Working with other performers - how to work out money matters

How do you work out rates with the performer you hire while still keeping it a good deal for the client? Does s/he give you a special rate, and you pay him (or her) directly? Or do you both work out a package price together and split it? I mentioned to a magician friend of mine the idea of a package deal and he loved the idea. Any suggestions on these types of money matters?

Dear Melody:
I charge $100/hour for Facepainting. I charge $150/hour for two face painters. We split everything 50/50. The tip jar is split after we pay our line manager. I may be able to paint faster than my lovely compatriot, Teena, her personality enables us to be a fabulous team. A homeless person cut into the line at the weekend event for the Yonge-Eglinton Uptown Fall Fest and my partner took care so that I could still paint. We are a team. Teena enables me to paint with enthusiasm and she inspires me. We split everything.

If you both want to offer a "two-fer" package then you BOTH state what you want out of the deal cash-wise up-front.

He states his fee, you state yours, combine them, if you want to add a little admin fee for the person who is going to be handling the contract and payment do so, then that is the package price you are offering.

Put it all IN WRITING, draw up a contract making it perfectly clear what each will get, how it is handled, cancellations clause (what to do if one of you can't make it) etc.

Thank you both for your input

With Shannon on the contracts...We subcontract a lot of events. We have about 9 entertainers total that work with us. 3 of them I work with on a continual basis. I have a basic work agreement that states the way that we book out parties and events.

We work a ton of ways with people and then I always up front make sure they understand the terms of payment before the gig. It depends on what you need for your business for the way that you want to divide the money, but no matter how great of friends that you are it needs to be in writing so that there is no confusion.

There are some things that we split 50/50 and some events that we pay per ticket, and yet other events where we act solely as a booking agent to get parties for other entertainers and then we keep a booking fee. Sometimes I have a corporate gig that wants 4 or 5 painters so I just add in everyone's hourly rate that they want all together and then I don't take anything but my share on that.

You kind of have to see what works for you and make sure that the entertainers know ahead of time the ways that you pay them and book them.