Pros & Cons of Private and Public Financing

Public Funding is money that is generated by the government to provide goods and services to the general public.  The money comes from government departments, local authorities and non departmental public bodies who operate grant programmes using monies raised through taxation.  For the performing arts industry, the DCMS (Department for Culture, Media & Sport), is responsible for the promotion of arts across the UK.  Funding is distributed to various organisations from money collected from the Government and the National Lottery. 

Private Funding is funds made available without government involvement, support or guarantee. The funds are made with the means of support through one or more companies, and/or by money raising events.

Pros of Public Funding

• Sometimes accompanied by free technical assistance - they may provide workshops, seminars etc
• Have more money and more likely to award large grants/contracts
• More likely to pay all project costs
• Easier to find information about
• Application processes and deadlines are straightforward and firm
• Possibilities of renewal is made known

Pros of Private Funding

• More flexible in responding to unique needs and circumstances
• Less restrictions so more willing to source start-ups or experimental funds
• Wide range in size of available grants - some large, some strictly for small projects
• Fewer applicants in most cases
• Can generally be more informal and willing to help with the proposal process

Cons of Public Funding

• There can be a disapproval which hinders the project from going forward
• The amount given can affect creativity and diversity of the project to become stagnate
• They have to abide by the guidelines in order to get the amount they would like
• There can be too much dependency on the public funding - the outcome of their decision can either make or break
• Monitoring of programme activities to make sure the money is not misused.
• While straightforward, it is a long process of applying via administrative and compliance procedures
• A biased choice of applicants on who they'll give the money to
• Political trends can affect security of some programmes
• Availability of funds can rapidly change

Cons of Private Funding

• Grant size usually much smaller
• May not have a clear clarification about reasons for rejection
• Less likely to cover all project costs and indirect costs
• Research has to be done in your own time which can be time consuming
• Continual support can be difficult to predict and can be withdrawn at any moment. 

While both fundings can be beneficial and also have their cons, I am still unsure of which is better than the other to help finance a show.  I personally feel it is a matter of experience, and personal preference because someone might have a better experience with private, rather than public and visa versa.  If I did have a choice, I would try and go to a private funder first, as I feel that there are more restrictions with public and can diminish the creative aspects of a show.  On the sidelines I can also raise money through events to continually support the show just in case the private investor has to withdraw due to unfortunate circumstances that may arise.  Nothing is for certain but it's reassuring to know that there is help to get you off the ground.

Stage Director Roles & Responsibilities

A director is responsible for the interpretative aspects, depending on which area they are in, of a stage, film, or television production; supervising the integration of all elements, as acting, staging, and lighting, working alongside the writer and others to fulfil their artistic vision to it's potential.    
A Stage/Theatre Director: oversees a theatre production whether it be a play, an opera, a musical, or a devised piece of work.
A Film Director: directs the making of a film, controlling the artistic and dramatic aspects, guiding the technical crew and actors to fulfil that vision.
A Television Director: is similar to that of a film director, giving cues to actors and directing the camera placement and movement. 

As we have been looking at professions in the theatre, I will be focusing on the Stage/Theatre Director.  
The stage director goal is to be able to construct a theatre production with quality and completeness whilst also leading his members, encouraging them to bring out their own artistic elements to further gain that goal.  

Stage directors have to constantly collaborate and interact with people so have to have traits of being bold, direct, quick-thinkers, and being able to work under pressure.  To bring out the creative and artistic elements as best as possible, directors have to work alongside other staff such as the set designers, costume designers, props, light designer, the actors, stage manage, casting director, play-writer and many more.  

The stage director takes the vision that he sees in his head and helps it to manifest for the audience to enjoy by relaying it to the technical crew and incorporating ideas and suggestions from other staff.  To be able to help bring the artistic vision out the Director works differently with each profession.

The Stage Director works with the actor, by helping the actor bring out the character that will appear on stage.  The Director will relay to the actor what he wants to see, and will pick at the actor to help the actor to reach his full potential in really bringing the character out whilst also allowing the actor to bring some of their own ideas to the stage and not restrict the actors creative aspects in bringing the character to life.  To help the actor achieve both their goals, the stage director will do character building exercises, warm ups and if need be to help the actor might tell the actor to help understand the director further to have a character journal for example.  To establish trust, make good contacts, and lift any uneasiness to prevent any restrictions or nerves, it is a good idea for the director to be friendly but professional at the same time.  

A director has to be able to compromise in case something doesn't work out as plan or there is an over-budget and have to work with something else.  This might be the case when working with the technical crew. 
The Light Technicians will help create lights, atmosphere etc, in response to the text and the Directors vision to help lift the production off the paper. 
The Sound Technicians will add more atmosphere to the production on the direction of the Director by manipulating or generating audio or a composition to create a desired effect or mood
The Set Designer will build the emphasis of the creative aspect of the production based on the direction of the Director especially if the production is contemporary and classical and would both help the set designer and director if they knew history so it's easier for the creation to be made with no confusion, making everyone happy.  The aim is to help the audience be engrossed in the production even more.  This can also be noted for a costume designer as sometimes the set designer can also be the costume designer.  The set designer helps enhance a character's personality, show a social status or periods between characters, they help tell a story to the audience when the character comes on stage. 

The playwriter is a writer of plays; a dramatist.  The works of a dramatist can be written to be performed and produced on a stage or can just be written using dramatic forms with no intent of performing.  Working with the director allows the playwriter's potential to be realised when combined with other theatre artists to transform the script into a production of a play.  At times there can be a process called collective creation where directors and/or actors are involved with developing the script. 
If the Director decides the production of a play wants to be modernised, the playwriter may work alongside the Director.  Not only in such cases will the playwriter work alongside the Director, but the playwriter can be seen as the driving force of the artistic vision of their works, the Director helps push that vision and enhance it. 

The Director has many dictatorship qualities and interacts with everyone, usually after the show has been premiered, theatre directors have done what they need to do and hands over the reigns to the stage manager who has to work alongside closely with the Director.  It is the stage managers job to make sure the production runs just as the director intended each and every time until the production is finally completed.
The stage manager is the communication link and support between the director and backstage crew or actors for example.  The stage manager will usually be responsible for the stage management, cues and exits, correct props, scene changes so will usually have a very annotated script in hand.  In conjunction with working with the director, the stage manager is in charge of scheduling rehearsals, meetings, dress rehearsals etc and makes sure everyone is notified.  

To become a director, one must be not only qualified, but have the interpersonal skills and qualities to uphold the standards of being a respectable director.  These are some research points I had done before in the interest of my choice of my chosen profession. 

Director

Education:
- HND or Foundation Degree in Creative and Performing Arts/ Drama and Theatre Studies/ Music/ Arts in the community

Experience:
- practical theatre
- stage management
- acting
- direction in amateur or fringe theatre e.g. youth theatre or student drama society groups

Relevant Qualifications:
- english literature
- music
- drama theatre studies
- creative and performing arts
- languages
- humanitary based subjects e.g. Philosophy, psychology, history

Skills:
- ability to express yourself orally and written
- persuasive
- creative
- willing to take artistic risks
- excellent negotiation
- an ability to motivate
- team working and time management
- dedicated
- enthusiastic
- awareness of technical issues and the workings of a theatre
- consider issues of ethics and awareness of the audience

Responsibilities of that job:
- programming and budgeting
- working with writers
- collaborating with playwrights
- holding auditions for productions
- attending production meetings
- helping to publicise productions

Training:
- developing your work
- experience, reputation and credits are essential in order to progress
- some drama schools specialise in courses

Personal Qualities:
- interpersonal skills
- visually and artistically brave
- ability to express their creative vision clearly
- assertive
- problem solver
- aware of relevant of health and safety rules
- aware and respectable of traditional theatre etiquette