ContactJuggling.org

hey pals,

though to put this in the busking experiences thread, but decided to start a new one.

So I am in paris, staying with my girlfriend, for the next few months. I have been up in montmartre (the best spot for juggling i have found in the city), and have had a pretty good thing going for the past couple weeks with my clown/mime/cj combo, same junk I've done for a while, 5-8 hours, continuous, some mimed hat patter, a good formula.

A few days ago I came to my spot and there was a guy there playing a "hung drum", sort of like a reverse steel drum, played with the hands, makes a lot of cool tones and sounds. I watched him for a while (HE WAS IN MY SPOT!!), and then approached him and said maybe we can work together. We agreed and decided to split the money, we worked an afternoon, and made solid cash, both of us. He was amazed and said "I've never made this much oh my god so much!" but for me, it was actually below average after the split.

So the next day he was there again and wanted to work with me, half and half, and I said look, we know who is really bringing in the money (he does no hat patter, just sitting there playing the drum), and its not fair to me, if you want to stay with me, we have to decide how to divide the money. I told him 70-30, he was cool, and i wound up giving him about a third of what we made that day, still over a hundred euros. At the end he was all pissed, saying it wasn't fair to him, and that we should split again...

I am going back out today and think he will be there, and wanted to turn to my fellow buskers for questions. He helps me, draws a crowd, the music goes nicely with the contact, but is he really doing half of the work? I don't think so. I do ALOT of crowd interaction, with the kiddies, with the people, I have a number, he is just accompanying it, and not bringing any personality or costume or anything (I am fully dressed, he is in sandals and shorts...) So, who is right? What should I do? I like the music but I don't want to split my money because I am doing most of the work? Should I tell him its not working out? Tell him its 70-30 or nothing? I am a little conflicted about what is "fair" and really, I want to make as much money as possible...

thanks in advance for your advice compadres.

_________________
il faut pas avoir peur de ta liberte.

If you want to make as much money as possible you should go seperate ways I think. You don't wanna go 50/50 again, he demands that of you cuz otherwise he's all pissed again, right? Then go on without him.

I know that hang drum, harp and all sorts of other instruments (esp when played live) can work wonders in combination with contact juggling. Playing with a harpist for two days helped me lots with becoming more slowly and do much nicer movements, I believe I'd stay with the hang drum player because of the sheer pleasure I'd take out of that experience.
Ah yeah, the harpist said that she usually makes more money when she's performing alone (plus the selling of her CD's) and doesn't have to split 50/50 with another person, I had never busked before and still don't have an idea what I could make if I performed alone.

It's all a give and take and I don't think you can change the 50/50 ratio without problems. If you don't agree on that anymore you'd better seperate...

_________________

Real friends don't need to be the same

ahhh.. a classic problem of the unregulated street performing culture.


you have a few solutions. busking works on the first-come-first-serve principal.. if he was there first, then he has the right to dictate how things work on his pitch.

simply explain to him that you arent interested in partnering with him anymore because you can make more money as a solo act. this is your bread and butter... he will understand. i would suggest leaving the pitch for him for a few days (try somewhere else) and let him go back to making much less money... he may get dissapointed and move on to another pitch. otherwise, just make sure you get there before him (show up really early one day) and explain that you are working the pitch solo, trying to make 100euros or whatever and you dont want to share. let him set up close to you or whatever (the music will still help your hat) but no more sharing.. you are losing money on it, etc.... he cant force you to partner with him!


good luck anyways.. let us know how it works out. i will be in paris on august 17.. would be nice to meet up with you at one of the evening juggleclubs.

_________________
www.ryanmellors.com
www.ministryofmanipulation.com
www.piryokopi.net

I kind of know how you feel.
Working a crowd of any size is difficult and can be stressful if you’re the one doing all of the interaction then I think you know what to do.

_________________
"Like I told your Captain, that orphange attacked me. It was self-defense."

thanks for the advice guys, in the end I'll probably end up telling him thanks but no thanks, whatever he brings to the show is not worth the money lost, busking isn't exactly about making friends, is it? So far as pitches, there are plenty to go around, and plus the kid called me twice today, so obviously its not going so well for him solo...all in all it will work out however it works out, all part of trying to put something together.

ryan,
would love to get together as well, how long will you be in paris?

_________________
il faut pas avoir peur de ta liberte.

Ryan's right - the lack of regulation means it's very anarchic out there on the streets. You need to wake up earlier if you're going to get the pitch you want, and he needs to be aware that you could bring a speaker with an MP3 player full of hang drum music and do the same thing. This is why I don't typically work with musicians, even though visuals + sounds = priceless on the street.

_________________
http://www.gravitydefiance.net

I've always maintained that for a good contact juggling act to be even better you need to offer something else. Music appears to work. I'd be wary of this guy calling you (Why did you give him your number?). It's obvious in his mind he is far more successful working with you than without.

-ArchAngel_G

_________________
Life is a game that is meant to be played.

I think all that needs to be said, has been said, but its true~ You brought him money, he lost you money. The company can be wonderful, however, you've already proven that its not necessary and in all actuality, a drain on your wallet.

Be strong young mime.

_________________
Never underestimate the complexity of buttered toast

oh bri, you always set things a-right. i'm back on the east coast round november. lets be in contact, heh heh.

_________________
il faut pas avoir peur de ta liberte.

HHhrrrm. Lets hope its pre-november, or post-november.. Cause I'll be in CA in November! [Our timings are just awful..]

oh-



ZING!

_________________
Never underestimate the complexity of buttered toast

bri
yeah saw your cross country journey post...I'll be in colorado for my sister's wedding oct 15, probably sticking around for a bit, you can probably crash if you don't mind staying at my parents house in boulder, they're real nice and supportive of "the ball thing blake likes to do"

_________________
il faut pas avoir peur de ta liberte.

Thanks man! Well, I do have a friend in Boulder that has offered us a place to stay, but perhaps if you're still around we could meet up? We are leaving on the 18th [if all goes according to plan], are you gonna be in CO for a week or so?

_________________
Never underestimate the complexity of buttered toast

...I think this conversation has jumped threads...

_________________
You control the inertia, it doesn't control you.

Ha yeah sorry Dizz, I just kind of responded.

But this does give me an excuse to tell a story,

Have been on a bit of vacation, so haven't worked for two weeks. Went back out today. Got stopped by the french police in front of sacre couer, two cops came by with a crowd of like 50-75 around me, they were accompanied by a group of about seven gypsy girls who they must have been shaking down. The cop said "bonjour, au revoir" and looked at me, I looked at him, smiled my best smile, and kept on working. He walked off with his gypsies.

He came back, took my passport, and proceeded to give me crap and try to confuse me (once he found out I'm american). Told me montmartre is closed, and no one can work there. Should have known, I didn't see any of the other regular performers up there, and it's saturday. He didn't take my money, thank god, but told me if he saw me again he would take me to jail. This would not be a positive development.

But I won't give up!

There was a lame guitar player in my regular spot today, so (after this thread...heh) I looked for a new pitch. Didn't see the statue guy, so I took his spot. It is a place I have used regularly, with no problem, police passing by and everything. Hopefully in my usual place they won't give me a problem... but I guess there is some kind of crackdown.

Developments sure to come.

_________________
il faut pas avoir peur de ta liberte.

I've been curious, can cops taking your money that you have earned if you don't have the right permit or if you're in an area your not supposed to be busking in?

_________________
Contact Juggling at work, starting to annoy my co-workers every time I drop it ^^;

http://www.youtube.com/user/shadowbuster
rabitjuggling.com