|
|
|
|||
Zombie Magic Inner circle I went out for a beer and now have 8733 Posts 
|
I've done magic on the street for fun ( since the 60's ). I always thought in the back of my mind I cold do a show after seeing buskers in New Orleans. Looked simple enough. Just a fun thought.
About 6 months ago I started to think about it ore than usual. Searched the net for info. best advice was on this site from a Danny Hustle "These are the three golden rules of busking, no matter juggler, stilt walker, mime, or magician: Make them stop, stay, and pay. And get as many people to do it as humanly possible. the more bodies, the bigger the hat". I went to the shop and got some Gazzo DVDS. What an eye opener in order to follow Danny's simple mantra. I came away with the impression it's dead easy to busk on the street ( as long as you have no issue about NOT making one red cent ). It's a bloody difficult job of work to be good at it, even to just make a few dollars, let alone those dreams of big hats. |
|
presto77 New user 66 Posts
|
Quote:
GOOD LUCK |
solrak29 Special user NY Metro 936 Posts
|
Quote:
On 2012-01-01 12:05, Zombie Magic wrote: That's how good these cats are; they make it look easy. And I'm talking about the ones you saw live. Not to say that Gazzo isn't good because he is...the best actually. Be careful as many who watch his DVDs tend to clone him...and sometimes its not done on purpose... 
One thing besides making them stop, stay, and pay...is simply to get out there and do it. Then do it again, and again, and again, and again....its the one key points I think. I'm sure more of the pros will chime in...
To Find Me On The Pitch, Follow me :On Twitter
Checkout my pseudo blog : The Sidewalk Performers Forum "I intend to live forever, or die trying" - Groucho Marx |
|
Zombie Magic Inner circle I went out for a beer and now have 8733 Posts
|
Thanks for the tips, good wishes.
It's just a fun dream right now. I see here's a big difference between doing a few tricks for a group at a mall and actually drawing a crowd for tips. Like playing softball on a weekend for fun a supposed to the majors. I am having fun reading and learning about it all. |
|
troppobob Veteran user Crescent Head Australia 372 Posts
|
G'day Zombie Magic
I wish you well as you explore this area of performance. Enjoy the study material and I look forward to hearing an update on what you decide to do. It is another world on the street - all the rules change - if it suits you then I expect you will enjoy this experience. Bob Latta (aka Troppo Bob) |
|
Kozmo V.I.P. 5473 Posts
|
It's easy, isn't it?
|
Kondini Inner circle 3609 Posts
|
The tricks, the act, are all unimportant. The busk is a way of life where you either survive or die.
You cant learn it, you have to live it. From living on the streets in the East End of London to travel four times around the world, to start in 1966 in your twenties and live, bring up a family, buy a house and be clear of debt then retire on a state pension (Cos yes all these years I paid my contributions and taxes)This is the busk as I have lived it. Never sold any secrets cos you cant buy or be taught experience. Never professed to be better or worse than the next man, never suffered from delusions of what it was to busk. Seen and heard so much BS here. As Ken Brooke said,,,there are sayers and there are doers, the doers will never be sayers and the sayers will never be doers !! Man , this so applies to the busk. Ken (Now retired by two days and getting bored!!). |
|
Zombie Magic Inner circle I went out for a beer and now have 8733 Posts
|
I 'think' it's like taking a good play and learning it my heart...but it would mean little until you actually got on stage. That's where you'd stumble and fail, but would gain massive experience. If you stuck with it, you'd get better, slowly, over time.
|
Stperformer Loyal user 292 Posts
|
Quote:
On 2012-01-02 05:30, Kondini wrote: I am by no means an accountant but would one not be far better off financially by NOT claiming and paying income tax on your hats and taking that money and saving/investing it themselves. I'm guessing here but I believe the State Pension gains one would achieve by paying taxes are far below the amount of money you would be ahead by simply keeping it and putting it themselves towards a pension/investment fund. Of course income tax evasion is a serious offence but I have a feeling some unscruplious individuals out there are not claiming everything. Would they be better off claiming their hats (and getting a slightly better gov't pension) ???????????????????????? |
|
Kondini Inner circle 3609 Posts
|
If you want state benefits such as NHS you have to pay NIC National Insurance Contributions, this puts you in the loop of Inland Revenue etc etc but you can benefit from the Unemployment Benefit as well if out of work,,,so yes if you want get state benefits you have to play the game with them.
I have yet to meet an honest busker who makes more than the average working wage,,,at best,,,plenty may pretend but Im dealing factualy here. Remember BS only sometimes baffles brains. Ken |
The_Great_Dubini New user 11 Posts
|
Started busking this year. It ain't easy, but it gets easier every time.
|
|
MagiCol Special user Dargaville, New Zealand 929 Posts
|
But it seems to me that when you're about half way towards thinking you're getting comfortable on the street, you become even more concerned about what's not going right, because you have built up greater knowledge and appreciation of what's supposed to be going on, and it seems to become harder to achieve the moving benchmark.\
Colin - who is not out busking today because it's raining solid and has been doing so for hours. Worse, here in New Zealand it's forecast to be a wet summer until March - some 60 days or more. However, it doesn't always rain...
The presentation makes the magic.
|
|
troppobob Veteran user Crescent Head Australia 372 Posts
|
G'day Col
Yes no matter how organised we are the weather is often (unless you are at an inside venue) that uncontrollable determinant. New Zealand - "the land of long white cloud". Bob Latta (aka Troppo Bob) |
|
J.G. the magnificent Special user Griffith Indiana 886 Posts
|
Iv'e onlly given myself the time to busk a handful of times but from what I have experienced it's like this. You got to make noise and get their attention. Call out abnoctious things like a carnie and make eye contact. (No sunglsses they need to see your eyes.) Once their attention is grabbed have a small effect that you can keep doing repeatedly till more come. Make a climax of progressivly bigger effects as you go. Have audience participation and use as little as possible not only for portablity but otherwise they will be thinking you are a nerd with so many props. Hat lines are another ball game and I have not yet pulled that off sucessfully but gettiing there.
You are wise for looking into Danny Hustle he has great material and has worked with greats like Gazzo. You should PM him he has helped me imensly in the past. Also read TO LURE WITH SPECTACLE AND OUR MYSTERIOUS SOCIETY BY:Jimmy Talksalot not only has it taught me much but has great references. Have them all on my reading list. P.S. These may be of help to you. http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......&forum=6 http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewtopic.php?topic=399497&forum=113 http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......&forum=6
Jeremy Gates
|
Posted: Jan 1, 2012 05:05 pm 