Competition is a collection of inspiring entertainers looking to be seen as the best. What this really translates as; Can you bring the most people to vote for you. You cannot judge art. Any form of entertainment is just another form of art. Like, America's Got Talent. This show is ridiculous. Hundreds of people enter to win a contest. Those entering all have a certain talent that differs from the other. How can you find one winner if there is a voting system based on a singer verse a magician? Now, they are far a part from having any similarities.
Okay, fine, you can judge if they're good at their skill or not. Can they sing, yes/no, can they play their instrument? Fine, those things can be judged. But what if we take people who are skilled at their craft just enough to be able to express it? Now how can you judge these styles. A jazz musician can't be placed together with a metal musician. It just, well doesn't make sense. Worse yet, how can you say this person playing jazz is better or worse than that person playing jazz? It comes down to this. Are you enjoying what is being shown? And if so, are you in front of a group of people who all like that style? What if someone playing jazz is in front of a metal crowd. I'm sure you'll see a metal person win over that crowd easier than an awesome jazz player.
Let's take away how you can't judge talent. We'll look at a more business end of this scam. You're told to invite people, some times sell tickets. In either case it comes down to you bringing more people FOR YOU. Oh, alright. How many rounds are there? Sometimes three rounds. For math, let's just go with three. You bring twenty people who pay twenty dollars each time they see YOU. Now, three rounds of this repeated. That would be four hundred dollars brought in because of you. You do this for each show, three shows, now we are looking at. Twelve hundred dollars ($1,200). Normally you win some money. Say, one hundred dollars. Oh, and a show at some random place. These are small numbers of course, but do the math. You just made them $1,100 and you earned $100 and a show. You basically just paid to play. Think about that for ten minutes.
Nice, you got paid, after three shows, and you got another show. Awesome. You can do free shows anywhere. Now there are people out there who just like doing shows, and have no desire to make a career out of it. This, or any of my writings are for career minded individuals in entertainment. Even America's Got Talent, after all those shows, you win a million dollars plus a year contract in Vegas. That million dollars is really your pay for the year. Maybe we can say it isn't and you get paid for all those gigs afterward. You are still going up against a ton of people and the money that show brings in is about the same percentage you get... $100 Bucks, in comparison.
I want to say this much. Getting paid. This is a wonderful thing. You need this to happen to have some resemblance of a career at hand. Being paid happens for a few reasons. You're either known to a point where clubs want you. Why, because you draw. At this time, you're getting what you ask for to perform. Though you still negotiate before you solidify your event. Just another way you get paid a small amount that doesn't really represent your skill/talent, but, “it is a paying gig” so why complain? You should complain because you're getting screwed over. Finally, you can make things happen on your own. Do your own shows, until you are at that point where people want you to perform at their shows. For a cost of course. After all, this is Entertainment Business.
Peace and hope, until again...
~ Thomas J Bellezza
P.S. You can perform anywhere you want. Paid or unpaid, but in the beginning of your career you will more likely not get paid and won't play anywhere you want. So make things happen by going out there and networking your little butt off. Become vocal. Maybe do smaller shows at those places. But I am a firm believer in honest pay for honest work. Do you think it's fair you are working for a multibillion dollar company, like Walmart and you're only earning $10 an hour? Are you really worth .16 cents a minute? Lunch is $5-$10 a day. Your first five hours is for a weeks worth of lunch. Awesome! Now add gas. We haven't gotten to your bills, let alone much needed leisurely stuff.
How do you make it to a point where you're asked to perform. To get what you want/deserve? Well, maybe together we'll learn while you follow my writings. I am only here to help, not so much complain about a flawed system. Since it is not the system that is flawed, but the person working the system, or in the system. As, you are flawed. Flawed to knowing a correct way to play the game. A game of business in a world of entertainment. It is a tough thing, very tough, be strong. There are too many people starting out and getting thrown a bone covered in crap. Be safe out there and protect, help, and enjoy each other.
Art has an audience, you'll find yours. Not everyone is a political comedian/musician. Not everyone is a ballerina, and not everyone likes the color red. If there are groups out there who enjoy wrapping themselves up in saran-wrap and poop on themselves. I'm sure someone will enjoy your joke or song. There is an audience for every style of entertainment.
Lesson over...
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