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Do’s and don’ts - a simple checklist
There are practical should-do and should-not-do pointers that
help every comedian, especially beginners, to overcome any
obstacle while performing, and generally pull out a good and
outstanding comedy act.
The should do list:
Prepare and master your material.
Know the audience, the demographics, the culture, races and
religion. Avoid cracking jokes and antics that might seem
offensive to some of them.
Prepare necessary props and costumes like wigs or sloppy
clothes. Such items will enhance the presentation and create a
good impression that the comedian really took time to prepare
for the act.
Observe proper timing when throwing out punch lines or executing
comic acts.
Develop an effective and striking rapport with the audience.
This connection could be the key to opening up the hearts of the
audience and setting their moods open to your hilarious antics.
Never run out of jokes. Do adlibs. Have spare jokes in case some
of the items in your material don't work, or in case the
audience screams for more.
Now, after knowing some of the recommended should-do, take note
of the following shouldn't do's:
Don't recycle old materials from your peers. Don't plagiarize or
steal materials and ideas from your fellow comedians.
Don't disregard the demographics and basic personal information
about the audience.
Don't erform as if you are doing a monologue or just repeating
memorized material.
Stick to the tried and tested jokes. Don't attempt to inject
spur of the moment jokes and adlibs because the audience may not
appreciate them.
How to handle hecklers
Aside from performing and getting the attention of the audience,
the comedian should also develop the skill to handle possible
disruptions from hecklers.
Inevitably, there will always be disturbances and unscrupulous
people who would test the talents of the comedian or just aim to
sabotage the entire performance.
A good comedian should always be prepared for such people and
instances. The simplest and most effective measure would be to
go on and pay little attention to the disruption.
If the heckler keeps on and grabs the attention of the audience,
the comedian could be spontaneous and make a funny conversation
that would be seen as a natural flow of funny events.
Otherwise, the security guards should always be on the look out,
in case the comedian could not handle the unruly hecklers
anymore.
Building Your Promo File
Comedy is an ever-expanding and evolving entertainment sector.
There are thousands of comedians that are already dominating
scenes and starting to make their own mark in performance
venues.
That is why competition among comedians gets more intense. With
the increasing volume of comedians, the market is becoming more
selective, and the number of venues shrink, giving way to only a
few outstanding comedians, with a new supply struggling to get
there.
So where do comedians go when they don't measure up? They quit
the business, get other careers, or wait indefinitely until new
opportunities arise.
For beginners, it would be a tough challenge to establish a
niche and identity in the current comedy scene. The challenge to
break through is always an obstacle that is reached only by a
limited number of performers.
For experts, the challenge would be how to tap that staying
power to guarantee his job despite the entry of new, fresh and
even more talented comedians.
The promo file
Comedians, just like other talents, should always keep and
update their own promo files. The promo file is a portfolio
containing the necessary items that would serve as references
about the comedian.
As for the employment lingo, the promo file is the equivalent of
a resume, a document that outlines the job applicant's
competence, experiences and relevant knowledge.
The promo file should contain demo tapes, which serve as a
sample of outputs, materials or experience, press kits, or
press-release statements for promotion, and of course the bio or
biographic details.
The promo file is a comedian's passport to securing regular and
even contractual performance gigs. Thus, it should be regularly
and appropriately updated. Make your promo file as presentable
as possible to make sure those people and prospective employers
who get hold of it would create a good impression of you.
Preparing the promo file
Before walking into the entertainment scene for comedy, the
aspiring comedian should make sure he has an accessible and
presentable promo file.
The promo file should speak on behalf of the comedian and should
be persuasive enough to convince a prospective boss to employ
the comedian.
To prepare the promo file, there are a few simple guidelines
that you should follow. Here they are:
Make the resume or biographical information as comprehensive as
possible. Take particular emphasis on your experiences,
education and of course, references.
Unlike common notions, the biographical information should be
written in a way that it is serious enough to be taken seriously
by the prospective employer. Others employ funny gimmicks to
present their biography. Don't fall into that trap. There will
be enough uses for your creative juices in other equally
significant portions of the promo file.
The demo tape should be handy and should use quality tapes, so
too the screen quality of the video, if it’s a video, should be
superb.
Make sure to put up your funniest comic antics on the demo tape.
That way, you can demonstrate your effectiveness in making
people laugh or back your claim that you are a good comedian.
Make the demo tape entertaining enough, but don't make it more
than a few minutes long, unless a prospective employer
specifically requires a longer tape. That way, you would be able
to keep your mystery and be able to create an impression that
you still have more in store.
The press kit should be written particularly for dissemination.
Make a press release of yourself. This is the part where your
most creative and hilarious ideas should show off. The press kit
is a run down statement about how you would handle the situation
when you are asked to advertise yourself.
Applying for a comedy performance gig or job will also entail
luck on the part of the comedian. Be aware that sheer talent and
natural humor is necessary, but they're not enough.
Determination will be a driving force. Combine them all, and
you'll have the luck it takes to be able to land that comedy job
or gig for showcasing your talent. |
