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MichaelDouglas Special user Portland, Oregon 766 Posts |
In situations where there are hundreds of people at an event where walk-around is requested, how many people per hour is it reasonable to expect one magician to entertain? I know there are a lot of variables...how many "no thank you" you get, how spread out people are in a venue, how long each set lasts, how much water your bladder holds, etc. So what do you tell potential bookers as to how many people you can reasonable expect to entertain in one hour of walk-around magic?
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ddeckmann Loyal user Paraguay 202 Posts |
I always tells my clients that I entertain groups of people. So I can cover about 10 groups in 1 hour. Staying lets say 6 minutes.
I must say around 80 people. In cocktail situations I create the group. If 2 table are close to each other, I perform for both. If theres just too many people, I tell my client the exact same thing I wrote above. And then I would recommend to hire an extra hour I never got a "no, thank you" because of my intrusive performance style, I try to make them like me and then ask if they want "more magic". |
Countage Veteran user Charlotte 361 Posts |
My normal restaurant pace is 8 tables per hour. In a hotel banquet room I can hit 14 in an hour. I tell potential clients I can entertain 100 people with in an hour with strolling magic. However I also let them know they will see more tricks in 2 hours.
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MichaelDouglas Special user Portland, Oregon 766 Posts |
Thanks guys. Yes, a restaurant setting, in my experience, does yield a lower rate of tables/groups per hour (and thus people). It is much easier in the larger banquet halls to reach a higher body count per hour. I've never clocked myself, so at my gigs this week, I'll have to keep count on the number of tables per hour.
In reflecting on a recent banquet gig, I covered about around 150 in an hour, but kept the time per table low and used ddeckmann's strategy of grouping as many people together as I could. I prefer a slower pace so that I don't feel rushed and can give more time per group. Thanks again for your responses, this helps me know what the norm is for table-hopping speed. I'll likely recommend planners expect my coverage to be about 100 people per hour. |
eatonmagic Special user Orlando, FL 737 Posts |
Ever since I've been working with Kostya and the Orlando Magic organization, my sets are literally "hit and run" but done with charm and grace, I get in, introduce myself, perform some quick pieces and leave them with a closing statement about where they can see us perform at every game and also all of our restaurants. I give them our card and I'm on my way. Our policy is typically a minute per person. But when you have 18,000+ fans at the games it's a little hard to hit them all ; )
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imgic Inner circle Moved back to Midwest to see 1337 Posts |
Michael, what a great topic and thanks to all those responding. This is why I read this forum.
"Imagination is more important than knowledge."
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Bad to the Balloon Inner circle Clearwater Florida 2116 Posts |
I tell people 50 people per hour with magic in a banquet setting.
Mark Byrne
AKA Mark the Balloon Guy As seen on the TODAY SHOW www.balloonguy.net Creator of Bad to the Balloon DVD series Go to my store: http://tinyurl.com/Bad2theBalloon |
S2000magician Inner circle Yorba Linda, CA 3465 Posts |
Quote:
On 2012-10-02 11:38, Bad to the Balloon wrote: I say fifty as well. They're always pleased if I hit more than I promise, rather less so if I hit fewer than I promise. |
Yellowcustard Inner circle New Zealand 1334 Posts |
I also say about 50 people in a hour. When iam talking to a client about this I do the maths in my head as they speak. Each of my set is 4-5 mintes and I normal find people in groups of 4-5. so to do 10 groups of 5 that's 50min. Then extra 10mn is filled up running about and stuff. When I do this it gives me a chance to up sell pepole getting to see me twice or me doing a extra bit as we go.
Enjoy your magic,
and let others enjoy it as well! |
jay leslie V.I.P. Southern California 9498 Posts |
I ask how many will be there and devide by the number of hours it takes to drive, answer the phone and do paperwork. It usually averages two hours with a possibility of three if I feel that I didn't cover all the guests and they agree to pay an additional fee to keep me performing
The other answer is that I devide small groups (fragment) so they will have a more personalized experience and work 8 to 10 people, if there are a lot of attendees, with the emphasis on people hanging around the host, head tables amd not locked in conversation with other fringe guests BUT everyone will see something even if I produce a three inch coin from behind their ear. NO I don't explain what I do that way but isn't that what usually happens anyway? And on a kinder-gentler note... If the price is right there is no limit to how many per hour. I do a few then go for a second run and finally seek out the people who are genially interested and those are the people that see longer more personality based effects that make them believe I really possess magical powers.
Jay Leslie
www.TheHouseOfEnchantment.com |
BrianMillerMagic Inner circle CT 2050 Posts |
In restaurant work I figure closer to 10 tables an hour, figuring only 4-5 minutes per table and time between tables. This works out to an average of 40-50 people/hour in a restaurant.
As others have noted, you can get to many more people in banquet settings simply due to the fact that each table tends to have 8-10 people instead of 2-4. If a client has an event with more than 50 people in attendance, I always recommend two hours, citing the fact that I'll be able to spend a solid 10-12 minutes with each group rather than rushing around. Almost always the client is thrilled and willing to pay for the extra hour in order to reap the benefit of a much better performance. |
jay leslie V.I.P. Southern California 9498 Posts |
But haven't you noticed that tables with more then 8 people, flower settings in the middle, glasses obstructing the view and lots of noise, make performing for the entire table very difficult? Not to mention the couple of ladies that just won't stop talking about absolutely nothing and leave because you interrupted their quality time?
Something I like to do ... quietly put a wireless microphone between two people talking loudly in the back. Walking over to the amp. Slowly turning-up the volume and being quiet myself. Everyone in the audience enjoys listening to those conversations and the silence that occurs when they notice what's happening. The best ones are about what color socks to wear.
Jay Leslie
www.TheHouseOfEnchantment.com |
MichaelDouglas Special user Portland, Oregon 766 Posts |
Quote:
On 2012-10-08 13:29, jay leslie wrote: Jay, you are a devious man. That would be just too fun. You do raise a couple of good points. Yes, at banquets with larger tables, it is common for the people at the far side of the table to be less attentive to the magic where I am. And yes, those floral arrangements, etc do sometimes block the view. When I see someone trying to watch and there is an obstruction in their line of site, I will politely move it aside or lay it flat is possible. If that obstruction is someone tall glass of beer, then I gently ask, Is that blocking your view. At that point the beer drinker generally moves it, as I won't touch someone's glass or personal belongings. |
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