Hi Everyone,

I have a problem. I have done 6 hypno shows so far, and every single time there was liquor and everyone there was over the age of majority. I know many people have different opinions, and I am here to seek your expert advice once again. I have been offered a show through a 3rd party (agent) and I can tell you that he is definitely not being on the level with me about how much he sold the show for, who will be there, etc.

Anyways, it's obviously my fault for not being meticulous with the paperwork, but I effing hate paperwork and the bs that surrounds it. A few days ago, he tells me casually that there might be children at the show. Wtf? I told him that I would do a magic / mentalism show instead but I wouldn't do my video subliminals. He got ****ed and insisted that I perform hypnosis for a mixed group of adults and children. There, I've used the word hypnosis and children in the same sentence.

I am not under contract for this event due to the "contract" having the wrong date on it (Thank the Lord). I told the agent that he should call the client and sell them a magic show instead and not a hypno show if there are going to be kids. The agent has been trying to trick me into thinking there "might not be any kids", but he and I both know the truth at this point. I know when I'm being conned. Now his official line is "I've sent this or that hypnotist and he did it with kids present, blah blah blah".

I have NEVER done a hypnosis show when there were children in the same room. I can get out of this job, but I really want the cash and so I would like to do a magic show instead. The agent is set in his tracks and won't risk losing face with the client. Who knows what was really promised. He won't let me see the real contract with the real price at which my show was sold. I usually don't care that much about money, I just like to perform. I just wanted to point out that there are all sorts of problems and inconsistencies with this deal.

My question is this: Since I have never done a hypno show with kids in the audience, am I about to start doing that? In my head it's wrong for many reasons.

I am not making a full time living doing this, it's been mostly for fun and for exploring. I'm sick of being bought and sold by agents who have a written deal in place with me to begin with, but wilfully find ways to ignore our agreements. It's guaranteed that if I bail on this event, I will not get any more work from this agent.

I am being called difficult, arrogant and all sorts of slander by this agent who feels it's his right to sell my show how and when he pleases. I want to be a professional. This is not professional! Help!

- SeVryn

I don't know your whole situation, but my 2c is this. You don't want any more work from this agent. You can't trust him to be open with you or to represent your interests. From what you wrote, it sounds like he has ignored your agreement and therefore lied to the client.

Ring up the client and explain the situation, fully expecting to lose the gig. Publicise the name of the agent and the details of the situation. Warn others, performers as well as venues, potential clients.

Given that you will not work with the agent again, dream up a suitable punishment for him that you feel comfortable dolling out.

HK

Hi,

agent issues aside, I do not understand what the issue is with doing a Hypnosis show when kids are present. You make clear that under 18's are not allowed on stage and do a show that is clean. Kid's find it hilarious to see adults doing silly things.

Anthony

I guess I always thought everyone would be over 18. What if people in the audience and the kids especially start going for some of the suggestions? My whole script is in the pooper since I normally try to induce the audience. I am also expected to use my video subliminals. I guess I am just a confused noob with a ****ty agent.

Just use the adults and the kids can just watch and enjoy the show... you may need to tone down your act a bit depending on what it contains, but as long as you only use the adults as participants I don't see the issue.

Maybe you could put forward a show beginning with magic/mentalism for the first half and then the other half being hypnosis.
Get the kids involved in the first half and adults in the other.

To be honest if they are going back and altering agreements once the deal is already in place then f*** them, also even though you're not in it for the money you should still make sure you're not being taken for a ride.

I've never used an agent and so do not know what goes on and how it works, but it's not sounding good.

You should dump him and begin making things happen for yourself, and from your site it looks like you perform mentalism/magic and so use those shows/gigs to promote your hyp act (or at least get an agent that's not a tw@*).

The problem is with the agent and how he is selling the show, definitely. I choose my participants from the audience by doing magnetic hands and other inductions. How am I supposed to do that with only the adults?

What are video subliminals?

HK

There's a video screen that flashes "sleep". I'm totally serious. Maybe now you guys can see how big my pickle is.

By only getting the adults to come up.

Look up Martin S Taylor. He does a show called hypnosis without hypnosis. No inductions, no 'sleep' just social compliance and suggestions. Keep it clean and anyone can be involved without any fears whatsoever.

This is terrible advice! This is not how a relationship works with an agent. You never go around or over the head of an agent, period. Yes, the agent may not be handling this in the best way, but that does not give you the right to also handle things poorly or improperly. Never go around an agent to THEIR client. It is their client, not yours.

You simply must either decide to accept the gig or bow out if you feel you have the opportunity. The kids issue should only be one of your concerns, a concern that you still have total control over. You pick the volunteers, you have control of your performance and who you use and who you don't. Kids are actually quite hypnotizable and open minded. I do school shows with kids all the time. Remember, the agent said their will be kids there, that's fine, you decide how to use them. They don't have to be the main volunteers in your show, use them in a smaller capacity still featuring the adults. Kids are very good at visualization and pretending, that's what being a kid is, that what they're doing all day long anyways.

First decide if you are going to accept the gig. Then if so, simply how to incorporate a few kids into it. If it is a small event of 25-50 people I'd welcome a few kids and teens if at all possible. You may be pleasantly surprised as it may be a kid that saves your show.

I work with kids in the audience ALL THE TIME! So what? Don't choose them to come on stage. "You need to be able to concentrate on an adult level" and so forth.

I hate to say it but exactly what age do you think most people at "post proms" are? Certainly 15-18. They make WONDERFUL subjects.

I do not encourage kids to come to stage because "often people will be leaning or laying on one another and having a child up here would not be helpful". Anyone under 18 needs mom and dads concent.

Now this is all dependant on what sort of show you do. I hope that goes withouut saying.

I have never understood the "taboo" people want to put on things. What is the point? As I said I work for family audiences all the time. Heck work a fair or festival kids are rampant!

Sevryn. Do you believe this has an impact on who and how many get hypnotised? I do not believe there is any evidence for this. It might increase your confidence though.
So no I do not understand how big your pickle is. In fact I would go further and say you have no pickle at all.

Also personally I have no issue with kids doing the suggestibility tests even if using them to aid selection. I have already stated kids cannot come on stage but that we are going to do some fun stuff that everyone can get involved with, even the kids. It lowers the audience suspicion of such procedures.

Anthony

Maybe you could adjust your "subliminals" to say "SLEEP ...If you're of age."
Seriously though, your agent is doing his job. Selling you out to whatever audience he can find for you.
Probably best to suck it up this time and tell him not to book you for family audiences in the future (if you really have a problem performing with kids in the audience.)
I agree with Ant and Danny and I perform with children in the audience all the time. You could be missing out on a whole lot of gigs if you place such restrictions around your act.
Anyway. Back to those subliminals:
If I did anything like that I'd be seriously looking at covering my a** as much as possible. Either by framing it as the BS it really is, or at the very least being legally able to prove it's BS. Otherwise, you could be accused of hypnotising someone against their will and could end up in a whole heap of trouble.
It's stuff like that which stops audiences coming to public shows for fear of being hypnotised without volunteering.
Maybe you should rethink it.

1) Record the show on video
2) If you´re worried about kids entering trance inadvertently in the audience you can cover your ass legally by mentioning in your pretalk that any minors there without the consent of a parent should leave (or something to that effect).

Easy to cover your ass if you video it (and have exclusive access to the video footage afterwards).

Just a thought - might the flashing "Sleep" thing be a bit dangerous if there are epileptics in the audience?

Children in the audience are perfectly fine as long as they remain in the audience. Under no circumstances should you get them on stage. Apart from any legal ramifications it lowers the importance of what you do. Adults don't want to do crazy things that kids will do. And it is really inviting trouble from busybodies who will say the whole thing is harmful etc; And in the UK it is actually ILLEGAL to hypnotise children on stage!

I once was called to do a hypnosis show with an audience entirely composed of children around 6 to 10 years old. I told the booker it was impossible to have kids on stage whereupon he said he would get only camp counsellors to be volunteers. These were the ideal age for hypnosis since they were of college and university age so the show went great even with all the kids in the audience.

The only problem I had was all the chattering during the induction. Telling kids to be quiet while you do an induction is an impossibility even though this is standard when working for adults. However, I am an experienced children's entertainer and I was able to use my tricks of the trade to quieten them down and the show turned out to be one of the best I have ever done.

It is no big deal to do a hypnosis show for kids as long as they do not come on stage. Only use the adults. Problem solved. When you ask for volunteers simply say that no children are allowed on stage. No big deal. Sure, they will try to sneak on stage anyway but you simply send them back.

Incidentally, I don't see anything particularly reprehensible in what the agent is doing. Sure he is probably selling you at an inflated price, which is always a bit iffy, but that is a very common practice and you just have to be aware of it and be as sharp as the agent is when dealing with him.

Absolutely, it increases my confidence. It also works!

The videos and audio tracks use proven frequency following response mechanisms. The flashing words are really just there for people to "see" the "subliminals". The real brainwave entrainment happens via flashing light patterns. The audio track contains binaural and isochronic tones. If you are in that room with me, your brain *will* be affected. My script is entirely based on this. You may not be able to "hypnotize" someone against their will, but you can certainly alter their brain chemistry / frequency. Tell me I'm not the only dude here who actually owns an EEG machine...

Most hypnotists are "comedy hypnotists"... I am not! I am a student of the mind and I believe what I do affects everyone there. I have a keen "spidey sense" that this is not the right venue for me. I appreciate the advice guys, but I'm going to back out of this one. I'm simply not prepared for children to be there. I don't think hypnosis is BS by the way.

Expanding consciousness through interactive media.
- SeVryn

Your "spidey sense" may be telling you to get out of here before you hear something else you don't want to hear. Another classic example of someone new coming on here seeking advice and then not being able to handle the advice offered or criticism. In review I don't think anyone was even that harsh to you.

I must say the greatest appeal of a stage hypnosis show is the combination of comedy and amazement. Remove the comedy, and I'm not sure the audience will be affected, blown away or entertained in the way an audience expects to be when attending a stage hypnosis show. I must say not wanting to perform for or include kids or teens, combined with no comedy, I'm not sure I understand the appeal and potential markets that you are targeting.

Best of luck in your efforts.

Yes, you too. I wish you all good luck! Bye for now!

Yea I also fail to see the appeal of a show without laughs. A pure scientific demonstration is pretty dull TO ME. Perhaps there is a market I am not familiar with.