talkmagic.co.uk

I've been doing close-up magic privately for my own amusement + family for around 2 years.

I am thinking about investing more time in such tricks as The Heckler and the Watch Steal etc. to improve my routine and make money as a magician. I only anticipate 5-10 performances per year as I am well aware getting gigs is difficult.

However, I don't have much of a rapport or routine...although I can perform the tricks well. I'm pretty much like a 'trick machine' without all the persona and razz.

So, where can I learn the 'acting' part? Are there any magicians willing to train me for cash? Or should I go to acting class?

Get a copy of Derren Brown's "Absolute Magic". It's a collection of what he's found to work in creating what he calls "resonant" magic.

Derren Brown's books a superb.

Also, have a look at Henning Nelms' "Magic and Showmanship" and Darwin Ortiz' "Strong Magic".

The latter book is outstanding and worth every penny if you can find it.

http://www.magicbooksbypost.co.uk stock many, many magic books on performance. Make that a starting point.

and think of it like this...your cards or whatever are visual aids to the story you are telling...

so kind of forget the "props" and just imagine you are telling someone a story or an incident that you witnessed that day...

just my thoughts anyways...

Try to link tricks together. Make it all flow seamlessly.

For ecample if you need to use a gimicked deck, don't just swap decks for no good reason. Try to incorporate a second deck into the previous routine, thereby giving a good reason why you're now using that deck.

Or if you can't incorporate that gimicked deck, put the cards away for a minute (in a pocket or something), do say a coin trick and then pull out the gimicked deck. No one will then notice.

Thanks for the tips. I will check out some books and see if they can help me although I'm a great fan of watching magic instruction on video.

I already do card/coin/other trick so I can switch gimmicked decks. I just don't really have much patter to go with it, I just prefer to go with the tricks...I need some BS to slow things down!

Just while we're here, I'm very interested in a stage magic trick...saw it on Sky 1 featuring Spanish magicians....a woman gets into a cardboard box which is raised off the ground, 360 view reviews nothing unsual. Magician dances around with wooden stakes, about 5 feet long and plunges them thru the cardboard box....then he sticks a sword through the middle. of course, once all the stakes are removed etc. the woman gets out unscathed.

Any ideas where I can buy this or the method?

i would say start small..dont rush in without the basics under your belt...

just you wait til Mr. Browning reads your comments young man

stage illusions cost a huge amount in the most part...

I've prob.spent about 400-500 quid on tricks so far, weeded out the rubbish to leave the creme de la creme of close up magic....however, I don't have any stage magic, and I'm well aware about 2K per trick is the norm.

It would be of interest to do a big stage magic trick, say prior to the evening dance at a wedding...then to follow up with close up magic amongst tables for the remainder of the evening.

I did a larger (15) people show at a party, but it didn't work that great because all my tricks are close up...on the other hand I did a show for 4 people at a table and they were knocked out as they didn't see any of the gimmicks/sleights.

So the bottom line is for commercial purposes, I may need to offer at least 1 big stage magic trick to create a 'dramatic' start to the event...

A big ol mystifying stage illusion. I ve never liked them they always looked "mechanical" if you get my drift. Also the cost of one is high as mentioned before then you got how many times will it be used etc. if you buy it and you only use it once that’s a grand a time if you’re doing a free show or only charging a small amount for the show your doing. How about using a chop cup routine like Paul Daniels did. Or even getting hold of the barbed wire linking rings? Depending on your style of course. Or something with fire or flash paper.

Books on showmanship changing the subject slightly I recommend Sankey’s Beyond secrets and as said before Magic and showmanship by Hemming Nelms

You can pay a lot more for a 'big trick'. and remember that some require a girl with 'special skills'.

oh yes they need the "special skills" girl and she probley want money.

yoshi wrote:Thanks for the tips. I will check out some books and see if they can help me although I'm a great fan of watching magic instruction on video.

Nobody had recommended any magic instruction books - they're all performance-related books. I don't think you'll find too many DVDs on the subject, so I recommend you get at least one of the books that has been suggested.

A good idea is to do some acting classes and public speaking lessons. The books mentioned are good, but the thing is - you can read books till you're blue in the face - that isn't going to help you actually do it.

taneous wrote:A good idea is to do some acting classes and public speaking lessons. The books mentioned are good, but the thing is - you can read books till you're blue in the face - that isn't going to help you actually do it.

Doing it is what actually helps you do it. When you first start doing table magic, approaching a group of strangers with the intention of amazing them can be a daunting tesk. The more you do it, the easier it becomes. In fact, it soon becomes addictive. It's my favourite thing in the world - well, almost...

As for stage illusions, I do a lot of work on the wedding circuit and I've never been asked to perform a stage show. Concentrate on the table magic, and save your money. Or use the money you would have spent on a big illusion on advertising your services as a close-up magician.

themagicwand wrote:Doing it is what actually helps you do it. When you first start doing table magic, approaching a group of strangers with the intention of amazing them can be a daunting tesk. The more you do it, the easier it becomes. In fact, it soon becomes addictive. It's my favourite thing in the world - well, almost...

Actually I was about to write something along those lines - and then I realised I know a few magicians who do 'do it' - but do it really badly.