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!
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Thursday, March 27, 2008
"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!
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.
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...
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?
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!
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
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
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
