Seaport Village

This is the heart of busking for the entire San Diego Region. If you feel that your act is ready for prime-time, this is the place to either fall flat on your face or make it big!

Tourists from all over the country and the entire world visit this enchanted fairytale like village each day of the week.

There is fierce competition for prime spots along the cobblestone lined sidewalks. In order to procure an optimum place to perform we are forced sometimes to literally camp out nearby and jump on a spot first thing in the morning. Most folks show up around 6.oo a.m.

The crowd doesn't usually appear until about noon. You must find something to keep you busy whilst you await for the breakfast ritual to pass...most early walkers are there for excersize only and they do not have money on them.

We smile and wave as they jog and bicycle by...later they may return with family to catch your act, so greet everyone and all!

We work a trickle show, which is very different from a roped off pitch to large groups. Our trickle show is made up of mostly close-up bits of business. Most buskers who perform magic, shun the table for a more open approach.

Few of the locals or tourists have ever witnessed and shared in the moments of astonishment that close-up magic affords. We chose this approach so as to offer something unique in regards to the type of presentation.

Trickle shows offer a more intimate presentation, which allows you to spend more personal time with each member of the audience. The crowds are smaller so tips are smaller, but we reset within minutes to start anew.

Points to ponder:

* I don't have to project my voice as far, so it lasts the entire day.
* I have a steady flow of tips, because I don't have a long show 10 minutes.
* Table to work off of and pitch my dvd, effects, etc...after the show.
* Having more equipment means I have to pay an assistant to help
* I have security for crowd control and equipment managing.

There are many cons to working this method versus a large roped off pitch, but we're going for a very professional presentation of close-up work on the streets. This means I'm not as portable, but it also makes us entirely unique out there.

Please remember! Do not get discouraged if they don't leave a large tip or a any tip for that matter! Never take this personally or you will drain yourself of energy and you won't last out there! This hinges on the fact that you have a polished and well honed act. Most importantly you must be entertaining, because skills alone will not compel most folks to tip your hat.

Street busking is magic's realm into the unknown. The world is full of bad tippers and you will meet many of them. Never bad mouth anyone when they walk away without leaving a tip. It will negatively affect your energy flow, which the next group will subconsciously pick up on.

I recently heard a first year apprentice magician on my pitch, call a family "cockroaches", because they were brown skinned and non tippers. What a real travesty that he is trying to entertain complete strangers with this attitude. He will not last long if this continues for long.

My producer Angel called him on it immediately in a very diplomatic way. We sincerely hope this was a learning experience for him. He is taking it personally obviously and perhaps harbors some racial prejudices. Just because our groups can be entertained and perhaps fooled into believing our magic, in the end, they will either like or dislike. This will come into play and reflect, when it comes to the tip pitch.

Remember, be courteous and greet all who stop or don't stop to share some of their life with you and your magic. You never can know who is watching. You may catch a break later in life, because of a single moment in the way that you carried yourself in public. You may also lose out on a break if you blow it with a behavioral breakdown.

A note; Angel Marckwordt a film producer from Skyrock Entertainment is writing a back story to this adventure. You will meet him in a later blog.

Thank you for taking the time if you made it this far my friends! I'll see you out there mates!
Israel