Do you love making others laugh and sharing happiness with everyone? Do you enjoy working in front of children, adults, hospital patients, or large audiences? Do you like dressing up and using weird props? If your answer is yes, then the job of a professional clown is perfect for you. So what’s the next step? Of course, stop messing around and start your career step by step according to the steps in the article!

Take Action

Have props ready. Whatever type of clown you want to be, you need to prepare the corresponding props. Of course, some props are universal, such as balls for juggling, balloons for making balloon dolls, etc. If you do magic, some magic props are a must, but any other tool you can think of can be used. But at the beginning, you can prepare some common tools first, and then purchase the corresponding props when you really decide what type of clown you want to be.

• Have music ready for the performance if needed.
• Part of the performance may involve putting paint on a child’s face.
• If you’re going to perform a double act, prepare a dummy.

Get your clown costume ready. You can go to a clown store to buy a formal clown costume, but it may be a bit expensive, so you can change into some brightly colored clothes first, such as a Halloween clown costume, or brightly colored pajamas, or go to a second-hand store to find some interesting pieces. Those more expensive clothes can wait until you make the purchase, so don’t worry about it now.

• The most important thing in a clown costume is to have a pair of big, clattering shoes. This may be the most expensive item of all clown costumes, so you can start with a pair of large-size Converse or other shoes. Replace with large-sized shoes, and remember to stuff tissue inside.

Apply makeup. Contrary to popular belief, not all clowns wear makeup. Clown is a type of comedy, not a type of makeup. Most clown makeup is painted with oil paint, which is different from ordinary water-soluble paint and Halloween costumes and is very difficult to wash off. If you want to wear clown makeup, you have the following options:

• White face clown makeup. This is the most traditional clown makeup.
• August clown makeup. The base makeup of this clown costume will be lighter and closer to the skin tone.
• Tramp clown makeup. This kind of makeup is usually dark and dirty because this kind of clown is usually in a difficult situation.
• Character clown makeup. What type of clown would you like to play? Frankenstein? police? The character’s personality determines the color and form of the clown’s makeup.

Decide whether you need a partner. Most clowns work alone, but sometimes it can be a team of two, a team of three, or simply an entertainment company. If you want to find a partner or be someone else’s partner, then look for someone who would like to work with you!

• If you find one, think about your role and relationship. Conceiving a good situation is the first step to success.

Make a plan for your show. Find a few jokes and think about the causes and consequences. You should also think about possible problems in advance, such as hats blowing away, music stands always falling over, etc. It’s great to have a twist at the end or an unexpected rule of three (wrong, wrong, right). In this way, the play is basically formed. If you’re still unsure, write a script before rehearsal. Listed below are some of the aspects required in the performance:

• Make balloon dolls
• Pantomime
• Juggling
• Tell a story
• Tell a joke
• Double act

Add a little magic to your repertoire (optional). If you want to be a magic clown, you need to learn some magic tricks to become an all-around magic clown. If you really take magic seriously, you can learn some simple magic tricks from wikiHow or simply join a magic training class.

• But you must know that to be a magic clown, you need to prepare more props, such as a tall magic hat, magic wand, luxurious handkerchiefs, etc. Purchasing these will cost a lot of money.

Practice your comedy skills. If you are going to act in a comedy, practice more! If the comedy is done well, it can have a very comedic effect! The best comedy simulates real-life situations, such as private conversations about bosses, family life, and anything else that concerns ordinary people. Try to make the jokes closer to the audience’s real-life situations, which will work well.

Don’t use those cheesy tricks. There’s nothing the Joker has to do. To become a successful clown, if there is no reversal later, don’t use tricks that have been used badly by others. For example, never use the following tricks:

• Slip on a banana peel
• Fall
• Chasing a partner
• Get wet

Give it a try. Once you’re ready, write your script, grab your props, and start practicing! It is very important to shake off the baggage at the right time and make timely corrections when the performance is wrong. You can start by recording your performance to see where you can improve. Then perform it for your friends. Finally, you can perform it for your family or a small group of children to see how it goes.

Find a Job

Decide what type of clown you want to be. Before you go out looking for a job, you need to know what type of clown suits your personality. This determines the route you want to take and the customer base you want to address. For example, you have to perform different tricks when working with hospital patients, children, and adults. Of course, you can do different types of clowns, but when you’re facing a specific audience, you have to do a show that suits them. Here are some alternative work locations:

• Children’s party
• Adult party
• Children’s hospital
• Circus

Go to clown school for further education. There was a time when clown schools were very popular. For example, in the mid-1990s, Barnum and Bailey’s clown school was very popular. If you want to learn how to be a clown, there are still many training courses that can meet your requirements. For example, the Barnum and Bailey Clown School now offers a one-year clowning course, but this school does not have a fixed location.

Go to clown conventions and clown training camps. If you don’t have time to go to a clown school or there is no clown school in your area, you can go to some clown conventions, which is a good opportunity to learn from the masters. For example, the American Clown International website will hold a clown training camp in Orlando in 2014. Going to a clown training camp is definitely a great way to practice and improve your skills.

Learn from a teacher. The American Clown International website will also publish information about clown gathering places and some information about where you can learn from clowns. You can contact your favorite clown through this and ask them if they would like to be your master. The best way to learn to be a clown is to find a master to guide you. But remember, being a great clown doesn’t mean he’ll do the same tricks you do.

Sell yourself like a professional clown. If you really want to make a living from this, try doing some local advertising to promote yourself. Contact local newspapers and venues to see if you can advertise or put up some posters. To make a living as a clown, you not only need to know how to be a clown, but you also need to learn some local marketing and advertising techniques to increase your chances of getting a gig and getting paid.

Start little by little. Perform at children’s birthday parties, see if the hospital needs clowns for sideshows, and perform at friends’ parties. It doesn’t matter if there are only a few people in the audience, as long as there is an opportunity to perform, seize it. These experiences will give you an idea of what your audience likes and dislikes and will give you some tips on how to make people laugh, while also giving you a boost of confidence.

• This is related to how to proceed to the next step. Even if you just make a friend laugh, that friend may help you get your next gig.

Ushering in the Peak of Clown Career

Join a clown organization or association. These organizations or associations will give you a lot of support, knowledge, and credibility, which will look great on your resume. If you know some local clowns, ask about local clown organizations to see if they can help you improve your skills and expand your network. You can also search for some well-known domestic and international organizations and seek opportunities to join:

• American International Clown Association
• World clown association
• Canadian Clown Association
• International clown association

Improve skills. By now, you may have completed a show, become a star in the clown world, or (if you are very talented) have made some money. But in the entertainment industry, you need to improve all the time. You have to keep practicing juggling, acting, storytelling, magic, and anything that can make you shine.

• Don’t be complacent, there is always room for improvement.

Enhance interaction. If you want to be the best clown ever, figure out what your audience really wants and how you can give it to them. Here’s what you need to do to be successful:

• Understand the quality and authenticity your audience expects from you.
• The ability to speak in public without fear.
• Ability to put children at ease.
• Keep audiences safe during performances.

Consider working in a circus. Becoming a circus clown requires several years of performing experience. Just like applying for any other job, applying to be a circus clown requires a resume, a video of your performance, and an interview for the position you are applying for.

• Being able to audition for a circus (like Cirque du Soleil or Barnum and Bailey) is a big deal, but don’t be discouraged if you don’t get it right the first time.
• If you want to know what materials you need to prepare to apply for a circus, you can check the application requirements online.
• If you’re in England, Chipperfield Circus is the best; and in Germany, Berlin’s Continental Circus is very good.

Tips

• Don’t be overly dramatic! Be dramatic, such as pretending to be deeply hurt when you are insulted, laughing out loud at a silly joke, or acting shocked when you fall.
• Be a clown with a soul. Be humorous, witty, and most importantly kind and friendly.
• At the end of the show, try adding a wild chase scene.
• If possible, include some audience interaction. Invite the audience to perform a role on stage, making the whole performance more deeply rooted in people’s hearts.
• Enough is enough. Because sometimes excessive performances can scare children and anger someone; you also need to know when to step out of the role and save the situation according to normal people’s thinking patterns. Always distinguish between performance and reality!
• Unless you are a trained professional performer, never attempt difficult tricks such as walking on a rope while holding an umbrella.