UNTIL WE HAVE AUTOMATED THIS WEBSITE, WE WILL USE THE EMAIL SYSTEM, AND PERSONAL PHONES....WE HAVE NO FACILITIES AS WE BEGIN, SO WE WILL IMPROVISE WITH THAT AS WELL...USING VOLUNTEERED AND PUBLIC SPACES SUCH AS LIBRARIES AND PARKS TO GATHER.
ITS JUST TEMPORARY, MOST OF WHAT YOU WILL READ HERE, AS TO PROCEDURES/GUIDELINES, WILL BE SIMPLIFIED INTO FORMS THAT YOU CAN FILL OUT ONLINE AND UPDATE THROUGHOUT THE DAY....SO PLEASE BE PATIENT.....EVEN THE BIGGEST AND MOST INTRICATE CREATIONS GERMINATE FROM THE SMALLEST AND MOST INCONSEQUENTIAL-LOOKING OF SEEDS.
ITS UP TO YOU, IF YOU WANT EASE AND SIMPLICITY, YOU WILL HAVE TO WAIT, PERHAPS A COUPLE OF WEEKS, OTHERWISE CONTACT US WHEN YOU KNOW WHAT YOU WANT TO DO...AND WE'LL START, AS WE ARE NOW.
! The franchises are organized around neighborhoods, which quite naturally overlap one another, so when deciding where to plant your flag, approximate is good enough.
! You do not need to reside in a neighborhood with a given franchise which you want to participate in or even create, but the point of doing so is to make it more convenient for everyone to get together to plan, prepare, and go public with a minimum of fuss and waste of time for people......NOT causing the group to wait needlessly for people who live at a distance.
! Multiple franchises of a program element are permitted in the same neighborhood, so long as there are people interested in joining and participating, and once put through trial runs....if you can achieve and maintain public support.......if people don't think what you offer is sufficiently distinct, or if it is considered redundant, we will discontinue your franchise.....so well thought out and well executed preparations are neccesary....be individualistic...let your imagination run wild.
! Some of these franchises require no money, only time, and your efforts. For those that do need cash, we have several price ranges. Here is our general budget..
In each case of a sole-person in a franchise we make allowance for $15 per meal for each 2 hours of performance/operation up to $45 dollars....and for groups we make allowance of $25 per person per day, for up to 125 dollars per day for 1k operations and a $400 limit for 5k operations...it is the only form of material compensation we offer for those participating in franchise operations, free munchies.
Limit $1,000 per day, majority of franchises
Limit $5,000 per day, those franchises with the most complexity and involvement AND those most likely to draw the largest group of participants/spectators...to qualify you will have to have proven yourself with a 1k franchise first.
These first two will be covered by way of debit cards, issued to those who take responsibility for the finances of a franchise.
The cards will have NO WITHDRAWL abilities, only charges allowed...and will be subject to multiple restrictions....and monitored daily.
The staff will also make purchases as are neccessary or as requested to fulfill the aims of each franchise.
There are also several offerings where each uses a separate budget from the 1k and 5k, including........
Experimentals, which are Staff Developed.
Musical groups who can play small venues or concerts.
Movie makers who can produce small films or major productions.
VT productions, our video webcasts (as opposed to TV) which have a wide variety of formats.
! The 1000 and 5000 dollar franchise limitations are not neccessarily measured daily....if a well thought out and explained plan needs purchases that may run say 50,000-150,000 then it may be justifiable and allowed.
But in these cases it is because the franchise plans on, and is prepared to operate for weeks or months...making that cost average out to the daily limit or less.
Also because the group operating it has been proven through prior delivery of great performance(s) in operating a franchise.
! Everything that is purchased by franchise operators, or that is transfered or given to a franchise by the staff, which is not "consumed" in some way as to make it unusable, must be returned to the festival.
Both routinely when no longer needed, and those at the completion of a franchise operation cycle...not at the end of a day (you plan and operate for 35 days...day 35/36 you return what remains).
For this reason, more than any other, we expect that everything you buy, or that we buy for you, you use sparingly...only what and when you need it...the more "leftovers" that we have the more materials we have for future operations and the lower the costs for them.
! You are allowed to solicit services, supplies, materials, and help with your franchise, but NOT MONEY...unless it's from a friend or family member and you are SOLELY responsible for any kind of repayment which you may negotiate.
Meaning it is in violation of our code of conduct for you to post fliers, set up paypal buttons on a website, or by other means to raise money for a festival franchise...that is our responsibility.
In soliciting items or services you need to be clear that it is for your particular franchise and identify it properly to those you solicit, BEFORE any agreements are made.
! If someone loans you something you are required to have it in writing, signed by the SOLE, LEAD, or GROUP contact, as the official representitive of THAT franchise..it is an agreement between you and them, not SSF and them.
It should state the terms, including it's handling and time of return, clearly.
At the completion of your operational cycle (when you are no longer operating a franchise, you are done) any such offerings loaned to you must be returned to the owner(s).
! Decide whether you are a authoritarian group (leader gives orders) or a communal group (we decide together), and follow the structure of your group consistently to avoid conflicts.
This also determines whether you will have a GROUP contact, a SOLE contact (just one person for the franchise), or a LEAD contact...
! When deciding the nature of your project, remember the basics
......who....what....when....where...why....how...
If you cannot answer each question readily and easily with regards to your franchise operation, you have more preparation and planning to do..
! Someone must be responsible for every major decision, and for the use of moneys, the caretaking of equipment and supplies, transportation, location, set-up, etc..
This is how you will know how to structure your organization...who is responsible for a given thing.
It also allows us to audit each franchise and to figure out how to be of greatest help and what early warning signs of problems look like, so that we can head off trouble.
! As people are added, you must update the staff on who the new people are, and what their responsibilities are...failure to do this results in termination of franchise.
All participants are subject to criminal background checks and may be forbidden from participation if the staff deem the persons offense(s) incompatible with participation.
! THE WEATHER. Its important to recognize that part of what we are trying to do is create a year-long operation, meaning that plans need to include contingencies for rain.
As a staff we will specifically develop a variety of portable and mobile stages, rain cover systems, tents, bleachers, and the like, to make sure whatever the time of the year, and no matter how miserably grey the clouds in the sky, festivities are constant......in this spirit, and with this sensibility you should proceed....expect to operate in the rain weather. in the wind, even in snow.
! We aim to have up to HALF of all of our franchises exported, throughout the U.S., and Internationally (at our peak).
This means that IF you have a passport and have the time (or your employer accommodates you) you get yourself a FREE trip to and from the destination...we cover both the transportation AND your temporary residences (rather than hotels we will solicit those who participate in some way in SSF-counterpart operations oversees and those in the U.S. who participate in our/compatible local commonwealth systems...you will be a guest rather than a customer)
------------------------- CONTACT ---------------------------
First check the number of the particular franchise to see what limitations and restrictions may exist, and any special procedures that are involved in participation.
Generally this is how you contact us......
startfranchise@SSF
[TITLE] Franchise #, name you want for your group and/or project.
{BODY]
Name of each person involved as you begin (you have to confirm by current and valid WA state ID/Drivers license that they are who they say they are...include ID # (name, ID #)
Phone number and Email of the GROUP contact, the SOLE contact, or the LEAD contact and the time(s) when he/she may be reached, throughout the week.
Address if a group has one, or that of the Lead/Group/Sole Contact, as applicable.
A budget estimate, and explanation of costs, as specific as you can be.
A description of what you want to do...specifics.
A basic plan...your timetable(s) and strategy for success..we will use this to check in on your progress and help you as we are able.
ATTACHED,
a JPG (you can convert a photo from a different format to this one, using a freeware program called IRFANVIEW) of the contact for the group, or the sole person.
A clear head-shot photo that is current.
Further photos, those of the group members will be taken by a staff member who comes by to examine your offering, and double check the ID's.
------------------------ What Follows -----------------------
Staff approval review....
THEN, if approved....
Your franchise will be listed as STARTING, in the franchise depot, so that those who find you through our web site can reach you directly.
If SSF is sufficiently funded, you get some funding..and as you progress you get the rest..
Staff will be assigned to support and oversee your project, with regular contact, including in person.
THIS IS THE BASIC OUTLINE...more details will develop as we experience the process of your inquiries and whatever hiccups occur along the way.
Check in regularly for edits.
