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no matter how hard i practise or how well i prepare i still find it really difficult to perform in front of people. im generally lacking confidence. any advice?

there's a few hints in the "litte tips..." stickie somewhere on here..

other than that, start small, build up, swallow the fear!

good luck!

One thing that's helped me is to use the very small tricks in an unexpected setting to start building up confidence.

For example, if you are in a setting with a friend that smokes: a match that appears to have been struck can be snuck into the ash tray. Later you fish it out and "re"-strike it (don't forget some little bit of patter).

No one expected a trick, you're not in a position where you were supposed to entertain or even where you said you were going to entertain. Yet, you made with a little trickery and hopefully your friend enoyed it.

Good luck.

I think it just takes performance. When I started showing people, I shook like I was in the north pole. It took about a year for it to die down (almost) completely. Work on routines that require little to non difficult sleights. Obviously, make the presentation the best you can. When you get used to the idea of showing groups of people different things, the shaking should go away.

I think the important is to realise that your development as a performing magician happens in steps.

see http://www.talkmagic.co.uk/ftopic23204. ... 22b2dbf676

I do not think you will experience the stage fright so much if you start of with stage 1 making sure to are relaxed and confortable before you move on to step 2. And in general make sure you are confatable at step n before you move to step n+1. Like there is no fast way to mastering maths, my best advise is to be patient and accept it takes time to become a fullblown performer.

Booze???

No I'm just kidding try it in front of family and friends then build up small groups from that, maybe a family party and then just move on up. A gradual change should work.

Good Lunk

The more you perform the less the nerves will bother you, although having nerves is actually a good thing, at least it shows you care about what you're doing!

also, try and start with a couple of simple or even self-working tricks, that way, you'll get a couple of nice rounds of applause with very little work and worry, and you can settle down into your harder stuff from there.

I start my routine with an old Supreme Magic prop called Water-Lu, which is basically where you pour water into a metal cup, stick a piece of paper over it, and turn it upside down. You can now remove the paper without the water coming out, then turn it over and show that there's nothing covering the cup, pouring the water out. After that, I do a Dream Bag production of 3 boxes, then my appearing cane, the launch into my act proper with Unequal/Equal Ropes, which I can do perfectly in my sleep.

After a couple of quick tricks to get the show going, it's on with whatever I'm going to perform. The above also works fine for children and adults, so I know I'm usually relaxed and ready for something more difficult once they are out of the way.

I watched a film on Sky last night, 'The Effect of Magic' with David Carradine but not many other 'names' (except for input and magical assistance from Jim Steinmeyer, Paul Harris and Stan Allen!). There was a phrase used in the film which I thought was worth posting here:

'Magicians don't get scared, they get ready'

Says it all for me!

There is a maxim in show business that all the turns use to say. If you dont get frightend before going on it means you dont care anymore.

Me a good few pints of falling down water and I am of reading minds like....Something that read minds.

Woody Allen in an interview said that even though he has spent most of his life either infront of or behind a camera. He still has to go and throw up before standing in front of a camera.

Whatever form of showbiz you are engaged in, nerves are part and parcel of the deal. Whether or not you can master the nerves really comes down to developing coping strategies of your own. I personally find that as soon as I start performing the nerves vanish as if by...well, you know.

Some people never get over nerves - I've talked to old pro's in all areas of entertainment who after dozens of years "on the boards" are still practically scared stiff before a performance. Some very talented folk even give up on their career because they can't cope with the anxiety.

My solution is this: I tell myself to stop being such a bloody puff.

themagicwand wrote:Whatever form of showbiz you are engaged in, nerves are part and parcel of the deal. Some very talented folk even give up on their career because they can't cope with the anxiety.

.

Happend to the first Singer of Iron Maiden (A popular beat combo Mandrake, not the thing with spikes you had when you knew King tut) He couldnt handle either the fame or being on stage.


Actually I think NLP well the bits that arent hokum can help here. Try Anchoring postitive ideas about your performace etc this may help.

Didn't the New Radicals do the same thing? Worked for years and years to make it, when the finally did they couldn't handle the pressure so threw it all in.

Lady of Mystery wrote:Didn't the New Radicals do the same thing? Worked for years and years to make it, when the finally did they couldn't handle the pressure so threw it all in.

Then again that was a good thing. I reckon the chap should try positive Anchors like I said above. Then again what do I know.