I've been doing magic for about a year now and I've been interested in working professionally in magic for a while, mostly just as a busker or as a restaurant magician. I live in Virginia Beach, so there are plenty of opportunities for both available. Up until recently, I've always believed that because I'm relatively new to magic my skill level would keep me from working professionally. However, the other day I was at a festival (for those of you who live in Virginia I was at HarborFest, for those who don't its a really big annual festival at Norfolk Harbor) and I saw a street magician. I was very excited to watch him, because since I started magic I had yet to watch a professional magician in person.
I was disappointed. His experience was clear in his performance, as he had very smooth card handling and good patter that entertained the audience. However, for a professional magician (who looked to be in his 50s) I expected much more. He flopped on two tricks, (He performed The Biddle Trick and controlled the card to the top instead of second to the top, which ruined the trick) and most of his material was magic I learned when I first started out - amateur stuff. He used the linking rings for his finale and though it was entertaining and well performed, he messed up at one portion and the rings didn't connect properly... it exposed the way the rings work.
Anyway, after seeing him making pretty decent money (he was making easily $30-40 a performance, and he was out there all day) I resolved that my skill level was definitely good enough to perform professionally, if his was. I already perform pretty regularly on an amateur level for parties and in malls, and though I'm no expert I feel I'm good enough. However, as I began to seriously consider working professionally, a possible complication occurred to me: I'm seventeen. Mostly I'm just worried about people taking me seriously, because in honesty I look even younger. I can't imagine most restaurants wanting me to perform there (I imagine they would prefer an adult) and I'm concerned that as a busker no one would take me seriously.
Do you guys think this problem is real and I should wait to attempt working professionally, or do you think my skill as a magician will overshadow this detail?
I was disappointed. His experience was clear in his performance, as he had very smooth card handling and good patter that entertained the audience. However, for a professional magician (who looked to be in his 50s) I expected much more. He flopped on two tricks, (He performed The Biddle Trick and controlled the card to the top instead of second to the top, which ruined the trick) and most of his material was magic I learned when I first started out - amateur stuff. He used the linking rings for his finale and though it was entertaining and well performed, he messed up at one portion and the rings didn't connect properly... it exposed the way the rings work.
Anyway, after seeing him making pretty decent money (he was making easily $30-40 a performance, and he was out there all day) I resolved that my skill level was definitely good enough to perform professionally, if his was. I already perform pretty regularly on an amateur level for parties and in malls, and though I'm no expert I feel I'm good enough. However, as I began to seriously consider working professionally, a possible complication occurred to me: I'm seventeen. Mostly I'm just worried about people taking me seriously, because in honesty I look even younger. I can't imagine most restaurants wanting me to perform there (I imagine they would prefer an adult) and I'm concerned that as a busker no one would take me seriously.
Do you guys think this problem is real and I should wait to attempt working professionally, or do you think my skill as a magician will overshadow this detail?