Non-state circuses are not a very common phenomenon in the CIS. At the same time, it can bring a very solid income: an example of this is the Nikulin Circus in Moscow. So creative person If you have some funds and business skills, you can easily earn money by running your own circus and get a lot of fun at the same time.
Possible options.
There are two types of circuses: stationary and traveling. Organizing a stationary circus will require very serious investments: the construction and equipment of the appropriate premises (10-12 thousand sq. m) will cost several million dollars. This amount consists of the costs of building an arena (area - 700 sq. m, diameter - exactly 30 m: this is a world standard) and an auditorium for 500-1000 seats, equipping the circus with special devices (a dome and protective structures), equipment for a buffet, dressing rooms , toilets, etc. A lot of money will be required to purchase animals and cages for them, as well as their maintenance.
If you cannot afford such expenses, it is worth considering the option of a non-stationary circus (tent). For its successful operation, you do not need a special building - a prefabricated structure of masts and a tarpaulin canopy is required. Such a tent can accommodate several hundred visitors (the arena here should also be standard - 30 meters), its cost is approximately 1 million dollars, but its operating hours are limited exclusively to the warm season.
There is an even more economical option - a prefabricated playpen, over which an awning is simply pulled to protect from the sun and rain. It will cost several hundred thousand dollars, but the income will be significantly less, because its operating season is quite short.
It's all about the genre.
The secret to the success of any circus is the correct selection of numbers and competent construction of the program. The most popular genres today are: clowning, pantomime, magic tricks, balancing act, acrobatics, musical eccentricity, as well as performances of trained animals. It is not at all necessary to try to present all these genres in your program, especially if you have chosen the tent version. On the contrary, it is worth betting on 2-3 genres that you can present effectively and efficiently, based on the capabilities of your artists and the preferences of the public in the region where you will begin performing. And only then it will be possible to expand the program and even invite recognized circus stars: their participation in the performances will attract a significant number of spectators and will not put a strain on the already strong budget.
Separately, it is worth mentioning rooms with pets. They traditionally attract spectators, but Lately the presence of such performances in the circus program can damage its popularity and reputation: in some European countries and North America Such numbers are prohibited as cruelty to animals. This needs to be taken into account if you plan to expand internationally. In addition, by refusing to work with trained animals, you will save on their maintenance.
Television advertising is the most effective in this business. However, there is no need to abandon time-tested means - posters, newspapers, radio. And of course, your reputation, earned by the good organization of the business and the quality of the artists’ performances, will not leave people indifferent.
How can we explain the huge budgets for performances that Western circuses make up? what items are mandatory, what expenses are taken into account.
Preparing a show is a very expensive undertaking. Even if you imagine that it will go on an existing site (no need to build anything). First you need an idea, a concept. In today's competitive world of show business, a successful idea is the key to the future profitability of the show. A creative group of specialists from different genres is working on the concept and script. After developing the idea, the process of selecting and preparing artists, staging each act, making equipment, sewing costumes, writing or selecting music, and preparing special effects begins. Considering the need for fairly long rehearsals before the release of a show (modern shows are associated with risk and “sophisticated” stunts), preparing a new performance takes at least six months. But some shows take 1-3 years to prepare. As a result, the entire preparation process turns out to be very expensive.
Is circus in the West a profitable business? What are the most striking examples.
Most shining example, of course, this is Cirque du Soleil with its huge budgets for the preparation of each show (average 25-50 million dollars). The average profitability of their business is 20%. The average European circus has a profitability of about 10-25%.
Among other most successful circus projects are Ringling Bros. And Barnum & Bailey, The Blue Monkey Sideshow, Zippo's Circus, Berlin Circus Renz, Circus Belly, Fern Street Circus, Great Wall Entertainment, Hungarian State Circus and Variety, Mamaloucos Circus and others.
How much profit does the circus make on average from one performance?
Usually the performance takes place in halls with a capacity of 2000 people. Prices for performances range from $30 to $260 (usually). The average ticket price is about $130. Total for one performance will be about $260,000. More expensive and massive shows bring in 400-500 thousand dollars in tickets alone. In addition, circuses always sell additional products - snacks, toys, discs, etc. - all with a profitability of 100%. This also generates income of up to 10% of the ticket price.
How many programs do Western circuses usually have in their repertoire? How do their prices vary? costs for them?
The circus repertoire is structured in different ways. For example, Cirque du Soleil has a repertoire of 25 shows (about 17 different shows are on at the same time in different countries), other circuses may have 6-10 shows “in stock”. The main thing is that the circus performances taking place on any stage change every 1-2 months. Naturally, all circuses periodically prepare new shows.
All circuses have so-called “tour shows”, i.e. those performances that the circus can show on the road. There are performances that the circus shows only on its stage. Stationary shows tend to be more expensive to produce and produce.
Depending on the task facing the circus, the budget for the performance may vary significantly. Thus, investments in Cirque du Soleil productions reached $200 million (including the construction of the theater). Their touring shows cost on average $20-25 million, and permanent shows cost $40-50 million. An ordinary production of a regular circus costs ~$1 million. The average cost of preparing a high-level show is $10 million.
What size net profit What do the largest Western circuses receive per year?
About $100 million per year, up to 120 million.
About the circus business in Russia
The Russian circus is still one of the strongest in the world. However, due to perestroika and the events that followed it, Russia lost its presence on the world market in a corporate sense. Russian circus performers are considered one of the strongest in the world, they are invited to work abroad, but as individuals, and not as a “circus”.
One can hope that thanks to government policy and the efforts of private circuses, the situation may change in the next 2-3 years.
As for approaches, there are several options:
- circus aimed at children (family leisure): traditional Russian circus with a variety of circus acts, animals, clowns;
- circus show, built mainly on acrobatic performances, the main audience is adults and children,
- a circus show united by a common scenario, i.e. a performance including circus acts; as a rule, there are no acts with animals, a lot of special effects, designed for an adult audience.
The structure of stationary and traveling circuses has the following main divisions:
- circus management (director, his deputy);
- artistic part (main director, chief conductor, orchestra artists, artist, choreographer, arena inspector-director);
- production department (head of production department, lighting designer, production workshops);
- engineering and technical part;
- administrative and economic part (administrators, ticket takers, cloakroom attendants, cleaners, ticket cashiers, supply manager, storekeepers, fire guards);
- functional services (accounting, personnel, supply).
As a rule, the circus employs contract artists (contract length of 1 year). After signing the contract, the artists are given a number (the director, artist, composer, choreographer, etc. work). On the account of the circus with which the contract is concluded, the act lasts for a season and a half, and then the management concludes contracts for the artist’s performances abroad. If an artist simultaneously tries to perform somewhere else, this reduces his income in the main company.
It is important to note that in Russia the circus pays for the preparation of the act, while abroad it is the artist himself (including the artist himself who bears responsibility for damage to props and costumes).
A circus can be public or private. Many state circuses are part of the Russian Circus structure.
"Rosgostsirk" is a state circus company, which includes more than 70 enterprises, including:
- 41 stationary circuses;
- 11 mobile circus tents;
- 8 mobile zoo circuses.
The Company also includes: 4 directorates of the groups “Circus on Stage”, 3 groups “Circus on Ice”, 2 groups “Circus on the Water”, “Circus of Lilliputians”, “Circus Revue”, “Theater of Sea Animals”, “Incredible” strange circus", "Golden tour of the Shatirov brothers".
Despite its scale, the Russian City Circus, according to professionals, is already an outdated and ineffective phenomenon. It can be assumed that more flexible private circuses can compete with state ones.
Many state circuses, due to suboptimal management, have long been experiencing difficult times.
In general, the circus is a fairly profitable business.
The estimated cost of 1 performance in the circus is almost a million rubles. average salary artist for 1 performance - 4500 rubles. The usual capacity of a modern circus is from 3000 seats (in Russian regions- from 2,000). The average ticket price is 1000 rubles. Total revenue for the performance is 3,000,000 rubles. Despite the significant costs (building maintenance, security, props, keeping animals, feeding, etc.), experts believe that the circus business is quite profitable both for the artists themselves (salary per month from 150,000 rubles) and for owners and management.
Today we will talk about a very difficult business to organize. What can you say about such a popular entertainment business as the circus? If you want to open your own private circus, then you must understand that organizing such a project requires a lot of money. This entertainment is over 200 years old. Despite the fact that circuses appeared two centuries ago, they have not lost their relevance during this time. Who loves the circus? I think everyone loves the circus, from young to old. Today at major cities Russia hosts circus performances every week for different target audience: children's performances, performances of clowns, jugglers, trained animals. If properly organized, a circus can turn into a highly profitable business.
How to open a circus?
First, you must decide on the type of circus. On this moment There are two types of circus: stationary and traveling. Each type has its own advantages. If you are limited in finances, then it is better to open a traveling circus. It has more advantages than a stationary circus. For example, a traveling circus is not tied to one place. That is, you can travel to different cities. Moreover, you don't have to constantly change productions. You need to prepare one interesting performance - and for a whole year you can tour different cities with this performance. This eliminates the need to constantly come up with new performances. Your main expenses will be on purchasing a folding tent and the necessary equipment for performances. You should also have at your disposal a spacious truck on which you will transport a folding tent and everything necessary equipment. Additionally, you will need a bus that will transport performers and personnel to set up the circus.
As for a stationary circus, the main disadvantage is that it requires huge financial investments. You will have to spend money on renting or building a large space. You will also have to equip auditorium: modern lighting, seats for spectators, stage, etc. All this requires enormous financial costs.
I think you yourself know that the success of any business depends on personnel and personnel? Each specialist plays an important role in the circus. Therefore, the selection of personnel should be treated very carefully and strictly. You have to find artists, designers, wardrobe attendants, actors. It is also impossible to imagine a circus without a leader and manager. In principle, the role of manager can be performed by the entrepreneur himself. A ticket office should be set up near the entrance to the circus and a cashier should be placed there.
It can be difficult to find performers for the circus. Unfortunately, it is difficult to find good artists. It is impossible to imagine a modern circus without acrobats, magicians, clowns and jugglers. You definitely won’t have any problems recruiting little-known artists. For example, you can hire graduates of circus schools for your circus. Don’t forget that performances with animals are very popular among spectators: cats, dogs, tigers, bears. No one can resist the performances of four-legged animals.
Pay special attention to the staging of numbers. This is the most difficult stage in organizing a business. You have to come up with not only interesting show, but also to solve other organizational issues: select artists, sew bright costumes, make beautiful scenery, select musical accompaniment for each act. We shouldn’t forget about special effects and lighting; we can’t live without them now. If your circus is stationary, then you will have to change the program regularly. Of course, the more often the better.
How to attract viewers?
At one time, the process of baking cakes inspired Henry Ford to optimize the process of sealing a gas tank. Instead of using 16 drops of tin, the machine began using 15, resulting in savings of tens of thousands of dollars. You never know what will breathe life into a business and bring profit, especially in the entertainment sector - people vote with rubles for the most unexpected leisure options. But even here there are certain patterns, confirmed by the best world examples.
Unibacken in Stockholm and technical outsourcing in Russia
The Museum of Scandinavian Fairy Tales is one of the tourist attractions in Stockholm, especially loved by fans of Astrid Lindgren and Tove Jansson's books about the Moomins or Pippi Longstocking. There are no usual rides and carousels here, which greatly distinguishes the park from Disneyland. But in Junibacken a huge number of full-size houses, ships, stables and forests were built - the founders paid maximum attention to the quality of the scenery. Children, the main visitors to the museum, constantly test the buildings for strength, but the decorations still look fresh and neat.
Junibacken Park makes you look at the issue of producing props for business differently. Comparing the salaries of Russian decorators and artists, the cost of materials and logistics with other countries, you understand that this is an undeniable advantage of the entertainment business in Russia. The rule, which has already become a tradition for IT companies, has gradually moved into the entertainment industry - it is more profitable to transfer technical development to Russia and sell the results of your work to Europe and the USA. Moreover, with the development of 3D technologies, artificial intelligence and robots, entertainment business began to need even more technologically advanced and exclusive attractions. For example, the production of software chips for Komnata quests in London, which automatically open doors and trigger noise and visual effects, is located in the Moscow region in the city of Zelenograd. On average, the cost of developing such a chip in Europe will be 10 times higher than its Russian counterpart.
Tibidabo Park in Barcelona and respect for history
The park is located on the mountain of the same name in Barcelona. A very beautiful, cozy place, a must-see on your first visit to the capital of Catalonia. Technically, this is an amusement park in its most classic sense: a Ferris wheel, carousels, a mirror maze - the whole set. But the most important thing is not this. This park was built in 1899 and is still in operation. A Ferris wheel, a carousel, an exclusive attraction made from an old plane - everything has been in operation for more than a hundred years and has become a real tourist gem of the city.
Even with the variability of fashion and tastes, an initially high-quality, conscientiously made product can exist in an extremely competitive market. Of course, the business model will have to include costs for constant update, such as, for example, new attractions are constantly opening in Tibidabo Park. But still, if the entertainment facility fits into the historical and tourist concept of the city, it will be a success.
The latest trend in the entertainment industry is to weave holiday stories into the historical fabric of the city. It could be an old Kremlin tower, a city theater, an abandoned prison or a factory building - all options will be win-win with proper positioning of the entertainment facility and careful attitude to history.
Warner Brothers Studio in London and business scalability
If you are a die-hard fan of the Harry Potter books and films, you've probably heard about the legendary Warner studio Brothers in the suburbs of London, where the film about the boy wizard was filmed. The owners of the studio had the foresight to preserve all the decorations and now sell about 100 tickets every 10 minutes to everyone who wants to touch the magic. The excursion costs £30 - a pipe dream for a Russian entertainment entrepreneur.
In addition to the excursion to film set visitors are sold photos and videos on a 3D broom, magic wands, cloaks and the entire classic set from mugs to scarves. Potter is one of the strongest franchises of our time. Everything here is an excellent example of how a truly large-scale factory of illusions should be built, from good jokes memorized by very kind staff, but slightly stunned by the number of guests, to the drama of the process with constant emotional rollercoasters.
Increasing cross-country ability is a challenge that the entertainment industry in Russia has yet to solve. The movie showed successful resolution this problem 120 years ago, following the principle “no actor, no show,” the Beatles brought rock music from basements to stadiums; the entertainment industry is just beginning this journey. Therefore, if you are planning to open an entertainment business, think about scalability at the start.
Louvre in Paris and unpredictable demand
All roads in Paris lead to the Louvre. And if you go to the Louvre, you go to the painting “Mona Lisa” by Leonardo da Vinci. The hall with the La Gioconda is always very crowded, it is almost impossible to take a photo, the ubiquitous Chinese will definitely appear in the frame. But the funniest thing is that the museum displays a truly luxurious collection of Leonardo - in the next room hangs “Madonna of the Rocks,” an equally talented work. But all the laurels are taken by a mysterious girl with a world-famous smile.
In terms of the entertainment industry, the situation is similar. One player in the city collects 80% of the traffic. And it is extremely difficult to change this status quo; you need to immediately become the best. Fortunately, modern world allows you to approach the starting point of your business very freely. Therefore, if you feel that there is demand for your services abroad, do not be afraid to move thousands of kilometers.
Broadway in New York and components of one system
Broadway is a dream factory on the east coast of the United States. Every day, in hundreds of halls, worlds are created and destroyed here. Productions come and go, actors die, distributors go bankrupt - Broadway remains.
The success of each individual performance is based on the genius of the screenwriter and the talent of the director. But production cannot be discounted - this is the sale of tickets, catering, production of scenery, recording of music, the actors and producers themselves - all this is a product that can be counted and measured. It is impossible to create Broadway from scratch, just like Hollywood or Silicon Valley. All these projects are created from thousands small businesses, each of which makes possible the existence of this entire complex interdependent system.
Likewise, the entertainment business in Russia has developed thanks to the presence of hundreds of engineers, prop makers and screenwriters, thanks to low prices for rent and high prices for services. It is very difficult to predict or artificially provoke such a surge in business. One might dream of buying an empty theater in the future Covent Garden area. However, having seen the emerging trend, you can jump on the bandwagon by organizing a service around your core business. Pick and shovel sales have always been very profitable business in the gold mining business.
Basic business idea: open a private circus.
Who is it suitable for: for entrepreneurs with high level prosperity.
Required resources: for a traveling circus you need a special tent or building (if the circus is on permanent place), artists, service personnel, special equipment for staging performances.
Initial capital: should range from 1 to 10 million dollars, and on top of that, you also need to take into account the cost of the circus premises.
Preface: The circus business today is the most interesting and difficult to access for entrepreneurs with average incomes. This type of business is suitable for those who have huge income or are simply an adventurer and like to take risks. Despite the fact that this type of activity has been around for a very long time, there is still no doubt about its popularity. If the production circus performance quite unusual, tickets sell out in an instant. Many have long known what it is and have been to the circus more than once, but still hear about unusual performances, they go there again and again. After all, ordinary routine life gets boring, you want something new and beautiful, and sometimes a little fabulous and magical. And what can be seen under the circus dome cannot but be called fabulous. Acrobats performing various pirouettes at great heights simply captivate the views of those around them, and performances with various animals give a positive mood to every viewer. But if you look at all this from the other side, we can say that the circus is a rather labor-intensive and responsible project that has difficult and consistent steps.
Step-by-step steps for opening a circus.
The main point is the choice of the premises where the circus will be located (depending on whether it is mobile or stationary). The first case has its advantages in that it is not tied to specific place and can travel not only within his country, but also abroad, gather a huge number of spectators and, in accordance with this, make a good profit. also in this option there is no need to constantly change productions.
A stationary circus has plenty of disadvantages. Such a circus will be very expensive. Although in a stationary circus the capacity of spectators is much higher, the income is correspondingly higher, because in a traveling circus there are not so many spectators that can accommodate and the animals do not always tolerate the road well. Therefore, if you have the opportunity to invest in creating a stationary circus, go for it!
Success depends on the level of the artist!
Undoubtedly, the success of the entire circus will depend on the well-chosen artists and the rest of the staff (managers, musicians, director and others). But more often than not, such artists are already busy and can work in another circus; in this case, the only thing left to do is either lure them over to you, or hire beginner but responsible “circus performers.” Also for performances you will need animals and organization of performance numbers. It usually takes about 6 months to 3 years to organize a production (and train the animal). During this time, numbers and scenery are prepared, costumes are sewn. But, despite all these waste and moral stress, the circus performance will pay for all these costs.
