Party entertainment

Magic party entertainment different than expected

I generally don’t perform for kids meaning I am not a magician you can hire for a birthday party of a 8 year old. If the audience is a mixed group of adults and children I am OK. Last week I was hired by the JSSL Arsenal soccer school to perform at their annual award event on stage as well as doing party entertainment when the guests came in. I was meeting with the clients prior to the event to discuss the options and they mentioned they will have about 300 adults and 150 children and the focus should be on doing party entertainment for the adults. They booked me for a 15 min stage show and about 1.5 hours of roving magic during the cocktail reception and dinner.

The roving magic went great. The kids were between 8 and 16, this is a good age for me because they understand card tricks…I started with 5 or 6 adults and within a couple of minutes I had about 30 people watching me. This was great and I could cover about 100 people just during the cocktail hour.

The stage performance was a different situation. Before me was a performance of the power storm crew. These guys won the Thailand got talent competition last year I think. I noticed that none of the kids remained in their seats and got very close to the stage. Imagine the stage in the picture surrounded by people.

party entertainment

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For me that meant I had to adjust my performance on the fly. I had 2 mind reading effects planned but that would have not worked in that setting since I need adults for this. My back up for cases like this is my busking show which works for almost any audience. As expected when it was my  turn the stage was surrounded by 150 kids and teenagers and all the adults remained on there seats in the back of the room. The performance went OK but a little different than planned. I guess nobody did notice… 😉

event magician

Customized Corporate Magic Entertainment

Customized Corporate Magic Entertainment

Customized Corporate Magic Entertainment what does this mean? Companies more often than not ask if a performer can include their product and services into the act. In general this can be done but it requires a lot of preparation beforehand. This week I was hired by HP to perform at a luncheon for their clients and partners. At events like this it is usually difficult to get the attention of the audience since the main thing is the food and networking. The event was hosted at a function room at the Suntec convention center and there were about 160 guests in the audience.

The HP group that hired me deals with IT security and the theme of the event was: Think like a bad guy. The objective was to show clients and partners how to safeguard their business by changing the way they invest in and think about security – from the perspective of the criminals targeting them.  It was my job

  • To influence audience to start thinking differently in an entertaining way
  • Allow audience to enjoy and relax mid-day

I came up with the following plot. Cyber criminals are still using old tricks – exploiting old vulnerabilities – with better skills. Magicians are the same they are using old tricks that have been there for hundreds and some even thousands of years and people are still amazed and entertained.I only did 3 effects. The first one a classic in magic catching coins from thin air to illustrate the point of an old effect that everybody has seen. I finished the show by revealing personal information from one of the people in the audience to summarize that old tricks still work wonder if we keep improving upon them. The show was about 15-20 minutes however the preparation was about 1.5 days. Meeting with the client to understand their requirements, writing a proposal, developing effects and writing the script, reviewing and rehearsal. The performance was well received and got good comments from the HP management.

If you are looking for a performance like this for your next corporate event please contact me at +65 8188 2717 for a free consultation or fill out the contact form .

 

 

 

event magician

Magician Singapore price

Magician Singapore Price

This essay answers the question regarding magician Singapore price and fees and might be helpful to bring clarity how they are, or at least should be calculated. It will also enable the reader to ask a performer questions.
Please note that numbers given might change over time and need to be adjusted by an average inflation rate and. Since I currently live and perform in Singapore the fees are stated in Singapore Dollars.

The Singapore magician price and fees in this article are directed at the Strolling Magician (also called Roving Magician, Close-Up Magician, or Street Magician). I am basing this on my experience as a full time performer in Germany and Singapore. The fees are related to the corporate market. For private events you can deduct about 10-20% from the fees given

I believe, and this is my opinion, that magicians (and other variety acts) should work at a level system. The number of professional shows a performer has done will determine his or her fee. This raises the question what are the criteria for a professional show?

Well if the performer got paid (no matter what amount) it was a professional engagement independent if it was a wedding, kids birthday party or corporate sales meeting. The fee will increase with the number of performances over time and some performers change their target market over time as well. This means showing tricks at a family reunion dinner or to some friends at a bar or party are not considered a professional shows.

Note: A magician should have at least 100-200 free or tip based performances before he or she accepts a professional engagement at the first level rate. Again – this is my personal opinion. Where can a performer do tip based or free shows? Well that is a topic for another essay but briefly, busking shows, working in bars for tips, charity events, hospital shows…

The rate of a performer is dependent on:

  • How many shows he or she has done (see above)
  • Whether any of those shows were repeat bookings
  • The demand/popularity of a performer in his or her target market
  • What the target market is willing or able to invest
  • How many shows a performer wants to do.

Based on these factors a performer can gauge the level he or she is at.

Levels:
A. Beginner: 1-100 professional shows
B. Occasional performer: 100 – 200 shows
C. Semi-professional: 200 – 300
D. Professional: 300+

Who is a professional performer?
A professional performer makes 75-100% of his income from performing shows.

A occasional/part time performer 10-50%

A semi-professional performer 50 -75%.

This means these 2 groups have other forms of income either a job in a company or another business (e.g. event company or selling magic products).

Prices and Fees:
These are magician prices and fees for 1 or 2 hours of roving, strolling or close up magic shows.

Beginner:
Tip based in bars and restaurants, busking shows on the streets.
1 hour $50-100
2 hours $100-150

Occasional/part time worker
2 hours – half of the Semi-professional fee for 2 hours – $400-500
1 hour – half of the Semi-professional fee for 1 hour – $250-300

Semi-Professional:
2 hours – $700-1000
1 hour – $400-600

Full time professional:
2 hours – $1200- no limit
1 hour – $700- no limit

Like with anything in life quality is more important than quantity. Quality in magic can only be assured if the performer has performance experience and this can only be achieved with a lot of performances.

Note: The above fees do not contain any performance related cost like travel, accommodation, rehearsal etc.

For more information regarding magician Singapore price and fees for different shows please visit corporate magician Singapore.

Entertainment ideas

Entertainment ideas for private parties and events

Last week I was hired for private CNY event. The lady who booked me was looking for entertainment ideas that would fit for an Singapore and international audience Age range from 8-80. I went to her house which was also the venue to see what could be done. It was very nice and big place and the party was planned to cater for 150 people. We decided to do strolling magic while people arrive and a short stand up show afterwards. This event was better planned than some of the corporate events I have attended. The technical equipment especially the microphone was top notch. As expected did the stand up show turn almost into a kids show. At events like this the adults tend to send their kids to the front row to see the magic man. My act is in no way catered for children. However I have performed a lot at street festivals in Europe and at these events target families. I decided to my busking show with some modifications. It went really well and the audience including the adults had a fun time.

Comedy and Magic

Comedy and Magic

Last week I had the pleasure to do a comedy and magic show together with one of Singapore’s fastest rising talents in the local comedy scene, comedian Fakkah Fuzz. Fuzz has performed in local open mics and shows for almost 5 years and has received positive reviews from local media such as The Straits Times Life, Berita Harian, The New Paper and Channel News Asia. The client was NCS Singapore. NCS has been delivering innovative and effective business solutions for our customers in both public and private sector organisations for over 20 years. The event was a Chinese New Year luncheon and the performance was at the company auditorium. There were about 130 people in the audience and it was the perfect set up. Usually I am not that keen on a day time performance especially if it is before lunch. This one however went really well and the audience was great. I performed my 30 min interactive stage routine and Fuzz closed it with another 25 min performance. What I like about a comedy act is the fact that these guys don’t have any props. I don’t have a lot of equipment but seeing his performance I want to reduce it even more. Keep on working.

Repeat corporate event entertainment

Last week I was hired for  a repeat corporate event entertainment booking  by the Henley Group Singapore to perform for their clients and employees at the East India room at the Raffles Hotel with close up magic during this net working event.

corporate event entertainment

 

 

The Henley Group is now operating under the company name,
St. James’s Place Wealth Management, following its acquisition by the leading UK-based, FTSE 100 company and this was the first time they had the event under the new name.

I enjoy these repeat bookings where a lot of people have seen me before and introduce me to their clients or colleagues to share the experience of magic, much of which will be in their own hands. Which makes the initial contact much much easier.

Most people really have no idea what to expect. They’re about to be really amazed and have their minds twisted (in a good way of course).

Close up Magic is great entertainment or events because it doesn’t interrupt the overall flow and can be as high or low key as requested.

 

Part 2 – Tradeshow Magician Singapore

Trade Show Magician Singapore

Part 1 – Trade Show Magician Singapore

I thought I write  an article about magicians that perform at trade shows. I have done this a couple of times in Germany but so far not in Singapore. This month I was hired to perform for a client at the Motor Show Singapore. More about this in the next post (Case Study)

What are trade show magicians?

A partner to attract and inform booth visitors and potential leads. A professional trade show magician can be a powerful tool for increasing exhibit traffic and awareness of a company’s product or service among the exhibit attendees.

trade show magician singapore

Expert trade show magicians are more than just entertainers. They partner with exhibitors across industries to attract visitors to trade show booths – and then actively promote company products and services during engaging performances.

To support your exhibiting sales objectives, these specialized performers spend a great deal of time before the show learning about your company, market positioning, products, essential selling points and benefits.

The tradeshow magicians script their shows beforehand to ensure your product or service is effectively integrated into the magic act to maximize message impact.

As a result, they can serve as a marketing partner in educating exhibit booth attendees about your product or service’s key points of distinction. While performing their illusions, magicians make sure your company information is emphasized.

A research study by Exhibit Surveys, Inc. shows that live demonstrations and entertainment in display areas are among the top methods for attracting incremental booth traffic. Additionally, professional tradeshow magicians receive high rankings for product awareness and recognition.

In addition to reinforcing your marketing messages, an effective and entertaining magician can attract more visitors to your exhibit and help you secure more sales leads for your post-show follow-up.

You can expect to invest anywhere from $1500 to $5,000+ a day, but the expense may be well worth it when their mix of sales and sleight of hand bring prospective customers to your booth.

During the hiring process, don’t look for the lowest fee and assume that any entertainer can work your exhibit. Rather, consider several professionals and compare their experience and skills in the event arena. Then ask for references of past performances. You may even request a live “demo” act to help you determine that you are getting value for your marketing investment.

For more information regarding a trade show magician Singapore click here

– to be continued –

Corporate Magician MICE Asia

About 10 days ago I participated in the MICE Asia 2014 Show at Suntec Centre in Singapore. This was the first and only show in Asia which focuses solely on networking between the buyers and sellers for the MICE industry. I was a two day exhibit with a conference taking place along side the exhibition. This brought together the industry’s top names to discuss: key event issues, recent venue and restaurant openings, guides on how to run events, event concepts, social media, how to negotiate when choosing venues, deciding on locations for events and general buying tips. As a corporate magician MICE Asia I did continuous short to attract booth traffic and potential leads. I have done that for clients at trade shows and it was fun to it for myself. I got many new leads and I am currently in the process of following up with them. I hope that this Exhibit will be back next year and I will definitely participate.

corporate magician MICE Asia

event magician

corporate entertainment idea

Corporate entertainment idea – Visa Awards Night 2014

This week I was engaged to entertain at the Visa Awards Night at Waterview room at Gardens by the Bay. I only performed during the cocktail and photo taking session prior to the dinner for about 1.5 hours. Since the crowd was about 400 people I had to make sure to cover as many as possible. This doesn’t leave much time for each group. I tried to focus on groups of 6 or more and build a crowd during the performance. When a company is looking for a corporate entertainment idea for an event like this they usually require a performer that doesn’t need time to set up or that needs a lot of space. I believe that close up magic is one of the best options since you still have the interaction with the audience and it can be personalized for your company. The picture below was taken at the beginning of the event I think it was my first group.

corporate entertainment idea