How to get started / hired?
Printed From: mbd2.com Forum
Forum Name: Entertainers Forum
Forum Discription: What are balloon entertainers talking about?
URL: http://www.mbd2.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=129
Printed Date: 13 April 2005 at 9:01am
Topic: How to get started / hired?
Posted By: Annie
Subject: How to get started / hired?
Date Posted: 09 September 2003 at 11:30pm
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My name is Annie, and I am very new at this. Would someone be able to give me some tips on how to get started and how to get hired. Also, are the clowns that I see at outdoor malls hired by the stores or are they there on their own? Any kind of help will be much appreciated Thanks. ------------- Annie |
Replies:
Posted By: Rick
Date Posted: 10 September 2003 at 1:48am
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It can be all of the above! You can be hired by the mall/store or you can be there not getting paid but getting tips (You need approval from the mall/store). You need to make sure that your level of entertainment or twisting is appreciated by the masses! Or even both! Then you can start to market yourself to the local church groups/boy or girl scout troops/hospitals-retirement homes/local store openings or even fast food stores. What you should chArge is up to you and can not be dictated here in this forum, but suffice it to say that it should be low to begin with, this will get you hired more easily. Even if you charge a very low amount to get the practice of working in front of people and working the different designs requested that you can do. But make sure that you have practiced before you get the job, because if you need to audition, you need to be able to accomplish the job without looking like you don't know what you are doing. Remeber, there is exceptions to every rule! You can make the uneasiness work for you as your character! Once you have the practice in and your designs down, now you are ready to meet with the one in charge! In most cases, you would seek out the General Manager and propose your idea. (Sometimes it would be the event director, promotions director, etc.) Remeber, that you may not get it on the first try, but learn from it and use what you learn on the next one. I hope this helps! ------------- Care To Share! Rick Mohr The Balloon MAN! www.RickMohr.com www.BLUNIVERSITY.com |
Posted By: Dale
Date Posted: 10 September 2003 at 11:35am
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Hi Anne Do you have any friends that entertain? Try to meet some entertainers in your area and just get to know them. Friends help friends, create friends in the industry and they will help you develop into an entertainer. As Rick said, you will need to aquire balloon skills along with a personality. What state or country are you from, maybe we have a contact in this forum that is close to you that can help. Dale ------------- Walk around entertainment at it's best! www.mbd2.com |
Posted By: Rapsudsy
Date Posted: 10 September 2003 at 2:38pm
| Hi Angie, I have 2 toddlers in my home and I find it difficult sometimes to get out and look for venues. But I have tried this and it does work, especially when your starting out. Whenever, I go out to eat, I take some balloons in my purse and a very small hand pump. WHEN the kids eat right and are well behaved they get rewarded by MOM. I make them balloon animals at the table. Sometimes people around me will request that I do one for their child and we get to chat about our kids and my talent. BINGO an open door for me to share my business with them. I have received some parties by doing this and some of the parties I have received are REPEAT clients from 3 years ago. Hope this idea is helpful. My children have helped me to by asking if they can give out balloons to the kids nearby. I allow them to do this with my supervision though.   |
Posted By: Annie
Date Posted: 10 September 2003 at 2:55pm
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Thanks for all of your input. I really appreciate that. I've done some birthday parties where we played games and I did magic trics and some really fun science experiments (without balloons) and I 've always been interested in the art of balloon twisting. Also, I feel that being able to twist balloons could potentially generate more party business. Dale, I do not have friends that entertain (as a matter of fact my friends are all "serious" people, and I am pretty much the only extravert, but I live in Southern California (Orange County) and I would love it if anyone could put me in touch with someone who's been doing this for a while. Also, I have a question about dressing. Does everyone wear a clown costume, or could I wear something else? ------------- Annie |
Posted By: Rapsudsy
Date Posted: 10 September 2003 at 4:17pm
It depends on the setting. In
some circles I wear the clown such as birthday parties or family fun
nights where a clown is expected.  If you
entertain at a club or even a daycare/school where there are small
children present you may want to consider an entertainer's outfit. I
did a small gig at my son's kindergarten class and I dressed in
black shorts, white TUX shirt, bow tie, vest and top hat. This dress
was warmly welcomed by the teachers and the facility of the school.
I also made prior arrangments to go to my son's preschool when he was in preK as a clown.  The
staff loved me and I have been invited back for several evnets. I
try to dress for the occassion with my audience in mind
I hope this helps: Raps |
Posted By: lukethejuggler
Date Posted: 10 September 2003 at 8:46pm
| I do not wear make up when I
juggle or when I make ballons and I like it better that way. I wear
a Jester Hat and it has become my signature look for the character I
play when I entertain. Nursing homes have a budget specifically for monthly entertainers for their residents. Also ReHab Centers and other places. They would certainly hire you to entertain. Take your time and don't try to fly too high in the very beginning. Find a look that suits your inner energy and consider that you will have to look that way every time you do a show. Scour this forum for entertainment ideas and apply them to your thinking. BUY BOOKS, CD's, and DVD's as an investment in your liviehood. (I really like Rick Mohr's Triangle Hat DVD as it's given me a lot of good ideas that I've begun applying in my work already.) Finally, GET OUT THERE AND GET IN FRONT OF PEOPLE. Learn some animals and then go to the park and twist for some people. Just hand out the animals to whoever you want. (Uhhhh, I don't know how old you are and don't want to know, but do take care not to follow all these suggestions if you are a minor. Don't put yourself in bad situations!! That's my disclaimer!) Call Entertainment Companies in your city and ask them how much they charge for a twister - then charge a little less for your services. OR, better yet, call these companies and ask them if they need another balloon twister! Finally, NETWORK!! Join your local chamber of commerce, or attend networking events IN CHARACTER and pass out balloons and hand-printed brochures. Creat a 1 hour birthday party package and market it at all these events. It's late and I gotta go. Hope these ideas help you and good luck. Luke the Juggler |
Posted By: Dale
Date Posted: 11 September 2003 at 8:37am
The question is . . . Do you want to be a clown? If so, please take your clowning seriously, learn how to properly apply makeup, select the proper clothing, and develop a character. I would suggest you look at http://www.mbd2.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=20&PN=1 - - This topic has had a lot of input by many different entertainers.
Dale You may want to email mailto:biker_twist@yahoo.com - biker_twist@yahoo.com , he's an enterainer in Orange County - he may know of other enterainers in this area. ------------- Walk around entertainment at it's best! www.mbd2.com |
Posted By: Rick
Date Posted: 13 September 2003 at 3:52pm
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And also decide if you wish to be the character that fits the makeup! There is the full face, August and a couple of others. I don't know this topic full enough to give you specific information on the different kinds since I am NOT a clown. I was informed when I did the Clown Bonanza this year where they had one person showing the different ways of makeup. But do try to be true to whichever character you decide - one will help the other. Good Luck~ ------------- Care To Share! Rick Mohr The Balloon MAN! www.RickMohr.com www.BLUNIVERSITY.com |
Posted By: southerncalboy
Date Posted: 26 November 2003 at 9:05am
| I am kevin from southern calif I
just started making money on doing balloons. I have
been doing it for a little over a year. since my job doesnt
pay enough can you go to malls and make balloons for people? What
restaurants are good to go to and what should I charge an hour at
parties? I did two this weekend and charged
50 Cshells an hour. I was doing balloons at the
hospitals and etc for the last year for free and now its time to
make some money. ------------- |
Posted By: Dale
Date Posted: 26 November 2003 at 9:15am
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Read through this topic http://www.mbd2.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=78&PN=4 - http://www.mbd2.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=78&PN=4 I also suggest doing a search for the word Price (search this forum, message, not goggle) 5-6 topics that have discussed pricing, but keep in mind pricing is relative to service. What you do, provide, and give away, very from location. Plus we are in a industry forum so we can not talk specifically about a $$ amount. Dale ------------- Walk around entertainment at it's best! www.mbd2.com |
Posted By: danoballoonmano
Date Posted: 26 November 2003 at 1:05pm
| Hello all,
In terms of discussing price, it does all depend on quite a number of conditions when a price is set. There are numerous things to consider. We have to take a serious look at what we offer our clients. Some of us do balloons only. Others offer balloons and some close up magic offering our clients a bigger bang for their buck. There is also the geographical aspect of things. I was quite surprised to see while I was surfing the net that the rates in some areas of the United States are substantially higher than what I could get here "North of the Border". I would advise you also to do some research in your own particular neck of the woods. Make some phone calls and see what other people in your area are charging for their services. It can hurt us all in the pocket when people that are just starting out charge half of what we charge just to under-cut us and get the contract. What these people often don't realize is that they are actually hurting themselves in the long run. When they get to a level that warrants the "industry standard" of compensation, they may have difficulty explaining to the customers that they have already recruited why they feel they should raise their rates. My advice to these people would be when they are starting out, do some auditions for some local booking agents and let them charge the customers what they think you are worth, and, as our skills grow, so should our paychecks. There are some people who try to make a full time living from this, while others view what we do as just a fun way to make a few extra bucks. We should never drive the standard down by charging too little for what we do. Just my opinion Dan The Balloon Man |