I'm just curious how everyone handles the finances associated with last minute bookings? I just got a call to do a show locally on Saturday night. I sent off a performance agreement via e-mail and asked the client to respond via e-mail with their agreement or lack thereof. Given the last minute nature of the booking I did not ask for a deposit. My performance agreement does specify that I am to be paid in full prior to the show, but I usually wait until after the show to get paid anyway. Typically, when I get a booking like this I just wait to get paid after the performance. I've never had a problem handling it this way, but was wondering how others handle this.

Tony

I do it just the same as you, but if I didn't have a deposit, I'd ask to be paid the entire amount on arrival. Sometimes after a show it is difficult to hunt down the person who pays you. The last thing I want to be doing at one it the morning, when I'm ready to go home is chase down the person with the check. One time I showed up at a wedding reception, did my close-up gig and went to get paid. Only to find out that a different magician showed up did a couple of tricks and left with my money. It was ugly. It seems a little awkward at times, asking for the check up front, but it can save a lot of hassle.

-- Ace

I think you guys hit the nail on the head - GET THE MONEY UP FRONT. And it doesn't have to be awkward if you state it simply up front, just as you have here. As long as everyone knowS the conditions up front, there's no problem.

Ace, any idea how the other magician knew to show up and aks for your money?

Ever try getting money from someone who was a little intoxicated after a party?

Or how about those times when they don't have the check. There are always reasons, like the board didn't meet that week so couldn't approve the money, or the contact person was out of town and "forgot alla bout it." I once had a rich car dealer tell me he was driving to the event in a convertable and the check flew out of the car!

But I use those times to my advantage. People are asking for your understanding and are getting some leeway, so I hit 'em up for a letter of recommendation to send along with the check!

In those situations

I ask them to place the cash or cheque in an envelope and give it to the venue manager or event manager to give to me after my performance.

I like to be paid after I do something--I'm strange in that way

I havn't had a problem doing this and the client likes the idea.

it allows them to sit back and relax a little bit.

Excellent idea. I'm going to file that one away.

Quite a clever lad, that magician.

He was doing magic at the same nightclub I was, on alternating nights. The client came in on my night off to request a particular illusion. This other magician was totally unscrupulous, so he found out all the information about the gig. He called me up and told me that the guy had come in and canceled.

I wasn't about to just walk away, so I called up the client and talked to the wife and she said that it certainly wasn't canceled, so I showed up and did my stuff. The %$#@! showed up early and told the guy I wasn't going to show and that he was my replacement. On top of it, he said he'd only charge half of my fee.

It was walk around stuff and there was such a large crowd I didn't even see him there (who knows if he even performed). I didn't know what had happened until the client saw me at the end of the evening. The jerk had already performed his 20 minutes and took off with my check. The client refused to pay me and it was a real mess.

I later found out that the same guy stole some of my business cards and whenever he screwed something up he was handing them out saying he was "Ace Starry." I discovered this when I was performing for a table and the women there said that I was "so much better than that other guy." They asked me my name and I told them, "Ace Starry." They said, "no you're not. That was the other guy's name, see he gave us his business card." Then they pulled out my card.

I was so mad, I couldn't see straight. I got him fired from the club, threatened to sue him and I eventually straightened him out with a little man to man talk.

Those were the days before I worked only with signed contracts with half down, the rest on arrival.

-- Ace

Ace, that is totally horrible. And it is a good story to show the importance of contracts and getting paid beforehand and such. We sometimes tend to be too trustworthy, even of people we know who can sometimes screw us over (it happended to me)

Ace,
Sorry to hear about that horrible experience. I don't know how some people live with themselves. Fortunately, most people don't have it in them to do this kind of thing to others. I'm glad you got it all straightened out.

Tony

Ace,
Sorry to hear about that horrible experience. I don't know how some people live with themselves. Fortunately, most people don't have it in them to do this kind of thing to others. I'm glad you got it all straightened out.

Tony

WOW! What a story!

If only he would use his powers for good.