Juggling Talk Requirements |
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These guidelines are here to help you get the most from my visit, and they are genuine guidelines, not hard and fast rules.
The presentation that I give is not a juggling performance per se, but is a talk about juggling, with integral demonstrations. Some parts of the talk are entertaining and suitable for children, but the majority is targeted at those who can concentrate for more than 5 minutes at a time.
The following are my guidelines. Every group is different and there will always be exceptions. Please Let Us Know if you have any questions ...
My experience suggests that a group of children under the age of 14 does not get the benefit of the usual presentation and therefore needs to be given a modified version that leaves out the more abstract (and to my mind much more interesting!) material. A group that is somehow self-selected and with a minimum age of 13 is OK provided their expectations have been set correctly. A mathematics masterclass is a perfect example.
Audiences aged from 16 to 18 (or so) do get the full benefit, but again, only if their expectations have been set correctly. Simply telling a class of 16 year olds that a juggler is coming has the potential for a wasted hour.
Ages 18 and upwards are generally fine.
The two most vital ingredients are that people can see and people can hear. It is essential that everyone can see my hands while I juggle, and therefore they need to see me from the waist up. In a large, flat hall this will not be the case unless I am on a stage, which then separates me from the audience and reduces the interaction. It also makes it almost impossible to site the OHP suitably. (See the next point: Technical)
If the audience is large then the ideal is to have a raked lecture theatre or similar. A small raised platform, maybe 30cm to 50cm in an otherwise flat hall will also work.
I don't need an exceptionally high ceiling, just as long as I can't touch it without jumping. That means that an eight foot ceiling is high enough.
I need to be able to see a clock, so I can judge how fast or slow I'm going. The presentation always gets adapted to the audience, so I don't have a fixed timing to work to.
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Now this is important:
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old-fashioned, very bulky, shine-through over-head projector. |
Your technical department won't believe that, and they'll try to sell you on the merits of the very new, digital projection systems. For my presentation, they are not as good.
In some cases, and when agreed in advance, I can now use my netbook and a computer projector instead. This involves some trade-offs in the presentation itself, and there is value in understanding them first. However, if you cannot provide an old-fashioned OHP, I can use a computer projection system.
I don't mind a 10 or 15 minute walk, provided the weather is reasonable. The more you organise for me, the easier it will be for us both. I will know what to do, and you will know where I'll be.
I generally prefer to arrive some hours before I am scheduled to talk to avoid the panic caused by a late-running train or a traffic jam. I like to be at the venue some 30 minutes in advance to check the lights, the seating, etc., and think about any changes I might need to make to the talk.
Fees
My expenses are modest. I usually travel by train and you can find out the price of a return ticket from Liverpool. I am willing to stay with people who offer, or in an inexpensive but adequate hotel. Ask yourself what you would require in my position, and you'll have a good idea of my needs. A lunch consisting of a sandwich, coffee and cake costs five or six pounds, a coffee is about a pound, and an evening restaurant meal can cost 10 or 15 pounds. Because I don't earn my living by giving this presentation I don't have to set a large fee. This is good, because many of the schools that have most need of extra activities such as this do not have the money to pay large fees. On the other hand, the sheer number of talks I do means that I often have to take unpaid leave to be able to fit into the often limited time available, so if I were only ever to be offered bare expenses I would most likely consider cutting down on the number of talks I do each year. As a guideline, offer me as much money as you think the presentation is worth, but not so much that you can't afford to invite me back. |
PaymentI have finally given up on the idea of doing paperwork. I give this talk around 90 times a year, and a quick calculation (literally on the back of an envelope!) showed that I was spending up to 3 or 4 hours per talk on emails and paperwork. I have decided that over 200 hours a year, five weeks of working days is quite simply too much.I ask that we agree a single figure in advance to cover all expected expenses and any fee offered. I will then present an invoice from Solipsys Limited for that all inclusive figure. It does not need to be paid in advance, or even on the day, but as always, prompt payment would be appreciated.
I recognise that not every organisation can work in this way, but not to do so causes me significant difficulties. Without being able to document fully all my income and expenditure through the books, my life becomes unreasonably difficult. So much so that this is now the only way I can do a talk. If it helps, consider the invoice to be for services provided, and the amount is the negotiated price for that contract.
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