A Dj's Work Is Never Done...

[Draconic Pride 0]

I was speaking to a punter last night at my residency - and this is not the first one like this - who just assumed that as soon as I finish at 2am I go home and have nothing to do with DJing until I'm back behind my mixer.

 

They were surprised that it takes so much time out of my life.

Meetings with clients.

Sorting through my music collection on my hard drive - a never ending task I feel!

Touting for business.

Researching.

 

Do other people get the same reaction? Does everyone think we just sit around waiting for the next gig to come our way?

[Dukesy 0]

Given that there are a hell of a lot of DJ's who

 

Don't issue contracts

Don't meet with clients / venues (or do gigs where they don't need to / are not expected to anyway)

Don't do paperwork

Have no / little real interest in marketing or promoting themselves

 

So on that basis, i'd say that for SOME Dj's, the clients assumption would probably be fair and accurate

[Tommo55 0]

Yep I've meet people who think that all the equipment makes its own way to the gig and magically sets itself up too!!!!!

 

I guess every profession has the "I would never have guessed it!" aspect to it, ours probably is more prone to it as that is most peoples contact with DJ's and our industry.

 

The disco is ready to go when they arrive and they leave when their ready and everything else just happens, it's like the Hotel staff who set the rooms out and put the dancefloors down etc they are the little magic people who nobody ever see's

 

And I've had clients that are amazed when I mention that we should meet at the venue to discuss layout, playlists, timings etc........as they have may never have come across a DJ offering that level of service before,

 

I find it really nice when they appreciate the extra mile that some in our industry are prepared to go in order to either secure a booking or simply to make sure that everything goes off without a hitch and that they all know exactly what they are getting etc etc etc..........or I guess we could just play Wham and the Grease megamix on repeat all night! :wall:

 

Sorry got off the train of thought outside the station with this one I think :joe: but I hope you can see what I am getting at!

Edited October 2, 2010 by Tommo55

[Forster 0]

Ha, I can beat you on that one.

 

The recruitment agency that I am with asked about any past work. I told them about my DJ'ing and such to which the recruitment agency replied back, "Yeah, but that is just smiling at pretty ladies all night." I wish!!!

 

It really makes me angry about how little appreciation people have about our profession.

 

James

[Norfolk DJ 0]

Given that there are a hell of a lot of DJ's who

 

Don't issue contracts

Don't meet with clients / venues (or do gigs where they don't need to / are not expected to anyway)

Don't do paperwork

Have no / little real interest in marketing or promoting themselves

 

So on that basis, i'd say that for SOME Dj's, the clients assumption would probably be fair and accurate

 

Totally agree

[Marble 0]

I recently roped in a friend to help with upgrades, he had no previous knowledge of the industry, but got a brief insight into my (albeit busy) working month....

 

A patron to a venue who was complaining he has just done a 50 hour week in his shop and wasn't sure if he should sell his own business, to which I replied recently I've been working 60hrs (updating songbooks, buying / testing equipment, copying discs, gigging, travel etc), on far less than minimum wage but if you love your job it's do-able and worth it. The patron looked at me like I dropped off Planet Liar... To which my friend jumped in and said "after what I've seen, it's probably more than 60hrs.... (then he looked at the patron and followed up his statement with)... and at least some of your 50 hours is sat behing the till, surfing the internet until a customer walks in"

 

People can't comprehend how much work can go in, especially since a "couldn't care less DJ" will occasionaly just turn up, play the first 100 tracks s/he finds through a system that's falling apart and have a great night because the audience was fantastic.

 

I go above and beyond the call of duty and could reduce the amount I do, but I'm obsessive about things being perfect and I enjoy what I do, so I will happily spend that extra time making sure everything within my control goes right.