Professional Photoshoot

They say a picture is worth a thousand words and I figured if I am upholding my standards to a high level of professionalism, it was time to have "professional" pictures taken for all of my marketing materials.

My new assistant Summer and I had a great time with the photo shoot and we have nothing but great things to say about Morgan Kennedy Photography's incredible work!

REMEMBER: These are just some of the many "rough shots" as they will now be edited and have graphics added for all my marketing materials...

Enjoy!



The "Elegant" Linking Rings


Solo- "Elegant" Linking Rings


Notice Summer has mastered the card fan as I am reading "Magic for Dummies"


The Cups & Balls- My magic addiction!!!


Comedy Linking Rings

"Sleight of Chicken"


"Chicken Card Stab"


"Pick a card any card"


"Billiard Ball Manipulation"


"Subtrunk Solo"

Summer and I with the Subtrunk

"Comedy Straitjacket"

I think Summer was liking this a bit too much!

"Wand Pose"

The ball is rolling! Things are coming together!

Things have been incredibly busy; however, I did make sure I set aside enough time to blog about some of my more-recent "happenings."

With the dark shadow of this hard economy lingering overhead, I have been able to make light of things with my persistence to "make magic number one!" Two months ago, I took the plunge! I'm am now living entirely off my income as a Comedy Magic Entertainer. Fortunately, I am the only stand-up magician within a 350 mile radius, so I have been able to keep busy!

I'm excited about the upcoming web-launch for my first website. Las Vegas magician and creative web designer- Dan Sperry, is currently building a custom site for me to display my work and achievements. We hope to have things in full-swing for 2009!

I've been following Keith Stickley's guidelines in his Fairs & Festivals book and have been amazed by the outcome of fairs looking to hire me for their events next summer!

Needless to say, there's been a lot of great things in the works. Like any job that is 9-5, I try to work as hard as I can to send out emails, letters, faxes, and make phone calls regarding my services. I've been doing several dry-run rehearsals of my show as to modify it and continue to write new and unique material that fits me.

I look forward to the coming year and hope to start working towards a income goal!

Look out 2009 I'm coming for you!

The New Performance Attire

I've been so happy with the response I've been receiving from my new costuming, that I wanted to share a few pictures from a recent show...


I feel a little more confident as the entertainer now that I have that "extra little push" in terms of performance attire. I felt before as if I was just coming from Sunday school to do a magic show... Now I feel like nobody can mistake what I am there for... (I hope that made sense).



As you can see, I was right in the middle of saying something... Believe it or not, I walked through WalMart in that suit amlost a half-hour before the show. Someone at the checkstand asked what I was dressed up for... I couldn't resist- I said, "I'm here for an interview."

Performing the Vanishing Ketchup Bottle...

We are moving into our new townhouse!

The title says it all!

My wife, son, and I are moving into our new townhouse on Wednesday! I'm looking forward to having a garage were I can set up my woodshop again and have extra space to set up an area wee I can video-tape my rehearsals to work on my current show a bit more.

The month of May is not a busy month for me as I only have a couple shows booked for this month; however, next month I am booked every weekend with several weekday shows booked! I will be in Las Vegas June 6th-9th on business and am excited to use some of my free time getting pictures done in my performance costume (my blue suit) for promotional use.

I've been dissecting each routine I do in my own show and adding and taking away various lines I use to make it more entertaining and allow a little room for audience involvement and ad-libbing as well.

I've been highly inspired by watching Jeff McBride, Mac King, Nick Lewin, and Micheal Finney's performances and how they have a continual flow from one effect to the next. I'm trying to make a lot of the stuff I perform my own and concrete performances.

I'm sure I'll take a short break until my next blog due to the move and getting settled in... I hope to post a video or two with a closer look at how I've condensed my stand-up show from a complete show that took up all the room in my car to transport -to- a show that fits in an ATA case that fits in the trunk... Believe it or not, I seem to get more milage out of the new material... What is new... is actually old classics of magic!

More to come later...

Some down time...

As you can see, its been a while since my last post. I performed my last show less than a week ago and have open updates until June.

I really haven't been pursuing bookings right now since we are getting ready to move into our new home and my regular 9-5 job has been keeping me too busy to really feel motivated when I get home. No worries though... I've been watching a lot of my old instructional DVDs by McBride and Finney; as well as, jotting down notes and ideas to better my performances. This Saturday, I hope to do a few rehearsals in front of a video camera to actually start dissecting my show and working on adding more comedy to it. I kind of fear seeing myself perform but I know this will be a valuable way to present a better product to my clients...

More later...

Local Public TV and Make A Wish Foundation

This weekend was eventful as I performed over two hours of walk-around magic for our local PBS Broadcast station; KIXE-TV, at their annual volunteer appreciation banquet. It put me in touch with some great new leads for potential bookings. I was also able to get a few pictures around the studio with the fancy cameras and PBS logo in the background. I know these kinds of pictures will look great on my website (under construction).

I also learned a great way to get my name out there locally. I donated a 30-45 minute show to the Make A Wish Foundation's annual silent auction. Several of the local radio stations covered the event (held at our mall) and read off names of the numerous people donating services, etc. for the foundation. Of those... Elegant Illusion Entertainment! It was a great way to give back to the community; as well as, put my name out there for the people evolved with these events that normally hold a high number of business men and women looking for quality entertainment.

Tomorrow, I go back to my nine-to-five only to daydream about going full time with the magic... as usual...

Keith Stickley's book: "The Fairs and Festival Entertainer"

I hate to give away one of my secrets; however, I've learned a great deal about booking events and presenting my "product" in a way that is fool proof with this book. I would recommend it to anyone looking to target fairs and festivals in your area (I mean... everywhere except the West Coast *wink-wink*)!

Back on track and moving forward!

Wow. Its absolutely amazing how much a flu can knock you over! I'm feeling a lot better now and getting back on track! Thankfully, I was able to make some progress towards my magic career-goals while recovering.

In the past week, I've corresponded with several illusion builders discussing a few items I have been wanting to "upgrade" in my show. I've come into a little extra cash and have been weighing out the importance of some of my "needs" and "wants". In this day and age, I've come to learn the importance of marketing and appearance. With that said, I took my performance costume (a royal blue men's suit) to the local JC Penneys for alterations. I use to work in the men's suits department and have found it is a best kept secret for fast and affordable alterations. For hemming of the trousers, shortening of the sleeves, and taking in the back of the suit coat- it only came to $22.00 and some change!

I've also scheduled some time with a local photographer and am excited to finally have professional pictures done in his studio. Say goodbye to the countless amateur photos taken under harsh lighting and cameo shots in mid-speech!!! I think any images of you (as a performer) should be done professionally; after all, these best represent you and the work you do... Why not look like a pro if you plan to be a pro, right?

Part of writing my new show and developing a workable performance has really helped me re-evaluate the importance of practical vs. impractical equipment. Take for instance a magician's podium... I perform a complete 45min. show out of my podium. It has a drawer to hold the smaller items and an area below with a shelf for storing the larger items. It s a nice looking piece; however, a pain in the keester to transport to and from shows (not to mention- it is not approved for shipping items in). I've been trying to eliminate the "bulk" and found the perfect solution... The "Deluxe 10-Second Table" by Charvet Magic. It's large enough to store my complete act in and can be set-up/ torn-down in seconds. It also doubles as a flight case should I need to travel by air for a show. (I am keeping in mind that travel is not a bad idea for performing more gigs!). The price was a little big; on-the-other-hand, it will house my "tools of the trade" and protect my "investments". With a few tabs of Velcro and a little time in Photoshop, I plan to have a vinyl sign made with my name and contact info on it so I can attach it to the table for shows.

What else?.... thinking... Oh yah!

I highly recommend the work of Dan Wolfe at www.SmokeyMtMagic.com. Dan is customizing a parlor effect offered on his website to cater my color-scheme for next to nothing in price! His customer service has been impeccable and superior to most other builders I've come across. I'll post pictures of his work upon arrival of the order...

Thats all for now... I should post a new blog in the next few days as orders start coming in!

The Flu... Waiting to feel better

This past week hasn't been as productive as I had hoped. My 1 yr. old seems to bring home every cold or stomach bug going around his day care...

I did; however, finish writing out all of my riders and contracts for the various venues I hope to market to this year. I guess this flu hasn't been all that bad. It's allowed me to slow down and re-focus on my goals.

More later...

-Bryan

Organizing... Lets Get Busy! (My Show Bible)

I just realized its already lunch time. Here I sit at the computer on this idle Saturday afternoon intently reading news about Paris Hilton and disgruntled Tibetan Monks. When did I let the time slip through the cracks.

The good news is...

I finally made some progress on getting more organized and following up with potential clients!

I took all of my jotted-down notes and penciled in show dates and put them in my "Show Bible". I'm not sure what method others use to keep track of everything, but this seems to work out nicely for me. I purchased one of those three ring binders with the clear pockets on the front, back, and spine and turned it into my mobile office. This way if my battery is low on the laptop or for some reason MagicBase were to crash on me, I'll be able to reference upcoming shows, maps, contacts, etc. all in one place.

I also got in touch with several people I spoke with throughout the week regarding upcoming dates that they would like live entertainment for. This was great because I was able to book two shows and even made contact with a photographer who mentioned trading services for a show for her son's birthday party! This was a blessing in disguise because I've been thinking about having professional prints done for promotional materials such as a website, brochures, and business cards. She is a reputable photographer locally (and actually took my senior portraits when I was in high school).

I followed up with a client I am working for tomorrow. She thanked me for my phone call as it eased the tension she had wondering if I was going to flake or not. She expressed that she hired a clown several years ago for her kids party and the guy never showed. I hope I will gain her trust and make a better name for local entertainment than that clown did!

Well, I better sign out. Its lunch time and I need to do a run through for tomorrows show... its been a while since I've performed a kids party!

"Magic Pays for Magic"

Wow! I'm on a role tonight... 3 posts in one sitting!

I figure before anyone decides to give their own personal suggestions or encouragement, you should probably know about a rule my wife and I made at the beginning of our marriage. This would be classified as a "drag" in my last post regarding aviation fundamentals.

"Magic pays for magic"... Basically, what ever money I make from performing shows can go back into my magic. This is the beauty of magic as a hobby. It is one of the few hobbies that can pay for itself! We made this rule so I was not taking money out of our checking or savings and spending it on magic. Not that that would be bad; however, those accounts are for bills, groceries, gas, etc...

I guess in a sense, this is the "wrench in the fan" or "speed bump" on the road to being a full-time performer. In order to work full-time as a magic entertainer, I will need to have an income that will be able to sustain our monthly living costs as well as "pay for the magic". As you will probably notice in the coming posts, my road to success may be a little longer than others. Fortunately, I do a stand-up act and my overhead expenses are extremely minimal!

Taking Flight

I just had an epiphany regarding my topic! I've heard countless analogies of "souring high" or "taking flight" in a career...

This is my own take on the subject:

Basic aviation fundamentals teaches us the "four forces of flight" are lift, drag, thrust, and weight.

Lift is the upward force created by the wings moving through the air that sustains the airplane in flight. Lift operates to overcome weight. It must be equal to or greater than the weight of the object in flight and acting in the opposite direction. Lift can be increased by increasing the forward speed of the aircraft or by increasing the angle of attack.

Obviously, we want more lift! This is the goal... To sour high, excel, elevate our career goals to heights we never imagined, right? Things I can relate to lift is: booked show dates, checks in the mail, little to none- maintenance cost on upkeep of show equipment, low travel expenses, etc.

Drag is the resistance of the airplane to forward motion. It is directly opposed to thrust and is caused by the resistance of air.

This is the opposite to lift. Drag is all that holds us from moving forward towards success. Things such as financial constraints, canceled shows, broken equipment, high travel costs, or even times when we procrastinate can cause us from moving forward or upward. Therefore, the less drag... the more lift!

Thrust is the force exerted by the engine and its propeller(s). It pushes the air backward with the object of causing movement of the airplane in the forward direction.

To me, thrust resembles "opened door" opportunities. This would be like arriving to a scheduled show only to find that the newspaper is covering the event and would like to do a story on you or even better... You are confronted at a birthday part by the father of the birthday-boy; unknown to you, daddy is CEO of a Fortune500 company and would like you to perform at the next five tradeshows...

Weight is the downward force due to the weight of the airplane and its load. It is directly opposed to lift

Just like drag, weight is the opposition to thrust. The things that really seem to slow me down or resemble weight in my life right now is the lack of valuable resources to help propel my wants and needs for building my career. I can relate weight to the low economy. More and more people are unable to hire live entertainment for their events- in turn I'm not getting too many bookings to take the "leap of faith" and pursue magic as a full-time job. I can also relate my day job with weight. I work as an alarm systems installation technician 40 hours a week. This is both tolling on me physically and mentally. I find I am not as willing to work on my "magic career" with as much excitement and energy as I would be when I am more alert and fully awake...

I guess what I am getting at is this...

Like an airplane, I know I will have each force tugging against me. Sometimes the weight and drag may out weigh the lift and thrust; however, if I am able to maintain the proper balance of each force, I can "steer the plane on course". I've been thinking about this perspective for a while and can honestly say that I know all the hard work will be very rewarding in the long run!

Can anyone build on this?

Making Magic Number One?

First of all, I would like to introduce myself...

My name is Bryan Gilles. I'm a 27 yr. old second-generation magician/illusionist from Northern California. My father first began performing at the early age of eight. He's the main reason I've had a passion for the art as it has been encrypted in my upbringing and something I feel fortunate to be a part of.

I've recently returned back to Northern California after working for world-renown illusionist; Dirk Arthur, in Las Vegas Nevada at the Tropicana Hotel and Casino. During my short stint with Dirk, I was fortunate to work with him, his tigers, and in the show at the Tiffany Theater (Home of the Follies Bergere). It was a unique opportunity and memorable experience for me to see first-hand what goes into a massive production in the "Magic Capital of the World". Being part of the crew allowed me to work alongside such great people as Tim Clothier, Don Wayne, and show producer- Ari Levin. It made me realize that my dream of performing "the big stuff" would be a lot more work than I had imagined. This is not to say that I don't ever want to perform a large-scale illusion show. I am much happier with a smaller show that I can take into any size venue and perform for any size crowd.

With that said, I've been greatly inspired Kevin Viner; another blogger on blogspot (http://magicforaliving.blogspot.com/), to write about my experience working towards a set goal. Kevin's blog is about making $80,000 a year performing magic. My goal is to make magic my full-time job... Not only do I want to make it my full-time job, I would like to work my way to the top of this industry.

Honestly, I laughed at that last sentence too!

Author- Les Brown once wrote, "Shoot for the moon and you'll land among the stars..." he is also noted for saying, "Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears,” and “Life has no limitations, except the ones you make.” These are all very strong quotes that really light the fire under me to press forward towards my ultimate dream! Obviously, I may never be the top person in this industry; however, if that is what I work towards, there is no telling how far I will get... and that is my goal!

I've decided to title my blog "Making Magic Number One" because that is what I'm working towards... Making magic my number one job.

I hope many will get a lot out of this and maybe even share some of your success and failures as to help me (and others) on this journey!

Magically,
Bryan Gilles