Nutcracker is coming!

[Ron_Hiner]

There are a handful of Nutcracker performances coming up from various dance studios... Last year I took a bunch of shots that were very well recieved by the parents -- this year, I'm actually thinking of setting up a formal portrait shot to get each of the dancers for a 10 second portrait between the dressign room and the stage.

The video guy sells his DVDs -- and I'm sure the dance studio gets a cut. He sells a bad quality video of the entire performance. I'd sell a very high quality portrait sutiable for huge prints.

So were I offer this service to the studio, I'd probalby need to offer them a percentage of the take. Not only do I need some floor space to set up a remote studio, but I also need the 'handlers' to get the dancers to stop there. Full support of the dance studio is critical.

What's fair & reasonable?

I'll probalby rent a studio strobe or two, and buy some seamless. And I'll probably sell the photos on line (via Printroom or something similar).

But I need to knock on the door of the studio and get permisison to do this -- and I don't know what to offer.

And I don't how much to sell the prints for either.. now that I think about it.

Advice?

Thanks!

[Peter_Garick]

Hi.

I am in a unique position to help you, as I own my own ballet studio, and my wife and I are both photographers. We do all of our photography in-house.

Your idea is good, but do not try to do this at a performance. As a studio owner, I would never allow it. I would not want my dancers distracted. Your best bet would be at a dress rehearsal, or at the studio itself during one of the final run-throughs.

Yes, you should give them a percentage. You need them to promote you, and they are giving you unique access to their students. The studio has invested time and money in preparing the production and should be compensated. The minimum should be 10% of your gross after taxes, IMHO. Or you could offer a flat amount for each package sold.

Beofre we started doing this ourselves, I used to work my behind off to help my photographer. I even printed and prepared order forms for him with the pupil's name on them, as well as their character, to help him keep it all together. He sold more, and he was grateful. To my way of thinking, the better I made him look, the better I looked.

Hope this helps.

Peter Garick