Do you love to hear children laugh?
Do you like to give away your smiles? Does your sense of humor sometimes bubble
over so much, it's hard to contain? Do you sometimes wish you could still
"dress-up" like you did as a child? If you answered yes to any of
these questions, you might want to consider becoming a professional clown.
A professional clown has all the
excuses one need to dress-up, act silly, and laugh along with the children...
sharing smiles with everyone he meets and leaving a bit of lingering joy behind
to brighten up someone's day.
Whether one desires to enter the
realm of clowning to minister to others or to perform for pay, one needs to be
serious about this endeavor and consider the time and money to be invested. Too
many people think clowning is easy and simple; throw on some Halloween make-up,
go to a consignment shop and pick up some miss-matched clothing, tell a few
jokes and you're all set. It's not that simple.
You need to study clown history and
learn how to apply make-up. You need to understand the three main types of
clowns and how different personalities fit into each type. You also need to
know what kind of clown you want to be and what kind of clown business you want
to run. And finally, you need to decide where you want to do your clowning and
what kind of entertainment you want to present.
Materials:
You really don't need much, clowning is performance style that can be
performed with or without props .
Makeup on:
Face paint should be regarded as
optional for the clown. Clowning is a style of comedy, its about far more than
make up and costume.
Get a sidekick, if you want to:
If you are new to performing
working as a duo can be less intimidating. If you do, think about performance
partner and what your relationships are to the audience. Thinking about status
may be a good start.
Plan your show:
Get an idea for major comedy
points you want to include, and work out the lead-up and other parts of the
comedy. Thinking about problems that need addressing can be a good start e.g. a
hat that won't stay on your head, a music stand that keeps falling over. A
twist at the end may help, as can thinking about the rule of three (e.g
mistake, mistake, success in an unexpected way. It's almost like a play. If
you're so minded, script your act before rehearsal!
Magic:
If you want to include magic,
get some magic tricks! You'll need some Magic Tricks to get the show on the
road, you can get some magic tricks by clicking [here].
Work them into your act and have them on standby! Ensure you have the necessary
tools (showy wand, top hat, handkerchiefs etc.)
Slapstick on some Slapstick:
If you want to use slapstick -
practice - there is almost nothing less funny than slapstick done badly. The
best comedy will try and emulate some real life, such as talking about bosses,
home life and other things people can connect with. Try and include jokes about
things the likely audience will understand and appreciate!
Don't include General Clowning:
There is nothing a clown has to
do. Unless you have a twist on the obvious try to avoid;
- Slipping on banana
skins.
- Falling over.
- Chasing each other
around (in a mockery of anger or frustration)
- Getting soaked in
buckets of water.
Rehearse:
Once you have your act together, you've scripted it and acquired the
necessary tools, start practicing. An ability to time the jokes just right and
the ability to make a smooth recovery if something goes wrong is essential. You
might want to consider performance training. There are a few circus schools
that may help.
Start on the ladder:
Make sure your first performance
is at an informal venue or family get-together, so if it goes wrong, nobody
will mind. If you think you do well on your first time performing the act, move
on to bigger venues. If you perform well, you may be able to start to rely on
word-of-mouth reputation to get jobs!
Perform:
Hopefully by now you have put
together an act, started on the ladder to stardom, and (if you're really
committed) have made some cash as well. With show business, the sky really is
the limit!
Advertise:
If you want to make this a
business, try and get some advertisements up around your local area. Contact
your local newspaper and local venues to see if you can pay to put up posters
and adverts.
Keep Good Records
Record keeping is an important part of your business. You need to
maintain client lists: client name, contact information, date party held, what
you performed, and what you were paid. Listing what act you performed in your
records is vital to the success of your clown business because it makes sure
that you do not perform the same routine for an old audience.
Stay Positive
Handle cancellations properly. Always try to close a conversation with
a client or potential client on a positive note. And don't be afraid to ask the
client to re-book the event for another day.
Sign Contracts
Get a signed contract. A contract protects both you and your client and
prevents misunderstandings. Your contract should include the names and
addresses of all parties involved, who is obligated to pay you and when you are
to be paid that is before or after the event, any cancellation terms (i.e. when
the contract can be cancelled without payment to you, what your cancellation
fee is, etc.), the date(s) of the event, what you are to perform, the time(s)
you are to perform, the length of time you're expected to remain at the event,
and the amount you are to be paid.
Don't forget to include what you expect the client to do for you, such
as provide a table and chairs, provide a place for you to take a break, etc.
Attend workshops and conventions:
If you don’t want to commit to
going to school full-time to become a clown then you may want to get lessons
from day-long or weekend-long workshops. These are put on by clowns all over
the nation. Clown schools, magic shops and theatres are a good place to look
for advertisements for these workshops.
Get a clown mentor.
You may be someone who likes to learn things one-on-one in which case it
would be a good idea to learn clowning from someone already in the business.
Start attending events that feature the type of clown that you want to be.
Introduce yourself and explain what you’re hoping to find. Be willing to offer
up some payment for the services of this mentor.
Read and research.
Ideally
you’re going to want to get your training from someone else but if you don’t
have that option right now then you can at least get started on your education
by reading as much as you can about clowning. There are many books out there on
costume makeup, acting and juggling that can help you get started on learning
how to be a clown.
Create Your Clown Persona
As you’re
learning about being a clown, you should be working on developing your own
clown persona. Begin working on costumes and make-up that are in line with this
persona.
Will I Ever Stop Learning?
You will never stop learning. Learning keeps your performances fresh
and guarantees return clients. Therefore, you should always be on the lookout
for new skits, illusions, balloon sculptures, jokes, and face painting designs.
And you should always make time to attend workshops and conventions,
read books, network, and practice, practice, practice.
Becoming a clown is an investment in the lives of people. A clown's
purpose is not just to earn a living from their craft. A clown's purpose is to
improve, if only for a little while, the world around him. Clowning is a fun
business, but as a business, it needs to be taken seriously. Run your business
like a professional and you can't help but succeed.
And remember, if smiles, laughter and improving your world are your
forte, then clowning, as a profession, may be for you.
How Will I Know What To Charge?
Check with other clowns in similar-sized towns or cities. A clown in
New York City or Chicago will be able to command a heftier fee than someone in
Bolivar, Missouri or Rogers, Arkansas. You can also figure different pricing
based on your area of expertise.
A birthday party clown is in charge of the entire party: bringing
games, treats, party souvenirs, setting up, and cleaning up. Therefore, birthday
party clowns will get more per hour than the clown whose only job is to arrive
at a specified time to paint faces.
Clowns who work fairs, carnivals, and restaurants usually work for tips
only which means your hourly rate will depend on the generosity of your
clients.
Clowns who work for corporate clients are usually hired for a specific
purpose and given a flat fee per show.
