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I was just wondering if there's any trick to picking a truely random spectator? How can you walk down the street and pick one person to show a trick to? Basically what I'm looking for is tips on how to tell who is going to want to see what I want to show them. There's lots of days I'll be walking through the store and just want to show someone something. So if anyone's got any tips on picking really random specs, I'd love to hear them.

JAlexBrown

eeney meeny minny mo.....

ok..Is this mix and mingle? What i normally do is have a quick walk around first with a nice smile on my face so people get used to a magician being present. If they run away don't chase them

I look for someone who looks happy and friendly and as i step over to them i say 'Hi i am Stephen and i am performing magic here today, can i just take a moment to show you something, you will be the first star of the show' make them feel special and important because you have choosen them to watch the trick. As you are performing the trick look around and see if a crowd is forming. If so say 'Hey! who want's to be the next star of the show!' 99% of the time someone will want to be next.

Just a small cautionary tale though.. I once knew someone who was out shopping and thought 'Hey i will stop people and do some magic while i am in the shopping mall!' The guards did not take kindly to this. Just a thought!

Do you know how kindly larger chain stores take to someone showing tricks (for non-profit, of course)? I'm thinking (I'm not sure if the UK people will know what I'm talking about when I say this) Wal-Mart. How, do you suppose, they would take to someone showing random tricks to their shoppers? To me, if they're not asking for money and they're not forcing people to watch their stuff, they're doing no harm to the people or the business. But just to cover my bases, anyone know how they would take to such things?

JAlexBrown

I find walmart to not allow any performances, big or small, in there stores,(there quite strict about it) but thats just were I live can't speak for anywhere else. as far as picking people, I tend to head towards groups of teenage girls as they tend to get easily excited when they are in groups. once you have the group just pick whoevers closest. groups of teenage boys tend to be a bit more sceptical and don't impress as easily. with adults its alot tricky to tell by a single glance, but I agree with stephenmagic, friendly people who aren't in a rush are your best bet.

I take it you've had some sort of experience doing magic at Wal-Mart. What kind of experience did you have? I'll take it, going by your post, that it wasn't a pleasant one. What happened?

JAlexBrown

My friend and I were filming some street magic just the other day. We went into Dan's (ice cream shop) and asked the cashier if she would like to see a trick and she goes, "No, I don't really have time."
There was nobody in line behind us, and nobody in the shop at all. Her boss was right behind her though lol. Don't ask workers/cashiers to see a trick. Go for spectators. When you ask them if they'd like to see something, make sure they notice a deck of cards, a coin or a magic object in your hand.

I have been asked to leave walmart twice now for trying stuff. once a friend and I walked in the door with a video camera, that was the mistake there, we didn't even get 10 steps in before they told us to leave because we weren't allowed to hassle customers with cameras. antoher time I had a crowd of maybe 5 people when a few workers came and told me I had to stop becuae they thought I was busking or something. they weren't horribly rude or anything but I guess they have policies againts it. I think you could probably pull it off though. Just learn from my mistakes, no cameras, keep it small and away from the entrance. maybe you could do it in the mcdonalds part, might be a better atmosphere as well.

The problem with performing in a place like Wal-Mart is that they have strict rules against soliciting on their property. They allow charities and non-profit organizations come in, but that's about the extent of it. While you may not be profiting from what you're doing, it still violates their store policy.

It should be noted that the stores are within their rights to ask you to leave. What you're doing can be seen as harrassing customers. Personally, I would keep away from performing inside retail stores - you're just asking to get tossed. Doing it in the McDonald's area isn't a good idea, either.

I wouldn't advise you regularly going out on the street and just randomly approaching people. Despite what you've seen on David Blaine and Criss Angel specials - the majority of people don't want to see what you want to show them.

If you're really interested in performing out in public, I would look into getting a street performance license (you need one in NY, not sure about other states), and try setting yourself up in a public spot - like a park or outside shopping pavilion. Make yourself an area where you can pull an audience to you, not the other way around.

I think it's much better to let the spectators come to you, pick yourself a nice spot in a busy highstreet and start off with something very visual. Ropes are quite good for this and have some backing music, that helps to you noticed.

I am confused by the ambiguity of the question... on one hand, you want a truly random spectator. On the other hand, you want a spectator who is going to be receptive.

David Blaine's got a lot to answer for. Dean Tavaloris from the League of Gentlemen springs to mind...

Why not ask permission from a store or shopping centre (what we call "Malls" in the Uk)?
Not only will you be allowed to perform your magic there, if they like the idea they may pay you as well. If I was in a rush and some random stranger came up to me I would assume they were either trying to sell me something, ask for money/cigarettes, be collecting for charity or pushing their religon onto people.

I wouldn't particularly recommend spring ing magic on unsuspecting people going about their day. To me it smacks of showing off rather than performance.
As said above getting permission to perform at a specific area where people can come to you or even better at some sort of place where people gather to relax and be entertained ( e.g pub, party)
To be honest I'm not sure I'd be too receptive if approached on the street as I'm usually busy going somewhere or doing something.

Nine times out of ten I will ALWAYS pick the girl over the guy.

Perhaps it is simply because I have a willy.

But I think it is more to do with the definate improvement in reactions I seem to find.

Good call greedoniz, the best time is when people are there to relax. grabbing someone off the street is always a shock for them, and its hard to guess what there response will be. looking back two times I have been approached randomly by magicians was one a subway, not a great idea as the audience may be leaving at anytime. the one time when it went very well was when I was approached in a park while having lunch with friends. Place where people are there to relax like pubs and parks are good. streets, stores and places where people are there to do their business and move on aren't so great.