Creating a Crowd... And Keeping Them!

[Simon_Magic]

Heya Guys!

I've recently been attempting to perform Street Magic (in the 'busking' 30 minute show with massive audience then collecting money in a hat at the end of the show sense) but my main problem I have is getting an audience, and when I have some audience members getting more and also keeping them.

I know a lot of it is simply down to experience, but if any of you have any hints or tips I could use, any magic tricks that audiences can see to get their attention, anything like that would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

Simon_Magic

 

[WitchDocIsIn]

First tip: Don't start with 30 minutes. Start with, say, 8 solid minutes. Pick the material you do best, and do that over and over and over until it can't get any better. Then, maybe, add more. After a solid summer of busking my act was only about 20 minutes.

Second tip: Don't worry about getting a huge audience at first. Probably won't happen. Not a big deal. Do something that will catch someone's attention. Kozmo likes to toss a coin out onto the street and tell people to watch it. After you get one or two people paying attention, start doing a "crowd gathering" routine. This is generally a simple trick that can be done over and over to catch attention of more people. As more people look at you, call them over. Build and build. Once you've got a decent crowd, go into your full routine.

Third tip: Keep it interesting. Keep in mind the people that walk up halfway through a trick. Is what you're doing interesting enough to hold their attention? Card tricks usually suck for busking because of this. Someone takes a card, the card is lost .. someone walks up and says, "What's going on? Card trick .. huh. Hey, is there a Starbucks near here?"

Kozmo's Tales from the Streets is a good source. He made his living by busking for a long time, and made a darn good living. He breaks down his entire routine and the why behind it all. If you can get his lecture that's even better. One of the most informative I've ever seen.

 

[JButterfield]

Building the crowd doesn't have to begin with tricks - Sonny Holiday smacks a wand loudly on a table to build the tip, and explains what he's going to do. Some just say "Magic show, magic show! Right here, beginning in a just a moment! You won't want to miss it," and so on. Jimmy Talksalot smacks a wand on the pavement, and stares at the spot until someone stops, and goes into a wand routine. I do a one coin bit while I pitch the amazing magic show that's about to begin.

To keep a crowd, you have to give them a reason to stay. Pitch the ending several times; tell them you'll end with something they'll never forget, something amazing and it begins in just a few moments... (but you really have to do something strong for the ending). Make them want to stay until the end.

What also helps to keep the crowd is a polished show - the blocking and the transitions have to be as good as you can make them, and the only way to do that is through scripting, rehearsal and revision. Not saying "um", making what you say as tight as possible, and as clear as can be is essential; people were going somewhere when you started, and any they won't be shy about leaving if you give them an excuse. If the show slows down for at all, you can lose people. Going out and winging it is not really a good idea.

"Funny is money" they say, and if you're amusing, they'll be more likely to stay.

Tricks that someone can understand halfway through are essential, especially for the first half of your act. This is why cups and balls and chop cup routines are used so often; you can see something disappear and reappear at any time. You need not have seen the beginning to understand what's going on. Learn a few names, and keep calling on them.

Make sure your tricks are big enough to be seen easily, and that you can be heard. If they can't see well enough, or hear you, they'll go.

A 30 minute show is an awful lot of work, and you need a lot of space to get a big crowd. You need a PA to be heard by a big crowd; stick to a sidewalk show of 10 to 12 minutes. Initially, try to get 20 people, to make ten dollars per show, and do two to three shows an hour.

Jim Cellini's book The Royal Touch is also worth your attention, as are his DVDs. Gazzo's Art of Krowd Keeping is pretty highly regarded as well. Jimmy Talksalot has a blog that's well worth a read.

 

[Custom Table Pads]

I like this comment is so nice.

 

[Simon_Magic]

Thanks for all the feedback so far guys. I do own a PA System (I got one for Christmas) and I am hoping to take it for its first spin soon. I just find it difficult thinking how to start the show full stop. I can juggle, but that won't stop a crowd as its not spectator friendly. A good friend of mine, Paul Dabek, uses a Rocky Raccoon to grab an audience whereas another friend lays out a rope for the audience to walk up to to some high pumped music and shouts a lot, whereas another does fire eating to get an audience. There's so many different ways and I'm just finding it tricky thinking about how to routine things.

Also, pretty much all of the street performers I've seen use a child in the show at some point to help. Would you recommend that and how would you personally use a child?

Thanks!

Simon_Magic

 

[JButterfield]

If you have the equipment, and the tricks to do a show, the only thing left to do is write it and rehearse it. Again, I'd suggest forgetting about the PA and do a shorter show for fewer people. Work up to a bigger show.

You know of several ways to build the tip, so find the one that works for you. The problem with advice of this sort, and on a forum, is that the advice tends to be "this is what I would do" rather than "this is what may work for you". Telling you how I do it will likely be of no help.

I cannot stress enough - if you are serious about busking, get resources specific to busking. You can learn about it by yourself, but you may waste a lot of time reinventing the wheel.

All that you have to do now is write it and rehearse it.

 

[Jevonsp]

Simply do some flourishes. People will stop and watch. Say, "here let me show you something" before they can say no do a really quick color change or something like that. This gets them interested. then you just do magic and people will start stopping for you.
This is what I do, at least.

 

[WilliamMckeehan]

http://jimmytalksalot.blogspot.com/

pretty useful site. Go to the blog Archive and start at the earliest I think it's 2007.

 

[WitchDocIsIn]

Simply do some flourishes. People will stop and watch. Say, "here let me show you something" before they can say no do a really quick color change or something like that. This gets them interested. then you just do magic and people will start stopping for you.
This is what I do, at least.

Flourishing for starting a busking crowd is kind of weak, sorry. Cards are just too small. Contact juggling (Which is where XCM came from) can work and I've used that. Juggling draws attention fast. Anything big, loud, flashy, whatever. Something to get a few people to look and then build from there.

 

[Randy]

Take acting classes and public speaking classes. These two things will pretty much do you much better than simply doing a few flashy effects to get peoples attention.