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first off dont get mad if you dissagree with this information

these are my tips on how to do/perform street magic

PART 1

by the way THIS HAS HINTS, NOT FACTS and other magicians who have some questions .....how old are you??? This matters beacause the older you are/look, the more likly they are to say yes. But if the you see streets performers doing magic, that is great but not for you if you are pretty new. The only reason you should try to throw a hat on the groundis if the hat rises off the ground onto your head.
But also....unless you find a wall and want to do some weird walk around stage magic that you can carry around in a trunk or something like that,try to get a crowd, and also bring speakers and a microphone, then collect (if any) donations at the end

or also

what kind of magic do you do???if its close up and you can carry it (street like magic to be obvious) then try that on the street, if you mess up, WHO CARES..YOURE NEVER GOING TO SEE THAT PERSON AGAIN!!!!!!!)

But to apporoach someone there's many approaches:

Straight Forward: ask people on the street who dont look like they are in a hurry to go somewhere, just ask "Would like to see a trick?" is preety much how straight forward you can get. BUT this tends to get rejected more than the one below!!!

Casual:nice shirt wher'ed you get it??? Try to strike up a convresation first so you guys arent COMPLETE STRANGERS!!!!! But after you introduce your self (somewhere in the conversatoin) then go in for the KILL. The line i find works best after the casual apporoach and conversation is "By the way, do have a second for me to show you something???" this question and (to put it into magician words) routine will work better than the Straight Forward appropoach.

After trick: ALWAYS SAY THANK YOU because keep in mind that they: watched the trick, participated in the trick, put up with the trick, and agreed to watch and most importantly THEY SAYED YES TO WATCH YOUR TRICK!!!!!!!

I can not guareentee results but following my strategy's will work best and hopefully get you better reactions and more yeses than nos. please reply back with any comments...suggestions..or your strategies!!!!!!


READ: This is for street magic not to be confused with street performing!!!!!!!! and this is not busking..just as some people call it "Blaining"
but in other words..this is for those who do street magic


PART 2


*This article continues from the first*

PERFORMING:
When performing for someone:

Be prepared- There's no use in getting someone to say yes to you and you dont have your cards or the gimmick needed.

Know the trick- try to practice as much as you can before perfoming, wouldn't be embarrasing if you got them to say yes...and you fogot to do the trick??? but then again, keep in mind that it's not the end of the world and now you know you have something to work on.

Patter- Make sure you know what to say during the trick. Patter is one of the essentials in magic, it gives the spectator more belief in your magic. SPEAK CLEARLY!!!!! You need to raise your voice and pronunce your words correctly. If you do tricks for adults, and you use too much slang or sometihng like than they'll think you're an idiot, or if you say (as an example) i want to axe you something that tends to also make you look not as smart as you really are......so please try to use as much correct grammer as you can.

PEOPLE:

Casual Approach- Knowing how to use the Casual Approach can make or break you. It also matters who you are using it on. You need to keep in mind that most of the time, people are in a hurry and don't have time for your magic.
So try to use the approach on people who aren't walking fast, in a group (will be explained later on) and who look relaxed. Relaxed meaning, picking up speed in walking, looking at watch every minute, not dressed up in full suit (not always), or just looking woried or just walking with a quicker pace than everyone else.

Who to pick- the above section summed it up so let's break it down a bit more. Groups are rgeat to just try and stop on the street because then it's more likely that a crowd will form.
Also, try to at least stop one person that you normally wouldn't. So try to stop the mohawk guy with the pink hair, a nose ring and peircings all over his body with a tatoo of an ex girlfriend. That way thats just another group of people that might learn about your magic. Also, try to stop peole of all nationalities!!! i say that for the same reason you stopped the mohawk man.

TRICKS TO DO ON THE STREET:
Cards- Cards are one of the best things for street magic. They carry light and don't take up that much space. So try to open up your "perfomance" with a card trick or 2 ( What i use and what also tends to get good reactions anyway is, 2 Card Monte...go into Biddle Trick...end with Ambitious Card) those together make a pretty good combination. (keep in mind you can use what you do already if your comfortable and dont have to follow my advice)

Close up- these are pretty good if they carry light and you don't need a table for them. I say that because if they say yes, you need to take them all the way back to your table. And also keep in mind YOU ARE ON THE STREET!!!!! Someone is bound to steal or ruin tricks for you.

CROWD WORK:

Participation- Try to work the entire crowd, don't just do a trick for one person. Do a trick for one person, then move on to the next person if you have a crowd. What i tend to work best with is going from one side to the next alternating.

Hecklers- if you have a heckler...then work him into your routine, i mean if you fool him and make him look like an idiot then hell stop and the people will want him/her to stop

BETWEEN TRICKS:

Patter: Even though this is right in between tricks for only a few seconds, a minuts at most, you have to know how to use it. After you finish a trick, just asy something like "yeah i know pretty weird but now i want you to...." to the same person or diffrent depending on who you're doing the trick to. If you "practice" this, you can get it down so you don't even give them time to ask "How'd you do that??" Since you're already onto the next trick, that's what they'll (most likely) be paying attention to.


PART 3



Approaching People in Public:

If you do magic in a mall or just wandering around outside, i find it better to approach people who are sitting. Now I'm not saying don't approach people who are walking around, but I've had more Yes's than No's from people who are sittin than walking or just standing. If you are in a mall, then the best place i find to hit is the food court.


Connecting with Your Audience:

When someone says yes, let's say they are sitting down, ask if you can sit down. This even though it's not that great or broad as an action,will already take away that "complete" stranger feel. These next couple of sentences will lead into the next section. There is nothign worse than doing magic and having that feeling in your stomach where you know something isn't right. That feeling is (most of the time) the feeling of being strangers. The ways to get this feeling out of your system are very easy. One way is to open up your routine with Ambitious card or some type of signing card so then you can either read or ask thier name and have a reason. Or also, a way that I use is just simply, if performing to a group of people, Just look at one of them and say, "Now what's your name??" Or something of that sort. So Also, by the end of the routine, you want to have that "friend" feeling about that person who you just performed for.

Between Tricks:

When you've already done a trick, and you need some time to set up (say 2 card monte) then also, try to talk and start a conversation about where the person (or people) are from, or osmething of that matter. This gets the spectators off the cards and onto the conversation. So when you are finally set up for the trick all you need to say is, "wow, thats cool, so now if you would please pick a card..." But you don't want to act mean and demanding if you have to cut them off.

Routine and Performance:

You need to have some effects/ tricks down and have them be good to transition from one to another. I personally like doing cards in public because thier easy and one of the easiest things to transition form effect to effect.


PART 4

Communication:

This is a biggie. Communication is probably one of the biggest areas in performing...you need to enunciate your words and speak in complete sentences...and also have good patter. Patter will also make the effect more entertaining as well as a convincer in some cases. now try to have more patter than Blaine (great performer...has no patter) and also work on your nerves and try to stay calm....this is important because panicking if you messed up can completely ruin a trick (effect) this is important to keep your cool because the spectator maybe didn’t catch it yet or something like that...so continue on even if you didn’t pull off that DL…........

Nerves:

Here’s my outlook on it...one thing that can absolutely help you is just sit there by yourself practicing the moves, slights etc.for the trick while working on the patter. try to pace it and rearrange the patter, fix it....etc. just so you feel absolutely comfortable to do it in front of someone...then start small...like neighbors or people like that...so then after you feel comfortable with them then move on to strangers or other people....feeling comfortable is the only thing that will settle down the nerves!!!

Clothing:

try to wear clothes that you like but are kind of neutral so not to offend someone...like the do rag and tipped hat with a hot girl half naked wouldn’t be a good idea....I suggest a nice button up with a pocket but that only personal preference. just wear what you like and go out there to perform!!!


Attitude:

You need to have a nice friendly attitude because you dont want to * off anyoneor make them feel uncomfortable around you so they could leave at anytime....you want to be as friendly as possible but not to the point where im going to stalk you....just be friendly..try to make jokes here and there...really try to connect with your audience...because thats the most important thing in magic...you want to be able to get inside thier soul...this will make thier reactions increas increas alot because they thin kand believe that you really reached down in thier soul and read what thier card was....and that you read thier mind!!!

Performance:

When performing just let it flow....you want everything to work for you...and with you...and be mentally prepared...and make sure you know the patter and moves at certain times.....and that youre timing is right and that you can make them feel totally blown away and that they are urging for more....this will make them feel even more amazed....but you also want to let tricksflow into another...not just making it so that you have tricks, but let them fit into each other...like you wouldnt want to Biddle trick and then black and white surprise...you can..but it doesnt flow..flow, edge,surprise, and performance are the main parts of magic


i might add a fifth later

why is this in miscellanious (sp?)

Why did you reply to your own post?

I was doing this daft street magic even before it existed. And before David Blaine was even born. I mention this fellow because he seems to be the one who has influenced lots of daft kids to wander the street accosting and annoying people. The said daft children do not seem to have realised that Blaine has a camera crew in tow and they don't.

Street magic should not be confused with the art of busking which is an entirely different matter altogether. The purpose of busking is to make money and the purpose of "street magic" is to amuse the magician who is doing the tricks. The victims of the perpetration may be less amused than the perpetrator of course.

The way to do it is NOT to go up to people. At best you will get funny looks and at worst you may get assaulted or arrested.

No. You get people to come up to you and ask you to do things. You will be in a much stronger position then. How do you get this to happen?

There are ways you know...........................

Guardian452 wrote:why is this in miscellanious (sp?)

Its magic!

um.....mark lewis...i know the diffrenece between the 2...at penguin some guy got into a "fight" with me abou tthe subject and all of this has worked best for me

Ah Penguin! Where all the children hang out.

I am glad you know the difference between busking and street magic but I thought you did anyway.

However my point is that you would be better off staying static and letting them come to you rather than you approaching them. I don't mean for busking. I mean for what you call "street magic" but it doesn't necessarily have to be done in the street. It can be done anywhere there is somewhere you can sit down.

Yes. My approach is to sit down and do things so that they come to you. It is far better if they ask you to do a trick than if you approach them and ask.

When I was young and foolish I would do magic everywhere and anywhere not for money but for the sheer joy of doing it. I would do it on the bus, in the park, on the street corner, in the bowling alley, in the mall-in fact everywhere and anywhere. That is how I got good. I can work impromptu magic like nobody's business. However I never once went up to anyone and asked to show them something.

In fact I never said a word. I was far too shy. I would do things to make them come to me and they always did. If you can find a way to do this you will get far better reaction and not be considered a street nuisance.

However before you know it I would have massive crowds around me which I didn't particularly want but I got used to them eventually. The reaction I received was massive.

I wouldn't do this nowadays of course. You get a trifle stuffy with age.

Ah but wait! I see you are only 12 years old. That may be different. People might not mind kids annoying them in the street. However I still think my way of getting them to come to you may be better.

There are ways you know. Ask and it shall be given unto you.

If you can get a 'reputation' then you need never ask anyone to do magic agian. You just show it to teh right people in the right situation, then they will remember and next time they see you (or one of their friends sees you) they will just ask you to do a trick! I argree with Mark, it definately leaves you in a stronger possition. When you ask if someone wants to see magic then they see it as a bit of a challenge. On the other hand if someone asks to see something, they are looking to be entertained. They do not want to have to go back to their friend, who endorsed you, and say "no you were worng, he was rubbish", no, they want it to work.

true true...all im saying is that this stuff worked for me and i hope it works for someone out there a this helps at all

But you have been doing this for 3 to 5 months only?

yes.....why...is it bad that i wrote this being so young or what?

It's not so much to do with age but more the amount of experience you have in such matters. It's like me studying medicine for a few months and then suddenly going "Right, I'm a doctor!"... it takes so much longer to really know what you are doing.

It's an interesting article with some good advice there, but it varies from person to person and the longer you do it the more you learn .

true true....but age helps in getting people to say yes...im not saying that its the desiding factor...im just saying it helps

If you have a particular advantage, such as age, then by all means use it but the essence here is that it's more effective to let specs come to you in an interested and willing state rather than chase people down the street trying to show them something wonderful.

At the Blackpool Convention this year, Chris Capehart (some details at http://www.gigmasters.com/magic/ChristopherCapehart/ ) lectured about Street Magic which is something he's done for 35 years or so and which was the main source of his income for a lot of that time. His message was very simple, just stand there and do something interesting - perhaps some fancy card shuffling, something with a silk or even the good old cups and balls or chop cup. Once people notice what you're doing and approach then you've got an interested audience who have made their way to you so you can launch into your gobsmackingly brilliant routine knowing these people want to see something.