What does a booking agent do?

WHAT IS A PERFORMANCE CONTRACT?

Thu, 19 Jan 2023 15:45:50 GMT

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What is a performance contract

This guidance is not meant to be taken as legal advice. It is advisable, before signing any legally binding document, that you seek legal advice from a lawyer.

A performance contract is a document that sets out the agreement between the performer and the event organiser. A good performance contract is drafted clearly so that it is easy to read and understand. It should clearly set out the following:

Who the parties to the agreement are (e.g.; performer’s and event organiser’s name and contact details)?
Where the agreement will be carried out (e.g.; the venue location and country and event time)?
When the agreement starts and ends?
What is being offered and accepted by the parties for the performance to take place? (in other words, what is the deal?)

The contract ought to be signed and dated by the parties so that it is clear that they are entering into a legally binding agreement. There will therefore be some space for signatures.

MAIN CLAUSES IN PERFORMANCE CONTRACTS

The performance contract should, in my opinion, be clear about the following points:

Who is booked to perform, including stage names?
How much the performer is being paid and in which currency?
How the payment will be made, when the payment is due and whether a usual performance deposit is payable to secure the booking?
Who is responsible for the costs of travel: including flights to the country hosting the event, airport transfers and ground transport to and from the event?
Who will pay for accommodation and the type of accommodation such as a luxury villa, standard hotel room and so on?
Who is responsible for the costs of food and refreshments? Often a daily allowance is payable by the event promoter for performers’ daily maintenance (commonly referred to as per diem).
The law of the country that governs the contract and which country’s courts have the jurisdiction to settle any disputes that may arise.
An exclusivity clause may exist to restrict the performer from taking on any shows within a certain distance from the event and within a certain time of the event (this is to safeguard the promoter from unreasonable competition which may adversely affect event ticket sales).
A clause, often called a Force Majeure clause, that sets out what happens if an ‘Act of God’, sickness, pandemic, labour strike or some other unfortunate incident prevents the event from taking place. It is usual here to set down requirements for the event to be re-scheduled within a certain time frame.

This list is not exhaustive but I hope we have assisted you to identify the main points that should appear within a performance contract.

Again, this guidance is not legal advice and you are advised to seek legal advice from a lawyer before signing or preparing any legally binding documents.

Performance contracts are usually provided with hospitality and technical riders, so check out my video ‘What is an Artist Rider?’

What does a booking agent do?

Wed, 07 Dec 2022 15:13:15 GMT

What does a booking agent do?

A good music booking agent will help artists and entertainers to raise their public profile for them to get more performance bookings. They will not look at short-term gains: instead, they will assist the artists and entertainers to promote themselves, their music and their brands. Which often means working long hours for no gain. A good booking agent will do this because they genuinely believe in the artists’ and entertainers’ talents. They spend many hours promoting talent because they believe that the bookings will eventually come in.

In order to succeed, a good booking agent needs to be a good salesperson. Most of their time is spent seeking out opportunities for artists and entertainers and negotiating fees and contract terms.

Behind the scenes, they quietly take on rejection, disrespect and false promises. A lot of the time, they are rebuked and treated rudely by large festival/gig organisers and event promoters. The booking agent takes the knocks and bumps that could potentially dishearten and discourage an artist or entertainer if they had to hear first-hand opinions and conversations about why they are not needed for particular gigs.

Booking agency fees range from 10-20%, although some charge a minimum fee if the value of the performance contract is below a set figure. The amount of acts they represent is not a reliable way to judge a booking agent, nor is the popularity of their name. One should consider, above all things, whether the booking agent has belief in the talent they represent and whether they will act to increase the profile and popularity of their talent for little or no short-term gains.

To book an artists for the Private parties, public, corporate and charity events, product endorsements, theatre, film and television visit us

What is an Artist Rider?

Tue, 06 Dec 2022 15:24:17 GMT

WHAT IS AN ARTIST RIDER?

Artist riders are incorporated in performance agreements and set out the various elements needed to enable a sleek, hindrance-free gig. Riders are designed to inform gig organisers about what the artist needs to perform well on-stage and what they need to be comfortable off-stage before and after their performance. The rider is usually split into two parts which are the technical rider and the hospitality rider.

Technical Rider

The technical rider informs gig organisers what technical equipment, such as instruments and mics, are required for the artist’s gigs. This is very important because all artists, stage managers and musicians have their own equipment preferences. In some cases, a deviation from the technical rider will result in equipment being incompatible with the gig set-up. Good technical riders include the sound and lighting equipment preferences, the stage plan to show where each musician will be placed and where mic stands for singers should be positioned. The venue organisers will provide their event production manager with a copy of the artist’s technical rider. The earlier this is done, the more time they will have to liaise compromises with artists’ sound engineers because some things (such as stage dimensions) cannot be changed. Good technical riders also deal with rehearsals and sound check arrangements.

Hospitality Rider

The hospitality rider informs gig organisers of what is needed of a non-technical nature to facilitate the gig and to ensure the comfort of the artist. They include flights, accommodation, ground transport, security, backstage passes and other items such as food, refreshments and hygiene products for the artists’ team.

Summary

The technical and hospitality riders are crucial parts of any performance contract. From an event organiser’s point of view, riders provide a clear insight into expenditure and are an essential budgeting tool. From an artist’s point of view, riders set out the requirements to make event organisers aware of the provisions that need to be in place (alongside performance fees) for event bookings.

To book an artists for the Private parties, public, corporate and charity events, product endorsements, theatre, film and television visit us

What does a booking agent do?

WHAT IS A PERFORMANCE CONTRACT?

This is a subtitle for your new post

What is a performance contract

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MAIN CLAUSES IN PERFORMANCE CONTRACTS

What does a booking agent do?

What does a booking agent do?

What is an Artist Rider?

WHAT IS AN ARTIST RIDER?

Technical Rider

Hospitality Rider

Summary