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Andy Wonder Special user Auckland, New Zealand 747 Posts |
Actually it is the 3 year old parties that are the ones that can cause problems I think.
I got caught out recently and it was my own fault. I went to a 3 year olds party where I was booked for 1 hour. None of the older kids turned up & I was stuck with 5 young children. I could have suggested to the booker that we change the booking to just 30 minutes, but my fee for 30 min is not much less than for 60 min. I thought that would have looked too self serving so I soildered on. When you have that few children they whole concept of a show does not work. I performed my regular tricks but in a close up style. I sat on the floor with them and told them a few stories first before I actually did any tricks. I don't know what I would have done without my rabbit on that day. I had my digital camera so I took a lot of photos as well. I became the photographer as well as the entertainer. You can see some of the photos here. http://www.walkermagic.com/tristan/party.htm Can you imangine the atmosphere? It is an experiance I am in no hurry to repeat. If you have a large enough group like at a play centre with 30 kids it is okay. They love like run rabbit run. The smaller the group they are in the more shy they seem to be.
Andy Wonder, Auckland, New Zealand
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Peter Marucci Inner circle 5389 Posts |
Once again, I'm with Phillip on this one:
I NEVER do a magic show longer than 30 minutes (kids, especially, but adults, too!). Over the years, I have found that half an hour is about the limit of the attention span of youngsters, no matter how good you might be. (You're still the same person and more than 30 minutes of ANYTHING is too much for them!) I do balloons for the youngsters at the end of the magic show, and everyone gets an animal to take home (if it's a birthday party, the birthday child gets a multiple balloon animal, a magic trick gift, and a magic birthday card). |
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Emazdad Inner circle Plymouth UK 1954 Posts |
<<<I NEVER do a magic show longer than 30 minutes (kids, especially, but adults, too!).
Over the years, I have found that half an hour is about the limit of the attention span of youngsters, no matter how good you might be. (You're still the same person and more than 30 minutes of ANYTHING is too much for them!)>>> I've been successfully performing 1-hour magic shows since I started, my show consists of 4 x 10-15 minute routines with an assistant, with the assistant getting a balloon model at the end of their performance. I never magic at the children, there's lots and lots of audience participation and the assistant gets all the applause, I get mine at the end. The balloon model is done with it's own routine and acts like a commercial break. This breaking the show down where something new happens every 15 minutes or so keeps them sat down happily for an hour. It's a tactic used by teachers during lessons and it works very well
Yours Funfully
Clive "Emazdad" Hemsley www.emazdad.com "Magic is a secret, without the secret there is no magic" Remember there are only 3 types of people in the world, those that can count and those that can't. |
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p.b.jones Inner circle Milford Haven. Pembrokeshire wales U.K. 2642 Posts |
HI Emazdad,
I totally agree with you it is totally possible with a varied and entertaining show to keep them entertained for a full hour, I and I am sure Peter too can keep them happy and entertained for an hour and I am sure that we are all trying to get the best Feedback/ reactions to our shows possible from our audiences. Simply put testing over several years has led me to believe the following ………The length of the shows is not as important as the enjoyment of the show and when it comes to what the client will pay. I think that if you stand out to clients having a much better show than the rest then the bookings will flood in regardless of if you do 30 mins and the comp does 60mins even if your 30 mins fee is much higher and having a shorter show makes the show appear that much better (leave them wanting more). I have comp charging as little as £45.00 an hour and others £65.00 – 80.00 I charge more than this for 30mins. I firmly believe that I can do this because I go for audience reactions over how long I can entertain them for. Phillip |
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Emazdad Inner circle Plymouth UK 1954 Posts |
I agree Phillip, and my show is designed around the childrens reactions, each routine squeezes the most amount of comedy and business I can get. It makes me laugh if after the show you ask a child what they liked best and after the best most amazing trick ever they sau something like "I like it when the wand broke". The enthusiasm and energy I put into my show is fueled by the laughter and reactions of the children. That's why I love this job (mind you it's not a job when it's this fun) it gives me as much pleasure as the kids.
Yours Funfully
Clive "Emazdad" Hemsley www.emazdad.com "Magic is a secret, without the secret there is no magic" Remember there are only 3 types of people in the world, those that can count and those that can't. |
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Zorak Regular user Maryland, USA 114 Posts |
I am in full agreement that a 30 minute show is the ideal. Sometimes you may run an extra 5 minutes if the audience is greatly enthused. Many years ago I received this advice from two sources I truly respect, Phil Thomas and Bruce Postgate. They emphatically stated, "Keep them wanting more!" Amen to that. It has kept me busy these thirty some years of doing kidshows, with many call backs, again and again.
I have a fun entertaining show and have a clown assistant (who also does the warm-up and later a trick of her own.) Even so, it is vital to you and to them to keep this advice. We too have a 30 minute bit (sometimes longer, when compensated). My clown is an excellent balloon twister and creates some wonderful balloon-a-toons. Simutaneously I (the magician) draw cartoon characters for the kids to take home and color. It's a pretty cool package. Most good magicians and clowns that I know have other talents that they bring to their work. That's part of what makes them unique. Harry Lorayne told me once that you don't want them to look for a magician---You want them to look for The Amazing Zorak---(insert your name!) I know you are enthusiastic about magic and want to keep on keeping on BUT--- Here's a tip; Break your hour down and develope 2 shows! You can alternate them when you get call backs and it makes it more fun for you. Someone once bragged to Howard Thurston that he knew and could perform over 100 tricks. He then inquired as to how many Mr. Thurston knew. Mr.Thurston, wisely answered, I know only 8. The amatuer was shocked. Howard Thurston added, "But I know them well." He made those 8 tricks into magic that was his own. But, in my senior years, I regress. Just remember this and you'll thank my mentors too, LEAVE THEM WANTING MORE!
Magic is in the hearts of children from 1 to 101
Please check out my Website: kiddiekazam.com FREE ORIGINAL CLIPART FOR MAGICIANS & CLOWNS PROP DESIGNS MAGIC CARTOONS all drawn by Zorak |
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Dennis Michael Inner circle Southern, NJ 5821 Posts |
Both of the points of view are correct.
Schools classroom program (USA) are based on a 55 minute schedule, therefore if one does school assemblies, then one should do a 45 minute show. This fits the school schedule perfectly, anything less then the program should have a follow up activity/discussion period with the teacher. 30 minute Safety Theme Example: A Safety program should focus on one topic. (Any educational program should have a one topic point to be remembered and reinforced.) A 30 minute show is performed and the teacher uses the next half hour with some activity you supplied even if it is a question and answer session or a coloring page. This works well on that 55 minute classroom schedule routine. On the other hand, a 45 minute magic show does not have any "scheduled" follow-up activities. (Coloring pictures and thank you letter writing are an activity teachers use to teach the children manners and they are nice to get.) An hour is not hard to do at all. And with the ton of kid magic and VHS movies and DVDs on kid routines, there is no reason an hour fun time cannot been done. If they are laughing, keep them laughing and the hour will go so quickly, leaving them wanting more. (The people who are paying you also love the extra time and feel they are getting their money's worth.) Add a balloon routine and you completed the Birthday Party Day for the Parents. All that is left is opening the presents and eating the cake and ice cream. (2-3 hours going quickly for the parents without much worry on what to do with the kids- Good Selling Point. A packaged program leaving very little for the parents to do.) Disney Movies are an hour and they don't have a problem holding a kids attention for that hour. Harry Potter movie is 3 hours and it holds the kids attention, and they want more. (Watch how much the next Harry Potter movie makes!) David Ginn has written in Jan/Nov 2003 Funny Paper Magazine about these 21 items being essential to a kids program. You want to keep them laughing and involved, than look at your routine and see how many on this list you use. The more you use the more fun they will have. Time moves quickly and you will be lucky to get 6 routines (mini skits) in that 45 minutes.
I don't like 30 minutes except for the really young (four or less crowd) even though I've done longer shows. If it is just a typical regular Birthday Party Magic Show, you should be in and out in an hour and on your way to the next birthday party show. Just my thoughts on the topic.
Dennis Michael
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Emazdad Inner circle Plymouth UK 1954 Posts |
<<<<I know you are enthusiastic about magic and want to keep on keeping on BUT---
Here's a tip; Break your hour down and develope 2 shows! You can alternate them when you get call backs and it makes it more fun for you>>>>>> Thanks for the advice, but I do between 25 & 30 shows a month, 60 at christmas, most of these are 2-Hour parties with 35-minutes of games a short food break and then the 1-Hour show. Then it's pack away and straight off to do it all again. I think I've got the format just right to suit my personallity and style. Most of my work is reccomends and re-bookings. When I do get booked for the 30-minute magic shows , which just gives me time to fit in 2 routines instead of the normal 4 I don't enjoy it half as much. I have to cut so much business out of the 2 routines to get the show down to 30-minutes. I've got 3 different shows packed in 3 different boxes ready to go so if I do go somewhere where the kids have seen me recently, I take a different show. I did a birthday party in a house last night where the kids were brilliant, they fed me so many lines that without doing any extra effects the show over ran by 10 minutes. When I'm having fun and the kids are like that and I've got no other show to get to afterwards I son't mind overrunning, I do this for the fun not just for money, the booker was well chuffed, and I took a booking staight afterwards from one of the Mums.
Yours Funfully
Clive "Emazdad" Hemsley www.emazdad.com "Magic is a secret, without the secret there is no magic" Remember there are only 3 types of people in the world, those that can count and those that can't. |
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Mikael Eriksson Inner circle None of your business 1064 Posts |
Magic at Christenings? Magic at one year old parties? Sweet sixteen parties? You americans sure have plenty of opportunities to get jobs. In Sweden there is no such thing as performances at Christenings, and we don't even have Sweet sixteen parties.
No wonder you can make a living from magic. Mikael |
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p.b.jones Inner circle Milford Haven. Pembrokeshire wales U.K. 2642 Posts |
Hi,
There you go then Mikael an open market for you there. you have recognised the market gap all you have to do is nurture it. Phillip |
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Mikael Eriksson Inner circle None of your business 1064 Posts |
Quote:
On 2003-01-15 03:31, p.b.jones wrote: A good thought, but it's hard to change traditons, and new traditions like sweet sixteen parties... people don't want to change. What in the world IS a sweet sixteen party anyway? Is there anything special about that age??? Mikael |
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Cheshire Cat Special user Wilmslow, UK 941 Posts |
Probably straying from Dynamike's original thread, but are there any full time professional children's entertainers in your locality Mikael? Surely there is a market for Birthdays and Weddings. We have had many Swedish customers here in UK for birthdays.
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Mikael Eriksson Inner circle None of your business 1064 Posts |
"are there any full time professional children's entertainers in your locality Mikael?"
Actually not that I know of... as I have said before, people aren't prepared to pay that much. Actually there are very few full time professional children's entertainers in the entire Sweden. I know about only one. I'm not even sure he does only childrens parties. I can't remember anyone of the swedish magicians I have spoken to that have thought it possible to make a living from only doing childrens parties. I think I remember one of them saying something like "Sure you can make a living from doing childrens parties, but you will work yourself to death." "Surely there is a market for Birthdays and Weddings" Almost all jobs I get is for birthdays, but only one time in all the years I have been doing magic someone wanted me to do magic at a wedding. Mikael |
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JamesR New user 51 Posts |
The only thing special about sixteen that I can think of is you get to drive.
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Cheshire Cat Special user Wilmslow, UK 941 Posts |
But Sweden is a vibrant, wealthy economy Mikael with millions of gorgeous blonde haired blue eyed women and handsome dynamic businessmen, and a superb standard of living. Are there no 'Entertainers' columns in your Yellow Pages or phonebook with people to whom you could compare?
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Mikael Eriksson Inner circle None of your business 1064 Posts |
"But Sweden is a vibrant, wealthy economy Mikael with millions of gorgeous blonde haired blue eyed women and handsome dynamic businessmen, and a superb standard of living."
And if there is little interest for magic for children the things you mention does not matter, right? "Are there no 'Entertainers' columns in your Yellow Pages or phonebook with people to whom you could compare? " No Mikael |
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Emazdad Inner circle Plymouth UK 1954 Posts |
Magic for sweet sixteens! I asked my quality assurance people, what they thought of the idea of me doing magic at their parties or whether their friends older brothers or sisters would be interested. "no way dad!" was the reply. My QA people Emma and Becky are 13 & 12 respectivly and there opinion is if anyone was to say they were having a party with a magician they'd get the mickey taken out of them by all their friends and everyone at school for being so lame and uncool.
it's a question of street cred. At that age they want a disco, no parents, and a chance of sneaking a bit of booze into the party. After all they are nearly adults.
Yours Funfully
Clive "Emazdad" Hemsley www.emazdad.com "Magic is a secret, without the secret there is no magic" Remember there are only 3 types of people in the world, those that can count and those that can't. |
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Mark Andrews New user Coventry in the UK 31 Posts |
Again like most others posting the minimum age i perform for is 4 year old.
In the past i've done Asian 1st Birthday Parties.. but never again.. I well remember going to one in Leicester (it was via an Agent), in a huge night club and there 500+ guests.. the audience was difficult, food was being served whilst i was performing and i was supposed to do 30 mins of Balloon Modelling.. NO WAY I did what i could.. and believe it or not i was tipped the vast sum of 50p, yes fifty pence, on top of my fee. NEVER AGAIN For four year old I do either 30 mins of Party Games (i supply the prizes and party bags which are included in the cost for a max of 30 kids), or 30 mins of Punch & Judy, we then break for 30 mins for food and after wards it's 30 mins of Comedy Magic with balloon modelling afterwards. |
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Dynamike Eternal Order FullTimer 24148 Posts |
I do all ages. An one year birthday party does not scare me away. It's because the other kids that are there who understand. And I like when it is being recorded on camcorder. When the one year gets older, they will be able to see their first birthday.
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derrick Inner circle I dug holes for 1044 Posts |
I've not read all the thread and if this has already been mentioned then they know what they are talking about.
I just performed at a 1-year-old's birthday party this past Saturday. Before I booked the show I made sure the parents realized it was not my job to entertain the one the year old - that was their job. It would be my job entertain the older children, family and friends who would be attending this wonderful celebration. All went well and I was even tipped. |
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