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How to be a comedian? Be yourself. Go see comedy
in Dublin. Listen to comedians’ podcasts. Watch all the specials on Netflix. Follow local clubs online. Look for open mic nights. Ask for a shot. Write down every single funny thing you’ve ever said. Your first five-minute set is in there. Learn it off like a Hail Mary. Tell nobody and go get on stage and shit yourself. You’ll love it. William Franklyn Miller styled by Ciana March, photo D Kilfeather How to be a stylist? Meet designers. Meet photographers. Meet hair and makeup artists. Meet directors. Meet editors. Be curious. Be reliable and show up. Assist. Do your research. Create your own work. This is often the work people will remember. You will need to buy a steamer. Think beyond Pinterest. Develop your own approach. Know your worth. Value other people’s time. On my first commercial job I spent the weekend beforehand watching video tutorials on how to use a steamer and how to put a rail together. The lesson being, don’t say no to a job just because you feel out of your depth. You’ll learn more that way. You don’t have to work for free and if you choose to, don’t let people take advantage of your time. Don’t wait for people to come to you. If you want to work with someone, let them know. If you’re lucky, every time you step onto a new set, you make a temporary family for the day and sometimes friends for life. Enjoy it. Ciana March Co-founder at Concrete Collar concretecollar.com Repeat the above and keep going. Nobody just gives you things. But you’re allowed to ask. Be yourself. Have a bad gig. Then more good ones. Ask the other comedians questions. They love that. Record your sets. Listen back. Fix it. Write new jokes all the time. Have a GOD AWFUL gig. Have a pint. Have another. Be yourself and you’ll be grand. Shane Byrne First Runner-Up at So You Think You’re Funny competition at Edinburgh Fringe 2019 @ShaneDanByrne How to start a record label? You don’t have to work for free. It’s important to understand why you want to start a record label. Our main goal starting Pizza Pizza Records was to release records on 12” vinyl. To get the money to press our first record (Wednesday by Just Mustard) we organised a fundraiser showcase in the Spirit Store, Dundalk. We designed t-shirts and stickers to sell and the place was packed – we were in business. The best way to start is to keep things really simple in the beginning and then build it up steadily so that everything is given enough attention. The last thing you want to do as a label is to put out a record, which a band has worked painfully hard on, and not do it justice. It’s like having a pet – you have to love it. Joey Edwards Co-Founder of Pizza Pizza Records (Just Mustard, Larry, Elephants) pizzapizzarecords.bandcamp.com 23