Sources of Client Based Income
By: Red Hot Annie
We’re delighted to have Chicago’s Red Hot Annie joining the Pin Curl team to contribute her insights on the business of burlesque! Have a question you’d like Annie to answer? Please title your email “Business- _your issue___” and send to editor [at] PinCurlMag [dot] com and we will send them right over to her!
Whether you are an aspiring or established performer, some of the most important choices you’ll make in your burlesque career will involve who to work with, who to turn down, and when to ask for more money.
This is the first part in a series of resources intended to help performers book themselves at the best rates possible under various circumstances. As a stand-alone resource, it is vague. Please keep in mind that this is simply the foundation resource – the jumping off point to get us all on the same starting page. Your feedback is encouraged, but know that many of your questions may be answered in the subsequent resources.
This resource primarily illustrates the differences between a producer, a booker, and an individual – giving you a clearer picture of where the money comes from and why some opportunities are better than others. It’s important to consider your rates on a “sliding scale” – in other words, sometimes you may be stuck at a ceiling of $50 for an act, when other times you could make $500 for the same identical act.
The most important piece of information when quoting a performance is to know WHEN to quote WHICH rates, with an understanding of the financial flexibility of the person who’s deciding whether to hire you.
Please keep in mind that any individual can be working in various capacities – sometimes they may be hiring you as a Producer, while other times as a Booker or an Individual. The examples below are a jumping off point, but – as always – there are exceptions!
As with any of my resources, this is an on-going project, subject to adjustments based on new information.
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Want more advice from Annie? Check out her other columns here: Lifespan of a Burlesque Act