[Barcamp - Don't publish, no delete before 10/09/11} Sponsor pitch, Press
Andrew Luke
Hello,
My name is Andy Luke. I've done a lot of blogging about comics (primarily on Bugpowder.com), and have recently released a comic about my experiences with epilepsy (Absencecomic.com) I'm based in Belfast, Northern Ireland and putting together a barcamp aimed towards comics creators. The event takes place at Blick Studios on Saturday September 3rd and we have guests from the (Southern) Republic of Ireland and as Barcamp does, the event is open to anyone. 'Holy Cross' creators Malachy Coney, Davy Francis and PJ Holden are among those we've discussed the event with.
As chief sponsor wrangler, I'm hoping Fantagraphics might help, in contributing to the small amount needed to run the event. The rewards would include wide publicity before, across and after the event. As our first major publisher to sign on Fantagraphics logos would sit alongside local arts businesses, emphasising an investment at a grassroots level. Our vital needs at this time are $123 to secure the venue. Any extra will be put into economy meals for our guests and some of the money will make it's way into funding an event in Dublin in the following year. As a blogger across a number of platforms and collectives I'll certainly take responsibility on behalf of Barcamp to make the announcement a big one.
What may be the English speaking world's first comics barcamp is designed to equip creators (through co-tutoring) with tools in growing their creativity on a business level, and exploring implementing themes of politics and education in their works.
Thanks very much for reading. Feel free to check out our wiki http://comicsbarcampbelfast.pbworks.com for more details
Regards
Andy Luke
LETTER MAILED TO JEFF KLEIN AT MARVEL COMICS
Hi Jeff,
I'm looking for a small amount of funding from Marvel for a comics barcamp in Belfast, Northern Ireland. A barcamp (if you're not aware) is not a tent in a pub. It's a one-day communally managed business conference with seminars held by attendees. It's aimed at educating amateurs and professionals within and outside the comics field. This is done by sharing information through presentations and discussions.
Why would Marvel want to be involved? As far as determined, this is the first barcamp in the English-speaking world solely devoted to comics and the business of comics. In exchange for a small (un/disclosed) sponsorship we would place Marvel's logo on every notice in the venue. We're aiming to have the event streamed live or recorded. Powerpoints, Word Documents and PDFs will be made available online after the event and each will carry the sponsor logo. It would appear on our group wiki http://comicsbarcampbelfast.pbworks.com alongside Blick Studios and other local sponsors who sign on.
When we get a new sponsor, I'll be making a few announcements in the press. I've build up a history of working with comics journalists, and I would implement reporting on Forbidden Planet International, Alltern8.com, Bugpowder.com and IrishComicNews.com and BleedingCool. I also have contacts with others at CBR, SilverBullets, DowntheTubes and the local press would love it. (The mix of small local and large national business sponsorship is a unique opportunity) Barcamps also tend to invoke a lot of tweeting and a contribution from Marvel would also earn thanks in the opening and closing speech. Should we raise more than we hope, we'll have Barcamp merchandise for guests, such as mugs, shirts and pens, each with a Marvel logo.
Donations will be initially made to pay for the venue (chri...@blickstudios.com) The event is in four weeks (common for barcamps), on Saturday 3rd September at the prestigious Blick Studios on the Malone Road. Nobody is paid for work on Barcamp, and attendance is free. If you have any contacts in the area, please welcome them along.
Regards
Andy Luke
Attachments: Creative CV
LETTER MAILED TO T...@CLICKWHEEL.NET (BOUNCED)
Hi Tim,
I'm writing on behalf of Comics Barcamp Belfast – a one-day event in Northern Ireland's capital aimed at linking the business and creative communities. The event takes the form of a series of seminars aimed at and managed by participants. Outside that, the event is streamed live or recorded, presentations are made available online, and many blog posts and tweets are made. No one is paid monetarily for contributions, entrance is free, and the event runs on sponsorship. Yes, that is were I'd like Clickwheel to come in. I would like Clickwheel to join our first sponsors Blick Studios as part of a range of groups making fairly small donations. I've contacted other sponsors locally, such as design companies Bag of Bees and digital advertisers Fresh Made Media, and larger internationals Marvel and Apple.
A small combined total of sponsorship ($130) is all we really need, so anything you can give is welcome. We see barcamp as a way for companies to connect with clients in a very active and functional sense. It's an easy opportunity to show off an interest in creative business development.
An A1 sized Clickwheel logo on site; six or more A4 notices in the venue with the company logo; company logos placed on our website; announcements guaranteed across more than four comics news-sites (minimum 1,000 hits); press releases sent out locally; Clickwheel's logo would be on all presentations posted after the event, mentions on audio feeds, and if we manage a live or recorded video feed. You'd get thanks at the opening and closing speeches and if we get to printing T-shirts, pens and mugs, there'll also be a mention.
The event will have a number of artists who's work has appeared on hand-held apps, (including myself), and PJ Holden, who co-developed the first comics reading app for the iPhone may also be attending.
Donations will be initially made to pay for the venue (chri...@blickstudios.com)
The event takes place in four weeks on September 3rd at Blick Studios on the Malone Road. If you've any contacts here we'd love for you to pass the word on.
Warm Regards,
Andy Luke
MAIL TO RICH JOHNSTON AT BLEEDINGCOOL
Hi Rich,
Running myself a bit ragged with trying to throw together Comics Barcamp and I wondered if you and BleedingCool would maybe help out some?
What we really need at this point is involvement and sponsorship. Maybe you could help with talking to a few people and running some articles?
A bit about the barcamp (?print ready?):
Comics Barcamp Belfast is the first event of it's kind (devoted solely to the business of comics), in the English-speaking world. Eighteen discussion seminars over one day, each facilitated by the attendees.
The event occurs on Saturday 3rd September at Blick Studios, Malone Rd, Belfast from 9-6pm. At present planning is under-way on sessions around writer pitching, portfolio hawking, distribution, funding and sales outlets. The schedule is decided upon on the day, when confirmed group facilitators rush to place post-it notes upon an “open-grid” timetable.
The title “Barcamp” comes from an obscure IT industry joke launching the first event seven years ago. Barcamps differ from conventions in that they're communally run and organically grown. Using social media, participants plan the camp by talking about what they'd like to see and do, and how to put that together. The events are mainly concerned with building knowledge, business contacts and solutions. In order to help conceptualise the event, Paddy Brown and Andy Luke have proposed a meta-objective of creating a commercially sustainable Irish comic. Traditionally the barcamp is sponsored by several relevant local and international businesses. This allows for the event to be free and for everyone taking part to be considered a guest.
Venue Blick Studios have provided a reduction on room-hire, free use of all technology and art equipment and free tea and coffee for all. Organisers are looking for additional sponsors to donate to costs, and in return receive a range of publicity online, on-site and in blog posts and open presentations after the event.
Participants are encouraged to pre-register in advance on a Google spreadsheet or by email. You can propose or confirm sessions, talk about crash-space or car-pooling, offering to bring power cables, or make tray bakes.
The website for the event is at http://comicsbarcampbelfast.pbworks.com were you can find a number of links for organising. There's also a funders page on Indiegogo at or potential sponsors may like to talk with organiser Andy Luke directly. Drew...@gmail.com
Off the record Rich I've contacted promotions people at 2000AD/Rebellion (a definite no), Markosia, Marvel, Fantagraphics, Clickwheel and a half dozen smaller local businesses (half of whom have given a no on sponsorship) Could you maybe run a few more features in the run up to the event to support any sponsors who hop on? I'd be well grateful and am willing to work it off in the future.
Below is an adapted excerpt from a sponsor pitch detailing what minimum donations can get a group that signs on.
An A1 sized logo on site; six or more A4 notices in the venue with the company logo; company logos placed on our website; announcements guaranteed across more than four comics news-sites (minimum 1,000 hits); press releases sent out locally; Company logo would be on all presentations posted after the event, mentions on audio feeds, and if we manage a live or recorded video feed. You'd get thanks at the opening and closing speeches and if we get to printing T-shirts, pens and mugs, there'll also be a mention.
Thanks very much for your time,
Andy
Andrew Luke
To: Myebook SENDING FAILED
Hello,
Over the last decade I've worked with a number of comics publishers at grassroots and professional level. I'm writing as I'm putting together one of the world's first comics barcamps in Belfast, Northern Ireland. As with many Bar Camps this is facilitated by sponsorship. Blick Studios have given us a reduction on the price of the venue, free refreshments and use of all technical equipment. We would love Myebook's help, given the company position within the digital publishing field and fair deal for creatives. (Indeed, Myebook feature in my own planned talk on Digital Publishing and Distribution)
Sponsorship of the event need not be a big financial committment. We're hoping to get a few sponsors on board. Between them, we need $123/£75 to secure the event's basic needs. Donations beyond that will be split between merchandising, refreshments for guests and acting as a sponsorship for a start-up event in Dublin next year. Bar Camp sponsorship is more of a token to say to creatives if you learn from this experience in managing your business, the world of business will work with you.
Sponsorship gets a company the following: An A1 sized logo on site; six or more A4 notices in the venue with the company logo; company logos placed on our website; announcement of sponsorship guaranteed across more than four comics news-sites (minimum 1,000 hits); press releases sent out locally; Company logo would be on all presentations posted after the event, mentions on audio feeds, and if we manage a live or recorded video feed. You'd get thanks at the opening and closing speeches and if we get to printing T-shirts, pens and mugs, there'll also be a mention. Higher tier sponsors will also receive the same benefits at Barcamp Comics Dublin to be scheduled for early 2012.
Bar Camp is an openly planned conference, developing the comics arts to a more formidable media, an irish industrial business. Over a dozen group chats and countless dozen person-to-person chats. Getting creative numbers in one space is likely to have a multitude of unforeseen consequences, taking the camp off in many different directions to produce awesome results. We hope to achieve:
Growth and Development of Northern and Southern Irish comics arts and publications
Tooling creators with access to peer business knowledge pool
Cross-border initiatives (incl. Southern Ireland Barcamp next year)
Development of a commercial and accessible anthology comic showcasing Irish and UK creators
Would love to start a dialogue with you on this matter.
TO DC COMICS, DARK HORSE, ALTERED VERSION TO KA-BLAM, ROBOT COMICS, WOWIO, RONIN STUDIOS, INDYPLANET, COMIXPRESS, Bitolithic, DriveThru – 19 AUGUST
Hello,
I'm putting together Comics Bar Camp Belfast, a spontaneously organised creative business conference on September 3rd. We would like Comixology to be involved in sponsorship of the event. The mix of local, national and international agencies backing this first of a kind event is a unique opportunity to show investment and co-operation within Northern Ireland's infrastructure.
Sponsorship gets a company the following: An A1 sized logo on site; six or more A4 notices in the venue with the company logo; company logos placed on our website; announcement of sponsorship guaranteed across more than four comics news-sites (minimum 1,000 hits although I will be talking to 100,000 about the camp on local radio tonight); press releases sent out locally; Company logo would be on all presentations posted online after the event, mentions on audio feeds, and if we manage a live or recorded video feed. You'd get thanks at the opening and closing speeches and if we get to printing T-shirts, pens and mugs, there'll also be a mention. Higher tier sponsors will also receive the same benefits at Barcamp Comics Dublin to be scheduled for early 2012. Presently sponsorship comes from the local hub, Blick Studios.
Bar Camp sponsorship is a simple token to say to creatives if you learn from this experience in managing your business, the world of business will work with you. Planned for the event are talks from representatives of national investment bodies (Arts Council NI), social entrepreneur schemes (UnLtd Millenium Awards), national media (NI Screen) as well as people from marketing, design, publishing and comics creators amateur to professional. I will be running a talk there on Digital Publishing in which Comixology will feature. It would be lovely for company sponsorship to complement this.
If you'd like to know more, do get in touch.with me via email or phone at +447783129431 or visit the wiki
Regards
Comixology – Messages Could not Connect AND Sent ?
Hello,
I'm putting together Comics Bar Camp Belfast, a spontaneously organised creative business conference on September 3rd. We would like Comixology to be involved in sponsorship of the event. The mix of local, national and international agencies backing this first of a kind event is a unique opportunity to show investment and co-operation within Northern Ireland's infrastructure.
Sponsorship gets a company the following: An A1 sized logo on site; six or more A4 notices in the venue with the company logo; company logos placed on our website; announcement of sponsorship guaranteed across more than four comics news-sites (minimum 1,000 hits although I will be talking to 100,000 about the camp on local radio tonight); press releases sent out locally; Company logo would be on all presentations posted online after the event, mentions on audio feeds, and if we manage a live or recorded video feed. You'd get thanks at the opening and closing speeches and if we get to printing T-shirts, pens and mugs, there'll also be a mention. Higher tier sponsors will also receive the same benefits at Barcamp Comics Dublin to be scheduled for early 2012. Presently sponsorship comes from the local hub, Blick Studios.
Bar Camp sponsorship is a simple token to say to creatives if you learn from this experience in managing your business, the world of business will work with you. Planned for the event are talks from representatives of national investment bodies (Arts Council NI), social entrepreneur schemes (UnLtd Millenium Awards), national media (NI Screen) as well as people from marketing, design, publishing and comics creators amateur to professional. I will be running a talk there on Digital Publishing in which Comixology will feature. It would be lovely for company sponsorship to complement this.
If you'd like to know more, do get in touch.with me via email or phone at +447783129431 or visit http://comicsbarcampbelfast.pbworks.com
Regards
Andy Luke
Project Manager, Absence - a comic about epilepsy www.absencecomic.com