Role-Playing for Fun and Profit

Costumed characters transform ordinary amusement parks into magical settings where princesses, superheroes, and more come to life. This lively guide helps creative teens looking to mix fun and work become a part of this essential theme park experience. Teens will learn how to land a role-playing job, performing in character with guests or onstage. Also covered are the many areas in which teens can exercise their interests away from the spotlight. Readers will learn how to leverage such skills as acting, dancing, and sewing to nail an interview, audition, or future career in or out of the theme park environment.

This captivating book offers a rare view into the world of battle reenactors, actors who bring history to life by playing the roles of those from the past. Readers learn about the past, present, and future of the craft. The book then teaches readers how to get started in battle reenactments, including which groups to join and where to find the appropriate costumes. Finally, the book guides readers on how to turn reenactment from hobby to a job and make money from performances. For anyone interested in theater or the performing arts, battle reenactment is a great way to go.

Zombie lovers and fitness enthusiasts will delight in this book that explains what zombie runs are, how to get involved in this new fitness phenomenon, and how it might help them in a later career. Beginning with a brief history of zombies in popular culture, the book then explains how pop culture boosted the idea of zombie runs as community and fund-raising events. Those interested in participating in a zombie run can find out how to find one in their area, what to expect from the event, and even how to organize one of their own.

Re-creating life in past times to educate the public and the historical villages where role-playing takes place can provide teens with the opportunity to learn skills from bygone times, such as blacksmithing or cabinetmaking, and earn a living. Historical villages give people the chance to bring another time to life, using historical tools and wearing period clothing. Costume design, set building, and makeup artistry, among other jobs, are explored, as well as how the experience gained at a historical village can be applied to careers within the tourism and museum industries and in carpentry and acting.

Cosplay, a blend of costume and play, has taken off in popularity around the world. This entertaining and enlightening volume introduces readers to the wide and vivid cosplay world. They will learn the history of this creative outlet and how some people have taken this colorful and whimsical hobby and made it into a lucrative business. Whether the reader is interested in costumes, makeup, acting, photography, or another aspect of cosplay, this book provides inspirational yet practical examples of people who have made careers out of creative cosplay.

As long as haunted houses have entertained thrill-seekers, they have also been moneymaking ventures for entrepreneurs. This intriguing title introduces readers to a world they likely rarely think about, much less consider as a possible job and even lifelong career. Haunted houses can be proving grounds and provide gainful employment for many different skillsets: contractors, makeup artists, special effects practitioners, actors, and many more. Covering everything from big-name amusement parks to small-scale, seasonal tourist attractions run by small businesspeople, this title provides a history of haunted houses and a handy beginner's guide for a creative career in chilling showmanship.