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KirkG Inner circle 1391 Posts |
I recommend charging for the event and adding additional charges for long hours or diffcult locations or other special services.
I figure it is not the hour that I work, it is the HOURS I practice, prepare and travel to and from each gig, that I need to get paid for. So I have a minimum start and then find out what they need and deliver and charge accordingly. Charging "by the hour" is the best way to loose money. Only lawyers that charge by the minute make real money that way and they still charge $5.00 to Xerox a page. Also, NEVER charge your restaurant rate for a gig. The whole point of discounting your rate at a retaurant is for the REGULAR repeat work and the gigs that come from the exposure, plus the meal. Gigs are gigs. Charge for them. If there is a special party at the restaurant, I charge a different and additional charge as I am doing different tricks(stand up versus close up) and need to prepare. Too many magicians are just insecure guys who have to perform to achieve validation, so they give it away rather than treat it like a business. When have you ever seen a dentist do a root canal at a party?! This is not to say, that business men don't make deals on occasion, to help loyal customers and friends, but that should be the rare exception. Kirk |
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Joshua Lozoff Inner circle Chapel Hill, NC 1332 Posts |
Quote:
When have you ever seen a dentist do a root canal at a party?! This is one of the most frustrating things I hear from "business"-minded magicians. That somehow sharing your craft for free lowers your art. Yes, if you are insecure about being an artist, or you feel magic as a true craft is so fragile that you need protect it in that way, go ahead. My friend is one of the best musicians in the area. He just got back from a European tour, his CDs sell out at his concerts, he fills the halls he plays in. He is a truly committed full-time artist. Guess what? He brings his guitar to just about every party he goes to and happily plays when requested (which of course he usually is). Why? Because he loves what he does. And most importantly because he isn't insecure about his art. He knows he is a tremendous musician, he knows that he makes his full-time living from it, and he knows that he is extremely gifted. So he can relax all that bullcrap about only doing it when he's paid. Or comparing himself to a dentist. Or worrying if he is beind taken advantage of. He loves his art. That's why he's so successful. When I was a semi-pro, I worried about being taken advantage of, worried about my fee somehow indicating my worth as an artist, etc. Now that I've been doing this for awhile, and have complete confidence in myself as a magician, and in people's perception of me as a serious artist, My financial concerns are just practical: Is this worth my time to take this gig for what they are offering me? That's it. That's why I charge on a sliding scale on occasion, and that's why I'm more relaxed about taking charity gigs. To the guy who said "it's better than sitting at home on my couch," GOOD FOR YOU. That's beter than comparing your art to dentistry! You love what you do and I'm sure that comes across in your magic. Do not feel that becoming more "professional" means losing that love and making it all about your set fee. |
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