hey guys i have a question about street magic i would love to be able to at the end of a street show pitch for a tip or 2 and maybe get something out of it besides maybe passing out a few cards in hope of a gig also a little side note when you do street magic in hope of a gig is there any rule against using tricks you do on the street in your actual paid gigs?
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Pitching for tips?
- Thread starter zzzips101
- Start date
Track down Gazzo's lectures and books. The man is a master in busking and passing the hat.
Typically you don't perform for tips when you are at an actual gig. Simply due to the fact that you already got paid to perform. Though working at a restaurant can be something else and this whole topic has way too many sides of the argument. So all I would suggest is that you decide for yourself.
Also Kozmo has a Busking DVD set out that's also very good.
Also Kozmo has a Busking DVD set out that's also very good.
I'll second Kozmo's set Tales from the Street. A great product for the beginner busker.
If you're busking, you want to put a few 'hat lines' throughout your performance, not just at the end. I generally go with 3 of them. One near the beginning which is half a joke, something like, "Annnd that's why I have to work for tips" (Usually when it seems like I've messed up). One around 2/3 the way through, a bit more direct, "Something I want you guys to know, all those other performers here are getting paid by the city (or whatever) . I'm not. I get paid by you. I know, I don't like it any more than you do." And then at the end of the show I outright ask for tips, "If you enjoyed the show please drop a little something into my tip basket there, this lets me keep coming back and performing for people like yourselves."
Those lines are borrowed and not an exact script, just the general idea of what I'd say.
I don't think it's a big deal to perform some of the same tricks in both places. However, I would not do your 'big trick' for the streets. Save that for the paying audience so that you have that ace up your sleeve.
If you're busking, you want to put a few 'hat lines' throughout your performance, not just at the end. I generally go with 3 of them. One near the beginning which is half a joke, something like, "Annnd that's why I have to work for tips" (Usually when it seems like I've messed up). One around 2/3 the way through, a bit more direct, "Something I want you guys to know, all those other performers here are getting paid by the city (or whatever) . I'm not. I get paid by you. I know, I don't like it any more than you do." And then at the end of the show I outright ask for tips, "If you enjoyed the show please drop a little something into my tip basket there, this lets me keep coming back and performing for people like yourselves."
Those lines are borrowed and not an exact script, just the general idea of what I'd say.
I don't think it's a big deal to perform some of the same tricks in both places. However, I would not do your 'big trick' for the streets. Save that for the paying audience so that you have that ace up your sleeve.
In my day with had a pitch item that was tied in with our street performance; I'd use a few classic tricks to build the tip and then move into the pitch itself as if it were part of the act. Most of the time I would get actual tips from patrons alongside the sale of balloon kits, magic mice, svengali decks, etc.
As a Mentalist I have done the Horoscope Pitch and in a few instances worked with other area Psychic's running an old time Mitt Joint arrangement in which I split the funds with three Readers -- a 50/50 deal that could turn around a grand or better a day into my pocket. This is a special something though, and really needs to be tied to a charity event or community festival.
People will argue that having such a Pitch "ain't busking" but old carnies would probably argue that fact. You have to be selling something. . . at least yourself! That's the goal after all, getting paid gigs so you don't have to struggle on the streets. . . at least that's how it was prior to 1997 and "Street Magic" the Tv show. None of us aspired to stick it out on the streets back in the day even though many of us had solid street routines, such as Harry Anderson.
As a Mentalist I have done the Horoscope Pitch and in a few instances worked with other area Psychic's running an old time Mitt Joint arrangement in which I split the funds with three Readers -- a 50/50 deal that could turn around a grand or better a day into my pocket. This is a special something though, and really needs to be tied to a charity event or community festival.
People will argue that having such a Pitch "ain't busking" but old carnies would probably argue that fact. You have to be selling something. . . at least yourself! That's the goal after all, getting paid gigs so you don't have to struggle on the streets. . . at least that's how it was prior to 1997 and "Street Magic" the Tv show. None of us aspired to stick it out on the streets back in the day even though many of us had solid street routines, such as Harry Anderson.