Feb 09 2009
Cheap Advice - Who are you doing this for?
We perform because, well, because we want to perform - otherwise we’d be doing something that didn’t involve having a lot of people watching. The question comes up, however…
Who are you performing for?
I’ve managed to narrow the list down to three:
- The (paying?) Audience
- Your Peers
- Yourself
And looking at it, that’s also the way I would recommend you prioritize. If you’re a pass the hat act, if you’re being paid, or if you claim to be a professional in any way, shape or form, you should be performing for the audience - the people who paid, in one way or another, to watch you do your stuff. Most of these people are not going to be as knowledgeable about your field, and they’re going to be looking to be entertained.
Performing for your peers can be fun - after all, we all like showing off in front of our friends. You can get away with more in front of your friends - inside jokes, obscure references and the like - because they’re all working from the same information. On the other hand, magicians are generally poor tippers* so most of the “payoff” from performing in front of your peers comes in the form of respect and acclaim.
Performing for yourself … well, the nicest term I’ve heard for this is “Theatrical Self-Abuse”, and it goes downhill from there. If you’re only doing this stuff in front of a crowd to satisfy your ego, and you’re not looking for any other compensation… Fortunately the internet provides all of us with a place to just show off.
My advice - that list is in the right order, and with the right priorities. As RJ of Out of Kontrol puts it so well -
Without you people here to watch, we’re just four jerks on a plank of wood.
Truer words have never been spoken, and they apply to us all.
* No offense, gang, but I’m working from experience here
