Need some professional advice...

[LVLoanGod]

I have been practicing my magical skills for the past year now and have not gone out to perform in front of anyone (except for close friends & relatives). I didn't want to perform in front of anyone until I felt that I was proficient and confident in myself. Well, I guess that time has come... I, however, need some advice...

I am more interested in performing walk-up and street magic as opposed to a stage peformance. Personally, I enjoy walking up to a spectator, asking them if I can show them something, and then look at the expressions on their faces once their minds have been blown away.

I live in Las Vegas and there are multitudes of places to perform, like malls, the strip, bars, nightclubs, and the casinos. I guess my problem is what places would be the best. I'm sure that I could go to the public places and perform to my hearts desire, but I'm guessing that the tips would be kinda slim... I could also go to the bars, nightclubs, and stripclubs to perform. How would I approach the managers of these places? Do I need to provide some sort of audition DVD and a business card? What would I charge? Would I need some sort of professional contract?

Anyway, I was thinking about going to the public places with a friend and my video camera and then putting together a video to use as an audition piece for the clubs and bars...

Well, what do you think? Any advice or reccommendations? Please let me know ASAP! I'm dying to get out there...


Thanks,




Kelly

 

[WilliamMckeehan]

hi, i have only been into magic for about 2 years but my personal advice is practice... not in the sense that u have been the past year. you will realize there is alot more to learn when you perform for people. many people. so get out there and perform ALOT. all the time for everyone would be my advice. then adjust and fix any problems you see with ur magic. i am still in that stage as well so i would read every post and take all that information and study it. also if you mess up infront of anyone and make a complete full out of urself dont sweat it keep trying dont give up. you will be nervous for strangers so dont get ahead of urself. stay calm and read about performing read everything you can if u havnt already. just keep it up and good luck... ur not alone in this stage of magic.

 

[LVLoanGod]

Hey William,

Thanks for the help! I appreciate any and all suggestions! Good luck to you as well!


Thanks,



Kelly

 

[Ben Long]

If you are part of a synagogue or a church or a community center, you could offer your services for events for free (at least for the first few times) that way you can perform, get your name out, hand out business cards if you like, etc.

I'll just say, from personal experience, it helps if people know that there's a magician at said event.

Also, take advantage of the fact that you live in Las Vegas.

 

[DannyT]

I think doing magic in Bars and Night clubs would be a great idea.
Another alternative to think about is restaurants.
Ask the manager if they would like hired entertainment in their establishment.
If he's interested he'll probably ask to see some magic, so be ready.
Also, dress the part, look professional.

If you think he'll say no, you could change his mind by saying you'll work for tips only.
My friend worked in a restaurant as a magician, and he only worked for tips.
He made a decent amount of money per week too.
Also, this will help you get comfortable with performing magic for people. You can only get better.

 

[Bizzaro]

I recently moved to Vegas and what I have seen is plenty of places to hone one's chops. Nightclubs are a great place (if yer old enuff to get in them) to see what works because you HAVE to be good to get and hold their attention. (Just watch out for the uber-drunks) There is also the Wed night meetup (Darwin's magic meeting) as well as Jeff McBride's Wonderground on the weekends.

However, the only way to get better is to perform and PAY ATTENTION to the responses you get. If it's not what you think it should be, look at it from their POV.

Don't get frustrated either. a year in magic is nothing. to get comfortable with your skills, personality, and find a style and maybe even character that works for you it will be quite a long journey full of experimentation and constant evolution.

 

[Chr!s]

I would recommend reading my essay 'Where do we stand as performers?' on www.24hmagic.blogspot.com, for an insight into the starting points open to us and different approaches to the area.

CL

 

[Dylan P.]

I used yo be a magician for a restaurant in my town and I feelm that I can help you with some of theses questions. I think that it may be a good idea for you to make a performance DVD that you could give to these managers if they want it.

WHAT YOU SHOULD HAVE ON THE DVD

I think that on the DVD you should have maybe like 5-7 effects. The first should be simple and hard hitting. The second hard hitting and cool. and keep going , making sure that they all are impressive and professional. When you get to the last one it should be your coolest, most impressive, and most immpossible effect. (Angle Zero) In the DVD include 2 performance of each trick. One of random people in the street and one being just you and a camera.

HOW TO APPROACH THE MANAGERS

The way I got my job was by cold calling the manager. Simply find the places number and ask if the manager is in on that particular day. If he is calmly explain that you are an expirianced magician looking for a way to go out and make a name for yourself and you would like to start by performing at their buisness weekly. If they seem skeptical tell them that you have a audition DVD if they would like it. Or tell them that you could come in for a one on one meeting with them. If they turn you down simply move on to the next place.

If I think of anything else I'll add to this,
Dylan P.

 

[Shakutau]

hi, i have only been into magic for about 2 years but my personal advice is practice... not in the sense that u have been the past year. you will realize there is alot more to learn when you perform for people. many people. so get out there and perform ALOT. all the time for everyone would be my advice. then adjust and fix any problems you see with ur magic. i am still in that stage as well so i would read every post and take all that information and study it. also if you mess up infront of anyone and make a complete full out of urself dont sweat it keep trying dont give up. you will be nervous for strangers so dont get ahead of urself. stay calm and read about performing read everything you can if u havnt already. just keep it up and good luck... ur not alone in this stage of magic.

I very good reply. I dont know if you ment you have been practicing and improving for a year, or that you were meaning you just started out and have been pracitcing madly for a year and now is ready to perform. Dude, thats very good, because you have actually taken pateience to sharpen your skills. But you have no experience in people, most importantly the performer, which is yourself.

You dont just do tricks, a person off the side doing a 3 card Monte routine is no different. You are different compared to that.

You need to perform man, you wont go anywhere if you purely pracitce without appling your skills. So you need to do that first. I asked Lee Asher this question too, and it really helped a lot. Dont take it personal, but "right now its not about the money, its the experience.".

 

[thecavschosenone]

Well, I've never worked a restaurant before, I'd definitely like to start soon, but I don't think you should have an audition DVD. The manager doesn't care about your magic, they care about money. Yes, if they decide to hire a magician, they want a good one, but they really, unless magic interests them, don't want to see your magic. Instead of showing them a trick, or an audition DVD, I'd ask them if you could do one free night without pay. From what I've read, they barely ever deny this. So you dress the part, and have your props etc. set up. Introduce yourself to the restaurant staff, make sure the manager knows your there, then start. You do your thing, and for this night only, deny ALL tips. Instead, just tell them to talk to the manager, about how much they were entertained. When the night is over, make sure the manager knows your leaving. Then if he calls you, then you can discuss wages, etc. Hopefully this helps.

 

[Dylan P.]

Well, I've never worked a restaurant before, I'd definitely like to start soon, but I don't think you should have an audition DVD. The manager doesn't care about your magic, they care about money. Yes, if they decide to hire a magician, they want a good one, but they really, unless magic interests them, don't want to see your magic. Instead of showing them a trick, or an audition DVD, I'd ask them if you could do one free night without pay. From what I've read, they barely ever deny this. So you dress the part, and have your props etc. set up. Introduce yourself to the restaurant staff, make sure the manager knows your there, then start. You do your thing, and for this night only, deny ALL tips. Instead, just tell them to talk to the manager, about how much they were entertained. When the night is over, make sure the manager knows your leaving. Then if he calls you, then you can discuss wages, etc. Hopefully this helps.

But when I got my job the manager said that he would like to see a demonstration DVD because that would help him decide if I would bring people back in or not. The guy didn't want me to do a free night because he felt that it was unfare not to pay me so he just told me to show him a trick, (didn't have any cards.) So he asked if I could make him a DVD in one weeks time. I did and I got the job.