To the fellas here who have worked in Cable Access

[Ryan]

Hey all,
I am desperatley trying to get a small 5 minute (or so) puppet show on a local cable access station. Unfortunatley, Philadelphia is one of the only cities w/o cable access. I have a few questions about going about doing this:
1. Is there an age requirement?
2. Can the shows be sent to a close city near by? (not in yours? Again, no cable access in Philly)
3. How much is the fee to broadcast your stuff?
4. Do you choose your airtime and date?

Any other info is deeply appreiciated. If any of you can help me, please do. I really wanna start doing some more stuff with my hobby/(hopefully) soon to be career.

Thanks,

 

[video567]

hi im not an expert on this but i did take a few classes through our cable company. all they requiere you is to be certified in using their equipment. I'm not fully certified bacause i stop going to the classes due to other responsibilities. there is really no age requierement only thing is if you are under 18 your parent has to sign a concent form /or come with you to the work centers.

the shows can be sent to other cities as long as the city has cable access network and they are certified through the cable company. for example if i would have finished the classes you could have sent me a copy of the tape and i could run it here in our cable company.

there is no fee atleast where im at to do a cable access show.

as for date and time thats the hard part depends on how many people are doing shows and what days they have chosen. you pretty much get what you can get. i know a guy that had a show fora few years and he had a regular time slot bacause he was established withthem and recorded his show every tuesday at the cable company and was airded every friday at 10pm

but thats kinda rare.

my suggestion keep making shows call local areas somewhere close to your city. if its something you wanna do and can drive an hour or 2 a few times a week to do something you love and may help you in the future I say go for it. good luck... if my time ever gets more free and i get to go back to the cable company for the classes maybe i can help you out. i know my cable company just got bought by another comapny so i need to find out if they are still offering the service.

make your shows at home, maybe start a club in yahoo about your tv show get some people interested, cocntact your local bowling place see if you can rent them on a friday a room or something and play your shows...word of mouth is a big thing. make flyers and invite people.

I started a club in textas called the Jedi Council of texas and we had avor 100 members by word of mouth , flyers internet. i started a yahoo club one called sabers plus and now i still have over 175 members the yahoo clyb for the jedi counsil of texas still has over 100 members they go to conventions together, make props, fan films etc.. i now moved to another state and the clubs are going strong. i hope this info can help you out.

good luck BTW? whats your show about?

 

[Ryan]

Thanks for all of the info..I'll be doing a short show, a lot like Sam and Friends with my puppes lip synching to records. Thanks a lot. Please e mail me if possible, I have a few more qestions.

A very, very puppeteer,

 

[Mark Filton]

Or do it like wayne's world

 

[scarylarrywolf]

Hey Ryan, BTW, have you heard back from JHC with your audition video yet? I sent one in last November and I haven't heard anything yet.

--"Scary" Larry Wolf

 

[sarah_yzma]

goo......

no

GREAT LUCK!!!!

Sarah