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montymagi Special user Slidell La 752 Posts |
Because my daughter has me wrapped around her little finger I agreed to do a magic show for her 4th grade class for free. I talked to the teacher about six weeks ago and everything was great. About three weeks ago she emails me and asked if her teaching partner's class could join as well. I said o.k. since this is another teacher my daughter has. Today I get an email saying there will be a third 4th grade class and would that be o.k. Grrrr. It would break my daughters heart if I don't do the show but wow I feel taken advantage of. I'm going to go ahead and do the show for the three classes with a smile, although I did ask for a larger working area than a class room. What would you do?
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sibbie Special user East Coast 525 Posts |
I would say do it. If nothing else, like you said, do it for your daughter. If you have something different then your standard show then take the opportunity to maybe sell the principal on a fundraiser or show for the entire school.
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puppeterry Regular user Sanger, CA 114 Posts |
You could start making unreasonable demands--microphone, spotlight, getaway helicopter--since they are making unreasonable demands on you. If I were in your place, I would probably try to do a good show, and think of the real reason you're doing it--daughter.
Of course, my daughter doesn't like to have me do shows for her, because I embarass her, but she's 28--I'm supposed to embarass her! TV Mc Arthur The Librician Fresno County Public Library
TV Mc Arthur
The Librician Fresno (CA) County Public Library "They don't get better.....just faster." |
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Donald Dunphy Inner circle Victoria, BC, Canada 7563 Posts |
Another thing you could do, would be to create a structure on classroom shows vs. assembly shows.
Because I do both types of shows (for a fee), I have different options and different rates. When it is more than 50 kids (2 classes), the group has become an assembly show, even if they insist on packing everyone into a classroom. And I tell them that. I charge a little bit less for classroom shows (usually only one class, but sometimes two), and also some themed assembly shows aren't available for classroom groups. When the group is larger, like for an assembly show, I strongly recommend that I perform in the gym, and not a classroom. - Donald
Donald Dunphy is a Victoria Magician, British Columbia, Canada.
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Stevethomas Inner circle Southern U.S.A. 3728 Posts |
That's why I don't volunteer for things like that, regardless of whom is in the class. By the time they're done inviting, it'll be the whole school, and you're stuck.
Steve |
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Horizon New user 54 Posts |
You could let them know that that would be taking advantage of you and the special offer you made to do a free show for your daughter's class. They may not realize you have performance fees. Tell them they are more than welcome to include as many classes as they'd like, but the free offer can not extend to the whole school, and you'll require appropriate compensation.
Once they realize that adding classes would be exploiting your free offer, they either won't try to add additional classes, or you may be able to reach an agreement with them to compensate for your services. |
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RJE Inner circle 1848 Posts |
Do the show with a smile.
Knock their socks off like you were getting paid a million dollars. Impress the heck out of your daughter's friends and make the little girl even more proud of her dad then she already is. And then ask for a really nice written recommendation from the teacher(s) that you can take and "sell" your school show with to other schools and help build up your clientel. (Just make sure they do not mention in their quote or referral that you perform for free.) In this particular case, the free show may have many different positive results. |
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Brian Lehr Inner circle Edmonton, Canada 1605 Posts |
Quote:
On 2008-12-15 17:37, RJE wrote: Best advice yet! Brian |
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Donald Dunphy Inner circle Victoria, BC, Canada 7563 Posts |
Aside from a testimonial letter, you can also ask for referrals to other schools. Often Teachers know staff at other schools.
- Donald P.S. When you donate a show (in this case, because it's your daughter's class), you can ask for them to keep the special arrangement confidential.
Donald Dunphy is a Victoria Magician, British Columbia, Canada.
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sibbie Special user East Coast 525 Posts |
Quote:
On 2008-12-15 18:15, Donald Dunphy wrote: This is good advice. I was working on a promotional campaign that fell through after I quoted a school a price on a show that I thought was going to be sponsored by a company. The company decided not to sponsor (less learned by me on quoting) but I still honored the price and let the principal know to keep it private as it would not be repeated for other schools. |
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The Awesome One Regular user Gold Coast, Australia 174 Posts |
Do the best show you can do, and know who you are really doing it for. The same thing happened to me at my son's school. I felt I had been taken advantage of a little bit. But it was all worthwhile when I saw the look on his face after the show and all his friends thought the show was fantastic.
Remember to make your daughter the star of the show!
Win if you can, lose if you must, but always cheat.
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montymagi Special user Slidell La 752 Posts |
RJE killer advice! Did not even think of that.
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rossmacrae Inner circle Arlington, Virginia 2475 Posts |
Or, of course, you could say 'no' to one or more of the additional audiences.
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Magicusa Elite user 478 Posts |
Quote:
On 2008-12-15 17:37, RJE wrote: This was great! I can tell you been around. |
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Rodney Palmer Inner circle 1317 Posts |
Spacecop, Speaking with experience as my wife is an Elementary School Teacher, I would Perfom the show but only with the added extra ONE Class. What the teachers are doing is taking advantage of you. What I DO NOT want to see happen is on the day of the show you show up to perform and now there are 200 children waiting to see the show. Teachers have tried to do this to me on several occassions for shows and my Polar Express Reading w/Magic which I am performing now. I always go in and perform for my wife's students and you would not believe how many other teachers want you to come and do it for FREE. I always tell them I only perform for my wife's students. Clearly you are being taken advantage of, do the show and try to keep to your grounds in the future.
Rodney
"Creating Memories That Last A Lifetime"
In order to keep "MAGIC ALIVE" Please become a Mentor to a Young Person. |
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montymagi Special user Slidell La 752 Posts |
Oh don't get me wrong I know I'm being had. I have already decided to do the show to put a smile on my daughters face. I'm going to try out some new routines and such since I'm there. I AM going to get a letter from the teacher thanks to RJE's great advice. I'm not new to magic but I am new to being a step dad, only a couple of years now, so I got a little blindsided. It will be fun. I may offer the teachers in the school a "special discount" if they want a class party for themselves. This way I look like a good guy and still make a point that Hey I normally get paid for this kind of thing! Thanks to everyone for responding. I like when a conversation gets rolling it's like brain storming.
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Danny Hustle Inner circle Boston, MA USA 2393 Posts |
If you are in the US all schools have the kids sign a "media release" form in the beginning of the year. If it's a big show, hey tape it and get some good footage for your reel.
make sure you hand out give away postcards to each and every kid after the show. I hand them out to my helpers on stage during the show and tell the kids in the audience they can have one too after the show and I will autograph them if they wish. This way you are getting some good footage and doing some great advertising in your home town. asking for money or explaining the difference will just make you sound like a stiff at this point (and they knew that and that is why they took a mile when you offered an inch!) but, that's show biz. I say make the best out of it and have fun. Best, Dan- "MT is one of the reasons we started this board! I’m so sick of posts being deleted without any reason given, and by unknown people at that." - Steve Brooks Sep 7, 2001 8:38pm ©1999-2014 Daniel Denney all rights reserved. |
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The Great Smartini Inner circle 2280 Posts |
I give you the following advice from my perspective as a teacher as well as a magician. If you're doing a show at the school I would go all out and do the best show that you possibly can. Limiting the size would be something I wouldn't do as why would you want any kid to miss out? I'm sorry only two classes are allowed which could easily turn a positive into a negative. Are they taking advantage...don't know and don't really need know. More likely that the teachers involved would like their students to have the same fun opportunity. The bottom line is the kids get to enjoy a magic show and your daughter is going to be thrilled to see you perform for her friends. You end up looking like a talented and caring person for not being hung up on how many kids are going to be there.
I did a show at my son/daughter's school a couple of years ago and they paid me my regular fee. I would have done it for free but they insisted. I resolved that by offering to do another smaller show for the afternoon kindergarten class that missed out. It was a real thrill and honour for me to look out and see my son and daughter who's smiles were just beaming. At the end of the show I leave a few minutes for some questions and the last one was "Are you really Hannah and Jonah's dad?" I was proud to say that yes I was and as the classes prepared to leave both Hannah and Jonah came over to me and gave me a big hug! Each of these teachers have friends who are teachers who have friends who are administrators and many have kids of their own at other schools. Word of mouth from this is something that you can't put a price on. After your done knocking their socks off I would send them a nice thank you card thanking them for the honour of being able to perform for their students and of course how well mannered they were. You might also consider buying some nice prizes to give away to your audience helpers or a magic book that you donate to the school library. Do all of this and which school wouldn't want to hire you? Danny Hustle's comments above are also excellent and I would do all of this as well. jeff ps. Danny Hustle...I enjoyed watching your comedy card sword on You Tube. You have a great routine and I enjoyed how you interacted with your audience helper. |
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Danny Hustle Inner circle Boston, MA USA 2393 Posts |
Thanks for the kind words Jeff!
Best, Dan- "MT is one of the reasons we started this board! I’m so sick of posts being deleted without any reason given, and by unknown people at that." - Steve Brooks Sep 7, 2001 8:38pm ©1999-2014 Daniel Denney all rights reserved. |
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montymagi Special user Slidell La 752 Posts |
I love the idea of donating magic books to the library. I will have to hit a book store before Friday. Like I said when I started the post I have already decided to do the show. I to have friends that are teachers and they can't be blamed for wanted to get the most out of me being there. The main reason I don't do a bigger show is I am not equipped for a bigger show at this time. Up to 50 kids should not be a problem. I don't mean this as a zing but part of the idea of the post was to see how people answered. The question was not what should I do, although most people formed their answer that way. The question was what would you do. There was lots of good advice on how to make the most of the situation.
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