I just want to try busking

[gabemagggic]

Hy!
I'll go to Italy very soon and I taught that I should try street magic there.
Can I find any Italian magicians in this forum? Just because I don't know so muck about their laws and I don't want to pay a fine etc.
Do you think it's a big disadvantage that I can't speak Italian?I think I can perform my tricks in English.
I don't want to be at the streets for hours, I just want to perform 3-4-5 tricks.
What is the good way to ask for money?How can I get some money after the "show"? (I'd like to eat ice-cream from that money )
I never tried it before but I want to try my luck.
So, please give me some useful tips.

 

[Craig Browning]

If you can't speak the language chances aren't very much to your favor when it comes to busking, a good 90% of what makes it viable as an income generator is the spiel and being able to build the tip. Too, just doing 3-5 "tricks" ain't going to get you very far in most cases, there are very few of us solid enough in a given routine to garner the level of audience investment you need when busking. Having a good Chop Cup or Cups & Balls routine is one example of the sort of bits that can give you this draw but you MUST do a lot more with them than the basic elements most typical to the "trick". If you really learned your stuff you can do an easy 10 minutes with the Cups & Balls and in so doing, present a very wide range of effects; doing so in a manner that takes the common premise behind the C&B light-years away from where most insist on keeping it.

Monte effects are great too, but in some areas Illegal (highly illegal) as are Pick-Pocket routines and even Mentalism believe it or not.

Asking for the cash is the trickiest part to it all which is why I rarely just passed the hat, I sold stuff; Svengali & Stripper Decks, Sponge Bunnies, Sculpting Balloons, etc. but this brings other headaches along with it, especially when you are working in other lands. One technique I've seen used though, is to move into money magic routines as you prepare to close the demo; Sidewalk Shuffle and gambler type bits is one along with Torn & Restored or Burnt Bill type routines.

I'd suggest you watch as much video or live street work as you can and all types (not just magic) so you can see what is expected from you in order to generate the level of interest from enough folks to get the cash. You also need to out out and start busking on your own in your native setting first, so you can get a feel for it (and especially just how hard it can be. . . some days you may not see more than $20.00 and on other day's much more or far less. . . after 10 hours on the streets).

 

[William Draven]

Being someone who has busked before, I can say it's a harsh way to earn cash. Either you live like a king, or you don't eat. It's not stable in any means. I would suggest you try it out at home first before going over seas with it. It's not as simple as walking out, doing a trick for a stranger, and then asking them for cash.

Best of luck to you.

 

[CaseyRudd]

Last summer I was a busker down at a Market in my area. Very busy place, and had a lot of tourists. Perfect opportunity!

The best way that worked for me to get money was to not ask for it. Instead, place a top hat by your feet or on a table (if you have one set up) and before hand, place a couple of bills (in Italian currency) in there. That way, when someone walks up, they automatically think "Hey, this kid can be really good, let me go check it out". Right there you establish a "credibility" so they know you are good and they must see it. This doesn't work for everybody, but it will help a lot.

Once you have them in that mindset, at the end they will be pleased by your magic and will think that you did a great job. Because of this, they will reach into their pockets or wallets themselves and tip you. Because you don't ask, they don't feel pressured and they are more inclined to tip you.

In about an hour of performing I got about 60 bucks, so it's like a dollar a minute for me. But tips can vary, and they certainly will. One time I got nothing but 1 dollar bills, another time I got a mix of 5s and 1s, then another day I got 2 20s and a couple of 5s. It all depends on what kind of person they are. If they are dressed nicely, it might mean they have a lot of money. If you see nicely dressed people, just ask them if they would like to see some magic.

You will get rejected a lot, but of the thousands of people that will walk by you, you will get a crowd and some "business". Don't be afraid to ask people to see magic. If they so "no", be polite and say "have a nice day". If you're nice, they might come back to you later.

Hope this helps you out a bit!

 

[jprace]

Busking as in getting a big crown, or just doing magic for individual people? They are different.

I've gotten the opportunity to learn from one of the best - and although I don't busk - he stresses hat lines are necessary. Check out Kozmo's DVD set. It's the final word.

 

[JButterfield]

If you really want to busk, learn about it. Kozmo's Tales from the Streets is very good, the Art of Street Performing DVD and the Royal Touch by Cellini are both very good, Gazzo's Art of Krowd Keeping and Jimmy Talksalot's book To Lure With Spectacle are good as well.

It's generally foolish to go into something unprepared, and this could be especially harsh if you don't know what the deal is. Especially so in a place where you don't speak the language.

 

[gabemagggic]

Thank you!

I don't want to earn more the 10 bucks.I just want to try it out with a 10-15 minutes routine.In this Italian city there are a lot of tourists that's why I taught that this is the best place for it.
Where I live I don't want to try it out because here people don't give money to buskers .I don't know why...In Hungary busking is not so popular.

 

[Bending the Real]

(I'd like to eat ice-cream from that money )

That made me LOL, if I could +1 you on this forum I would just for that quote

 

[JButterfield]

If you have enough tricks to make a set that can be done in mime, then best of luck.

Be sure to put out a hat with some seed money in it, and let it trickle in.

 

[Phenomena]

I was going to suggest what Casey already said.

Set up a hat or suitcase or something with money already visible (sprinkle some 5's and some change in there before you go out) as in their subsonscience they already expect to give you money if you amaze them.