| So
you want to plan the perfect party. You have selected the perfect combination
of snack foods, desserts and drinks. The decorations look fantastic. Your invitation
list is in order and you have even selected the ideal invitations. All that's
left for you to do is to hire a magician. How do you do that? |
| If
you're like most people you have never had to track down and negotiate with a
professional entertainer. What is the going rate for a magician? Where do you
find a reputable entertainer that will do a great job and keep it clean? The list
of questions goes on and on. |
| After years of performing
as a professional entertainer and magician I have discovered sixteen issues to
consider when you want to hire a performer. Careful attention
to these sixteen concerns will help you to have a positive experience and a great
party. |
|
|
|
How
do you find a professional magician? |
| There
are several ways for you to locate a professional magician in your area. Of course
the most obvious method is to look in your local yellow pages. Most cities will
have a section in the yellow pages devoted to magicians, entertainers, and party
planners. These can all provide you with many great leads in your quest for the
perfect person for your special event, but don't stop there. |
| The
internet also provides you with a wealth of possible candidates. Due to its easy
access and low cost many professional entertainers have web sites that can offer
a great deal of information. By looking at their web site you get to see the performer,
learn a little about them, and discover what kind of entertainment they specialize
in. You can also ask questions by way of email that will help you make an informed
decision. |
| If your city has a local magic shop they
can also be of some assistance. But remember, the store owner makes his living
selling to them all and will usually not feel comfortable with referring one over
the other. However, they should know of several for you to consider. Often the
person working behind the counter also performs at night and on the weekends.
Have them demonstrate some tricks for you and use that as an audition. |
| Another
resource for you is to locate any magic clubs or organizations in your area. The
International Brotherhood of Magicians www.magician.org
, the Society of American Magicians www.magicsam.com
, and the Fellowship of Christian Magicians (www.fcm.org)
are three groups that have members all over the country. A little time on the
internet can provide you with several great leads.
[more questions] |
|
How
do you select a magician? |
| Now you have a list
of twenty different magicians. How do you choose among them? |
| Obviously
the best way to decide is to watch each of them perform and then simply choose
the one you liked the most. However, in the real world you will most likely have
to select sight unseen. Here are a few things to consider: |
| Are
they a professional? You know the old adage, "you get what you pay for".
If the person you are considering is a hobbyist or amateur you may want to reconsider.
Although they may work for less, the end result may be a disaster. A professional
will have far greater experience with working with audiences and how to entertain
people as well as being more diligent in making and keeping commitments. Let's
face it, the working professional makes his living by making sure you have a great
event. They cannot afford to drop the ball. The amateur may know some great tricks
but is more likely to cancel if something better comes along or even worse they
may spend an hour doing nothing but card tricks. |
| Are
they clean? Unless you are planning a party where only adults will attend
and all of them love off color humor you do not want to hire just anyone. Why
ruin a great party by having one or more guests embarrassed or angry because the
entertainer you hired said or did something inappropriate? The best way to make
this choice is to ask the performer if they do blue humor. I never use that type
of material on or off of the stage. The reason that is important is because you
will never see me slip up. You must decide if you want to risk having a performer
misread your group and destroy a great time. |
| Are
they age appropriate? Many professional entertainers only work with certain
ages of people. Some prefer children only, others adults, and many only work with
college aged individuals. By asking what age group they prefer working with you
can avoid a potential disaster. I work with all ages and always take extra material
with me just in case. I have more than once been hired to do a children's show
and end up with an audience of adults. If I only worked with children that would
have been a real problem. Make sure your needs are clear to the performer and
that their talents match. |
| Are
they a member of any clubs or associations? Although there are many excellent
professional entertainers who are not involved in any magic groups, the very best
are. Lance Burton and David Copperfield are both at the top of the list and are
both members of magic organizations. Most professional magicians will have this
information somewhere on their web site, business cards, or publicity materials.
Just by being a member of a club does not guarantee that they are right for you
but it is something to consider. |
| Do
they conduct their business professionally? Most working entertainers have
their office in their home. Very few have a full time secretary or answering service
and so they rely on the answering machine. With that in mind what should you expect
when you try to contact them? The person you would most want to consider hiring
is the one who returns your call in a timely fashion. The ideal response time
is twenty minuets according to most sales and marketing research. Remember though
that even the pros have the limitations of time. If I am performing a show I will
have to drive to it, set up, perform, tear down, and drive home. It may be hours
before I can get to my messages. I always try to return every call within 24 hours.
The sooner the better. You decide how fast you want an answer. If the entertainer
is always ready to pick up the phone it may mean that no one wants to hire them.
[more questions] |
|
How
do you hire a professional magician? |
| Among
working professionals there are several differing opinions as to what should be
required of their potential clients. Many require a signed contract with a down
payment. I have found that the bigger the show the more necessary it is for a
contract. Most entertainers will not require a contract or down payment for private
parties or smaller events. Usually a verbal agreement is all that it takes and
that can be done over the phone. Remember, this is how this person makes a living.
If you cancel at the last minute they will not be able to book that night and
will loose money. You should consider paying them a portion of the amount agreed
upon. It is a good idea for you to both agree on what is expected, when, and where
and to have it in writing. This is not a contract but simply a record of your
conversation. The performer should be more than willing to send you an email or
letter containing this information.
[more questions] |
|
Does
the age of the audience matter? |
| Yes!!! The
type of show that a five-year old will enjoy is completely different from what
an adult will like. Older adults have their own interests as do teenagers. Children
under the age of three do not have a solid understanding of the world around them
and how it works, so for them everything is magic. At that age they like action
and color. Big and bold, bright and happy. You would have a much more successful
event hiring a story teller or puppeteer. Children in middle school are wired
differently than high school aged individuals or college students. You need to
make it clear what type of group you are trying to entertain. If it is a combination
of ages that too will influence who you will hire. Talk to the performer about
your particular needs and make sure that they have experience with that specific
combination. The last thing you want is to hire someone who is experimenting on
the guests at your party to see if they have what it takes.
[more questions] |
|
What
kind of performing area will be needed? |
| There
are three basic answers to this question depending on the kind of show you are
interested in booking. For the close up magician or the magician who does what
is called walk around magic they do not need any special set up. They can use
any table and often need no table at all. Their show is usually contained in their
pockets. For the performer who does parlor magic (the type usually hired for birthday
parties and private parties hosted in a home) they will need an area that allows
them to have a solid wall at their back and enough floor space for all of your
guests. The best entertainer in the world cannot make thirty people have a good
time if they are crammed into a 10 X 10 foot room. You will also need to make
sure that when the show starts the area in front of the performer is always clear.
If people are going back and forth in front of the magician during his performance
no one will enjoy it. If you plan an outdoor event be sure that the performer
knows in advance. Many tricks and illusions simply will not work if there is any
wind. It is also important for the performer to know what temperature he will
be working in. What I wear in 90 degree plus weather will not be the same as in
a cool indoor climate controlled environment. For the larger shows you will obviously
need a stage and auditorium. The bigger the show the more specific the requirements.
It always best to ask the performer before you agree to hire them what their needs
are. If you don't have what they require and cannot reasonably provide it then
you may need to hire someone else.
[more questions] |
|
At
what point in the party should the performance be? |
| For
almost any event, except for children's parties, the best time for a show is after
everyone has eaten. By then all of your late arrivers are present, the hustle
and bustle of serving is over, and you the host can afford to take a break having
seen to it that everyone's needs have been met. What you do not want to have happen
is to hire a professional entertainer and have them drowned out by the activities
of the night. Why pay good money for an entertainer that is not heard or paid
attention to. |
| FOR CHILDREN'S
EVENTS AND PARTIES always have the performance before the refreshments
are served, ALWAYS. As a rule children respond quickly to sugar. They become full
of energy and that energy must be released. Trying to get a room full of children
to sit still for anything is close to impossible if they have just eaten. I have
found that it is best for children under the age of ten to play some games, get
a drink of water, use the rest room, and settle down for a great time of magic
before the cake and ice cream. [more
questions] |
|
What
should the adults be doing during a magic show for children? |
| If
children are a part of the audience it is always best for the adults to be involved
members as well. Our children take their cues from us as to what is proper behavior.
If they are all herded into the living room or auditorium and left with the entertainer
they will do what comes naturally. To make the magician become the disciplinarian
destroys their ability to entertain. A room full of children are going to fidget,
get in each others way, talk, and often create havoc. Remember you hired a professional
entertainer to entertain your guests, not a babysitter. When parents are with
the children helping to keep order everyone has a great time. Often just the presence
of adults will keep all in order. One of the worst things you can do is to allow
the adults to stand at the back of the room and talk to each other. Not only is
it rude to the performer but it signals the children that the show is not really
important or interesting and will create tension. I have on more than one occasion
stopped a show in order to find an adult to take care of problems among the children.
I have also had to ask the parents to be quiet so that their children can hear
the show. The best way to solve both of these problems is for everyone to have
fun together. By the way, I have found that most "kids magic" I do fools Mom and
Dad as much or more than the children.
[more questions] |
|
Does
the magician provide more than just magic? |
| This
may or may not be important to you. Many magicians also offer balloon sculpturing,
face painting, prizes, gifts, coloring books, magic tricks, and game coordinating.
You have to decide how much you want and what your budget is. Obviously the more
they do the more they charge. When you interview the prospective performer be
sure to ask about all that they have to offer.
[more questions] |
|
Does
the magician enjoy children? |
| I have known
several performers who specialized in working with children and they hated every
minute of it. Although they made a living at it, it was obvious that they did
not like children. To be honest I have no idea other than to ask for referrals
or to watch a performance how you would determine if a person likes kids. When
I first began working as a professional a well-respected performer told me several
things that I would need to change but then he added, "one thing you have going
for you is that you love children and they know it." If you are going to hire
someone to entertain your children if at all possible try to discover if they
enjoy working with them.
[more questions] |
|
How
much will a professional cost? |
| The answer
to this question is a bit hard to nail down. Each aspect of a particular event
influences how much you can expect it to cost. The following questions must be
answered in order to determine how much you can be expected to be charged: |
| What
type of event is it? | | What type of show are you looking for? | | How
large an event is it going to be? As a rule the more people the more it will cost. | | What
type of audience will be at the event? | | How long do you want the
show to be? | | What is the date of the event? Halloween night will
cost more than August 9th. | | What time is the event to take place? | | Where
is the event to take place? Travel expenses must be considered. | | How
much experience does the performer have? You get what you pay for. | | What
are other professionals charging for similar shows? | | Do you have
a special theme you want the show to be done in? |
|
| After
you discuss your specific needs with a performer they will be able to quote you
a price. Remember this is an art form and you are paying for not only the skill
of the magician but also their ability to entertain an audience every time they
step out on stage. Some magicians are simply worth more than others.
[more questions] |
|
How
should I pay? |
| Many performers prefer to be
paid in cash for obvious reasons. I know some have had bad checks given to them
and will not accept a personal check. A cashiers check or money order is a workable
solution. You may also pay in advance with a check giving it time to clear the
bank if there is a concern. Some magicians offer you the ability to pay through
pay pal on line or by using a credit / debit card. Discuss this with the performer
when you book them and make sure your arrangements are clear and work for you
both. [more questions] |
|
When
should I pay? |
| Usually payment is expected
after the show is completed. It is always a good idea to have the payment ready
ahead of time so that when the performer is ready to leave you can give it to
them without waiting. Remember they may be on the way to another event and do
not have the time to spend waiting for you to be found and make out a check. Please
do not make the performer have to ask for payment. When they are done it is in
good taste to go to them and pay. Often a host will pay the entertainer upon arrival
so that there is no confusion. [more
questions] |
|
What
about tipping? |
| Tipping is a common way for
people to express their gratitude for a job well done. If a performer has done
a great job entertaining your guests, been professional, punctual, and pleasant
it is always in order to tip. However, tipping is not to be seen as part of the
deal. The waiter who does a poor job at caring for his patrons should not expect
to receive a bonus for bad service. Tipping is how we tell someone we appreciated
their efforts on our behalf. [more
questions] |
|
Should
I critique the show? |
| As a professional entertainer
I always want to know how I did. What worked and what fell flat. I need to know
if something I did was offensive even if I did not mean for it to be. I genuinely
care what my audience thinks of what I do. If you really like something I want
to know that for all of my future shows. Your input, both positive and negative,
is my bread and butter. A letter or email is a good way to communicate your thoughts
with a performer in detail. It is always appropriate to give a well done and pat
on the back after the show as well. Those who do not want to grow and improve
on their performances will not want to hear anything negative even if it is the
truth. Hopefully you will not hire that type of performer.
[more questions] |
|
Should
I tell others about a performer that I hired? |
| You
are the performers very best asset. When you tell others about what a great job
an entertainer did for you at your party or special event that is worth its weight
in gold. No matter how long I am at this business I always need the referrals
of satisfied clients. When you tell others how pleased you were with my work I
get more jobs. Its that simple. By all means tell everyone you know about the
professional magician who amazed you. [more
questions] |
|
Who
should you never hire? |
| Never
hire a person who attacks other performers or belittles their acts. | | Never
hire a person who does not return your calls in a timely fashion. | | Never
hire someone who tries to get the job by beating everyone else's price. | | Never
hire a person who makes you feel uncomfortable. |
|
| You
never want to hire an entertainer who brings with them negativity or one who is
simply trying to make a fast buck by harming others. [more
questions] |
|
| Now
you have found and hired a professional magician and entertainer. All that's left
for you to do is to have fun! |
| If
you have further questions about this article or about anything related to the
magical entertainment industry please feel free to email Kenneth Brown. |
