As a DJ, I've struggled with this whole grey area of payment. Do I set a price and refuse to work if it's not met? Do I accept whatever people choose or decide to give me, and be glad of the opportunity? Or do I try to figure out some other system. As my experience has changed and my expertise grown, this outlook has shifted slightly. As a new DJ, I was happy to play anywhere no matter whether I got paid or not. It was great to be a part of an event and have the opportunity to get my name out there. As a whole, that attitude is still true. If I didn't enjoy DJing, I wouldn't be doing it. It's something I'm passionate about, and I definitely do not do it primarily for the money.
Having said that, here's the catch. I do believe DJs should be getting paid for their time. Most organizers do pay their DJs, but some don't, choosing instead to see free entrance to the event as apt payment. I think on principle, I disagree with this. Unfortunately, I don't think most people realize the amount of time, energy and money that goes into being a DJ. We tend to be misrepresented as people who show up, day of, with our laptops, sit down at a desk and throw on a playlist. Far from it. Some DJs might function that way, but I know many (myself included) that pride themselves on their knowledge of music and skill at moving a dance floor. The sad story is that DJs at their best go unnoticed, because it's not about putting yourself in the limelight, it's about creating an experience for your dancers, and the more you push yourself to recognition, the more you interrupt the dance experience.
But lets break it down a little, and figure out why DJs should be getting paid.
Money: Acquiring music is expensive business. In a time when everyone trades and downloads music for free, it's easy to forget that a lot of DJs still pay for their music, especially when the music we DJ is not widely known or available. Also, while being comped into an event lifts that expense burden, DJs travel extensively to attend the events they are hired for, and rarely are they compensated for their travel expenses. Often, even if DJs get paid, what they are paid doesn't even cover the cost of travel.
Time: When we DJ, we don't show up at the event, throw down our laptop and magically play a great set. Most of us spend hours getting to know our music, researching and finding more great music to play. We put in our time consistently, not just at events. Also, depending on how much I DJ at an event, I tend to dance a lot less.
Effort: Being a good DJ is hard work. It's stressful. Before a set, I am consistently listening to the current DJ in the room, taking note of their style, the direction they are going in, and making sure I know what they played so I don't accidentally repeat songs. This means I don't get to show up late (or right before my set), I pride myself on being on time, being ready to go before it is necessary, and being flexible. If you hire me as a DJ, I see my job as making sure you have a great event with great music. If you need to shuffle me around or call on me in an emergency, I do my best to help you out. My job is to provide you with good music and help you to make your event run smoothly. When I DJ, I do my best to watch the dancefloor, be aware of what's going on and respond accordingly.
For these reasons, I think it is important that DJs start getting paid consistently. I'm not saying break your bank on us. It's not about the money - what I make as a DJ barely reimburses me for travel expenses, let alone the time and money I spend on my music. But that's ok. I do it because I love it. However, not paying your DJs devalues their efforts and expertise, and we feel more like a friend doing you a favor than a legitimate DJ providing a valued service. In the end, this will hurt the organizer most: I am less likely to hold myself to professional standards when I am not being treated as a professional.
I want to make it clear that this is not a black and white opinion. There are many events that I would choose to work for "free" (just getting comped), either because the event is small and doesn't have the resources, or because it is large enough that I don't feel I have the level of experience and reputation to offset the opportunity and exposure that DJing such an event would give me. But I would love it if more people recognized the amount of effort and passion DJs put into their jobs to consistently provide the dance scene with great music.
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2 comments:
Amen, sister. I'm with you on this 100%. I fell in love with the music, and I love sharing it. But the time, effort, and resources spent acquiring the music that makes people want to move should be both acknowledged and somehow compensated.
When we DJ, we work. At least, I know I do, and the DJs that I admire do. So if your instructors are working, and the DJs are working, and the band is working... why should a DJ not be paid?
I should add that there are times when DJs working pro bono makes sense: when you're building a scene, for example. But crossing the country and giving it your best to make a bunch of dancers happy for an hour or more at a time? Yeah. That's worth something.
It seems as though your exploration hinges on the question of both what a DJ is worth and what an almost moral standard of appreciation should be.
I disagree with the underlying assumption. (Of course. ;)
Being hired (or hiring) is a transaction, a negotiation. As a DJ, it is your job to determine what is required for you to feel you are gaining a benefit for your work. As you outlined, there are both many inherent costs and benefits of deejaying, and to variable levels depending on the context. (Event reputation, distance, etc.)
When an organizer outlines the payment of working an event, they are not simply stating "this is your worth." They are claiming, "this is your market worth". Your market worth meaning, "we could get someone else about as good as you, for these benefits plus about this much money." It is supply and demand. You get to do the same thing. Top DeeJays make more money because they say "I could get the same valued gig, for more money". Top DeeJays can also charge more money, because they are being paid less in other areas. When you are that well known, you aren't being paid in "exposure", "practice" and "legitimacy". You already have those things in spades.
I realize that sometimes that feels as though this is undervaluing your effort and your skill, but it is good organizing to minimize financial costs when you are already benefiting the DJ in other ways. Remember, they aren't cheap to make themselves money (most of the time), they are keeping ticket prices low for dancers and hopefully increasing attendance (which improves your self-promotion).
Ultimately, if you feel you feel you are doing a favor by working at an event as a DJ, it is because you choose to accept benefits worth less than your costs. (Define: favor). I'm not against doing favors for people, but it was your choice. Next time, say no. Nicely indicate that it simply is not enough to make it worth your effort of deejaying. Your resentment (an overstatement, I know) is no one's fault but your own.
Every time you get made an offer, ask yourself. "Am I better off saying yes, or no?" If you are better off saying 'yes'…its a fair offer. As far as business is concerned, I think it is that simple.
In your posts, you made two comments that caught my attention.
"We tend to be misrepresented as people who show up, day of, with our laptops, sit down at a desk and throw on a playlist."
Based on context, it distinctly appears you are referring to organizers (as this post is about them) thinking of you this way. I think this is a grossly overstated and a potentially offensive representation of organizers. I suppose there are probably a few who are under this impression, but most organizers are not so blind or new that they are unaware of what it means to DJ. They are very tuned in to the subtleties of the work, and how that force guides the success of a dance, a night, and a event.
Please remember, deejays are not the only group who put in incredible amounts of effort and are terribly under appreciated.
"In the end, this [undervaluing DJs] will hurt the organizer most: I am less likely to hold myself to professional standards when I am not being treated as a professional."
This seems like a threat, and I'm calling your bluff. I agree that an unprofessional DJ is bad for organizer business. But please keep in mind, your unprofessionalism probably represents you even more badly than the event. Organizers are everywhere, and dancers and other DJs are keeping an eye out for up-and-comers. You will probably hurt the event a little, but you will hurt your reputation much more.
You are a fantastic, up-and-coming DJ who indeed has a lot of value to offer. I encourage you to set your worth not on an umbrella principled standard, but on a fair assessment of what is beneficial to you in your goals and experience.
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