Archive for April, 2009
 Where in the world am I today?: Guangzhou, China
The purpose of any efforts in marketing are obviously to keep one working. Be it through the use of mailings, cold calling, researching new clients, a web site, t-shirts or other promotional merchandise the result should always be to establish a positive relationship with the client who is going to hire you to do the job. This relationship is easily as important as delivering an awesome performance and if the care and feeding of a client is successful it will likely mean a lot of repeat bookings.
This was driven home to me with the client I’m currently working for, the Canadian Tourism Commission, and more specifically the regional director for China and Japan. My first opportunity to work for this client came back in the Spring of 2007 and this latest contract that I currently find myself on is my sixth in the space of a couple of years.
Prior to my first visit to China for a tourism trade show I don’t really think that the CTC was aware of how effective my show style was going to be. That first contract presented a number of interesting challenges including a delayed flight out of Vancouver. I eventually arrived at the hotel in China (having flown all night and driven about two hours) at about 6:00 am. A mere two hours later I was needed to board the tour bus with the other delegates from Canada and head to the convention centre where the trade show was talking place. That whole day I was running on fumes and it’s some sort of miracle that I actually made it through to the end of the day, but in spite of being exhausted I performed with enthusiasm and joy and really connected with all of the audiences that I had the opportunity to play for.
What I didn’t specifically realize at the time though was the fact that as important as it was to perform for and connect with the crowds at the convention hall, the person I really needed to focus my attention on was the director of the CTC in China. Connecting with him and make him laugh was the key to being invited back. Over the course of the next few contracts I started to understand further that the fact that he liked me, the person, was likely more important than the fact that I was able to deliver a quality performance in a variety of venues.
I think, because I started my career as a street performer, my primary focus has always been on the relationship I develop with my audience. The ability to shift focus slightly tapping into the energy that makes my audience/performer relationships work and delivering a similar fun and playful experience with the clients that hire me has meant that I get invited back to work with these clients again and again. Not only do they know that I’m going to deliver when I walk on stage, they also know that they’re going to have fun with me when I walk off the stage as well.
I remember sitting down for lunch with a client that had hired me a number of times for a contract in Japan. We were joined for lunch by a fellow performer friend of mine who was in town visiting me. Over the course of the lunch conversation my friend pointed out the fact that other performers, himself included, spoke Japanese better than I could. He then suggested that although my skills are good, there are lots of other performers with good skills. I don’t think my friend was trying to put me down, he was just trying to wrap his head around the question he eventually got to which was this –
“So, I’m curious… Why is it that you hire Dave so much?”
The response really resonated with me…
“Oh,” says my boss. “That’s easy. We hire Dave back because we like him.”
Having a good show and good promo will get you the job the first time, being like-able and developing a great relationship with clients will keep that door open and lead to a long term relationship.
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Posted in Marketing | 3 Comments »
 Where in the world am I today?: North Vancouver, BC, Canada
“Men acquire a particular quality by constantly acting a particular way… you become just by performing just actions, temperate by performing temperate actions, brave by performing brave actions…”
–Aristotle, Greek critic, philosopher, physicist, & zoologist (384 BC – 322 BC)
Addendum…
“…a fool by performing foolish actions, a clown by performing clownish actions, a great performer by loving the rush of being on stage”
–David ‘checkerhead’ Aiken
Aristotle was talking about acquiring the particular qualities of being – ‘just,’ ‘temperate,’ ‘brave,’ but I think this concept of you are what you do goes beyond qualities to other arenas in life. You become the things you do, so choose what you do carefully then pursue what ever it is with passion and affection.
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 Where in the world am I today?: Shanghai, China
Prologue: I first met David around 1998. He contacted me and asked if he could meet with me and ask me some questions. He had apparently seen me performing in Ottawa on Canada Day (July 1) some years earlier and it had inspired him to pursue performing as a full time career himself as “The Rubber Chicken Guy.” So he came over, we talked and soon became friends. We’d check in with each other on a fairly regular basis and I was continually impressed with how well he crafted his image and marketing materials. We traveled together on a ProTel Performance Tour in BC and Alberta in 2001 then just a few year’s later he decided to take everything he’d learned from performing and comedy and apply it to a completely different career as a humanitarian photographer. He shoots regularly for World Vision Canada and is about to publish his first book – “Within the Frame” which talks about the journey of photographic vision.
Stats:
Name: David Duchemin
Birthday: Dec. 24. Merry Christmas, Happy Birthday.
Place of Birth: Montreal, Quebec.
Started Performing/Working in the Industry: 1991 – retired (from performing) in 2006
Discipline: Former Rubber Chicken Guy/Current Humanitarian Photographer
Website: www.rubberchickenguy.com, currently www.pixelatedimage.com
Video Link: http://www.rubberchickenguy.com/generalmov.html
Venues Worked: Seriously? I can barely remember where I went for lunch yesterday. Lots of them. Here and there. More there than here.
Hot 10 Questions:
- What’s your favorite flavor of ice cream and why? • Depends on my mood. But overall most favourite? Tiger Tiger. Why? If you need to ask you clearly do not know the joy that is synthetic orange flavour mixed with synthetic licorice flavour.
- Name one movie that would make it to your Top 10 all-time great films • Apocalypse Now. Or Casablanca. Possibly Monsters Inc. And Muppets Christmas Carol at Christmas. Always.
- What was your favorite toy from childhood? • I remember a Star Wars lightsaber with great affection. I also liked trees.
- Who were your biggest inspirations when you got started? • The Checkerboard Guy! And then it would be the Cos’
- From the world of animation what one character do you most identify with or see yourself in? • Hobbes, from Calvin and Hobbes. Does that count? If not, then, uh, the ant voiced by Woody Allen in Antz.
- Name something that scares you. • Bureacracy. Ever seen the movie Brazil? Yeah, exactly.
- Apart from the entertainment industry, name one other job you’ve had. • Current gig as a humanitarian photographer. But I also did a stint at KFC.
- What’s something you haven’t done yet that you’d like to try? • High altitude skydiving. Seriously. Oxygen masks and 5 minutes of freefall.
- What’s your least favourite thing about being a performer? • The creeping feeling that I was beginning to believe my own PR.
- If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? • “Well done, kid.”
The Nugget:
Pick one nugget of wisdom you’ve picked up from your career in Show Business to share with the World.
“Be you. Be the best You that you can be. So good that other people want to be you. And if you find something you love more, follow it. Too many performers identify too closely with their persona, or the fact that they’re a “full time professional…” Whatever. Life’s too short.“
–David Duchemin
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 Where in the world am I today?: Shanghai, China
So I dragged my family to the opening of the new Vancouver Trade and Convention Centre last weekend primarily to see a 10 meter tall marionette made by my friend Peter Boulanger. I’ve known Peter for years and must admit to being a huge fan and at times mildly jealous of his brilliance as an inventor. Peter and his wife, Ninon, have created several new and very unique circus apparatus starting with the Tesseract which they developed after leaving Cirque du Soleil. As their projects grew in size and scope they formed The Under Ground Circus and began creating new, interesting structures to throw acrobats onto. Not only did they create the equipment they also took it upon themselves to train the acrobats! I’ve throughly enjoyed watching as each new piece debuts and comes into it’s own, but was absolutely blown away by Peter’s latest creation.
Over the course of about four weeks he took the idea for a giant marionette capable of holding up circus apparatus from concept to reality for the opening of the trade and convention centre and left people gawking in amazement. Five puppeteers operated the 10 meter tall puppet which held up two suspended circus performers in it’s hands. The short 10 minute performance was mesmerizing and the audience was left spell-bounded.
Peter looked exhausted which is completely understandable given he had some very very long nights dealing with the rigging of the marionette and must have been running on fumes. Still, he made it and the results were fantastic! I left the Exhibit Hall feeling energized and inspired by the work he had pulled off and the effect it had on the audience. Now the real challenge – take that inspiration and turn it into action as I pursue my own goals and dreams. Not sure my dreams and Peter’s are quite on the same scope, but what matters is bravely attempting the impossible for in the attempt, the impossible often becomes a reality.
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 Where in the world am I today?: North Vancouver, BC, Canada and on my way to China.
Today I find myself on my way to China for a job with the Canadian Tourism Commission, but one short week ago I was teaching unicycle as part of the 13th Annual Circus And Magic Partnership (C.A.M.P.) Program in Winnipeg. I posted last week about how much fun the C.A.M.P. program is but beyond it being an absolute hoot to hang out with the Instructors that Neal Rempel (Artistic Director of the Winnipeg International Kidsfest) assembles to teach the program, the reality of teaching circus to kids is one that’s worth investigating as a way to diversify your income base.
Many of the instructors from the C.A.M.P. Program in Winnipeg have created their own training/teaching programs that are either housed in a permanent home or travel to where the students are.
My friends John and Annie from Firefly Theatre in Edmonton teach ariel workshops for teens and adults through out the year in the gym that they train in as a way of supplementing the revenues that their company makes.
Dean Bareham from the Green Fools and Flyin’ Bob Palmer have set up programs around Alberta at various locations and will grow/shrink the program depending on the budget so that they’ll either go in by themselves or bring several instructors in with them to teach.
Phil Leconte from the Silly People is trying to set up a C.A.M.P. program in Waterloo, Ontario based on the Winnipeg model and actually brought out one of the potential partners/funders to the Winnipeg this year to see the Winnipeg model first hand.
My friends Sem and Teresa created the Cirque Amongus program that opperates out of the Detroit Area.
Even giant Cirque du Soleil’s Cirque have a program to teach youth called Cirque du Monde.
If you have a skill and have the ability to explain it with enthusiasm and passion there’s a very good chance that there are opportunities in your community to share your knowledge and skill and be compensated for your time. Beyond the financial reward though, teaching for me is a chance to make sure the things that I’m passionate about are passed on others and this is good for the soul work.
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Posted in Job Opportunities | Comments Off on Teach
 Where in the world am I today?: North Vancouver, BC, Canada
I’m the first to admit that I travel with too much crap. It’s part of the curse of being a juggler I think. Especially one that rides a unicycle, climbs up a free standing ladder and has a pretty diverse collection props I choose to travel with… Do I need everything that I carry with me? I’ve asked myself this question repeatedly over the years and I’m convinced that if I really set my mind to it I could craft a very successful show that could fit into a small carry-on suitcase. That being said, I’m heading to China for a three-city ten-day contract for the Canadian Tourism Commission and I’m not entirely sure what the job description is going to require, so I need to be ready for just about anything.
I semi-feels like some sort of test that the client is putting me through…
“If we put you in this situation and ask for funny are you going to be able to pull it off?”
Something like that. Thankfully in these situations having a bit of a selection of props to choose from really is a boon as chances are even if one props isn’t quite the right fit for a given situation, another will be.
So I currently find myself collecting things that I think will be useful to have when I get to China. I’ve started laying everything out in a corner of my basement and continue to make mental notes about stuff I should include as I continue to pack. When I fly off to perform on cruise ships I’ve got the packing system down to a fine art and only take the stuff I know I’m going to use, but this one’s a bit of a different kettle of fish. I’m finding there’s a mild amount of pressure on me to bring copious amounts of fun and am quite looking forward to seeing what things work best and which things I could have left at home. Even after so many years of doing this schtick it’s still fun when a gig like this comes along that keeps me on my toes and has me hopping a bit.
And so… Back to the staging area in the basement to make sure I don’t leave anything really important behind.
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Posted in Technical Tuesdays | Comments Off on Packing!
 Where in the world am I today?: North Vancouver, BC, Canada
OK… So a while back I posted about the iconic nature of the Rock Band KISS and how my boys were big fans of the band based in great part to their playing ROCKBAND and in particular enjoying the challenge of the KISS classic ‘Detroit Rock City.’ Well my older son Koji figured that for his school Easter Egg competition he’d craft the entire band’s heads out of eggs and put them on stage… I got a bit involved in the act helping make hair from cotton balls, and some flame bursts from images scrounged from the internet.
If/when you find yourself featured as part of an Easter Egg decorating competition where you’re featured on the Egg itself I think it’s safe to say you’ve made it!
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Posted in Marketing | 2 Comments »
 Where in the world am I today?: Woke up in Winnipeg, will sleep tonight in North Vancouver
“God is a comedian playing to an audience too afraid to laugh.”
–Voltaire, French author, humanist, rationalist, & satirist (1694 – 1778)
Addendum…
“Whenever possible, realize that the joke is often on you and remember to laugh. It’ll make your days more joyous and life’s adventure that much more interesting”
–David ‘checkerhead’ Aiken
I think that sometimes comedy doesn’t need a reason to exist. It just does. If you miss the joke or are afraid to laugh at the joke you miss a wonderful opportunity to rejoice in the light-hearted nature of existence. Shit happens, yes, but laughing about it will put a smile on your face and stressing about it will give you an ulcer.
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 Where in the world am I today?: Winnipeg, MB, Canada
Prologue: Sonia and I met in a Hotel in Bridgetown, Barbados the morning we were heading to the GRAND Princess without the normal silence of… “Is that or is that not another act?” from a few feet away because as Sonia puts it –
“you had a blummin big sign all over your luggage saying “Hey I’m The Checkerboard Guy!”…..Bless ya, what made it even better was that you were half as mad and jolly as I!”
Ms. Selbie is quite simply stated, a hoot! So glad to have met her and gotten to know here a few weeks back!!
Stats:
Name: Sonia Selbie
Birthday: August 16th I’m 17 years old LOL
Place of Birth: Manchester, UK
Started Performing/Working in the Industry: At the age of 7
Discipline: Tea Connoisseur and Song Stylist
Website: http://www.soniaselbie.com/
Video Link: http://www.soniaselbie.com/Video.html
Venues Worked: The local tea shop, me mum’s lounge and far too many church Halls to name.
Hot 10 Questions:
- What’s your favorite flavor of ice cream and why? • URGH!.I hate Ice Cream but I am partial to a Banana milkshake.
- Name one movie that would make it to your Top 10 all-time great films • Calamity Jane
- What was your favorite toy from childhood? • My Sindy Dolls
- Who were your biggest inspirations when you got started? • Mmm at age 7?….Doris Day in Calamity Jane “Make mine a sasparelli”
- From the world of animation what one character do you most identify with or see yourself in? • Wahoo…Tinkerbell!
- Name something that scares you. • Drowning, THAT’S WHY I WORK AT SEA?
- Apart from the entertainment industry, name one other job you’ve had. • The Milkman’s daughter!
- What’s something you haven’t done yet that you’d like to try? • Paragliding…I just wanna fly!
- What’s your least favourite thing about being a performer? • Being away from my family so much.
- If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? • “Hiya Chicken! Are ya alright?”
The Nugget:
Pick one nugget of wisdom you’ve picked up from your career in Show Business to share with the World.
“Come on…Let’s have a cuppa tea and a natter….There is nothing more precious in this world of fruitality in which we live than just keeping it REAL.”
–Sonia Selbie
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 Where in the world am I today?: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
So… I’m at my 13th Circus And Magic Partnership (C.A.M.P.) program in Winnipeg and am having a blast. The program was originally conceived by the now Artistic Director of the Winnipeg International Children’s Festival, Neal Rempel, after an excursion he made to Guatemala with Clowns without Boarders. After flying to Central America and performing for folks in ‘areas of conflict’ he returned to Winnipeg determined to ‘Think Globally but act Locally‘ and create a program for youth at risk to learn skills like stilt walking, juggling, unicycle, trapeze, ariel hoop, tight rope, magic, drama, hip hop dancing, rap, drumming, art and puppetry.
I’ve been involved with the program since it’s inception and love it for all sorts of reasons. As a performer on a typical gig I’m usually asking my audiences to participate in my silliness. By contrast this program provides a chance to teach others some skills and let them bask in the glow of the spotlight while I sit on the side lines and support them in this experience. It just feels really good to give this experience to others, especially kids who come from a challenging background. For many of the kids who participate, this experience really does have an enormous impact on helping them set goals and see some pretty spectacular results by the end of the five-day program. On day five the students become the performers with all of the instructors helping co-ordinate the show and support the kids with everything that they’re presenting to the audience of family and friends who come to watch the performance. From start to finish it’s a really great experience for the kids, the instructors and the people who come to watch the Friday Show!
To top it all off the crew that Neal assembles each year is a spectacular group of performers who over the years have very much become a wonderful and at times dysfunctional family. It’s a treat to come back and play and be a part of this group and C.A.M.P really is a program that I hope I can be a part of for many years to come.
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Posted in Thoughts | 1 Comment »
 Where in the world am I today?: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
My friend David Duchemin (who’s been popping up on my blog posts a lot recently) asked me to come up with a list of things to consider when making the leap from doing something as an amateur/hobbiest to making it your full time career. As Wednesdays are all about work it seemed in keeping with the them for Wednesdays to share the list of ten things that I came up with when considering making the jump to making your living from your hobby.
10 things to consider when going Pro…
- If you can, start young. It’s way easier to suck when you’re young and you don’t technically need to make a living from what you do because your parents are supporting you. This is a bit tricky for those who find what they love and want to turn into a profession later on in life, but I was lucky and got my start young and it served me really well. You’re going to spend a certain amount of time sucking before you get good. If you’re relying on what you do for a living while you’re in the middle of your suckage stage it’ll make things significantly harder.
- Be a student of the game. What ever it is that you’re trying to be a pro at, make a study of the profession, the people who are successful in the business and what makes them successful. This isn’t to say you should be come like them, but there’s a lot to be learned from people who’ve gone before you.
- Be grateful for the assistance you get in pursuing your love and turning it into a profession and make sure you not only acknowledge the help you’ve been given, but make a practice of helping those who are coming up the ladder after you… It’s just good karma.
- Figure out what your “nut” is and make sure you’re going to be able to make your nut by pursuing your love as a career. This can either mean working at your love part time until the revenue stream warrants making the switch with out much of a lifestyle change or changing your lifestyle so that it doesn’t cost as much, your nut becomes smaller and you can afford to pursue your dream even if it means taking a hit income-wise.
- Whenever possible, love all aspects of the job. This includes practicing the craft, promoting the work, dealing with clients, and ensuring that from start to finish the service you provide goes above and beyond the client’s expectations. This will lead to more work and better work.
- Be as conscientious about the 10th opportunity you get to work with a client as the very first time. The Care and Feeding of a client shouldn’t suffer because they employ you multiple times. If anything you’re degree of care should increase as this one client may well contribute significantly to your income and by keeping them happy you insure that this source of income never dries up.
- Whenever possible make the job a game and fun for everyone involved. If people have fun working with you they’ll want to work with you again and again and again. This doesn’t mean lessening the degree of professionalism, but being well liked and a lot of fun to work with, ‘good on the ice as well as the locker room,’ will often get you more jobs than having the best product combined a sour attitude.
- Make sure you really want to make your love, your passion into your job. Sometimes the shift from hobby to vocation takes some of the excitement out of what you do. If you go from loving what you do to hating it because you ‘have to do it’ to put food on the table that shift can create a certain mental stress that has a negative effect on not only the work you’re doing but also the lifestyle you’re trying to live…
- Spend time crafting celebrity and leveraging it. Being a great at what you’re doing is great, but once you carve out a level of celebrity, you go from being hired as a performer to being hired as “The Performer” because the client wants to work with you and not just any old performer. This is more often than not worth more than what ever skill it is you’re trying to sell.
- Look at the top professionals in the field you’re pursuing. Look at how they live their lives. Look at what it takes for them to do what they do. Carefully have a look at any sacrifices that they’ve made and whether you’d be willing to make the same ones in pursuit of your craft. Look at where you are compared to them. Consider how long it may take for you to get to that level (if ever) and make sure you’ve got enough drive to reach a level that you’re going to be happy with. In other words work towards success, but before you even start, make sure that the success your working towards is actually one you want.
Got any other ideas on things to consider before becoming a professional? Feel free to leave a comment.
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Posted in Job Opportunities | 2 Comments »
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