How to Get (and Keep) Jobs for your Group

For those of you who are new to the reenactment business here are some hints to get and hopefully keep festival organizers and business owners coming back for more.

The easiest part is looking for work.  Take a good look at your paper’s events section.  There are hundreds of fairs and festivals that might be in the market for some roaming pirates or wandering minstrels.  Contact the organizers and offers your services.

New coffee shop opening in town?  Maybe the owner might be interested in a bardic night?  That new bar might be interested in having pirates coming down when they do a rum tasting.  Your local mall that runs family days might be interested in having your group take part, especially around Halloween.  The local museum might be interested in your group giving a lecture, ditto the public library.

Interested in film work?  Local film boards have (often for free) an on line directory where local businesses can post their contact information.

Network.  When you’re at a festival don’t stay in your encampment.  Go around to the tables and introduce yourself to the local animal shelter (maybe they can use your group for their next adopt a thon), the local politician (always good to know an insider when it comes to a town sponsored festival), the local paper/radio station (of course you’ll be telling the editor what a great read an article about your organization will be and bragging to the radio hosts what entertaining guests your group will be).

The internet, of course, is another good source of information.

Remember I wrote it’s easy to look for work.  In today’s economy it’s hard for everyone, even reenactors to get a gig.  With a professional approach and persistence you should get your group some appearances.

Once you’re working the trick is to keep working. While the following hints are simple and no brainers, they are often easily forgotten.

Always do your best at an event.  Be professional, even if you are not getting paid.  Be on time, don’t leave early. Word of mouth can be your best friend or your worse enemy.

Professionalism should also extend to your internet presence.  Your group maybe pirates, but no one wants to hire a bunch of drunkards so keep the rum bottles hidden and the middle fingers down.  Group squabbles don’t belong on Facebook.  If you have a gripe about how your group is being run take it up with them at a meeting.

Watch your language.  Most festivals consider themselves family friendly and that means lots of children being present.

It’s hard to stay pleasant to the idiot who asks you the same dumb questions over and over, but it must be done.  That idiot will happily run to the event organizer and complain about you.

Stay in character during festival hours, that’s what you’re being hired to do.

Obey the rules of the site because, yes they do apply to you.

Maintain a high level of safety.  Handle your weapons responsibly.  No one wants a lawsuit.  Organizers want to hire reenactment groups that cause no problems, lawsuits, and/or bad press.

Try to work with other groups.  That singing duo next to you would appreciate it if you don’t fire guns while they’re singing.

And one last piece of advice have fun!  If you’re having a good time, the people attending the fair will too.  A happy audience makes an organizer happy to have you come back next year.