Hi-Im 14-what do you think I should charge for a 35 minute childrens birthday? Thanks, Josh

HI,


How many shows have you performed already for free?

Is this your first paid Gig?

Do you have an act or are you just throwing some trick together to make up 35 mins?

what have you spent on props ext that need recooping/ over what type of time scale are you going to recoop it and how many shows do wish to perform in this time to reccoop and make some profit.

what disposables are you using each time you perform and what marketing expences do you have to cover both to have got the gig and subsquent gigs?

what travelling and other expences will be incurred.


Just some questions that might help you decide what to charge
Phillip

Ok-Thanks for replying-Well, I have spent over 350 on the stuff, practiced a lot so i do have an act put together. I have done one show and it went well for free-Well im just starting out, so im hoping to perform as many shows as possible. disposables-mouth coils (Dont worry Peter (Maruchii) I produce it from my hand, lol) and well actually thats it-Well I wont be traveling far, since im only 14 and my parents have to drive me. Hmmmm-Thats basiclly it, for the questions you asked. Thanx, Josh

Well you've got to get in some experience and leg work somewhere Josh, so go for it. Any local pro. entertainers that take offence will probably be not all that good and extremely small minded, although I would not advise contacting any other entertainers as it's a hard and highly protective business. Just cruise along till you are 16 or 17 at a sensible fee (remember, it's a fact that very few will want to give a lad a 'man's' wage for a job!). If you still want to stick at it then you will have had a great experience to your advantage. Your posting contains dollar signs. I am assuming these are USA dollars. On this basis I would say that no-one would object to $45 as long as they are genuinely satisfied, for a 35 min. show done by an 'apprentice' magician. But remember, when you take their bookings you are making a promise, and a sore head, a ball game or homework will be no excuse for letting them down!

It's a fairly tricky issue I think. Personally, I don't like the idea of 14 year old's performing professionally but hell, you've got to start somewhere. However, my advice (and I'm sure I'll get a bit of grief for this) is to wait until you've got a bit of actual performing experience. I mean things like high school plays that will get you up in front of a crowd. However, if you are determined to actually go out into the real world and start charging people money then you are in a tough spot. On one hand you don't have any experience so cannot in good faith charge a professional's rates. However, if word gets around that "there's this kid who'll do it for only $45" then you'll be upsetting a lot of professionals.

My personal feeling is that you should leave charging people to perform for a while, and try to get some gigs at local libraries. Don't charge them anything and tell them you're doing it for the experience. Also, do some shows for family parties and things like that. Wait until you've got a few skills under your belt, then go pro and charge like a wounded bull.

Ok thanks for the last 2 posts. I am doing a family party at a restaurant this sunday (January 5th) and will get some expierence from that, so I can see what its like and i'll tape it too...so i'll look over the tape and see what i did right and wrong, and go on from there. Thanks for the help-JS Magic

Taping your show is an excellent idea. Too many performers have no idea what they look like when they perform so I think this will be interesting lesson for you.

Which makes me realise, I really need to tape one of my shows too

Do you belong to a magic club? That is a great way to meet other magicians in your area, they may be able to pass on appropriate gigs. I have a 4-H performing arts club in my area I teach stage craft, juggling, improv, clowning, magic, balloon art, face painting. Then we do community service projects. Performances, walkaround, 4-H promotions ect. We also go for regional and State workshops and awards as well. Try and do all of the talent shows in your area if they have them.
Other then that make sure the person that hires you knows how old you are.

JS,
I would charge a fair fee...maybe $35-$45 (whatever is appropriate for your area). If your customers have any questions answer them honestly and let them know your qualifications. If the question arises as to why they should pay you, simply say that you have expenses, that your performances pay for your equipment and that this is your business. Once they see you as a young entreprenuer, you will book more shows than not. Trust me. And as you get better and busier, you can raise your fee.

Steven

HI,
I would think that given your age ext that $45.00 would be a good starting point too.
Phillip

Ok great thanks guys. When I first started to buy my "proffesional" equiptment (By proffesional i mean not cheap magic sets from cadaco) my uncle brought up a good point. If someone was going to pay a ******* (explict content lol) clown $250 to make some dumb balloons, why wouldnt they hire a magician for 30 bucks weather your 14 or 44, i would. ---- Thanks for the help-Josh

I taped my show once...I happened to be on tv. And I replayed alot of it in slow motion. It helped me to catch alot of my mistakes. Things that no one would notice, but are good to improve on in order to get better and better.

Now, personally, i charge $1/minute. Thats how i enjoy working, normally thogh i tell people that i do a 30 minute show. I always get paid more than that, for the same reason JS brought up. You pay a clown a heck of alot more than you pay a teenage magician, and we're pretty good at magic too!

Thats my personal opinion and i hope your show goes well JS.

-Brad

Josh,
You've got to start somewhere, so . . .

There's an old joke:

Question: How do you get good judgment?
Answer: From experience.
Question: And how do you get experience?
Answer: From bad judgment.

Lol Peter-Thats funny!

lol - Thanks Peter.


I would start off with $40.00. When you feel you are more professional, raise it slowly.

Somebody once said that you're not really a professional until you've done at least a hundred shows -- that's about right. The important thing right now is not how much you get paid, but to do lots of shows -- and try to get lots of honest feed-back.

Offer your services (for free) to schools, churches, the YMCA, YWCA, Boys & Girls Clubs, Hospitals, etc., in return for evaluations. (Sometimes, even when it's a free show, you will actually receive a gratuity or honorarium.) Have business cards, and perhaps also a flier or brochure available. You'll get some idea of whether you're really ready to charge anything by the responses of the kids and adults to the show, and how many take your cards or brochures, and how many people then call you to do shows.

In the Chicagoland area folk expect to pay $125-150 for a horriable magic show by an experienced performers with a lot more than 100 shows - I guess that makes then professional! lol

They get work cuz they are cheep (it is the bottom line and not the quality with most folks)

Full timers of quality charge 350-550 for B-Day parties. They are in a different league and market to the folks that have been burnt by the 125-150 shows.

Kid - I say go for it - let them pay for your experience (it is no different in the real world when you are hired - they pay you competive wages to learn your job)

Have a parent (it is an age thing that wouldn't work for you yet) call around to area magicians and see what the market is paying for birthday magic shows. Target, Walmart and other retailers in the real world do that - it is a part of being competative in market place.

Good Luck!

I started doing Free Shows for my Friend's B-Day Parties when I was seven,..as the years went by,my friends kept telling me to put an ad in the Paper and charge people money for my services,...(I didn't think I was good enough to charge money,besides I loved performing the Art of Magic).Unknown to me,when I turned 18,my friends placed an ad and my phone rang,..It was the Boy Scouts,...My first paid Show was for a Boy Scout Jamboree...300 Kids and Adults,...Whew!!! was I scared.....I charged a whopping $35.00 for an Hour Show.With this in mind,I think as you are just starting out,..$35-$50 should be a good starting point.The best advice I can give is,..Entertainment First,Magic Second.Good Luck and Break A leg,Mike

Can I just point out, without putting down the fact that you want to help, that this thread was started 8 years ago. The guy is either a full timer or has quit by now.

The fact that you want to help is great and does you credit, it's that it's too late for this guy but maybe it will help others

All the best
Bill

I was on the fence as to wether or not to point that out.