QuestionnaireLooking for International Work?
Double T's agency places many acts in overseas employment. We send acts to Asia, Europe, Japan, India, and the Middle East but we also book in many other locations worldwide as the contracts are presented to us.
We are often asked for the best way to prepare promotional materials to ensure success. We have included in this Web page the some information about travelling overseas and the best methods to get venues to take notice of you. Further into this page is an extract from an article called "Working the Overseas Hotel Circuit" which will give an in depth look at the need for quality promotional materials.
There are a few things you need to know to about overseas work. Working overseas requires a commitment between the act and the agency and a strong commitment must also exist between each member of the act. There are some costs that you will need to consider associated with marketing and preparing your act to go overseas. You will be working in locations which have different customs from ours and where their laws are very different to Australia. There are contracts that need to be signed between your act, Double T's, the venue and sometimes other third-party agents. There is a lot to think about. On the other hand, working "OS" is a blast! Most of our acts really enjoy being away. Many of our acts move from one contract to the next and from one country to the next. We have had some acts away for years! You don't have to do that, but the typical duration is 3 to 6 months.
There are passports, visas, travel arrangements, luggage limits, accommodation (amongst other things) to be considered. The agency that handles you will assist with most of these items. Before all of that takes place there is a standard of quality of your promotional materials that needs to be attained before overseas venues will look at you.
Please take the time to study the documents on this 'Join Us' page. Fill out the Questionnaire and Work History forms and return them to us. Please ask questions to clarify your understandings. We are looking for acts we can have a long-term relationships with so we do our best to keep the communication as clear and simple as possible.
Are you ready to take the plunge?
Below is some general information about the engagements that our company deals with. Every contract is different so it is difficult to quote general conditions, however, many jobs fall within a range.
Entertainment Required
We are constantly looking for piano vocalist entertainers, guitar vocalists, duos, trios and bands playing popular and top 40 music. We also require jazz duos and trios.
Contract Period
Our demand for entertainers is all year round and most contracts are 3 to 6 months long. Very occasionally we see 2 month contracts but the minimum period generally required is 3 months.
Sets and Nights Per Week
Most contracts are 6 nights per week and 4 sets of 45 minutes per night although this can vary especially on cruise ships.
Salary, accommodation and Airfare
Salaries range dramatically however you can usually expect between US$2000 to US$2500 per month per person (or about $600 to $900 Australian per person per week, or $400 to $600 American dollars per week) Sometimes this figure is higher but once again it depends on the contract and on the group.
Although this amount seems lower than many musicians can earn at home, the income is consistent over a long period of time and there are no real living or transport costs when you are on contract. Often the fees are paid after tax too and that can make a big difference. Meals, accommodation and airfares are generally provided by the client as a part of most contracts however you will be advised before proposal of your band if any of these items are not supplied by the client.
Our Requirements
Please refer to the 'Join Us' page for a complete explanation of the materials required however here is a summary of those items. The article written below explains each of the items.
Further explanation of these items is made in the article below
WORKING THE OVERSEAS HOTEL CIRCUIT
Updated extract from an article published in the "Immedia Magazine" by Kevin Kosky
Kevin Kosky, director of 'Double T's International Entertainment' gives us a view of working overseas, not as an original artist but in the lucrative covers field. His company specializes in the export of Australian musicians and entertainers overseas. Double T's has been established for 20 years and deals mainly with 5 star venues, cruise ships and hotels. He has a strong grounding in the music industry, having spent many years in bands servicing the hotel and corporate market both locally and internationally, and is also current president of the AEAA (Australian Entertainers Agents Association)
"The thought of a working holiday in a far off destination sounds like a wonderful escape for many musicians and with the right preparation it really can be. However there are a number of things to consider. You need to make sure that you are able to present yourself in the best possible way to win one of these contracts but you also need to know what to watch out for and what can go wrong. With correct preparation, you can avoid most problems and make the most of your time away.
Firstly, you need to make sure you present the best possible promotional package you can. I can't tell you how many jobs have been lost because poor promotional materials have let the band down. Hand written resumes, photos that were out of focus, and poorly recorded demos are all reasons to fail. If you want them to take you seriously, you have to put some thought into presenting yourself well. One musician sent me an audio cassette demo with only one song on it, a bad photocopy of a photo of him in jeans and a T shirt, a 3 line resume and no song list. No-one can take that sort of presentation seriously especially a buyer from overseas. The look and image of a group is most important when working overseas. Your whole package looks like it has come from someone who works professionally.
Make sure your promotional package includes the following items:
1.A professional style photograph of the group or act you intend to promote. Sending separate photos of the members doesn't work and the photo must be an accurate display of the lineup that will be travelling. The photo can make or break your chances of employment with all band members dressed and groomed well. Studio photos can definitely give you an advantage and colour photos are best. It is best to submit 3 or 4 of the your best photos. These days photos are mostly submitted digitally and the best format is JPG. Supply each photo in two resolutions, one around 200kb in size for email and another one that is 3 or 4mb in size for artwork and posters. I often receive photos that are as small as 10 or 15kb and they are of no value as the quality is just too poor.
2.A Video presentation is an essential item. CD's and audio are no longer enough and most venues will ask for videos. Make your video about 7 minutes long with 5 to 7 pieces of songs. Live recordings can be ok especially if you can show some interaction with the audience but be prepared to experiment a little to get the best sound and video quality. Make sure that you send the best quality copy of your demo that you can. Home camcorder video footage can also work as long as you experiment with sound and picture quality. Try putting the camera on a still surface in different parts of the room to get the best response on film. Although homemade footage will work, a professionally produced video is definitely an asset.
I recieved one video recently that was very successful. The video worked well because they were exciting to look at, they dressed well, they danced well, the material was well known internationally, and the lighting and production was great. The general rule is, the bigger the group, the more you need to pay attention to a well produced video. However, there have been successes with homemade camcorder footage. If you are going to produce the video yourself make sure all faces are really clear, and the sound is good. If you take a live video from the back of the room for example, chances are you will hear a lot of audience noise and the faces will be too far away to see properly. The best structure for a successful video presentation is a duration of 5 to 7 minutes with 5 to seven pieces of songs approximately one minute in length each (or a verse and a chorus). It is best to have the act's name always present as a title on the bottom of the video screen, if possible. An opening and closing title screen with the acts name is also advisable but keep these opening and closing screens short as they take up valuable viewing time of the band..
3.Biography - a one page biography is fine. Include your experience, where you have played, and what you have done especially if you have done any TV performances, Released a successful CD or anything of note. The important thing here is to be relevant. An overseas buyer wants to know you have experience enough to work in their venue for 6 nights a week and for three months or more. Sometimes people send me school reports and references from teachers. These just are just not relevant. Refer to our website for examples of biographies and song lists. It is important to not list your contact details on the biography if you are working with an agent as the negotiations will need to go through the agent's office.
4.Song list - Make sure all the songs are well known internationally so that your potential client can recognize the titles. Original songs are not relevant for this type of work. Imagine you are the client and what you would be looking for. For example, in the piano bar world for female pianists, clients love to hear songs by the Divas, Celine Dion, Whitney Housten and Mariah Carey plus jazz standards and light pop tunes. Pop duos need a 60s to current top 40 repertoire and cover bands can use a selection of well known top 40 material. Remember that not all successful recording artists in Australia have their songs played worldwide so consider this before putting a song or your list or on you demo. Also consider that each country has a preference for certain material. For example, many Japanese people love "The Carpenters" music, whereas you might not use that repertoire in Australia.
5.References - Many hotels will ask for references from other hotels you have worked in. It is best to provide a reference on hotel letterhead that shows you have worked in a similar environment to the venues you are applying for. They want to know you are capable of working for a long period of time so make sure your references include a length of time that you have played at that venue. There is no value in providing a reference from other agents or private and corporate clients as it does not demonstrate this point. References aren't essesential but they are very helpful. If you have never worked overseas before try and get a reference from a venue you worked at regularly and just list the date range rather than specific days per week. IE: Jan 18 to May 21, 2009.
6.Work history - This needs to be a listing of all the work done for at least 2 to 3 years. List venue name, address, contact person and contact number, and dates performed there. Just include resident date ranges as per the paragraph about references, not single days, unless they were very important gigs. Download the Work History form here
7. Passport Copies - You will need a current passport to travel with at 6 months available after the final date of the contract. Scan the passport page with the photo and email it us. Make sure the photo is clear so that the text can be read. The passport needs to be about 200kb in size.
A Few Final Points
It's a great idea to learn a few words of the native language before leaving for overseas as this can be helpful. Due to the fluctuation of other currencies against the US dollar, the amount of your wages might vary quite significantly when you convert the currency to bring your money home. It a good idea to keep your eye on the exchange rate. Most contracts are negotiated in American dollars. Also remember that in most contracts you will need to provide your own health and equipment insurance so make sure you you allow for that expense. Travel as light as you can as overweight baggage can cost up to 4 times as much coming home from overseas International airports than what you paid for it to leave home.
Finally , I have found found the demand for Australian musicians seems to be for piano bar entertainers, pop and jazz duos and trios, and Top 40 cover bands performing in venues in the Middle East, Japan, Hong Kong, Asia and Korea. If your act falls within one of these categories, then the above information will help you on your way overseas. If it doesn't there still may be demand for your type of show. Finally, you should remember the three most important words to do with overseas contracts: Presentation, presentation, presentation!
Now that you have read the information go to the 'Join Us' page and fill out the entertainer questionnaire and work history forms. Also download the guide to creating promotional materials. Use email to send as much as you can but you can also send a DVD with your data by mail. Otherwise you can use the service www.yousendit.com which is a free file transfer service.
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