Is it hard to make tips doing street magic to small audience?

Yes.

"It's the hardest way to make easy money"
-Daniel Davenport

It is hard getting tips doing street magic at all. If you want to make tips doing street magic that would just make yourself look bad. If you want to make money doing street magic video tape yourself and go from there

If you are making tips doing street magic, you are no longer doing street magic you are busking. But you are doing it badly. Learn the art of busking and you will make more money.

If you are busking you are doing street magic by definition if you are doing 'street magic' you are doing close up on cement. Doing 'street magic' that is close up difficult, doing street magic that is street magic if done right in the right area you can make money if you present a show.

Ok can you busk using very closeup effects on a small audience?

"The side walk shuffle" section deals with busking. Take a look.

Yes, but it's harder to get any money that way. In a street performance, a lot of people give money to the hat because they see other people in the audience giving money to the hat. It's as if that gives them permission to do so... (it's weird!) If you're limiting your audience, you're also limiting the number of people who *can* give you money.

Go for the bigger crowd if you can!

I would put some of my own money in the hat that will create the illusion that other people have given money and it will give other people the idea that they too should leave their money in the hat.
I did it and it worked.

What you are looking for is what we call working a "trickle", where you have a tip jar in place for people to tip. You could just wear a badge that says "tips welcome", but you will make more if you have some kind of tip receptacle out.

You would make more as a busker, but what you have in mind is the perfect way to get started. Don't worry about the money, just get out there and start doing magic. The experience is worth more than the money in the early stages of learning.

-JoeJoe

It seems like all buskers have hats for tips? is there other ways besides hats?

Yes, a tip receptacle. Something down on the ground that says "TIPS". A briefcase, a bag, a box, a jar ... decorated colorfully or what not. I've used a clear 5 gallon water jug.

-JoeJoe

Why would getting tips doing magic on streets make you look bad? I don't understand? Buskers make "tips" when they hand out there hat?

In some people's minds, busking is begging. Most feel it's better to do a bigger show, deliver your hat line and have them come to you with money than walking around looking for handouts.

Its not getting tips that would make you look bad, it is how you get them. Like I already said, don't worry about making money - put out a tip jar and start doing magic. What you need the most is experience doing magic for people.

You want to focus on stopping people, entertaining them, and using them to attract more people. When someone does tip, make sure you thank them so everyone else notices they tipped. In time, you will discover techniques and hat lines that encourage tips.

-JoeJoe

Lets imagine if you were David Blaine but you were not famous and didn't have a camera crew and things like that. couldn't he earn money from the people he does magic too, on the street, without looking bad?

Some perhaps, but not a lot. Check out Owen Lean a.k.a. Road Mage. He published an ebook a few years ago on working walkaround for small groups of 2-3 people. His thinking was that he could do 10 shows for a few dollars about as quickly as circle show workers do just one show.

http://www.roadmage.com

He's since changed his mind, and he does circle shows himself now.

Ok well I guess it cant be as good as circle perfomers, but still an option for someone just starting out

Yes, you can make money as a close-up performer. Many magicians (including myself) have done this for years working restaurants and nightclubs. The best option is to get the establishment to pay you in addition to the tips.

But if you have no experience, no references, no flyers, or anything else ... then by all means, go out and work the streets for tips - that's what they are for. No shame in it at all.

No, you won't make as much as a circle performer ... but considering you don't know how to do a doorway show, I wouldn't be worrying about doing a circle show. Like I said, just go out there and do magic - everything else will fall in place all by itself.

-JoeJoe