Price$15.95
Media TypeBook
CategoryGeneral
Date AddedJun 05, 2014
Entertainer's Handbook
Stilwell, Mike
Mike Stilwell
(Based on 1 review)
You know your special talent but you need help. Here is down to earth information from the author's 40 years of experience.
He provides that first hand knowledge you need to get started and advance to full time employment as an entertainer.
He shares with you what he has learned the hard way from his gigs in many different types of locations such as: streets, restaurants, malls, ships, trade shows, yachts and working with a variety of entertainers to produce successful events.
In addition tom being a highly acclaimed magician and widely known as one of San Diego's most favorite entertainers, he has the respect of other entertainers for his creativity and passion for his profession.
Contents:
Getting Started- identify your talent, agents, selecting a stage name, booking/invoice
Getting and Keeping a Gig- how to have a repeat/steady business and client
Fees for service- records, what to charge, getting paid, charity, barter services
Location- restaurants, boats, fairs, hotels, nightclubs, trade shows, hospitals, and parties
Prep for your gig/performance- parking, equipment, costumes, emergencies, and ethics
Marketing- business cards, press releases, direct mail, signs, and social media/internet
Terminology needed for special locations- boats, restaurants, trade and stage shows
Reviews
(Top ▲)
REVIEW:
This book is a very thorough compilation of Mike’s advice on just about every topic or question you might have on the subject of being a professional or semi-professional magic enterter.
He covers over a hundred different aspects of the business with his advice in a very brief and to the point way.
You may or may not agree with everything he has to say, but the book feels a bit like what it might be like if you were to ask someone with a lot of experience and good advice a question about any face of the business and having them give you a good answer that cuts through the b.s. and gets right to his specific advice on that topic.
CAUTION:
The book does not deal at all with the “magic” side of business. While it is focused on providing good guidance in the business of magic entertainment, this is not the book that will help you decide what sort of effects you should do, or how to structure your set.
This book is specifically for people who want to earn either a full-time or part-time income in magic entertainment.
VERDICT:
This is a really refreshing book to get “to the point” advice on a wide range of topics related to the business side of magic entertaining.
I gave this 3 stars because I think Mike tried to appeal to anyone getting into any field of the entertainment industry. As you read it, it is clear that his expertise is in magic entertainment, but if he would have focused just on the magic community, he might have expanded the book with discussions on specific magic issues, like character development, set development, etc. I'm sure he was trying to broaden his sales potential by trying to appeal to anyone in the entertainment community, but the book would have been more useful to people in the magic community if he had just focused on magic entertainment.
This book is a very thorough compilation of Mike’s advice on just about every topic or question you might have on the subject of being a professional or semi-professional magic enterter.
He covers over a hundred different aspects of the business with his advice in a very brief and to the point way.
You may or may not agree with everything he has to say, but the book feels a bit like what it might be like if you were to ask someone with a lot of experience and good advice a question about any face of the business and having them give you a good answer that cuts through the b.s. and gets right to his specific advice on that topic.
CAUTION:
The book does not deal at all with the “magic” side of business. While it is focused on providing good guidance in the business of magic entertainment, this is not the book that will help you decide what sort of effects you should do, or how to structure your set.
This book is specifically for people who want to earn either a full-time or part-time income in magic entertainment.
VERDICT:
This is a really refreshing book to get “to the point” advice on a wide range of topics related to the business side of magic entertaining.
I gave this 3 stars because I think Mike tried to appeal to anyone getting into any field of the entertainment industry. As you read it, it is clear that his expertise is in magic entertainment, but if he would have focused just on the magic community, he might have expanded the book with discussions on specific magic issues, like character development, set development, etc. I'm sure he was trying to broaden his sales potential by trying to appeal to anyone in the entertainment community, but the book would have been more useful to people in the magic community if he had just focused on magic entertainment.