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SM41 Special user 831 Posts |
Diamond I just want to make you know that I am 14 years old. I put on this post because I want to know how is the cruise ship buisness. And I really don't have the money to buy the guide because I just ordered some things from a magic shop and I buy friends and family gifts on christmas.
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SM41 Special user 831 Posts |
And thanks for the post.
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benlewis2004 Regular user 150 Posts |
SANTIAGO MICHEL, I feel you my be a little young for cruise ship entertainment, if its legal, and I suggest you start with other more local jobs first.
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SM41 Special user 831 Posts |
I know I'm young for that, just want to know what they look for....
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Jerskin Inner circle 2497 Posts |
I believe you'd have to be at least 18.
GrEg oTtO
MUNDUS VULT DECIPI |
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diamond Regular user Serbia & Montenegro 200 Posts |
Santiago, it is good that you have started making an inquiry on performing on cruise ships at such young age. A good thing is that you have a plenty of time to prepare if performing on cruise ships is something that you really want and something that you are preparing for. Don't worry about the money now, it will come to you if you work hard. And true, at this age you don't need expensive books or DVDs on how to get your show on the high seas, there is a lot more that you need to do in order to get you going as a working pro and the good bookings including the cruise ships will come to you as a result of lots of hard work.
As the cruise market (as well as the other top rating venues in showbiz) is a very demanding one, use the years to come to gather experience, work hard (earn some money as well), work hard again, and again and again and get better and better and better. I was about your age when I started doing magic professionally (I had my first professional booking when I was just 15 and it was a very small show that I did back then) and since then the only thing that was driving me forward was to get better, to get myself a big show and to perform in good venues. Slowly over the years this started happening and it can happen to you if you are persistent enough. Please don't expect to be able to perform on cruise ships at such young age. But your advantage over us, the older performers is that you can learn a lot from us, our bits of business and our mistakes. When I was starting with cruises and good venues in general, there were very few people who could give me advice at all. You are in a much better position, just reading this forum, which didn't exist back then when I was about your age... So, just feel free to ask anything on this topic (and other topics as well), there will always be many fellow members who will provide you with tons of precious advice. So back to your question about getting gigs on cruise ships, here is a couple of things that you can do even now, at your age... You can do these things in the next couple of years and you will be ready to do it: 1) Of course the first rule is to practice, practice and practice... You must get a good show to be able to perform in good places, so make sure that everything you do is done smoothly and that you are really good. 2) Most important thing when it comes to performing on cruise ships is that your show is ENTERTAINING!!! It is more important than let's say, your choice of tricks or even your performing technique. Make sure that everything you do is something that gives your audience a really good time. When you show tricks to your friends are they just amazed by the trick itself only to be serious again a couple of minutes later or is your performance something that people talk about a long time after they've seen you perform. They should talk about it. They should be not just amazed and bewildered by the magic, but they have to be literally mesmerized by your performing character (persona). The trick is always better when the audience has a good time watching it - when they laugh, feel some emotion and want to be a part of the magic experience. Look at the big and famous masters of the magic art today. David Copperfield does not just only perform good tricks and illusions. He can make people laugh to the point of falling off their chairs, he can make people get tears in their eyes when he sets the sentimental mood through some of his illusions, etc. And that's his true magic. The true magic of every performer is learning how to be charismatic and how to set a good mood in the audience. Your task on a ship will be to be an ENTERTAINER in the first place and the magic, which is only a way to entertain comes after that. What you could do at your age is - attend some drama and theatre classes. You will need to learn how to act in order to be a good entertainer. Remember - a magician on stage is only an actor playing the part of the magician. Maybe you won't be able to fully understand this philosophy at your age, but trust me... Do as I say and it will help you be a better magician. Learn and experience whatever you can on acting and theatre (being a stage magician is a full theatrical experience), dancing (maybe you will be an illusionist one day and you need to learn a lot about the way you can move on stage and how you can add aesthetics to the way you move), etc... 3) Test everything in front of the audience. Cruise ship magicians (as well as magicians performing in other big and good venues) have good commercial repertoire. Commercial means - something that is appreciated by the audience. When you get some new prop or master a new routine, ask yourself - will my audience like it? Amazingly enough, not everything that you like is something that your audience will like. And what the audience likes goes into your show. No one will ever ask you if you like some trick or not... Magicians have a habit of buying and learning tricks they like to the extent that every magician has tons of equipment sitting in the drawers, closets and even warehouses that will never get used. Rather start thinking this way: "My audience (friends, audience in shows you do, kids if you perform birthday parties, etc.) likes this routine and they like that routine, I need some strong connecting routine in between...". When it comes to buying props - buy only things that you find will look good in your show, test them in front of various audiences and try to build them your own way (as one of the key factors in how to be a good candidate for a good venue including a cruise ship is to be original). If you want to go the cruise ship way, have in mind that you will need to have a stage show, not a close up show, so let that be the key when it comes to choosing your repertoire. Watch performances of other experienced performers in cruise ships and onther venues as much as you can (thanks God, there's Youtube nowadays), use what you see as a good source of information on what goes well, but try not to imitate them. Over the years you will build a good entertaining commercial repertoire!!! 4) Try to get as much work as you can!!! You will need to be a working pro (or at least a very experienced part time magician) to be able to get work in good places, including the ships. At this young age you should try to work as much as you can, whenever you can. You can do shows at your school, you can entertain your class, do a little show at a family get together occasion, etc. I have known magicians who did kids' birthday parties at your age, consider putting together a show that can be performed in your local mall or so... Think of all the possible venues and occasions you can do a show at. This is something I call "rehearsal in front of the live audience". At this point it is not so important how much you will earn, but I'm sure you'll earn something, and you might even want to invest that little something into getting new magic, but the most important thing is to get polished and audience tested routines for your future. I hope that you will follow my advice and that in a couple of years you will be able to do magic in nice venues or on ships!!! |
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Marcomagia New user 25 Posts |
Quote:
On 2008-01-10 16:30, Santiago Michel wrote: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hi! I think it’s not any problem if you are 14 years old. I was almost your age when I started in boats. First I didn’t make so many long trips than I did later and I was working with a small group of artists. That what I said I don’t like to be in a boat is because I have been so much in boats and I don’t feel anymore the same as I did twenty years ago. I have seen lots of wonderful different places and met wonderful people. Problem for me is this: Every boat looks like same and when you are in a boat you need to spend all your free time in the boat. |
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Paul Romhany V.I.P. Canada 800 Posts |
I work cruise ships constantly and in the past ten years have worked for most major cruise lines. Contracts have ranged from one week to 6 months. Depends on the cruise line, your agent etc.
The one piece of advice I am constantly giving people who ask is 'to make sure you are ready'. You only get one shot at this. There is no space to have a 'bad' show. On most lines I work people rate the entertainers, some individualy and some as a group. If you don't match up to the required rating then you will get a 'do not return'. Once your agent gets this chances are you won't be back. There are different types of ships for different markets. Example: If you are a young 'hip' performer then you might want to look at working a line that does shorter cruises with younger people. I work cruise ships where the average age is 70 and over. I have a book which comes with a DVD about working on ships including all contacts for agents and cruise lines.
"life is like a movie ... you write your own ending" - Kermit the Frog
http://www.paulromhanymagic.com http://www.paulromhany.com |
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SM41 Special user 831 Posts |
Great post diamond thank you a lot!
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jkesler Loyal user 246 Posts |
Great advice Paul...Thanks for posting!!!
James |
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Andre Hagen Inner circle 1432 Posts |
I do believe if Santiago Michel makes it to a cruise ship one day, he will remember diamond as a mentor.
Great example of magicians helping magicians.
Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one - Albert Einstein
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goldeneye007 Inner circle London 2423 Posts |
Yes, thanks, Diamond!
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