... or how to increase your perceived value as a magician.

I managed to catch a couple of magicians at my county fair. It was interesting to see the "pecking order" as it pertains to magicians.

This may not be the case at all county fairs but it was at the one I went to (some county fairs don't even have magicians). This raised what I think are some very interesting questions.

The magician who was apparently at the top of the "pecking order" was the one who performed in an enclosed area--a pole barn (OK, admittedly, this wasn't Vegas). This was important though because, on the day I happened to be attending, it was rather drizzly (naturally, the previous day on which I decided NOT to go was raining in the morning and bright and sunny in the afternoon). The magician in the pole barn also had folding chairs for his audience to sit, lighting, etc.. There were signs outside the barn advertising his performance. I believe they also announced it on loudspeakers.

Contrast this with the other two magicians. They performed outdoors on the open air stage--a much smaller stage with a smaller audience. The audience sat on bleachers. It was drizzling, but the magicians performed anyway.

Why did magician number one have cushier performing conditions? Several reasons. Number one was that he had an assistant--his wife. Fair organizers are not stupid; they know that a two-person act requires and deserves more compensation and "perks" than a one-person act. After all, there are two mouths to feed. Number two was that the magician had illusions such as the zigzag. This increased the perceived value of his act.

So my question is, how can you increase the perceived value of your act? Obviously, having an assistant and illusions is one way, but that is not practical for all of us. Some of us may be unmarried or have wives who work at their own jobs.

I was thinking and came up with a couple of other possibilities.

One way is by having animals in your act, such as by doing dove work. Again, this is not practical for all of us, such as those of us who live in small apartments.

Another way is having a more elaborate show with your own sound system and music, (although this would also describe an illusion or dove act, I should think).

My guess is that another way would be by doing an escape act with some element of danger. Again not an option for all of us.

The fourth way I can think of is by doing some type of hypnosis or mentalism act. Why would this increase your perceived value? Because I think it is somewhat more unusual than the standard typical magic act.

Of course, another way would be to have some kind of established "name" in your performance area. This naturally increases the performer's perceived value. The drawback with this, of course, is it could take quite some time to achieve this, if ever.

What do you guys think? Am I totally off base with this? Or can you think of other ways that you could seriously increase your perceived value as a magical performer at this type of event?

How to increase your percieved value? Publicity. Get your name in all the local newspapers, and on local radio stations. Stand out from the crowd, so they want to see and interview YOU! If people are familiar with your name, that in itself will add value to your act.

Also, having credibility will add more value to your act. If you have signed letters of recommendation from some big name companies, that will also make your act sound better. A county fair is gonig to be thinking "If Walgreens loved his show, then our audience will definitely love it!".

Just some thoughts...

Best.
Steve

It's not WHAT you do; it's HOW you do it.

Steve is on the right track, but it isn't so much publicity that increases your shows perceived value as the quality of entertainment and excitement your show provides. I don't believe that "perceived value" is magically increased with the addition of illusions, assistants, animals, stage decor or any other extraneous paraphernalia. A skilled and entertaining street performer will draw a more enthusiastic and appreciative crowd with a table, a rope and a set of cups than a mediocre illusionist with a stage filled with poorly presented hardware.

If you have a great show with sound promotion, people will talk. Word will spread. Believe me when I say that Fair and Festival planners talk among themselves about exhibits, operators and entertainers. If you draw large crowds that leave your show shouting your praises, you'll find yourself in great demand. If you promise a killer top-dollar show and provide a lackluster one...kiss that region's fairs and festivals goodbye.

As to the pecking order dictating the performance locations: I suspect that the illusionist's contract dictated the covered stage terms...I know mine would if I had tens of thousands of dollars tied up in stage, sound & light gear.

The cream will always rise to the top. If you have an unforgetable show this year you will be the headliner next year. The best performers are not always the ones with the most stuff, they are the ones with the most talent.

I realize that "trickey business" is where all the Monday morning quaterbacks hang out, so If you win the game this week you will be in the starting line up next weeks.

"Pecking order" ... maybe. Or maybe the difference lies in how the performers sold themselves to the fair. I know magi who would prefer outdoor fair locations because of the "street magic" "work hard to draw a crowd" associations such a venue has. I've seen others, working indoors, who are barely-competent contract slaves of a production company that packaged a complete show (complete with generic interchangeable "we only guarantee that he knows the lines" magician) to theme parks.

So the circumstances you don't perceive may greatly affect the issue.

On one level I like your answer. The only problem is that magician #1 did NOT necessarily have the most entertaining act. I saw the other performers and they were quite entertaining too. But #1 was apparently perceived to have the bigger act; therefore he got the better show arrangements.

There is a pecking order. The quickest way to spot it is audience and facilities.


There are also misconceptions that go with it. As a former booking agent, the first misconception I had to deal with is who gets paid what? In the long run that is determined by audience and draw. Talent is not an objective measure.

There are some good guide lines to help determine who is getting how much.

1. Audience: quality, not size, is the biggie here. The spending audience gets better paid acts than pure spectators. Another way to spot this is by the audience comforts provided! The lowest level audiences stand. The top level audiences have reserved seats. (Yes, even at the biggest rock concerts!)

2. Time of show: Again audience related timing for the show. Where's the money?

3. Cast size: (Volunteers don't count!) The cast must actually perform and not be just stagehands. (In some acts the assistant does not count as cast.) The strange quirk here is that animals do count! Yes a live rabbit is more status than a stagehand. (My old rule of thumb is that each animal is worth about $200 in additional booking fees with a six animal limit. $1200)

4. Costumes: Real custom costumes or real formal dress counts. Street wear, won't change the tab to professional entertainment buyers. (Colors and hats don't count.)

5. Music: Live is better than recorded. Recorded is better than none. (In my two-hour theater shows even using recorded music with a live drummer is good for much more money. So I do that when I can. It is prohibited by the unions in some places and live TV.)

6. Stage sets: Usually a good investment to increase fees. But they can be actual liabilities in low budget shows. Know the venue!

7. Participation in pre-show advertising and publicity. (Golden, if you know how to and can get it.)

8. How the act was contracted: Good agents earn their keep. Often professional talent buyers trust the agent's decisions better than their own for some areas of talent. A common problem of acts without agents is that they don't show up or show up with no benefit to the talent buyer. (Too late, unprepared, unable to deliver what was bought. A talent buyer is buying solutions and not problems. Unrepresented acts lack the accountability some agents give professional talent buyers. It certainly changes the pecking order.)

These don't cover it all but they do hit the high spots. It affects the entertainment expenditures and show conditions. The pecking order to the talent buyer is often determined by the significance of the problem solved. They are willing to pay more for certainty than uncertainty. This is a key reason for having a real act! Talent buyers like known commodities.

Save the "experiments" for magic club meetings.

Bob Sanders
Magic By Sander

MagicalArtist -

As a frequent fair performer, I cannot disagree with you more.

It has NOTHING to do with the size of the show - and ALMOST 100% on how the show was SOLD to the fair. Having a great show of any type of course is the obvious no brainer that is needed before we can get into who-sold-who-what.

I think it is a pretty safe bet that following the current trend (and they do change from time to time) right now we are in a pretty heavy Hypno-Show based market. There are some VERY talented hyp guys out there doing HUGE fair shows with no more than themselves, a mic, and a dozen chairs on stage. It's currently "en vogue." Those few talented guys are helping feed a lot of other not-so-talented guys as well by selling the fairs on the idea. It's very fair to say that those few hyp guys are amongst the highest paid fair/festival entertainers currently on the road. Why? They created the trend and SOLD themselves! Thousands of dollars per show - no more production, props, etc... than a mic, a PA, a dozen chairs on stage, and their ACT!

(And for the record, I am not trying to hype hyp-shows - I don't do one - nor do I particularly care for them, but I am very familiar with the fair/festival industry, and this is what I see everyday).

Using your train of thought, Mac King in Vegas wouldn't be the headliner he is. I mean, he does a little show out of a suitcase with no "production value" (well- that has changed a little in the last two years but certainly no glitz compared to any other Vegas show) yet he scores MAJOR with both audience, and the property he packs 'em in to alike.

Keith

Keith, You are correct about MacKing. As a performer he appeals to everyone with each effect that he performs, which is not the case with most other magicians in Las Vegas who have a limited number of signature effects that they perform and are impressive to a percentage of their audience.

Keith is right.

You need to sell them your show. Convince why you need such a venue, inside, what you need ect. If they are paying you good money they will want to give you everything you need to get there monies worth.

Its not so hard for me as the fairs as such I work are usually through agents who know what I need and they deal with all that for me. Then the next year its automatically there for me next year.

If you know what you want, try and get it. If you can't don't try and manage.

M:C

How to increase your perceived value?

The answer to this question, at it's base, it's most simplest form...

Charge more.

-Robert

CHARGE MORE
Now there is an answer I can sink my teeth into.

Another answer I like!!! LOL

Heres an good example to illustrate how this may have actually went down.

They contacted performer #1, after getting his/her card at a resturant. asked how much for a show, performer told them how much (which may have been way too little, but he wanted to make sure he got the gig or didn't feel right charging too much. Perfromer showed up to do the show - on the little stage, in the rain.


Now, performer #2 contacted the fair. Sent out a great promo kit, followed up. And then negotiated to get the better stage and probably got the fee he/she deserves... which might be 3 or 4 times more than performer #1! He also had in his contract what he wants printed in all of the promo material for the fair. (For perfromer #1 the fair booklet and advertising said "magic show at 1:15 on the kids stage!"). (The info printed about #2 says "3:30 see the spectacular magic extraviganza of JOE THE MAGICIAN , blah blah blah...."). Oh, and theres a photo of him with his web site on all of the promotional material.

Performer #2 negotiated, did not sell himself short, and took control of what he/she wanted (ie. what the programs should say, price, stage, etc...)


well, that's how I see it at least.

scott

Or D all of the above!

The pecking order question is more prevalent in smaller communities but exists in all the fair/festivals I've ever worked (and I've done more than the average bear.) Bob is dead on when it comes to audience draw. I have one fair annually that several Top names from our area have tried to get into, but the audience demands me for the event. ('Nuf said I can name my price for that one.)
Fair organizers make it their business to know what their audience will like. If you hit the mark you will get the top spot.
The other thing is that you get one chance! If you blow it you will not be back at the top again. I have seen great entertainers lose really good gigs because they were jerks backstage or they where very high maintenance. Bob has seen me in action backstage and I don't take Jerks well. None of the fair organizers I know elsewhere put up with junk. They expect you to be professional and be as one organizer puts it in her contract "a Stuart of the organization to all of the public, workers, Volunteers and other performers"
That's how you get to the top of the pecking order.
Mike
President IBM ring 50
Chairman Magi-whirl 2008
Ceo Michael Taggert Magic stuidios LTD