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| quote: | Originally posted by Dojomaster26
Yeah, you definately have to be careful about this, but in a smaller venue it works fine since you can see exactly how many people are in the door.
No matter how you charge your fee, be careful not to let a promoter screw that money out of you. Shady promoters will try to get out of paying whatever is not laid out in a contract (use a contract!) |
This sounds alot like a way I got paid at a regular gig I resided at. Basically, I would send a guestlist to the promoter with a list of names. I tell my people to mention my name and get "VIP" entry. Thier name gets crossed off and I get the cover they paid. The upside to this is if you have friends that are down and not flaky (which is rare), they show support and you get paid. The down side is that more often than not, they forget to mention your name or they don't show whatsoever. Thus, you don't get paid.
Personally, I say set a fee you think is reasonable to the event and your talent and be negocioble. Being negocioble doesn't mean be a pushover. It means, take everything into consideration when setting a price. Nothing bothers me more these days than how so many dj's are sooooo afraid to lose gigs because they are afraid to ask for a fee. Forget all that. If you know you're worth it, then stick with it. It may result in less gigs, but I think you'll find that the quality of dj's at shows get better and you get paid more often.
Once a price has been set. Ask for a partial payment even before you play. This may sound like a dickhead move, but it garners respect (something very few dj's have for themselves nowadays). Keep in mind that this should be worked out before you accept the gig. Don't just show up asking for money. It won't happen. But if you put it as part of the deal beforehand, then the promoter shouldn't have a problem paying up. If you think this is unreasonable, keep in mind that the sound people get paid a deposit before they even show up. The venue, same deal. So why can't you ask for the same respect the other main contributors of the party get?
Finally, draw up a contract and have both parties sign it. Make sure it states what is expected of you (type of music playing, gear your bringing, etc) and what you expect of the promoter (setup, bar tab, guestlist, PAY). In all honesty, the contract doesn't mean shit unless you're licensed as an entertainer and the promoter is licensed to throw the party. But it does provide some proof on what was agreed and what was expected. This not only protects you from getting screwed, but the promoter from getting screwed, too. Even it isn't so legal, flashing that sorta thing around to your other dj buddies and such can really intimidate a promoter/venue to not only paying you, but others as well.
In closing, I firmly believe that EVERY DJ/PERFORMER should be paid for thier services. Even if it's just a few bucks. Too many promoters don't factor the dj's pay into thier budgets anymore (unless it's the headliner). They take local talent for granted, despite being the people within thier own community. They treat the talent not like an essential part of the party that they are, but like an accessory that can be thrown away and replaced at random. Like I said above, if every dj started demanding for thier due respect, maybe we can turn this around. Maybe dj's will start choking up on the bat and perfecting thier skills more and promoters will be more likely to book more quality talent.
To answer your question, there is no answer. Do what you feel is THE RIGHT THING to do and charge what you think you are worth.
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Last edited by TwistedDUO on Feb-06-2007 at 03:48
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