For public relations people, TIFF is the busiest time of the year. You would be hard-pressed to find a PR person who dares to leave the city on Labour Day weekend – there is simply too much work that needs to be done, things to organize in advance (including dry cleaning and outfit choices) and sleep to be had in anticipation of the sleepless nights. Throughout TIFF, public relations people are seen taking celebrities through gifting suites, securing their celebrity clients’ interviews on the red carpet and access to parties, and promoting various films and parties. Being in PR during the festival definitely has its perks (like access to exclusive clubs and parties and control over guest list), but it isn’t as always as glamourous as you would think. We had a chance to talk with Debra Goldblatt-Sadowski, the founder of rock-it promotions, whose team of fashionable PR girls can be seen at the Tastemakers Gifting Suite escorting their celebrity clients to the city’s most coveted events and making sure all runs smoothly at festival it spot, the newly opened Soho House.
Why is TIFF one of the busiest times of the year for a lifestyle PR agency, and rock-it in particular?
Due to the size of the festival, there are more business opportunities during TIFF than any other time of year. We represent distributors, personal publicity for actors and directors, host a gifting lounge, handle red carpets and multiple events, etc. Not all firms have the contacts and knowledge that I have of the festival (this is my 15th year), so we tend to be busier than most.
It all seems very glamourous to an outsider. Can you describe some of the behind-the-scenes, nitty gritty “dirty work”?
I think people would be surprised to know the amount of prep that goes into the work we do about a month prior. The important part for us is to ensure our regular clients are receiving the same standard of care that they are used to year-round, which means we work late hours the weeks leading up to TIFF. And during TIFF proper, we don’t see our family or friends for a week or more. Working PR for TIFF isn’t for the weak. It’s an incredible experience, but it takes stamina, incredible organizational skills and a really positive attitude. Sometimes a smile and a thank you goes a long way when people are stressed out and exhausted.
What projects do you have on the go for TIFF? How do you use the festival in a way to highlight your clients, both products and people?
This year we’re representing nine film titles, including opening night, Festival Music House, TIFF’s Rising Stars program, Soho House, Tastemakers Lounge, Drake Hotel and more. Some clients of ours are featured in Tastemakers, such as Indeed Laboratories and popchips, but many sponsors come to us through our PR friends. We’re on the lookout for good cross-promotional opportunities for our clients year-round, so this is no different than any other time.
How do you celebrate the end of the festival?
Spend time with my family. Sleep. There’s very little time, usually a couple days, to recoup, so the weeks following TIFF are pretty low-key. We start Fashion Week immediately after.
What are your TIFF survival tips?
Don’t drink alcohol. Eat small meals all day (even a handful of almonds or an apple will keep you going for a couple hours). Have an extra BlackBerry/iPhone charger at all times, as well as mints or gum, Advil, water, vitamins, Tums, Bandaids, a list of important telephone numbers (colleagues, restaurants, hotels, airport, etc.) and a change of light, very comfortable shoes in your bag. This is about function over fashion. You should look put together and professional in this industry – always – but this is not a fashion show. You’re behind the scenes. And never look better than the talent you represent. This is their time to shine.
As a 15-year TIFF PR vet, Goldblatt-Sadowski has learned from the years of experience that has made rock-it a go-to agency for anything lifestyle and entertainment-related. TIFF provides the ultimate opportunity to showcase clients (both products and people) to an international audience of influencers and, if you are not quick, strategic and willing to take advantage of any opportunity that may present itself, someone else will be.