Getting excited about your own co-production? Here are three fundamental points to consider: planning, scheduling and the co-production agreement.

Conductor Michael Thrift during rehearsals of Fulham Opera’s production of Lucia di Lammermoor, opening 7 November 2017 in London (photo credit: Simon Goldsmith)

• Planning 
  How many months in advance do you plan your season and cast your artists? It’s essential to ensure that a partner’s management team plans ahead at a similar time so as to match your own planning requirements. In addition Production Managers should work alongside each other very closely so as to prevent any overlap which could result in delays from the workshops in producing sets, costumes and props.

• Scheduling 
  Discuss with your partner company(-ies) suitable dates to arrange concept meetings and agree on dates for workshops to release costumes and sets. Then times and locations need to be set for rehearsals in combination with all partners. Where are rehearsals taking place? What happens when the production moves to a partner company? Mind that you allow sufficient time between the end date of the co-production at one partner and the start date at another to give you enough time to transport and assemble the sets.
  
• Co-production agreement content. State clearly which is the Lead Production Company; who forms the artistic and creative team and what vision they shall provide, as well as which partner will own the copyright of the production. How should costs be shared among the partners; which company is responsible for transport, insurance and storage of sets, costumes and props? Then consider how certain tasks might be divided, namely who is responsible for making recordings or videos and sur-titles? One should specify what ensemble(s) is/are involved? Which soloists, chorus(es), ballet or extras are needed and how many.

Thank you for reading!