You would do it anyway...

[Mr.Taxi Trix]

I agree with Peter and have had some very good luck giving clients my "options". "Would you prefer to send a check now, or pay me on arrival?" I then explain that I am more comfortable performing with full payment in hand, and simply give a better performance. It works.
Silly Phil has a very good system of having them send a post-dated check on the day they make the booking.


I've also hit a few by offering a 10% discount for pre-payment in full. Got this idea from a speaker's bureau. (Some corporations have by-laws that state they must take advantage of all corporate discounts, so when dealing with companies, I call this a "corporate discount") It is pleasing how much power you wield over changes and cancellations when you've already been paid. I've had cancellations that didn't even request the fee back. It was a write off for them, but try collecting in the same scenario.

It takes extra effort negotiating pre-payment, and it is well, well worth it. We are not banks.

[miquee]

gav
what usually happens is that the festival has to wait for the money from the sponsors, whether its the city or private, which takes forever and usually there are various sposors, all of which are disorganized, so even if your contract says you will be paid in three months, they wait until they are sure they are not gonna be dicked out of their money before giving you yours. my argument with them is always - "i don't have a contract with the city but with you. You said 3 months maximum, where the hell is my money."
they don't see it that way. it often works that way with reputable agencies or festivals as well... its the standard in italy... as long as the performers accept it it will keep workin that way. strangely enough, it usually works out for me cuz i don't count on the money for paid gigs in italy to pay bills and such and it always seems to arrive when i'm broke or want to buy somethin new.

if you ever work the festival in pescara, get the money up front!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Peter Voice]

As Taxi said, "We are not banks".

I frequently tell potential clients that they would not give me $1000's free credit and I am certainly not in a position to give them such credit, especially for corporate and or promotional gigs. My attitude to festivals and clients I've previously worked with varies but the underlying principle still applies.

I recently had an advertising company want me to do a promo piece but they wanted me to buy the airfare and pay for my accom and they would reimburse me after the gig. They were offering a fair amount for the gig but if they would not pay the upfront, out of pocket costs, what reason would I have to believe that they would pay my fee after the work was done. I told them to find some-one else.

[jester]

I often have to wait a couple of months to be paid. But recently I have stopped tolerating this. It isn't fair on the subcontractors who work with me. I am going for the cheque on the day option with only a couple of exceptions.

I recently had to fill in an 11 page supplier record form inorder to get paid. I filled it in and then charged £25 admin charge for filling in the form. They paid it.

Another one I get is somebody living 12 miles away will ask me to pop by and look at her garden before a party. Last week I replied "You could take a photo of the garden and bring the picture in to me."

"Couldn't I post it?"

"Yes that would be cheaper, but as you were prepared to cough up £50 for a site inspection I thought you might prefer to just bring me a picture."

[steal garbager]

gossip

there is a clear situation. you have been asked or hired for a gig by a very stupid looking guy in a very stupid manner after having done a show on street.

come on, street community. What would you do?

you're talkin about gigs on festivals and the problem not to be be paid after all. that doesn't help to solve the problem for the starter of the topic at all.

It's just talk.

But seriously, everybody is heading for the good payed job, isn't it??
Hopefully the job lasts for the next five months??

come on, you like it.

And probably it happens after that show you are doing on a tuesday in the shopping mall.
That show you just didn't really enjoyed and there is this guy asking you to do the job. He could be the man who rescued you from street!

heaven!!!!?

me I don't get hired. I'm only busking.

And I'm happy with it. I always reply to those guys I certainly don't have the time to do those jobs. And I really do.

Great times to you

greatings from cologne

[bilbo]

Hello everybody,

In my contract there is a line that says that I must be paid in full at least ten minutes before the show start. If I don't get paid by then, I don't do the show.

Since they signed the contract, that means they agreed for every rules in it, including this one.

it happened a couple of time, when I asked for the check, they had this lame excuse like "we forgot the check book, we'll send it to you ". I always answers look at your contract, if I don't get paid before the show, I don't do the show" and start packing my stuff. everytime the check book magically reappear or they find some one who can pay me.

I always do a better show when I don't have to worry about being paid or not.

Cordially,


Alex Reeve

http://visual.comedy.free.fr

[UCO]

Round 2

You guys rock...
With all the insight of how to handle a situation that was laughable it begin with.
Very helpful with the exception of one post.
I love it how a conversation can morph into a disscussion and from a disscussion to a contract changes for the better.
So here is the second part of that story, That just happened yesterday. First of all it was beautiful in Berlin sunny 18 degrees and everyone was in a super mood. I threw down had my crowd in the middle of my second bit before the hat.
The same guy comes along this time his pho hawk was looking extra crisp. He heckles me saying to the crowd that all I want is money.
I held back. keeping it cool and letting him say his piece.
Before he finishes I hear this woman step up and say. Of course he does it for money what did you expect that he does all this crazy stuff for his health.
Get this .....the crowd is on her side and boos the dude off the pitch.
I said nothing not a comment. I was in amazement so much that a tear was trolling its way down my cheek.
The guy leaves and the woman says to me ok finish your show we all are haveing fun now.
I had a big finish everything was good. This is the most amazing moment of my street show life so far.
And it was the only show I have done on the street that no hat pitch was needed. At the end everyone just knew.
Thanks guys for listening I feel like doing another show.

[caricatureguy]

Good for you man! That's awesome! What a tool that guy was. (but maybe you should ask a freind to start heckling you in every show, maybe you will get the same reaction every time-LOL!!)

[jester]

I once got paid 4 times by a corporation for the same job. When I tried to give them their money back they returned the cheque as they could not put it in the accounts without making the cock up known to their superiors...

Basicly, they asked me to wait until the system asked me for the money, which they advised was extremely unlikely.

I paid off part of my credit card with it.

[AT-JeffT]

Re: Round 2

Originally posted by UCO


The same guy comes along this time his pho hawk was looking extra crisp. He heckles me saying to the crowd that all I want is money.
I held back. keeping it cool and letting him say his piece.
Before he finishes I hear this woman step up and say. Of course he does it for money what did you expect that he does all this crazy stuff for his health.
Get this .....the crowd is on her side and boos the dude off the pitch.

did you mention anything about money to the audience before the guy came? 'Jeff