Juggling Talk Requirements

This page tries to set out what I need and expect when I come to do a Juggling Talk for you. I hope that the information here will answer most of your questions, but if there's anything missing then please Let Us Know so we can add it and save time for everyone.

These guidelines are here to help you get the most from my visit, and they are genuine guidelines, not hard and fast rules.

The highlights

All of the audience must be able to see me from the waist up
I need a computer projector.
- I will bring my laptop, but I will also have a USB memory stick
I need to be able to write, talk, move around ...
- ... so the exact setup is important.

These are just the highlights - please do read the rest of the page, carefully ...

The Audience
Venue
Technical
Travel
Food and drink
Accommodation
Fees
Payment

The Audience

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.

Venue

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.

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.

Technical

Visual aids

Using a computer projector

I use a regular computer projector for my presentation. I will need somewhere to set up my laptop, or whatever computer I'm using, so that I can get to the keyboard when necessary, but it is largely out of the way. I need an ordinary VGA connector - not HDMI - and I do not require sound.

Because I talk, juggle, and move about a lot during my talk, getting this right makes a big difference. In general it's not a problem, but once or twice it's required some effort to make sure we get the best arrangement.

We need to make sure that when I move about I don't mask the screen. That can also be awkward, especially in ordinary rooms as opposed to lecture theatres. Again, it's never been a show-stopper, but it does benefit from some thought beforehand.

This is not an ordinary "lecture".

Lighting

The lighting needs to be bright enough to see me juggle, but not so bright as to wash out the projector. Spotlights are bad news when juggling because looking up at the balls leads to instant (albeit temporary) blindness.

Travel

I live on the Wirral near Bebington station, and I usually travel by train when possible, by car when necessary, and by 'plane only when essential or genuinely cost-effective. Given these guidelines it helps me a great deal if a host can outline travel arrangements for me. I need to know the station to travel to, whether I will be picked up or take a taxi, and in the case of a taxi, where I need to ask for.

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.

Food and drink

A heavy meal beforehand is never a good idea, but a snack might be welcome, depending on the time and journey. I can't eat spicy food such as curries or chilli, and don't drink alcohol at all. A meal afterwards is a great opportunity for more questions and discussion. If Rachel is accompanying me then she can't eat fish or seafood.

Accommodation

I am not demanding about accommodation. All I ask is a quiet room, a comfortable bed, a good shower, and a nice breakfast. I am more than happy to stay with a host to help reduce costs.

Fees

Clearly one of the main questions is "How much do you charge?", and yet this is a hard question to answer.

I've recently made the transition to full-time presenter, so I no longer have the back stop of a "proper job" in the background. As a result I need to charge "properly" and can no longer be as "free wheeling" as I was.

My standard rates are

£350 for a single talk of about an hour,
£450 for a half day, and
£850 for a full day.

But these are not formal and fixed quotations, and the actual price will depend on the exact conditions and requirements.

It's also worth noting that there are people just starting out, looking to make their living from giving presentations and doing workshops. For me to come and give talks effectively for nothing is to undercut them, and that's wrong. I need to support them, and the best way I can do that is to ask for sensible, sustainable payments.

Remember, when I come to do a presentation you're not just getting the hour or so of the presentation itself, you're also getting all the travel, preparation, and over 30 years of experience.

Payment

I 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.

This invoice comes from, and is
payable to, a limited company.

That means no tax need be deducted.
You are not paying an individual!

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.

With regards fees and expenses, here's some interesting reading:

These are just a simple statement of the facts.