A unique production will have unique needs, and none more so than the production of The Butterfly Lovers that we are putting on in Trinity Term 2000. This section will explain these needs of the creative production team and the planned sources of revenue we are looking at through marketing and publicity, as well as our estimated budget. We hope you are able to take the time to look at these.



The Creative | The Marketing | The Budget



The Creative

• Stage: Because the specialty and selling point of this play is its cultural value and its authentic Chinese theme, the emphasis I would like to put on is the traditional Chinese atmosphere and I'd also like to make use of the outdoor scene of the summer gardens. I would like to make full use the costume and props which we'll bring back from China during the Easter vacation to create some more authentic Chinese atmosphere.
• Sound: In order to emphases the Chinese theme, we'd like to introduce some traditional Chinese instruments, such as Er-Hu (Chinese violin) and Yan-Qin (Chinese string instrument), we've already found suitable musicians who are willing to perform on the day. Concerning of the voice projection, I would like to have two microphones for the two main characters and 4 or more microphones on stage.
• Lighting: Considering it's an outdoor play, we'd like the make use of the sun light and create the effects depending on the sun set and as it turns to dark, we'll also create special light effects using professional light system. We are planning to rent the sound and lighting system from theatrical equipment shops and would also have specialists on sound and lighting from same shop.
• Props: A lot of our crew members are going back to China or Asian region this Easter, so we can bring back most of the props from China, which can reduce the cost and also create a truly convincing Chinese cultural play.

By Liana Yang
Stage Manager



The Marketing

The Butterfly Lovers will be the first independent production organised by the Oriental community in the University of Oxford. It is aimed at promoting Chinese culture and society in the University and will provide a taste of the history and folklore from a country full of fascinating stories.

With this in mind, our objective is to reach out to as many people as possible, to give them a taste of the great Chinese legends. To do this we aim to advertise the play through various means: poster campaigns, flyers, a website, and e-mails via the Asian Societies in Oxford, with many of whom we have the greatest of support.

In addition, we shall also explore alternative forms of publicity, for example, public demonstrations, possible promotion through the local and national media (including newspapers, TV and radio), and support from community groups such as those in Chinatown, London, and the Foreign Embassies.

All in all, The Butterfly Lovers will be showcasing Oriental Culture and we hope that it will provide an enlightening and enjoyable experience for everyone.


By Lester Mak
Marketing and Publicity Officer



The Budget

Because the scale of this production we have in mind is of a large size with the fact that we are doing it as an outdoor play, we really hope to get about 2000 pounds funding in total (from corporate sponsorship, drama society grants etc)

Item	Sets	Costume	Publicity
Estimated cost	£600-800	£300	£600
Percentage of total budget	30-40%	15%	35%

Detailed breakdown

Sets

Item	Sound hire	Lighting hire	Props
Estimated cost	£250-400	£250-400	£50
Percentage of total budget	12.5-20%	12.5-20%	2.5%

Costume

Item	Male parts	Female parts	Props
Estimated cost	£150	£100	£50
Percentage of total budget	7.5%	5%	2.5%

Publicity

Item	Programme	Posters	Flyers	Tickets
Estimated cost	£200	£300	£50	£50
Percentage of total budget	10%	15%	2.5%	2.5%