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I hope you didnt misunderstand me. Im not one of those stupid teenagers that doesnt know s*** about magic and just wants to go around and "be like David Blaine". Trust me, im not that person. I have much more respect for the art than that. The only thing im trying to accomplish is build more confidence and get more comfortable with strangers. You need to practice this somehow right???

grum7n7 wrote:I hope you didnt misunderstand me. Im not one of those stupid teenagers that doesnt know s*** about magic and just wants to go around and "be like David Blaine". Trust me, im not that person. I have much more respect for the art than that. The only thing im trying to accomplish is build more confidence and get more comfortable with strangers. You need to practice this somehow right???

Indeed. Just get out and do it. It's a bit like stand-up comedy: you die on your a*se the first time, but if you go back for more, it'll get easier the second time. You'll know what to expect and realise that even if you end up playing 52-card pick up, it's not fatal. These are strangers after all.

It might be a good idea to just be in a public place simply flourishing until you notice someone watching you. Fan the deck and invite them to take one. Then you've got them watching you on your terms. It also sorts out the people who are interested from the ones that would rather be left alone.

Much as it pains me to do this, I must say that Mark Lewis makes the point very well.

I have read other posts on this and other Forums, which all seem to say the same thing.

I am doing a kids show on Saturday, but will be camping on site all weekend, doing close up at various times during the weekend.

Before I even think about doing any though, I will make sure that I am not in jeans and T shirt, as I would normally be.

I will be wearing a shirt and smart trousers.

If you look the part first, then people are more likely to come to you.

If you aren't sure if you can get people coming over to you, can you persuade a friend to come with you. Start showing him some tricks, make sure people notice you and hopefully they will come over. Having someone there that you know, might help your confidence the first time.

Thank you Mark! that is what i meant. It is not a good idea

Darrel wrote:I will be wearing a shirt and smart trousers.

If you look the part first, then people are more likely to come to you.

If you aren't sure if you can get people coming over to you, can you persuade a friend to come with you. Start showing him some tricks, make sure people notice you and hopefully they will come over. Having someone there that you know, might help your confidence the first time.

I completely argee this is what I was getting at with my supermarket analogy

If you are performing to anyone in a public place then others wil want to be part of it, simply because you are all having a blast!

Thanks Tomo for your response. I appreciate the encouragment and the tips you gave.

Mark Lewis hits the nail on the head!

People dont wanna be stopped in the street by some pillock playing with some cards!

The best way to do it is just have a friend with you like someone said, maybe a few friends, keep showing them tricks, people might start to watch then come closer and join in.

Forget just doing card tricks aswell after 1 or 2 card tricks people will be bored, you need to use other tricks proper tricks that are like shocking!!!

Stigmata that is a shocking trick! Sinful that is shocking aswell!

All the new magic thats coming out these days is just amazing. And allows you to really really shock people.

If you have another magician friend it may be a good idea to take him with you, do tricks like card thru window etc... Real impressive tricks that shock people big time!

Thats what you want!

To shock, baffle, entertain them!!! after all thats what magic is all about

Oh my god - that's twice this week that I've agreed with Mr Lewis Must be a record for me

Mr Lewis speaks a great deal of sense here except, for the part about Blaine breast feeding. I don't think that he ever breast fed and that's maybe part of his problem!

Try this. Sit in a public place with a deck of cards in your hand. Have a book of card tricks in front of you. The book should have as ostentatious a cover as possible which you occasionally flash to the multitude seemingly accidentally.

Appear to be learning a trick from the book. You seem to be studying card magic. It is a very good thing to have photos of cards in the book and big photos at that.

You can try doing flourishes such as one hand cuts etc; but it should look like you haven't quite mastered them. Be careful with springing cards because it is too noisy and you don't want people to think all this nonsense is a deliberate ploy and springing may be a trifle obvious. Pressure fans and giant fans should be great.

When from the corner of your eye you think people are watching you do this. Openly remove the 4 aces from the deck. Study a photo or text as if you are not quite sure what you are doing. Turn the page and study more. Keep referring back to the text and then back to the cards. You must look like you are trying to learn card magic. In fact I used to be genuinely reading the book sometimes with a deck in hand.

Now turn the aces face down on the deck making sure that people see you do this. Overhand shuffle but keep looking at the book as if trying to learn something. However you are injogging a card and by the usual methods the aces will still be on top after the shuffling. Now turn the top card over showing an ace and look very pleased with yourself. Lay it aside and repeat. Now do it for a third time and again lay the card aside.
By now you should have aroused amused curiousity and you seem oblivious to it. Don't approach anyone yet though.

Finally you shuffle but do not show an ace. You do an elementary move known as the DL (abbreviation) and the ace will appear to be an indifferent card. Look crestfallen and people will think you have made a mistake. Refer back to the back to see what you have done wrong. At the right moment rub the indifferent (?) card face down on the table or lap or book page and show it has changed to an ace.

I used to hear gasps when I did this. During all the above shenanigans sooner or later someone will make a remark to you or ask what you are doing. They will say "learning card tricks are you?" or "Is your name David Blaine?" or even mention the dreaded Paul Daniels.

The idea is that someone approaches you and you enter into conversation with them. This should lead naturally into you showing them a trick or two. If you are any good more people will gather and you can amuse yourself from that point on.

I well remember doing card tricks on the top floor of a bus and it was such a sensation that the conductor forgot to collect the fares because he was so excited. Two years later I asked a magician at the Magic Circle how he had become a magician. He said "you!" I asked him what he meant and he told me that he had seen me do magic on the top floor of a bus once and it had changed his life. He was so entranced by the matter that as soon as he got off the bus he went to a library to get books out on magic. He then studied hard to become a magician himself.
He did not make himself known to me on the bus so it was quite a shock to me when he reminded me of the bus thing two years later.

I also remember that once when I was doing this nonsense in a bowling alley the crowd got so big that they announced over the loudspeaker "would the gentleman from the magic circle give the card tricks a rest for a few minutes as we would like to get people interested in bowling again"

I went in there regularly to do tricks. If you frequent a place where the same people gather all the time as regulars you will get people asking you to do tricks all the time if you have impressed them with previous visits.

I do not agree with Vernon and others who say that you should only do magic at appropriate times. No. You should do it everywhere and anywhere when you are first starting. That is how you get good. Magic is people and you need to be heckled and challenged by live people so you know how to handle them. Any fool can learn to manipulate cards and coins-the real secret of magic is to learn how to manipulate people.

However you have to find the people in the first place. I have just told all you young people how to do it. I am too old and decrepit for this kind of amusement but I can assure you all that I did it all the time when I was younger.

I recommend doing likewise. And best of all you won't need a camera crew.

Mr. Lewis, I have to say, I really do appreciate your informative post. Like you said, "Any fool can learn to manipulate cards and coins-the real secret of magic is to learn how to manipulate people", and this is what im starting to further indulge in now. I have a good solid foundation and more with basic to advanced card sleights and manipulations. Now I must work more on the presentation and people manipulation as you put it.

I like the way your idea for getting peoples attention. Like almost everyone that has responded said, get people to watch on their own and let them gain interest on their own. Otherwise, as said previously, their only two words will probably be F off.

It also seems to me that the method you described would bring about better reactions. If you act as you are not really sure what you are doing the spectators will be much more surprised than if you were portraying yourself as the best magician that could do anything.

This would gain me a reputation in a certain place where people would almost expect me to be and always to ask me to show them more tricks. Therefore I could get practice on both aspects; the trick itself and the interacting with the people. Just like you in the bowling alley where you gained a reputation with the regulars and they always asked you to show them a trick. As I can see, this was more than likely the start to the knowledge and wisdom you have accumulated and this is where I hope im heading too.

Im not sure if anyone disagrees but as of now it seems most people agree with you and im going to take your advice and use it. I know it will heighten my skill of presenting the trick, the patter, the interaction and the manipulation and misdirections that go along with it all.

I appreciate your time and effort to share this with not only me, but with everyone else that wishes to further their skills in this area.

Thanks Mr. Lewis


Nick

You are welcome. Keep at it.
Remember -do it everywhere and anywhere. Including school. You will get good if you do that.

The only caveat is be careful about showing tricks to magicians. Their reactions and opinions of your magic do not count since they are based on different criteria which may not be useful and in fact may be outright false criteria.

Learn to manipulate normal human beings. Regrettably magicians do not come under that category.

Thank you Mr. Lewis. That was really a great post. I move for it to be saved as an Essay!

mark lewis wrote:Learn to manipulate normal human beings. Regrettably magicians do not come under that category.

I need to keep this quote somewhere safe forever!

Kati