How do you guys charge for lasershow services?

[gabe]

Let me just say, i wasnt asking for "what i should charge" i just wanted to know what peoplel around charged, almost like a poll. but thanks for all the feedback, and yes there probably has been alot of posts like this, i just didnt want to go and dig them up

But thanks for the responces!

[dnar]

I am in the process of setting out standard charges for services and equipment hire.

Given the legal requirement here, I am allowing a minimum of 4 hours to perform a site inspection, draft a safety plan with drawings and the usual local authority submission process.

I have taken several inquiries for dance shows; thus far I am asking what the budget is for a 6 hours show, currently it appears $1500 per projector operated is what I am finding. The corporate market (which I have many contacts in) is looking much more lucrative, for less hours, a few graphics and a beam show.

[dsli_jon]

But on the other hand, if you have the venue, and clients come to you, and your equipment is stored there and can be set up in short order. Same basic setup each time. Then what?

I'm pretty-sure that's called a 'cash cow'. Of course, you charge per-head / per-group, in such a manner to at-least cover your cost-of-operation, and whatever profit you-wish / need to make... the only 'market' you really have to worry-about.. is you.

And... what constitutes a "show". Putting a bride and grooms name and date on the wall for an hour during cocktails? Playing "Receipe For Love" or some other sappy thing on the wall just prior to the cake cutting. Or three hours of punching cues in LivePro and spinning knobs and sliders on a Novation a show?

Well, that's more like an 'fx-show', vs a 'stand-alone / full-fledged show', set-to music / scrim, etc - But, from a 'need to factor-in your costs to profit-ratio', Yep, it's the same. You still have the same-potential for liability-issues* / tech-costs, etc, as you might at a larger show (*= not including the mosh-pit... )

Trust me, I don't want to devalue the profession but, there are a lot of situations I could potentially experience where $300, $500 or $750 could be the max I might get

Yes, of course you have to charge appropriately for the size / scope of the show - Obviously, $1500. for a $2500-budget 'sweet 16' ain't gonna fly - but where there starts to be 'industry-chafe™ is when the "show co" bids out, not $300. but, say $1300, $1500 or $1750 - for a show that *should-be* $3000, $5000 or $7500 - Give you an example..

Quoted a job over the summer, where the Client wanted to project their logo / some messages on the side of a building (all brick, no windows, terminated, etc....) But the ambient-light conditions in the area, dictated that, in order for the Client to, not just "see" the laser-projections, but, feel like, 'Yeeeah, baby..Lasers!!' you'd really need some decent-power - Not just a couple spazz/flail 'lazors+txt' that would produce: "...Uh.. I.. think..that's.. ok, yeah, there's the laser, I see it now... Nah, Fail...

So, in my estimation, the job called for at least a 4-5 Watt Green, with good-enough divergence to be able to project the 800 or-so feet, to the wall, and maintain some fidelity for their logo / message... Or, at least 8 Watts of Full Color... Plus, to absolutely 'cya' / be '100% safe', although terminated, you're really gonna wanna do an FAA 7140 to , just *in-case* of a stray-beam, etc - That takes considerable time, aero-mapping / layout drawings, etc - a few hours to properly prep / submit the report, etc - not gonna be done in 15 min. Then, you've got the show-artwork, travel, your Tech / assistant, etc. So, a few Grand, ~ $3500. - $4500. at a minimum - should-be more, for a 'full-fledged' show, with music / sound / scrim, secondary-systems, etc - but for even something so-simple, still, this type of 'show' should be-that, at a min.

So, then, the Client gets-ahold of a "Sho Co", that they said was 'closer' (though, still a few-hours of travel for them...) - and they Quote $100. / hr. (!) for a 1 Watt Green or, $150. / hr. (!!!) for "3 Watts of Full Color" - yeah - even if it was a Watt of Red / blue - at 800', in ambient street-lighting??? Ptththth, Fail... SO, based on the Client's estimate that they'd be needed ~ 4-6 hrs, their top-end Quote was ~ $900. Plus $350. for travel, AND, they'd supply a "couple of confetti cannons"or some shyte...

...So, to the Client - this all sounds good - 1/3 our Quote, and they get a couple 'confetti cannons' - not realizing that in the lighting-conditions / this-distance, the 'competition' would be TOTAL FAIL.

I don't know how it ended-up - we refuse to do 'price-matching' (ie: Our Quote: $3500.-$4500.; 'Competition': $1250... OK, we'll do it for $1500. - Sorry, but NO...) - dunno... But, I'd bet a couple Watts of 445 it was Fail. And, if-so, that Client will likely not ever wanna discuss lasers again...

THAT'S where the 'cheapest-price'-approach Co's cause problems, for the *industry*. Or, of course, more obviously, like we've seen reported in other threads, cutthroat-pricing by some illegal-hack shooting 1/2-watt+ beams / fx into the crowd at a EDM show... But, I know you're way 'wise' to-that...

So, Pricing needs to be appropriate for the scope and scale of the show / Event, and NEVER book a gig unless you can - not just make yourself a few bux on a Sat - but *improve the image of the entire industry* - make people think, not just well-of *your* Co. but, of all lasershows - leave them thinking, 'ya know, lasers are really cool, and effective for events... not just good for shooting at planes!' jk... But, I think you see my point, yes?

'Course, this is just my crazy two-bit perspective...

peas..
j

PS -

I am allowing a minimum of 4 hours to perform a site inspection, draft a safety plan with drawings and the usual local authority submission process.

Now, This is someone on the right-track.

[flecom]

I$2500-$3500 being about the norm for a club type show.

god I wish, I tell people $2000 and still get no bites

pretty much given up

[dnar]

Hehe, just thinking shit for the hell of it and because my brain is fried, what about charging by the nm per hour like a telco?

2 hours of 532nm would be $1064. Add in 2 hours of 642nm @ $1284 and cap it off with an hour of 445nm @ $445. All on a 24 month contract with a minimum spend of $20,000.

Flexible choice of on-peak or off-peak scanning and free bounce mirror shots to friends on the same telco.

[sbk]

So how much for one hour of 680nm
Just a quick note : when I bought my first 1W 445nm laser, one hour should have been 4450$ worth, not 445$ like right now

I was wondering too the per hour rate of a laser artwork designing... Should I charge as much as a freelance 2D/3D designer, even more because you need some laser-related optimization? I think so but would like to hear your thoughts...

[dnar]

Ultimately I feel people will only pay what they think it's worth or have the budget for. Our job is to knock back the jobs we don't feel are financially worth the effort or risks while selling up our quality and value to drive the price upwards.

[kiyoukan]

im going to have to do research as my friend at st-micro wanted me to bring my projector in for a company get together, hes the one helping get chips at a nice low cost.
it did not help i made a animated logo and some chips moving around it and showed him.
But if i do this i get more reels. any one else trade laser work for reels?