Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Camera...what camera?

A camera catches a moment.  As a clown, I think of the camera catching one frame of a comic strip. A clown is a comic character, so any frame should be a little funny.

There is always a camera trained on you, whether you know it or not.  I use the word camera metaphorically.  I hate seeing any costume character, balloon maker, Elmo, Santa thinking no one is looking standing around looking dull.  They might as well be picking their nose for how pedestrian they look.

When you are in costume it's so obvious when you drop character. In regular clothes, who cares. When you are a clown stay in a pose, whether there is a camera on you or not.  Someone is always watching.

Just assume there is.

Because, I'm watching, I always am.  If I'm at an event and I'm not working, I watch the performers and I notice.  So does everyone else.  From across the room people see you.

As Santa, there are times no one is in line or sitting on my lap.  When no one is around.  I sit high on my chair and wave to kids walking by.   If I'm making balloons and no one is around, I make balloons for no one and keep myself busy and in character.  From a distance it's fun to watch.

Being a children's entertainer is tiring work.  It's very hard to stay in character, it takes a lot of energy but that's what you signed up for.  You can relax when you get home.

In the meantime, there is an iphone about to snap a picture of you and you don't even know it.  So pose.


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