working

la0o9 · 04-26-2011, 11:23 AM

like Albert said, simply go to a park, or a place with a lot of people and perform to a crowd of up to 10 people, if you shake a lot, you know you're not ready( seriously, sometimes i perform the haunted deck and the cards actually shake in my hands because i'm nervous that they could see through the effect, tho that is more a pro than a con for some reason). But that's only for getting confidence in performing, if you want to get experience with audiences that EXPECTS you to do well, you can try community service: performing at a retirement home, at a friend's party, or a neighborhood kid's birthday party.

A way to get gigs( suggested by David Stone on his DVD, i'm quoting) is to go to a family restaurant or a restaurant with your buddies, and after you've eaten, do a few tricks for your buddies( sometimes if they've already seen too much and doesn't give a reaction, get them to fake it if you are confident enough in yourself), and attract a small crowd if you could, if the waiters see you can report you to the owner, you perform for him a bit so that he/she lets you off the hook( if he/she demands that you do), and when you have a good conversation with him/her, very casually offer your services: "If you ever need entertainment, i am at your service" or something of the sort( if you learn a bit of hypnosis, you can use the techniques to increase your chances) and offer a business card( a plain card with your name and number on it will do, no need for fancy designs). Oh yea, to widen your contacts, after the 3rd show or so, suggest that the owner tell his friends about you or something, and make sure you do the same thing at more than one restaurant, cause they won't always need your services but you kinda need to work constantly to gather experience

P.S: The reason i didn't suggest doing it once for free and charge the next times is because i think doing that might drive away your client.
P.S.S: just my 2 cents

04-26-2011, 11:23 AM	#3
la0o9 Move monkey atm Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Not where you'd want to go :P Posts: 747	like Albert said, simply go to a park, or a place with a lot of people and perform to a crowd of up to 10 people, if you shake a lot, you know you're not ready( seriously, sometimes i perform the haunted deck and the cards actually shake in my hands because i'm nervous that they could see through the effect, tho that is more a pro than a con for some reason). But that's only for getting confidence in performing, if you want to get experience with audiences that EXPECTS you to do well, you can try community service: performing at a retirement home, at a friend's party, or a neighborhood kid's birthday party. A way to get gigs( suggested by David Stone on his DVD, i'm quoting) is to go to a family restaurant or a restaurant with your buddies, and after you've eaten, do a few tricks for your buddies( sometimes if they've already seen too much and doesn't give a reaction, get them to fake it if you are confident enough in yourself), and attract a small crowd if you could, if the waiters see you can report you to the owner, you perform for him a bit so that he/she lets you off the hook( if he/she demands that you do), and when you have a good conversation with him/her, very casually offer your services: "If you ever need entertainment, i am at your service" or something of the sort( if you learn a bit of hypnosis, you can use the techniques to increase your chances) and offer a business card( a plain card with your name and number on it will do, no need for fancy designs). Oh yea, to widen your contacts, after the 3rd show or so, suggest that the owner tell his friends about you or something, and make sure you do the same thing at more than one restaurant, cause they won't always need your services but you kinda need to work constantly to gather experience P.S: The reason i didn't suggest doing it once for free and charge the next times is because i think doing that might drive away your client. P.S.S: just my 2 cents __________________ "Doubt isn't the same as saying people are bad, it simply means you actually care, 100% trust is nothing more than ignorance"~ Akiyama Shinichi- Liar Game "It's not the destination but the road to it that is worth the trip" "Be careful what you wish for... it might just come true"~ old saying "It's a small world, but only relatively" "Reality is not the world, it is the way humankind depicts the world, thus when you alter a person's way of seeing the world, you alter reality itself"