The arts should be ideal for television, as they invariably look or sound interesting, but it can be difficult to get your event on the box. Daniel Harris has some tips.
Being on TV clearly reaches a lot of people who may visit or buy tickets to your event, but getting on television can be hard. Don’t approach the task as a marketing exercise. No one wants to feel used as a vehicle for selling something. The real trick for getting the interest of regional or national television is in understanding the medium and how the programme you are targeting works. So, what does television want? Television needs to tell a story. Think about what you want to communicate – with a beginning, a middle and an end. Make sure it has principal characters and that their journey through this narrative is something the audience can relate to. Take a concert series or theatre production you want to get on TV. Your choice of characters includes the players, the director, the backstage and front of house staff and the audience. Rule out the chief executive unless they are in a supporting role. Sorry folks, but suits are inherently boring. Now think of a story. It could be a group of children going to a concert for the first time. It might be George, the stage manager bowing out after 50 years with his last production – and you’ve given him a walk on part. You get the idea. Bring your event to life through the people involved. Of course, you can always involve the reporter getting them to interact with the event by trying it out. This works especially well for regional television.
You need to have a central message. If your story relates to increasing participation and widening access to the arts, you’re on to a winner. If it brings people and communities together you’ve got a great head start. Have some numbers or research to hand that give the journalist something to use in the piece. There are few other tips that enhance your chances of getting the attention of a producer or journalist. If something big is happening to someone small – or vice versa – then it works even better. The stage manager story is an example of this. A key thing to look for when considering your story is a superlative. Everyone is interested in something that breaks new ground. Is it the first time something has happened? Does it involve more people than ever before? It may only be the first in your area, but that should interest local telly.
Finally, the unusual, quirky or different will gain interest if you combine them with some or all of the elements mentioned above. Some time ago we were promoting an exhibition featuring some Salvador Dalí paintings. The venue decided that a huge helium balloon of the melting clock would get the public to take notice. Not much interest to television though. However, when someone ‘accidentally’ released the balloon from its mooring, regional and national television was extremely interested in sightings of the Dali clock all over the area – and where it ended up. Now that is surreal.