Jon Allen Presents
Mat Franco on America’s Got Talent
Something very important happened in America on Wednesday that should cause shockwaves through the entertainment industry. Did Miley Cyrus cover herself up? Did Kim Kardashian do something of note? No. Mat Franco, a close up magician, won America’s Got Talent.
This is of huge importance for a few reasons.
Performing magic in china
At the beginning of September, I flew out to China after being invited to perform and lecture at the 2nd International Festival of Magic in Beijing. With around 40 stage magicians, illusionists and close up magicians booked from around the world, it was incredible experience and a chance to catch up with friends made over the years from USA to Australia and many congeries in between.
I performed one of my own creations that enabled me to communicate with the audience in Chinese without saying a word! Magic is a truly universal art form. Despite me not being able to speak Chinese (except for counting up to three) the audience were fully able to appreciate each effect. “Oooooooh” and “Aaaaaaah” and “Huuuuuuh” sound the same in any language…. [Read More]
The Roof Terrace at 4 Hamilton Place
Last night I was at an awards dinners for Aerospace Media. It took place at the Aeronautical Society or, as it is better known, 4 Hamilton Place. This is a wonderful venue with an amazing roof terrace overlooking Hyde Park. The venue can cater for many different types of events: awards dinners, cocktail receptions, barbecues, social parties, Christmas parties and weddings. The venue is actually licensed to hold weddings or civil partnerships so you can have everything for your big day all in one venue…. [Read More]
Charity events can afford entertainment
I am very happy to help with charity events. There seems to be an unwritten rule that charities try to book entertainment for free. Some charity events charge hundreds of pounds for a ticket yet cannot pay for entertainment.
Many close up magicians will say they will not work a charity event because they cannot charge a decent fee to justify the time and effort it takes. They certainly have a point…. [Read More]
Jon, Sara-Louise & Charles – The Eventertainers
Last night was the NAPFM Conference dinner. This is the one of the largest conferences for emergency service fleets in Europe. With just over 200 delegates, the evening entertainment was provided by The Eventertainers. It was great to be working with the other principle artistes – silhouette cutter extraordinaire Charles Burns and caricaturist extraordinaire Sara-Louise Harper…. [Read More]
Corporate event entertainment
“Will you come to our corporate event and do your close up magic around the tables after the dinner?”
“Nooooooooo!”
I have performed magic at many hundreds of corporate events, weddings and private parties. Every sit-down event follows a similar format:… [Read More]
I saw this video online and while it is aimed at photographers it can easily apply to any event service: caterer, live band, musician, florist, table decorator and of course, magician, silhouette cutter, caricaturist or any entertainer.
It very nicely sums up the situation when it comes to being asked to work for free. The key word is ‘work’ because that is what it is for me. Being a magician is a job and at every private party or corporate event that I work, I give 100% (If I were on a talent show or doing sport it it would be 110%).
While I do not work for free, here is what I do for different events:
Charity Event – If you would like to book me to entertain guests at a charity event, I will charge a slightly reduced fee. What I also do is raise money at the event. In my contract I will state the minimum amount that I will raise. If I do not make it up in donations, I will write a cheque to the charity for the balance. In this way, the charity gets top quality entertainment at a vastly reduced rate and I get a sensible fee at which I am happy to work. It’s a win/win situation.
No budget but lots more work – Sometimes I am told by a potential client they have no budget for entertainment at their event but their guests have lots of parties and I can give my card out to them.
It is strange how there is a budget for catering, decor, music and venue but not the entertainment. Also, I give out my card at events for which I do receive my fee. My priority though is not self-promotion at events in order to get paid work but to provide an amazing atmosphere and present thrilling magic to the guests. That is what clients pay me to do. If I do that for free, it undermines those who receive the same experience but have paid my fee.
If I am asked to do an event for free because the guests are “wealthy and have lots of parties”, here is what I do. I tell the client what my fee is for their event. I will write into my contract that if I get another 10 events from the guests at their party, I will return their fee as commission on those 10 other events.
My time, effort, rehearsals, education, purchases, knowledge, performance skills and impact on the guests have a value.
That value is not zero.
What you must know before booking a magician:
1. Booking the right person for your event is the priority. The magic tricks are secondary. The right person creates the experience; not the tricks.
2. Expect to find a wide choice of fees. What you may think is expensive might just be the right fee for the right magician for your event.
3. For your major corporate event, if any close up magician has a three digit fee starting with a 1 or 2… RUN AWAY!… [Read More]
Last Saturday night I was over in Bristol performing magic on stage at Smoke and Mirrors. This is a great venue; it’s a bar with a difference. In the back is a small theatre where every week a couple of stage magicians can perform their acts to a small yet enthusiastic crowd…. [Read More]
Have you seen a close up magician at an event? Maybe you have booked a close up magician for events.
If you answered “No” to both questions you will almost certainly have an image of the magician walking around doing tricks for guests. If you answered “Yes” to either, it will almost certainly have been a magician walking around doing tricks for guests.
This is the usual format but I offer something completely different!… [Read More]