Q. Can I get a press kit?

A. Prior to the event, the best source for information is the Press Here section of the Burning Man website. If this is your first time covering the event, we recommend that you read the Virtual Press Kit, the First Timers' Guide and this FAQ. Read as much of the rest of the site as you can. The Survival Guide is of particular importance. Burning Man will not have printed press kits on site. We're trying to cut down on paper use. Please download the press kit prior to heading out to the event. Media Team staffers are always available to answer any questions after you arrive.

Q. Do members of the press have to buy tickets?

A. The main premise of Burning Man is "Participate." That includes members of the press. Everyone who attends participates and contributes by purchasing a ticket. Visit http://tickets.burningman.com/ to get yours. A receipt for reimbursement by your employer will be included with your ticket.

Q. Do I have to pay the in-and-out fee if I stay in town?

A. We discourage covering the event from the safety of a hotel room. Your experience in Black Rock City will make your story uniquely personal. Besides, the nearest hotel rooms are more than two hours away in Reno. Add to that the in-and-out fee you'll be charged, and traffic lines on the two-lane highway to the event. It's a lot cheaper to camp with all the other participants, and you'll never get the full story unless you do.

Q. Can I attend for one day?

A. Yes. Will you get a good story? Probably not. Will you get an interview with our staff? Nope. You're already going to have to buy a ticket; why not spend a few days? The best writing about Burning Man comes from spending time helping your neighbors build their camps, taking part in spontaneous art, and generally immersing yourself in the experience. If you don't believe us, take a look at some of the coverage we've collected from reporters who've been there and lived to tell. If your editor tells you, "Don't come back without an interview with Larry Harvey," you will want to get out to the desert by at least Wednesday of the event. Show us that you're committed to a story, and we'll do our best to get you the interviews you need.

Q. Will my cell phone work? I have to call my boss.

A.Cell phones don't work at Burning Man - there are no cell towers within range of the playa. Satellite phones will work, so you might consider bringing one if your story truly requires it. We do not provide them. If you absolutely need to phone in a story, but you don't have access to a satellite phone, expect to pay an in-and-out fee and spend at least an hour driving to stand in line to use the pay phone in Gerlach. We will, however, probably have Internet connectivity if you need to file remotely -- bring a laptop -- but we cannot guarantee the connection will be reliable and available when you need it. This is the desert.

Q. Where do I go when I get there?

A. Tell the Greeters that you're with the media and that you're looking for Media Mecca. We're in Center Camp, next to Playa Info and the Artery. We'll check you in, get you a cold drink, get you oriented and then kick you out to find your story. And yes, Media Mecca is always there for you when you need a shady place to take a break when the temperature tops 100 (usually, that's at about 10 a.m.).

Q. What sort of press facilities (i.e. satellite hookup, phone lines, press rooms, etc.) are available on the desert?

A. Think Lawrence of Arabia. Think Dune. Think surface of the moon. The nearest town, Gerlach, is 12 miles away, and we do not encourage commuting on the two-lane highway.

Media Mecca is available from 9 a.m.-ish to 5 p.m.-ish and staffed by volunteers who spend the other 51 weeks of the year working as photographers, journalists, PR flacks, documentarians, rock stars, Web designers, IT managers and anthropologists. Check in early and often. We're there to help get you oriented, situated and motivated to get out and get your story.

Media Mecca is a place to find out what's going on, file a story, recharge your camera batteries and meet up with artists and organizers. And, like the majority of our national parks, it's for day use only. If you're looking for a place to camp and don't know anyone else, we can probably find someone for you to hook up with. We know plenty of people who will leave a light on for you, and some members of the media choose to camp together.

These are harsh conditions. Electricity to charge your gear is available, but we cannot guarantee we won't suffer outages, and the safety of your sensitive equipment remains your own responsibility. Please consider bringing your own generator or inverters for charging computers and camera batteries. If you are bringing a satellite truck and/or have other special electrical needs, let us know ahead of time and we'll see what we can do.

Internet connectivity for uploading your story will sometimes be available, but -- and this is important -- we cannot guarantee it will be up and running right when you need it. The network is provided by participants and is subject to outages and other weirdness -- it is, after all, an improbable wireless cloud in the middle of a barren desert. Media Mecca is a 100% "Whining About the Internet"-free zone. We don't provide it, we can't guarantee it, and we just can't do anything about it if it goes down right when you're filing on deadline, so yelling won't help. While it is usually trouble-free, it does burp from time to time. We ask you to please be patient and plan accordingly, and warn your editor that the connection is spotty.

To sum up: there's no cell phone coverage, but satellite phones do work, if you bring one. The wireless cloud over Center Camp is usually up, but not always. The nearest pay phone is in Gerlach.

Q. Do I need credentials to film or photograph onsite?

A. Your traditional press credentials will not grant you access to Burning Man. You will need to register with us to request written permission to photograph, film, or videotape.

Registering before the event gives us a chance to find out what you're interested in and help you hook up with the people you want ahead of time, and when you're onsite. We're not here to tell you what to write.

Burning Man doesn't have an official photographer to record the event. We ask photographers and videographers to share with us copies of their work. We add all contributions to our historical archive. Images and video from Burning Man are periodically used to produce art shows, shown at San Francisco-based Flambé Lounge events, posted on the web site, and used in the newsletter. This is our way of asking you to share your work with the community that made it possible.

We frequently get requests from publications and television shows for pictures and footage. We refer requests directly to photographers and videographers who have submitted imagery to us. They are then free to negotiate usage fees as they see fit. We made more than 40 such referrals in 2007. We will not share your images for any use without contacting you.

The fine print on the ticket reads, "The commercial use of photographs, video, film or any other medium taken at Burning Man is prohibited without permission of Burning Man." Use of the ticket constitutes acceptance of these terms. "Burning Man" and "Black Rock City" (as well as "Decompression") are protected trademarks of the Burning Man Project, and their commercial use requires specific written permission. Commercial video and film crews will be asked to sign a site-usage agreement, which includes the stipulation that 10 percent of your proceeds will be given to Burning Man should you obtain the organization's permission to sell your footage commercially. News crews with non-commercial intent, and previous permission from Burning Man, are exempted so long as their footage is ued within two weeks of the event; all other uses require additional permission. All others will be asked to comply.

In addition, commercial projects are asked to include the Burning Man website address and hotline phone number in their credits: www.burningman.com and 415-TO-FLAME.

Q. I want to interview Larry Harvey. Who do I talk to?

A. Interviews with Larry Harvey are available only in limited cases -- our staff are very busy during the event, and we try to prevent them spending time answering the same questions over and over again each year. If you're not on site by Wednesday, your chances of an interview are extremely slim. Because we limit the number of interviews we grant, we have begun conducting a Media Panel, with Larry Harvey and other members of our seniormost staff, for select members of the press. Ask your friendly Media Ho about this option.

If you're planning on writing a story that runs before the event, email us at press or call us at 415-TO-FLAME. Many organizers head to the desert several weeks before the event and we need to schedule interviews accordingly.

Q. How can I keep updated on the latest news regarding Burning Man?

A. Subscribe to the "Jack Rabbit Speaks" email list by sending an email with the word "subscribe" in the body of the message to: bman-announce-subscribe. It is the most important way to keep up with information about this year's event. You should also spend as much time as possible exploring the many pages of the Burning Man website.

Q. Will there be a schedule of events?

A. Yes. A list of events will be included in the Playa Calendar and on the website. Burning Man doesn't organize the events and happenings – they're all participant-driven. Artists and performers will post their events before heading out to the desert, and you'll receive an events program, the "What Where When", when you arrive on site. Be aware, though, that there are as many unscheduled, spontaneous events as there are people in Black Rock City.

Q. Any idea on the international makeup of those attending?

A. We typically have participants from all 50 states and just about every corner of the planet. The majority of participants hail from California and Nevada, but we're seeing growing international participation from Canada, Europe and Asia. We haven't systematically recorded demographics, but the trend toward international participation has been growing each year. Our Regional Network now reaches over 100 locations around the world, including five continents and ten countries in addition to 44 of the 50 states.

Q. What is the essence of the event? What makes it all work?

A. The best answer to this question is "come and figure it out yourself." Personal experience is essential to the nature of the event.

Burning Man is about coming together in a beautiful yet unforgiving environment to celebrate radical self-expression. It offers a fully participatory creative experience. Burning Man works because of the strong sense of community, inclusion and personal freedom that each Black Rock City citizen practices. It's a unique mix rarely found in modern society. It also works thanks to the widespread participation of those who volunteer to help plan, develop, and maintain the infrastructure of this city in the desert.

Q. I'm getting the whole "Participate" concept. Does this mean that, as a member of the media, I'm likely to experience some resistance?

A. This will generally happen only if you disrespect other participants. Burning Man advocates a simple ethic: "Don't interfere with anyone's immediate experience." Over the years, we have begun tagging media cameras. The camera tagging provides participants with a reassurance that the media have checked in with the Media Mecca and have been briefed on what's expected of them when photographing or filming other participants.

In 1997 several members of the media abused their privileges. Some participants complained. Others took matters into their own hands. In 1998, when we began tagging media still and video cameras, complaints dropped to almost zero.

Please ask permission for photographs whenever possible and carry your own model releases. All participants appreciate this courtesy, and most of them are happy to consent. You will be forever canonized if you are able to share your email address or phone info with those who would like a copy of their image or a picture of their artwork. Many delightfully-costumed individuals spend so much time getting ready that they forget to snap a photo of their ensemble. Your documentation of the event is important to the archive and to everyone in BRC. In order to use images commercially, you will want to acquire written releases from your subjects' whenever possible.

You will enhance your interaction with others if you think about how you can participate and offer something to the community. Bring a costume, funny hat, or body paint. Become your alter ego, or spoof the media itself. Bring something fun to give away (non-commercial, of course). A bag of treats to share goes a long way. Better yet, make something with your own hands, or lend someone a hand with a project. Personalize your interactions with people. They will be more willing to speak with you and will tell their story more readily if you make the effort to connect with them first.

Join a theme camp or village. Volunteer. Perform. Cook dinner for your neighbors. Build art. If you're interested in helping, the Media Mecca team can put you in touch with the right people. Bottom line: Express yourself in your uniquely personal way. You'll meet extremely interesting people and you'll feel more like a part of the community and less like an outsider.

Q. Who can help me with questions regarding logistics before the event?

A. Call the press hotline and leave a message with your request. The number is 415-TO-FLAME, or contact us via email at press (at) burningman (dot) com.

Press Here