Thread: Burlesque artists getting paid now and again

Originally Posted by Ginger La Rouge

Just want to say I love you May Hemm . You have one of the best attitdues towards what you do that I've ever seen!

xx

awwww ta chucky! You've been there from the start with me! you, december charm Heather Sweet and crystal cupcake!

I couldnt have graduated with a better class of girls! lol

Thanks May Hemm . I was just wondering because I have been booked for 4 events now, and have been asked what my terms are and I didn't actually plan to have any terms, I just want the experience lol

I understand where you are coming from. On the other hand, at the moment me and 3 others are in the process of organising an event that we are doing for our final assesment at University in May whereby we have to form a theatrical/performing company of some sort, we have set up 'Red Corset Productions' and will be putting on a burlesque /cabaret night at The Hampshire Boulivard in Portsmouth.

We literaly have no budget as of yet (as the uni have not given us a budget etc) but I can assure you we are working our butts off to raise as much money as possible and by no means are we expecting our performers to pay out of their own pockets. I feel awful that currently we are only able to offer travel expenses or a small fee and not a substantial amount of money. If we as students with no money can atleast raise atleast SOME money (if not pay out of our own pockets) to pay travel expenses then I cant see why more experienced promoters can't do the same.

I just hope that performers like yourselves don't look down on us, this is a learing curve for us and i really hope it is a success and we can carry it on even once we have left university (hopefully with a bigger budget)
Let me know your views
Scarlet Blush x

Originally Posted by Miss May Hemm

awwww ta chucky! You've been there from the start with me! you, december charm Heather Sweet and crystal cupcake!

I couldnt have graduated with a better class of girls! lol

Aaw

I have to agree with you May. I have travelled (I just worked this out) an 864 mile round journey for two shows on opposite sides of the country in 36 hours. I was offered a hotel room in lieu of travel costs which was fantastic, but I would have been equally willing to sleep on someone's sofa for nothing. At the second show, I was given a contribution to my travel but I wasn't expecting this.

My point is, these were two places I hadn't performed before. I was very new and thought it would be a good opportunity to perform in two very different places. I didn't get any of this "great opportunity/ great exposure" that you always hear about, yet it was another chance to get some experience under my belt and it was one of the most fun times I've had performing .

If you are very new, you have to be prepared to pay out before you get anything back.

Of course, there are an influx of these "low budget" nights which seems a little dubious, but this has all been covered by people much more eleqount than myself.

i believe that unless you are debuting or maybe your 2nd or 3rd time on stage, you should get paid if somebody else is making money of your performance.
Personally i'm not earning my living with burlesque as the scene in southern germany is practically none existing. it's hard work that takes a lot of time and effort to build it up. not counting the money i'm spending on it, hoping that in the future a scene will start to grow and burlesque is a word that most people can pronouce and might even know what it means.

i'm by no means an experienced performer, but have been on stage for a year now and am expected to be paid for all the effort me and the other girl in my troupe put into. without the paments we wouldn't be able to carry on.
also i think it's important to educate the promoters, why would they book a performer they have to pay if others will do it for free. a lot of promoters have no idea about quality anyway...

i do admit i worked for free last saturday. it was a favour for a fellow performer and what i thought was a good friend. she didn't show up at the show in the first place, the promoter didn't really care what my needs for a good show were and i never got a thank you.
this was definitely the last time....

Personally I think its polite to be offered at least travel expenses. After all you wouldn't work in a super market or as a lawyer for free. I wont do a show without at least travel now after finding out that I was the only one who hadn;t really demanded expenses from a show and so was the only one out of pocket. And the promoter could definitly afford it.

VC xx

Originally Posted by scarlet blush

We literaly have no budget as of yet (as the uni have not given us a budget etc) but I can assure you we are working our butts off to raise as much money as possible and by no means are we expecting our performers to pay out of their own pockets. I feel awful that currently we are only able to offer travel expenses or a small fee and not a substantial amount of money. If we as students with no money can atleast raise atleast SOME money (if not pay out of our own pockets) to pay travel expenses then I cant see why more experienced promoters can't do the same.
x

I wish more events students were like you Scarlet, going to the effort to raise funds for the evnt when you have been given no budget is very admirable! A bit off-topic, but I'm really sick of being asked to do events for no money so someone else can pass their course!

Originally Posted by Vendetta Vain

I wish more events students were like you Scarlet, going to the effort to raise funds for the evnt when you have been given no budget is very admirable! A bit off-topic, but I'm really sick of being asked to do events for no money so someone else can pass their course!

Thanks Vendetta just to clarify, I personally (I cant speak for all students ovbiously) am not doing it just to pass. We could have chosen anything at all in terms of setting up a theatre company but I chose burlesque as it is something I am passionate about, I am even writting my dissertation on it and really hope to carry on red corset productions after uni if it is a success.

Being a performer myself (I have done some paid burlesque work in the past and hope to do more in the future, but I am mainly a nightclub podium dancer and stiltwalker) I know how it feels to be asked to work for free...not good! But I completely understand why people don't want to, because quite frankly I wouldnt want to either so I don't like it when promoters expect it.
If we make lots of money from ur event, fingers crossed, you can be assured we will be paying up more, fair and square

Scarlet Blush x

I think it should be said that promoters deserve respect for the risk they take (not least with their cash) and for the opportunities they create for performers.

There are many who think about the basics - a secure dressing room with light and mirrors and a loo, somewhere to warm up, proper sound and lighting, a thought-out show, how to get there, how to get home and somewhere to stay if you can't, and last but not least, paying performers for what is, after all, work. If you tick off that check-list I'm available...

But there are some who don't. If this business is to make progress and earn respect among the general public and those who love its sense of freedom and fun it needs to adopt professional attitudes.

Promoters are not the only people who take a risk and make an investment. In the past few years I have been amazed at the wonderful talent and inventiveness and hard work of many performers and promoters I have worked with. Audiences recognise that too and that is for the benefit of us all, because if the people have had a good time they will keep coming back.

There should always be room for people, promoters and performers, new to burlesque but I would be quite happy to say goodbye to amateur night out masquerading as burly.

Pavabotti

In the same vien of payment/expenses but with photography. The thing that gets up my wick is being asked to do the piccies at a venue then not even getting petrol money. One venue expected several CD's of images for nowt as well. I asked for petrol money one time and the "promoter" threw his hands up in horror and asked if I knew ANYTHING about how much a show costs, when I told him I could £75 an hour doing table magic he shut up.