Ive been doing magic as a "hobby" for 5 years now. I do a couple of Card tricks, One sponge ball routine and the odd coin trick. Most poeple I do tricks to say that I should be making money. Honestly I don't think I'm that good and think that they are just being polite.

Sometimes I do magic for people in clubs just for a laugh. To try out different tricks I'm learnig. But I never want to get tips because I don't see myself as a Pro.

How do you become Pro? What skill level/effects do you need? Ive been thinking about doing Strolling Magic in Clubs and Bars or party's ? What are good books or dvd's to get. How do you make money doing this. Because it would be nice to get the odd tip here and there and after all, magic is a expensive hobby.

Accepting a tip has nothing to do with being pro...it simply means that somebody wants to reward you for something you have put an effort and for them. It would hurt nothing for you to accept tips if you wanted to.

There are no effects that make you pro... you make yourself a pro through presentation and skill...you must learn to act as a magician...always being ready for the unexpected "Hey...do a trick". It is best to learn how to play off and read crowds and situations...THere is a lot more to being professional also...which will be mentioned by some of the other guys.

If you want to make money, getting to that point actually depends on what kind of magic you want to make money doing. You must decide that and then advertise appropriately. Do some shows for free, and soon you will be getting calls. Of course you will need more than a few tricks to do a full show...but that can be arranged through purchase or creation. You could build many of your own props if you have the right tools and whatnot.

If you want to do strolling and or table hopping, you don't really need a lot of tricks because you hit a group and move on...then repeat. You do a few tricks for each group and then hit the next group. You could probably get away doing that with 7-10 tricks for quite a long time. Many of the big time pros have been doing the same tricks for years and years. Like Michael Finney for example. He has been doing the same 7-8 tricks for over 15 years if I remember correctly. You will find tricks you love...and when you do, stick with them!

If you're looking to learn how to "be" a pro, you can do no better than reading every single article on this page: http://www.online-visions.com/pro-files/index.html

There is a wealth of information there, all of it written by a man who makes his living doing magic. You would be well served to read ALL of those articles.

Just about to do my first show, building my routine, and THAT is the most useful link I've ever seen! Thank you John!!!!!!!!!!!!

Go to Ellusionist.com and buy the street magic package to get you started.

I think you're too shy about making money. If you're not sure, record yourself or have someone record you performing for friends and decide if you're good enough. I'm sure you are, but it's all up to you.

Anabelle

I worked in a bar and am now working in a restaurant. just try it. If you only do a few things at first it will be alright, because you can repeat what you do from table to table. Plus performing, will want to make you learn more so you can show different things to repeat customers.

Numbers of tricks don't make pros, what makes a pro is presentation and the fact that they do what is necessary to get bookings and make money. Take a pro like Daryl Easton. His routines are simple, involve only a few effects, all done extremely well with great presentation and sense of showmanship. But he also does what it takes to pursue a professional career in terms of seeking and getting bookings. Anybody can learn to do magic, the business of being a professional magician is a whole different realm. Like any form of successful self employment and especially show business it takes a lot of hard work, a lot of knocking on doors and a lot of getting them slammed in ur face to succeed. Even birthday party magicians have to hustle for bookings. No easy gigs out there.

When you guys did your first show, what type of effects did you use?

I do strictly card work, close-up. I usually sit or stand at a table and perform for the customers. In the bar area, I do walkaround card effects. these are different from my table effects. I do this so if I see these same people later after dinner, I know I won't repeat the same effects for them.

My first show was done with a bunch of home made effects that I built out of cardboard and such...it was all I had...besides an ITR...I have come a LONG way since then! I also owned a chick pan that was given to me by a magician...I produced my pet hamster in it. The hamster died and I got a pet rabbit which is still with me in my shows. She is an old...fat...cute...lop eared ball of fuz!

My first stage act was done with a disecto...I had 15 minutes to fill...so I stood behind the microphone and cracked jokes...I did a linking ring routine full of one liners...and then followed it up with a long comedy disecto routine...tore the house down! This was when I discovered that my forte was comedy magic.

I hope the hamster wasn't dead when you produced it from the pan!

NO OF COURSE NOT!!! HAHAHAHHA!

It wasn't dead when it was produced! Now...Harry Allen has a very interesting story about producing his pet guinny pig from a dove pan...one time it was produced dead! It was at a childrens show...so he had to use the rocky raccoon method to make it look alive! Could you imagine this situation?

I can't imagine getting out of that situation, man that would stink (in two ways).

First of all I'd like to say you're very wise to think about this. What I mean by that is some people take all the compliments we get at face value. We should feel good about compliments but it's important to realize that they people who say things like, You're the best I've ever seen" or "You should be a pro." You're probably the only magician they've ever seen in person so they have nothing to compare to. That's not to say you aren't good enough to be a pro. It just means that they aren't the ones who can say if you are one or not.

On the matter of tips. My rule of thumb is this. I don't work for tips but I do accept them. If I'm hired to perform somewhere I charge what I'm conformable with regardless of if I make any tips or not. I don't even consider tips in my price. If I happen to make tips then I see it as just a bonus.

My suggestion is to go ahead and take any shows that come your way that you'd feel comfortable doing. Have fun with it and the more you do it the more experience you'll have.

Ron Jaxon

Owen,

If your repetoire consists of "a couple of card tricks, One sponge ball routine and the odd coin trick," you could probably handle a strolling gig at a restaurant.

I would suggest going that route first, putting in a lot of time polishing your routines before audiences. Getting a restaurant booking is not that hard (there are lots of threads on the Café on the topic). It would be ideal since you only spend 5-10 minutes at a table and can keep improving your act under real working conditions.

When you are good enough people will start asking for your business card and giving you spin off work. Then you are on your way.

If you want to do a stand up act, the career ladder starts in a different place and depends upon whether you want to entertain children or not.

Jim

There is a thread here which I (humbly) suggest you check out:
http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......&132

No one's first show was perfect..in fact neither was the last show, however both must be professional and strong.

Hey,

Time for me to come out of the woodwork and post something. The first question that should be asked here is "Do I want to turn my hobby into a business?"

Be careful of your answer. Before he passed away, I became aquainted with a gentleman who ran a model train store for over 40 years. He constantly said that he ruined a very enjoyable hobby for himself by making it a business.

I know this might sound like heresy to some, but you don't have to make money off of magic to enjoy it. Be careful and make sure you really want to do it before you put in the energy for something that really doesn't fit you.

- Jud

Hey,

Time for me to come out of the woodwork and post something. The first question that should be asked here is "Do I want to turn my hobby into a business?"

Be careful of your answer. Before he passed away, I became aquainted with a gentleman who ran a model train store for over 40 years. He constantly said that he ruined a very enjoyable hobby for himself by making it a business.

I know this might sound like heresy to some, but you don't have to make money off of magic to enjoy it. Be careful and make sure you really want to do it before you put in the energy for something that really doesn't fit you.

- Jud