Bickers Interview 11/17th Aug

Started by Graham Lee, July 23, 2008, 11:00:43 AM

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Graham Lee

Bickers has agreed to be in the firing line from 11/17th Aug, apart from twisting I believe Mark does some acting?
I'm sure I'll be put right on this if I have this wrong ;)
"Lets Improve Our Art"
Balloon Excellence 2012 Award Winner
For Services to the Balloon Community.
https://www.balloonartwholesale.co.uk
http://www.sempertexballoons.co.uk

Graham Lee

#1
Mark, Here are the first few questions. Please ask away if you'd like to ask Mark anything else ;)

1, What road led you into balloon modelling?

2, when did you get started with balloons?

3, What's your best twisting experience?

4, What is the worst thing that has ever happened to you during a ballooning/entertaining session?

5, What do you most enjoy about twisting & why?

6, What's your favourite age to entertain?
"Lets Improve Our Art"
Balloon Excellence 2012 Award Winner
For Services to the Balloon Community.
https://www.balloonartwholesale.co.uk
http://www.sempertexballoons.co.uk

bickers

#2
Quote from: "Graham Lee"Mark, Here are the first few questions. Please ask away if you'd like to ask Mark anything else ;)
Hi everyone and feel free to ask away...


1, What road led you into balloon modelling?
When I was a teenager I loved anything to do with performing arts. At that time I learnt to juggle, unicycle and some magic all at an extremely amateur level and just for my own entertainment, I was also going to loads of acting classes etc etc. For a time I was also helping out at a magic shop not for money just because I loved to be there and I used to get big discounts on the magic! Anyway the guy who ran the shop asked me one day if i'd come and do some juggling at a car showroom and I agreed - when I was there I met a clown who was doing some balloon modelling and that was the first time I had a go. I learnt some basic stuff dog, parrot on a swing etc After that I didn't really do anymore modelling. Fast forward 12 years and I was at the Edinburgh Festival last year and saw a guy making elmos, simpsons and a monkey on a tree which I thought was fantastic! I bought one for my girlfriend and when I got home after the festival I ordered a few bags a couple of days later I made a monkey on a tree for myself a model I still love!


2, when did you get started with balloons?

Well I guess I just answered that... 12 years ago sort of and last year properly!

3, What's your best twisting experience?

My twisting experience is still very limited, I don't twist professionally but just as a hobby. However I think the best experience was last year when I was driving home for xmas, the M40 got closed due to a big accident and all the cars were just sat with their engines off for 2 hours I decided to start twisting and giving out models to all the drivers -I really enjoyed it! Some people loved it others were dead grumpy and thought i was a nutter.. but it was good fun all the same!

4, What is the worst thing that has ever happened to you during a ballooning/entertaining session?

I've only worked professionally once and nothing particularly bad happened - I was very cautious to only make things I was very confident with and kept my models simple... however one boy did ask for a green horse and i'd only made a horse once before so I tried to remember it, it took me ages to get it right and I felt very embarrassed at having to keep having another go. It wasn't a terrible experience but it was bad enough!

5, What do you most enjoy about twisting & why?

I'm not sure really - I just know its very addictive and when i'm in a twisting phase I love making models and seeing people recognise them. I also love the fact that i'm a real beginner and i've still got loads to learn...

6, What's your favourite age to entertain?

I don't really have any experience to answer this, but I like it when i've made a new model for adult friends and they are impressed at how much i've improved, however sometimes they are far more impressed with the easier models than ones i've struggled ages to master!

Professor T Wist

#3
Mark who would you most like to make a model for and why? What would you make them ?

PrinCeSs

#4
Mark.. I missed u..  :D  how u doing..? anyway...my question

Have u really make good $$$ out of balloons..?  ;)
I\'m In A Royal Balloon World!
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bickers

#5
Quote from: "Professor T Wist"Mark who would you most like to make a model for and why? What would you make them ?

I think i'd quite like to make Shakespeare a balloon model of the globe theatre - I think he'd love it!

bickers

#6
Quote from: "PrinCeSs"Mark.. I missed u..  :D  how u doing..? anyway...my question

Have u really make good $$$ out of balloons..?  ;)

In short PT - no! I'm still a hobbyist although i've been paid for 2 jobs and have made the grand total of £100 from balloons in just over a year of doing it. I've spent far more than that on DVDs, books and supplies though!

Graham Lee

#7
Some more questions ;)

, Do you have the same act but vary the presentation for all ages or do you have set acts for different ages?

8, What's your favourite thing to make at the moment?

9, What is the most asked for model?

10, What do you tend to do more of if stuck in the 'balloon production line' model?

11, Who is your market aimed at?

12, What kind of work do you do mostly - parties? Corporate? Etc
"Lets Improve Our Art"
Balloon Excellence 2012 Award Winner
For Services to the Balloon Community.
https://www.balloonartwholesale.co.uk
http://www.sempertexballoons.co.uk

bickers

#8
Quote from: "Graham Lee"Some more questions ;)

These questions will be very quick and easy to answer!

, Do you have the same act but vary the presentation for all ages or do you have set acts for different ages?

I don't have an act at all! Maybe at some point in the future I will do.

8, What's your favourite thing to make at the moment?

I love the cat from Thelmas cd.

9, What is the most asked for model?

I think from the one gig I have done it was swords... I tried to make a couple of different swords or persuade them to have something else.

10, What do you tend to do more of if stuck in the 'balloon production line' model?

Not a position i've ever really been in but when I kept getting asked for swords I just gently tried to suggest other things they might like... but things I was confident making!

11, Who is your market aimed at?

Its aimed at keeping me entertained in my house... and impressing my friends!

12, What kind of work do you do mostly - parties? Corporate? Etc

I've done 2 jobs ever and they were both corportate gigs but aimed at children!

Professor T Wist

#9
As far as I know the questions don't have to be balloon specific, so ........................

I believe that you are an actor ............ have we seen you on TV and if so what in.
Is it true you are being groomed to be the next James Bond ? or maybe Dr who?



Would like to do those roles ?

bickers

#10
I am an actor yes - although work has been pretty thin on the ground of late!

Most of the work I have done has been theatre, but you may have caught me in an episode of casualty early last year or a one off drama for the BBC called Molly a couple of years ago.

You can catch me next at the Polka Theatre in Wimbledon doing a play for 7-13 years olds so if you're nearby and have children pop along and say hi!

Alas the grooming rumours were all false! I don't think i'm anywhere near cool enough to be James Bond... I wouldn't mind having a crack at Dr Who though!

Graham Lee

#11
More questions :o

13, What is your favourite/ideal gig to do?

14, What irritates you most at a gig?

15, How do you book yourself?

16, What's the biggest thing you've ever made?

17, What has been your proudest achievement in our wonderful world of twisted latex?

18, What advice would you give to someone starting out, or wanting to increase their business?
"Lets Improve Our Art"
Balloon Excellence 2012 Award Winner
For Services to the Balloon Community.
https://www.balloonartwholesale.co.uk
http://www.sempertexballoons.co.uk

bickers

#12
Quote from: "Graham Lee"More questions :o

I think i'll answer these questions hypothetically which could well help me when I come up against the questions in a real scenario...

13, What is your favourite/ideal gig to do?

I think my ideal gig would be when I get the chance to interact and chat with the person I am making for, so I guess parties and walk around stuff as opposed to being a balloon machine.

14, What irritates you most at a gig?

From what others have said I think I would be most irritated by rude people, I get angry with people pushing in queues or believing they deserve preferential treatment; however I get a morbid sense of satisfaction of pointing out their behaviour to other people nearby which i'm sure would alleviate my irritation slightly!

15, How do you book yourself?

So far its all been word of mouth - I haven't done any advertising.

16, What's the biggest thing you've ever made?

I think the most balloon intensive model would be a vase and flowers, but in height I made a Father Christmas last year for my parents. I haven't made anything really huge... but as I get better and more experienced I hope too, i've loved seeing some of the pictures on here of the Daffy Duck and Tigger.

17, What has been your proudest achievement in our wonderful world of twisted latex?

The first time I made the braided rose - I was so pleased with it as it took me ages to master. Unfortunately i've lost the knack and I can't seem to make them anymore. I'm looking forward to having many more proud moments as I develop my skill.

18, What advice would you give to someone starting out, or wanting to increase their business?

I am starting out... i need all the advice I can get! The hardest thing for me has been keeping focussed.

As I don't twist professionally and am still learning I have spurts where I twist loads and improve a lot in a short time and then I can have periods of 4 weeks where I don't even pick up a balloon and forget what I have learnt previously, I think I would like to make myself do 30 minutes a day just to make sure I keep moving forward.

Graham Lee

#13
Mark here are the last few questions;

19, What road in latex do you see yourself taking in the future

20, What is your personal goal when you set off to work? Is it money or to entertain etc?

21, What are your balloon goals for the future?

22, If you could start all over again, would you change anything?

23, How would you like the future of balloon modelling to develop?

24, Who's the most famous person you have made a balloon creation for?

25, How do you keep the enthusiasm going & what still excites you about our great world of latex

26, What inspires or is your thought process in coming up with a new design

27, Who would you like to work with dead or alive?

28, What makes you laugh?
"Lets Improve Our Art"
Balloon Excellence 2012 Award Winner
For Services to the Balloon Community.
https://www.balloonartwholesale.co.uk
http://www.sempertexballoons.co.uk

bickers

#14
Quote from: "Graham Lee"Mark here are the last few questions;
Apologies for being a day late with this - I tried answering yesterday but my computer kept crashing... anyway here goes...

19, What road in latex do you see yourself taking in the future

Hopefully I will keep improving and eventually I will get to a point where I feel confident ballooning in front of an audience. When I have a good repertoire and am comfortable making all the models in it I will start to market myself. In short I hope to start making money in the future.

20, What is your personal goal when you set off to work? Is it money or to entertain etc?

As a balloon artist i'm not in a position to make this choice.
When doing my day job it is undoubtedly to make money.
When i'm working as an actor as long as I earn enough to pay for lifes essentials I am quite happy. So I guess for me if i'm being fulfilled artistically that is more important than earning a fortune. I would rather do a 6 month theatre tour earning £400 a week than an advert that takes a day to film but earns £20,000. I hope i've answered this question...


21, What are your balloon goals for the future?

To keep improving and to gain more confidence in my abilities. I would also love to start making my own designs. Then I would love to start making a proper business out of ballooning.

22, If you could start all over again, would you change anything?

I think I would have ensured I could set aside a bit more time to dedicate to ballooning. But having said that I don't really like looking at what could have been, I made the choices I made and that is why i'm where I am today and that is fine!

23, How would you like the future of balloon modelling to develop?

For me this is quite simple - as long as supportive forums like this continue and people carry on sharing, I think ballooning will do just fine.

24, Who's the most famous person you have made a balloon creation for?

I haven't made a balloon for any famous people really. I've made a few balloons for friends starring in West End Shows but no one particularly famous i'm afraid!

25, How do you keep the enthusiasm going & what still excites you about our great world of latex

The thing still excites me is knowing how little I know! I look at some creations and realise how much there is for me to learn and aspiring to that level keeps me going. (Mind you it can also drive me nuts when i'm trying to master a complex model and the bugger keeps popping or I can't get it to look right, then it can make me want to give up. lol)

26, What inspires or is your thought process in coming up with a new design

I haven't ever come up with a completely new design. For me i've tended to make a model I already know and then i've thought wouldn't it look better if... and then i'll make the changes - sometimes it'll look disasterous other times it will be a success.

27, Who would you like to work with dead or alive?

As an actor Antony Sher, Greg Hicks, Harold Pinter.
As a balloon artist I feel quite privileged to have met and learnt from Graham and Thelma. One thing I love about the balloon community is that even beginners like me can get to work with experienced professionals very easily thanks to Care and Share days and the like. In the year I have been twisting i've met some incredible people including Ralph Dewey. I seem to have turned this answer into an opportunity to suck up to Graham so i'll stop now. ( Just send me the free balloons Graham!)

28, What makes you laugh?

Silly Jokes!
Things that shouldn't - like people falling over!
George Bush!
Peter Kay!





Thanks for the questions i've really enjoyed answering them, it really makes you think about things in a way you perhaps wouldn't normally!