And Ewan Mcgregor) to Engage with Audiences

Using new technology (and Ewan McGregor) to engage with audiences Helen Black reveals the ideas behind the project that established TAG as the first company in Scotland with a presence on YouTube and their discoveries about using social-networking websites It’s easier than you think If you don’t ask you don’t get adequate content. Opinions differed on TAG is part of Citizens’ Theatre. Its work TAG wanted to interview well-known how this could be taken forward, but is specially created for children and Scottish people who had worked for eventually it was agreed that it couldn’t young people. In the last couple of the company. Ewan McGregor, who be used as a DVD. years, the company has increased its actually had no particular connection, online presence through social was approached – as a wild card – From useless DVD to fantastic networking sites, in particular YouTube, through his agent, and while all the opportunity Flickr and MySpace. other celebrities turned down the At an earlier stage, YouTube had been TAG’s video collection was launched opportunity, Ewan said yes. mooted as an option, but senior staff on YouTube in October 2006 with nine The interview with Ewan was filmed were reluctant because of perceived videos, four of them featuring an cheaply by TAG’s marketing assistant issues of quality and transience. Now, it exclusive interview with film star Ewan (an amateur filmmaker) and Helen using seemed like the perfect solution. McGregor. There are now seventeen a borrowed video camera. Ewan lived The filmed material suited YouTube videos, most of which are also up to his reputation as a nice bloke and well. The sound quality problems were embedded on TAG’s website. Although the interview seemed appropriate for its not as obvious, a short DVD became a ultimately a success, these videos intended use on the DVD. lot of video clips and the style suited originated as a DVD project which failed. However, when all of the content was the site. It was free, TAG would save on Considered by some to be a disaster, the brought together there were problems. DVD reproduction and distribution videos may never have seen the light of The sound quality was poor, there costs, and it offered instantaneous day… but, first things first – how did TAG weren’t enough resources to edit worldwide coverage for as long as the get Ewan McGregor?! properly and there didn’t seem to be company desired. 18 > JAM 27 > CASE STUDY The main steps in using YouTube Pros: Cons: are very straightforward: • kudos with target market • potentially invasive – people have • Create a free YouTube account and • interactive and responsive – can created their own personal spaces channel. create a sense of belonging and marketing can be unwanted • Make your videos. If you have any • ability to reach niche markets • potential for negative publicity – budget, focus it on editing, as a good • international communication word of mouth can take on a life of editor can make most footage look • alternative voice – a chance to be its own cool. Keep it friendly and personal. more relaxed • informal can look unprofessional – • Ensure clips are: under 100MB and • ease of communication – flexible and ensure a good fit under 10mins. quick to change • may be time consuming to • Upload, attract interest by adding • feels less like advertising – the public learn/manage tags etc. opt-in • difficulty of achieving support from • Test in private – set it up so that only • it’s free colleagues, including artistic director you can see it initially. • trustworthy – a more human • difficulty of finding the ‘right voice’ • Embed on your own website (if you engagement with your company than • copyright-image permissions require wish), using YouTube’s code. through a traditional website attention • Launch for public. • can be used as a performance space • lack of technical knowledge (e.g. videos online) • surfing the trends – what happens Then make sure you promote your • drives traffic to your own website. when MySpace becomes ‘old hat’? videos – put out press releases, tell your mailing list, spread word of mouth, Social networking can be a valuable create links from other websites and part of the marketing strategy but it’s monitor use (views, links, comments). important to be clear about why you Since TAG’s debut on YouTube, the are doing it and how it will be carried company has branched out into other through in practice. Ask yourself: do I areas: behind-the-scenes footage, have the time? Do I have the project feedback, production trailers inclination? Does it fit with my and excerpts. Technical staff have even organisation? And finally, can I afford produced time-lapse photography of a not to? set build (still to be edited). Social networking: pros and cons There are a vast number of social networking sites such as MySpace, Helen Black Bebo, Facebook and Flickr. TAG’s Marketing and Projects Officer, TAG Theatre Company experience with YouTube led to further e [email protected] activity in social networking. TAG made particular use of MySpace, due to its www.tag-theatre.co.uk, www.tagtheatre.blogspot.com, youth profile. Here are some of the www.myspace.com/tagtheatre pros and cons of using such sites: www.youtube.com/profile?user=tagtheatre, www.flickr.com/photos/tagtheatre 19 > JAM 27.

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