First Professional Gig

[Sparky2012]

Ok, so I am a techie at my High School, and in that position, I have run numerous plays. A previous director from a production a year or so ago recommended me to a director doing a black light show. This director sent me an email at 3 o'clock, asking for a quote on all the lighting and sound gear, as well as how much I would charge, and she wanted the whole quote by the end of the day. Of course, she didn't know any dates "sometime next year", and didn't really know the venue sizes, or many other specifics I would have liked. I knew that she must not understand how you normally go about getting proper quotes, and the best price, so I said I would do it. After calling a few companies, I managed to find a set of UV (black) lights, and all the other necessary gear. I would have liked to have called around and negotiated the price down a bit, but nonetheless, I managed to get the quote. I decided to charge 500$ for my services (9 sessions, about 2 and 1/2 hours a session) as it is my first paid gig.

Did I charge the right amount for my services?
Any advice for me?
Anyone else had a similar experience (little time, little info, full quote)?

Thanks in Advance!

Gareth Ellis

 

[chieftfac]

I've had a few of those "..give me a quote on a show that will happen... sometime...somewhere... and I need it in an hour" The first thing you should do (something that has bit me before) is state that the quote has a time limit. 30 days, 90 days or something like that. I did this for a group that got back to me 8 months later and expected the quoted price to still be good even though the equipment rental had jumped in price by 15% and gas prices had gone up .90 cents a gallon. I did the event and got some additional money, but no one was really happy. Spec'ing equipment for an unknown space is almost impossible (unless you have some idea where the event will take place) You could run into the trouble of not having enough gear, or too much. $500.00 for your services isn't too bad. 9 x 2.5 = 22.5 hours, plus 5 hours for set up and 3 hours for strike (I'm guessing those numbers) comes to 30.5 hours at $500. works out to $16.40 an hour, and you haven't paid for fuel and meals/snacks. Do you have friends that would pitch in? If so you need to at least give them gas money at the very least. Then there is the issue of the tax man. (... though you are in high school and I know nothing about tax law in the great white north... "Take Off!!!"... Crap I think I just dated myself!! :-0 ) ...and the issue of how you will be paid, who/how the rental gets paid. Pitching in and doing a favor for someone is cool, but even then it gets complicated.

 

[Sparky2012]

tax probably isnt an issue, i think i have to have a set income of 10,000 dollars or more per year (or something like that) and each session will be in a different place, but its only 2 black light cannons on stands, 2 speakers on stands, and appropriate cabling

thanks very much!