How to become An Entertainer

• Artist
• Performer

What do Entertainers do?

An Entertainer would typically need to:

• Entertain the audience through music, dance, stage entertainment, and theater in the form of recorded or live shows, presentations, and exhibitions
• Find novel material for their act; play characters with unique personality traits and stories; rehearse thoroughly to deliver the best possible performances
• Collaborate with fellow Entertainers to create memorable shows
• Entertain guests at shows and interact with them; strike poses with customers for taking pictures
• Attend auditions; maintain and transport their equipment, costumes, and props
• Promote their act; deal with their finances; perform administrative tasks

Entertainers can be found working in diverse settings ranging from theaters to cruise ships to circuses to a client’s home. They perform mostly for live audiences. Some may work as solo performers, others as part of a group. Outdoor locations may be hot or cold and draughty.

Entertainers typically collaborate with directors, choreographers, stage managers, make-up artists, costume designers, producers, vocal coaches, and lighting technicians. You may spend considerable time traveling between locations and may spend extended periods away from home. The dress code for Entertainers is as varied as the kind of event and the type of venue.

Entertainers may be booked for one-off performances, weekly or monthly slots, or for whole seasons (especially while working in a musical show, on a cruise ship, or at a holiday park).

Working hours are commonly on a graveyard shift; Entertainers spend all night long performing for their guests. They also need to factor in daytime performances, auditions, and rehearsals into their work schedule.

You must be willing to work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends, and be prepared for intermittent periods of unemployment.

The majority of Entertainers are self-employed. You will often have to pass auditions to get hired. Find one or more agents with the ability to market your talent and land you plum jobs for a fee or commission. You may also find some worthwhile offers through your university or college courses, voluntary activities, or a specialist course run by a private training organization.

Families sometimes employ puppeteers or magicians for children's parties. Large companies may hire Entertainers for corporate events. You may also teach or run workshops for adults or children.

When finding a new job seems challenging, you can boost your job search by asking your network for referrals, contacting potential employers directly, and leveraging social media. Job openings may be advertised on the websites of individual entertainment agencies.

The intense competition in this industry coupled with the irregular nature of employment makes it essential that you have another source of regular income.

Entertainers are generally employed by:

• Film, TV & Radio Production Companies
• Cruise Ship Operators
• Holiday & Theme Park Operators
• Bars & Casinos
• Hotels
• Social Clubs
• Circuses
• Local Councils
• Leisure & Entertainment Centres
• Companies
• Educational Institutions
• Families

Professional associations and organizations are crucial for Entertainers interested in pursuing professional development or connecting with like-minded professionals in their industry or occupation. Membership in one or more adds value to your resume while bolstering your credentials and qualifications.

• Dealing with hurt, anger, and disappointment at failure while accepting the reality that you may be rejected or chosen and criticized or praised; handling yourself gracefully when you come across a part that you didn't want at all in the first place
• Involves learning about composure while maintaining confidence
• Work may happen outdoors in bad weather or indoors under hot stage lights and may entail elaborate and uncomfortable makeup and costumes
• Auditions held in major cities at short notice

Entertainers with experience have better chances of lucrative employment. You could acquire experience as an Entertainer in different ways, such as participating in open-mic spots, talent competitions, street performances, or fringe festivals. You may also find work at holiday centers or theme parks or perform in local clubs; however, you may have to work without pay at first.

Organizations involved in specialist forms of entertainment may run clubs with regular practical workshops for youngsters. Apprenticeships and advanced apprenticeships provide structured training with an employer. Your pay will depend on the sector in which you work, your age, the area you live in, and the stage at which you have arrived in the apprenticeship.

Most Entertainers have a high school diploma in music and drama. Some obtain formal education in the form of a Bachelor of Fine Arts to enhance their skills and improve job opportunities. You would generally need to audition to get into a Fine Arts program. Entry requirements may vary, so candidates should check with individual colleges or universities.

Typical courses include voice, movement, performance techniques, and theatre history. You could also aim for a degree in contemporary theatre & performance, acting, music, and comedy. Studying music, acting, or dancing from a young age and participating in school shows or amateur stage productions would prove advantageous.

Certification demonstrates competence in a skill set, typically through work experience, training, the passage of an examination, or some combination of the three. Voluntary certification from an objective and reputed organization can help you gain professional credibility, build your expertise in a specific area, and increase your confidence at work.

Entertainers may take accredited certifications that teach fluency in the native language and develop knowledge of fine arts, media production & communication, theater, performance techniques, voice modulation, and dance. You may also need to pass enhanced background checks, as you may be working with children and vulnerable adults. For many Entertainers, a driving license is essential.

You could move into related roles such as entertainment agents, talent spotters, venue managers, and TV or radio anchors.

Competition is high. Aspirants with talent, experience, and zeal to perform will have the best job prospects.

Some employers may require applicants to undergo training in performing arts and obtain a degree in their specific fields. Training often involves learning on the job. Entertainers develop their acts, building up skills through experience. They need to continue developing and learning new skills throughout their careers.

In addition to training in dance, drama, and music, organizations offer specialist training in areas such as puppetry, comedy, circus by way of short courses, workshops, projects, and degrees. Some full-time jobs, such as those in theme parks, offer comprehensive training with no experience required. You may find it useful to join reputed organizations to earn professional recognition, find training opportunities, and make industry contacts.

Your Only Competition...Your Potential

Entertainers are artists who display their talents through live shows, live streams, or recordings. With more and more highly talented individuals coming to the forefront, the current entertainment arena is overcrowded. Auditions for Entertainers are flooded with aspiring talents, many of whom go home disappointed. People who choose to make a career out of being an Entertainer should be confident and courageous enough to manage the intense competition in their chosen profession.

Something for Everyone

Entertainers cater to all tastes. There are children's Entertainers, circus performers, comedians, dancers, illusionists, jugglers, look-alike artists, magicians, musicians, puppeteers, singers, street artists, ventriloquists, actors, stuntmen, DJs, and motivational speakers.

Some Entertainers are skilled in just one area, whereas others have several skills that they combine to create an act, for example, a comedian who sings and plays an instrument.

Entertainers working at holiday parks or on cruise ships may be responsible for meeting and greeting guests, organizing events, and running children's activities, as well as performing regularly.

Tips, Tricks & Hacks

Formal training, diplomas, certifications, and other credentials are not essential prerequisites to enter the field. As long as you have the guts, talent, and ability to entertain people, you will find work as an Entertainer.

Employers typically seek candidates with superior skills and talent appropriate for their specific industry and role. The rehearsal is where it all happens for an Entertainer. Rehearsals go by different names, such as recitals, dry runs, practices, and run-throughs. Entertainers practice every detail of their presentation to ensure that the audience gets an optimal experience. Practice makes performance perfect and memorable, and the Entertainer so effective that the audience cannot ignore them.

A 1996 study found that the amount of time an adolescent watches soaps, movies, and music videos is associated with their degree of body dissatisfaction and desire to be thin.

There's still a lot to learn and a lot of stuff out there. Even mistakes can be wonderful.

“There’s always going to be someone out there… who doesn’t believe in you or who thinks your head is too big or you’re not smart enough. But those are the people you need to ignore, and those are the times you need to just keep doing what you love doing.”