Busking

DH MagicTime

Banned
May 19, 2012
35
0
Sydney, Australia
I'm doing some busking in Sydney, Australia. I'm doing close up style so kinda like a stage act but just doing close up for everybody. Firstly whats some nice effects which will make me the big bucks or suggest to give me big bucks, also does anyone know the average income for busking. Any help is help :)

thank you guys

Dominic Huggett AKA DH MagicTime
 

WitchDocIsIn

Elite Member
Sep 13, 2008
5,877
2,945
Busking will chew you up and spit you out, then stomp on you if you let it. It can do unspeakable things to your ego.

That said, get Kozmo's DVD set, Tales From The Street. It's a good starting point. Make a short, but powerful routine. Make it visible and clear, learn to entertain, and don't be shy about telling them to give you money. Make it portable, and resettable. Then go and do it, fix what goes wrong, do it again.

You can make anywhere from nothing to hundreds a day, it all depends on where you are, how good you are, and a dose of luck.
 

DH MagicTime

Banned
May 19, 2012
35
0
Sydney, Australia
Busking will chew you up and spit you out, then stomp on you if you let it. It can do unspeakable things to your ego.

That said, get Kozmo's DVD set, Tales From The Street. It's a good starting point. Make a short, but powerful routine. Make it visible and clear, learn to entertain, and don't be shy about telling them to give you money. Make it portable, and resettable. Then go and do it, fix what goes wrong, do it again.

You can make anywhere from nothing to hundreds a day, it all depends on where you are, how good you are, and a dose of luck.

Thanks a lot man, I think I'm ready to hit the streets. My experience is performing at christmas work parties, Kids party and Music and art festivals.
 
Mar 10, 2011
59
0
When you go out there, the rules change. For example, if you do street magic to a few people at a time, you might get a heckler and if you're worth anything, you can deal with him. When you do a show on a stage, the worst that happens is you get booed off stage. Then there's busking. I've seen people walk behind a performer just to whack props out of his hand. What am I saying? You don't have to be an a**hat to get control, but you have to be ready for that situation. Things to never let go of: your props and your hat.
 

raccoonfight

Elite Member
Mar 28, 2011
91
0
Look at Gazzos stuff he is an amazing street magicain. To make the big bucks you have to be on the street for a while and see what people react to and what they like. People like it when you tell jokes or you are a quick wit also build suspence and ask for money at the end of the show never ask for ones ask for fives and tens.
 
Mar 10, 2011
59
0
^ you just reminded me. Asking and getting money is a skill. It's not just what people think you're worth, but what you think you're worth and the pressure put on your audience to make them give you more than a lint-covered quarter. Something that's just really terrible to do is end your show asking for money without any pretense. This is because people walk into a show with zero monetary expectations. The trick is to introduce money and payment in a subtle manner and increase pressure. Start out with "Hey, everyone! my name's (whatever) and I perform for a living!" Even if you don't perform as your bacon, everyone should think that.
On a side note, don't be afraid to ask for a lot. Ask for more, and you'll be surprised how much you get it. That, and it allows you to negotiate to a lower (but still very appropriate) expectation.
 
Aug 17, 2010
411
4
As mentioned, get some resources specific to busking; Tales From the Street is quite good, The Royal Touch is also worth your consideration. Have heard good things about To Lure With Spectacle and The Art of Krowd Keeping

What you need is a show - scripted and blocked top to bottom. People are free to leave whenever they want (and they will), so give them reasons to stay to the end. Any dead time in your show is when they'll leave, so have the transitions as tight as possible, and make sure you have something to say during these.

Work on hat lines, and put more than one in the show - Kozmo, on Tales From the Street uses three. The first one tells them you will pass the hat, the second one tells them what a good tip is, the third one thanks them for watching, and that the hat is being passed.

You need tricks that are somewhat modular - ones that people can join in partway through and still get. Also, tricks that can be performed surrounded, or very nearly so.

You have to gather the crowd first, so have something to stop the first group with; once someone is watching, others will join in. Be sure to give them a reason to stay to the end - pitch the finale often.
 
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