talkmagic.co.uk

HI
I dont do kids shows so that brings work down i know but i have not done a show in a year.There r 2 better known magicians thath live here and they a better known.With x-mas coming up i need advice on how to get company shows.Ive been doing magic for 3 and a half years.

James

i dont no to much about shows. but i would recomend checking out their "s**t". see what tricks they are performing etc. see if you have any "better" tricks. try and create better patter then there's. maybe run a theme through the whole show. or go out in the streets, film, make a video, show it to companys, or get some people to put a word in for you.

Well quite simply you need to get yourself known! Advertise, maybe try and make yourself a known name in your area to. After all, if they don't know who you are how are they going to book you? One idea is to find people who take to your magic quite strongly - perform magic to these people. Impress them. Usually they will go on to tell others, and then often you'll get more people wanting to see your magic, and so it spreads...at least, that's how it worked for me anyway.

That said, I don't do company (corporate) shows but I am sure Stephen will be along shortly to advise . Table-hopping is always a good little earner at Christmas too.

Well, ive never tried getting a gig somewhere but maybe email , write to local restaurant and ask if they would want a magician, and even do it for free to build reputation, and they might then ask u back a xmas to do stuff.

Here's a simple cue:
Print down about 200 nice looking business cards, and perform, perform, perform, and never stop performing. For anyone! Family, friends, coworkers, school mates, strange-looking-guy-in-a-random-bar (mmm, maybe not that one...), and give out 2 or 3 of your card to anyone who lookgs impress by your stuff and mention that you are able to do some gig. By giving them a biz card, they will always show it to every people with whom they talk about you, and believe me, people always talk about that kind of stuff.
Good luck

Here we go

It is next to impossible to get work without getting a local name first. The first thing you want to do is try to do a free show. Now this may seem strange but it is for a very good reason. By doing a free show you will begin to make a name for yourself. If people don't know you are out there they will not come. If you have not performed a show for a year, i strongly suggest a free show to get you back in the swing in things. If a school has a fete then maybe volunteer to perform some magic for free. Sometimes the local press are there and you may get your photo in the local paper

Advertising is not as expensive as you think. You can make some small postcards on your PC and put them in the window of local shops and newsagents. If you have a local paper then see how much is costs to place a small classified advert in the entertainment section. Also don't forget to get friends to tell people they know about your act.

You state you are looking for 'company shows', by that i take you mean coprorate shows. Now i am going to be very blunt here and not to be nasty but to be honest. Getting a coprorate show at your age may be difficult, it is not impossible but may be a bit harder than you first think. At this point someone will scream "what about Dynamo". Well he has top agents behind him. If you are considering corporate work then you better make sure you have a good strong, well rehearsed act. Many corporates expect a lot from the magicians your hire. The problem with corporate clients is that they do often look for experience and sometimes age. I am always asked by my clients what kind of work i have done. So once you have a few shows under your belt you may have a chance. If you want to get into this field then do what i did. I started by doing shows for small office parties, this grew and gave me a reputation. As you get more and more smaller firms under your belt you can grow and grow, thus working your way up to the large corporate events. Now the other problem, many corporates find their magicians either through agents, coporate magicians .com or yell. Most of my work comes from Corporate magicians. If you have the budget and are serious about working in the area then they are the people to consider. Being in the directory showcall is another way to get spotted by a corporate, but again this can prove to be expensive. I spend a lot on advertising each year and have the experience to back it up. A corporate clients looks for an experienced magician with a good solid act.

If you get asked to perform a corporate show they may want one of two options. The first is the reception show. This is were you perform magic while mingling with guests and they have their welcome drinks and nibbles. The second option is the corporate dinner, you may be the only magician on the night or there may be several working different parts of the venue. The client will expect you to visit the tables and perform close-up magic at each table doing the dinner. This normally involves 10-15 minutes per table

It should also be noted at this point that some corporates will have a strict dress code. I have often been asked to wear a tux and bowtie. So be prepared for that possibility. Also remember that you may be dealing with some very important and often quite posh toffs! they take some getting used to. Oh! and don't be surprised if one or two famous faces are there. You still have to be calm and collected even if your favourite celebrity is there.

You say there are two other magiacians in your area. Is there any kind of act you can other that they cannot do. Sit down and have a good think, is there any way of adapting your act or patter to make yourself stand out.

As mentioned above in another post, having a theme to your show is a very good idea. Maybe you could perform some comedy magic if the other magicians don't do it. Try to make yourself stand out, not just in effects you perform but presentation and dress.

May i finish by wishing you the very best of luck in your quest to get more work. Enjoy it and have fun with magic.