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solrak29 Special user NY Metro 936 Posts |
Quote:
On 2011-05-27 10:36, Rotten wrote: Bogged down? Actually, I too think you have breathed life into this thread that has been quiet for some time. It is pleasure to read about your outings. I too remember first learning this stuff, I went from being Sunny Holiday, to Jimmy Talks Alot; That's the thing with the video; as you subconsciously imitate what you seen. Kinda like a kid who imitates his favorite hero; pretending. Now I struggle to find myself and find that discovery can only happen by performing. But, you can see the influences in what I do and as soon as my closer friends say, "ok, sunny" or , "ok, jimmy"; I change or examine it and look to bring out me. Yet, my whole act is really examined from the how my audience responds. I've been to lectures, a bootcamp, have ton of videos, and read some of the books and lecture notes and continue to learn something; especially after an outing. Keep 'em coming...
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 |
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Rotten Special user 829 Posts |
Thanks guys, I appreciate your support.
Being yourself sounds so easy don't it? In the face of fear it's not so easy. As my confidence is growing I am coming out in my show. Influences from teachers or other performers are a nasty pit fall. So the weakest thing about my show is my gather and my hat. My show is okay, still needs polish but it's not the weakest point. I am going to focus on gathering kindly. Not yapping away with out making connection. I think it will be easier now that I have watched real game tapes of my show and have seen what I am doing wrong. My juggler friend that is sharing my spot has given me very valuable advice. If you have a friend that can watch you, do it. My wife has given me great feed back as well. "I don't like that one thing. It doesn't really go anywhere." ooooh. Hard hit but she was right. I'm handling the drunks and hecklers now. I was about to give up there for a bit until I learned how to work that out. That was some rough lessons. As I keep ironing it out I keep finding more and more wrinkles. Ted |
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Chris Capstone Regular user Tulsa, OK 107 Posts |
Hey Rotten,
This idea of "gathering kindly" is something I try to focus on as well. I try to directly engage as many individuals as possible during this pre-show time. Between striking my bucket or ringing a bell to draw people from far away, I make small talk with the people who are already there. I try to make this seem spontaneous and a lot of it is, but a lot of it is scripted to make it funny. I typically tease the kids or ask them funny double talk questions but talk more normally to the adults. Asking them questions really helps build rapport because it shows you have an interest in them. And I genuinely am interested in people. I sometimes use a memory skill that I've developed to ask the names of all the kids and then impress the audience with a rapid fire repeat of all the names. This takes practice but once you get down people really go crazy over it. Asking their name and repeating it while making a comment or asking a question helps me with the pnuemonic devices to remember later. When I've gathered my tip and am ready to start I introduce myself and then rattle off 20 plus names of the kids on the front row. It never fails to a get huge reaction and round of applause. It's a great way to build rapport and start the show.
Chris Capstone
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Rotten Special user 829 Posts |
Had a good night. Took it easy. Tomorrow is a big day and I'll be working harder and longer than ever on this pitch.
The slow build is nice. I like it. It fits me and I get to choose the front row. It's the same silly thing I do to airline ticket counter people or grocery store clerk small talk. Just be me. Say something unexpected but non threatening. Something to make them smile. If I can make TSA laugh unexpectedly then why not people walking around an attraction site looking for fun? I am just being me. I still laugh when I type those words. I have never felt like I was being me while performing more than I do now. I have so many wonderful inspirations. I really needed someone, or ones, to hold my hand as I crossed the street. You know who you are. When me meet prepare for a hug. I'm a hugger. That made me laugh too. Only when I have been drinking otherwise don't touch me besides a hand shake and no one is trying to prove something by squeezing hard and never give me a fist bump unless you have nasty street hands. Then they are acceptable. Tonight I grew a pair and hatted before the finale then dinged them at the end with a gaff. I talked all big at one time that was my intention but I whimped out. Not now. I did it and it worked. It felt right at the very least. It's what I know. A friend of mine and fellow busker told me he thought I had the perfect elements of a street show. Fire eating opener and sword swallow finale. I just need to tighten it all up. But it's a big show. I should really learn a small one. I have one but it's lame in comparison. And I have to do twice as many of them to make me happy. More money the more happy I am. But there are times when I have a small show audience and I am playing my big one. It's way OTT as my wife would say. I'll learn. The hard way or no way else. Versatility is key. I slowed down even more tonight and you know what? I am getting laughs again. I'm starting to crack more smile percentages too. I don't expect everyone to smile but if I can get 50% at once I'm pretty happy. It's a tough spot. I want to thank Bobby Maverick and Danny Hustle for their kind hands. Danny's is so soft but I am just as comfortable with Bobby's that are like sand paper. I feel a hug coming on. ted |
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Rotten Special user 829 Posts |
I have finally gotten consistent. And then my average has went up. However I'm sharing my pitch with a far better street performer than me and his numbers continue to encourage me to improve.
Now I'm doing a soft gather and then two tricks. It's a half circle show but there are lots of people that watch from behind me as well. The show has gotten much funnier. I started remembering more of my jokes than forgetting and that has made my numbers go up. My crowd management skills have improved by leaps and bounds. I have lost a lot of weight that I didn't need and am in better shape than I have been in a while. I am in shape. My show is in shape. Now I just need take the it on the road. At least to a better pitch. I'm comfortable at mine now, and it wasn't easy, so I hope I can get comfortable at another one faster. I finally feel like I can say I am a busker and darn proud of it! |
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FunTimeAl Special user 987 Posts |
My hats started at 10-15 bucks consistently when I began. I knew I was onto something when they were at 25-35 bucks for a 20 minute show. I never averaged much higher than that (though I'd occassionally hit a the 50-70 dollar hat) . That was 2 years ago when I was actively performing. Just thought I'd toss out my numbers to offer you a comparison. Buskers think it's taboo to talk numbers, but I think that's whack. It is what it is. I'm not ashamed of my numbers, nor am I bosting. It's just what I could do & where I was at.
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Rotten Special user 829 Posts |
Al, I have been met with some of the "Don't talk numbers" guys and I don't get it either. I'm sure some will inflate the numbers for what ever reason they have but me and my friend compare and are straight up.
I used to have no consistency. Some were 7 some where 30. Now I'm consistently averaging 23 per and that is up from last week when I was hitting 20 on average. My friend is averaging 38 at my pitch so I still have mucho room for improvement. It is what it is. |
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HerbLarry Special user Poof! 731 Posts |
Set your own....never mind.
You know why don't act naive.
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MagiCol Special user Dargaville, New Zealand 929 Posts |
Somebody else's hat numbers are just that, somebody elses. You're not them and your show isn't theirs.
They get what they get, you get what you get. There's too many variables to take into account. Being too enviable could get in the way of you getting on improving your own show. The main thing is to work on improving YOUR hats.
The presentation makes the magic.
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Rotten Special user 829 Posts |
HerbLarry,
That is exactly what I shall do! I rarely do mind. MagiCol, I couldn't agree more. That is why I said, " I still have mucho room for improvement." It is nice to have a barometer. I am getting funnier by the day. That is what I do. The more laughs the more fun. The more fun the more money. Fail to prepare then you prepare to fail. Get out there and learn what to prepare for. Mine was a weak gather and weak hat. I am cocked and loaded now. I got to get out there and shoot some rounds. |
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dmoses Inner circle 2261 Posts |
This is true.
I often share a pitch with travisb and his hats consistently kick my hats' ass (or is it asses?) But he's been working it a whole lot longer than I have. In addition having a general idea of his hat gives something reasonable to shoot for and his good and bad days provide me with a perspective and education that my hat alone wouldn't provide. This is also true: people often lie about their hats. d
"You're a comedian. You wanna do mankind a service, tell funnier jokes."
TPR by Dave Moses and Iain Dunford T-shirts for Magicians and Mentalists |
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Rotten Special user 829 Posts |
I'm sure people do lie about hats. My friends don't lie to me or else they wouldn't be my friends. It's my pitch and I'm sharing it so we are all straight with each other. I don't ask everyone how much they are making, just my close friends.
My point, which I don't understand why it's hard to understand, is that my friends hats are consistent. Mine are consistent. He is consistently $15 more per show than me. That's not a lot but it shows me that they will pay more than what I'm making. We do the same number of shows alternating so it's easy to see the differences. His show is different than mine. He is a juggler. I do sideshow stunts. He doesn't build an edge and I do. He makes them laugh more and does more "impressive" feats of skill to the layman. Yes the shows are different but the crowds are the same. My friend busked back in college 15 years ago. He knows more about it than me and has been very helpful in the construction of my show. He only comes out on Saturdays when he is in town. It's nice to have the company and the input. My show has grown leaps and bounds from his input and from watching him. He is VERY likable. He can say things to people I couldn't dare. I hope to out do him one day just because he is kindly competitive and I am out there doing it more than him. He only had to knock rust off. I had to forge the steel. It's raining tonight so I'll be at home writing. Rain rain go away!! |
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Rotten Special user 829 Posts |
This weekend was amazing. I out did my friend but he wasn't there cause he was on a cruise ship. Yet, strangely he believes what I told him my hat was. Funny how friends trust you.
I have learned much. I understand I went into this fortunately that I already had a show. I just had to adapt it to the street. The beautiful thing is that what I have learned on a street will parlay onto the stage. I can not imagine someone trying to do this with out an act. I'm sure guys do, I just can't wrap my mind around why. I went to my knee Dr. today and got a cortisone shot in the knee and we are hoping that with physio I can fix my knee without surgery. I don't understand how I can fix the knee pain by fixing the muscle atrophy from 15 years of babying due to pain. I don't want surgery so pain it is. On with the show. I appreciate that some think I brought new life to this thread. From here out I am going to work on my art and my living. They go hand in hand and if you don't think that is true you are probably eating out of a trash can. I am selling plasma this week so I can go to busker boot camp. (joke) I have no intention of busking (why does the green room insist that busking is spelled wrong?) for the rest of my life. I'm an indoor dog. But I truly believe that I am becoming a better performer by busking. That should only parlay into what I truly love. Theater. That is my passion but street has become my heart. I wish you all well and if something of major significance comes up I may report. Right now it's time for me to make as much nut (the immature side of me always laughs when I say that) so that I can go and have my performance torn apart and they had better put it back together. If you are feeling generous a small donation can make my dream come true. If you would like to chip in on me going to boot camp as a thanks to the info I have shared just send money to Jim Baker. I bet he'll send the donations onto me. I don't think he can send it to Heaven. I am so honored by the few guys that have reached out and helped me from falling on my face more than needed. I'm having so much fun I have to get out of here. |
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Rotten Special user 829 Posts |
I said I would only post if something significant happened. Well it did. After receiving Kozmos DVD I watched the workings before I went out tonight. I doubled my hat. Just saying. Learn from the masters and you will learn. It's so simple it has to work.
My busker Library is increasing. My art is increasing. My money is increasing. I love this! |
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NexusMagicShop Elite user Sunny California 434 Posts |
Quote:
On 2011-06-23 03:46, Rotten wrote: That's Excellent! Congrats Rotten, please keep the posts coming. This has been an enjoyable thread to read.
Jason of BackroomMagic
www.BackroomMagic.com/| Mobile friendly magic forums and blogs www.twitter.com/Nexusmagicstore |
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Bobby Maverick Loyal user 252 Posts |
Yeah! I like reading this stuff!
Ted, you have a great way of wording things. Keep it up! |
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philip tilston New user 58 Posts |
Rotten - you made comment a few posts ago about connecting with people instead of just talking at them. I have only done a little busking, but I was watching some "professional" buskers at Covent Garden in London earlier this week. I noticed that they shouted their standard lines at people incessently but I am not conveinced that they connected with many of them. Given how easy it is to start a crowd there (as many people come to Covent Garden to be entertained by street entertainers) I was surprised at how small their hats were.
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Paddy Inner circle Milford OH 1571 Posts |
Quote: The small hats proves the point Rotten was making. IF they had connected to the audience, and not treated them as a "crowd" the hats would have been BIG!!On 2011-07-30 05:34, philip tilston wrote: |
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philip tilston New user 58 Posts |
Agreed
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Rotten Special user 829 Posts |
I think that an easy pitch can lead to bad habits. When you have to work for it you learn what doesn't work faster than what does work. But if it's like shooting fish in a barrel a performer might not see the err of their ways and get away with all sorts of bad street theater. I'm still working on connecting myself. Some shows it's there and others I can feel the force is weak. But if you don't listen to your audience and watch them, each and every one, then you might not even feel the difference.
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