FREQUENTLY
ASKED QUESTIONS

Q: How long should my video submission be?
A: Five minutes. Your best five minutes. We don’t need to see the person/host introducing you. Cut to you and your jokes. Speaking of “cut,'“ don’t edit your set. Send us an unedited video of your best five minute set. If your video is over five minutes, please understand that we will only watch up to five minutes. Did we mention it should be five minutes?

Q: Can I submit more than one video?
A: No. Our screeners won’t have time to watch more than one five minute video for each applicant; they haven’t even had time to see episode six of The Bear: Season Two. Remember to send us your best five minutes (see above regarding the importance of five minutes).

Q: What if I don’t have a good video of me doing five minutes of stand-up?
A: Send us your favorite five minutes of Richard Pryor. No, please don’t do that. Instead, take some time to film yourself at any show or open mic. We’re accepting submissions until December 31, 2023.

Q: How should I film my submission tape?
A: Rent out a comedy club, hire extras who are great at laughing, hire Roger Deakins to film your video and Spielberg to direct. Just kidding - use your phone; just make sure we can hear you.

Q: Can I just email someone at The Crow my submission, or can I drop off my video?
A: Please no. Use the form on the website. After all, it’s 2023 and we don’t have the necessary equipment to watch your VHS tape.

Q: Is there a minimum age to submit?
A: We accept submissions from comics of all ages, as long as they’re funny and submitting original material. Please don’t send a video of your seven-year-old telling the banana knock knock joke. If a minor is accepted, they must be accompanied by an adult guardian for the tenure of the festival.

Q: Are you looking for specific genders, ages, or types?
A: We are looking for all who welcome all. As we say in our Mission Statement, we spotlight underrepresented voices and unique perspectives in our programming, but we know any gender, age, or type can represent an underrepresented voice or unique perspective.

Q: Does my material need to be clean?
A: Fuck no. However, please keep in mind that some of our industry members watching and judging the festival are often looking for TV appropriate comedians.

Q: Can my representation submit for me?
A: Duh, yes! Make them earn their percentage. But they still need to use the online form.

Q: When will I know if I’m accepted?
A: We will contact everyone who submitted in January, 2024, whether or not they were accepted.

Q: Will you notify me if I’m not accepted?
A: See above, and stop skipping questions.

Q: Is my submission fee refunded if I’m not accepted?
A: Um… no. That’s not how festivals work, actually. Think of it this way: your submission fee pays for our screeners to watch and judge your video.

Q: Can you waive my fee?
A: In order to be fair to all applicants, we cannot waive anyone’s fees. Besides, nothing in life is free especially when that life involves the potential to perform stand-up comedy in front of top industry executives, agents, managers and bookers. We suggest applying early since the submission fees get higher closer to the submission deadline.

Q: When do I perform?
A: Every accepted comic will perform two five minute sets on two different days, during the evening between April 1, 2024 and April 5, 2024. The top ten college comedians will perform Saturday, April 6, 2024 for our Final Showcase.

Q: How many sets do I get?
A: I said stop skipping questions (see above).

Q: When will the full schedule be announced to the public?
A: Calm down, we just opened submissions, but the plan is to announce the lineup and schedule sometime in February, 2024.

Q: What’s The Crow?
A: The Crow is one of the newest comedy clubs in the Los Angeles area, featured in the LA Times here, here, here, and here. In our short time on the scene we’ve developed a reputation as a club focused on diversity, inclusion and underrepresented voices, while bringing in top names in comedy like Whitney Cummings, Ron Funches, The Sklar Brothers, Finesse Mitchell, Alice Wutterlund, Aparna Nancherla, Brent Weinbach, Fahim Anwar, Robin Tran, Joey Bragg, Dean Delray, Jenny Zigrino, Kira Soltanovich, Adam Conover, Jamie Kennedy, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Jen Kober, Dana Gould and Gold, and more. We’re located in the historic Bergamot Station Arts Center, just off the 10 freeway and at the Bergamot Station Metro stop. The Crow is a safe space for all to laugh, learn, and evolve as humans through comedy, writing and the performing arts. We welcome ALL AGES, ABILITIES, GENDERS, BIPOC, LGBTQIA2S+ humans performing, studying, and/or watching. We believe the art of comedy provides a platform for expression, healing, and social progress. CROW stands for Comedy Reflects Our World, and we achieve this by partnering with our local community to share our passion for the art and using it for good, levity and social progress. We strive for constant growth and evolution. Our duty is to create an environment that allows development for all. Our priority is building and nurturing relationships between seasoned creatives and novice locals. Our passion is helping foster professional growth in the comedy world. Plus, we have free parking.

Q: How do I submit?
A: Sorry, submissions are now closed.