Frequently Asked Questions for Companies
What is the Roxy Art House?
The Roxy Art House was formerly Lady Glenorchy's Parish Church, and it consists of a church sanctuary, numerous rooms, and a tower. It was most recently used by Edinburgh University, and two years ago it was sold to a private investor who runs it full time as a venue to support the arts in Edinburgh. Throughout the year the Roxy Art House is used for performances, art exhibits, and special events.
How many years has Rocket Venues operated on the Fringe?
This will be our eleventh year running venues at the Fringe, though we have only used the name Rocket for the last 8 years. Xela Batchelder, the executive producer, is one of the original founders of Rocket Venues and has extensive knowledge of the Fringe Festival.
Does Rocket have a theatre licence?
Yes. Eventually you will receive the Fringe Safety Guide, which we recommend you follow very closely. We will also need to know in advance about anything that the fire inspectors may question.
Is VAT charged on the venue rental?
We will not be charging VAT this year. However, we will most likely have to charge VAT next year.
Is front of house staff provided?
Yes. Some venues require that you provide your own front of house, including ticket sellers and ticket takers, but we provide that service to you as part of your rental fee.
Does the venue have a box office?
Yes, the box office has a computerised ticketing system. The service is included in your rental price for no additional charge, and there is no additional charge for each ticket sold.
At what point are bookings confirmed?
We will confirm your booking with us as soon as you sign and return the contract and pay your deposit.
Do you provide technical assistance?
Rocket's technical staff are here primarily to help you get to know the technical aspects of your performance space, to make sure that all safety guidelines are followed, and to troubleshoot should things unexpectedly go wrong. The technicians also make sure that you return lights and sound equipment to their starting position between performances so that productions moving in know where to find everything. We can hire out technicians to run shows and a lighting designer to prepare your show for you in advance if needed, and this special service is provided for £15 an hour. To hire the technician or lighting designer, please contact us as soon as possible.
What sort of publicity services do you offer?
As noted in the Fringe Guide, the majority of publicity should be taken care of by the theatre company. Because of our limited means and the number of productions we work with every year, it is simply not feasible for us to maintain a large publicity staff. However, Rocket Venues does offer some publicity services to help increase awareness of shows and productions appearing with us, as obviously we benefit as much as you from good publicity. A. The Rocket Venues Brochure Each year we produce a Venue brochure which lists show information for every production at Rocket Venues. The listing fee is mandatory and costs£65 per show listed. B. The Rocket Venues Website The information you submit for the brochure doubles as information we post on the website. Thus, each show will have a picture, blurb, links to the company's website, and reviews. The website also has a calendar feature showing the performances at all dates and times. C. The Press Office We have a small press staff whose primary job is to update the website, scour the press daily for reviews, and post things on the advert boards outside the venue. The press office also disseminates press kits on specific productions for members of the press who request them. D. The Poster and Review Boards Outside the venue we mount large boards upon which we mount posters that you give us and as reviews come in we prominently display them next to your advertisments.
What is a "box office split with guarantee"?
Different venues come up with difference formulas for calculating how the box office money is divided between the venue and the theatre company (otherwise knows as the "box office split"). At Rocket we have chosen to simplify this process as much as possible. First, we give you an upfront pricing chart for each theatre space and time of day. This helps us (and you) calculate the number from which we will base the box office split. Second, the split comes into effect only if your total box office take (venues sales plus net Fringe sales) exceeds 2.5 times the amount you paid for the rental of the space. Above that 2.5 threshold, any box office revenue you accrue is split with Rocket 60/40 in your favor--this is the "guarantee." It is important to note that we have set the split level (i.e., 2.5 times your rental fee) very high, which means that you would have to sell out most of your performances before you would begin to split your box office with Rocket. Otherwise, everything under the split threshold is credited to you. Here's an example of how the "box office split with guarantee" works. Suppose your total rental fee for a Rocket theatre space is £1000 and you have earned £3000 total from Venue and Fringe sales. The first £2500 (2.5 times your rental fee) is yours.
For every pound over £2500, we split the income 60/40 (the guarantee), so each additional pound is divided 60p for you and 40p for Rocket.
Of the remaining £500 pounds you get £300 (your side of the split) and Rocket gets £200 (our side of the split).
Your original £3000 box office then would be adjusted to £2800.
Why do you use a "box office split with guarantee"?
Most Fringe venues, including Rocket, use the box office split with guarantee because it encourages us to make sure we sell as many tickets as possible. Also, the split helps us pay for the extra expense and staffing requirements for sell-out shows. If your show is affiliated with Demarco Foundation, please refer to your contract for additional details. Please contact us if you have any further questions about this.
What are "net Fringe sales"?
Most theatre companies choose to have the Fringe Office sell a portion of their tickets because the Fringe Office is centrally located and they have the capacity to sell tickets online. In exchange for this service, the Fringe Office takes a percentage of ticket sales they handle on your behalf. The fee is 6% of everything they sell for you and then an additional 17.5% VAT on this 6%. For example, if the Fringe sells £1000 in tickets for you, they will first subtract 6%--£60. Next they will levy VAT (17.5% of £60, which comes to £10.50), the total Fringe fee comes to £70.50. The remainder is £929.50, and this represents your net Fringe sale. In addition, if you have used copyrighted music in your show, you must fill out a PRS form, and the Fringe Office will deduct an additional 3% plus VAT (that is, 17.5% on the 3%). Returning to our previous example, assume that you used copyrighted music in your show. The Fringe Office will take out another 3% from the£929.50, which comes to £27.89, and of course VAT is added to this amount (£4.88), bringing the charge for copyrighted music to £32.77. After this additional charge is taken from your Fringe box office, your net Fringe sale amount is now £896.73.
What about rehearsal time?
Rehearsal time is included in your rental price and the amount of time you get is equal to the time slot you have booked. We sometimes refer to this as "contracted" rehearsal time because this is time that we do not charge you for and which is thus part of your contract. For example, if you booked a 90-minute time slot (the total amount of get-in, performance, and get-out time that you have each day), then you are entitled to 90 minutes of rehearsal time in the space. Rehearsal time is one of the last things we book, so do not be alarmed if it takes a while for us to contact you about scheduling rehearsal time. Also, due to scheduling constraints we may not always be able to book your preferred rehearsal time, and sometimes it may be necessary to schedule you early in the morning or late at night. That said, we will always do our best to find you a favorable time to rehearse. Contracted rehearsal time is best used as a tech rehearsal, a cue-to-cue, and/or as a chance for your actors to familiarize themselves with the space. Due to the limited amount of time you have, run-throughs are possible but not advisable. It is possible to purchase additional rehearsal time. The rate is £30 per hour for Roxy 1, Roxy 2, and Roxy 3; it is £50 an hour for Roxy Main. We can pro-rate the charges based on fractions of hours.
What about storage space for props, set, and costumes?
Because the large number of productions we handle every year, we can provide you with limited storage for props, set, and costumes. The basic unit of storage is 1 metre x 1 metre of floor space per production, and each production gets one 1 x 1 space free of charge. Additional 1 x 1 squares can be purchased for£ 25 a week. Shows that require a large amount of storage space, especially those appearing in Roxy Main, need to discuss there needs prior to booking, as arrangements can be made for more storage space. We do have a small number of costume racks, and we can try to arrange storage as best we can. However, with the high volume of shows and actors coming through Rocket, we strongly advise that you bring your own racks, costume storage, or arrange to bring your costumes with you for each performance. The storage area is open to all performers, and due to the high traffic that flows through we are unable to monitor the space at all times. Therefore, please be advised that we cannot be responsible for any lost, missing, or stolen items. Props or other items of value should be kept with you at all times.
What are the changing/dressing room facilities like?
We provide limited changing room/dressing room facilities. As there are many shows going up and coming down simultaneously, actors will inevitably find themselves overlapping with actors from other productions. This is all part of the Fringe experience! Be advised that we cannot be responsible for personal items which are lost or stolen, so please carefully guard your belongings.
What is a PRS form and why is it important to fill it out?
The Performing Rights Society (PRS) in the UK has a special arrangement with the Fringe to allow performance groups to use copyrighted music without submitting theatre companies to the rigorous and often exhausting process of tracking down rights and paying for them. Every production company performing at the Fringe is required to fill in a PRS form and submit it to the Fringe Office, and on it you indicate whether or not your production uses any copyrighted music. If you don't use copyrighted music, you need not concern yourself any further. If you did use copyrighted music, then the Fringe will deduct 3% (plus 17.5% VAT on top of the 3%) from your Fringe sales. Whether or not you use copyrighted music, it is important for your group to submit this form to the Fringe. If you you forget or fail to send in your PRS form, the Fringe Office will automatically assume that you have used copyrighted music, and you will be charged the fee.
What is a "risk assessment form"?
Prior to coming to Edinburgh, you will be asked to fill out a risk assessment form. In it we ask that you detail anything that might be potentially hazardous or dangerous in your performance (e.g., stage combat, water on the floor, strobe light effects) and what measures you are taking to minimize the risk. The Fringe Office provides an excellent safety manual, and every theatre company performing at the Fringe should get a copy of it and read it thoroughly. It details all the safety requirements that you will be expected to follow while at the Fringe. You can find details at www.edfringegroups.com.
