Today I was a Mime, you can be one as well!
In the photo above I am the dude.
For you who do not know a mine is a actor that performs theatrical medium. The art of "Miming" revolves around acting out the story without the use of speech, but with hand and eye gestures and body motion. Miming is a revered part of silent comedy which features the performer as a character in a sketch or film.
The first part of being mine is gesture.
The hands play such an important role. Snapping to the surface of an imaginary wall provides an illusion that you're stuck in a box. Pretending an object is super heavy inspires the viewers to play along with your sketch. The hands are perhaps the most important part.
The next thing to concentrate on is facial expression. Stand in front of a mirror and make crazy faces. Be sad, be happy, look worried, look confused, play around with all those.
The final part that brings it together is body motion. How are you holding yourself? Are you engaged? if you're pushing on a imaginary wall, is your body looking like you are fully engaged with pushing it?
The hands, eyes, and body together the next part is to get a good costume.
Costume Costs
Here are the items I got for my mine costume.
| Item | Location | Price |
|---|---|---|
| A red beret | https://amzn.to/2IrrFrl | $9 |
| Sheer Chiffon Scarf 26"x26" Square | https://amzn.to/2Krnmz3 | $9 |
| Iconic red Fashion Suspender | https://amzn.to/2D6POAa | $6 |
| Basic Striped T-Shirt Crew Neck Cotton Shirt | https://amzn.to/2KpuITJ | $20 |
| Dickies Men's Original 874 Work Pant | https://amzn.to/2U9CXTx | $23 |
| Formal Tuxedo Honor white | https://amzn.to/2D6WfDt | $7 |
| Colorful Striped socks | https://amzn.to/2Il65VE | $21 |
| Athletic Running Shoes (*love them!) | https://amzn.to/2WZTf3a | $25 |
| Mehron Makeup (face paint) | https://amzn.to/2VxepFs | $29 |
| Mehron Makeup Barrier Spray | https://amzn.to/2X1nKpy | $8 |
Total : $157 (ish)
Average Pay
The average pay per hour to be a mine is around $75
According to this webpage, it is much less (*https://www.salaryexpert.com/salary/job/mime/united-states).
But depending on your skill level, if you're earning tips or just an hourly rate, you could earn between $75 and $150 + an hour being a mime. All in all, its not a bad job
Summary
If you enjoy being imaginative, do not mind being silly, can channel inner motion and expand upon it... You may have what it takes to be a mine. And even if you don't, I say give it a go. It's very fun. :D
Hope you enjoy this little mime post. If you did please leave a comment below and up vote would be much welcomed.
Cheers~
