In day to day life not many people have seen a ‘real life’ magician, guessing worldwide there are 100,000 who practice this subject and far less who make a living from it which is quite a small number respectivly. Unless your a high flyer that attends banquets / hospitality suites or a regular at ‘corporate do’s’ chances are you have never experienced ‘good magician’ first hand.
As there are no guidelines for hiring a magician I thought I’d offer some professional advice. I love my craft and always ofen hear of horror stories and dissapointment from bookers at corporate events who have found someone off the web. Bad magic(ians) ultimately Impacts on our business as people tend to generalize and expect all magic to be the same.
Conjuring can really shine out when it’s performed to a high standard. There are many great performers who purvey there art you just need to know where to look and what to ask! A great magician can get your party talked about for years to come! Pound for pound magic / mind-reading acts are the best way to break-the-ice at your party, It’s fun, enthralling and above all entertaining (if performed well). Magic can involve the audience in a way no other entrainment comes close! It can be emloyed for audiences from 1 to 1000. It is perfect for any age group or social type from an 18th birthday to a golden wedding; From Shoredich in the East End (E5) of London to West End, (W1) Red Carpet and many places in-between.
Type in ‘Magician London’ you’ll be surprised how many names pop up, how do you pick the right man / woman for the job? Do you book on price, face value, page rank, ad words, recommendation or just take a pot luck guess!
Top 10 bits of advice to consider when hiring a magician for a party.
1. What Type of party are you holding?
So, you want to hire a magian for your corporate event or private bash.
First question you have to ask is why exactly do I want to hire a magician? Ask yourself when will they perform, what will they bring to the party? Are you are holding a quiet intimate event for your closest friends and relatives or is it a huge lavish event, all signing and dancing? Where do you see the magician taking his place. Is it a Mix and mingle type party or a sit down dinner? Will they be on stage, pre-dinner, during the cocktail hour, during coffee? Will they be the main featured entertainer or just part of the background entertainment?
2 . How many guests are attending?
For numbers up to 80 / 100 normally 1 magician would be enough to circulate amongst guests for 2 hours or so, Sometimes if the number is under 30 an inexperienced performer will struggle with depth of ‘quality material’ if booked for a duration of more than an hour. Don’t forget anyone can call themselves a magician if they know 3 or more tricks and have a website. Make sure to ask how big there repertoire is! Also find out if they have worked in that type of situation before!
3. Not much is worse than watching a bad magician!
If you witness a ‘bad magician’ you feel sorry for them; then embarrassed for everyone watching! (Picture the initial rounds of X factor!) As a Craft / Art there is no room for error, you either have great magic effects that astound or not! Your booking a magician or mindreader to entertain and astound you guests with things they will possibly never experience again! Unless on TV!
You don’t want to hear this conversation!!!
Laughing audience member “Hey mister I can see that card hidden in your hand, call yourself a magician, don’t give up the day job will you”!
Magician “I don’t care as I’ve already been paid, well… I normally get away with it, but dot tell the booker”!
Think to yourself how you want to judge the performer at the event. Do you want riotous applause or prefer stunned silence. The former is great for a fun 18th Birthday but maybe not so suitable for a room full of CEO’s.
4. Have you received a personal recommendation?
If you’ve had a personal recommendation from a friend Is always a fantastic start all you just need then is to perhaps see a demo of what they do either live or on a showreel. Ask if they perform as a resident magician anywhere. Every magician will tell you they are the best thing since sliced bread, magicians can be a funny lot, they comprise of numerous types… egotists, wannabe playboys and others which the article cares to mention. Thankfully most of the others out there really care about there audience and put maximum time and effort ito there show.
5. Testimonials and Kudos that can be substantiated?
Most websites are filled with quotes from past events, some from ‘Joe public’ some from the ‘rich and famous’. How can you find out if they are real? Well you could ask for copies of letters of endorsement, or they could perhaps forward you an email. Maybe they could give you the backstory when or how they met ‘X’ famous person an then recount what happened, they can back it up with a photo. (Some magicians have photos on there site and have never performed for the star) Cheeky monkeys!
Basically you will know if they feel genuine after an initial chat.
Your magician may be a member of the Magic Circle this is not a guarantee and will not tell you how suitable they are for you. Members comprise of, amateur, semi professional and professional. (Even at different ranks which are in the organisation / club)
Note : Some of the best magicians in the world are of an amateur nature, but lack real life performance hours, which are Invaluable.
6. Has the magician got a showreel, what type of website do they have.
Does the magician have a good professional website? Has it got current content perhaps a blog of all there latest shows? What about video content and / or Youtube links? Is there anything written outlining there past history? (articles / press cuttings) These will give an indication to the depth knowlege and to show how long they been performing in the entertainment business.
What ‘Image’ does there site and publicity give out? Good / Bad or Indifferent. Would they fit with your own Ideals or that of your corporation? Does the site offer simple advise for booking a magician as outlined in this document?
7. How confident are you in a relative stranger mix with your guests?
Foremost a magician should build an instant rapport with the audience. It is even more important than the tricks themselves as if the audience doesn’t like the ‘them’ then how are they going to enjoy the show? If you are a corporate booker reading it reflects on you! If it’s a corporate affair its essential to have at least spoken to you ‘Magic Man’ on the phone! Ideally they have great references of from other blue chips and can back up with articles written in the press. If you find someone you like Its worthwhile building a relationship with them and use them for all of your events.
Former head bartender Mr Peter Dorelli (Whom worked at the Savoy Hotel London for 40 years) answered the question “What makes a great bartender”! his answer was quite simple “Would I invite this person into my living room for a cup of tea and a biscuit….” A bartender like a magician is an entertainer just a different medium! “Its all about having a good character that you find confortable to be around”!
8. Vibe!
So, You’ve spoken to ‘Mr Magic’ on the phone, looked at there website, been given a recommendation. BUT remember this is your event, only you know who you are inviting and have your expectations. Is ‘Mr Magic’ up to it? Perhaps you feel that they’ve over sold themselves? Or conversly really don’t seem that interested. Hopefully they’ll they blend in and enhance the event and be a HUGE hit!
Think what type of manner do they have?
Serious, comedy, cheesy, slick, avant-garde, old school, contemporary, mysterious, quick witted, middle of the road, fresh, funky, gritty, or silky-smooth?
Once again when speaking to ‘Mr Magic’ relate all relevant information themes and details about your event to get the most out of them at the party!
9. How much does a close-up magician cost direct?
Here is a rough guide on Price dated London, UK area 2008.
£0-100 – You might ask a friend that is a magician as a mate rate at a house party.
(Token Gesture)
£100 – £350 – You would get a semi professional magician / amateur that is glad of the cash (and work) as an aside from his regular income. Don’t expect to much from this type of performer. But you could even strike lucky.
£450 – £550 – You could expect to get a fairly good magician for this type of money midweek in London and UK
£650 – £850 – You’ll get a top professional for this type of money but ask for guaranteed references. Maybe even go and see them if they have a show on or work at a residency. Get there vibe as each performer is different! Price for 1.5 / 2.5 hours Mix and mingle.
£850 – £1500 For this you should get a first rate act that could perform a set show for small amount of people for 45 min to an Hour or even for a mix and mingle price for 2 / 3 hours
£POA some performers do charge more if the show is of a High Caliber for celebrity clients due to the pressure and standing of the event. Make sure you are confident perhaps meet with them or they have representation by a proper agent.
10 – Sites to look at :-
Agencies will naturally add a percentage on top of the fee but have normally vetted all the acts to ensure the best quality.
On last tip when calling put them on the spot with this sneaky question “Who they would hire if it was there party”! Then go quiet and wait for an answer!
www.corporatemagicians.com
www.finesseentertainment.co.uk
www.partypop.com/search.cfm?q=magicians+london
www.gekkoentertainments.com
Feel free to email me if you need a personal recommendation or would like my associates password for my site.
Sav
sav@deceptionist.co.uk
www.deceptionist.co.uk
