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Mary Mowder Inner circle Sacramento / Elk Grove, CA 3659 Posts |
I've always wanted to try busking so I've made a commitment to try it at my local communities' "First Friday" street fair through the summer. I'll have freedom to go where I want, so far. It's a small town, Old Town setting with booths and VERY little entertainment according to local blogs.
I have done Walk-Around at outdoor fairs and Close-Up at many venues but never for tips alone. I can also do Stand-Up material, Contact Juggling and three bean bag Juggling. What do you think the biggest surprise or problem will be? I have a weak voice but the fair is 5 to 9 and I can leave when I want. How long a set should I try for at first? Is there one thread with multiple video links of buskers in action? I've read several threads so thanks for the advice to come and the advice I've already gotten. -Mary Mowder |
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djurmann Inner circle thinks time to practice and stop writing 1481 Posts |
No advice I am afraid, but advice welcomed. If anyone can recommend a good book on busking? I too will be going out soon and after being heckled today by a friend realise I need more preparation for the wiseacres!
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Mary Mowder Inner circle Sacramento / Elk Grove, CA 3659 Posts |
I know what you mean. I've never had a heckler in the last 25 years. That could be a problem.
When I did have a couple of hecklers it was when I had little experience and so I didn't know what to do then either. -Mary Mowder |
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HerbLarry Special user Poof! 731 Posts |
Hey Mary,
"What do you think the biggest surprise or problem will be?" Having experience performing I'd bet your biggest surprise will be how well you are recieved. Problem will probably be stopping people, it is for most. "How long a set should I try for at first?" This really depends on several variables. Go out with 3 things you know well, a beginning/middle/end. Shoot for 15 minutes. There is no definitive answer. Don't sweat heckling. Take command and have fun. I'd say your smile will disarm any verbal resistance. Hey djurmann, http://leapinglizardsmagic.com/lure_with_spectacle.htm
You know why don't act naive.
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djurmann Inner circle thinks time to practice and stop writing 1481 Posts |
Quote:
I'd say your smile will disarm any verbal resistance. Mary, I don't know you and have never met you except through the forums. But on the forums you come across as one of the nicest people on the Café. SO I have to concur with Herb. Herb, Thank you for the link! Best wishes, Danny |
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Paddy Inner circle Milford OH 1571 Posts |
Mary, my shows run between 10 and 15 minutes and O pop them out right after each other, might take a 5 minute break in an hour but won't if the crowds are good and generous. Biggest thing to remember is LOOK AT THE PEOPLE< right in their eyes. This is to make friends with them. Use hat lines, let them know right from the start that you will be passing the hat and that bills are lighter, easier for you to carry, than coins. Mazel tov
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Rotten Special user 829 Posts |
HAVE FUN. That is the best advice I can come up with. I agree with Paddy, look them in the eye. Smile. And let them know you want their money. ;-)
The one thing I had to work on was turning of the tip. I could stop them, entertain them but when it came to turning the hat I came up short. Learned from my mistakes and I now have a slew of jokes. Keep them laughing while you hold your hat out. They will just keep walking up and putting money in. If you stop talking they will walk away. After my finale I reach in my pocket and pull my wallet out while telling them that this is the time of the show when I ask them to reach into their pockets to get their wallet. Then I say "Folks, I'll let you decide how much my show is worth. I was raised not to ask for what ot to be offered. I'm going to be a trend setter and start things off" As I reach into my wallet and pull out a 5. "Now 6 months ago I would have said my show was worth a thousand dollars (waving the bill in the air above my head) but folks times are hard. However I still think my show was worth five bucks. No donation is too small but I'm not a parking meter." blah blah blah... Just keep talking and saying funny things. It takes them a moment to find their money and then figure out how much they want to give and then who is going to walk up and give it to me. Just don't stop telling jokes about money, your kids braces, the price of gas. Needing to go to hair dresser. Make it personal and your own. Be honest but be funny. If you stop talking you will look and feel like a beggar wanting money for nothing. At least I did, once. Have fun and Happy hats |
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Mary Mowder Inner circle Sacramento / Elk Grove, CA 3659 Posts |
Thank you Herb and Danny,
My personality on the Café (like my photo) is a little better than real. Thanks Paddy, good reminder to look 'em in the eyes, especially when I'm out of my element. Rotten, I've enjoyed reading your thread. I'm just starting on the Jimmy talksalot blogs. Great fun and helpful. -Mary Mowder |
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Bobert New user Stephenville TX 88 Posts |
My best advice is too have fun with it. don't worry about making a lot of money just focus on entertaining the crowd. If the crowd really enjoys the show then they will want to tip you. It justworks like that for me. Oh and Good Luck!
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JoeJoe Inner circle Myrtle Beach 1915 Posts |
You'll do fine, it sounds like you have worked cross-venue's before ... thus you have experience in adjusting.
I suggest you start out doing some of your close-up stuff to build an edge, then switch to your stand-up mode. That's pretty much the formula I use. The biggest thing you will need to learn is how to pull the tip. Peppering you act with soft hats line when you can is the best route in my humble opinion. -JoeJoe
Amazing JoeJoe on YouTube[url=https://www.youtube.com/user/AmazingJoeJoe]
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kumpletoo Regular user 101 Posts |
Just do it and have fun...
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DoctorCognos Elite user 413 Posts |
Start short and sweet, three tricks. Opener something very visual to draw a few folks, Middle effect, someting to involve everyone and draw more, and the Finale with something so tatally unexpected they drop their jaws.
The first couple of times, you really don't want to have to fight to hold a crowd. You will learn that later, as you stretch the routines and engage your audience, and build it up better. Make sure along the way, that you explain what I call the Performance Contract. You will perfrom, andif they like it, they will applaud with their wallets. But you need to tell people what you expect of them. And in this case, you expect to entertain and get paid. As for my advice, take it as it comes. Free, and worth eveything it costs you. But looking back at myself and others I have seen. Tryin to do too much, being afraid to tell them they should pay, and doing it all for too long are some of the issues most suffer from. The Doctor
The Doctor Knows.....
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Mary Mowder Inner circle Sacramento / Elk Grove, CA 3659 Posts |
Thanks DoctorCognos,
I wrote 3 sets of @ 3 effects starting with a Close-Up effect and ending with my best and biggest Closers for this venue (I don't really have spectacular Closers for outdoors though). My partner says maybe I should just sort of stroll for tips but I want to try to draw a crowd. I've done a search for Hat Lines but perhaps I'm not looking far enough back. I've seen references to Hat Line threads but I haven't found any with much of a concentration of Hat Lines. This aspect of Busking is the most foreign to me. Can anyone offer a link or a Hat Line? Perhaps a sticky of Hat Lines would be helpful. Mary Mowder |
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Rotten Special user 829 Posts |
Make up your own lines and if they are honest they will be funny. I joke about me buying a house in 2005. I joke about my son, my wife and my own shopping habits.
But here is one that I think is pretty generic. If not I'm sure someone will correct me. "If you liked the show reach into your pocket and pull out some money. If you didn't like the show reach into the pocket of the person standing next to you." Just keep yapping. Some people will stand there all day as long as you are talking. Mary, I tinkered around with shows and finally understood I needed to iron one show out and nail it to a tree. Get it so I can do it in my sleep. Practice it. Make sure transitions are lightening fast. These peoples attention span is short. And I dumbed down my jokes. Some might not agree but I have jokes that I had to change cause they were getting one laugh. From the one smart guy that was listening. The rest stared at me. |
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MagiCol Special user Dargaville, New Zealand 929 Posts |
"If you liked the show reach into your pocket and pull out some money. If you didn't like the show reach into the pocket of the person standing next to you."
I haven't hear that one before. I was thinking, "If you don't like my show then throw your money hard into my hat!"
The presentation makes the magic.
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ed rhodes Inner circle Rhode Island 2885 Posts |
How about this;
If you liked the show, please toss some money into my hat. If you didn't like the show, feel free to throw some money into my hat in disgust!
"...and if you're too afraid of goin' astray, you won't go anywhere." - Granny Weatherwax
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MagiCol Special user Dargaville, New Zealand 929 Posts |
Oh, yeah, The final hat line had better tell them WHERE to put their money. IN MY HAT!
The presentation makes the magic.
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dmoses Inner circle 2261 Posts |
You might try some flattery too. I mind a lot goes a long way.
d
"You're a comedian. You wanna do mankind a service, tell funnier jokes."
TPR by Dave Moses and Iain Dunford T-shirts for Magicians and Mentalists |
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gaddy Inner circle Agent of Chaos 3526 Posts |
Mary,
I'm sure if anyone can make it work, you can. Just be your charming self, wear a costume that is comfortable and that sets you apart from the crowd and do tricks that can play well to the back of a room- don't forget to keep your eyes on the horizon and make eye contact with your audience. Learn their names, if you can, and repeat them back to the individuals during your show (connecting with your crowd) - don't forget to smile! Gaddy
*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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Mary Mowder Inner circle Sacramento / Elk Grove, CA 3659 Posts |
Thanks everyone,
I laughed when I read these so I'm thinking the audience will laugh and get the hint/ernest request. These really give me an idea of what kind of lines work so I can add my personality in a direction that is already working for others. The other information is helpful as well. Smile, eh? I tried that once... didn't like it but I'll try it again. Thanks Gaddy, it seems silly but I actually DO forget how important smiling is sometimes. Nothing like those candid shots for a rude awakening. -Mary Mowder |
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