Clown

OFO No: 265901

What is a Clown?

Clowns dress in strange, colourful outfits, paint their faces and use their performance skills, antics and tricks to delight and amuse the crowd. 

Their main job is to make people and children laugh, although they may also be employed to attract attention to sell goods or services or communicate ideas. 

Areas where clowns can be employed:

• companies hire them to promote products or to attract attention
• people hire clowns for childrens’ parties
• circus arenas employ clowns
• clowns may freelance at schools, fairs, fetes, expos etc
• employed by television for childrens’ programmes

Professional Clowns are highly trained. 

They have skills like:

• Puppetry
• Ventriloquism
• Juggling
• Stilt walking
• Balloon sculpture etc 

Most of them are proficient at word play and must have quick wit to interact with their audiences. 

What does a Clown do?

• meets and greets clients and discusses job at hand
• dresses up in funny clothes, big shoes and a red nose etc
• paints their faces white with big smiles, tears etc
• rehearses their act over and over to perfect it
• performs in front of a live audience (most of the time)
• creates and learns new skills to add to their act
• tries being appropriately funny for the audience (child, adult or corporate)
• engages with their audience

Are you … ?

• witty?
• able to make a fool of yourself?
• a quick thinker?
• clever with words?
• a skilled trickster?  Can you do balloon sculptures or walk on stilts?
• dedicated?
• willing to work unusual hours?
• willing to wear funny clothes and lots of make-up?

How do I become a Clown?

Not many people become Clowns so there is a market for them. 

If others have always found you funny and you can entertain people – then maybe clowning is a career route you should consider.

Clowns and amateur-Clowns who are still new in the business perform as a hobby and often work as volunteers in hospitals and nursing homes. 

They need to make themselves known and develop a following.  Many of them therefore start off working at birthday parties and church events.  Word of mouth will get around which is the best form of free advertising there is.

There is no formal training available.  You must rely on working out and practicing your own skills.  Therefore, dedication is very important.

Youtube:  Example of a clown act:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSyPD_WLSvs

OTHER CAREERS TO CONSIDER:  Acrobat … or … Comedian

Is becoming a Clown the right career choice for me?