talkmagic.co.uk

I am aware that this has been covered (and debated over) on another post. I would like to add something that I do that usually works but the post is locked. I am also aware that some people here are not really into approaching people for magic so obviously this is not for them. Anyway, I practice my magic in public for experience.

I don't just approach them and ask if they want to see magic. I first ask for a simple favor (after I mention that I can't stay long... so they're not worried I'm gonna stick around too long). Whether it's asking for opinion about getting a gift for my sister but I don't know her size and I'm wondering if you should get a bigger or smaller size. Any simple but engaging question which will compel them to answer. Another simple favor would be breaking a bill for some change for a phone call. Any simple favor. I then thank her/him/them for the help then I tell them that I'm gonna pay them back. They normally say "No, it's ok." I say "I won't give you money! I'll show you some magic!" They will then be more receptive to watching you since they feel that they earned it. They get entertained and I sharpen my chops. A 2-way street indeed.

Like the idea.......interesting way of disarming them!

Yes, that really is very good. Thank you for posting that.

Mike.

Aha! Another asf-er amongst us.

bronz wrote:Aha! Another asf-er amongst us.

What does asf-er mean?

Ya thats the main principle for approaching people on the street, a simple question wich will let you to know how they feel about your presence. I usually do not speak about "magic tricks" tho i try to find a pattern using whatever is around us and start the first trick with this excuse.

Dogs are great for a pproaching people if you arent scared of em, because people walking their dog are usual with people approaching them. And they always very curious about any strange power you may give to their dog. Especially if you know how to tell a dog to sit and laydown without a word.

There is always someone looking to find something in the streets, they usualy look confused and are looking further on each side of street corner in case they'd see what they seek. Its a very easy type of layman to approach specially if you can help him find his way.

Then you have the casual walkers who are just walking, they usualy are not going anywhere, you can easily recognized em because they tend to use the same path with just some lil diferences as all they are doing is taking sun and taking some energy from the nature itself. They tend to have a big smile in their face and have a high level of awareness, just looking at them will usually trigger their curiosity.

This last type of layman really enjoy a high degree of complexity and mind twisting, you can have him seek the secret of your mistery for his whole life if your carefull.

There is a lot of approach but what i believe is the most important is to use your environnement and your intuitions to your advantage. We are mistery makers in a way so its useless to announce that you will do magic.

I compare this to James bond when he tell someone he is The secret agent 007 and works for its majesty... How does he expect to stay a secret agent if he tells to everybody?

Also you should never perform for peoples who doesnt want to see you or talk with you, if they are just affraid you may try to disarm them but if its not working just wish em a good day. The same apply if your with a small crowd trying to catch you in every angles who doesnt even listen to your story but just want to catch you.

Cut trough your stuff make a final you know well and Just tell them that your energy level has gotten down and that you feel you cant do anymore miracles or anything you wish. Wich is basicly the truth because they are there sucking your energy like vampires and eventually they may catch you. When this will happen no matter how many tricks you've performed right, the one you messed will explain every others for them and there will be no more magic, you wil have become a "cheat".

While if you leave they will still not understand anything and will wonder for a long time because they didnt catch you.

There is a lot of approach styles and we could elaborate on this topic for ever, im sure there is some great books on the topic wich is why ill get my hand on the book from Owen Lean wich was recommend in a diferent topic.

To keep it simple and visual, improvise and addapt yourself to the field is what i try to quote here. Of course thats just my opinion.

Well I've been trying a quite "bold" way lately and it worked out quite well.
Instead of approaching someone and "ask" for a favor or anything like that, I directly start with something visual but not obviously enough for them to notice I am actually doing magic.

Of course first I need their attention and I found out that there is a really easy way to get it=> if MONEY is involved!!

Just walk up to somebody (best if he or she is standing) and drop a coin. Pick it up ask if it is theirs (it's quite funny though how many people will pull out their purse for looking )
and immediately execute a coulorchange (spellbound).


oh yeah...you better not approach someone from behind if you try it ...trust me

I see that only young people indulge in this foolishness of pestering people in the street. May God have mercy on our souls.

Youth is truly wasted on the young.

Want some cookies?

Certainly not. No doubt they are bilingually packaged.

Furthermore I am British and refuse to use that silly Americanism "cookies" The correct term is "biscuits"

I do find that smokers are incredibly social people and often stand around visiting with anyone in earshot.....I have never been turned down when approaching a small group of smokers that are standing outside a "non-smoking establishement" the general thought being that it covers many of the hang ups......

1) they have safety in numbers

2) they are standing around smoking - they have time to watch and are not in a rush to get somewhere

3) they are often used to standing around outside non-smoking places and visiting with complete strangers-who are outside smoking as well - they do it all the time!

I must admit im a smoker myself and the idea is very good, most people smoking in groups outside building are actually in break from job or having a pause somehow.

I will look into this and ill let you know my experiences

Sorry Mark,
I didnt know cookies was kind of a slang, in fact the correct term in french is also "biscuits" and it seem fishy to me to use french words in english sentences. But both languages has similar roots and often the words are spelled the same. Just a question tho do you pronounce the T at the end in english or its muted as in french?

Ill keep cookies for kids now

We British are never mute old chap. Surely you must have noticed.

Well, actually they do mute words. The French mute the end, but the English mute the middle.

Norwich should be pronounced Nor-wich is actually pronounced Nor-ich (leaving out the W) and Leicester should be pronounced Lie-ses-ter is actually pronounced Les-ter.

I've always found that rather odd.

Mike.

My tip for appraoching people on the street is to have a few people carrying big cameras behind you and tell them it's for the telly.

The other bonus is that you can edit the footage when you get home and edit out any prep work and jazz it all up so you look better than you are.

Am I the first to try this?