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i just wanted to know, if i went semi pro, how much do you charge per shows, like, kids partys, teen partys, adult partys.

Can you give us a bit more information? Is this just hypothetical or are you seriously considering it? If so, what is your target audience ie who do you intend to perform too and in what situation? Do you wish to provide private kids parties or are you going to work tables in a restaurant? How much experience do you have? Are you doing it for the money or the experience? All of these questions must be asked (and answered) in order to answer your original question.

and where are you performing, we don't even know which country your in, let alone which part and that can make a huge difference as for oinstance the charges in London would be much different to Shrewsbury.

i live in the oregon usa. i would be doing mostly for experience. i would like to perform at kids partys and any thing else i could get a job doing magic. i really want to perform, but i prob wount start for a while, i just want to know all this before i go and do it.

I'm in a similar postion, I would love to work tables in a pub/resturant and have done once or twice. I live in London

There are so many factors to consider. Depending on your experience, what your show involves, the economy in your area etc... The best way is to call other performers in your area pretending to be planing a party. Ask what they do and what they charge. If you are just doing it for experence, do a couple of shows for 50 bucks or even free for your friends kids just to see how it goes.
Hope this helps, good luck.
Mr. Mystic

flyingkidjoe, seeing as you're in the US I'm not entirely sure how much you should charge. Your best bet is to tr and get in touch with magicians in your area and talk it through with them.

Blue'n'furry, you say you've performed at tables once or twice; which is it? Once? Or twice? Do you mean you've performed for friends and family whilst they've been seated at a table, or for an unknown audience in a restaurant? I ask because that was the biggest difference (and also the biggest thing I learned from) when started performing in restaurants.

Again, you need to ask yourself all of the questions above. Now, I presume you've answered most of those questions but not these two:

How much experience do you have? Are you doing it for the money or the experience?

Experience is the key. It is all well and good getting experience by selling yourself cheap at the begining, but there are other ways to gain experience which do not jeopardise your chances of a pay increase later on. But first your material must be fully routined and worked out before you even step outside. It is not enough to simply have a collection of tricks, they must be routined to create an entertaining experience. This routine will include your introduction, your opening trick, your filler trick (or filler tricks) and your closing trick. For table hopping, this routine should be between 5 - 8 minutes but also be flexible enough to be cut short at a moments notice (e.g. to make way for food or simply, the magic isn't being well recieved). Once you have one routine, come up with at least two more. Then practise them over and over again until you know them inside out and back to front. And don't just practise the tricks, practise your introduction to the table, gag lines (if you use them) patter and tricks.

When you know your material inside out, then you are ready to start "dress rehearsing". I have a few "magician" friends who either perform for their webcams or to their friends every so often, whenever they have a new trick to show off. There's nothing wrong with this, but if you want to be paid to do magic that will not suffice for experience. Instead of showing the occasional trick to your Mum, show her the full routine. See how she reacts. Then show someone else, then show a bunch of people. If possible, show total strangers. I used to set 10-15 minutes aside at the begining of a night out with friends simply to wander around and show people magic. The bottom line is get feedback. See what works and what doesn't and adjust the routines accordingly. This is the begining of "polishing"; makeing your material commercial.

Once you have gone through those stages you are ready to start looking for work. There are plenty of ways to get your name out there, but I've found that the most effective way is to go in person. And make an effort. Whenever I go to a restaurant, I always dress smart/casual at the very least, sometimes I'll even wear my suit. Also, if you can afford it, get some business cards printed. It gives the client a much stronger impression if you hand over a professional business card when they ask for your number. Also a business card is something people will hold onto, rather than a tatty piece of paper with your mobile number scrawled on it.

When it comes down to it the important things are:

Practise, practise, practise
Get feedback from your routines
Don't jump the gun when starting restaurant work; make sure you're ready.

MrMystic wrote:The best way is to call other performers in your area pretending to be planing a party.

Personally, I think that's quite underhand, and sly. These guys rely on bookings to make a living. If you're messing them around by making fake bookings it a) annoys them b) makes you look bad. There are other ways of finding out how much to charge, primarily asking them what they think a good price for a starting magician should be.

Eugene Burger said if the person at the other end doesn't drop the phone he wonders if he didn't quote high enough.

Part of the charging issue has to do with whether you are an artist or a commodity. Quite frankly if someone wants to pay $50, someone else can do it. And they'll get what they pay for.

And part of it has to do with your own feelings of worth. Hey if someone wants to shop around, be my guest. But you should be able to convey your worth to them eloquently, otherwise, what else are they to assume but you are a commodity.

If they still want to shop around, I will even refer them to "less-expensive magicians". I don't need to work for someone who doesn't recognize the worth of my art or is unwilling to learn.

Having recently just lost my job,andas luck would have it,cashed in a fair amount of shares that I had forgotten about,I to was thinking of turning pro,(Semi-pro),but,my game plan is this,to take on a morning part time job,just Monday to Friday,which will leave me with time in the afternoon to do my kids shows,and at the weekend,which is when most of them get booked....I am also looking at local restaurants in the evening to do table hopping/and am currently working on a 20 minute comedy Magic routine,to work as a warm up,in the working men clubs....may fall flat on my face,but,I do have the determination to make it work... ,maybe hooking up with a agency,might also help you out....

Chubby Harris wrote:Having recently just lost my job,andas luck would have it,cashed in a fair amount of shares that I had forgotten about,I to was thinking of turning pro,(Semi-pro),but,my game plan is this,to take on a morning part time job,just Monday to Friday,which will leave me with time in the afternoon to do my kids shows,and at the weekend,which is when most of them get booked....I am also looking at local restaurants in the evening to do table hopping/and am currently working on a 20 minute comedy Magic routine,to work as a warm up,in the working men clubs....may fall flat on my face,but,I do have the determination to make it work... ,maybe hooking up with a agency,might also help you out....

Wow, great wishes for you! Have you got the compilations of "The Magic Menu"? You might look into that. Also a couple of items that Eugene Burger mentioned in person and in materials about his restaurant experience was that he hated coming up to tables to see if they would like him to perform. He finally came upon the method of having the waiters mention him up front and ask if they would like a performance. Then the waiter would bring him at an opportune moment, such as coffee, introduce him and place a chair for him at the table. Then he would perform. It elevated his standing as a performer. He worked in fine restaurants and never asked for tips (but if given, did not refuse). He said he would much prefer a $1500 gig to a $20 tip, and he was always fully booked.

wow, thanks for all the advice and every thing!

you guys helped me look at the big picture and stuff, i will be Practising a very lot.

i want to go simi pro for the experience, i dont care about the money right now. but why i do want to know the prices is for when i start geting good i want to know what i am worth.

Looking into getting Jim Sisti's "Magic Menu",just a littlle tip when doing table hopping....once read a book by Bruce Amato on the subject,and when he approaches the tables,he just calmly places down on the table a Brandy glass,in which he has already pitched with a few coins,the customers look at this,and think that the other tables have been tipping him,and therefore,they throw in a tip at the end of his performance.......
Also,try learning Balloon Modelling,for those Restaurants that allow Children,it is easier to do than you think....

Best of luck, Chubby, hope it all goes well for you!

I would advise against selling yourself as a pro in order to gain experience. There are better and safer ways to gain experience.

When you start telling people that you are a pro, or semi pro then their expectation of you increases ten fold. If you don't anticipate this then you are folling yourself (don't mean to sound harsh). If you haven't got the experience first and you're falling to pieces during your performance because of it, you're ruining your own reputation and that of the person that's hired you in good faith.

Performing to a professional and competant standard, hopping from table to table is not easy. You'll be surprised how mentally and physically draining this can be after a couple of hours of concentration. No disrespect to waiting staff but if they are being paid £20 to £30 for a nights work then you need to be getting much more for your skills. If you persuade someone to agree to pay you, let's say £100 then you had better be up to the job!

If you simply want the experience then be honest, when you approach someone tell them what you do and what your aim is and they may give you the opportunity that you're looking for.