Will – 24:7′s Media Launch

The sun is shining outside and it feels like the hottest day of the year, Ian Townsend, 24:7’s writers liaison tells me that this is not an unfamiliar feeling, as every year they have brilliant weather for the media launch. I don’t know if it’s the sun or the buzz for the event (I’m going to go with a bit of both) but you can feel the excitement in the air.

I arrive at the Comedy Store on Deansgate Locks after picking up posters and staff badges for the event, relieved that I hadn’t bent or ruined them, to find Scallywags theatre company outside with a giant caterpillar (his name is Martin- I am assured this is a prop as they’re about to rehearse for their live trailer) I snuck into their rehearsal to get an idea of how this caterpillar was going to make his debut and as a message to anybody planning on going to watch ‘The Butterfly’s Adventure’, you are in for a fantastic show that children will love!

Aside from setting up the venue for the launch and drinking the free wine, it was brilliant to see the writers arrive to see it all become rather real from the published posters to the live and filmed trailers performed. As the press are arrived and settled in, Executive Producer David Slack and General Manager Annika Edge start things off by talking to the audience about the vision of 24:7 and how it has been going for 11 years! Also to talk about how this will be the last festival of its format, but 24:7 will carry on with what it has always been about, developing people.

The speeches have finished, the live trailers have been performed, and now the wine is flowing and the networking has begun. Interviews with writers are underway and the media launch is coming to an end, but 24:7′s Big Festival Weekend is only just beginning.

(FITD 2015 Blog)