E3 Group

There are a lot of entertainment agencies in the UK, many of which have a strong online presence. Try searching for “hire an entertainer” on Google, for example, and over 800,000 results are produced. So, if you’re looking to book live entertainment online, how do you go about making a decision regarding which agency to use?

There are a number of key things to consider. Firstly, it’s really important to establish whether or not the agency you are proposing to use is a member of the The Agents’ Association (Great Britain). This association is one of the largest trade organisations of its kind in the world and requires its member to adhere to a strict code of conduct and professional ethics. It’s therefore highly recommended that you check an entertainment agencies credentials on the Agent’s Association website before you go ahead and book with them.

Secondly, it’s important to check that your proposed entertainment agent uses contracts approved by the association. The legal contract between you, the hirer, and your agency, is the legal framework that protects you against the hazards of booking an act directly. A good entertainment agency will ensure that these contracts are signed by both parties, you the hirer and the artist you wish to hire, before confirming your booking. These approved contracts are absolutely crucial – many bookers have had their events ruined either through legally inferior contracting or by agreeing a deal directly with an act with no contract in place at all. This latter situation can be extremely costly and risky and we have heard of situations where event organisers have paid a fee to act up front only to lose it entirely, with no legal route to compensation due to the lack of a correct contract.

Thirdly, a good entertainment agency should be open and clear about fees and the fee negotiation side to the service. Live entertainment acts and celebrities do not always have set fees for their services. It’s the job of the entertainment agent to negotiate a fair price for both parties whilst also being clear about the nature of the deal. On-going, regular bookings (for example, a singer required once a week in a restaurant) usually results in what is called an Employment Agency contract. With this arrangement there is only one contract drawn up directly between the artist and the hirer. The entertainment agent will oversee this process, negotiate fees on both sides and accept a commission for placement of the artist (normally 15%). However, one-off events that require more resource and management from the agent (for example, booking a major pop star for an outdoor appearance) will now often result in what is called an Employment Business contract. When operating as an Employment Business, there are effectively two contracts involved – one between the business and the hirer, and one between the business and the artist. With these “buy-and-sell” deals, the contracts are entirely separate and the entertainment agency is liable to honour their agreement to pay the artist, even if the hirer cancels the booking. The benefit to the hirer when dealing with this type of contract is clear in the sense that the agent is contractually obliged to provide the artist or, in the event of illness or exceptional circumstances, provide a suitable replacement. However, the booking fee for Employment Business contracts is not as transparent as an Employment Agency one and an ethical agent should ensure that the commission they take on the former deal is fair and in keeping with the level of work required on a particular booking.

Fourthly, it is always important to consider the rider you will be expected to provide for any act you book, celebrity or otherwise. Riders consist of everything from food and drink to the technical equipment needed for a live performance. A good entertainment agency will take you through rider requirements step by step, demystifying any technical jargon and making all costs involved as transparent as possible. A good entertainment agency will also have extensive contacts with sound, lighting and staging companies and will therefore be able to help you source any technical equipment you may not have anticipated needing when initially booking the act. If you choose the wrong agency, or book an act directly, the responsibility of facilitating the rider will be solely yours and if the equipment you provide is not exactly correct, you could run the risk of your chosen act refusing to perform.

Finally, and on a more general note, a good entertainment agency will be passionate about live entertainment! It’s the job of the agent to keep bang up to date with what’s going on in the entertainment business. This involves seeking out talented new performers through auditions, events and networking occasions. It also involves the agent forging crucial links with other talent management companies, enabling a direct route to both emerging and established celebrities, pop stars and entertainers. By forging these relationships with entertainers, celebrities and talent managers, the agent is in effect creating the bridge for potential hirers to book the act that will transform their live event into a memorable occasion.

E3 Group attended the RSVP exhibition at the Business design centre in Islington today. On show were companies and services from the full spectrum of the events industry. Before attending, our delegates feared that the shadow of the G20 protests would loom heavily over the event, making potential attendees reluctant to travel through London. Fortunately, the atmosphere at the event was exceptional, with people totally unfazed by the potential for disruption attending in their thousands. E3 Group attended the event to determine exactly what kind of impact the current economic climate was having on the industry in general and to listen to the experiences of our suppliers and potential business partners. Although everyone admitted to the belt-tightening that is becoming compulsory for all businesses at the moment, no matter the sector, we were pleased to here that it is not all doom and gloom for the events industry, in fact, far from it.

The current downturn has become a common ground for the sector to unite over. Partnerships were springing up left, right and centre as business who previously may have been content to go it alone, looked to form new relationships and strengthen the old. Entertainers were out in force in an environment which truly represented the vibrant and exciting culture this industry enjoys. Walking down a typical aisle at RSVP you could expect to be serenaded by a crooner, baffled by a close up magician and relaxed by some ambient, classical strings, all the while being dazzled by the array of exhibiting styles the different stands had to offer. E3 Group found the event to be thoroughly enjoyable and beneficial as a networking opportunity, as a chance to promote your services and as an opportunity to have personal contact with the people who keep the industry fresh, innovative and successful. For your chance to get a glimpse of the event, stay tuned to Channel 4’s Ten Years Younger, hosted by the lovely Myleene Klass, as they were filming at RSVP today. If you watch closely, you may even catch a glimpse of E3’s own Callum Gill and Ryan Curtis who were asked by Myleene to pass judgement on one of the contestants, and were only too glad to oblige!

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Twitter is a social networking phenomenon that has dominated the technology headlines for some months now. Initially, like most people I think, I was sceptical of the benefits that Twitter could bring and also quietly thinking that it was a flash-in-the-pan fad, here today gone tomorrow. I feel no embarrassment at accepting how wrong I was and also will now openly admit how much I enjoy using this remarkable little site. What has struck me recently though is the level of engagement the celebrity community contributes to Twitter. Fans feel connected to their favourite actors, singers and performers in a way rarely seen on the cluttered pages of Myspace and Facebook. Many of the celebrities we book here at E3 Artists are on Twitter, Jamie Oliver, Alan Carr, Russell Brand and Derren Brown are a few names of note, posting regular updates about where they are, what they are doing and anything that may have caught their eye that day.

There is a rather predictable dark side to this celebrity engagement; the fakers. Ordinary members of the public are impersonating well known celebrities, and something that fans consider even worse, celebrities are hiring “ghost twitterers” to post updates for them. This has become such a concern for Twitter fans that many feeds have sprung up dedicated to exposing the fakes and applauding the genuine. It seems to us here at E3 that getting someone else to tweet for you without explicitly explaining that this is what is happening doesn’t seem to serve any purpose. Eventually, you will be found out, as in the case of 50 cent, so if you don’t want to engage with your fans through this medium, why pretend? I doubt celebrities would hire tribute acts or impersonators to do their public appearances for them so ultimately, ghost twitterers risk hurting their celebrities reputation. There are so many celebrities engaging in the fantastic and lively community on Twitter, like those above, it seems impossible to compete as a faker. Follow the Authentic E3 Group Twitter feed here.

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href=”http://wefollow.com” rel=”nofollow”>http://wefollow.com twitter directory under: #entertainment #business #british #

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• rumours circulating that Andrew LLoyd Webber is planning to launch musical version of the Wizard of Oz! http://tinyurl.com/degjtv #
• Anyone fancy a degree in Butlinsology? http://tinyurl.com/bkvojp #
• Come check out our YouTube channel. its been made all E3 Like. http://tinyurl.com/d254mc #
• E3GroupBBC faces painful cuts to stay within budget. Entertainers salaries on the chopping board http://tinyurl.com/cndlrq #
• Due to popular demand, the Saturdays are piling on the gigs for their first headlining tour. http://tinyurl.com/cmnu3w #
• Westside story becomes a bilingual musical with the addition of new Spanish language songs http://tinyurl.com/d5zuz6 #
• RT @thestage: #news Broadway dims lights for Richardson http://tinyurl.com/c68vt4 #
• Danny Dyer rumoured to be joining the cast of Eastenders. An authentic addition it would seem! http://tinyurl.com/dxkto4 #
• Are plans to allow alcohol consumption in theatre seats bad news for performers? http://tinyurl.com/c7w5yy #
• The Stone Roses have quashed rumours that they will reform in the summer. Our collective hearts sink a little! http://tinyurl.com/czo8vt #
• Rogue talent agents under the microscope for charging illegal fees to entertainers http://tinyurl.com/cz76lq #
• Rouge talent agents under the microscope for charging illegal fees to entertainers. http://tinyurl.com/cz76lq #
• The Stage Newspaper has launched a brand new theatre podcast. Get listening! http://tinyurl.com/cam5av #
• BBC launches new online dragons den with two new dragons ! http://tinyurl.com/co7gwv #
• Will Young to appear in Horne & Corden’s new comedy series . Also Kylie set for end or series appearance http://tinyurl.com/ddj5au #
• E3 Entertainment Agent Ryan Curtis just met Ray Quinn . We wish him good luck with Dancing on Ice this Sunday! #
• Sad News for UK Musicians as Government cuts funding to career launching programme ‘New Deal’ http://tinyurl.com/d7wlyw #
• BBC staff will strike on the 23 May, 31 May & 1 June over plans to cut 3,780 jobs and privatise part of the corporation http://bit.ly/Bu6Xr #
• Was it the real Michael Jackson who gave the press conference announcing his 02 gigs? doubts have started to emerge http://bit.ly/xL5fS #
• Auditions for the Dirty Dancing Musical are being held at DAnce Works Oxford Street Right now.! Press and CAmeras everywhere! #

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* Joan Rivers’ Agent just popped into the E3 Artists’ office for a chat and some tea with Dan our senior entertainment agent. #
* The new Britney Video here http://bit.ly/th1Ig. If U Seek Amy, it took me a while but i got it in the end. Slightly controversial no? #
* Jackson’s o2 residency becomes the fastest selling tour in History. Thats a long queue outside the o2 arena! http://bit.ly/GcOaH #
* Happy Red Nose Day everyone! looking forward to tonight? http://bit.ly/GyVRs #
* Gary Barlow has allegedly admitted miming at the Brit awards to Chris Moyles. Take That had to choose to sing live or enter in a spaceship! #
* RT @rajanand: RT @PaulLomax: Newspaper websites that you’re not allowed to link to! (http://bit.ly/dontlink) – unbelievable! #
* Michael Jackson’s UK tour will stretch into 2010 with 45 dates announced. Do you think with all the hype, the shows may be a let down? #
* X Factor judges panel is in hot dispute again this year. Will Danni go? who will replace her ? lilly Allen & Mel B in the bookies frame #
* RT @thestage: #news Product placement ban to stay on UK TV http://tinyurl.com/bwpr6d. Looks like there is no quick fix for ITV #
* Has anyone seen Jamie Oliver in Brighton Today? he is meeting staff at Jamie’s Italian. all eyes out the office window! http://bit.ly/p4Uxw #
* Radiohead, Blur and Pink Floyd, plus other music stars are due to launch a lobby group for rock and pop artists. http://tinyurl.com/bfl26r #
* Jamie is palma for 2 months with the Thomas Cook entertainment training course #
* Can anyone find a YouTube music video they cant watch? So far only U2 videos are blocked for me . a slow process then! #
* http://bit.ly/TlQKy #
* What do you make of YouTube banning UK users from watching music? what will this do to YouTube in the UK? http://tinyurl.com/bw93z9 #
* On Friday, Dan Kujawski travelled to Blackpool to oversee an awards ceremony hosted by Julian Clary.http://tinyurl.com/dj32ev for pics. #
* Welcome to the E3 Group Twitter feed! thanks for following us #

E3 Group opened the doors to another new office on Monday 5th of March… in sunny Spain! The new Majorca base has been set-up to better facilitate our European service contracts with Thomas Cook and Hi! Hotels. David Parker, E3 Group Operations Manager, is currently heading up the new team out there and he had this to say about how things are progressing:

“Things are going extremely well here. The whole team have been extremely busy getting the Majorca Office and training course up and running, managing to find that elusive 25th hour in most days!

The entertainers from Thomas Cook had a day off yesterday; they spent it on the beach and sighting-seeing in Palma. It was a well deserved rest and have returned today fresh, rested and ready for another day of song and dance!”

The new office will improve communications with overseas entertainers and allow E3 Group to get more involved with all the fabulous work our entertainers are doing for Thomas Cook and Hi! Hotels. If you should need to contact David Parker or our team overseas don’t hesitate to drop them a line!

E3 Group Majorca Office
Palmanova Hotel
Calle Miguel de los Santos Oliver, 13
07181 Palmanova, Calvia
Majorca,
Spain

enquiries@e3grouponline.com
recruitment@e3grouponline.com

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Comic relief has begun in earnest again this year with celebrities totting out left, right and centre to raise money for noble causes across the world. My personal highlight so far has been Robert Webb’s amazing turn on Let’s Dance for Comic Relief. His interpretation of Flashdance’s What a Feeling literally knocked me for six, not because of the amazing blowtorch packing entrance, not because of the ridiculous wig and costume but for the simple fact that Robert Webb has got some moves on him! Everybody has a preconceived notion of celebrities, normally revolving around them being pampered or detached from the real world. I think the celebrity climbers of Kilimanjaro have gone someway to dispelling that image as, regardless of the help and support that they received on the trek, climbing that mountain is something few people could ever achieve.

The impending comic relief sketches look set to be as enjoyable as last year’s. The usual comedy crossover outings are set to impress and a revisiting of the Celebrity Apprentice has already created incident destined to be excellent viewing. The Saturdays, whose popularity has been skyrocketing over the past few months have pitched in with the official Comic Relief single, a cover of Depeche Mode’s I Just Cant get Enough.  I think that March and the time surrounding Comic Relief is an excellent time to hire a celebrity for your next event as the general mood and feel of Comic Relief seems to inspire celebrities to go above and beyond the call of duty. You may be able to squeeze more appearance time from your chosen celebrity or even submit a slightly ‘off the wall’ request that may be granted in this time of goodwill. Whether you’re booking a celebrity for a comic relief related event or just hiring a celebrity for an annually scheduled occasion, March is a great time to get the ball rolling.

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The E3 Group is planning to open its own stage school, the E3 Academy, in 2009. The first Academy will be launched in Brighton and Hove and will provide training in drama, dance and music. The E3 Academy will also offer film training, both in acting and production, as most traditional stage schools steer away from this area which has a huge appeal for the technology savvy youth of today.

Thomas Cook, The E3 Group’s largest client and global tour operating giants have decided to roll out the E3 Academy to its overseas properties as part of their 2009 entertainment proposition. Initial trials will take place in July to September of 2009 at three carefully selected resorts, with the intention for full resort roll-out to a number of properties in 2010.

The aim for the Academy is to be more than just another stage school started by an individual or a group of individuals with a passion for entertainment. Though there is nothing wrong with the traditional stage school (the E3 Group has supported many in the past such as K-Bis), having the full force of an entertainment production company behind the academy will inject real production values into the curriculum and offer students the chance of a clearly defined, entertainment career path through E3 Production and E3 Artists. With the success of British Artists during the current, busy awards season, it would be great to think that E3 Academy students may be the ones picking up these gongs in the future!

The E3 Group will ultimately franchise the Academy so children around the country will have the opportunity to learn with the high standards of production expected for professionals working in the fast-paced entertainment industry.

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The E3 Group has forged a new relationship with Danny Foster, one fifth of the record breaking pop group Hear’say. Danny is looking to explore new avenues of entertainment and to bring his talent to a whole new audience. Ryan Curtis, E3 Group Entertainment Agent met up with Danny and after the meeting, Ryan told me just how enthusiastic the guy is about entertainment and in particular, singing live. With performances at The Royal Variety Show, The Brits Awards, The National Television Awards, Top of the Pops and Party in the Park already under his belt and an army of fans on Youtube commenting on Hear’say’s music videos, reminiscing about how important the band were to them growing up, its easy to see that Danny’s appeal is as strong as it ever was.

In my opinion, Danny and Hear’say were victims of their own success. They were the forerunners to what is now a multi-million pound industry; the TV talent show business. Without the likes of Danny, there would be no Girls Aloud, Will Young or Leona Lewis. Hear’say proved that bands or artists formed through this process could be successful, hugely successful in fact as Hear’say’s double platinum album Popstars demonstrated. Now, there is a huge support network and thriving industry surrounding TV talent shows where as Danny was navigating uncharted waters back in 2001 and it seems that the industry support for the group was less than impressive.

With the advent of the new generation of talent shows, namely the X Factor, the public is keener than ever to engage with talented solo artists like Danny. He has already proved he can win outright a show like the X Factor, so you would be quick to forgive him if he was bitter about his past in the Industry. Amazingly, Danny is anything but bitter. He is looking forward to upcoming projects, preparing to branch out into new entertainment avenues and has these words to share with all his fans, “I am thrilled and grateful with the projects that I am working on. It is amazing to know that the support is still there. I would like to thank everyone for their kindness, letters, emails and website messages. Thank You!”

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