04a — Event Booking Policies

Canonical "everything you need to know when booking an event" reference Synthesized 2026-05-11 from 04-events.md, 10-non-member-rentals.md, 02-policies-and-sops.md. Recency-wins; the 2026-04-18 Event Intake Form supersedes older rate sheets.

TL;DR — Booking Checklist

1. Do NOT quote price or confirm availability on the inquiry call. Take the request, bring to team, follow up in writing.
2. Confirm booking type: Member event (2, 000flat)or * *Non − memberrental * *(5,000 + $250 cleaning + $500 deposit).
3. Send Member Event Booking Agreement (for members) or Recording Studio Booking Agreement + Exhibit A (for non-members).
4. Full payment due at signing to secure the date. No payment, no booking.
5. Create the event in this order: Event Doc (Drive) → Internal Calendar → Members Calendar → TRC app RSVP → block rooms → hire staff → written confirmation + deposit → team-wide notification email.
6. Finalize details ≥48 hours before event. Pre-event reviews at 1 week / 48 hr / 24 hr.
7. If alcohol will be served, log the event against TRC's 36-event annual ABC cap.
8. TRC does NOT accept payment at the door for tickets. Members hosting may run their own Eventbrite / pre-pay system off-platform (see §7a).
9. Day-of: written ROS, walkie-talkies live, content-capture plan in place, floater sweep every 20–30 min.

1. Who Can Book What

Members get the $2,000 rate. Non-members default to $5,000 buyout. Negotiated flat rates (e.g., Red Cell 5 hrs at $2,000) are possible but require Greg/Jacob sign-off.

2. Intake & Lifecycle (do these in order)

2.1 Inquiry call

• Gather: contact info, event vision, requested date(s), time block (load-in to load-out), expected guest count, F&B needs, AV/staging requests, content/livestream needs, alcohol Y/N, 21+ Y/N.
• Do not quote price. Do not confirm availability. Tell the client you'll follow up in writing within 24 hours.

2.2 Internal booking form

Captures: Booking Type (Member / Outside), contact, studio(s), date(s), time(s), house engineer vs. client-supplied, other AV needs, participant count, layout/customization, special requests.

2.3 Quote & contract

• Apply current rate sheet (Event Intake Form, 2026-04-18).
• Send the appropriate agreement template populated with Exhibit A (fee, personnel, services, cleaning, deposit, guest fees, late-payment terms).
• Full payment required at signing. Refundable security/damage deposit per Exhibit A.
• For large events: payment deadline may be set up to 1 month before event date (precedent: Ashleigh Coffelt 11/8/25).

2.4 Operational build

1. Event Doc created (hour-by-hour ROS template — see §5) and saved to Events Documents/ in Drive.
2. TRC Internal Calendar entry created; studio time blocked; hyperlink the Event Doc in calendar event name as "Event Document".
3. TRC Members Calendar entry created with description and RSVP link.
4. RSVP created in TRC app (Marketing → Events Inventory).
5. Members Calendar updated with RSVP link.
6. Rooms blocked; personnel hired/scheduled; deposit collected; written confirmation sent.
7. Team-wide notification email sent with required staff list.
8. Pre-event reviews at 1 week / 48 hours / 24 hours — contact Jacob or Ava for any gaps.

2.5 Day-of

• Walkie-talkies / group chat active before doors.
• Concierge (door/F&B/bar/desk), Event Assistant, AV Engineer(s), Event Manager all in position.
• Floater sweep every 20–30 min (restrooms, kitchen, bar, Live Room, mezzanine, patio, TVs, equipment left out).
• Check-in: scan QR → press Check In → READ the name on screen (do not let guest self-announce) → verify → admit. Refusal to sign in = no admit; escalate to Jacob/Elmo/Greg.
• Members get glassware; non-members get plastic cups. Wristbands for larger events.

2.6 Post-event

• Raw audio/video to Drive within 48 hours.
• First social cut (15–30 sec) within 3 days (Ari leads).
• 180-day file retention; client masters released only after full payment.
• For member-acquisition events: 5-email conversion sequence (see §6).

3. Pricing — 2026 Canonical (Event Intake Form, 2026-04-18)

3.1 Rooms & staff

Reset fee if client handles own setup and fails to restore plug-and-play config: $50 (Live Room) / $30 (other rooms).

3.2 Food packages

Standard drink dispensers: "Cucumber Water" (sliced cucumber + ice + water) and "The Pink" (lemonade + lavender syrup + blackberry syrup).

3.3 Studio Coordinator (non-member)

$25/hr — required for non-member full-facility bookings.

4. Cancellation, Payment, Overtime, Damage

4.1 Cancellation

• Non-member / external: cancel >2 weeks before → 50% refund; cancel ≤2 weeks before → full fee non-refundable.
• Member event: cancel within 3 days → partial refund withheld per Exhibit A.
• Member room reservations (not events): modify/cancel up to 48 hours out free; within 24 hrs = fee.

4.2 Payment

• Full fee at signing secures the date.
• Invoices due upon receipt.
• Late payment: 10% + $25/month late fee after 7 days; bookings/membership may be suspended.
• Overtime invoices must be issued within 24 hours of session completion; follow up after 7 days overdue.

4.3 Overtime

• All sessions end at scheduled time.
• Extension at Studio's sole discretion; rate up to 150% of contracted hourly rate.
• Per Partnered Event Contract (2026-01-02): overtime hourly rates apply when client/guests are in building before or after agreed hours.

4.4 Damage

• Client/member fully responsible for guest behavior and any damage.
• Damages by intoxicated individuals billed to the member who booked.
• Damage protocol: photo + group text to Lalo (Maintenance, 310-994-9129) with Greg cc'd; repair coordinated to not conflict with bookings.
• Equipment damage reimbursement: full reimbursement due within 7 days of incident.

5. Required Event Document Fields

Every booked event must have a saved Event Doc in Drive containing:

• Event name, date, location, type
• Block times (load-in → load-out), start/end times
• Invoice amount + payment status
• Host info and contact
• Guest count (estimated + actual)
• F&B details (tier, custom items, allergens)
• Setup/tech requirements; engineer + AV staff list
• Budget summary
• Marketing: Partiful link, Members Calendar status, promotion timeline
• Talent: band members, stage plot, input list
• Hour-by-hour run of show (ROS)
• Content capture plan (cameras, livestream, social cuts)
• Goals (community / conversion / revenue / content)

6. Alcohol, Age, and Capacity

• TRC does NOT sell, serve, or provide alcohol. BYOB only. No corkage, no bottle service.
• Legal drinking age 21+. Members responsible for guest compliance.
• California ABC cap: 36 private events per calendar year may include alcohol. TRC maintains a log — every alcohol event counts against this; check the log before approving.
• No alcohol sales, indirect sales, or ticketed admission with alcohol.
• Staff may not directly serve alcohol; staff may verify age and suspend privileges if intoxication observed.
• All alcohol removed and studio vacated by agreed-upon end time.
• Member hosting an event assumes full liability for guest conduct and ABC violations.
• Capacity: comfortable ~100; max 150. Capacity over 100 requires special staffing plan.

7. Promotion Rules

TRC does NOT publicly promote events in advance without explicit host approval.

Allowed channels (with approval):

• Members Calendar (pre-event listing) — always OK for members
• WhatsApp broadcast (day before + 1 week out)
• Instagram / TikTok (1 wk out, 1 day out, day-of, post-event)
• Email blast to members (Saturday weekly digest)

Before any post:

• Confirm host's comfort level
• Approve all flyer/promo assets
• Confirm platforms (IG, TikTok, email, WhatsApp)
• Clarify co-post vs. TRC-post
• Note any sensitive details not for public promo

7a. Ticketing & Door Payment (CRITICAL)

TRC does NOT accept payment at the door for tickets. No cash, no tap-to-pay, no Stripe terminal for door admission. This is a hard rule — staff must not collect ticket money on-site, ever.

How member-hosted ticketed events work

A member hosting an event may charge their own guests for admission, but ALL of the following must be true:

1. Pre-payment only. The member sets up their own Eventbrite, Partiful, Venmo, Zelle, or any other off-platform system; guests pay the member in advance.
2. Money flows guest → member directly. TRC does not touch it. No TRC bank account, Stripe, or staff handles the guest-to-host money.
3. TRC charges the member only the standard guest fee. $10/guest over the 6 included with the member event flat fee — billed to the member's card on file, NOT to the guest at the door.
4. No TRC branding on the ticketing page implying TRC sells tickets. The host is the seller of record.
5. Door staff verify the host's guest list (or scan the host's QR / Eventbrite check-in) — TRC does not handle money at the door, only access control.

What's NOT allowed

• Selling general-admission tickets through TRC channels (Stripe, app, info@therecording.club).
• Cash or card collection by TRC staff at the door for admission.
• Non-member events charging guests for admission (regardless of payment timing).
• Alcohol-included events with ticketed admission — prohibited under ABC rules (see §6).

What IS allowed

• Member sells pre-paid tickets to their own event through Eventbrite/Partiful/Venmo.
• Member collects donations or covers F&B costs from their guests directly off-platform.
• TRC bills the member the standard rental + guest-overage fees; member handles all guest-side economics.

8. Non-Member Access Restrictions

Non-member room rentals limit client to: booked studio + restrooms + entry foyer. All other areas (bar, lounge, mezzanine, patio, kitchen) are member-only unless:

• $200 Day Pass purchased per non-member, OR
• Full facility rental booked

Member bookings always take precedence over non-member bookings if scheduling conflicts arise.

9. Content, IP, and Photo/Video Release

• Client retains all rights to recordings.
• Studio holds files until full payment; 180-day retention then deletion.
• Studio gets a limited non-exclusive license for promotional use of session excerpts and photos/videos UNLESS client opts out in writing before the session.
• Client must back up recordings immediately; Studio not liable for data loss.
• Technical issues must be reported during the session, not after.
• Third-party engineers/producers must be disclosed to Studio in advance; client responsible for their compliance.
• Third-party vendors (catering, decor, etc.) require prior TRC management approval.

10. Code of Conduct & Termination

• Professional use required at all times.
• Studio may terminate session immediately with no refund for: illegal activity, disruptive behavior, Code of Conduct violation.
• Intoxicated / aggressive / policy-violating individuals are kept at front of house; management notified immediately.
• Security incident log maintained (time, individuals, nature). Theft/assault escalated to management + authorities.

11. Member-Acquisition Post-Event Pipeline (JammJam model — apply generally)

For event-night conversion: QR codes throughout studio → app.therecording.club sign-up; pamphlets at door with the discount code; TRG table ready if applicable.

12. Standard Day Roles

13. Key Contacts

Booking email: jacob@therecording.club General/inquiry email: info@therecording.club Eventbrite (Shabbat / Gala only): tinyroomgives@gmail.com / Thenewtiny2024!

14. Quick "Red Flags" That Require Greg Sign-Off

• Any request to collect ticket money at the door (always denied — see §7a)
• Non-member negotiating below $5,000 buyout
• Member event >150 guests (over comfortable max)
• Alcohol event when the 36-event ABC cap is at risk
• Any livestream that paywalls or sells admission with alcohol present
• Third-party caterer/vendor not previously approved
• Date conflicts with an existing TRC-produced event (Shabbat, Members Night, JammJam, Perception Box)
• Off-site / TRC-travels-to-client booking
• Any waiver of the $500 deposit or $250 cleaning fee
• Any contract clause changed from template language

15. Authoritative Sources

• Events/Event Intake Form.docx (2026-04-18) — current pricing + lifecycle
• Events/Event "Handbook" Documents/7. Event Booking Procedure.docx (2025-05-11)
• Events/Event "Handbook" Documents/4. General Event Flow.docx (2025-02-05)
• Events/Event "Handbook" Documents/5. Event Messaging Process & Templates.docx (2025-01-17)
• External Studio Rentals/Outside Booking Event Contract Template.docx (2025-09-02)
• External Studio Rentals/Ashleigh Coffelt Event Contract.docx (2025-09-02) — executed member event template
• Ginny Luke Event/SIGNED Agreement (2025-09-18) — executed member event template
• Alcohol Guidelines and Policies.docx (2024-09-20)
• Studio Standard Operating Procedures.docx (2024-09-08)
• Membership Standard Operating Procedures.docx (2024-09-06)
• Partnered Event Contract.docx (2026-01-02)
• TRC Studio Rental Pricing.docx (2025-05-13) — current public non-member rate sheet
• See 04-events.md and 10-non-member-rentals.md for full inventory.

16. Known Open Questions

1. JammJam 2026 frequency — last documented 12/10/25; monthly cadence implied, not confirmed.
2. Per-event member-referral credit (e.g., Ginny Luke contract's "$1 off balance per new sign-up") — not standardized across all member events.
3. Late-payment grace — contract template has [X]% placeholder; executed contracts use 10% + $25/month with 14-day grace. Treat as standard until Greg confirms.
4. Studio credit + full-facility booking — credit cannot be applied to full-facility buyout fees per current public sheet; verify when quoting members who want to combine.
5. Live Room minimum — current public sheet says 2-hr / $360; older internal says 3-hr / $540. Use 2-hr unless contradicted by Jacob.