A Chat with Geoff Sirmai

The life of a theatre publicist is without doubt interesting and varied, and to get a little more of an insight, AussieTheatre.com's Troy Dodds caught up with Geoff Sirmai to discuss his rise up the ranks and his emergence as one of Sydney's leading independent theatre publicists...

TD: How did you first get started in theatre publicity?
GS: As a journalist and part-time actor, I took the opportunity to 'change the mix' when my daughter was 9 months old and I became Mr Mom while my partner went back to full time work. Going freelance first, writing a book, starting my own business then doing more performing and less writing was the first step. I gradually moved from journalism to publicity - I had a huge media network from my former life as a consumer media commentator ('the voice of Choice'!) - but was determined only to work in those areas that I felt passionate about. Gradually I started to gravitate to the arts side exclusively - which was heaven for someone like myself with an academic drama, music and arts background from before my time in journalism - and a desire to work with other creative people! Knowing both the media and the arts inside out has been a huge advantage. I can see things from both points of view and advise accordingly to make a 'match'.

TD: Do you work from home, and if so, do you think it’s a must given the non 9-5 nature of it?
GS: Although I'm currently moving to inner city offices, working from home has been an important part of the mix for me - especially in the early days of my business. I've enjoyed the flexibility of spending time with my two kids (now aged 10 and 3) and juggling the caring and domestic side of things in that mad, exhausting (but ultimately, rewarding) modern way! PR is certainly a 24/7 job, especially working with indie theatre groups as I do. Actors, directors and producers tend to work all hours... and expect you do too! It certainly has its moments... but the key is having the communication lines and the technology worked out. You need to be ready with everything about all your clients' events at any moment... and to be able to respond to urgent media requests with efficiency... and charm!

TD: What’s the funniest / strangest moment you’ve encountered as a publicist?
GS: There have been a lot of strange ones and not all of them were funny! Once had a well-known theatre reviewer laugh loudly all through a very serious play at the Seymour Centre in Sydney. Funny? Strange? Scary! Some of the funnier ones involve a bit of censoring of press photos for a nude play... (didn't want to give too much away!) and the time I had to announce the postponement of a production that involved a HUGE amount of kissing... while the male lead recovered from cold sores! No names, no packdrill. My lips (and his) were sealed!

TD: How difficult is it when a show doesn’t do as well as you would have hoped?
GS: Usually the company knows already when things aren't going well; sometimes the cast know before opening night! The biggest challenge for me is that gap between a positive expectation I may have set up, and the occasional disappointing reality. Most reviewers understand the tricky nature of the balance and appreciate I'm doing my best for the client. For someone like myself who also does some direct marketing to audience and arts enthusiast groups, a disappointing show can affect my 'pull' with these contacts. But the only real trouble has been with (usually inexperienced) companies who have unrealistic expectations for their own show and can't understand why good publicity hasn't translated to 'bums on seats'. There's more to the mix than that - marketing, image, advertising (if they can afford it!) and of course word of mouth. No amount of 'spin' (and I hate that word when applied to the arts!) can save a turkey!

TD: How important is it to deal carefully with journalists when it comes to getting stories out there?
GS: It's vital. Publicity is the ultimate 'middle-man' job and it's always easy to blame the messenger! Maintaining good, timely and cheery service to both client and press contacts is the real art of it. You often find you're 'matchmaking' an artist and a journo for a good, interesting story. There are quite different agendas and often misapprehensions about the others' role. You sometimes find yourself playing 'good cop' to a grumpy producer's 'bad cop'! Maintaining a warm relationship with the media is important professionally for me, but also for the client's own good!

TD: Do you generally class various types of media ahead of others, or is a scatter gun approach used?
GS: Again, targeting the needs of the different media is part of the art or publicity - and nowhere more so than in the performing arts. It's a style or genre issue; one needs to be mindful of the audience of the newpaper section, radio show, TV segment or website you're approaching. Some media are image driven, others like a 'celebrity'; some insist on a youth focus while others may want to go 'in depth' and require a lot of information about not just the show but a particular artist. Setting up photo shoots is a big part of it. Then there are different interest groups, communities and angles to consider. Despite what some may think, all media are equally important as it's the mix that moves audiences to see a show. For instance, I take a lot of time to pursue local media because it's a proven fact that people to prefer to visit their own local venues and to support local artists. And reading about a show in the mainstream press and their local newspaper can often reinforce the message.

TD: You seem to be doing show after show after show, how do you get yourself out there?
GS: It's interesting how little I need to push these days. Word of mouth and the great network of artists out there ensure that a lot of people know me and my work. And as indie producers increasingly realise how much can be gained from good promotion (and how much more sensible it is for them to concentrate just on their own job and have a professional look after PR for them) the more calls I receive. I love the work - because I really enjoy seeing people's creative efforts properly recognised and helping them reaching the biggest possible audience.

TD: Do you have any advice for other aspiring publicists?
GS: Only do it if you're passionate about it. If you love the theatre, the concert stage, the big screen... your enthusiasm will be infectious and your confidence will boost the team! The moment you start feeling cynical about your clients - or the media - that would be the time to find another profession!