First Gig

[Luka]

i have been doing magic for a coffee shop by my house for tips. One time while preforming a Priest asked me to do some magic for his church. I said i would do it and gave him my number, its now over a month later and he called me and told me he wants me for this thursday. I will be there for about a hour and a half. And about 30 people will be at this event. If you ask me i am an alright magician but a very good preformer. I need to know how much I should charge, and if anyone has any advice for me.


To be clear when i say I am an alright magician i dont mean that I am bad and make a lot of mistakes. There are magicians out there that are amazing but their presentation is boring, and there are some not so good magicians but their presentations are entertaining. (I think most people understand this but for the few of you that don't)

 

[Nino]

Congratas on your first gig. I can't really answer you question, but people will ask you what kind of magic you do? Is it just card magic or something else?

 

[ZacEckstein]

Your first gig, 50 to 75 bucks.

 

[visualartist]

I hope its not just card magic. Its alright to coast on as a hobbyists but for gigs one should be well rounded. Unless of course you specialize in it and have a damn good character to accompany the card magic.
Well first how do you perform? I cant say how much you should work for because I base it all on the type of performer and experience but id always go between 60 and 80

 

[Nino]

Your first gig, 50 to 75 bucks.

Wow now that easy money. I still praticing before my gig.

 

[Luka]

I do mostly Card magic, i do a few coin things. I have a basic Cups and balls routine that ends with 4 large balls. I try to avoid doing sponge balls because it does not really fit my style, but people ALWAYS have a great reaction when I do it. I have scotch and Soda, and a basic fork bending routine also.

 

[ZacEckstein]

Wow now that easy money. I still praticing before my gig.

Once you get good, people have been known to charge over 1000 bucks for one show.

 

[ZacEckstein]

I do mostly Card magic, i do a few coin things. I have a basic Cups and balls routine that ends with 4 large balls. I try to avoid doing sponge balls because it does not really fit my style, but people ALWAYS have a great reaction when I do it. I have scotch and Soda, and a basic fork bending routine also.

Are you sure that's is big enough for a whole church? Close-Up isn't something you should be thinking about...

 

[Luka]

I dont know how to explain how I preform. But I will do my best. I try to portray myself almost as a mentalist. I don't use a lot of humor, and i use what i would call an average amount of patter. I am not creepy like david blain, but im not awkward like Daryl. I don't want to sound cocky, but i am rather good looking, so i try to use charm to win my audience over, but I keep a cunning mystery about myself. witch I believe helps me get larger reactions out of my spectators. I have a very strong background in sales so I am naturally good with people. Like I said I am an alright magician, but I am a good entertainer, and I think that makes a world of difference. I don't tell people that i have magic powers or that I sold my soul to the devil. I indirectly tell them that i am using slight of hand, misdirection, and deception to entertain them. I hope this all makes sence.

 

[Luka]

Are you sure that's is big enough for a whole church? Close-Up isn't something you should be thinking about...

it is a smaller church of only about 30 members and the event is a Teen youth session. i will have a table set up off to the side and people will walk by watch a few tricks and move on with the event. There will be other things going on, not just a maigic show.

 

[William Draven]

i have been doing magic for a coffee shop by my house for tips. One time while preforming a Priest asked me to do some magic for his church. I said i would do it and gave him my number, its now over a month later and he called me and told me he wants me for this thursday. I will be there for about a hour and a half. And about 30 people will be at this event. If you ask me i am an alright magician but a very good preformer. I need to know how much I should charge, and if anyone has any advice for me.


To be clear when i say I am an alright magician i dont mean that I am bad and make a lot of mistakes. There are magicians out there that are amazing but their presentation is boring, and there are some not so good magicians but their presentations are entertaining. (I think most people understand this but for the few of you that don't)

You'll never work for premium when doing churches or comunity events. It's almost always a mitzva. A Mitzva is a yiddish word for you gents that means favor. It's the things that you do for people that forgives you for the time you kicked the puppy when you were a kid. Consider it cleaning for your Karma.

I digress. As a rule of thumb, most churches aren't stupid rich. Not unless their pastor is Rod Parsley. So most churches will want a discount, if not your services for free.

Since you haven't any major experience or credits to your name, I would charge them $50 bucks for the event or an hour flat rate, or $25 bucks per event/ hour plus parking or travel. (Figure on .38 cents per mile traveld. Don't forget to consider round trip.) I'd stick with one or the other. Don't hit them for 50$ and travel. You're not that good yet. The father is doing you a favor by booking you, and probably knows it. Also, regardless of your selected payment plan make sure you get a letter of recomendation, plus all the photos you can snag while performing.

Hint: Bring your own camera guy with you.

Right now what is gold to you isn't their money, but the chance to perform, be seen, be seen performing, experience, and networking. Since you don't have any credits to your name referals are going to be your best friend for sometime to come. GET THEM FROM EVERYONE YOU CAN! Ask people who watch your show to give you a verbal or written statement that you can use as testiment to your credit. Ask if you can quote them. It may not seem like much now, but trust me this is going to be worth more to you later than you realize.

Had it be for anyone other than a man of the cloth I think you could get away with charging $75 to $100 for an hour given your credentials. But that's just me.

Cheers.

 

[LuseifHo]

I agree with Draven.
Churches.... are.... churches... so.. you cant expect them to cough up a load of cash just for a kid performing some tricks. If it was anything else, birthday, restaurant, what evs, you could ask for 100+, but for a church... I dunno.. If i were you, I might just do it for free and use it as a chance to expand and hand out business cards. Cause then people would appreciate that youre not charging a church and would then think that you are cheap... ( no offense).
As for what to perform... I guess its alright to perform close up if it is like a carnival style instead of a show style. So youre saying its like... a street performer ish sorta thing? Like Gazzo or something? Cups and balls are usually a great hit if you have a strong enough ending...(not 4 balls). I would go for more visuals in a setting like this as most people there wont have a well focused enough attention for you. If it was a stage show, then alls eyes on you and you can perform a 10 minute routine and still amaze.
I dare you to perform stigmata and wounded. i dare you.

 

[Luka]

I dare you to perform stigmata and wounded. i dare you.

Stigmata was a trick that i was working into my set. However I am not familiar with wounded.

BTW, I am not exactly a kid either. However i still am rather young (21years old). When getting into magic i never thought about making money...I guess its just a by product. I think what I am going to do because it is a church is tell them I will do it for a tip. Whatever they think if fair. Like someone said most churches are not super rich...and this is a good way to clean my karma.

 

[William Draven]

Depending on what denomination the church is, stigmatta or wounded could go over okay or it could backfire in your face. The one thing it won't do is go over exceptionally well in a generic secular performance.

Some churches have a rather healthy sense of humor about magic and even to an extent their own faith. I would almost feel safe doing stigmatta for a catholic church, or protestant church (depending on congergation and leadership.) However a southern Baptist or charismatic evangelical/ fundemental church that effect would be almost near suicide.

I would advise against using either of the effects. I don't think you want to put yourself into a position of performing something that could be taken as you making light of someones faith. The streets are one thing, but when your in a church, you're on their turf. As the old saying goes: "When in Rome, do as the Romans do."

 

[Justin.Morris]

I agree with Draven's post at the top. 50-75 is very reasonable for your first gig, for a church. You almost need to think of churches like volunteer work. If they can pay you much of anything, and many can and should, then that's a bonus. But make sure you are very clear, that you are doing it for a set amount, or an honorarium (whatever they see fit), or volunteer (which in many cases will get you and honorarium anyway). The last church show I did, I volunteered to do, and they gave me $50. Which was very generous, considering I wasn't expecting anything.
If anything, it may be a good place to make some future contacts for further gigs.
Connections are ALWAYS good!

As far as your preparation goes, if the group is small, they will likely gather around your table and not leave. You will likely be the most exciting thing there, so you will need to be prepared to go straight for an hour or more. Since the crowd will likely stick and not move, your ability to do the same tricks over and over will be reduced likely to nill.
Just be prepared for that. Though I'm sure doing coffee shops, you have build up a lot of material (make sure you write down a list so you don't have to really think about what you are going to do next)

And finally, stigmata is absolutely fine to do in ANY church (that of course doesn't want to burn you because you are doing magic in the first place-which would mostly be fundamental churches likely). Just don't call it "stigmata" or use stigmata patter. I heard one guy talk about how a phone can change a voice into a electricity, and then proceed to change someone's thought into electricity (which left a mark on the arm). His patter needed work, but the presentation idea I thought had potential.

Use it because it is a fantastic effect! Just don't call it stigmata or use that theme is all. Use your common sense is all.

Good luck!

Justin

 

[ajp500]

Prepare to have contact information ready. I read you never thought about making money so im guessing you don't have a buisness card.

So if you do a good job most likely they will ask you if you can do a gig for them.

That also depends on what age level your performing for.