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dylburger New user 4 Posts |
I am really keen to get experience on the street as a performer. I think the up coming Christmas rush will be a great time to get some sets organised and star busking. I want to also use busking as an opportunity to get known for private gigs. I have read a few other posts on the manor / presentation of busking. However I'm not completely sure how to go about the content.
So far, I'm thinking of have 3-5 differing sets, all roughly 10ish minutes long. The sets will build momentum for a finale. Upon completion, I wait 5-10 minutes before attracting a new crowd. To me, this makes sense. However it may not be the best way. If anyone has any practical suggestion it will be appreciated. I am very willing to listen and just get out there. Thanks. Dylan |
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ray raymond Veteran user 329 Posts |
Get one set down. Believe me it will take a few years to get one set down and get it perfected. I have been busking for a couple of years now and my show (the one set) still is not where I want it to be. always think to your self "go slow" it will become more natural in time. Try to do 10 min. for 10 people for 10 bucks. It will take time you will fall on your face. How ever do not stop keep going show after show day after day. In time you will see your show build and transform into something else. As long as you are willing to get back out there and do it again you have not failed. Failure only happens when you are discouraged to the point where, you do not want to do it again.
wish you the best Ray |
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E.C. Valdemar Veteran user Orange County, CA 301 Posts |
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On 2009-11-04 10:19, ray raymond wrote: Hey Ray. I wanted to get in on this thread since I'm about to start busking, too. The 10/10/10 ratio you brought up, is that pretty much what new comers can expect to earn? About $10 per 10 min. show for 10 people? I know it all comes down to work ethic and how good you are, but on average is that about right? ~Robert EC
Rob-ing you of your thoughts www.themindofrobert.weebly.com
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Paddy Inner circle Milford OH 1571 Posts |
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On 2009-11-07 00:53, E.C. Valdemar wrote: Robert, to answer your question, NO! As ray pointed out it will take some time to get up to the $10 hats. You should be there at the end of your first year but $10 hats are not bad when you consider that the show can be repeated 4 to 5 times an hour. That's the secret to making it, do a show, rest a minute then start another show. you may have some days when your lucky to stop 3 people per show but you keep busting butt. It does get better and soon you are a busker full time. |
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E.C. Valdemar Veteran user Orange County, CA 301 Posts |
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On 2009-11-07 05:14, Paddy wrote: That's awesome, Paddy. Thanx for the taking the time to answer me. ~Robert EC
Rob-ing you of your thoughts www.themindofrobert.weebly.com
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Pokie-Poke Special user Bensalem, PA 883 Posts |
Robert EC. I see the math running in your head now...
$10. = 10 min 60 min. = $60. $480 a day....WO WHO! It don't work like that. If you make $10. your first day, jump for joy. you did better than most on there first day. Magic dose not pull big hats, so to hold out for the $100.+ hats is a wast of time. but you can do more shows a day, and that is where the $$$ are. and as you can put your show in your pockets all is good. After you are at it a while you can work for bigger hats, bigger shows, and the like. but for now you need experience, and you get that by doing. brake something, fat hats, have fun.
www.pokie-poke.com
The Adventure cont... |
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E.C. Valdemar Veteran user Orange County, CA 301 Posts |
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On 2009-11-07 12:26, Pokie-Poke wrote: Hahaha Yeah, looking at it like that it does sound silly. ':0P Honestly my first impressions were more like IF I can grab a good crowd, then maybe $5 per 10 min and 4 shows a hour. What I'd really like to make is maybe $50 - $80 a day. ~Robert EC
Rob-ing you of your thoughts www.themindofrobert.weebly.com
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gaddy Inner circle Agent of Chaos 3526 Posts |
It's best not to think about it in terms of money when you're just starting out.
*due to the editorial policies here, words on this site attributed to me cannot necessarily be held to be my own.*
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deadcatbounce Special user the Wilds of Ireland 863 Posts |
Just to expand a little on what Gaddy says...
I look at it like this. Some folks spend maybe 5 years or more at college learning something that will eventually secure them a nice living. Doctors, lawyers, Elvis impersonators, - you name it. How many of them can actually get paid for "learning on the job"? Generally, if these guys want to earn cash while they study, they take summer jobs waiting tables, tending bar, dish washing etc. How funny is that? Not funny at all - but that's what they have to do till they get that bit of paper that gives them a license to charge big bucks. Busking (and I'm not a busker) gives you the opportunity to go out there right now, and learn your craft for free. You don't have to pay big college fees.. yes - you will have to buy rope, cups, silks, tt's, uni-cycles, knife-thru-arm props, guillotines, hand choppers, straitjackets, chainsaws -oh! the list is endless! - But- only if you want it that way. Some guys trundle a LOAD of stuff around with them. Others work out of their pockets. Point is this. Any wonga you get - is a bonus. The main thrust is - getting out there and polisihing your show. If you ever realised how many times ordinary actors and actresses audition for parts that they never get (and are never LIKELY to get - only being put up for the part by greedy agents) , you might think a little more positively. They don't get a penny for expenses for auditions. Believe me - getting turned down for 20 auditions or more isn't good for the self esteem. Add to that teh fact that you're not getting paid for failing... (I'm not a failed actor, incidentally) The bottom line is - you're learning - you get paid a little for it, either out of sympathy or perhaps because you made someone smile. Or maybe you reminded someone of a dead relative. Or a long lost brother they never want to see again. :) Who cares, at the beginning? A few bob in the hat means something clicked with someone. You'll get to know when you're doing things right, and there's only one way to do that. You know it. I hope I've put a few things into perspective for you . Regards, and good luck DCB
"With every mistake - we must surely be learning..." George Harrison.
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E.C. Valdemar Veteran user Orange County, CA 301 Posts |
Hey this is wonderful. Thanx a lot for all the input and advice, gentlemen. Really means a lot.
I notice everyone keeps bring up the fact that it will take years to polish a show. Now is that regardless of the fact that I've already been performing for about 4 years? I've just never tried Busking before. ~Robert EC
Rob-ing you of your thoughts www.themindofrobert.weebly.com
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FunTimeAl Special user 987 Posts |
I had been doing birthday parties and restaurants for a couple of years (and busking with balloons from time to time) before I started doing a set show on the street. Heck, I even had a 40 show run at an amusement park.
Nothing in my few years of experience properly prepared me for doing a set show as a busker. Only doing set shows for tips will prepare you for that. I've been busking part time (during the warm months only) for a few years now. I still smile at 15 dollar hats. And you know what....I've got a pretty good show. It's not a great show, but it's pretty good. It doesn't matter though. I'm an inconsistent performer and I feel that it's next to impossible to be a "great" street performer without doing it regularly. Remember what Danny Hustle preaches. Knowing a magic show is (at best) half of what you need to know to be a street performing magician. "Street performing" is the other half (or more). Sorry DH if I miss quoted ya. Bottom line is, don't look at a 10 dollar hat (or 15 etc...) as a starting point in your career. IF, IF you can make a 10 dollar hat consistently, then you should consider yourself doing well. Then you've got the basics (and the tenacity) to get better...and by "better" I mean "better at the street performing side of things. Your "magic show" may never change a bit...but your "street performing" will change drastically. To go back to Danny Hustle's teachings. There's (at least) 2 dynamics going on during the show. The magical entertainment, and the instilling of the show's value into the hearts and minds of the audience. It takes practice to be a good magician. It takes 10 times the practice to be a good street performer. There, I think I've repeated myself enough for one post Chad |
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Pokie-Poke Special user Bensalem, PA 883 Posts |
DCB has a good grip on it.
Chad: I don't think it takes 10x more to be a street performer. It is just the fact that no one is going to honey coat things for you. If they don't like you they walk. If you do an "ok" birthday party show, you will still get paid, just not asked back. Busking will improve your magic past this, the more shows you do the better you get. not hard there, how many birthday parties do you book a day? 20? more? Busking will let you do 20 shows a day, for people who will not go for ok. Robert EC: busking is hard work, but it is fun, don't let $ into it. some hints: 1: don't count your hats till you get home. it is bad luck. Pay for lunch out of it, train/parking and whatever else you put out to be out that day, then count it at home. I have considered putting each hat in a baggie so I can see what show did well, but think it may be better to just stuff it to the bottom of the bag till I get home. 2: Watch other buskers, In real life if you can. On video you only see the good stuff you need the real stuff. take notes, and what they do is unimportant, how they hold a crowd, hat lines, length of show and the like. 3: Tip other Buskers. This is good luck. 4: Don't second gess your self, if you start in spot "a" and half way in the day you think maby you should go to spot "b". don't. stick it out and try spot b the next time out. a pitch can change in minutes and you won't learn what you need by jumping about. 5: If you are not having fun don't bother, McD. will pay better on a rainy day, and no one will care how you feel about it. Also if you have a thin skin, or ego problem, this will take care of that quick. Busking is fun, might put some cash in your pocket, will improve your magic more than any other thing you can do. go for it, it my not be right for you, but you won't know till you give it a real try. and you will be the better for it. Fat hats
www.pokie-poke.com
The Adventure cont... |
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Bill Palmer Eternal Order Only Jonathan Townsend has more than 24312 Posts |
I'll tell you a brief story.
I used to be a regular on the better of the comedy club circuits in this area. I worked the Laff Stop quite regularly. Sometimes, early in the week, our crowd would be rather small, perhaps 25 or 35 people. The headliners would gripe about this. They would say things like: "I hate to work for small audiences. It's so difficult to get them to laugh," and other things like that. I never griped about this. Instead, I pretended that I was doing a show in someone's living room. So this 25 or 35 person crowd was, for me, a large living room audience. It made it very easy for me to communicate with the audience. After the shows, the headliners would occasionally ask me how I managed to pull it off. So I told them my secret. The same is actually true to a certain degree for busking shows. If all you have is a handful of people, give them your best show anyway. Just imagine that they are some close friends who have never seen you perform before. The results will surprise you, and they may come back later with other friends just to see the guy who gave them such good personal attention.
"The Swatter"
Founder of CODBAMMC My Chickasaw name is "Throws Money at Cups." www.cupsandballsmuseum.com |
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ray raymond Veteran user 329 Posts |
For the 10/10/10. starting point that was discussed earlier. I went to a pitch to learn from a guy who does it for a living. He told me 10 people for 10 bucks over 10 min. is the first goal you should set. while there, I did my fare share of 3-7 dollar hats. I have even came up with empty hats from time to time. ( drove 12 hours for that experience) But I had my first goal set. If you go out in an area with a good flow of foot traffic and bust your ***. You could easily make $200 or more in a day. My first day on that pitch I made $50 bucks. I felt disappointed, and wondered If I really had what it takes. GET BACK OUT THERE. The good thing about doing show after show on the street is you will soon realize what it will take to hit the 10/10/10 mark. My last day on that pitch I did $300 I was able to learn a lot that week. Once you hit that mark then slow down try to build a bit bigger crowd. Your hats will get bigger in time. Start small. Don't give up.
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Proxy Veteran user 336 Posts |
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I never griped about this. Instead, I pretended that I was doing a show in someone's living room. So this 25 or 35 person crowd was, for me, a large living room audience. That's great advise and rings true for event performers, of course. |
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ray raymond Veteran user 329 Posts |
Performances are always much easier when your relaxed, no matter what size the living room is.
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Danny Hustle Inner circle Boston, MA USA 2393 Posts |
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On 2009-11-07 16:24, gaddy wrote: AMEN! Think about it terms of going out and having fun! Don't over think it, do stuff you all ready do, just go out there and have fun! A friend of mine passed away not to long ago who LOVED street performing. He talked about it, read about it, spent several years thinking about it, and was quite knowledgeable about it. With all of his contemplation on it he never got out of the house to do it! My heart has been broken for him because of it. Just go out and do it, that's the best advice I can offer. Have some fun with it. Then start thinking about what to do with it, if it turns out to be the thing for you. Start with trying to do a fun 10 minutes, but HAVE FUN! Best, Dan- "MT is one of the reasons we started this board! I’m so sick of posts being deleted without any reason given, and by unknown people at that." - Steve Brooks Sep 7, 2001 8:38pm ©1999-2014 Daniel Denney all rights reserved. |
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E.C. Valdemar Veteran user Orange County, CA 301 Posts |
Hey, you guys are great!! Awesome advice, gents.
World's a better place cuz of people like you. lol ~Robert EC
Rob-ing you of your thoughts www.themindofrobert.weebly.com
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troppobob Veteran user Crescent Head Australia 372 Posts |
G'day everybody
I have just read through this series of posts and I have found it to be most helpful. I have been developing my Busking performance over the last year and get out there whenever I can. I have read a lot on this forum and purchased the book by Jimmy Talksalot (and read it over and over). It all makes sense and has helped me to feel confident to have a go. Thank you all for sharing and questioning. Bob Latta (aka Troppo Bob) |
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ray raymond Veteran user 329 Posts |
Troppobob,
then it is time for you to lay down the books and take up your rig. Claim your pitch, its show time. Remember it is totally different when you actually get in front of people and start doing it. What Danny said is the best advice on this thread so far. HAVE FUN WITH IT. experience is the best teacher. With guys like Danny hustle. Jimmy Talksalot, Kozmo, Mario Morris, and many others Piping up on the Café and sharing knowledge and experience, You have an excellent resource. Get out there and let us know how it went. Good luck and have fun. |
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