I never understand DJs that know their quitting time is on their contract yet they fail to properly execute the ending of the event so that it coincides with the proper ending time, They then get upset because someone following their contract is telling them they are done.
Sometimes it's not always that simple, especially if a venue is not booked for a specific ending time or if another organization is present (say, two college orgs are sponsoring the event) and that org tells you to stop, but the org you contracted with says play until whenever.
G
Guest
Guest
Not quite sure if this is something against me or not so if I am wrong I am sorry.
I don't have a quit time on my contract. I have a up to this many hours amount on my contract. That way if the venue does not allow us to go past this point, I don't have to explain why they did not get their 6 hours. They book the venue , not me so they have to deal with that aspect.
I can only start when needed so the option of starting earlier to make sure they get their 6 hours is not possible.
Again, if I misunderstood your post, please accept my apologizes.
Karl the comment was not directed at you.
The comment is directed at those DJs that know they are done at a certain time but think it's okay to play a extra 15 minutes as if the Venue Banquet Staff doesn't have anything else to do, Or it is for the DJ that is not professional enough to deal with the (One More Song) crowd at the end of the evening.
I must say that I understand there are many different ways to run our business but I always know the start and ending time of my events so the example DJ Ducky gave would never happen so I can not comprehend that statement.
The comment is directed at those DJs that know they are done at a certain time but think it's okay to play a extra 15 minutes as if the Venue Banquet Staff doesn't have anything else to do, Or it is for the DJ that is not professional enough to deal with the (One More Song) crowd at the end of the evening.
I must say that I understand there are many different ways to run our business but I always know the start and ending time of my events so the example DJ Ducky gave would never happen so I can not comprehend that statement.
My contract allows for "teardown hour" which I can, under my discretion, continue to play music for a cooling down period (usually for 10-15 minutes while I pack up my CDs & say goodbyes to B/G).
Some places are such @holes, they don't even allow the cool down period.
FACT BE KNOWN:
the 10 minutes of chill out music actually helps to get 'em out of the room.
try it sometime: play "Over The Rainbow" (brudda Iz) & "Grow Old With You" (Adam Sandler).
meanwhile the lights get turned on (for cleanup) & at the end you've got maybe 2 couples on the dance floor.
Cesar -
What if you're playing your last song, but it's going to end after the event end time.
What do you do? Cut it off in the middle?
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I once had an outdoor party at a house in a party town on the Jersey shore. 5:00 to 9:00 on a Saturday. When I got there, the host told me that I had to be done at 9:00. No overtime.
At 9:00 sharp, the police arrive to tell me to shut down. I calmly explained that I already announced that it was the last song, and there is only a minute left to play. He said I had to shut it right then.
Not that it matters, but the song was Springsteen's "Jersey Girl".
What if you're playing your last song, but it's going to end after the event end time.
What do you do? Cut it off in the middle?
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I once had an outdoor party at a house in a party town on the Jersey shore. 5:00 to 9:00 on a Saturday. When I got there, the host told me that I had to be done at 9:00. No overtime.
At 9:00 sharp, the police arrive to tell me to shut down. I calmly explained that I already announced that it was the last song, and there is only a minute left to play. He said I had to shut it right then.
Not that it matters, but the song was Springsteen's "Jersey Girl".
Had that manager done that to my gear he would have been wearing a Chafing Dish for a Hat!
Not only did she pull the plug, the manager shut down almost all of the lights.
Sometimes, there's nothing wrong with ONE MORE SONG!
(especially when the campus police insist on it!)
Cesar,
I'll clarify the situation that Ducky was talking about since I was the one who took care of that contract.
At our local university there is a freshmen orientation program which holds two dances during the week before classes start. This group is the one who we were contracted to. The venue was outside at the university; however, the group that was paying the bill (keep in mind that there was no service contract with them, the only contract was with the orientation folks) wanted us to shut down at midnight on the dot. Earlier in the night we had suggested to the client a reordering of events to better suit the students and they agreed to it. We ended up going past midnight and the paying group was furious (mind you there was no overtime fee being charged).
Also, since this venue is outside, it is owned by the university in general, not by one specific organization.
So, we had one side telling us to stop and the client saying we can keep going until 12:15. Well, we had planned on going until the 12:15 since that is what the client wanted...to make a longer story short, the university police told us to keep going.
So there are sticky situations where not even the best planning can get you out of nicely.
I'll clarify the situation that Ducky was talking about since I was the one who took care of that contract.
At our local university there is a freshmen orientation program which holds two dances during the week before classes start. This group is the one who we were contracted to. The venue was outside at the university; however, the group that was paying the bill (keep in mind that there was no service contract with them, the only contract was with the orientation folks) wanted us to shut down at midnight on the dot. Earlier in the night we had suggested to the client a reordering of events to better suit the students and they agreed to it. We ended up going past midnight and the paying group was furious (mind you there was no overtime fee being charged).
Also, since this venue is outside, it is owned by the university in general, not by one specific organization.
So, we had one side telling us to stop and the client saying we can keep going until 12:15. Well, we had planned on going until the 12:15 since that is what the client wanted...to make a longer story short, the university police told us to keep going.
So there are sticky situations where not even the best planning can get you out of nicely.
G
Guest
Guest
LOL! No, BUT any scenario has a chain of command. For example, if you are doing a wedding, you MUST determine who your boss is, and everyone responds to someone else...
SO, lets say you are told to answer to the bride. The bride is your boss. You work for the bride. If someone (like a guest) asks you to do something, you have to be sure it is ok with your boss.
THE BRIDE is responsible for dealing with the venue. The venue operator is not my boss. THEREFORE, if I contract a time with the bride, and I determine that ending time is the SAME ending time contracted with the venue, it is MY JOB and responsibility to end on time.
HOWEVER, for an example, if the bride has the room to 12 and we are done at 11, and she want me to play to 3 people for the last hour, but the venue manager wants me to shut down so he can send staff home, it would be, according to chain of command, incumbent upon the manager to tell the bride he wants to shut down, not me. She legally has the room to 12, and it is not my place, my job or my responsibility to shut down the party.
Chain of command is IMPERITIVE to identify, especially in weddings. You have to know who has final decision process, the mother, the bride or the manager or the banquet facility, LOL.
Dont assume the person writing you the check is the boss either! Many times I have contracted brides and had the mother contradict the brides wishes because "she was paying me". I clear that up at contract time.
Chain of command is an important leg of the contract process, and "c'ing your A".
DJ Teddy its the second song to the end that you cut off and mention that the next song will be the final song and wish the B/G the best of luck on their Marriage or what ever you want to express to them. You already know how long the final song is so that should be started at exactly the right time to coincide with the ending time.
Without reading all the replies entirely, it is quite evident from all these WWYD questions, that contract considerations to cover all these incidents is always an after thought.
So, here's my answer which is in the contract (any surprise about that?):
Sooner or most likely when it's too late, it is hoped that some folks will realize that a contract that is designed to cover most evils is not being a "bad guy/gal", is not being a legalese techno jargon dork, is not being huge extensive phallic symbol; it's being a prepared business person with clear responsibilites and conditions for both the DJ and their client, even if nothing like this has ever happened to either the client or you...YET.
So, here's my answer which is in the contract (any surprise about that?):
Sooner or most likely when it's too late, it is hoped that some folks will realize that a contract that is designed to cover most evils is not being a "bad guy/gal", is not being a legalese techno jargon dork, is not being huge extensive phallic symbol; it's being a prepared business person with clear responsibilites and conditions for both the DJ and their client, even if nothing like this has ever happened to either the client or you...YET.
G
Guest
Guest
Thanks Cap.
After the 2 situations this past weekend I did add something similar to my contract.
I added if the venue has a set end time and the 6 hours has not been reached there are no refunds. That goes with the whole "Up to 6 hours" for $xxxxx.
I also have had in my contract since day 1 that the venue manager must approve of any overtime and it must be paid in full before the extra time starts.
After the 2 situations this past weekend I did add something similar to my contract.
I added if the venue has a set end time and the 6 hours has not been reached there are no refunds. That goes with the whole "Up to 6 hours" for $xxxxx.
I also have had in my contract since day 1 that the venue manager must approve of any overtime and it must be paid in full before the extra time starts.
G
Guest
Guest
I should have argued with you sooner. You and I actually do some things exactly the same. This being one. I am a stickler for ending on time. The venues love me for this.
I always hear about this on DJ that just keeps playing on and on after the end time and they cannot get people to leave.
Karl:
That up to is a key contract language catch all should an event finish before the anticipated or contracted quitting time. Very wise to include it, my friend, very wise.
And you say you don't play cheese
I agree with Matt the few min you give lets them get out quicker. I usually do a couple of more uptempo tunes though