A lot of people here don't do free shows at all.

I was wondering how many free shows people do per year and how they choose the free shows they do.


This could be for charity, for friends, for regular clients as a bonus....

HI Nicholas,

I do a volunteer show every week at a hospital. I do miss a few days during the year,so maybe about 45 a year there. I will also do 3 free orphanage shows every Christmas. These shows are all my own volunteering. I've declined some charity shows recently due to being too busy taking care of other things.

All the best, JoJo

JoJo - WOW! My hat is off to you! That is some great work you are doing!

I never do charity shows for people who ask for them. I only do them to those I WISH to support.

I do about 3 per month and they are usually either fundraisers or shows for old people's homes (which I LOVE)

Never do free shows "because people will see you and hire you." They won't - they have already seen your show ... why pay to see it again?

Do them for causes you personally support, with no thought of any benefit.

I don't do free shows at all.

Maybe, I would do a free show if there was some publicity in it.

But charities - no- I used to do a few free shows but I just hated performing for free alongside the guy getting $800.

For charities- I'm the draw card- so I should be paid.

The only free shows I do now are shows infront of potential customers like show cases infront of agents & event managers.

Although I am partial to the video camera- if they have a set up where some filming could be done- for my promo pack- then I would either lower my price or do it for free - with the rule that I would get an unedited copy of the show.

I do need some new performance video so the cost is usually higher than a free show.

I think if your own doing it for publicity then your not doing it for free, you're getting paid in publicity. (Of course, "publicity" is a cheque that usually bounces!)

I really don't care who is getting paid and who is not. If I offer my services to a charity for free (i.e. I am not asked) then its something I am doing and has nothing to do with anyone else.

I understand if the organisation says "we can't afford to pay you" but CAN afford to pay everyone else but if it is a true act of charity on your part, it should not matter who else is getting paid or why. Its like saying "I'm not going to donate my kidney here when people overseas are getting good money for them!"

I have a pretty severe response to this thread... How many of us are in the business of magic... how many are in it as a hobby... how many believe it is a true art form.... the lines guys I think blur sometimes.

In my travels I don't hestiate to perform for the right group for free as it always gets me a new paying show or two. My town is about 300,000 people so there is lots that haven't seen me. I also love the art and look for lots of ways to perform (and inevitably use the chance to try out a new idea or effect).

I recently had a wonderful experience elevating the art and myself in the community. I was able to perform at the one and only local art museum.. I did my show under the lights on the gallery floor in front of the paintings. My response was great my crowd was larger than they have for their lectures and I believe I not only elevated my status (and my resume) in the community but also this variety art we call magic. Intangibly it did great things.

I think the best way to advertise is to audtion your show. My show is interactive to the max almost and so if someone happens to see it and I get hired by that someone they either vicariously enjoy the interaction of others or maybe theirselves again in the act. I think our shows should be good enough to be seen more than one time. I certainly have more material to go a few different ways.

I guess this response is really in the wrong spot as you guys are looking solely for business. As for me I enjoy "auditioning" for my next paid act then spending so much money finding it. But then again I am more an idealist to be involved in this wonderful art we call Magic

A bit of rebuttal here for your interest... I hope it meets with your objective analysis.


Marty Shapiro
now a new but better than ever street performer ironically!!!

Every time a charity approaches me for a free show and uses the phrase "it will be great publicity and a lot of people there own businesses that will hire you." My price suddenly doubles.

There is one charity who's local chairman is on salary of $1,000,000.000 a year, yes that's One Million Dollars a year. It is in the public records. When they asked me for a show my price went to $5000.

But, there is one organization that I will do anything for any time they ask and that is the Make A Wish Foundation. I have done three events for them this year and will never charge them a cent. The kids they work with are all terminal and it takes a real special person to work with that every day like those people do.

Peter

I perform, usually on request, for the Make-A-Wish Foundation and two local children's hospitals. Other than that, I politely refuse. I used to offer a discounted fee to most of the true charities who call...and I have yet to have one accept. Now, I ask for a detailed written description of the benefit, including what part they want me to play, to be submitted at least 45 days before the event. I explain that I consider all written requests and choose one each benefit month to support. I have yet to have a charity submit said written request. Takes the burden off of me and places it where it belongs.

Skip

I work similar to Skip. I have chosen my charities that my wife and I perform for each year and we stick with them. This way I am not constantly called for free work every hour of every day. I am able to give back to these charities and help them without feeling overburdened with charity calls.

When others charities do call, I just politely tell them my policy and that it is nothing personal at all, but that I already have my charities set for the year.

I do, however, offer them to contact our SAM chairman for Magic Week. This is a way they can still get some magical entertainment that meets there needs and I feel I am still offering some help to them.

Kyle

The best way to handle charity shows is to seperate them COMPLETELY from your business.

Don't do them for publicity (you'll get publicity that says "Hey I work for free"
Don't do them for a reduced fee (you get paid peanuts, you get treated like an elephant)

Do them as a private citizen for nothing more then the warm fuzzy feeling it gives you inside.

In other words, doing "charity shows" should have nothing to do with elevating your art, or getting business, or to make money or to practice. Doing Charity work of any kind should be unconditional.

If I think a show will help a cause I believe in, I am happy to perform for free, however, I never refer to them as a "Free Show." I always value them and donate the value to the charity. For example, this year I did a fund-raiser for Kiwanas. I performed walk around for 2-hours and offered a party show for them to auction. I valued both shows at full price and received donation receipts for both. I also make sure that I am announced as donating show worth X amount. That way, if people like what they see and want to hire me, they know that I am in business and expect to be paid for non-charitable shows. It actually works out very well. By knowing the value of the show, the people feel they are getting something special as opposed to "helping out a beginner." It is also great publicity for me because it presents me as a businessman who is worth working with.

Thanks,
Richard

Generally all you ever get out of free shows are more free shows, I have said this before and it holds true. With that being said, I still do some "free shows", but I have learned how to get something out of them in return so I am not going away empty handed. I have alligned myself with the large radio stations in the area. When they are doing a large fund raiser for MDA, or any of the other charities that they hold events for they come to me for entertainment. I now put together an event where I am performing a stunt type of show, this is a one night one time event. I then get them to pay for the materials for me to bulid this effect or buy it outright. I use a big escape stunt usually and it draws in a lot of people and I get to walk away with a new effect. So it works out good for everyone, they get there "free show" and I get great publicity and a new effect for free. Plus, the station allows me to come on whenever I want to promote my upcoming shows in the area. So, if you work it the right way you can go home with something of value and still have helped out in your community.

Paid Shows: Shows you do for money
Barter Shows: Shows were you exchange you services for something other then money
Charity Shows: Show you do for a charity and to help out for no payment.

Doing shows for a charity, because it's a cause you believe in and want to help out...that's fine and well.

Doing these types of shows for publicity and exposure in hopes of getting bookings is somewhat a far-fetched idea. Too many times they just get you recognition from other charities that are interested in using your services.

Will I do a show for charity...yes! If it's something I believe in and have a "feeling" that it's something I should do. But I do make sure that everyone else is donating their time and services to. I don't want to be next to the guy that's getting $800 to be there while I'm left there just feeling good.

You also get into the problems of what it's going to cost you to do the program for free. If you're a busy performer and you give up a Saturday for a charity, you're not only giving away a free show, you're losing hundreds (thousands(?)) of dollars in shows you COULD HAVE been doing.

I guess my point is, if you're going to do a show for free, don't expect anything from it. If you do, you'll be disappointed. Also, weigh your options. Do you want to feel good about helping out, or do you want to make some money? It feels good to help out a charity, but it's hard to eat a good feeling (that's "feeling" not "filling"...no Twinkie jokes please).

Jeff makes a good point about charities and Saturdays. Personally as a professional I will only take paid work for weekends, charity or not. I will offer a charity some of my free time during the week but I've got to live too. It's amazing how many charities won't take you up on that offer.

Nigel

My situation is different than most, I guess. I ONLY do free shows. I refuse to accept any money. Period.

I used to do shows for money in high school and college. But when I graduated and started a new career, I no longer needed the money. So I decided to only do shows for nursing/retirement homes and hospitals. And I've been doing it for years.

For me it's great. I do magic purely for fun and get to meet a lot of neat people. And because I only do charity shows, my tax attorney lets me write off all the money I put into magic as a donation.

Some of you might think I'm undercutting the livelihood of other magicians, but trust me, the places I go to cannot afford to pay. I don't perform at the classy joints.

Jeff said it. If you make your living perfoming & do a free show, you may lose out on a big booking.

I instead offer a small discount to the charity event & even give some free bonus time.

I have had to turn down charities for a free show long in advance. I have offered the free show with the ability of pulling out if a paid show surfaces. I have even offered to perform at the last minute if a paid show does not come my way. They have turned me down on both offers.

I am actually shocked nobody has touched on this yet. Never do a free show. ALWAYS charge a fee, your standard fee. Then donate that fee to the charity. This is the only way it will work as a tax deductable event. We are in business.

This way the people involved KNOW what exactly you are worth. You can tell them you are donating the check but make darn sure they know you are donating a fee and not giving them a show. The difference is colossil! Because when someone asks what the show cost, the organizer can honestly quote a price, and if you don't think these things happen you need to be at this a little longer. Then people have a percieved value of your show.

I am not a big fan of barter situations at all. These are tough for performers because the percetion is we arrive and do the show. No real cost of goods to speak of. Charge fees and all this stuff is avoided. Heck you can donate ALL your fees if you want to, but charge them.

Just an idea.

Danny,

I like that idea a lot!

Will definately use that in the future should the need arise!

Thanks,


Lyndel