL of your friends to the Events “ One Acts Reading Series” & “The Last Supper” they are listed in boxes on the left side of Fan Pages. When you go to the event page, on the middle right there is a link that says invite friends. It works the same way as suggesting a page to become a fan. Also include a personal note.
4) SHARE
c. “Share” the page- On the left page- same area of the suggest button. There is a button/link that says Share- this allows you to post it to your page AND direct message your facebook friends! Do it!
11TH TASK- RECRUIT AN ARMY
Do you have really cool friends? Sure you do? Any that really love you?
Ask for help! Help us create a street team of people who are excited about the work you do and what rising sun does. Share these tasks with them. Ask them to help! Pay it forward!
Blogging & Twitter Topics to get you started
A few simple topics to get you started on your first blog & Twitter Post
Rising Sun Performance Company's Blog:
1. Introduce yourself to our followers, keep it honest & simple.
2. Why Are you excited to be a part of the company?
3. Your audition experience for the company
4. Call back Experience
5. The One Acts vetting process
6. The One Acts Readings (are you directing? Wanting to be cast?)
Roommates Blog:
1. What’s in the Garden? What seeds did you plant? Vegetables you're excited about?
2. Why did you become a vegan?
3. Are you cooking a group dinner this week? What’s the menu?
4. Did you discover a new website, show or blog you want to share?
Last Supper Live on Stage Blog/Twitter:
1. Introduce yourself to our followers, keep it honest & simple.
2. Why Are you excited to be a part of the show?
3. Your audition experience for the company?
4. Call back Experience?
5. Designers you can talk about inspiration or the creative process
6. Share a rehearsal story
DO YOU HAVE MORE TIME? WE HAVE 4 BIG PROJECTS
Contact Akia if you can take one of these on!
PRESS AND MEDIA
We need to update our NYC Press & Media database.
This will consist of gathering contact info, listing, address, website, etc and creating a database
Artistic Audits, Government, and Foundation contacts and info
We want to send invitations to our local and state government, as well as invite foundations and government agencies/funding to conduct artistic audits. We need to create a database for invitations
Membership Contacts
We want to gather a mailing list from every member and guest artist in the company
Complete name
Postal mailing address – be sure they include correct postal codes
Email lists
Everyone should try to contribute at least 15 names each.
FLYERING AND POSTERING Coordination
About three weeks before each show opens visit the cast and drop off flyers and postcards to the stage manager. Arrange a “postering/flyering” night once a week among the company for the next three weeks. Assign areas/neighborhoods to each person, and encourage everyone to carry postcards and flyers with them at all time. POST EVERYWHERE.
Postcard mailing:
• You will need to coordinate a location and time, and get the cast together to get this done
• You will need to print out labels. (If printing is a problem- get all of the labels prepared online/in word and email to Akia, she can get them printed up)
• You will need to purchase the stamps- Get $$ from staff.
Postcard/Poster Distribution:
• Postering/Postcard distro should start 2 weeks prior to the show, and continue every week during the run. Everyone in RSP should be involved. Get HELP!
• You will need to create routes to distribute postcards & posters and assign teams of 2-3 to do the routes. It is best to organize a couple of days where everyone can meet at a central location, get the cards and their routes/buddies and make an afternoon of it.
• It is best to do it by neighborhood/Street. (I.e Crystal & Julie has 1 & 2nd Avenue Houston to St Marks, Adam & Ollie has 9th Street to 14th Street, etc)
• You will need to prepare bags with postcards, Posters, Printed Route, and 2-4 Rolls of packing Tape for Each Team.
• Each Team should be able to get rid of 100 posters and 200-500 Postcards in about 2-4 Hours.
• You should also look into any gatherings or events that might draw a crowd interested in our show. Outdoor events in the park, parades, ,music events, etc. get a team together to hand out postcards.
Anyone can be a Rising Sun Performance Company promo team member! You will find stuff on this site that needs to be done all the time. We are trying to create a database/site to have all the information we can put together on promoting our great company. Make sure and check back to this blog often to see new ways you can donate your time to RSP! There are lots of things to do - and it's great for people who can't get away from their computer easily, and who like to gossip online. WHO'S WITH ME? For ANYONE including these new team members and ANYONE with some extra time on their hands - you can help me out NOW. I will be inviting EVERYONE to be a member of this blog page where we can promote RSP all the time. If you are new to the page, I recommend starting from the bottom blog, and go to the top - and HAVE FUN WITH IT! BOOKMARK THIS SITE UNDER "BORED ONLINE!"
Tools/Links
Site Links
Twitter http://twitter.com/RisingSunNYC
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rising-Sun-Performance-Company/72782700369
Myspace
www.myspace.com/risingsunperformanceco
Blog
http://risingsunnyc.blogspot.com
Café Press
http://shop.cafepress.com/rising-sun-performance-company
The Field
https://www.thefield.org/ContributionToSA.aspx?
Smarttix
www.smarttix.com
Horse TRADE
www.horsetrade.info
New York IT Awards
www.nyitawards.com
Youtube
http://www.youtube.com/rspnyc
Member Log in for Google Docs, Gmail & Blog
DO NOT CHANGE PASSWORD OR SHARE PASSWORD
Rising Sun Members
risingsunmember@gmail.com
rspmember2008
The 5 Basic elements of promoting your show!
1) IN PERSON/WORD OF MOUTH/POSTCARD TO HAND
ALWAYS have show postcards on your person. Talk about it, enthusiasm is contagious. Don’t “sell” talk about your rehearsals, what excites you about the show, and WHY YOU are doing it. Then whip out a postcard and ask them to check it out. Give them your discount code.
2) POSTCARDING & POSTERING
This is a big one and everyone needs to pitch in!
Team up with one to 3 people, have a bag of posters/flyers, rolls of packing tape, and postcards.
Be friendly, polite and smile, always ask a business where you can hang a flyer and drop off postcards. People are much more willing to help if you ask nicely. Team up and give yourself 2 to 4 hours to really sweep your selected neighborhood. I like to work in a grid pattern. For example: Select a 10 block radius based around two avenues, work your way across the “Cross streets” hitting each store front and surface that you think you wont get arrested for plastering with posters for the show. DO NOT Post on MTA or City Property!! Drop off small stacks of postcards. The point is if a person sees the show online, then a poster, and then gets handed a postcard, its name will stay with them. We want people to say “oh yeah” I’ve heard of that show. We want people talking about it! Word of mouth is key!
3) PERSONAL EMAIL
• An Email Template will be emailed to everyone along with a link to our Eblast HTML
• We encourage you to send a personal note to your friends, family, associates
• You should send a total of 4 emails out
• At Three Weeks to show- Send out first Email
• At One Week Send out a reminder “Our show opens this week”
• After the show opens: Share any reviews, let your friends know how opening week went, encourage them to get tickets in advance
• After a month of the show running, send a reminder! Its not too late you didn’t miss it!
Send a thank you email to anyone who attended the show. This includes friends and family. It makes them want to come out and support you again.
4) SOCIAL MEDIA- YUP YOU KNOW IT WELL- TWITTER, FACEBOOK, BLOGS
See the tasks below for the many tips and ways to utilize this
Read the online articles that we’ve posted on our promo blog
5) SNAIL MAIL- YEAH I SAID IT
Write a personal letter or note and include it with the postcard. In this day and age of email and texting, a handwritten note or letter or even typed letter goes a LONG way! Don’t overlook this.
LET’S HAVE A QUICKIE SHALL WE?
Step by Step Easy Mini tasks for Promotions
Try to accomplish one of these per week!
These tasks take anywhere from 15 minutes to 1 hour!
Just think if we are all doing these projects the buzz and word of mouth that we will generate!
1st Task - Find NYC Theater Blogs
This is going to be like a treasure hunt. I want you to find 5 NYC theater blogs - on each blog, find something to comment on, and comment away! As proof, you must copy the blog link and paste all of them as a comment on the Promo Blog!
2nd Task - Chat Rooms!
Find 5 chatrooms with New York theater people in them. No empty rooms and no making new rooms! Find a way to put our website link into the discussion, then copy and paste part of your discussion as a comment here. This is a lot of fun, and you never know who is there!
Try Chat Roulette!
3rd Task - How Many Times Can You Find RSP?
Do a search and see how many places RSP is talked about, reviewed, and listed.
Post a comment on the Promo Blog with links to 10 sites or more. Try not to repeat anyone else's links and see how well you do. Find articles, mentions, etc- post your own comments!
Copy and paste those links to your facebook profile!
4th Task - List The Show!
Find 10 places our shows haven't been listed in yet on the web and create the listings. Copy and paste the listing link to a comment here so we know how to do it for the next time. And make sure to tell us if it's just an email submission, or if we can submit our show listing manually online - it will help speed us up in the future!
Fifth Task- PROMO Ideas
Do you have any great *CHEAP* promotional/fund raising idea? Can you find sites online that can help out non-profit marketing? Do you know people who will give you a discount on printing because you wore a pink tank-top yesterday? Well then - POST IT on BLOG SPOT
6th Task - Do You & Yours Know How To SHOP?
You & everyone you know should be shopping thru our donation site. Have you emailed all of your friends about it? It's something they can do where we both win!
Find a funny way to send out the message to them - and share with us your secret!
Send it out now and don't forget to post some of the funny comments you get back.
7th Task- Promoting the Blogs- Part 1 a 3 step process
1) Subscribe to the blog (Go the the blog and hit subscribe on the left side bar)
2) Send out an email to your friends and associates asking them to check out the blog and subscribe if it interests them. (If you'd like sample text to send)
3) Post the Blog Links on your Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, Website
http://risingsunnyc.blogspot.com --- Company Blog
http://thelastsupperliveonstage.blogspot.com --- Last Supper Show
http://lastsupperroommates.blogspot.com --- Last Supper Roommate Blog
4) Facebook Saavy? Link our RSS Feed to your Facebook account!
8TH TASK- TWEET TWEET
Rising Sun & Last Supper the Show both have Twitter Accounts
You can get account access info from Akia
1) Sign up for a twitter account
2) Follow RisingSunNYC & Last Supper
3) Tweet from RisingSun’s account (Get access from Akia)
4) Take the online Twitter how to tutorial
5) Follow theatre lists
6) Start creating topics
9TH TASK- CAN WE HAVE A PIECE OF YOUR JOHN HANCOCK?
All of us use email right? Include in your auto signature a blurb about the show, link to our ticketing page, blog or website or all 3!
10TH TASK- LEMME SEE YOUR FACE!
There a tons of simple easy things to do on Facebook to help promote
1) Make sure you are a FAN of Rising Sun & Last Supper Pages
2) Once you are a FAN can ask all of your FRIENDS to be fans
a. Go to the top Left of Fan Page, Under photo there is a link that says “Suggest page to friends”. Click on it. All of your friends, at bottom there is a section that says add a personal message. Do add one. Just keep it short “Hi, This is the Show/Theatre Company that I am involved with, I would love your support. Please fan us! Thanks NAME”
3) INVITE to the events
b. Invite ALL of your friends to the Events “ One Acts Reading Series” & “The Last Supper” they are listed in boxes on the left side of Fan Pages. When you go to the event page, on the middle right there is a link that says invite friends. It works the same way as suggesting a page to become a fan. Also include a personal note.
4) SHARE
c. “Share” the page- On the left page- same area of the suggest button. There is a button/link that says Share- this allows you to post it to your page AND direct message your facebook friends! Do it!
11TH TASK- RECRUIT AN ARMY
Do you have really cool friends? Sure you do? Any that really love you?
Ask for help! Help us create a street team of people who are excited about the work you do and what rising sun does. Share these tasks with them. Ask them to help! Pay it forward!
Blogging & Twitter Topics to get you started
A few simple topics to get you started on your first blog & Twitter Post
Rising Sun Performance Company's Blog:
1. Introduce yourself to our followers, keep it honest & simple.
2. Why Are you excited to be a part of the company?
3. Your audition experience for the company
4. Call back Experience
5. The One Acts vetting process
6. The One Acts Readings (are you directing? Wanting to be cast?)
Roommates Blog:
1. What’s in the Garden? What seeds did you plant? Vegetables you're excited about?
2. Why did you become a vegan?
3. Are you cooking a group dinner this week? What’s the menu?
4. Did you discover a new website, show or blog you want to share?
Last Supper Live on Stage Blog/Twitter:
1. Introduce yourself to our followers, keep it honest & simple.
2. Why Are you excited to be a part of the show?
3. Your audition experience for the company?
4. Call back Experience?
5. Designers you can talk about inspiration or the creative process
6. Share a rehearsal story
DO YOU HAVE MORE TIME? WE HAVE 4 BIG PROJECTS
Contact Akia if you can take one of these on!
PRESS AND MEDIA
We need to update our NYC Press & Media database.
This will consist of gathering contact info, listing, address, website, etc and creating a database
Artistic Audits, Government, and Foundation contacts and info
We want to send invitations to our local and state government, as well as invite foundations and government agencies/funding to conduct artistic audits. We need to create a database for invitations
Membership Contacts
We want to gather a mailing list from every member and guest artist in the company
Complete name
Postal mailing address – be sure they include correct postal codes
Email lists
Everyone should try to contribute at least 15 names each.
FLYERING AND POSTERING Coordination
About three weeks before each show opens visit the cast and drop off flyers and postcards to the stage manager. Arrange a “postering/flyering” night once a week among the company for the next three weeks. Assign areas/neighborhoods to each person, and encourage everyone to carry postcards and flyers with them at all time. POST EVERYWHERE.
Postcard mailing:
• You will need to coordinate a location and time, and get the cast together to get this done
• You will need to print out labels. (If printing is a problem- get all of the labels prepared online/in word and email to Akia, she can get them printed up)
• You will need to purchase the stamps- Get $$ from staff.
Postcard/Poster Distribution:
• Postering/Postcard distro should start 2 weeks prior to the show, and continue every week during the run. Everyone in RSP should be involved. Get HELP!
• You will need to create routes to distribute postcards & posters and assign teams of 2-3 to do the routes. It is best to organize a couple of days where everyone can meet at a central location, get the cards and their routes/buddies and make an afternoon of it.
• It is best to do it by neighborhood/Street. (I.e Crystal & Julie has 1 & 2nd Avenue Houston to St Marks, Adam & Ollie has 9th Street to 14th Street, etc)
• You will need to prepare bags with postcards, Posters, Printed Route, and 2-4 Rolls of packing Tape for Each Team.
• Each Team should be able to get rid of 100 posters and 200-500 Postcards in about 2-4 Hours.
• You should also look into any gatherings or events that might draw a crowd interested in our show. Outdoor events in the park, parades, ,music events, etc. get a team together to hand out postcards.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Press Release Information
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Emily Owens PR emily@emilyowenspr.com 972.743.3746
HORSE TRADE THEATER GROUP
PRESENTS A
RISING SUN PERFORMANCE COMPANY
PRODUCTION OF
THE LAST SUPPER
WRITTEN BY DAN ROSEN
DIRECTED BY AKIA
“Eat, Drink, Be Buried”
PREVIEWS APRIL 22, 23, & 24
APRIL 28-AUGUST 25
EVERY WEDNESDAY NIGHT @ THE RED ROOM
The Rising Sun Performance Company presents the main stage selection of their 9th season: THE LAST SUPPER, the New York City stage adaptation premiere of the 1995 cult film by Dan Rosen. Artistic Director Akia (Hellcab, Good Night Lovin' Trail) gathers an impressive cast and crew of over 40 NYC theatre artists. The show is double cast with 26 performers who will rotate throughout the 18 week run. THE LAST SUPPER will also feature an original music score by film composer & Blue Man Group performer Christopher Bowen (9.99 & Jellyfish).
THE LAST SUPPER follows a group of liberal minded roommates, and their well-meaning descent into murder. After a dinner party goes wrong and their guest ends up unexpectedly slain after a violent political debate, the group decides that this can be their way of changing the world and making a difference…one unreasonable conservative at a time. They begin inviting guests over for dinner and political discussion. If they can't change their guests mind through "intelligent" conversation and debate, they end their lives "humanely" by poisoning them. With each dinner, and the bodies mounting, the roommate’s relationships to one another and reality quickly begin to unravel.
THE LAST SUPPER will feature a rotating cast, which includes Alexia Tate, Anastasia D. Peterson, Anthony Mead, April E. Bennett, Ariel Heller, Barry Kennedy, Becky Sterling, Ben Friesen, Christopher Enright, David Anthony, Erik Gullberg, J.L. Reed, Jeff Ronan, Jessica Ritacco, Joe Beaudin, Larry Gutman, Leal Vona, Lindsay Beecher, Mariana Guillen , Matt Riker, Michael Bernardi, Michael Jones, Michael McManus, Nicole Howard, Patrick J. Egan & Susan Burns.
The creative team will include Christopher Bowen (Musical Score), Dan Jobbins (Lighting Design), Ryan Kilcourse (Sound Design), Matthew Kreiner (Media Design), Tiffini Minatel (Costume Design), Jak Prince (Set Design), and Turner Smith (Fight Direction).
The production, presented by Horse Trade Theater Group and Rising Sun Performance Company, will play at The Red Room (85 East 4th Street between 2nd Ave and Bowery) April 28-August 25, every Wednesday night at 8pm, following preview performances on April 22, 23, & 24 at 8pm. Tickets ($18) are available by calling Smarttix at 212-868-4444 or online at www.horseTRADE.info
DAN ROSEN (Playwright) is a filmmaker and playwright. His first film, The Last Supper, premiered at the Toronto Film Festival. It also played at the London Film Festival, Sundance, and won Best Film at the prestigious Congac Film Festival of Thrillers. His directing debut, Dead Man’s Curve premiered at Sundance and went on to make a number of top ten film lists. The Last Supper is his first play.
AKIA (Director/Producer/Founding Artistic Director) is an active member of the flourishing Off-Off/Indie & Off Broadway theatre communities having produced, directed, and performed with numerous NYC companies since 1997. Akia is the Company Manager for the international sensation, The Blue Man Group at the Astor Place Theater. Proudly, she is the Founding Artistic Director of the Rising Sun Performance Company, now in entering its ninth season, and has been involved on all levels with each of its 35+ productions. She is a Board Member of The Paul Butterfield Fund & Society, and Company Manager for The New York Innovative Theatre Foundation, where she serves on their honorary awards committee as Sub-Committee Chairman and as an At-Large Judge. Past notable credits include working on staff at Horse Trade Theatre Group, serving as General Manager for FRIGID New York’s inaugural year, and returning as Volunteer Coordinator in 2009; she also served as Production Coordinator for nationally acclaimed Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre, overseeing the playwrights unit and INSIGHT 13 production series. Akia has worked as a contributing writer & reviewer for NYtheatre.com and scene4magazine. She is best known for her directing work for RSP’s hit show Hellcab which ran for 13 sold out weeks at UNDER St Marks to rave reviews.
Committed to the principle of ensemble performance through the collaboration of a company of actors, directors and playwrights, Rising Sun Performance Company's (RSP) mission is to advance the vitality and diversity of American theater by nurturing artists, encouraging repeatable creative relationships, and contributing new works and revitalized pre-existing work to the national canon. Rising Sun Performance Company realizes this goal by providing a safe artistic home that stimulates risk-taking without limits of genre or agenda.
Praise for RSP’s hit show HellCab , directed by Akia
“The young, hip cast is smartly directed by Akia…. and bring to life a number of unforgettable characters. This is a little gem hidden in the dark Under St. Mark’s.” Robin Reed, The L Magazine
“Director Akia keeps the pace brisk and navigates fourteen actors through at least twice that many roles seamlessly and effectively.” Martin Denton, nytheatre.com
“Director Akia and writer Will Kern put together a bizarre and wonderful production evoking a myriad of emotions from the audience.” Anusha Alikhan, New York Cool
“The Play’s Director, Akia keeps it moving at a steady pace and sets up some nice comic business.” Tom Penketh, Backstage
HORSE TRADE THEATER GROUP is a self-sustaining theater development group; with a focus on new work, it has produced a massive quantity of stimulating downtown theater. Horse Trade’s Resident Artist Program offers a home to a select group of Independent Theater artists, pooling together a great deal of talent and energy. It is also the home of FRIGID New York – the first and only festival of its kind in New York City.
# # # #
www.risingsunnyc.com
www.horseTRADE.info
Contact: Emily Owens PR emily@emilyowenspr.com 972.743.3746
HORSE TRADE THEATER GROUP
PRESENTS A
RISING SUN PERFORMANCE COMPANY
PRODUCTION OF
THE LAST SUPPER
WRITTEN BY DAN ROSEN
DIRECTED BY AKIA
“Eat, Drink, Be Buried”
PREVIEWS APRIL 22, 23, & 24
APRIL 28-AUGUST 25
EVERY WEDNESDAY NIGHT @ THE RED ROOM
The Rising Sun Performance Company presents the main stage selection of their 9th season: THE LAST SUPPER, the New York City stage adaptation premiere of the 1995 cult film by Dan Rosen. Artistic Director Akia (Hellcab, Good Night Lovin' Trail) gathers an impressive cast and crew of over 40 NYC theatre artists. The show is double cast with 26 performers who will rotate throughout the 18 week run. THE LAST SUPPER will also feature an original music score by film composer & Blue Man Group performer Christopher Bowen (9.99 & Jellyfish).
THE LAST SUPPER follows a group of liberal minded roommates, and their well-meaning descent into murder. After a dinner party goes wrong and their guest ends up unexpectedly slain after a violent political debate, the group decides that this can be their way of changing the world and making a difference…one unreasonable conservative at a time. They begin inviting guests over for dinner and political discussion. If they can't change their guests mind through "intelligent" conversation and debate, they end their lives "humanely" by poisoning them. With each dinner, and the bodies mounting, the roommate’s relationships to one another and reality quickly begin to unravel.
THE LAST SUPPER will feature a rotating cast, which includes Alexia Tate, Anastasia D. Peterson, Anthony Mead, April E. Bennett, Ariel Heller, Barry Kennedy, Becky Sterling, Ben Friesen, Christopher Enright, David Anthony, Erik Gullberg, J.L. Reed, Jeff Ronan, Jessica Ritacco, Joe Beaudin, Larry Gutman, Leal Vona, Lindsay Beecher, Mariana Guillen , Matt Riker, Michael Bernardi, Michael Jones, Michael McManus, Nicole Howard, Patrick J. Egan & Susan Burns.
The creative team will include Christopher Bowen (Musical Score), Dan Jobbins (Lighting Design), Ryan Kilcourse (Sound Design), Matthew Kreiner (Media Design), Tiffini Minatel (Costume Design), Jak Prince (Set Design), and Turner Smith (Fight Direction).
The production, presented by Horse Trade Theater Group and Rising Sun Performance Company, will play at The Red Room (85 East 4th Street between 2nd Ave and Bowery) April 28-August 25, every Wednesday night at 8pm, following preview performances on April 22, 23, & 24 at 8pm. Tickets ($18) are available by calling Smarttix at 212-868-4444 or online at www.horseTRADE.info
DAN ROSEN (Playwright) is a filmmaker and playwright. His first film, The Last Supper, premiered at the Toronto Film Festival. It also played at the London Film Festival, Sundance, and won Best Film at the prestigious Congac Film Festival of Thrillers. His directing debut, Dead Man’s Curve premiered at Sundance and went on to make a number of top ten film lists. The Last Supper is his first play.
AKIA (Director/Producer/Founding Artistic Director) is an active member of the flourishing Off-Off/Indie & Off Broadway theatre communities having produced, directed, and performed with numerous NYC companies since 1997. Akia is the Company Manager for the international sensation, The Blue Man Group at the Astor Place Theater. Proudly, she is the Founding Artistic Director of the Rising Sun Performance Company, now in entering its ninth season, and has been involved on all levels with each of its 35+ productions. She is a Board Member of The Paul Butterfield Fund & Society, and Company Manager for The New York Innovative Theatre Foundation, where she serves on their honorary awards committee as Sub-Committee Chairman and as an At-Large Judge. Past notable credits include working on staff at Horse Trade Theatre Group, serving as General Manager for FRIGID New York’s inaugural year, and returning as Volunteer Coordinator in 2009; she also served as Production Coordinator for nationally acclaimed Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre, overseeing the playwrights unit and INSIGHT 13 production series. Akia has worked as a contributing writer & reviewer for NYtheatre.com and scene4magazine. She is best known for her directing work for RSP’s hit show Hellcab which ran for 13 sold out weeks at UNDER St Marks to rave reviews.
Committed to the principle of ensemble performance through the collaboration of a company of actors, directors and playwrights, Rising Sun Performance Company's (RSP) mission is to advance the vitality and diversity of American theater by nurturing artists, encouraging repeatable creative relationships, and contributing new works and revitalized pre-existing work to the national canon. Rising Sun Performance Company realizes this goal by providing a safe artistic home that stimulates risk-taking without limits of genre or agenda.
Praise for RSP’s hit show HellCab , directed by Akia
“The young, hip cast is smartly directed by Akia…. and bring to life a number of unforgettable characters. This is a little gem hidden in the dark Under St. Mark’s.” Robin Reed, The L Magazine
“Director Akia keeps the pace brisk and navigates fourteen actors through at least twice that many roles seamlessly and effectively.” Martin Denton, nytheatre.com
“Director Akia and writer Will Kern put together a bizarre and wonderful production evoking a myriad of emotions from the audience.” Anusha Alikhan, New York Cool
“The Play’s Director, Akia keeps it moving at a steady pace and sets up some nice comic business.” Tom Penketh, Backstage
HORSE TRADE THEATER GROUP is a self-sustaining theater development group; with a focus on new work, it has produced a massive quantity of stimulating downtown theater. Horse Trade’s Resident Artist Program offers a home to a select group of Independent Theater artists, pooling together a great deal of talent and energy. It is also the home of FRIGID New York – the first and only festival of its kind in New York City.
# # # #
www.risingsunnyc.com
www.horseTRADE.info
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